Sunday, December 30, 2007

The Best and Worst of 2007

I wouldn't be a blogger if I didn't chime in on my picks and pans for the past year, would I? So here's some of my favorites in TV, movies, books, web, music, and some other stuff. Because I am, well, cranky, I will mention some things I wasn't so fond of. This is completely my opinion, so I would love to hear whether or not you agree with me. Chime in below, and happy 2008!

TELEVISION

Best TV Series--Comedy:
Even though this one debuted in the 2006 TV season, I didn't start watching it until the calendar flipped to 2007. Though there have been individual episodes of other shows in 2007 that had me in stitches, this show most consistently makes me laugh out loud: 30 Rock. My favorite moment? This.


Best Single TV Episode--Comedy:
The first "We Were on Cops" episode of My Name is Earl. In case you didn't catch this last January, you should try to watch it online. (I can't find a link to last season's episodes, but I'm sure this one is our there...somewhere.) Even if you've never seen an episode of Earl. White-trash satire at its best.

Best TV Series--Drama:
It got a lot of hate last year, but the episodes that aired in 2007 (after that almost-dreadful start last fall) were sublime: Lost.


Best Single TV Episode--Drama:
Bet you think I'm gonna say the season finale of Lost. For many, that one episode redeemed the series. However, I saw the big twist coming; I knew we had fast-forwarded to the future, and while I think that episode is outstanding, I must confess that the one hour of dramatic TV that chilled me to the bone and almost made me wet my pants with fear was that other awesome episode of Lost, that Locke-vs-Ben showdown that featured a glimpse of the shadowy creature known as Jacob and that creepy "Help.....me...." It was the stuff nightmares are made of.


Biggest TV Disappointment:
Melinda Doolittle gets eliminated from American Idol, and Jordin Sparks take the crown. Boo.

Saddest Hour of TV:
Idol Gives Back. Impoverished children shown while power singers cover power ballads in the background. Cue the tears.

Funniest Moment of TV:
Charla's face plant while wearing a suit of armor on The Amazing Race. Shouldn't have been funny. But I still can't quit laughing.

Best Movie (That I Actually Saw In a Theater):
This one's a late entry; we just saw it Friday. Enchanted. Yes, I'm serious.

Biggest Theatrical Disappointment:
Spiderman 3. I love ya, Sam Raimi, but that movie was a hot mess.


MUSIC

Best Cover:
Disturbed's cover of that 80s classic, "Land of Confusion." Raw anger at its finest.

Favorite Song:

Notice I say "favorite" and not "best", mostly because I am a little embarrassed at my love for this song..."Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood. Yeah, yeah, I know.

Most Hated Song:

Anything by Nickelback...but for non-Nickelback songs, the worst for me this year was the ubiquitous "Lips of an Angel." Not a big fan of songs that glorify adultery. Especially telephone adultery while your "girl" is in the next room. Classy!

Best Album by A Talented Artist Who Will Probably Go the Way of Janis Joplin If She Doesn't Get Some Freakin' Help:

Back to Black by Amy Winehouse. Love love love this CD (though I found out the hard way that it's not suitable car listening when your kid's along for the ride.) Too bad she's taken a ride on the crazy train.

Favorite "Happy" Song:

This song just makes me happy when I hear it: "Fidelity" by Regina Spektor. I'm not ashamed to admit this one at all.

Favorite Book:

I'm a librarian. Favorite books are like my Lay's potato chips; I can't have just one. So I've got to break it up a little.

Favorite young adult book: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak


Favorite scene in a book: We've all read the last Harry Potter at this point, right? I'm not going to give anything away by talking about the end, right? Good. I wept like a kid when Harry decided to turn himself in to Voldemort, knowing he would die, but also knowing it had to happen...beautiful. That he lived anyway made it even more moving.


Favorite adult book: The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Bleak, but beautiful.



WEB
Favorite You Tube Video:
Click here for it, all you U.S. Americans.

Most disturbing, and yet I had to watch and pass it on, You Tube Video:
The Australian mouse plague.

Easiest Way to Waste Time Online:
My Space.

MISCELLANEOUS
Favorite Meal:
The princess breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table at Disney World. Not for the food, which was only so-so. For the magic.



Best Night Out, With No Throwing Up:
My fifteen-year high-school reunion. It was so good to see everyone and to go to an after-party where I finally got to drink a beer with the cool kids.



Best Night Out, With Throwing Up:
The Wines and Beers of the World tasting to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Even though I don't remember much after the Unibroue beer tables, and even though I did throw up into an old Chipotle cup in the car on the way home (while my almost-as-drunk friend kept asking, "Where did you get the cup?"), it was a really fun evening. And thanks to the throwing up in the car, I didn't feel too bad the next day. It was a win-win for everyone but my poor sober husband, who had to keep me from falling over into rich people, tell me to dump my puke cup out the window, and help me up the stairs and past my baby-sitting mother who had never quite seen me in that condition. Sorry, honey, but still worth it.


Worst Night Out, With or Without Regurgitation:
The Relay for Life where so many things went wrong. The only thing that went right was that we raised some money for the American Cancer Society. Which I guess is the most important part, but still.

2 comments:

Robert K. said...

For most hated song, can we just cover the entire Hinder oeuvre? Oklahoma isn't known for much, but I'd rather it be for tornados and the Grapes of Wrath than those no-talent ass clowns. I think they literally used Nickelback's producer, which explains a lot, since they also borrowed their lack of songwriting ability and general sucktitude.

My wife, of course, loves both Nickelback and Hinder. =sigh*

Anonymous said...

OK, not a bad list...the US Americans should be proud of this national librarian, uh blogger, to um help other nations and countries....like uh Hawaii better understand our educational systems and I am so glad we can go to ah, um, other exotic places like Isreal to um help them out with their pop culture and uh, um and yes, without the blog of this US American national citizen then um, we uh, might not be as good off....OK, A.C. Slater is my new hero...I don't care if he is the host of the stupidest animal trick show on Animal Planet, he took those comments like a CHAMP! Not once did he even blink or make a face.......oh wait, maybe he was agreeing with her?!!! And let's hear it for our hometown Bengal, Mr. Chris C! Give it up for the man that will be remembered for delivering the horrible Mouse Plague video introduction and commentary....it is nice to see people go somewhere with their careers, you know? Also, I say YES to the face-plant being absolutely the funniest thing I have seen in a while! You can't fake stuff like that...and I don't care who you are, that is some funny stuff right there!!!!!