Holmes' pop culture highlights from 2007

I have a vivid memory of being 15 years old and reading People magazine's "Best of 1997" issue and thinking, "I would like to do a 'best of' list someday."

Here is my "Best of 2007" with a few personal touches mixed in.

In February Martin Scorsese finally wins an Academy Award as he is honored as Best Director for the year's Best Picture, "The Departed." A much-deserved standing ovation ensues.

In March, "Zodiac," David Fincher's brilliant, detailed and obsessive tale of the Zodiac Killer and the search for his identity is released. This is the year's best movie and the Academy should remember it when nominations are announced next month. It is one of the few movies my mom and I went to see together this year and I'm glad we were able to share such a great work.

April saw the release of Avril Lavigne's third album, "The Best Damn Thing," which I've listened to more times than there are copies in circulation. She continues to amaze as my generation's greatest artist. In June I jaunted off to Las Vegas to see Lavigne in concert at the Palms. I will always remember approaching the venue and seeing Lavinge's video, "Girlfriend" playing on the giant screen outside as I eagerly anticipated her concert.

"The Sopranos" ended that month as audiences watched as Tony finally … well, nothing. The final season is possibly the series' best, with events so raw, emotional and shocking, they must be experienced again on DVD.

The summer brought the best comedy in years, "Knocked Up," and the return of action heroes in "Live Free or Die Hard" and "The Bourne Ultimatum." They are the two best franchise movies of the year. Sorry, Keira.

AMC's "Mad Men," about advertising executives in 1960s New York, premiered in July. Its rich production value, layered characters and the amusing, escapist journey into another era makes it a must-watch.

September brought the new fall season and the standout new show is NBC's "Chuck." The story of a computer nerd who reluctantly joins forces with a gorgeous government agent is the highlight of my TV week. It makes me laugh, makes me smile, and draws me deeply into its romance rather than allowing it to drag the story down. Zachary Levi is endearing as the hapless hero and Yvonne Strahovski is perfect as the agent who puts the mission first, but would love to settle down with a family. Through the sharp writing and heartfelt acting, "Chuck" makes us care for the leads, experiencing the danger with them while feeling the weight on their hearts.

Returning to Showtime in September was "Dexter," an addictive blend of wit, fear and tension. Its antihero is Dexter Morgan, who works for the Miami police, but enjoys his extracurricular activity as a serial killer. He only preys on other killers, never harming the innocent, but the story isn't about vigilantism. It's about a man who lacks his humanity and tries to find it. He is a good friend, brother, boyfriend and co-worker to those around him, but the demons in his past prevent him from being normal. You may try not to like him, but it's hard not too, which is one of the show's greatest achievements. The discomfort this brings, coupled with the most expertly crafted suspense outside of a Hitchcock film, make "Dexter" a worthy replacement to "The Sopranos" as cable's new not-to-be-missed show.

In October, "Blackout," Britney Spears' long-awaited new album hit stores. It is her best album since 2000's "Oops … I did it Again," and can be listened to from start to finish repeatedly without skipping a track. The gossip mags have been hard on her, as has some of her recent behavior, but with "Blackout" she proved if she forgot to put on all her clothes before leaving the house, it was only because she was too busy recording this phenomenal record.

Thanks for revisiting 2007 with me. May the rest of the year bring you more fond memories and may any young readers, hoping to write their own "best of" list someday, get to realize that dream.

Chaz Holmes is the Columbia Basin Herald's news assistant. He also serves as the pop culture reference library for his co-workers, when not offering his opinion on the latest Hollywood gossip about Britney or Avril.