2007 was quite a year in entertainment. Perhaps it will be better known for the salacious stories involving Anna Nicole, Britney, Paris et al than quality entertainment, but let's bring the focus back to the arts. Here's a roundup of some of the best and the worst of 2007 in my humble opinion.
Stars of the Year:
Josh Brolin
Who would have thought James' son (ad Barbra's stepson) and the teenage star of The Goonies would grow up into an exciting actor with movie-star looks and impressive acting chops? 2007 was definitely the year for Brolin, giving a frightening performance as an abusive husband in Part one of Grindhouse; and basically carrying No Country for Old Men, not an easy feat considering co-star Javier Bardem is getting all the praise. But Brolin is just as worthy of applause.
Amy Adams
Believe the hype surrounding this talented actress. Already an Oscar nominee a few years back for Junebug, Adams is courting A-list status with her dynamic performance in the Disney charmer Enchanted. While it's not a perfect film, Adams' performance is worth the price of admission.
Michelle Pfeiffer
Really Pfeiffer should be in the category of Comeback of the Year, considering 2007 was the first time she appeared onscreen in five years, but with two great performances in Hairspray and Stardust respectively, Pfeiffer reminded audiences why she's one of Hollywood's best actresses. Sure she looks fabulous as she pushes 50, but Pfeiffer has never relied on her looks for her acting, and she was wise not to take the lead roles in both films, suggesting that she could have a successful career as a character actress in the next phase of her career.
Rihanna
The young R&B/pop singer proved that music listeners want to hear songs with fun melodies and easy-to-sing-along-with lyrics on the radio at a time when there is a dearth of good music on your local station. "Umbrella" was undoubtedly the pop song of the year; the type of pop song that seniors, adults and children alike could sing along to. But Rihanna's next two singles "Shut Up & Drive" and "Don't Stop the Music" were equally catchy.
Sarah Polley
The talented Canadian actress and filmmaker stunned movie audiences with an impressive film debut, Away From Her, and directed Gordon Pinsent to a career-best performance.
Daft Punk
They had one of the best tours of the year, which in turn became one of the best albums of the year (Alive 2007). This French electronica duo may seem a bit passe in 2007, but they continue to be truly inventive and exciting at a time when music rarely is.
David Cronenberg
Here is a director working at peak level. Could the director make anything as good (or even better) as A History of Violence? Two words: Eastern Promises.
Most Overrated
Katherine Heigl
I don't get the buzz around her. She's okay on Grey's Anatomy (but winning the Emmy over Sandra Oh?? Please) and was passable in Knocked Up (in what was basically a thankless role anyway), but I find her acting just average.
Most Underrated Films of 2007
Grindhouse - Okay, so this was essentially an exercise in self indulgence for directors Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino to re-create the grindhouse experience, but this is one example where the self-indulgence made for one great movie experience. Tarantino's Death Proof, anchored by a solid performance by Kurt Russell, is superior to Rodriguez's Planet Terror (which is still a fun zombie flick) but you couldn't find two more entertaining flicks in 2007.
Michael Clayton - is there a more interesting movie star in movies today than George Clooney? When this film failed to open big on its opening weekend, critics claimed Clooney could not open a film and his stock was dropping. But Michael Clayton is that rare film - a thoughtful and intelligent film AND an entertaining popcorn flick, carried by Clooney's solid performance. Why audiences stayed away, I cannot explain. But its failure at the box office may hurt Clooney and co-stars Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton's chances for Oscar nominations, but let's hope the Academy recognizes this film in order that it gets a second chance.
Once - this charming movie of two street musicians who fall in love while creating a demo tape together is the unlikeliest musical of the year, but it's also one of the best films of 2007. Now that is out on DVD, check it out.
Most Overrated Films of 2007
Knocked Up - Seth Rogan gave a surprisingly tender performance in this box-office hit, but I'm not sure why audiences drooled over the film. Sure it was entertaining, but a four-star comedy? Hardly.
Transformers - Hyped as THE popcorn flick of 2007, Transformers had great special effects, but was overlong and rather dull at points.
Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End - What began as a fun pirate adventure, has turned into an overlong, bloated, and confusing ordeal, with no intention of entertaining, but making money.
Biggest Surprises of 2007
Hairspray - Here was a musical that cut out some songs and changed a few details in the story from the stage version, yet has already become a classic screen musical. With a great cast (particularly Nikki Blonsky, Queen Latifah and Michelle Pfeiffer) and solid direction, Hairspray proved once again that the musical is still alive and kicking.
Rob Zombie's Halloween
After horrible "re-imaginings" such as The Fog and Black Christmas, the idea that anyone would remake John Carpenter's 1978 horror classic seemed like treason, but Zombie's sombre and surprisingly moving re-imagining caught many by surprise. What made Zombie's remake unique is that he provided a backstory to Myer's troubled life, focusing on his dysfunctional family. Halfway through the film, Zombie basically remakes Carpenter's slasher saga and the film suffers for it, but the first half of Zombie's Halloween is worth seeing, thanks to Zombie's talent for painting a unique - and tragic - family.
Britney Spears - Blackout
What should have been one of the worst albums of 2007, became one of the most well-reviewed albums of the year. Her life may be in turmoil, but Spears once again proves she has a knack for picking great producers and crafting perfect pop songs.
Biggest Disappointments of 2007
We Will Rock You - a horrible theatrical attempt to put Queen's songs on stage, it flounders in every aspect: writing, singing and staging with lame jokes sprinkled throughout. Just terrible.
The Simpsons Movie - okay, it didn't suck and featured a few laughs, but who didn't feel a bit let down by the highly-anticipated movie version of the popular television series?
Best DVD
Blade Runner: The Ultimate Collector's Edition
Ridley Scott's futuristic epic from 1982 fizzled in theatres at the time and has had a tumultuous history since then, having been tweaked and retooled in the ensuing years. There are at least five different versions of Blade Runner out there, and this edition gathers all of them together. It may be too much for the casual Blade Runner fan, but for movie buffs who love to watch different versions of one film, particularly one as divisive as Blade Runner, the Ultimate Collector's Edition is worth every penny.
Best Music DVD
Dreams to Remember: The Legacy of Otis Redding
Commemorating the 40th anniversary of Otis Redding's death, Dreams to Remember is a superb documentary about the soul legend's career, including interviews with those who knew him and worked with him, and performances by Redding sprinkled throughout. A must for any music fan.
Most Underused
Ellen Barkin - It was great to see Barkin back on the screen, vamping her way through Ocean's Thirteen, but the film really didn't know what to do with her. Hopefully she'll get a bit of Pfeiffer's luck and find roles worthy of her talent.
Regina King - why isn't King a bigger star and getting better roles? She steals almost every scene she's in (Jerry Maguire, Ray, This Christmas), but she rarely gets the lead role, or a role to let her exercise her acting muscles. Hollywood, are you listening?
Best Trend of 2007
Sequels don't necessarily have to suck
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End and Spider-Man 3 suffered from excessive lengths and too many sub-plots, and overindulgence. But not all sequels in 2007 sucked. Live Free or Die Hard should have been a stinker, but unlike other sequels in 2007, the fourth installment in the Die Hard series was lean and got back to basics, delivering entertaining action without the excessive fat. The Bourne Ultimatum proved that a series can get even stronger as it goes on.
Worst Trend of 2007
Restrictive and confusing (legal) music downloading
If digital music companies want us to download legally (and through our pockets), why are some of the practices so confusing and restrictive? Case in point - iTunes. Overall I like it, but certain songs you have to download the WHOLE album in order to get that bonus remix of Madonna's Get Together or another song you really, really want. Or an album will be advertised, but when you click on it to buy it, a disclaimer pops up saying it's not available in the Canadian store. These are definitely not customer-friendly practices.
Comeback of the Year
Spice Girls Reunion
We knew it was inevitable that the British girl group would reunite, and we knew that it would happen as a result of a big paycheque. Sure, their first single in seven years "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)" was a stiff, but consensus from fans regarding the show has been that it's a complete winner, entertaining fans nostalgic for the days when radio played fun pop songs. And they do look fabulous. Old Spice? Nah.
