BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- TRANSPORTER 3: JASON STATHAM IS THE WORLD'S FAVORITE ACTION STAR

Quantum of Solace has put paid to the notion that Daniel Craig is a one-note actor in playing James Bond. What a disappointing film Quantum of Solace was.

Thankfully, the action quota for the year has now been wonderfully fulfilled by Transporter 3, the Jason Statham vehicle. The script is not a masterpiece, no surprises there. But the it does have many moments and the cast are good and the characters decently written and fleshed out.

What? A powerful man's daughter has been kidnapped? He shows us why he is powerful -- while cleverly buying time in abiding by the demands of the thugs, he dispatches his people to track down the baddies and comes to know who exactly is pushing the baddy buttons. The next time the baddy calls with instructions -- he refers to the baddy by name! And that's just one of the side characters!

Jason Statham, is charismatic as ever and it says a lot indeed that when the audience cares whether our hero lives or not! And in the meantime, with his signature black transporter, the gorgeous Audi, he takes action to its ridiculous heights -- one minute he is a terminator in a suit and the next he is peddling his bicycle like an ace X-gamer! Not to mention, he drives like an F1 driver who'd popped a bucketload of Ecstasy!

The car chase scenes in Transporter 3 are breathtaking and heart stopping.

It is enough to say that Jason Statham's hero is meant to transport a woman who was taken hostage by the baddies and he is hell bent on making the baddies pay the price for their bad hand. The combination of his impeccably sharp suits, beautiful cranium and the devilish Audi will take the audience for a spin they will delight in!

Oh, and the repartee between Jason Statham's Frank Martin and his pal the French Inspector Tarconi (played by the lovable Francois Berleand) about Russians and why they are always depressed is priceless and easily one of cinema's greatest highlights!

Go watch this if you like action films! Transporter 3 does not pretend to be anything it is not. It is pure adrenaline-rush fun.

(Photos: Jason Statham mugshot from http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24077310-5003420,00.html, Jason Statham in Transporter 3 movie still by Magali Bragard for Lionsgate)

BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- REAPER: HOTTEST SHOW ON TV

Irreverence, humor, a good script, a likable cast, good (if intentionally cheesy special effects) -- there are plenty of all these on my favorite television show, Reaper.

This is a show that has classic and cult written all over it and the audience demographic is one of the most influential in TV-land (20s to 40s). The appeal of the show is global.

(This is my favorite Reaper photo of the cast from http://www.tv.com/users/PKtechGirl/profile.php?action=show_blog&entry=m-100-25365766&print=1)

BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- BMW Z4 COUPE

Can anyone honestly say that they are not instantly in love with this chunk of metal hunk? This is the BMW Z4 coupe and it has set many hearts afire! A dream car if ever there was one. Sigh!

BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- GOOGLE: THE MOTHER OF ALL SEARCH ENGINES!!!

Google is the best thing since sex. And that's the truth of it! With Google, knowledge is at everyone's fingertip. And the global map is accessible to everyone -- true democratization of knowledge and information has arrived.

Even more important than all that jazz -- you can now Google friends and see if they are on Facebook so that you can drop them a line and hook up with long lost pals.

(Google logo as interpreted by modern pop artist Jeff Koons)

BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- USAIN BOLT: FASTEST MAN ON EARTH

Our collective imagination was set on fire by the feats of Jamaican Usain Bolt at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Usain Bolt shows that people do not care what the skin color of a person is -- TALENT IS TALENT, and great talent will be celebrated regardless of everything else.

(Photo of Usain Bolt by Anja Niedringhaus for AP, as seen on guardian.co.uk)

BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- LEVI'S SKINNY JEANS: THIN IS IN!!!!!!!

Over the centuries, thin has always been in! And there's good reason for it -- thin people are sexier, most are nice people, many a stylish and the most important thing is that thin people take pride in how they look and make the effort to keep the pounds off.

And the best gift that a lean/thin guy van give himself is a Levi's skinny jeans. It even comes in everybody's favorite 501 mould!

Check out this gorgeous Red 501s (picture is from the Levi's website of course!

BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- BEYONCE: BEST LIVE PERFORMANCE AT THE AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS 2008

I confess that I have never really been a fan of Beyonce. But her sit-up-and-take-notice-boy! kinda performance of "Single Ladies" at the 2008 American Music Awards cannot be ignored. It was a hot and sizzling performance and everyone who enjoys a good live performance MUST look it up on youtube.com and watch it repeatedly.

(Photo of beyonce from Sports Illustrated)

BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- LET THE GAMES BEGIN..... TWILIGHT: BEST MOVIE OF THE YEAR

Best movie of the Year 2008: Twilight.

Never has the casting for movie -- and it does not matter that this is a teen-vampire-romance flick -- been so perfect and by Jove Twiight has got it precision perfect. Robert Pattinson as the lead vampire is riveting on the screen every time he appears and his lady love Kristen Stewart is immensely watchable in Twilight with her depth of character.

Watching her, Kristen Stewart reminds me of a young Sigourney Weaver and Twilight makes it very clear that both Kristen and Robert are going to go places. It says a lot indeed about these two's star pulling power (and -- let's not be coy about it -- sex appeal!) that a vampire movie can open at the top of the box office so near around Christmas time!

The movie is simple enough to be a teen romance but the script, performances and direction combine in ways that are aces! Both Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart have that rare quality amongst movie stars: global appeal.

(Photo of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart from http://www.mtv.com/movies/photos/m/2008_movie_awards/twilight/01_robert_pattinson.jpg)