With that in mind, some films I can’t even consider for 2007. Films like American Gangster and Sweeney Todd. I didn’t see them before Dec. 31^st 2007. Too late. I watch a lot of movies, but some don’t draw me into the theatre like others. Stardust most likely dodged the worst film bullet this year because I couldn’t bring myself to watch it.

Having reviewed some of my picks of the past, I realize that the performances that I appreciate the most are the ones I find the most original. And by definition a sequel is not original, thus my search for a favorite was difficult indeed. So this is a list of my favorite and least favorite performances of 2007.

My favorite actor of 2007 was Joseph Gordon-Levitt in The Lookout. You might remember Joe as the kid from 3^rd Rock. Joe is the next Johnny Depp. He was in Brick my favorite film of 2006. He doesn’t seem to take fluff roles and there is a dark realism he brings to every character. I predict a long and interesting career for this kid. My runner up would be Viggo Mortensen for Eastern Promises. He master’s the Russian accent and yet doesn’t draw attention to it, and any actor who can kick ass in the nude deserves something.

My favorite Actress of 2007 was Molly Shannon for her performance in
Year of the Dog . I love dogs, so this film broke my heart. What especially hurt was how the producers made the mistake of trying to sell this midlife crisis drama as a romantic comedy. Molly brings a vulnerable truth to her character. My runner up would be Christina Ricci in Black Snake Moan . Christina has always taken on challenging roles,and any actress who can play football in the nude deserves something.

My favorite film with out a doubt was
No Country for Old Men . This movie is like and unlike all the Cohen Brothers films. Humor. Tension. Emotion. What else is there? There is No Country like this one.

My runner up for favorite film was 28 Weeks Later . For the bulk of the year this was my favorite film. (Since No Country came out in November).
28 Days Later was my favorite film of 2002 and I pray weeks becomes years.

Now is time for the bête noir of 2007. My least favorite Actor of 2007 was
Nicolas Cage for his performances in Ghost Rider and Next. Just coming from a divorce and a remake of the Wicker Man, Nic Cage is in a rut. What pains me about this is Nic is one of the boldest actors of his generation. He ate a cockroach in Vampire’s Kiss. Now he’s just making films where his toupee is doing most of the work. Runner up is Shia LaBeouf for Transformers . This kid is the Anti-Johnny Depp. Having seen him in I Robot and Constantine before 2007 I can’t understand how this kid gets work. I liked him better when he was the white kid who thought he was black.

My least favorite actress is Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez . Let me clarify. The women of Grindhouse was the worst collection of actresses since Coyote Ugly. I liked the Grindhouse movies. I liked how they cast Michael Biehn, Josh Brolin, Jeff Fahey and other 40 to 50 something actors to be in this homage to 70’s horror pictures. I hated the fact that playing across these actors were women who were to young to remember the 70’s. Instead of calling on queens of B movies like
Adrienne Barbeau or Jamie Lee Curtis (who still look great) these directors cast  Fergie.

My least favorite movie of 2007 was Transformers . This film was so bad it was offensive. It’s portrayal of colored people in America is on par with Birth of a Nation. There is no logic to this film and no sense of character, and instead of any humor this movie relies on pop culture references and poo and pee jokes. Of course this film made millions of dollars and people love it. That’s the tragedy. For runner up of the worst movies you can take your pick..

The main characters were Steve “Flash” Gordon, Dale Arden, Dr. Hans Zarkov and of course the evil Ming as their nemesis. This excursion has assembled a serviceable cast of Canadian and British actors. The headliner is the new “Flash” played by Eric Johnson Gina Holden plays Flash’s former girlfriend Dale Arden. But every good space science fiction needs a scientist. Dr. Hans Zarkov provides a blend of scientific or pseudo-scientific observations and comic relief. Jodi Racicot plays the part very well. Every space drama of the mid twentieth century needed an enemy. Ming the merciless fills the bill. John Ralston plays the part with the beneficial mixture of efficiency and personal expression. For most adversaries also need a side kick. Enter Rankol who played Ming’s alien scientist played by Jonathan Lloyd Walker.

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I don’t often comment on music. Increasingly I am trying to investigate musicians that I do not know. I love Miles but it is time for me to broaden my horizons. I hope that my experience will serve others to learn. I went to the bmgmusic and saw this CD. It was under the jazz section and the cover was intriguing. When I received the CD, yes I am old fashioned enough I still buy CD. In fact it was the selection of the month. But this is not jazz. More to the point it is not very good either. The music quality is satisfactory the poetry or lyrics leave a great deal to be desired.

She has a good photographer. Amy Winehouse has an interesting look and the photographer did a good job of making the most of that.I must confess I think I would have liked the more voluptuous pre-tattoed version of the singer. However, one should not buy a CD for the art. I should have known something was wrong when cover read Parental Advisory Explicit Content. The optimist in mew thought well maybe this is a little to sexy but when I heard the first cut “Rehab” dispelled that notion. The rhythm is good and the “try to make me go to rehab/I say no, no, no” a compelling refrain. But given her possible issues with alcohol this song seems sadly poignant in a clueless sort of way.

The most interesting cut is “You Know I am no good”. This is reminiscent of Holly Cole but without the poetic depth. Nonetheless it does come close to the mark. “Me and Mr. Jones” seems like an inside joke that I never got. The song “Just Friends” is just not yet finished. This is not a new idea but it is one that still has great poetic and narrative promise.

Amy Winehouse teamed with Mark Ronson to write “Back to Black.” Now they set for themselves an problem, namely the metaphor “black” is so multivalent that it leaves the listener confused. Similar comments could be made about every track but that would be redundant and I know why I am no music critic.

So if you have worked to nurture your hermeneutics of appreciation this book will be cold water in your face. But this bracing cold water may invite you to again take up the discerning sword of a hermeneutics of suspicion.