Thursday, December 31, 2015

My Hot 100 for 2015

 My favorite songs for 2015

1. Shut Up and Dance - Walk The Moon
2. Triangulo - Thyro & Yumi feat Jeric Medina
3. Hotline Bling - Drake
4. Hurricane - Lifehouse
5. Love Me Like You Do- Ellie Goulding
6. Sugar - Maroon Five
7. Uptown Funk - Marc Ronson feat Bruno Mars
8. Hello - Adele
9. She's Kinda Hot - 5 Seconds of Summer
10. The Hills - The Weeknd

11. Photograph - Ed Sheeran
12. Ship to Wreck - Florence + The Machine
13. See You Again - Wiz Khalifa feat Charlie Puth
14. I Lived - One Republic
15. Great Big World - Nate Ruess
16. Trust You - Rob Thomas
17. Sorry - Justin Bieber
18. Demons - James Morrison
19. Can't Feel My Face - The Weekend
20. Perfect - One Direction

21. Lean On - Major Lazer feat Mo and DJ Snake
22. Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran
23. When We Were Young - Adele 
24. Want to Want Me - Jason DeRulo
25. Stitches - Shawn Mendes
26. Marvin Gaye - Charlie Puth feat Meghan Trainor  
27. Perfectly Imperfect - Sarah Geronimo
28. Lay Me Down - Sam Smith feat John Legend
29. Hanggang Wala Nang Bukas - Ebe Dancel
30. I Bet My Life - Imagine Dragons

31. Like I'm Gonna Lose You - Meghan Trainor feat John Legend
32. Worth It - Fifth Harmony feat Kid Ink  
33. Di Mapaliwanag - Morisette Amon
34. Night Changes - One Direction
35. Black Magic - Little Mix  
36. Love Yourself - Justin Bieber
37. Style - Taylor Swift
38. GDFR - Flo Rida feat Sage The Gemini & Lookas
39. Firepower - Bamboo
40. Dessert - Dawin   

41. Locked Away -  R. City Featuring Adam Levine
42. Cake By The Ocean - DNCE
43.  I Love You Always Forever - Marion Aunor
44. Uma Thurman - Fallout Boy
45. Get Stupid - Aston Merrygold
46. FourFiveSeconds - Rihanna feat Kanye West and Paul McCartney
47. All The Good Things - Up Dharma Down
48. Risk It All - The Vamps 
49. Move on - Sponge Cola feat Jane Oineza 
50. Love Me Like You - Little Mix 

51. Flashlight - Jessie J.
52. Invisible - Kelly Clarkson
53. No Control - One Direction
54. Saturday - Simple Plan
55. Paano Ba Magmahal - Sarah Geronimo and Piolo Pascual
56. Pasensya Ka Na - Silent Sanctuary
57. #SundayFunday - Magic!
58. Tayo Na Lang Dalawa - Mayonnaise
59. Ex's and Oh's - Elle King
60. That's How You Know - Nico & Vinz

61. Hey Mama - David Guetta feat Nicki Minaj, Afrojhack and Bebe Rexha
62. Earned It - The Weekend
63. Wild - Troye Sivan
64.Stronger - Clean Bandit
65. Cheerleader - OMI
66. Man on Wire - The Script
67. Heartbeat Song - Kelly Clarkson
68. One Last Time - Ariana Grande
69. I Don't Mind - Usher feat Juicy J
70. Hold On Forever - Rob Thomas

71. Adventure of a Lifetime - Coldplay
72. Take a Chance - Marion Aunor
73. Downtown - Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
74. Let's Love - Echosmith
75. Focus - Ariana Grande
76. Stressed Out - Twenty One Pilots 
77. Same Old Love - Selena Gomez
78. What Do You Mean- Justin Bieber
79. Hair - Little Mix
80. Dazed and Confused - Jake Miller feat Travie McCoy

81. Glory - Common and John Legend
82. Irresistible - Fallout Boy
83. Thank You For The Love - Various Artists
84. Sa Ibang Mundo - Kean Cipriano and Nadine Lustre
85. Wildest Dreams - Taylor Swift
86. Verge - Owl City feat Aloe Blac
87. Hanap Hanap - James Reid and Nadine Lustre
88. On My Mind - Ellie Goulding
89. Boom - Simple Plan
90. Watch Me - Silento

91. Used To Love You - Gwen Stefani
92. I Don't Like It, I Love It - Flo Rida feat Robin Thicke
93. Lips Are Movin - Meghan Trainor
94. Hollow - Tori Kelly
95. Good Thing - Sage The Gemini feat Nick Jonas
96. Confident - Demi Lovato 
97. How Deep is Your Love - Calvin Harris and Disciples
98. Win The Fight - Ylona Garcia
99. Happy Break Up - Donnalyn Bartolome
100. Zero - Chris Brown


***

My Hot 100 for 2012
My Hot 100 for 2011
My Hot 100 for 2010
My Hot 100 for 2009  
My Hot 100 for 2008
My Hot 100 for 2007

My Top 10 Favorite Movies of 2015

I will only have a top 10 list this year (I had top 20 lists in 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011). The reason is that sadly I was not able to watch a lot of movies in the cinemas this year. Admittedly, I have a very limited selection to choose from but nevertheless making this list was still tough to do but in the end I chose the movies that left a lasting impression to me.

10. Fast and Furious 7
The final scene, the "See You Again"  moment, made this a special movie that even if a ran a little too long it was still worth it just for the heart-tugging send off they did for Paul Walker.  You could feel the love and respect and how they really treated each other as a family.

9. The Good Dinosaur
Yes this is Pixar's first box office disappointment but make no mistake this is not a bad movie at all. Yes, the story is pretty simple and not as imaginative as Pixar's previous efforts but it's a heartfelt story with the most stunning animation this year. The photorealistic scenery is worth the ticket price alone.

8. Bridge of Spies
This is really a low key story despite being set in highly tense environment but handle with excellent craftmanship.  Who knew plain negotiations could be so riveting? 

7. Kingsman: The Secret Service
One word I can describe this movie is stylish and I'm not talking about the suits they wear in this. The action scenes were executed with such intricate style that's very cool to watch on screen. Definitely one of the most enjoyable movies I've seen this year.

6. Spy
And yet another movie about a spy! The title is simple and yes not creative but this movie is not a dud at all. This action-comedy made use of Melissa McCarthy's talent pretty well. I always knew that Melissa could do so much more than just be stuck with the obnoxious loud characters her movie roles have been since breaking out. And I never knew Jason Statham has good comic timing as well!

5. A Second Chance
Popoy and Basha are such well-loved characters that it was a really a challenge to make a sequel for the sleeper hit One More Chance but thankfully this is a worth follow up . I loved how the movie dealt with issues that married couples face in life and how trust and being open to one another is essential to keep the relationship strong. The film captured how the fear of failure is one of the roots that could tear down a relationship. This movie may not have the memorable "hugot"lines of the original but the sequel at least got the emotions right and straight to the core. 

4. Mad Max: Fury Road
I had no interest watching this actually because I haven't seen any Mad Max movie at all but the glowing reviews made me curious and wow it lived up to the hype. Yes the movie is basically an extended chase scene but that's not a bad thing as long as you have strong, remarkable characters and excellent direction! This movie is one thrilling ride that you wouldn't want to stop.

3. Honor Thy Father
The last movie I saw this year and what a great one to cap off  the year. While the movie may not be as flashy and thrilling as One The Job is, Honor Thy Father is a magnetic experience that draws the viewer to its world. It's a quiet film devoid of histrionics but the anguish and pain the characters felt will stay with you even after the credits rolled in.

2. Heneral Luna
The box office sensation this year! I just love this film became a revolution s as it proves that the Filipino audience can make a movie like this a box office success! As for the film itself, I admit I'm one of those who gets easily bored with historical movies but Heneral Luna is so different, it tackles the life of this hero in such a captivating way. This film will make you appreciate more what our heroes did for the country. The death scene of Heneral Luna was so haunting and striking that it will linger in your consciousness and make you contemplate about the country's fate.

1. Inside Out

Pixar at its finest and they once again made me fall in love with a unique story this time about the emotions of a 11-year old girl. The script is just so creative in telling what kid entering a new phase in her life is dealing with. I absolutely loved how the story was able to express the importance of facing some realities in life and that sometimes we need to experience such lows to hit the highs agaid. That sometimes you need to let go of things that you once loved in order to move forward. This is a classic.

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

My 10 Favorite Sitcom Episodes of 2015

Catch up mode for my year end lists!

Let's start it off with my list of my 10 favorite episodes from 10 US comedy shows that I watched this year. 
I chose just one episode per series for variety purposes ;)

(Check out my previous lists from 2012, 2013 and 2014)

10. The Last Man on Earth "The Elephant in the Room" (Season 1 Episode 2)  

 The second episode of this show deals with Phil discovering that he is not alone in the world after all.  His interactions with Carol were funny as she is not the person he is expecting at all. My favorite parts of this episode was how Carol is so stern on respecting the laws (and correct grammar!) even if essentially it does not matter anyway!

9. Black-ish "Dr. Hell No" (Season 2 Episode 3) 
The second season of Black-ish is quite strong so far and it had been exploring polarizing topics such as the use of the N word for black americans and gun use but my favorite episode they aired this year is the 3rd episode of the second season when Pops had a health scare as this was a truly funny episode. Just thinking of Dre's panicked reaction when he thought Pops'condition got worse makes me laugh already.

8. Fresh Off The Boat "Family Business Trip"  (Season 2 Episode 1)

Constance Wu is the breakout star of this show as the matriarch Jessica Huang. Every single episode she always cracks me up with her sarcastic lines and no non-sense attitude. I chose this episode as my favorite for this show simply because of this exchange that still cracks me up:

MASSAGE THERAPIST: What do you do for joy, Jessica?
JESSICA: I micromanage my family.

7. The Goldbergs  "Barry Goldberg's Day Off"(Season 2 Episode 14)

 This show does so well with themed/tribute episodes of 80s pop culture classics and this one is my favorite as it really captured the essence of Ferris Bueller's Day Off up and the big song number in the end was so cheesy but so entertaining just like in the movie

6. Modern Family "Connection Lost" (Season 6 Episode 16)

This special episode of Modern Family was just set on a computer/smartphone/tablet screen as the family interacted via chat and message apps. It was a tight but really creative episode that was able to maximize the unique storytelling setup for full comedic effect.

5. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend "My First Thanksgiving with Josh" (Season 1 Episode 5) 
This show is not a 30 minute sitcom but an hourlong musical dramedy but it's really funny so I included it in this list :D The first set of episodes were pure delight, it really is a crazy show but Rachel Bloom is just so funny and charming! I liked this episode a lot because, well it featured a Filipino family ;) It was just fun to see Pinoys represented in US TV with a funny episode that does not make any tired stereotypes.

4. Mom "Kitty Litter and and a Class A Felony" (Season 2 Episode 12)

Mom's second season was so excellent and  one of the few shows that can balance drama and comedy perfectly and this episode highlight this show's particular strength. AFter a shocking death that occurred in the previous episode, we see how the characters deal with the aftermath and once again Allison Janney is the MVP who could make the viewer simultaneously cry and laugh.

3. Parks and Recreation "Leslie and Ron" (Season 7 Episode 4)

For the first part of its final season, Parks and Recreation dealt with the falling out between Leslie and Ron and the resolution to that storyline was in this episode which featured great writing that understood why this friendship was the backbone of the show. It's not the funniest episode of the farewell season but definitely the most engaging and touching.
2. The Big Bang Theory "The Opening Night Excitation"(Season 9 Episode 11)

 I was afraid that the much hyped "coitus" episode of Sheldon and Amy will fail to deliver but thankfully it did not go for cheap laughs at all. This is probably the best episode the show since the early seasons. It  was funny but tender. I really liked that they did not make their first sexual experience a disaster. For once, we can see a trace of humanity from Sheldon! Amy though was the MVP of the episode from how excited she was when she found out what Sheldon is planning up to her sincerity of being nervous about doing it (and her reaction after the deed was done is priceless!). The episode also had solid B storyline about Star Wars: The Force Awakens and features another knockout guest performance from Bob Newhart

1. The Middle "Halloween VI:  Tick Tock Death" (Season 7 Episode 6)

Every year, I will always have a hard time choosing what episode of The Middle to select for this list and this year there were a lot of good choices as the show had another good set of episodes this year (Sue's graduation, Mike's middle life crisis and the Christmas episode to name a few) but I ultimately pick this year's  Halloween episode as my favorite. The story was told in a spoof of Twilight Zone (Atticus Shafer nailed the impression) and all three story lines worked so well. I laughed hard when Frankie became a "monster" chasing Rita Glossner, the grim reaper storyline with Axl and his friends (and on Kenny speaks and shows his face!) and ending it with Future Brick was a nice touch.  This episode is what a good Halloween episode should be made off, got the spooks but still grounded in the reality the show is set in .

Tuesday, December 01, 2015

Hello! It's Me

And it's December! So time for me to resurrect this blog which by the way turned 10..... last February! I was planning to blog then but I GOT LAZY as usual. But now it's December, I have the enthusiasm to blog again mostly about year end stuff: lists, charts, lookback, reflection etc!  And since its awards season as well maybe some award nominations predictions which I haven't done in a while. Let's see I hope I won't get lazy

Anyway, on personal stuff.. MY WORK HAS BEEN REALLY HECTIC. Aside from TeleNovela Channel (yes that channel is still alive and kickin!), I'm also now a channel coordinator for our new client Beam TV, a terrestial channel (Ch, 31 in Mega manila) and handled traffic and scheduling of their channel since March. It was so hectic and hard but honestly it was rewarding as well because well I'm a TV geek and I love scheduling, programming and all those stuff so for me to able to do it for a a broadcast channel with a wide reach is sort of a dream come true. I do wish I have better resources (and pay? hehehe) so I can do and offer better but I need to maximize what we have. I also have another project with TV Shop Philippines where I oversee editing of some of their materials and also their scheduling and coordination to the other channels they have a block time (they also have their own 24/7 channel that can be seen on Cignal Ch. 21). So yeah I'm juggling 3 projects and it's very time consuming and difficult but hey its career growth so that's great.

Apart from my job., I still do part time work for Pinoyexchange! I love my PEx family and this year was also a tough one for them and had some sad moments but that's reality  we have to face in. Sadly due to my hectic work schedule, I haven't been able to do that much like in previous years hoping next year, I'll be able to balance things better

Family? Well we had some health scares this year especially Nanay but she has recovered but one thing I realized is that it's quite hard to see the people that have always been the strong ones in vulnerable position but you see I'm an adult now so I need to face those stuff and I thank God nothing really bad happened although some things will never be the same again. Financial wise, after closing down our canteen business last year, we have moved on quite nicely. My sister and brother got new jobs and fresh starts. The money we lost there well it will take a long time before we can recover that. Honestly speaking the bankruptcy of the business sort of traumatized me so I'm very wary of money now. Although I know I have to invest as early as now so I can have better security in the future but you see I'm quite scared of possible failure and loss of money again. But I hope I can be brave enough next year to take the plunge. And oh my nephew turned 7 this year and seriously I love that he is in my life constantly because the pure joy and excitement of an innocent kid makes me feel better no matter how stressed I am. He is a smart and sweet kid and I always pray to God that he is healthy always and away from any form of harm.

On other stuff, well I'm still obese sadly, I had a semi-attempt to lose weight but it's harder than I thought. My hair continues its road to baldness. I admit I try not to think about my physical appearance anymore because it makes me a little sad. I rarely look on mirrors these days I just don't like what I see. I need to fix that I know.

And that's it for now. It felt great to blog again and share my thoughts! Twitter ain't enough