For 2007, I decided to keep the same year-end picks format that I did last year. That is, I differ from magazines and websites whose year-end picks rate media produced that year. My picks are those items I read, watched, or listened to during the year and were new to me, regardless of the year they were produced or released. And since there’s still time left in the year, the list is subject to change. Without further ado…

Moving Picture Shows

The theatrical releases of 2007 were stronger than the previous year, though I did catch up on some of the 2006 films that I missed, and I found myself pleased. I’d like to mention Children of Men, (d. Cuarón, 2006), which I actually saw this in late 2006, but it was after I published last year’s list. I loved this movie.

      The Darjeeling Limited (d. Anderson, 2007) My reflection here.

      Ratatouille (d. Bird, 2007)

      No Country for Old Men (d. Coen Brothers, 2007)

      The Bourne Ultimatum (d. Greengrass, 2007)

      The Queen (d. Frears, 2006)

      Raging Bull (d. Scorsese, 1980)

      Trois Couleurs: Bleu (d. Kieslowski, 1993)

      The Departed (d. Scorsese, 2006)

      Hot Fuzz (d. Wright, 2007)

      On the Waterfront (d. Kazan, 1954)

      How’s Your News? (d. Bradford, 1999) My review here. The organization’s website here.

      Chariots of Fire (d. Hudson, 1981)

Honorable mentions go to Michael Clayton (d. Gilroy, 2007), Babel (d. Iñárritu, 2006), Pan’s Labyrinth (d. Del Toro, 2006), Why We Fight (d. Jarecki, 2005), Shaun of the Dead (d. Wright, 2004), Charlie Wilson’s War (d. Nichols, 2007), The Savages (d. Jenkins, 2007), and The French Connection (d. Friedkin, 1971).

Wires and Lights in a Box

I’m not one to get into television shows as they air, unless it means laughing at the same rerun of The Simpsons for the thirtieth time. Usually I wait for the DVD releases since there aren’t any commercials. I hear there are some good shows out there, but I’ll have to take your word for it.

      Arrested Development (2003-2006)

      Lost, season 2 (2005-2006) Don’t you dare tell me anything about season 3 since I’ve yet to see it.

      The War (2007)

      Saudi Time Bomb? (2001)

      Planet Earth – The Complete BBC Series (2007)

Euphonious Symphonioums

I’d like to put more albums on this list, but the fact was that the majority of the music I bought this year was in the form of individual songs. That said, the following albums do stand out. You’ll be able to tell I can get a little fixated on an artist or two.

      Radiohead, In Rainbows (2007) My review-ish thing here.

      Regina Spektor, Begin to Hope (2006)

      Regina Spektor, Soviet Kitsch (2004)

      Sufjan Stevens, The Avalanche: Outtakes & Extras from the Illinois Album (2006)

      Sufjan Stevens, Seven Swans (2004)

Codexes, Fictive and Otherwise

After Dad’s death, I couldn’t really read anything though I needed something to take my attention, so I turned to graphic novels. I’m not one to think that graphic novels cannot be serious literature, but they are easier to read. One graphic novel was great. The other was a major disappointment and I’d rather forget that it existed.

      Chris Ware, Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth (2000)

      Michael Chabon, The Yiddish Policemen’s Union: a Novel (2007) My review here.

      Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884)

      Beowulf: a New Verse Translation, translated by Seamus Heaney (1999)

      Ian McEwan, Atonement (2001)

Codexes, Non-Fictive et cetera, et cetera

      Allen C. Guelzo, Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President (1999)

      Eugene H. Peterson, Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity (1987) My review here.

      Walter Brueggemann, Praying the Psalms: Engaging Scripture and the Life of the Spirit, 2nd edition (2007)

In my previous list, I said that Miroslav Volf’s book Exclusion and Embrace was, “By far the most challenging book, film, or music I encountered last year and I hope it will be the most influential in my life.” I like the idea of picking one item from the list as the cream of the crop. My pick for best in all media of 2007ish:

      Radiohead, In Rainbows (2007).

With In Rainbows, Radiohead changed the game through their unique way of distributing the album—initially only in digital format through their website, though the files had no DRM, and the buyer got to name the price. What long-term effect this endeavor will have on the music industry remains to be seen, but as it stands, October 10, 2007 is something of a watershed for mainstream music. People who couldn’t care less about Radiohead’s music were talking about how they released it. Let us not, however, limit Radiohead’s influence to the business side of things. In Rainbows is a fantastic piece of music. I haven’t stopped listening to it since I downloaded it and in fact the album’s artistry has surpassed the unique business model employed to distribute it in my mind. Radiohead is at some of their most melodic with In Rainbows. The rhythm section has far more prominence here than they have in previous albums, especially Colin Greenwood’s bass. Radiohead always made consistent albums that demand that one listen to them from the beginning to end, but here they also crafted strong songs. Previous albums deconstructed the concept of song and it seems Radiohead is ready to build something again.

Previous Year-End(ish) lists:
2006