Films of the Year

We've posted our round-up of 2007's films here. Agree or disagree? Let us know below.

http://www.musicomh.com/films/features/roundup2007_1207.htm

Cloverfield

For those looking forward to Lost creator JJ Abrams' new film, here's a 5-minute preview to enjoy:

http://widgets.clearspring.com/o/475a0f5f7f2007c8/47620930a9d00f1

Blair Witch with a budget, anybody? The first-person shaky camera is a nice idea but is likely to get pretty annoying after a while, but no doubt Abrams has a few tricks up his sleeve to keep things interesting. Cloverfield is released in the UK on 25th of January.

Best albums of 2007: the list

Our pick of this year's best albums:

http://www.musicomh.com/music/features/albums_review-2007_1207.htm

We'll still be sporadically publishing features and reviews in the music and film sections over the break, with normal service resumed on Wednesday 2nd January.

Meantime, thanks for reading in 2007, happy Christmas and all the best for your 2008.

Fanciful kisses,

Michael and all at musicOMH.com

Review of the Year 2007

We have put our Opera & Classical writers' views on the best and worst of the year online.  Tell us your views here.

Russell Brand goes to St Trinians

Russell Brand now tops the UK book charts with his Booky Wook – beating Nigella Express and Hamster Hammond by a hefty margin this week.

On Wednesday he pays homage to Jack Kerouac on BBC4’s Russell Brand On The Road. On 21st December the new St Trinians movie is out – and he’s in that too (with Stephen Fry, Rupert Everett, Lily Cole (!) and Girls Aloud (!!!!!)).

Big Brother was only watchable during Big Brother’s Big Mouth when Brand hosted it. His articles in the Guardian are never less than articulate. And his appearances on chat shows and panel game shows (such as I’ve seen) have been memorable. Then we have his 6Music and Radio 2 DJ tenures...

Yet there seems to be, for some, a niggling feeling, something akin to guilty pleasure, about liking him.

Is Russell Brand a good or a bad thing - an irritatant or a genius?

Christie Hennessy RIP

We heard the sad news today that Irish singer-songwriter Christie Hennessy passed away early this morning after a short illness.

If you're unfamiliar with Christie's work, there's a brief biog below, plus links to his music and an interview on YouTube, recorded last year.

http://www.redgraperecords.co.uk/artists/christie.html
http://www.christiehennessy.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX2Pj3iqD-w

Karlheinz Stockhausen RIP

Karlheinz Stockhausen has died, aged 79. 8-(

BBC News

Albums of the Year?

We're getting into lists territory, it being mid-December.

My album of the year hasn't changed since I first heard it back in January (there's a clue for you).

What's yours? Why? Maybe you have more than one?

Peter Handke at the NT

A quick advert for a production that is opening at the National Theatre in February.  It is The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other by the brilliant contemporary Austrian writer Peter Handke.  It is sure to be like nothing you've ever seen, a wonderful piece of stage poetry that features 25 actors, 450 characters and no words.  It is a long time since we've seen any of this writer's work in London, which is criminal, so take the chance while you can.  If they get this play right, you'll be stunned by the imagination and imagery.  The director is James Macdonald.  I was disappointed in his Glengarry Glen Ross, currently in the West End, but impressed with his production of James Joyce's Exiles last year.  The all-important design is by the excellent Hildegard Bechtler.

ENO update

A quick belated catch-up on English National Opera.  If you've read my (and everyone else's) review of The Turn of the Screw, you'll know that they have had a triumphant return to form, doing what this company can do so well.  It's great to see them out of the doldrums and long may it last.  In the New Year, they have a new production of Lucia di Lammermoor, so let's keep our fingers crossed for that one.  David McVicar's Rosenkavalier is sure to be a big hit and the studio productions at the Young Vic should be nothing less than interesting.

We're going to be doing a round-up of 2007 shortly on the Opera/Classical pages - each of our regular writers giving their choices of the year.    I predict that Kismet won't be at the top of anyone's list.  Keep a look-out for that.