People Features
2007 Monsters and Critics 'The List'
By April MacIntyre
Jan 1, 2008, 3:40 GMT

Months ago, the editors here at M&C planned to run a 2007 Trainwreck list based on your emails and talkback.  After seeing that every website on the planet end-runned us to that concept, it seemed the world could do with one less “list” noting the numerous pantyless escapades of the world’s most dubious celebrities.

We decided on a different path.

The 2007 Monsters “The List” is, in no particular order, thirteen notable events, people and projects that we felt deserved a closer look by you.

Perhaps you can add to this humble list with your own nominations.

David Cronenberg
The brilliant Canadian director struck pay dirt with his last two films, “A History of Violence” and this year’s best film, hands down: “Eastern Promises.”

Cronenberg artfully pulls us into a new “Godfather” tinged epic that replaces Italians in New York with Russians in London. 

Part love from afar, part "Fight Club" with knives, Cronenberg has extracted an Oscar-worthy performance out of his friend and best leading man, Viggo Mortensen, and a fierce performance from French actor Vincent Cassel.

All the actors perfectly inhabit the Russian mindset that balances fatalism, depression, dark humor, intensity and an emotional nature.

Everyone who catches this movie wants to see a sequel continuing Nikolai’s saga. 

Eddie Izzard
In FX’s “The Riches," viewers got to see Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver as con-artists who steal the American dream - and suffer from it.   A riveting no-miss show.

Whip-smart Izzard does voice over work that has landed him a key role in the recently wrapped “Igor" with John Cusack.

He has appeared in “Ocean’s Twelve” and “Ocean’s Thirteen,” and will be seen in the upcoming “Valkyrie.”  His stand up comedy act is never to be missed, and has had several hit HBO specials, winning an Emmy for "Dressed to Kill" in 2000.

Ricky Hatton v Floyd Mayweather
Manchester boy Ricky Hatton stepped into the ring to fight Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas on December 9 - and half of Britain followed him to Sin City. 

Hatton lost in the 10th round.

Hatton was unbeaten in 43 fights, until he took on the tough champion - Floyd Mayweather -  also unbeaten in 38 fights and gained a split decision over Oscar De La Hoya back in May in boxing's biggest fight in years. 

There are rumors in the British press about Hatton taking on Golden boy De La Hoya in London.

"Brotherhood"
Showtime’s crown jewel of shows.  Another exceptional character study - this time of Irish brothers, families, gangs, politics and fractured relationships. "Brotherhood" remains one of the most visceral and well-cast series on television.

Blake Master’s intense east coast family drama is a delicious, big Irish boiled dinner set in Providence, Rhode Island.  Masters has artfully woven every shade of moral and ethical “grey” in matters of family, crime and politics in a vibrant regional American city that has been long overdue in this must see series.  

Tilda Swinton
Swinton is a world-class actor and dominates every frame she is in.  Whether the White Witch of “Narnia or her breakout role in 1992’s “Orlando,” she is one of the best, most intelligent thespians on the planet. 

This year sees her (so far) nominated for a Golden Globe award for her role in "Michael Clayton" alongside George Clooney.

2008 will see her in two Brad Pitt films, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “Burn After Reading.”

Fans of CBS “Jericho”
Lost causes and their grassroot efforts can pay off: The tenacious fans of the whacked “Jericho” won a victory, their actions reinstated the show after CBS executives were tired of swimming in packages of peanuts.

Thanks to that “nutty” intensive lobbying campaign by the show's devoted viewers, CBS took “Jericho” from the status of cancellation and awarded the end-of-the-world drama a second season. Look for new episodes in February.

Showtime Network
After HBO canceled “Deadwood”, “Rome”, “Carnivale”, and the “Sopranos” - only to then serve us “John from Cincinnati,” the “polygamy is kewl” “Big Love,” and the flat awful “Tell Me You Love Me” – Showtime came in like gangbusters with great series such as “The Tudors,” “Dexter,” “Weeds”, “Californication”, and “The L Word.” 

That is a must-see TV lineup.

Amos Lee
Surprise breakout artist.  What a delight to discover a great singer-songwriter in a sea of crap pop and sampled techno-blather.  Lee hails from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

His style is best described as a confluence of folk, soul, and jazz.  
Lee’s 2006 “Supply and Demand” is a must listen. The guy has toured with Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Norah Jones, Paul Simon, and Merle Haggard. 

Find his music.

Paul Potts
“Britain’s Got Talent” lived up to its name in 2007.  Paul Potts, an unassuming mobile phone salesman from South Wales by day and an amateur Opera singer by luck clinched the victory after destroying the playing field for the other contestants with his pitch perfect arias and understated personality.  He knocked the judges and public out with his singing voice. 

He had the attention of the world during his performances.

Miley Cyrus
Who would have guessed the mullet-head Billy Ray who sang “Achy Breaky Heart” would come up all Aces with his daughter Miley?  The girl is platinum; she’s on the hottest TV show for her age group, and one of the highest grossing tours of the year. She sings, she acts and she’s gorgeous. 

Lindsay, Britney and Paris who?

DListed.com (Celebrity blog)
Witty Michael K hosts this take no prisoners guilty web pleasure for all of us here. His celebrity blog is the best of the lot, with off-the-cuff extemporaneous banter and a visually clean layout always stocked with great paparazzi photos. 

DListed is the funniest and most scathing read out there for dishing dirt on celebrities.

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant
The two men who crafted “The Office" and “Extras,” an HBO series that ended far too soon. A perfect performance from Ricky Gervais, combined with brilliant writing from Gervais and Merchant, turned their "Extras" finale into one of the most creative and moving television shows in 2007.   Encore! Encore!

"Ice Road Truckers"
In the spirit of the deep sea fishermen chronicles of “The Deadliest Catch” who flirt with death and maiming in the Bering Sea, The History channel made history of its own by airing the top ratings hit that spun stories from six truckers driving 18-wheelers on Canada’s ice roads leading to bling conglomerate De Beers’ new diamond mines in the Arctic circle.

"Ice Road Truckers" had us sit shotgun with these crusty souls as they embarked to the two Arctic diamond mines from the remote capital of Yellowknife in Canada's Northwest Territories.

The 10-week series that had us follow Hugh, Jay and Alex in the “Dash for Cash” was simply mesmerizing.