Chain of Thoughts: 2014 Highlights

Time for another late annual recap.  I will just copy last year’sformat.

How I will remember 2014 for:

→ The expression “Boom panes!”

→ I could hear John Legend’s “All of Me” everywhere. 

→ ALS Bucket Challenge.  I didn’t find it fun at all.  Still, I hope it did indeed raise money for that cause though.

→ Loombands.  Now, that was a fad that died pretty quick.

This was a unique and ironic game because whoever plays this game will surely be frustrated by it but won't be able to stop playing.

→ Speaking of fads, there was the widespread addiction on Flappy Birds.  Personally, I didn’t get to play this app game, thankfully.  I did play Zombie Tsunami for a while though.   

→ Oh, and speaking of app games, if I had avoided Candy Crush in 2013 because of its addictiveness, it was in the summer of 2014 that I got to be briefly hooked on it. 

→ Tech support ended for Windows XP.  My five-year old netbook is still on XP. 

→ Speaking of my netbook, in early December, its monitor gave out; the damage was unfixable.  To still use it, I had to remove its monitor and attach a desktop monitor on it.  Fun set up actually.  Anyway, I now seldom use it now since my father gave me his laptop (Thank you so much, Papa!).                

→ The number of TV series titles I’m following significantly bloated in 2014.      

→ I re-discovered the awesomeness of file sharing.  I probably obtained nearly a terabyte worth of games, comics, movies, and TV shows from it.  (One of the probable reasons why I got into – as well as rewatched – a lot of TV series in 2014.)

→ At year end, I had 15 books in “The Pile” – books I bought which I haven’t finished or started reading yet. 

→ I had two trips this year.  In March, we had a mission trip to a leper community in Quezon.   Then in May, we participated in a Youth Camp in Cavite. 

→ I became back-to-back Bible Quiz champion in our church.  It was an awesome feel-good experience.  Best of all, the first prize was a tablet. 

→ I’m not much of an enthusiastic techie, and with a netbook and a smartphone, I found no use with the tab at all for a couple of months.  But then, I realized I could now play Plants vs. Zombies 2 because I now have a tab.  I remembered that I’ve always wanted to play this game ever since its release but wasn’t able to because I had no smartphone or tab.  Later in the year, I would also discover the special delight found in the practicality of an e-book.  So, thanks to the tab, 2014 was the year I finally got into e-book reading.

→ I passed the LET.  Yay. 

→ I had the silver anniversary of my journey towards Eternity (or I had my 25^th birthday, if you didn’t get that).

→ I actually only learned for the first time that the 1989 Batman movie was released in June 23 – the same date I was born!  (Aside from the movie’s silver anniversary, in 2014, it was also the 75^th anniversary of Batman’s first comic book appearance.)

No big deal, really.  Still, it felt kind of awesome sharing the same birthday with the Batman movie.

→ There were a lot of terrific comic book happenings, but probably the most exciting were the return of Peter Parker and the epic “Spider-Verse” event (which I urge Sony to adapt this into film).

→ In manga, Naruto and Kuroko No Basuke ended.  Both aren’t particularly exciting finales.  I’ve already grown tired of Naruto, but out of nerdy obligations, I still saw it through till the end.  And the finale of Kuroko No Basuke had been disappointingly bland and underwhelming.  Hunter X Hunter, after years of hiatus, finally picked the story again, but after a few chapters, went on another indefinite hiatus.  Boo. 

→ After years of providing our province’s electric needs, ALECO (Albay Electric Cooperative) had been taken over by San Miguel Corporation.  It was renamed APEC (Albay Power Energy Corporation), and, I think, for the first time in history, a private company now controls the power in the province of Albay.  During its first year of operation, APEC had earned the ire of the Albayanos.  Throughout most of the year, parts of the province had been plagued by infuriating sets of brownouts due to APEC’s incompetent management; rumored sabotaging by unhappy laid-off employees of ALECO (that has been fired due to their connections with its corrupt administration); presumed maintenance of its electric distributing system (and, maybe, even some overhauls); and, simply, the lack of power supply (the country will be facing a power crisis this 2015).  There was even a lengthy time during May – which had an awfully hot weather – when we didn’t have electricity for several days because APEC wasn’t able to promptly replace the broken components of a substation.  APEC was incapable of solving the crisis at hand by themselves, and it had to take the active help of our provincial governor for it to be addressed.  And despite of all their faults, they had the gall to overcharge their clients.  All of these exasperating things about APEC prompted me to coin the hashtag #APECfail (a pun for “epic fail”, get it?).          

→ Typhoon Glenda hit my hometown in July.  It was a legit destructive typhoon.  There were a lot of damages.  It even brought down my alma mater’s “Centennial Tree” – an iconic acacia tree that had been more than a hundred years old – which was able to withstand even the infamous “Reming” back in ’06, hence, I was a bit shocked when I learned that it was finally felled by a lesser storm.  Post-Glenda, I was actually expecting that we wouldn’t have electricity for about a month minimum.  But I was delightfully surprised (considering APEC’s problems) that it only took five days.  It was God’s grace, since, in many parts of the city and province, it took several weeks – and even months – before they got their power back.   

→ We were, however, spared from Typhoon Ruby in early December, ensuring an enjoyable Christmas since there would be electricity then.

→ There were some noteworthy airplane crashes.  But the most intriguing was definitely the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370) back in March 2014.  In the middle of its scheduled flight from Malaysia to China, less than an hour after its takeoff, the plane disappeared from air traffic controllers’ radar screens.  Up until now, nobody knows what happened – whether it was hijacked, or crashed, or whatever.  It just… vanished.  And despite a multinational investigation and the largest and most expensive search-and-recovery venture in aviation history, there is still no answer – its disappearance still wrapped in Amelia Earheart-scale mystery.  Hence, it was inevitable for this to become another subject that conspiracy theorists can eagerly offer insights on.

→ Aside from the missing MH370, the most notable tragedies this year were the sinking of a South Korean ferry which took 304 lives – mostly students; the Ebola epidemic in West Africa; ISIS terrorizing in Syria and Iraq (in a related matter, I learned that the UN actually put hacks like Lt. Gen. Iqbal Singh Singha in charge of their peacekeeping forces… just sayin’); and Kim Kardashian’s terrifying butt-naked pictorial.

→ Robin Williams passed away.  Well, there were a couple of prominent celebrities that died in 2014.  But Williams’ was probably the only thing that mattered to me.

Goodbye, Genie.  Be free.  (sniff)

→ “The Sony Hacks.”  Sony experienced several attacks by hackers named “Guardians of Peace” (GOP).  GOP released in the Internet several secret and critical information regarding Sony’s upcoming projects as well as copies of some unreleased movies.  Then, later, it was revealed that the likely suspect behind the attacks was North Korea because of their displeasure with “The Interview” – Sony’s comedy movie that ridiculed NoKor dictator, Kim Jong-un.  There were threats that a terrorist attack of “9/11” proportions would happen if Sony released the movie.  To my astonishment, despite Fed reports that such threats are unfounded, Sony actually folded and decided not to release the movie (eventually, Sony opted to release the movie but online).  This was really worth noting and being perplexed about since it’s the first time this happened.  Jimmy Kimmel reacted: "An un-American act of cowardice that validates terrorist actions and sets a terrifying precedent."  I totally agree. If it worked this time, it will definitely be tried again and again! What's stopping the bad guys from moving on and anonymously targeting another movie they don't like? 

→ In probably the most epic casting news ever, Marvel hired the awesome Benedict Cumberbatch to play Dr. Strange!  I’m just crazy for Cumberbatch right now.  The man is extremely talented and charming.  2014 was the year he jumped past Nathan Fillion as my most favorite actor.
→ Warner Bros./DC revealed how Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman will look like.

She hasn't won me over yet.  But at least she bulked up.

→ In one of the most idiotic things in, well, ever, Hello Kitty is officially revealed to be actually NOT a cat but a little girl.  Wait, what?             

→ In relation to their involvement with Janet Lim Napoles and the “pork barrel scam”, senators Revilla, Jinggoy, and Enrile were sent to jail.  Prior to getting jailed, in an attempt to win public sympathy, Revilla did some of the most absurd, hilarious, and shameless gimmicks in the already ridiculous history of Philippine politics.     

→ Vice-President Jejomar Binay’s political enemies in the Senate unearthed some of his dark (no pun intended) secrets when he was still the mayor of Makati City.  The senators had actually provided some compelling accusations, and Binay, in return, didn’t provide a compelling defense at all.  He did challenge Sen. Trillanes to a televised debate, but backed down when the senator accepted (Binay was probably bluffing and didn’t expect Trillanes to bite).

One of the strongest arguments that support the senators’ accusations that surfaced in Facebook is this simple infographic that compares the cost of building the Makati City Hall 2 vs. the building of London’s City Hall. 

→ This year’s hottest government corruption scandal (this is like an annual thing already) is tied between Binay and the discovery that crime lords incarcerated in New Bilibid Prison are living luxuriously like, well, crime lords.  They have first-class accommodations, drugs, money, stripper bars, and Jacuzzis.  And one named Herbert Colanga was even able to nurture a musical career while in prison – and actually found success!    

→ Everyone’s favorite senator, Miriam Defensor Santiago, announced that she has cancer.  Despite of this, she still remained the most entertaining and most prolific senator in the Senate.   

→ Back in August, an MRT train got derailed and rammed into a concrete barrier in which around 36 passengers got injured.  This accident renewed attention on the horrible conditions of MRT.  And while I lamented on the fact that the Philippines still doesn’t have a modern rail system yet, MRT management and DOTC just pointed fingers at each other in whose fault it was.

→ The Philippines filed a case against China in the world court regarding the latter’s invasion of the former’s Scarborough Shoal – and beyond.  The Philippines has a strong case against China, but I’m a bit skeptical that anything will really come out of it.  If China is proven in the wrong (which is quite apparent), I doubt the United Nations will really actively enforce the ruling.  Remember Iraq?  Iraq, under Saddam Hussein, had continually violated UN treaties, but the UN never really made any move – only the US did.

China is still pretending that they lack common sense. 

→ What’s great: Pacquiao earned wins over Timothy Bradley (Mommy D was allegedly casting voodoo curses on Bradley throughout the fight) and Chris Algieri in 2014.  What’s not-so-great: he became a coach-player in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

→ After a 27-game losing streak in a span of two years, the UP Fighting Maroons won a game during UAAP 77 (which the NU Bulldogs won in dramatic fashion).  The team was celebrated as if they had actually won the championship.  The university threw a bonfire party, there were TV guestings, and the UP Chancellor was even quoted of saying, “We have proven that we excel not just in academics” (lolwut?).  I really found it hilarious.  This win would serve as UP’s only win this season as they finished with a 1-13 record. 

→ Despite being eliminated in the first round and a 1-4 record, Team Gilas Pilipinas had an impressive performance in the FIBA World Cup.  There was a lot of hype and excitement.  Then, the team fell flat in the Asian Games.  To be fair, overall, the Philippines sucked in the 2014 Asian Games (1 gold, 3 silvers, and 11 bronzes. Ugh).

Kobe looks amazing in black.  He's the Black Mamba after all.

→ Kobe Bryant finally got to wear a black jersey in a game!  I’ve always wanted an official black Laker jersey (which only happened during 2013-2014 season) and I’ve always wanted to see Kobe play in such jersey (Kobe only played six games in the 2013-2014 season and never had a chance to wear it); it had been long overdue.  Ok, this seems pretty petty.  But, as a Laker fan, there’s not much to rejoice about in 2014  The Lakers completed their most horrible season in history (and are now undergoing what looks to be a worse one).  Spurs won the championship, now tying the Lakers with the most championships of this era.  In the offseason, Pau left the Lakers.   There was a slim chance that LeBron would choose to go to the Lakers, but he instead went back to the Cavs.  And the most exciting Laker thing I had in 2014 was probably Linsanity joining the Lakers.  That’s just sad.
→ WWE had its historic Wrestlemania 30.  And Undertaker lost his match with Brock Lesnar  – destroying his perfect Wrestlemania record.  In my opinion, Vince McMahon’s  decision to let Lesnar be the one to beat the Undertaker in Wrestlemania was a big mistake. 

→ Hoverboards have not been invented in 2014, so there will still be no prevalence of commercial hoverboards in 2015 as Back to the Future II had predicted (bummer).  However, there are some intriguing developments in cybernetics.  A guy named Les Baugh, who had lost his two arms, received two mind-controlled cybernetic arms!  They’re not yet permanent add-ons, but the researchers are optimistic that such technology would soon be.

2014 could have been the dawn of cyborgs!

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Chain of Thoughts: 2013 Highlights

Per usual of my yearly reviews, this one is late as well...  

The year 2013, for me, is defined by the following:
→ After three years, went travelling with my family again.

→ “Selfies” and “throwbacks.”  Maybe such practices had already been done prior, but it was in this year that these terms and doings had full-blown, extensive cultural popularity. 

→ Hashtags has been around since Twitter’s boom.  But doing hashtags become more popular and widespread after Facebook integrated hashtags to work in their site. 

→ Psy attempted to replicate the success of “Gangnam Style” with “Gentleman.”  It’s just as catchy, but the “newness” factor is gone, so it’s not that impactful.  

 Psy never got Wolverine to dance it with him this time. 

→ Ylvis led the world in obsessing about what sound a fox makes.  (But everyone who had seen The Fantastic Mr. Fox would have already known that a fox does clicks and whistles.) 

→ Smart Gilas – the Philippines’ men’s basketball team – failed to win the gold during FIBA Asia championship.  But, still, there is a silver lining: as silver medalists, the Philippines finally qualified for the World Cup (this 2014)!  And sweeter still is that Gilas earned the qualifying win over South Korea, the consistent bane of the Philippines in past years’ basketball competitions.  Here’s a quote from one article I read about the context of that basketball match, which perfectly articulates the sentiment: “When it comes to bringing tears to the eyes of Filipino fans, the most dramatic Koreanovelas have nothing on the South Korean national basketball team. South Korea has been responsible for the most pain for the Philippine team when it comes to international basketball. The Philippines has not won against South Korea in a high-level basketball match since the 1985 Asian Basketball Championship.”  Yes. That’s so true. I haven't gotten over the Philippines' bitter loss to South Korea in the 2002 Asian Games; I was watching it live and felt a sharp, numbing heartache when the Koreans got the win after a buzzer-beating gamewinner.  That’s why that I was so ecstatic of Gilas’ victory over Korea.  

 #LabanGilas #Puso #Espanya

→ After Inquirer failed to stand up for Pol Medina, Jr. but instead made him the scapegoat of the whole fracas with St. Scholastica, the Pugad Baboy creator rightfully resigned.  He would then take his cartoon strip to the media web site, Rappler, wherein the strip took on a different formatting: each strip would have three different punchlines and readers can vote which they like the best.  Good job, Pol.    

Pol hit a nerve.  Hmmm.  Implying… guilt?

→ I’m surprised that all it took for Inquirer to drop Pol Medina was this one time.  Pol was merely doing what he has been doing for years: making cartoons.  Cartoons have historically been an honored medium of articulating and spreading thoughts and opinions on issues about society and politics by the use of cleverness and humor.  That's what cartoons are, and Inquirer should have known better.   Heck, in the past, I've read harsher and more cringe-worthy Pugad Baboy strips than this controversial lesbian jibing at St. Scholastica.  So why now?

→ Courtesy of a deodorant brand, there’s going to be a first Filipino in space.  And it’s not me.  I’m envious.  Going up there, seeing the glory of outer space, has been a fantasy of mine since my toddler years. 

→ People were recruited to start a colony on Mars?!  (Hmmm.  Tempting.  There’s a good possibility I’ll choose to go if given the chance.)  Among all of the year’s news, this was what gave me the sweetest thrill.  At last, humanity’s interplanetary expansion is happening. 

→ In my years as a Laker fan, the last season was the worst I’ve ever had.  Everything fell apart. 

And the worst thing that happened was Kobe Bryant’s Achilles injury.  T_T

→ Kobe did have a Wolverine moment and returned from his Achilles injury during this ongoing season.  He played a few games but a knee injury has sidelined him again, hence, we haven’t really had the chance yet to see if Kobe can still play in an elite level consistently.  

→ I have no problem with Dwight Howard’s departure.  I was actually apathetic whether he would stay or not.  But what appalled me a lot was how the Lakers basically begged Howard to stay through billboards.  That’s not the Lakers I know!  Dr. Jerry Buss has made the Lakers into the NBA‘s cream of the crop.  The Lakers is a proud organization that doesn’t bow to anyone.  They do not beg.  Heck, the Lakers didn’t do that to Kobe Bryant, why then do it to someone like Howard?    It baffled and outraged me.  This is a disturbing indication of where this organization is possibly going post-Jerry Buss.

Early in the 2013-2014 season, the Lakers’ box scores were like this.  Awesome rotation. 

→ The Lakers had been doing okay at keeping afloat at the start of the season.   They weren’t title contenders, but they were a lot of fun to watch when everything was clicking.  Everyone was contributing something.  The minute distribution and line-up rotation were delightfully effective.  The Lakers were adopting an eclectic identity.  I was excited.  Then injuries ate them up again.  And started losing a lot.  Now, getting into the playoffs is questionable for the Lakers.    

→ Philippines dominated the international beauty pageant scene.

When she was on Starstruck, she was my bet. 

→ It was an election year.  Same old story.  Tons of unworthy candidates won.  Sensible candidates were routed.  Majority of Filipino voters are fools. 

→ Again, Philippine politics is only good for one thing: entertainment.  And no matter how we pretend we care, as long as the political circus keeps us entertained, we will be too distracted to kindle change.      

→ Janet Lim Napoles.  Pork Barrel Scam.  Sexy, Tanda, Pogi.  “Di ko po alam.”

The most annoying face of 2013.  This or Miley Cyrus’. 

→ Three extensively horrible catastrophes (outside of those induced by the politicians) hit the country.  First, Islamic terrorists turned Zamboanga into an urban war zone for weeks.  Second, a destructive earthquake ravaged Bohol.  Third, and worst, was the massive devastation brought about by the horrifying wrath of typhoon Yolanda (which my hometown, thank God, was spared from) on Tacloban and the entire Samar/Leyte area.  Still, the Filipino people are known for their resilient spirit.  Filipinos will surely bounce back.     

→ To a degree, Manny Pacquiao bounced back from his disappointing 2012 matches.  He was not able to knock out his opponent, but a win is a win.  Pac-Man’s full return to boxing glory is just around the corner.  The next opponent is Timothy Bradley, who was unfairly decided upon by judges as the winner over Pac-Man in their 2012 bout.  Now, winning that one (this coming April 2014) is where real vindication starts.  (And since Mayweather is too big a coward to fight, maybe Pac-Man should try to avenge his loss from Marquez next)       

God bless you, Manny.  And through your triumphs, may God’s glory be magnified.

→ Everything got addicted to “Candy Crush.”   I did not attempt to try it in fear of being a junkie, too.  

→ The Rock, the greatest wrestler ever, found enough time from his Hollywood career to become champion again!  Unfortunately (but not unexpectedly), he lost the tile to John Cena in Wrestlemania. Still, he will always be the “People’s Champion.”  In addition, he is also a “Hollywood Champion” since he was named as the top grossing actor of 2013 (with $1.3 billion dollars earned!).   

→ WWE, finally, after several years of having the WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championship, decided to have just one championship again.  In the unification match, WWE Champion Randy Orton overcame World Heavyweight Champion John Cena to become the first WWE World Heavyweight Champion.    

Randy Orton.  Ultimate champion.  

→ It was a fantastic year for comics, movies, and TV shows.  Lots of awesome stuff. 

→ Superior Spider-Man reigned in 2013 – which provoked me to write at lengths on.  (Thank God, Peter Parker is really returning this coming April)
→ The Avengers had its Golden Anniversary.  In commemoration, Daniel Acuña assembled almost all of the legendary superhero team’s official and honorary members from its 50-year history in an epic poster.  

→ I have this accumulation of books still unread.   It’s just that whenever I see a book that looks interesting, I often give in to the urge of purchasing it for my collection, with the idea that a future opportunity will come for me to finish it.  (That “future opportunity” rarely arrives.)  I call this growing pile of books to read “the Pile.”  And the Pile just keeps on growing taller.  It seems that with every book I finish, two more books are added to the pile.  The year’s notable additions (which I also get to finish reading) to the pile were “The Gun seller” by Hugh Laurie (Yes, that Hugh Laurie, the awesome Dr. House himself), “Odd Hours” by Dean Koontz, “Pirate Latitudes” by Michael Crichton, “Krispos Rising” and “Between the Rivers” by Harry Turtledove, “Warrior” by Donald E. McQuinn, and “The Silmarillion” by J.R.R. Tolkien.
→ This happened:

My first time to have this badass hairstyle. 

→ And last but not the least, 2013 was the start of my attempt to “reboot.”  Still initializing… (Hoping that the rebooting process culminates successfully this 2014.)  

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2012 in Review (Part 7): Wrap-Up

I would have wanted to do two or three more parts for this series, but it’s March already and I have to wrap this up.  Maybe having a series format for the review of 2012 wasn’t a good idea after all; never found the time to finish all the parts in January, as intended.  Won’t do this again for the review of 2013. LOL.

So how would I evaluate 2012? Hmmm.  It was okay… but could have been better.  Both 2010 and 2011 had been more awesomely notable.  Since 2009, I felt that each successive year has been better than the previous.  Now 2012 had some amazing stuff for me, however, I can’t say it was a better year than 2011.  Let’s say, that with 2012, I feel like I’m still stuck with the “step one.”  Still, I am thankful of 2012.        

In 2012, I screwed up aplenty, but God is so gracious, He bailed me a lot, too.  Of course, I’m deeply sorry of all my mistakes, but eternally grateful for God’s mercy and protection. 

God has shielded me from any major tragedies and sufferings (and I pray He would continually do so).  There were some heartbreaks, but, because of God’s grace, immediate speedy healing follows.  There were some discouragements, but I was always reminded to put my hope in God always and trust His wisdom. 

There weren’t much personal glory obtained during the year, but that doesn’t matter; I just hope I was able to amply give glory to God in 2012, which is more important.

Lastly, I think the top highlight of 2012 in my life is the fact that I gained a lot of weight that I’m now officially fat (never had a fat physique since I was in my early parts of being a twelve year old).  Hehe.

2012 wasn’t really as terrific as I wanted it to be.  But it didn’t suck either.  I had a blessed year as always.  Life has always been full of struggles.  But God is good.  And everyday in my life, He makes sure that I am reminded of this.    

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2012 in Review (Part 6): My Reads

This January AND February, for my traditional reviewing of the previous year, I will be writing a series of articles that would recap or evaluate some (if I have the time, then all) of the highlights of 2012 that involved, concerned, compelled, and/or fascinated me… this is the sixth of seven parts…

I’ve always loved reading.  And, just like every year, I read a lot in 2012.  The difference is, it’s the first time I’ve realized that I’ve been already doing more reading digitally than of actual print.  Times are indeed evolving.  That’s why fighting off legislation that put extreme limitations on Internet freedom – like those hazardous ones in 2012, the United States’ SOPA and PIPA and the Philippine’s Anti-Cyber Crime Law (because of flawed and tyrannical clauses, especially the anti-libel clause) – will always be necessary.

Most of my reading now involves massive amount of Internet articles and digital comics.  But this 2012, I still acquired some (printed) books – since I still find the E-Book format inconvenient to the eyes (though I may find this no longer the case if I finally get a tablet of my own. LOL) – the most notable being A Golden Compass (because, now, I have all three “His Dark Materials” books) and, a Jack Ryan thriller, Red Rabbit.  In 2012 however, novels and pocketbooks no longer made up the majority of my dose of fiction from literature.  It returned to comics again.  I’ve always read plenty of both comics and novels, but in the past years, the ratio of concentration I have for them was either more on novels or 50-50 at most; the last time I read more comics than novels was probably when I was still a kid.   Well, until 2012.   

I acquired some trade paperbacks (I now mostly purchase trade paperbacks or collections than individual comicbooks.  Saves some money) in 2012, but most of my comicbook reading was done through – yes – the Internet.  Massive amount of downloadable digital comics out there. 

Anyway, here were the highlights – things that easily come to mind as I write this – of my 2012 comicbook reading.

Katekyō Hitman Reborn! unexpectedly ended in 2012.   I was caught by surprise as I finished reading chapter 409.  Just like that, it was the last chapter.  There was no warning that the manga was going to end.  I love how all of Vongola’s antagonists throughout the manga’s run ended up becoming their allies eventually.  Still, I was disappointed it has to end just like that.  A mafia-themed manga/anime, regardless of being over the top, was a brilliant premise; there were still a lot of potential terrific concepts and stories to explore.  Bummer.  Anyway, 409 chapters was already a decent run.  So with Reborn! finished, and Hunter X Hunter undergoing another lengthy hiatus, I’m now down to following six mangas. 

DC Comics’ New 52 continues this 2012, though it feels it’s already losing its novelty and momentum.  The best comic title of DC in 2012 was, in my opinion, Batman.  I’ve also enjoyed Stormwatch much.  Also, last year, DC established a Superman and Wonder Woman relationship as the new status quo.

Interesting, but I still find the Clark Kent-Lois Lane-Superman “love triangle” more interesting.    

Over at Marvel, Hawkeye was the surprising best comic title of the year.  The writing and how the character – a B-list superhero – was handled were terrific.    

“Avengers vs. X-Men” was the annual major Marvel event of the year.  Just like “Civil War”, I found it a brilliant premise, but the execution of the story fell short.  Just like “Civil War”, “Avengers vs. X-Men” never became the epic clash I expected it to be. 

Late in the year, Marvel – in an obvious attempt to mimic the success of DC’s “New 52” relaunch gimmick – started the “Marvel NOW!” relaunch (which is still ongoing).      

2012 also marked the first time Earth-616 – the main Marvel continuity – and Earth-1610 – the Ultimate continuity – interacted with each other.  Contact between the two universes used to be off-limits; but it’s finally done in the Spider-Men mini-series, as 616 Peter Parker crossed over to the 1610 Universe – a reality in which his counterpart is dead – and met Miles Morales, the teenager who took the mantle of Spider-Man after the 1610 Spider-Man was killed.   

Speaking of Spider-Man, the biggest and most controversial comic book event of the year was in the shocking Amazing Spider-Man #700.  

A dying Otto Octavious was able to develop the technology and scheme to switch consciousness or bodies with Spider-Man. Thus, as he hijacks Peter Parker’s body, Peter is left trapped in Doc Ock’s dying body.  Pete (in Doc Ock’s body) made an attempt to re-gain his body back but failed.   Dying and defeated in Doc Ock’s body, a desperate Peter decided to transfer all his memories to Doc Ock (who is occupying Pete’s body).  This gambit worked, managing to “reform” Doc Ock.   After realizing what being Spider-Man is all about, Otto decided to live on as Spider-Man, to now fight for the side of good instead of the other way around.  This was the beginning of Otto Octavious as the Superior Spider-Man (as part of the Marvel NOW! relaunch).  Despite being a dramatic and original development, this didn’t sit well with us Spidey fans.  Writer Dan Slott even received death threats.  (Will be sharing my thoughts on the Superior Spider-Man some other time).   

Lastly, the best read I have this year was a children’s book by Jeffrey Brown titled “Darth Vader and Son.”  It’s incredibly clever, funny, and adorable; featuring situations of Darth Vader being a dad to a little Luke Skywalker.   Here is a glimpse of this terrific book:  

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2012 in Review (Part 5): My Own Movie Awards

This Janu - oh, my... it’s already February!  And I still have 3 or 4 of this left to do!  Let me continue (and, hopefully, conclude) this February this series of articles that would recap or evaluate some (if I have the time, then all) of the highlights of 2012 that involved, concerned, compelled, and/or fascinated me… this is the fifth part…

Forget the Oscars.  This is the first ever “Bernels.”

I’ve already picked out my top movies of 2012; so this time, I will be picking out winners by categories relating to the movies of the past year.  The categories are not necessarily similar of those being given out in the Academy Awards or Golden Globes.  This is just for fun, with only one criterion in picking out the categories and winners: my preference.  

Let’s begin.

Best Movie Moment: The Avengers’ Final Battle

 

There’s no other movie moment that gave me such feeling of rapturous delight and spellbound absorption as much as that part of the Avengerswhere the team squared off with Loki and the Chitauri in New York City.    Every Avenger shined:  Iron Man being awesome was already a given, because ever since Robert Downey Jr. portrayed him in film, we expect nothing less of the character but cocky and witty awesomeness.  Captain America was impressive in his solo film, but we all know that Cap shines most when he does some captaining with the Avengers, and this was brilliantly shown in that sequence, as he makes a clear battle plan for efficiently fighting the Chitauri.  Thor is arguably the most powerful Avenger (but, like Superman, is holding off his full power), and this was also displayed well in that sequence.  Black Widow and Hawkeye were not merely supplementary or “padding” for the roster but were showed to have the chops of being great A-list superheroes, despite not having any superhuman abilities.  And Hulk… more about him later. 

I’ve watched that sequence in The Avengers no less than a dozen times, both from watching the entire film over again and forwarding the film to that point where Loki and Stark were trading banters.  Shows how much I loved this movie moment. 

(In fact, writing about it now compelled me to watch it again. LOL)

Runner-Ups: Cabin in the Woods’ Horror All-Stars Havoc, Pencak Silat fest in The Raid: Redemption 

Best Movie Hero: Hulk (The Avengers)

 

Yes, every Avenger shined in the movie, but the Hulk stole every scene he’s in.  The scene where he tossed around the arrogant Loki like a ragdoll was reason enough to become my pick as best male movie character.  

Hulk, despite being one of founding members of the team, is never a fit for team play.  He is an unpredictable, uncontrollable Weapon of Mass Destruction.  Therefore, as a WMD, he is a powerful and dangerous threat to both enemies and the side he’s on.  This is what Hulk on a superhero team brings.  And this interesting element has been perfectly depicted in the movie.  That’s why, when Cap was instructing the Avengers on their battle plan, Cap’s command to Hulk was merely “Smash.”  And he did.     

Runner-Ups: Dr. Schulz (Django Unchained), 007 (Skyfall), Abraham Lincoln (Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter)

Best Movie Heroine: Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games)

 

I’m always a sucker for strong no-nonsense female characters.  And Katniss is one of them.  She is tenacious, independent, and intelligent.  Toughened by having a hard life, her primarily concern is survival and she has no room for unnecessary things like romance.  Being a survivalist, her instincts and will carried her through in making the right calls during the Hunger Games – a televised free-for-all deathmatch among teenagers – allowing her to stand tall in the end.    

Runner-Ups: Selena Kyle (Dark Knight Rises), 

Best Movie Villain: Mad Dog (The Raid: Redemption)

 

The movie The Raid: Redemption was a treasury of intense fight scenes – the best piece of close combat epicness I’ve seen in a movie for a long time.  And two of the three best fight scenes have Mad Dog (the right hand man of the drug lord who the SWAT protagonists were targeting) in it.  The word badass is being thrown a lot by people – including me – these days, but Mad Dog brings justice to this adjective.  He is a tough, brutal, and proficient fighter who finds great thrill in fighting and killing with his bare hands.  He is so confident with his skills and capabilities that he willingly puts himself in a handicap so that the fight and the kill can be more stimulating for him.  Bane is a badass villain, being able to break Batman’s back; but if he finds in a fight with Mad Dog, my money is on Mad Dog. 

Runner-ups: Loki (The Avengers), Bane (The Dark Knight Rises), Gollum (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)

Best Movie Villainess: Madame Thénardiers (Les Misérables)

There are not much fascinating female villains to choose from in 2012’s pool of movies, so this is almost just a “winner by default” pick.  I adore Helen Bonham Carter, so I pick her character in Les Misérables.  Along with Sasha Baron Cohen, they enjoyably played the dirty, dishonest husband-and-wife thieving duo, the Thénardiers, lighting the mood of the generally gloomy and dramatic musical.   

Best Animal Character: Richard Parker (Life of Pi)

 

Richard Parker – never just “Richard” or “Parker”, but always “Richard Parker” – is the name of the tiger that shared the experience of being stranded at sea with the main character, Pi.  I love how cleanly the tiger has been animated into the movie; it was so realistic that Pi’s interactions with him throughout the movie were effectively emphatic. 

Best Cameo: Moose (Step Up Revolution)

I decided to watch Step Up Revolution because of three reasons: a) I am greatly entertained of great dancing, b) my date loves dancing, thus, she likes Step Up movies and wanted to watch this new one, and c) Moose’s cameo.  Moose is definitely the most charismatic character that ever appeared in the Step Up franchise that a mere cameo of him makes me excited.  

Runner-Up: Stan Lee (The Amazing Spider-Man)

Most Hilarious Character: Ted (Ted)

 

Ted, the movie and the character, is the most hilarious movie and most hilarious movie character of the year.  I’ve never been a fan of Seth McFarlane.  I’ve always looked at Family Guy as an inferior Simpsonsrip-off.  And McFarlane’s brand of humor, crude and unclassy though funny, has never appealed to me.  But put that kind of humor on a teddy bear magically brought to life and it works!  There’s something riotous about a typical adorable teddy bear having a vulgar mouth and lifestyle. 

Best Movie News: Disney Buys Lucasfilm, Star Wars 7 in 2015!

 

Someday, we will wake up to find out that Mickey Mouse has become the supreme ruler of the world! 

Most Terrible Movie I’ve Watched: Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

 

Ugh.  What a shame.  I never expect this sequel to be an awesome superhero flick, but I was nonetheless hoping it was, at least, going to be a mediocre but “okay” superhero movie like its predecessor.  Ghost Rider is one of Marvel’s most intriguing properties, and this movie just crapped on it.  With the exception of that scene where Ghost Rider converted a huge crane into a gigantic flaming machine, the entire movie was total garbage.  There are definitely worse 2012 movies than this, but I haven’t gone to see them, knowing they’d be terrible.  With Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, I gave it the benefit of the doubt, watched it, and wished I didn’t.     

Best Direct-to-Video Animated Movie: The Dark Knight Rises Part 1

 

Since Paranorman was included in my top 10 movies for the second-half of 2012, I already implied that it’s my pick for best animated movie of the year.   So, instead, let’s have a “Best Direct-to-Video Animated Movie” category instead.  Superman and the Elite made the top movies of the first-half edition, but it isn’t the best.  It’s The Dark Knight Rises Part 1, which was released during the second half of the year.   It didn’t make the second half edition’s top 10 because movies are packed at that time and there are just better movies than it for it to be considered.  Nonetheless, it is arguably one of the best animated superhero movies ever made.  Based on Frank Miller’s classic, the story tells of a 55-year old Bruce Wayne who was forced to come out of retirement as Batman.  Part 2 (which is even better than Part 1) was released in January 2013.    

Best Action Scenes: The Raid: Redemption

My preference for a terrific action scenes are more on close-combat martial arts than Michael Bay explosions.  And I’ve already mentioned that The Raid: Redemption has among the best fight scenes ever made in the history of action movies.  The action scenes were savagely realistic, sustaining the movie’s testosterone intensity from start to finish. 

Most Romantic Movie: Silver Linings Playbook

“The only way to beat my crazy was by doing something even crazier. Thank you. I love you. I knew it from the moment I saw you. I'm sorry it took me so long to catch up. I just got stuck.” 

If that’s not romantic, I don’t know what is.

Movies I Wanted to Watch on Theater but Missed: Titanic 3D

 

When Avatar was released, there was still no 3D theater here in my hometown.  And when it was re-released for special screening a week after the opening of the first 3D theater here, I still wasn’t able to see it.  Whether you love or hate Avatar, you can’t deny that critics praise James Cameron when it comes to the use of 3D.  And I’ve yet to see the visual thrill that Cameron can do with the 3D medium.    This past 2012, he decided to re-release his classic Titanic in 3D.  And reviews said that it’s “3D conversation done right.”  That kind of praise was intriguing.  Considering that based on experience, most 3D conversions I’ve seen end up as “pop-up book” visuals, I really wanted to experience this hyped 3D conversion of Titanic for myself.  But I missed it.  Can’t remember why.  Maybe I had no money when it was released, or I had not time.  The reason doesn’t matter, the fact is I was not able to see it.  And it kind of sucks that I still have to wait for Avatar 2 to see if the hype about Cameron’s 3D prowess is totally warranted.         

 

Most Underrated Movie: John Carter

Regardless of what the box office returns for this movie imply, regardless of what critics say of it, John Carter was a good and enjoyable sci-fi flick – one of the best films of 2012. 

Movie That Would Have Made My Top 10 Movies of 2012 List IF I Was Able to Watch It in 2012: Django Unchained

If you’ve read the second half edition of my top 10 2012 movies list, you would know that there were movies that I wanted to watch in 2012 but wasn’t able to, thus, were not able to be considered for the top 10.  But, if you notice, those movies – Life of Pi, Les Misérables, Silver Linings Playbook – are being considered here in “The Bernels”.  It’s because I was able to watch them already as of writing.  You might even consider “The Bernels” a “Top 10 Movies of 2012 (Post-2012 Edition)” (Hmmm. That actually sounds good. Might try it next year.)  However, among those movies, only one would have made my final top 10 if I was able to watch it in 2012 (thus, would have qualified for the final top 10 picks), and that is Quentin Tarantino’s Western, Django Unchained.  It would have taken the number 7 spot.  I really love a good Western story and amazing Western gunslingers, and this movie has both.  The characters were fascinatingly compelling, the gunfights were exhilarating, and the dialogues and monologues were very engaging.                

(Bonus!) Coolest Movie-Related Stuff I Found in the Internet:

2012 marked 007’s 50^th anniversary in film.  To commemorate it, somebody made this awesome GIF of all Bonds doing the trademark post-movie 007 gunshot.    

 

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