(2024 Update: Longtime followers of my web stuff will notice that this list hits slightly different from what was previously posted. The reason being is that this is a slightly updated version of the list that I had forgotten about until recently. It replaces the version that was posted back in 2011.)
Another year is in the can… and this is one where I can safely say can be sent to the abyss where it belongs.
I will be completely honest with you. 2007 was not a good year on both a personal level and in terms of overall entertainment, particularly within a realm of sports-entertainment, if you get my drift.
THE YEAR’S WINNERS
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the minute list of good things that came out of 2007 because they do exist. It’s a small list, I’m afraid.
SCREWATTACK
Earlier this year, Screwattack got into a deal with MTV’s Gametrailer sites to produce some videos for them. Nice of them to get paid for doing stuff they like. Congrats to Craig, Tom, and James for this tremendous step up… and oh yeah, they got some good vids up. So let this be a good transition to another related winner…
GAMETRAILERS
I really don’t care for their usual programs, but their occasional Top 10 shows and Retrospective specials are informative, witty, and never gets boring. It’s a worthwhile site to visit and you’ll probably find something you’ll like there.
FANTASTIC FOUR AND THE SILVER SURFER
The first Fantastic Four film wasn’t all that great, but it did eventually grow on me after a while and let’s face it; I’ve seen much, MUCH worse. Fortunately, the sequel more than holds up its end of the bargain. And it’s rated PG to boot! Who says you can’t have good clean superhero fun at the movies? Oh yeah, all the other superhero franchises who decide to be all emo and moody. Even frickin’ Superman was turned moody for no reason whatsoever. Only downside to this flick: no Galactus. They try to convince me that thing at the end is Galactus, but I ain’t buying it. (Sorry for spoiling the movie.)
THE FIGHT NETWORK
This seems to be the only channel I watch these days, as it features a wide range of wrestling, boxing, and MMA. For the most part, I can catch TNA shows, ROH shows, and some other wrestling shows. Even some of the MMA stuff they show is actually pretty cool, although it won’t make me much of a convert. And did I mention they’ve got the best disclaimers in the world? If you’re bored to tears with the current WWE product and can get this channel, do so. It’s the best money you’ll ever get.
IRATE GAMER
A YouTuber that reviews crappy games. Sounds familiar? While the model seems to be ripped from the Angry Video Game Nerd videos, Chris Bores has a unique style of his own, as he will occasionally review some decent games (his Tetris video is one of those examples) and doesn’t really go overboard with his videos – instead keeping them simple save for a few brief scenes where he destroys the reviewed game in some fashion or another. Worth checking out if you have the chance.
DR. ASHENS
Another YouTuber by the name of Dr. Ashens has started his own series of video reviews, specializing on rare and obscure electronic crap such as the knockoff Popstation and Neo-Double Games handhelds that are made in China and are barely functioning. It took me a week to get through all of his videos, but they’re as funny as heck and they warrant a mention here. Nicely done, chap.
YOBO
Created a third-hand console in the FC Twin system that plays (most) NES and Super NES games. Wow! Two formats on the same console (three if you have the Super Game Boy) is a pretty sweet deal and is certainly a better alternative to spending five hundred bucks worth of hardware to re-buy games you already own off the Virtual Console.
THE SIMPSONS MOVIE
While the show has been showing signs of stagnation, the movie is a thankfully relaxing breath of fresh air. Yeah, you have some of the usual gags here and there, but it’s a funnier flick and the bigger budget really gives the movie that grand scope. Nothing that couldn’t have been done on the small screen, but it’s definitely big-screen worthy material, so it works.
JOHN CENA
Despite wearing a sling, he still managed to go to Iraq and kick Vince’s ass. Sweet stuff.
THE YEAR’S LOSERS
If we’re going to have winners, we’ll have to have losers. And man, those losers were numerous.
THE BENOIT FAMILY TRAGEDY
Around June 2007, former WWE/WCW World champion Chris Benoit murdered his wife and child before committing suicide. Before that knowledge was known, WWE quickly cancelled their RAW show and put together a three-hour tribute to Benoit. A lot of blame was placed on drugs – which really – but it was clear that regardless of whether drugs played a role or not, the incident had brought about major repurcussions throughout the industry, including potential hearings in Congress. The WWE – obviously – has yet to make any drastic changes in their system, choosing instead to ignore the event and move on, but with said hearings looming in the distance and the later Signature Pharmacy bust that resulted in the suspension of several WWE wrestlers named in the scandal, you could tell the product was being affected. This is the only time I’m going to discuss the matter, so please respect my wishes and don’t comment about it.
NEWS MEDIA
So once the Benoit thing hits, every moron in the news media starts hounding on wrestling. Some have noble reasons, others less so. You’d figure this would be the drastic kick in the balls that the wrestling industry needs to kick in the balls… until the controversy with baseball and steroids breaks out and everyone forgets about that fake rasslin’ stuff.
THE “DEATH” OF MR. MCMAHON
Vince McMahon steps into a limo which explodes seconds later, bringing RAW to a stupid end. The resulting shows were to built around who did in Mr. MacMan, but was abruptly ended due to the horrific events involving Benoit… which is probably a good thing because there was no way that could end well either way. As we would later discover, McMahon showed up and claimed he faked his death, but ended up learning that he has an illigetimate child named Hornswoggle… who’s a fucking dwarf. Grand.
BOUCHARD/TAYLOR COMMISSION
Three months of touring Quebec to give xenophobes, racists, and bigots a chance to express their prejudice on anything that doesn’t speak French or isn’t Christian. Because Bill 101 isn’t bigoted enough.
BRITNEY SPEARS COVERAGE
Britney shaves her head. Britney checks into rehab. Britney checks out of rehab. Britney loses custody of her kids… I’m sorry, but I missed the part where I’m supposed to give a shit about Britney Spears. Almost like Michael Jackson, except I haven’t heard any reports of Britney’s nose falling off.
ONCE A RANGER (POWER RANGERS 15TH ANNIVERSARY)
Because I don’t have enough bad things to say about this episode, I’ll just link the original posting and let you read my thoughts there. Mind you, I could have inducted the whole damn series, but that would imply my having watched the whole show and that would be wrong.
FORMER TREK ACTORS STARRING IN CRAPPY FAN FLICKS
Former Star Trek actors got together and did something many thought impossible: they made their own Star Trek fan film. And having seen the trailer (but not the movie itself), it looks like a nice little flick. Unfortunately, after having seen the first part of their three-part series, they should have tracked down a couple former Trek writers to come up with a good story. This story made no sense whatsoever and even after repeated viewings, I still have no clue as to what’s going on here. It’s just crappy. Hopefully, the next two parts will be better… otherwise, expect this entry in the 2008 In Review article.
TREKKIES BITCHING ABOUT NO SHATNER IN NEW TREK MOVIE
There seems to be this unwritten rule that was developed recently that there can be no Trek movie without Shatner and Nimoy together, because when word got out that Nimoy would reprise his famous role and Shatner wasn’t, there seemed to be some sort of catalyst that resulted in people vowing to boycott the movie unless the filmakers inserted Shatner in his famous role as Kirk. Problem is… Kirk’s dead and it’s kinda pointless to bring him back just because a bunch of fanboys want him back. Even Shatner’s upset and makes it a point to let everyone know about it. Whatever happened to Get A Life, Billy?
WRITERS’ STRIKE
Sure, writers on strike means that there’ll be a shortage of your favorite shows and more of those shitty reality shows, but considering the amount of crap out there burying the really sweet stuff, maybe we should just disown the writers and replace the existing programming with crap from YouTube. Just imagine: twenty-two weekly episodes of this moron screaming in front of a computer screen and banging his keyboard in a fit of rage. SMELL THE RATINGS!
BUS STRIKES
Unionized workers with high-playing jobs go on strike because they’re not getting paid enough… and then they have the gall to try and garner sympathy from the victims who have to put up with the bullshit.
GEIKO CAVEMEN
Those Geiko commercials are deceiving: cavemen have trouble developing decent acting ability for low budget commercials, let alone saving money on their stone wheel insurance.
MARVEL
Kill Captain America? Smart move. Pretend Spider-Man’s marriage never happened and pretend we’re in the seventies again? Absolutely brilliant! Why don’t we bring back Harry Osborn while we’re at it? Oh wait…
So that’s it. Happy 2008.
dtm666 