The "Bernels" for 2013's Small Screen

Last year, I started my very own movie awards – the “Bernels” (LOL).  It was nothing fancy and technical.  Just plain fun, informal ad-libs of categories for predetermined winners.  I’m going to do more of that soon (around the Oscars season), but for now, I’ve decided that I’m going to apply the Bernels’ treatment on 2013 TV shows.   (So now, the Bernel’s will have two editions: for TV and then for movies.  Sort of an Emmys Bernels and an Oscars Bernels. LOL).  Again, there is only one criterion for categories and winners: my preference.    

BEST TV SERIES: Elementary

When House M.D. was still around, it was my undisputed most favorite TV series.  But now, among the pool of TV series I follow, I can’t easily pick one.  I really don’t have a most favorite – what show I enjoy the most above all.  But if I’m compelled to pick one, I think I’ll go with – hmmmm – maybe, Elementary.  Or Castle.  Hmmmm.  Ok, Elementary then.  I, think, among all the TV series I follow, these two are the ones I am most excited about to watch a new episode of.  Either of the two will do for me as “Best TV Series.” But I’ll go with Elementary, since it features a Sherlock Holmes (my most favorite character of all time) and Johnny Lee Miller’s take on him might not be the best reinvention of the character I’ve ever seen, but he still did fantastic in playing an eccentric, brilliant, and charismatic Sherlock Holmes.                

Plus, there was no Sherlock in 2013.  Therefore, since that superior Sherlock Holmes TV series was unavailable, Elementaryhas no rival in my interest and affection.  Sherlock does it better (by a distant margin), but Elementary can’t be compared to the absent Sherlock in 2013.   (Next year, however, is another matter.  Sherlock Series 3, which came out this 2014, has just recently finished.  And it was awesome!  It will be in contention in next year’s Bernels.  Elementary has no chance of touching it by then.)     

If given some thought, Elementary’s premise seems to imply lack of originality and creativity.  It seems to be a gimmicky attempt to capitalize on the popularity of both Sherlock Holmes as a pop culture icon and Sherlock.  It tried to be “original” by minimizing the amount of allusion to the original literature, and outside of these minimal references, everything is new and different.  But, then again, if a lot of things are going to be new and different anyway, why not make the rest of the elements new and different?  Let the characters and stories and every other element of the show stand on their own, and not anchor it on the popularity of the Sherlock Holmes mythos.  (What makes Sherlockawesome is its perfect depiction of how the Sherlock Holmes mythos will fare if it’s in a modern setting.  There is rapport and balance between the novelty of a new narrative and the referencing of elements – quotes, names, features, plot devices, plot details, etc. – from the original literature.  Then, there is cleverness in manipulating and reinventing these allusions to fit into an original overall storyline.)

       

One of these significant attempts to be different by Elementary is making Watson a female.  And it ruins the special dynamic and charm of Holmes and Watsons’ relationship.  Moreover, with Watson as a female, there is a chance that a love angle between Watson and Holmes will develop.  Ugh.  (Again, Sherlock did perfectly well in translating the friendship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson into a modern setting.  Another example is House M.D.’s House and Wilson, which were based on Holmes and Watson)   The only way I can learn to accept this detail is that Sherlock Holmes and Joan Watson will never become a couple throughout this show.  Nonetheless, I don’t hate the character.  I learned to tolerate her and treat her as a mere character and necessary aspect of the show. 

Setting these (minor) nitpickings aside, Elementary is fascinating and entertaining.   It’s a smart mystery series.  Again, Johnny Lee Miller’s Sherlock Holmes is entertainingly compelling.  The supporting characters, especially Gregson, have been given ample personalities to make you interested.  The show’s “mystery of the week” suits me.  And the twist of the major arc of Season 1 – Holmes’ run-on with Moriarty – blew me away (more of this later).    

Runner-up: Castle

BEST NEW TV SERIES I GOT HOOKED WITH: Sleepy Hollow

If Elementary’s reinvention of the Sherlock Holmes mythos is absurd and utterly different from its source, then Sleepy Hollow’s approach is full-blown, batshit insanity.  Out of the main character, Ichabod Crane; the presence of the Headless Horseman; and “Sleepy Hollow” as the setting, the show has no resemblance with Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” 

It’s about Ichabod Crane, who was brought to the present time by his (witch) wife, as he partners with police officer, Abbie Mills, and together, in each episode, with the aid of some allies, they take on supernatural threats and historical mysteries as part of their fated crusade to stop the agents of evil, like the Horseman of Apocalypse, from heralding the apocalypse. 

There is no denying that everything about this show is ridiculous and dumb.  But it also does produce captivating entertainment. 

The show mixes up biblical, historical, horror, and fantasy elements in its mythos, making it very interesting.  Tom Mison’s Ichabod Crane has strong screen charisma; he is such a fascinating character that even when the show’s craziness and ludicrousness go too much, he will carry the show and keep your interest intact.  Moreover, Ichabod Crane’s encounters with modern technology and practices bring obvious funny moments to the show.  It also helps that the rest of the ensemble of characters of this show is as likable as Crane as well.  

Runner-up:  Almost Human

BEST NEW TV SHOW THAT SHOW POTENTIAL FOR AWESOMENESS: Defiance

The show was compelling enough to make me write about it during its first season’s run last year.  There are four main reasons why I got hooked with it: 1.) Stahma Tarr; 2.) Datak Tarr; 3.) its fresh and appealing sci-fi premise (despite of borrowing several tropes from past sci-fi shows); and 4.) the presence of a potential to become as awesome as Firefly.  Among these four, the main reason I’m still in for the ride, despite of the show’s disappointingly underwhelming season finale, is the fourth one.  As I’ve said before (in my initial analysis of the show), “…as long as I feel that the potential is still there, I will be following the show.   In fact, I think that even if the show fail to achieve that level of awesomeness I’m hoping it would become, as long as that feeling of potential – just this – remains present, I’ll actually take it.  I’m willing to continue watching it for that.”

Runner-up: Almost Human

           

BEST TV ONE-SHOT SPECIAL: Toy Story of Terror

Despite of having three movies already, I want more of Toy Story.  I believe it’s still good enough for two or three more movies.  There are no plans of doing another one yet.  For now, I’m thankful that this 20-minute TV special during last year’s Halloween was made.  Such a delightful treat to see the beloved Toy Story characters again.   

BEST ANIME/ANIMATED SERIES: Kuroko No Basuke

I don’t watch much anime as much as I do when I was younger.  So my pool for “Best Anime” does not have many choices in it.  But I believe Kuroko No Basuke deserves to win this.      

2013 was the year that I first encountered Kuroko No Basuke.  And I easily got hooked with the over-the-top and thrilling basketball drama that its new chapters and new episodes are what I was excitedly looking forward to the most among all the manga and anime I was into in 2013.  

BEST MINI-SERIES: Dracula

 

Here’s another TV show that crazily deviated from its literary source material in its attempt to reinvent it.  Just like Elementary and Sleepy Hollow, this ludicrous reinvention of Dracula successfully worked.  Dracula’s similarity to the original literature is limited to character names and to their characteristics (to an extent).  It’s so absurdly different from traditional Dracula stories.  Dracula takes the guise of an American, Alexander Grayson.  Dracula and Vah Helsing are collaborators (what?!).  The villain of the story is not Dracula, but the Order of the Dragon, a powerful secret society that manipulated the political conditions of the world for centuries for their own greedy purposes.    And there’s the porn star-like Lady Jaye, who is supposed to be a brilliant vampire hunter, but can’t tell that Grayson is a vampire since she got the hots on him.  And a lot of other insanity.       

MOST DISAPPOINTING NEW TV SERIES (BUT I STILL AND WILL STILL WATCH): Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

I was so excited for this to come.  Heck, it has fan-favorite Phil Coulson in it.  But then, when it finally aired, it felt flat, bland, and dreadfully lacking.  There were many times I felt that watching an episode was a chore.  The plot and narrative are hardly as epic as I expect it was going to be.  Outside of Phil Coulson and Melinda May, the characters are uninteresting, unlikable, and generic, but can be tolerable in the long run, with the exception of Skye, which the consensus of viewers found annoying. 

Still, I’m still not going to give up on this.  This series, after all, is still connected to the epic Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Improvement is not at all an impossibility, and is actually likely.  I’ll give it time to gel.  Besides that, Phil Coulson and Melinda May, which are both cool and charismatic characters, are keeping me a willing watcher of this show. 

Let me insert this insight of mine: I strongly believe that it would have been a hundred times better if they named the show Coulson instead of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.    Let Phil Coulson to completely be the star of it.  It doesn’t mean that the other characters will be forgotten and have the disadvantage of not getting a chance to shine.  Actually look at shows like Castle and House.   Though Richard Castle and Gregory House are the main stars, their supporting characters proved to be interesting and developed well during the series.   Castle and House headlined and carried the show – and rightfully so, since they are the most interesting characters in their respective shows – but, still, the other characters were not completely overshadowed.  Hence, since Phil Coulson is the most interesting character in the show anyway, they should have let him headline and carry the show.  The audience will have to focus mainly on him at the start, since they would be watching his show – a show about Phil Coulson and not a show about Phil, Melinda May, and a bunch of boring characters – hence, the show will have the advantage of having the other characters develop quietly while the viewers focus on Coulson. 

BEST “AH-IT’S-STILL-AROUND-AND-I’M-STILL-WATCHING-AND-LOVING-IT” TV SERIES:  Psych

Castle doesn’t qualify for this.  Though it’s already in its Season 6, I only started watching it back in 2012.  So it doesn’t count.  Thus, it goes to Psych, which is the oldest on-going TV series that I’ve been following.  I am still loving the clever use of humor and “pop culture/nerd culture theme of the week” approach (Castle also does this often) of this show.  For me, the good quality of the writing of this series is still sustained.  Would still love to see more of Shawn Spencer in the future. 

BEST TV HERO: Ichabod Crane (Sleepy Hollow)

Once again, a big reason why Sleepy Hollow is awesome is because of Ichabod Crane.  The character is captivating and fresh, despite being another genius-type protagonist – a thing which TV is already crowded of.  Aside from his intellect, he is also a badass, for he takes on the supernatural head on despite having no supernatural abilities at all.  Moreover, being a man from the past, he is constantly baffled by the modern world, much to the amusement of us the viewers, adding another layer of charm to the character. 

Runner-Ups: Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock), Richard Castle (Castle) 

BEST TV HEROINE: Kate Beckett (Castle)

Castle is Richard Castle’s show.  But Beckett is as much important to the show as the titular Castle.  In their partnership, they are in equal standing.  While Castle does enable the “thinking out of the box” thought process with his initial outlandish assessments, it is Beckett who keeps the investigation in sensible precision (hence, together, they make an awesome crime-solving team).   And between the two of them, Becket is actually the consistent badass, not Castle.   

BEST TV VILLAIN: Datak Tarr (Defiance)

BEST TV VILLAINESS: Stahma Tarr (Defiance)

They aren’t really the outright villains, but they are nonetheless the most malicious among the regular characters of the show.  As I’ve mentioned earlier, this compelling husband-and-wife tandem is one of the things that keeps me watching Defiance.  They are, clearly, the best characters in the series.  

Datak obsesses in increasing his status, and Stahma is pleased whenever she aids her husband achieve his goals.  They are intensely driven by ambition and will do whatever it takes to get what they want.  Both are natural schemers, but Datak is more impulsive while Stahma is more calculating.  These put great depth and personality to the characters, making them mightily interesting.      

BEST ANIMATED TV SERIES CHARACTER: Tetsuya Kuroko (Kuroko No Basuke)

Since Kuroko No Basuke is my favorite animated series in 2013, it is only right to pick Tetsuya Kuroko as 2013’s best animated character in TV.  His remarkable basketball skills make him a truly fascinating character.  (I even found his qualities as a perfect analogy for what makes a great worship leader.)   

BEST TV DUO: John Kennex & Dorian (Almost Human)

If you really attempt to think out Almost Human, you will find stupidity, inconsistency, and plot holes in it.  And for a sci-fi show, the amount of sci-fi in it is just passable.  Hence, you won’t love and follow this show for its intellect nor for its sci-fi.   You would love and follow this show because of John Kennex and Dorian.  Their chemistry is so fantastic that it’s enough to make you overlook the show’s flaws. 

Almost Human borrows a lot of tropes from established sci-fi properties.  And this is the true on the case of John Kennex and Dorian.  They are obvious copies of Elijah Bailey and R. Daneel Olivaw from Isaac Asimov’s Robot novels.  Now, Elijah Bailey and R. Daneel Olivaw’s partnership was very engaging and enjoyable, hence, what had drawn me to watch Almost Human and what kept me watching is how John Kennex and Dorian perfectly remind me of Elijah Bailey and R. Daneel Olivaw. 

Runner-Ups: Richard Castle & Kate Becket (Castle), Shawn Spencer & Burton “Gus” Guster (Psych)

BEST DEFUNCT TV SERIES THAT I HAD JUST CHECKED OUT LAST YEAR: Veronica Mars

Veronica Mars had already ended way back in 2007.  I was never aware of its existence during its run.   But then it became relevant again in 2013 after creator Rob Thomas launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for a Veronica Mars movie.  The goal was $2 million dollars.  That goal was met in mere ten hours after the start of the campaign – a record-breaking achievement.  Because of the buzz it caused, I became curious what this Veronica Mars is all about – if the show is really that good as implied by the positive Kickstarter response for a film.  I checked it out – all three seasons of it... and I easily became a fan.  It was an impressive and well-written show; it was obviously another case of a great show being undeservingly and prematurely cancelled.  Furthermore, Veronica Mars is a compelling character – a Nancy Drew with an attitude – and one of the best female characters I’ve ever encountered in fiction.  And, yes, I’m “Team Logan” (Piz is boring and uninteresting, one of the few bad things about the show).        

BEST TV SHOW I WAS NOT FOLLOWING AND WISHED I HAD CHECKED OUT BEFORE: Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad ended in 2013.  Its finale was praised as one of the greatest in TV history.  Breaking Bad could be one of the finest TV shows ever and I’ve never even watched a single episode.  It made me think that I had missed out from something special.   It made me wish I should have bothered checking it out while it was still on air.     

BEST TWIST: Irene Adler = Moriarty!!!

It blew my mind.  In Elementary’s own reinvention of the Sherlock Holmes mythos, Irene Adler – the woman Sherlock Holmes esteemed the most in all the retellings and reincarnations – was the real identity of Moriarty (Holmes’ arch-nemesis).  “Moriarty” was merely Irene Adler’s alias (or was it vice versa?) all along.  She is the real “Napoleon of Crime.”   And Moriarty’s male voice that Sherlock converses with on the phone was courtesy of a minion of hers – being given instruction on what he should say by Irene.  This development is pretty original and has never been done before in any other Sherlock Holmes reinventions – brilliant!      

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The Amazing Spider-Man Relaunch: Glorious Return of Peter Parker, Flashbacks, or an April Fools' Day Prank?

So I was just having my usual Internet surfing last night… when I encountered this…   

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YEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!

MARVEL IS BRINGING PETER PARKER THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN BACK!!! 

PARTY TIME!

From this leaked cover art of March’s “All-New Marvel NOW!” preview of new series starting in March and April, we can learn that The Amazing Spider-Man is going to be relaunched in April.

Several sites now carry these news and art, but it was over at Comic Book Movie that first leaked these. It has now been removed.  Probably by Marvel’s request.  

The traditional pre-SpOck Spider-Man costume and the happy-go-lucky grin on the face definitely points out at the titular Amazing Spider-Man as being Peter Parker.   After putting up with the sacrilege that is Superior Spider-Man (or Spidey-Ock or SpOck) in my 2013 readings, I ecstatically welcome this development.  My heart leaped with elation.   

Finally, the rightful Spider-Man, Peter Parker, is coming back!

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Then I stopped myself from hoping too much.    There has never been an official word from Marvel about this – no exact and revealing details yet.   And there has no announcements yet that Superior Spider-Man is going to end. 

This could turn out to be something that is different from what I’m expecting.  

This could be a misdirection.  A trick.

I should not hope too much.  It will create more loathing and heartache if it turns out to be different from what I think it’s going to be.    

Take note that Dan Slott (the engineer of SpOck) is still going to be the writer of this title.  And he has already done much misdirecting and planting false hopes in the past already:  He did that tweet that made us speculate that the Superior Spider-Man was going to be Miguel O’Hara (Spider-Man 2099).  And he had surprisingly revealed in the first Superior Spider-Man issue that Peter Parker’s consciousness was still actually lingering around (so that we’ll still check out his book post-Peter), giving us hope that Peter’s return is inevitably soon, and then senselessly kill off Peter a few issues later, deepening the injury on hoping fans.

So, I have to calm my excitement. 

The new series could be merely telling pre-SpOck flashback tales, similar to what Marvel Knights: Spider-Man and Amazing Spider-Man #700.1 to 700.5 did.  It is a let-down possibility.     

Also, the release date falls on April.  Again, Dan Slott could be messing with us.  It could be an elaborate April Fools’ Day prank.

Still, I can’t help but hope that this will truly turn out to be the thrilling return of Peter Parker.   

Just have to wait and see.  (/Crossing my fingers)

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Top 20 Comic Reads of 2013

I am an avid reader.  I read a lot.  But among all the media of reading, the easier to make a list of – and most fun – “the best of the year” for is on comics.   Why?  Well, the year’s comics are more conveniently acquired than the year’s books.  Any book I acquire and read during the year were not from that year (but were published or released from previous years).  Hence, I can’t make a list of 2013 books (i.e. books first released in 2013) I read in that year for I haven’t gotten nor read any.  Comics, on the other hand, are another matter.  I have read lots for they are easier to get hands on.   Assembling a list then for comics is easy. 

So here are my most notable comic reads of 2013…     

20.) ULTIMATES COMICS: THE ULTIMATES

Of course, the best days of the Ultimates were during “The Ultimates” and “The Ultimates 2” at the hands of Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch.  “Ultimate Comics: The Ultimates”, for me, is the second best.  This year, we get to have this cruder but hipper alternate-version of the Avengers in some fascinating and insane exploits – stuff you won’t ever see happening in Marvel’s main continuity.  America was plagued by secessions and insurgencies, and President Captain America and the Ultimates were in the frontlines to quench them.  Then, they had to take on Kang, Mr. Fantastic, Quicksilver, and the Hulk who got hold of the Infinity Gems and successfully conquered the world.  The Ultimates overcame all of that.  It was great, insane fun.   I will surely miss the Ultimates (for the entire Ultimate Universe is coming to an end).  

  

19.) EARTH 2

I love Earth 2 for seemingly being DC’s version of Marvel’s Ultimate Universe.  The stories in Earth 2 have the feel of the Ultimates’ kind and scale of stories.  This is a universe wherein Batman (though there is currently a new Batman roaming around, but his identity remains a mystery), Superman (recently revealed to be still alive, but corrupted and under Darkseid’s control), and Wonder Woman had sacrificed their lives to stop the Apokolips’ invasion of Earth, thus, the focus are on hip reboots of DC’s Justice Society of America superheroes (which are called “wonders” in this universe instead of superheroes) as well as a few new names, like Captain Steel, who is, interestingly, a native Filipino but is an American citizen. 

18.) PUGAD BABOY 25

I purchased the latest compilation of Pugad Baboy, the greatest comic strip in my book, as soon as it was out.  Though it’s not Medina’s best work, it’s still a goldmine of Filipino cleverness and hilarity. 

This book featured (finally) another serial-type story in a long time, “The Bourne Ambrosity”, which had Brosia in a Jason Bourne-like adventure.  As what the cover hinted, the storyline also brought about epic cameos of the adventurous alter-egos of Pugad Baboy characters.        

17.) A + X

I did check out Uncanny X-Men and All-New X-Men regularly in 2013 but the X books never really made me enthusiastic about it (but I did like 2013’s “X-Men: Battle of the Atom” event and the time-displaced original X-Men’s crossover with the Hulk and the Superior Spider-Man in “The Arms of the Octopus”).  Hence, no X books are in this list.  The closest thing to an X book in this list would be A+X, a book that features bite-sized stories of team-ups between an X-Man and an Avenger – a welcome delight of story format amidst a crowd of long serialized tales in comicbooks.

16.) AVENGERS: ENDLESS WARTIME

2013 was an Avengers year.  Avengers titles dominate my major comic reads.  With the sole exception of Avengers Assemble I closely follow all Avengers-branded books (even though New Avengers and Secret Avengers have never been made into official Avengers teams yet).   There are a couple of upcoming new Avengers-branded books this year, and this year did too much Avengers goodwill to me, that I will willingly check them out and follow the first few issues (but I might drop Young Avengers this year, for the team no longer has Kid Loki, and Uncanny Avengers, for I’m close to getting tired of it; it hasn’t done anything for me). 

One of the best Avengers stuff this year is this graphic novel, Avengers: Endless Wartime.  It’s not what I found as the most exciting Avengers tale this year, but it’s still a compelling one nonetheless.  The story connects particular pasts of Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor, and how, with the assistance of their co-Avengers (the story’s roster is composed of the Avengers movie’s line-up plus Captain Marvel and Wolverine), they proceeded to bring closures for these.     

15.) SAMURAI JACK

IDW’s Samurai Jack only has three issues so far, for the series has just started late this year.  However, it’s one of the books I got excited about for it implied that it will give a well-deserved conclusion of the adventure and mission (which the classic animated series never gave) of this iconic samurai.

 

14.) NEW AVENGERS

It does annoy me that this present New Avengers has not been given an official status as an Avengers team yet (Come on, Marvel, make Black Bolt an official Avenger already!).  Nonetheless, the world-saving dilemma that this team of Illuminati members has to face is quite different from any other superhero team’s, making this book a captivating read.    

13.) INFINITY

This galactic event, in the scale of the “Thanos Imperative” (which I immensely enjoyed), was a bona-fide epic.  The galactic empires of the galaxy, which had even been adversaries in the past, had to band together to save their galaxy from an unstoppable invasion force called the Builders.  It was an unwinnable scenario for this coalition of empires, but the Captain America-led Avengers, which came from the insignificant planet Earth, succeeded in what the galaxy’s empires failed in: become the catalyst of victory.   This would earn the Avengers the gratitude and respect of the entire galaxy.  (And while the Avengers were busy in space, Thanos and his forces proceeded to invade Earth.) 

12.) VADER’S LITTLE PRINCESS

This is Jeffrey Brown’s follow-up to his awesomely adorable, “Darth Vader and Son” (my favorite read of 2012).  I think the first one was better (maybe because of the novelty) but this book is nonetheless as clever and rich with creative Star Wars reference as it now focus on Darth Vader’s hypothetical parenting on Lea rather than Luke.  Below are my favorite parts. 

11.) KUROKO NO BASUKE

The manga and the anime are my most favorite manga and anime in 2013, respectively.  Yes, in 2013, I enjoyed Kuroko No Basuke more than I ever did One Piece, Naruto, Fairy Tail, or Bleach. Maybe I’m just too sucker for over-the-top sports-themed anime (with Eyeshield 21 being the best of such) but I got immersed into the story and characters, enjoyed the ridiculous but kickass basketball action, and rooted for Kuroko and his teamalmost as much as I do with my beloved Lakers in real-life. 

10.) HAWKEYE

Hawkeye was my most favorite comicbook series from Marvel in 2012for producing down-to-earth, sometimes funny, sometimes dramatic, “heartful” anecdotes on the Hawkeyes of the Marvel U, Clint Barton and Emma Bishop (especially her, since she’s far more interesting in her depiction here than in the current Young Avengers, which is all Kid Loki).  In 2013, though this series is demoted to the tenth spot, it has nonetheless retained its appeal and coolness. 

9.) MIGHTY AVENGERS

The start of this new Mighty Avengers book is pretty promising.  How this new, independent Avengers team was brought together during Infinity; how they were oozing with badass chemistry right from the start; and the mystery of the new Ronin made it so.  It has the feel of being Bendis’ New Avengers (Volume 1) all over again.  And that’s pretty awesome. 

8.) AVENGERS A.I.

I never expected that I would love this book.  I checked out the first issue out of curiosity… then I was hooked from there.  Henry Pym, in his years of being part of many Avenger line-ups, has never been more perfectly fitted in any Avengers roster as he is with this team.  Vision – with his new abilities (like deconstructing into countless microscopic nanobots) – has been so cool.  Victor Mancha and Alexis have been surprisingly non-boring but have proven to be actually interesting.  And Doombot – the most awesome thing in this book – will win you over easily.  Age of Ultron was a bane of awful storytelling last year, but it has ushered in Avengers A.I., and I’m happy for it.           

7.) BATMAN/SUPERMAN

Though the current arc is kind of weak, the book’s opening arc this year has been exciting.  It was about Batman and Superman during their early superheroing days (in the “New 52” universe).   These two heroes are tight bros in the present, but during their first meeting and adventure together, they couldn’t stand each other (they even came to blows more than once).  In this first adventure, a demon transported them to Earth 2 (see no. 19 of this list), where they encountered their counterparts (who were still alive then) in this alternate universe – who are older, thus, more experienced and better than them (of course, it wouldn’t be a comicbook without the expected, initial melee between the meeting heroes before any “team-up” happens).   It was revealed in this story that the Batman and Superman of Earth 2 have been bestfriends since they were kids, for in this universe, Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent had met already when they were young boys.  It was pretty cool seeing the young New 52 Batman and Superman hanging out with their older Earth 2 counterparts.   If a “Batman and Superman” team-up is awesome already, then the first few issues of Batman/Supermanhad twice the awesomeness because of that.    

    

6.) THUNDERBOLTS

Right now, I’m more thrilled about and engrossed on this team than I currently am with the X-Men, which I consider the greatest superhero team ever.  That’s the biggest compliment I can give about this comicbook.  The original Thunderbolts had been one of my favorite superhero teams ever, but this new Thunderbolts team – which, take note, has never referred to themselves as the “Thunderbolts” – is very different from the original Thunderbolts (whose team’s concept has been absorbed into the Dark Avengers, and whose status quo is currently unknown after the series’ end in 2013) premise, but is more interesting – from their black-and-red team motif, to their diverse personalities (which will get more diverse with Ghost Rider’s inclusion to the team this year), to their arrangement of picking missions, to the nonchalance of killing baddies (what do you expect from a line-up made up of anti-heroes like Red Hulk, Agent Venom, the Punisher, Elektra, and Deadpool?).          

5.) BATMAN

Batman, for me, has remained DC’s best comic in 2013, just as it was in 2012.  Ever since issue 1 (back in 2011), this book has been a gripping and powerful read, and it has effectively continued to be so last year.

Early in 2013, “Death to the Family” had Batman in one of his most intense showdowns in comicbook history with his main archrival, the Joker.    Then in the second half of the year, “Zero Year” went full flashback as it started telling us the origin and early days of the New 52 Batman.         

Another thing I enjoy about this book are the supplementary short tales at the end of some issues. They provided some interesting backstories, like glimpses of Bruce Wayne’s skills training during his hiatus away from Gotham prior his debut as Batman, and how the Joker broke the Riddler out of jail or, rather, how Joker “convinced” the Riddler to get himself out of his cell (it was an awesome moment for both Batman villains). 

4.) SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN COMICS

This is cheating a bit... the 4^thspot goes to Superior Spider-Man and Superior Spider-Man Team Up (and to the Avenging Spider-Man title prior to Team Up).   You should know by now how much I despise SpOck, but the whole concept is just too novel and the comics are just too friggin’ amazing that I’m compelled to come back for more.  Heck, I’m so invested in Superior Spider-Man – in hating, but at the same time, (confusingly) enjoying the character and stories – that it made me write something about it… not once… not twice… not thrice… but four times during the year!

3.) PETER PARKER FLASHBACKS!

Despite being entertained by Superior Spider-Man, I desire nothing more than the return of Peter Parker.  I’m disappointed that this whole SpOck blasphemy lasted for a year (and is likely to extend until this year).  That’s why even if they were mere flashback stories, I was glad of the Peter Parker comics in 2013: Marvel Knights: Spider-Man and Amazing Spider-Man 700.1 to 700.5.      

2.) SCARLET SPIDER

I’ve always loved Scarlet Spider right from the start – an “All of the power, none of the responsibility”-kind of Spider-Man.  It’s brilliant.  The premise of the comics was simple: Kaine Parker sincerely sought redemption by attempting to be a hero in Houston as he struggled with his inner darkness.  This made him a very likable and deep character (and deserving of some A-ttention).  It also helped that his supporting cast – the close friends he unexpectedly gained – are likable, too.  Add all those elements up and it was a delightful issue each month.      

So sad this got cancelled this year. (Why not stop Superior Spider-Maninstead?!)        

1.) AVENGERS

The new era of Avengers, which was brought about by Marvel NOW!, produced its most extensive, most powerful, and most diverse roster ever.  That has always been one of the main reasons this book interest me immensely.  And the team continued to expand and grow in might this year, making the line-up more exciting, hence, making the book more exciting. 

Each issue has been greatly entrancing and enjoyable, but it was the epic Infinity (see no. 13 of this list) event the greatly helped in boosting my fondness for Avengers. 

Why is Avengers the number one for me in 2013?   Simply because it was the comic that was most consistent in delivering thrilling comicbook-reading moments during the year.

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Top 20 Movies of 2013 I've Seen in the Second-Half of the Year (+Top 10 Movies of 2013)

It’s time again for my personal ranking of the movies of the previous year.  If you have noticed, this second-half edition for top 2013 movies is a “top 20” list.   Remember that the movies to be listed here are movies I’ve seenin the second-half of the 2013, hence, movies I’ve seen after I have written the first-half edition (which you should check out first if you haven’t read it yet) regardless of whether they were released in the first or second half.   So with a top 20 this time, I have more room to cover more of the movies I’ve seen in the crowded second half. 

Then from among the movies listed in the first-half edition (which you should read first) and this second-half edition, I will be picking out my “Top 10 Movies of 2013” in the end. 

Of course, per usual, it’s unavoidable that I missed a couple of 2013 movies.  I have two in mind that would be very likely in the top of my list IF only I have seen them: Captain Philips and Frozen (especially this).   

Let’s get the ball rollin’…

20.) JUSTICE LEAGUE: FLASHPOINT PARADOX

This was an animated film adaptation of the captivating comicbook storyline, “Flashpoint”, by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert.  The story is about how Barry Allen, the Flash, unbeknownst to him, changed reality when he saved his mother from being murdered.  By saving his mother, he set off a “butterfly effect” chain of events that changed the status quo of the universe as he knows it: e.g. Bruce Wayne was the one that got killed instead of his parents, Thomas Wayne became Batman and Martha Wayne became the Joker; Barry Allen never gained his Flash powers; Aquaman and Atlantis is at war with Wonder Woman and the Amazons, with Europe as their battlefield; Kal El’s ship has been discovered by the U.S. government instead of the Kents and has been imprisoned in an underground facility ever since he was a baby; etc.  The central character of this tale is Flash, as he attempts to return the universe back to its original reality.  The aftermath of all of this, same as with the comics, is the reboot of the DC animated universe into the “New 52” (ugh).

19.) THE WORLD’S END

A group of friends, now adults, reunites to re-attempt a pub crawl covering 12 pubs in their hometown, which they had first attempted 20 years ago, in their youth, but failed.  But along the way, they uncovered an ongoing secret alien invasion in the town, in which the residents are being replaced by android doppelgangers. 

This could be my least favorite in Edgar Wright’s “Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy”, but it was still a fun mix of hilarity, suspense, and action. 

18.) ON THE JOB (OTJ)

See?  It’s possible.  The Filipino movie industry can create a fresh, engaging, well-written, well-acted, and thought-provoking film.  It has flaws, but overall, OTJ is the most brilliant Pinoy film I’ve ever seen since Mistah. 

It’s so good that Hollywood is even thinking of re-making it.   But I don’t think that’s a good idea.  In my opinion, OTJ only works because the cultural, political, and socio-economic condition it was set on is actually a Filipino reality.  It is so real, hence, it was so emphatic.  Now, against an American backdrop? I don't think it would have the same impact.

My only annoyance in this film is how terrible Gerald Anderson’s acting is at times.  It seems, in front of my eyes, he’s becoming “Budoy” when he’s acting out naivety and green-ness as a rookie hitman.  Maybe it was just because Anderson spends so much screen time with Joel Torre, who delivered a powerful performance; that Anderson’s lesser quality as an actor stood out as he pales greatly in comparison with Torre.   

17.) THE WOLVERINE

The Wolverine is indeed an upgrade from X-Men Origins: Wolverine but it was not at all superb.  It has several memorable and entertaining action scenes but the overall story is totally dumb.  Hugh Jackman’s perfect depiction of Wolverine on screen nonetheless made the movie worth watching. 

Moreover, the movie’s post-credits scene – Magneto and Prof. X confronts Logan – has started to lay down the elements that could spark the explosion of Fox’s attempt to establish their own Marvel Cinematic Universe that would revolve around their X-Men properties.   It hasn’t made any concrete connections yet and there are still a ton of questions left unanswered (which X-Men: Days of Future’s Past will hopefully bring closures to) but the fact that Fox is indeed endeavoring for something big and ambitious with their Marvel-licensed brands – perplexing and mysterious they may be at this point – brings intriguing excitement.  

16.) DRAGON BALL Z: BATTLE OF GODS

To enjoy this movie, one has to be already a fan of Dragon Ball Z who is used to and accepts the absurdity of it, thinks of it as one of the greatest anime ever made, hates Dragon Ball GT, and has always wanted another movie set in the Dragon Ball Z time period and that would have the same Dragon Ball Z quality.  I am one, thus, I have no trouble liking this movie.  This has everything every fan loved about Dragon Ball Z back in its heyday. 

This movie features arguably the most powerful antagonist (but is not necessarily evil as other Dragon Ball Z villains like Freeza and Cell) that the Z Fighters has to face: Lord Bills, the God of Destruction (while several Dragon Ball Zcharacters have been introduced before that have power levels that allow them to singlehandedly destroy a planet, Lord Bills can destroy a galaxy with no effort).  The only chance that Goku and friends have is to figure out how to summon the legendary “Super Saiyan God.” 

15.) HUNTER X HUNTER: PHANTOM ROGUE

I’m not at all satisfied with this movie.  I’m not saying that this movie is bad.  It was nonetheless entertaining and action-packed.  But it lacks the special kind of kickass quality that made Hunter X Hunter an exceptional manga.  And it does have several slow, dull moments.  Heck, even Hisoka and Leorio, my two most favorite HxH characters, almost bored me here.  The character that has the most kickass moments in this movie is not even one of the main protagonist but Nobunaga, the ronin member of the Phantom Troupe.  Still, with the manga in another lengthy hiatus right now, I’ll take what dose of Hunter X Hunter I can get.    

14.) WORLD WAR Z

When it seems that there are just too many zombie movies existing already, making another one tiresome, World War Z actually brings something different to the game – which made this zombie flick still worth watching.  This film has no resemblance at all with the book it is based on except for the title, but it was still able to establish a smart premise and story without having to rely on its book source (which is considered one of the most definite and greatest zombie novels ever written).  This movie is far from perfect, but it still worked.  It also helps that the lead character, played by Brad Pitt, is easily likable and notable – a unique zombie-fighting protagonist. 

13.) RUSH

Rush is an exhilarating biographical sports drama about the rivalry of legendary drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda during the 1976 Formula One season.  The movie features gripping performances from the two leads, intense race scenes, and impressive production values.    Niki Lauda even praised it for its authenticity; he was quoted:  “When I saw it the first time I was impressed. There were no Hollywood changes or things changed a little bit Hollywood-like. It is very accurate. And this really surprised me very positively.”  

         

12.) DESPICABLE ME 2

Though I find the first onefunnier, cleverer, and having a better story, this sequel still offered big laughs and an entertaining narrative.  And, just like before, most of those laughs and entertaining highlights are due to the Minions. 

11.) R.E.D. 2

R.E.D. 2 contains all the charm that made its predecessor one of my favorite movies back in 2010.  It’s funny, badass, and action-packed. 

And once again, John Malkovich’s character, Marvin Boggs, is the most interesting character among the bunch, though he’s unfortunately a bit toned down compared to the first movie.  Would love more of his antics in the next movie (if there will be). 

Helen Mirren’s character, Victoria, however, is a lot more badass in this movie.  The regal Helen Mirren as an action hero still blows me away.  She’s natural when kicking butt.    

Next to those two, Bruce Willis’ character, Frank Moses, is almost unremarkable.  But he still has great moments, considering he’s the lead.  The moment he escaped detention and coolly picked out one-by-one his assassins was my most favorite action-sequence in the movie.        

Lastly, between this and his role as Storm Shadow in G.I. Joe, Lee Byung-hun seems to be a legit sexy badass.  He is hands down my favorite Korean actor right now.  Would love to see him in bigger roles in the future.  (Dear Marvel, please consider giving him for the role of Shang-Chi, if you have any plans of bringing the Master of Kung-Fu in the big screen.)    

10.) THE CROODS

I was actually not expecting it to be good.  I thought that it was going to be mediocre at most.  But I was wrong.   The Croods is a heart-warming, thoughtful, and hilarious animated movie.  It’s about a family of cavemen that was compelled to travel towards unknown lands to survive a changing, hostile planet.  The movie humorously tackled the themes of brawn vs. brains, embracing change, and some family tropes.       

9.) MONSTERS UNIVERSITY

Since I haven’t seen Frozen (as of writing), which everyone is clamoring accolades about, my choice for best animated movie this year is Monsters University.  Really.  While others are complaining about how Pixar is losing its creativity, I, however, tremendously enjoyed this movie.  I think that this was even better than Monsters, Inc.  The setting and story situation of Monsters U worked better for me than what Monsters, Inc. had.

Note: While Epic cracked the top 6 in the first-half edition, I find Despicable Me 2, The Croods, and Monster University superior animated movies to it. 

8.) THOR: THE DARK WORLD

I have to admit that it feels like this movie is a little higher in this list than it deserves to be, but has benefited during evaluation because I’m just too much of a Marvel fan boy.  LOL.  Honestly, I was mildly disappointed with this movie.  It was great at most, and there were parts where it’s amazing.  But I was expecting more from it.  To me, it feels like it was lacking of “epicness.” 

I was hoping that this movie would finally establish that Thor is the one that puts the mighty in the Earth’s Mightiest Team (i.e. the Avengers), that he’s the “Superman” of the Marvel Universe.  I wanted this movie to show that when he’s not with the Avengers, Thor has the room to go all out with his tremendous lightning powers, easily obliterating his targets – great as they may be.  Hence, I wanted the threat the he will face – Malekith and the Dark Elves – to be so great that he will be compelled to do just that: show how powerful he really is.  But, in the movie, greatly threatening has Malekith had been, it was not enough to give Thor that opportunity.          

Nonetheless, evaluating the movie as it is, Thor 2 was still of great quality – especially the visuals.  But I liked the first one better.  The first one has a better story, IMO.      

The best thing about this movie is Loki.  He was a delight to watch.  His awesomeness was just exploding in every scene he’s in.    Kudos to Tom Hiddleston and his charisma for making this possible.   (I know it’s unlikely, but Marvel should think of making a Lokimovie.  I would love to have that.) 

 

7.) ENDER’S GAME

I haven’t read the book yet.  And I thought of not watching this movie until I read the book first.  Then, again, as a sci-fi buff, I’m already aware of the story and general concept of Ender’s Game anyway for it’s a part of sci-fi fans’ collective consciousness (i.e. from having conversations with those who read it and reading sci-fi articles that refer to it).  So watching it doesn’t necessarily spoil the book for me. 

There were a lot of sci-fi movies this year.  I love sci-fi and it should have been a good year for me.  But it was not so.  Movies like Elysium and Oblivion proved to be disappointingly lacking (though they had fantastic visuals, they reek of bothersome, distracting plot holes.  And they were boring at times).  And then there’s After Earth… I never finished watching it.  About thirty minutes into the movie, it was easily established how stupid the entire premise of it and how horribly bland Will Smith’s son is, that I stopped wasting my time.  My love for sci-fi, which even extends to the silly kinds, and Will Smith’s charisma couldn’t save that dumb movie for me.         

So thank God for Ender’s Game.  It was basically a straight adaptation of the book – having many of its details intact – and since the book is a sci-fi classic, the appeal and enjoyability of the movie to sci-fi fans (regardless of the Orson Scott Card-hate that exists due to his views) is guaranteed.  I’m glad this movie was made.  Love how Ender, one of the greatest boy geniuses in fiction, was perfectly portrayed on screen.   Made up for my disappointment of those other sci-fi films.     

6.) PACIFIC RIM

As far as the story and characters go, this movie was unremarkably generic.  But it makes up for it by the epicness of its visuals.  Once the monstrous battle between Jaegers and Kaijus starts, every flaw of this movie was forgiven.     I’ve always wanted Hollywood to make a “mecha” movie, and this is a start, and I’m glad they did.  I hope there’s going to be more of this kind of movies (but with better stories). 

5.) MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

This was probably the movie I was much excited to watch this year, Joss Whedon’s handling of a Shakespearean classic (which he filmed in just 2 weeks!).  I was not disappointed.    Much Ado About Nothing was oozing with humor, cleverness, and appeal.  Everyone of the cast delivered compelling performances and did justice to their respective characters. 

My first thought was this move was going to be a modernized take on the tale.  But as I get to watch it, I found out that it wasn’t like that at all.  The airs, manner, and dialogue of the characters were still in a Shakespearean approach, but with modern sets and costumes.  It’s a brilliant concept.  Watching its execution on screen has been a refreshing, delightful, and fun experience.   

This movie simply displays Whedon’s versatility and genius. 

4.) THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

Such a joy to see the fascinating Katniss Everdeen in action again.  And this movie delivered magnificently.

Many are saying that this was one of the rare instances in which the movie was better than the book.  I can’t be a judge of that for I haven’t read the book.  But I can see where that thought is coming from.   

This sequel significantly upped the notch from its predecessor, one of the greatest movies of 2012.  There was an obvious increase in value and quality in everything I see.  Compared to the last film, characters outside of Katniss become more interesting (especially Peeta), the visuals are more splendid (Panem’s metropolitan grandeur is finally revealed), and there is much more powerful emotion in this movie.   

It was an amazing film that introduced more stakes and elements that give indication that things are still going to be more intense and kickass from here.  Can’t wait for Mockingjay.   

3.) THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG

This fantasy film was simply fantastic.  It was a display of wonderful storytelling and exciting visuals.  And, yes, it was better than the first film. 

Everything about this movie was such a joy to watch.  Martin Freeman (as Bilbo) has continued to prove that he is lightyears more awesome than Elijah Wood (who was Frodo in the LOTR films) in playing a lead Hobbit.  Bilbo and the dwarves’ different misadventures along their journey was a lot of fun.  I love how the movie magnificently executed the barrel scene.  The inclusion of Legolas was worth it; we saw Legolas be awesome as an archer (and to a minimal extent, using a knife) in LOTR, but, here in this movie, we were also treated with Legolas’ versatility in using various weapons and close-combat.  And, as with Star Trek Into Darkness, Benedict Cumberbatch stole the show the moment his character appeared on screen; his rich, sinister voicing of Smaug lighted up every scene he’s in as much as the dragon’s exhaling of fire. 

Just like Catching Fire, this second installment also raised the stakes for everyone and perfectly set us up for next year’s offering.   Man, the cliff-hanger ending makes me impatient for the finale.

2.) GRAVITY

Gravity is going to be a classic.  It was an artsy and stunning film.  The cinematography was so breath-taking that it was almost as if the movie was actually shot in space.  The story was smooth and fascinating from start to finish.  The narrative was done in a way in which it the story was “straightly” done in sequential order, meaning there were no “cuts” in scenes, but merely a succession of scenes, and it worked well; it was never boring for the acting was so engagingly powerful that even though only Sandra Bullock and George Clooney (plus one insignificant, faceless extra who was killed early on) are the only charters on screen, you will never lose interest as the movie and the actors successfully made the audience deeply invest on the characters.  Bullock even had to single-handedly carry about two-thirds of the film’s screen time – after Clooney’s character sacrificed himself so that Bullock’s character can survive – as her character will keep you absorbed into the narrative.  I think she can get another Oscar from this. 

1.) NOW YOU SEE ME

Critics pan this movie.  I don’t care.  I loved this movie and it’s my most favorite movie of 2013.  Now You See Me feels like a mix of Ocean’s 11and The Illusionist.  A combination of heist and magic.  It was a movie of twists, intrigues, and magical fun.  Nothing is what it seems to be, and that tiny and mundane details could prove to be important later on.  There was never a dull second in this movie.  It kept me entertained and engrossed from start to finish.   

Maybe the reason I liked this movie so much is I have no idea what the movie is all about before watching it.  I saw the movie without expecting anything.  And I was blown away. 

All members of the Four Horsemen – the main characters – were allowed to individually shine, with the unfortunate exception of the female member who was unremarkable compared to the other three.  She seemed to be a mere glorified assistant when compared to how the three male members were notably portrayed.  The three male Horsemen were all given awesome moments wherein they showcased their skills and expertise, cementing themselves as significant contributors to the Four Horsemen’s schemes.  The female did not have this kind of moment.    

There were various twists in this movie – ranging from tiny to mind-blowing, but all delightful.  But the main twist of the movie, however, was almost predictable.  The identity of the “Fifth” Horseman was almost too easy to decipher.  Why?  (spoiler) He’s that guy that the movie was seemingly trying hard of making as the guy you won’t ever expect.  Nonetheless, it was still a wonderful development. 

The entire movie is one, big magic show – full of misdirection, mystery, thrills, and wondrous entertainment.      

*             *             *

TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2013

10.) ODD THOMAS

9.) MAN OF STEEL

8.) PACIFIC RIM

7.) MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

6.) THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

5.) IRON MAN 3

4.) THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG

3.) STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS

2.) GRAVITY

1.) NOW YOU SEE ME

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