10 Things to Look Forward to in 2010

Seventeen days into the New Year, and I am definitely filled with hopes and expectations for the year 2010. And as promised, I am giving you guys 10 reasons to look forward to the 348 days ahead:

1. Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland"
I have always been a fan of THE Tim Burton since "Edward Scissorhands," and I just can't wait for his follow-up to the very wicked film adaptation of the musical "Sweeney Todd." This year, Burton takes on a well-loved children's classic, and gives it a dark twist. I am definitely watching "Alice in Wonderland" it hits theaters on March, because more than just being an eye candy, I am sure Mr. Burton will make this a kick-ass film. And Depp is here too as the Mad Hatter, so we expect nothing short of the best.

2. The "Lost" Finale
This totally mindf*ck show is finally, finally ending, and I am so excited to get answers on the mystery of everything-- from the black smoke monster and the four-toed statue to why the hell is John Locke both dead and alive, and of course, WHAT IS UP WITH THE TIME-TRAVELLING ISLAND? I sure miss the "Lost" gang, most especially Sun and Hurley, and I am definitely hoping for some closure. Please pull this off, lest Losties like me will storm the producers' studios and make them ride a crashing airplane.

3. A Paula-less "Idol"
We all need some craziness at times, and even a TV show needs its share of drunken-ness once in a while. But since Miss Abdul already chose to leave the show, are we going to have a more sober "Idol" this season? I hope Ellen DeGeneres plays the part well, but I'm sure gonna miss Paula dancing like crazy up there and giving half-drunk comments to contestants.

4. Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains
Bring on the scheming and the backstabbing, because for sure, the 20th season of Survivor will show fans like me how topnotch players outwit in this game. How could you go wrong with some of the most loved and most hated players taking on this social experiment one more time. Although I am not very much okay with some of the cast members (especially reality show hogs Steph and Rob), I am bracing myself for some serious plotting, courtesy of Russell, Parv, Courtney and Sandra (Final 4 please...). I sure hope this season will be as unpredictable as "Fans vs. Favorites" and "Samoa."

5. Kristin Kreuk on "Chuck"
The geek spy Chuck is already back on his third season, and it's a blast seeing the yummy Agent Walker and the always cutesy Morgan back on our TV screens. But what I'm more excited about this show is the inclusion of my childhood crush, Lana Lang/Kristin Kreuk. I hope Kreuk provides an interesting third wheel to the Chuck-Sarah love affair. And oh. Superman Brandon Routh is joining the cast too. Why is Smallville moving to Burbank? But I'm not complaining.

6. The Apple Tablet
Say goodbye to the good old keyboard, because Apple's QWERTY-less tablet is expected to arrive this year. And since it's touchscreen and sans the keyboard, I'm sure this is going to be a hit for its portability. Of course, I can only dream of getting one this year, unless I sell my one of my kidneys and my eyeballs. Haha.

7. The Return of "Glee"
Fox tried to make us go to Glee Rehab, but we say no, no, no. Gleeks want the first season of thiis show to go back on TV ASAP, just because we need our fix of musicality from the Glee kids. Based on what I've read, some additional cast members will be added, we get to know Vocal Adrenaline better, and we'll have a Madonna songs episode when the show returns. Please please please Fox. Don't make us wait any longer.

8. Chuck Palahniuk's new novel, "Tell All"
The genius and ever eccentric Chuck Palahniuk is coming up with a new novel this year, and I just can't to storm the bookstores for a copy of it. From what I've read, Palahniuk will give us "Tell All" in the next months, and it's going to be a biography of some female writer who became a victim of the Communist crackdown in America during the Cold War. I am quite curious about how Palahniuk will handle real life as a subject, but I'm sure this is going to be anything but boring.

9. The May 2010 Automated Elections/Circus
Step right up, step right up! The circus is about to begin. With 10 choices for president, eight for VP, 62 for senators and a whopping 144 for party-list (we only get to choose one, btw), this circus is surely going to be one helluva show. But on a serious note, I really want to summon all Almighty forces just to make sure the very first nationwide automated elections become a success, because this might just be the big leap we are waiting for towards the restoring of the credibility of our electoral process, which was made into a joke by some little girl in Malacanang... which leads me to my next point...

10. The end of the Arroyo administration
I am sure this is what most Filipinos are looking forward to in 2010. So please Madam, get out of there when the time comes (or even earlier, if you please) and never come back. ;p

Why Enchanted Kingdom is the best place for the sleepless me

I and my fellow reporters went to Enchanted Kingdom in Laguna yesterday to take a day off from work and just be fashion students. Before even going to the place, I was not really in tip-top shape, having worked till 4 a.m. the night before. I threw up (I have bulimic bouts when I lack sleep most of the time) and considered not joining the trip. However, compelled by the thought of being called a LOSER by my co-workers, I dragged myself to the meeting place. Good thing I did, because after a day at the place, I realized that EK is the best place for the wasted worker like me.

If you’re sleepless and your astral body is still wandering in some subconscious place, the Flying Fiesta is the first ride to try. It’s like your typical swing, only it rises about eight feet high, goes round and round and round, and throws you in thin air like you’re something inanimate that won’t lose life if you fall. It was the perfect first ride, because I did not feel dizzy even after the entire ordeal, since my head my already spinning even before the ride.

Feeling that nausea the Flying Fiesta brought us wasn’t good enough, we tried the Roller Skater next. It was awefully boring that I had to give out my fakest scream of the day just to let the machine operators know that I was having fun. Then, we boarded the ever famous Anchors Away—that ship suspended like a pendulum and swings back and forth like, well, a pendulum. This ride definitely upped my grogginess to the next level. It was also hilarious seeing the Korean kids who boarded the ride with us all terrified because they chose to sit at the leftmost side of the ship. Haha.

We next tried the Bumper Cars, where Team Noynoy (those who rode yellow cars) vs. Team Macoy (those who rode ride cars) faced off against each other. Being a Bongbong fan, I chose to be with Team Macoy, but the team divisions did not matter much during the ride, since we were just bumping each other’s car regardless of what team we belong in the entire time. Just before we had lunch, we also tried the Jungle Log Jam. It was this ride that erased all the sleepiness in me, because it just soaked us with water.

After lunch, we fell in line at The Rialto, which, I think is a complete waste of time. It was just like a movie house with moving chairs that just wants to annoy you. I didn’t get the point of the entire ride, and I could have easily dosed off while in the place despite the loud sounds in the area. It revived my sleepy status, so we had to go to somewhere more exciting.

And that’s just what we did. We braced ourselves for the ultimate ride in EK: the Space Shuttle Max. When I first went to EK when I was still in my elementary years, I didn’t get to try this ride since my protective parents didn’t want me to. But since I’m all grown up and my parents were not around at that time, I was really excited to try the Space Shuttle for the first time, and I must say it lived up to all the excitement. It gave me the much-needed adrenaline rush of the day which I didn’t get from any other ride. Even after being dropped off from the heavens, tossed, turned and thrown to death, I did not want to get off the ride and wanted another ride of pure rollercoaster fun. Perfect for the previously groggy thrill-seeker in me.

Next, we took on the Rio Grande Rapids. As with the Jungle Log Jam, this ride is water-based, so it practically flushed out all the remaining wasted-ness in me. What made this ride even more fun was the fact that no one of us wanted to get wet, so we were practically stirring the entire thing to save ourselves from the water. But no one was spared. All of us left the ride soaked up.

As a fitting finale for our crazy day, we rode the Wheel of Fate. It was nice riding the ferris wheel at sunset, but it was extra nice riding it with Aie and Meru, who were freaking out with me whenever our gondola reached the highest point. This ride definitely killed all the acrophobia in me.

By the end of the day, I was anything but sleepless. And this is what I like most about EK: it wakes you up by giving you great adrenaline boost. So I officially take it back: Simple machines can be so much fun. Fashion students, thanks for letting me know. :)

Dreo's (Late) 2009 Year-End Awards

So it's not exactly year end, and this blog post is days late. To keep a 'tradition' I've done for the past two years, I am giving out my year-end awards to movies, TV shows and other things that stood out (at least, in my realm) the past year.

MOVIE OF THE YEAR: 'Inglorious Basterds' by Quentin Tarantino

I was thinking of giving this award to Hayden Kho's independent films, but the camera angles and cinematography of his film projects didn't quite capture where the "action" was. ;p So, I am naming Tarantino's "Inglorious Basterds" as movie of the year. It has all the aspects that, for me, make a good film: blood, blood and more blood. Haha. Anyway, everything in 'Basterds' worked for me: from the episodic storytelling, the witty lines down to Shoshanna's on-screen hotness. And to think this is a period film! So good job, Tarantino. One real badass film.

TV SHOWS OF THE YEAR:

1. 'Glee'

Before actually watching the show, I thought it was just High School Musical 2.0. But I was completely wrong! This is such a joy to watch. The characters are quite interesting (personal favorite: Emma. She's the cutest.) and the storyline is well though of. What separates this show from the rest of TV programs out there is its MUSIC! The kids here sing anything from Neil Diamond's 'Sweet Caroline' to Kelly Clarkson's 'My Life would suck without you.' I'm one proud Gleek and I am so excited for the show's return this year.

2. 'Tayong Dalawa'

Go ahead and call me 'jologs' or 'disloyal Kapuso,' but "Tayong Dalawa" really got me hooked last year. I am not particularly fond of soap operas, but this one really got me. It was so unconventional that I found myself really waiting for its finale. How could you hate a TV drama which kills its cry-baby leading lady and ultimately ends with a bromance? Haha. For its outstanding performances (special mention: Ramon Lecumberri!) and its unique take on the soap opera that has been on air for 60 years (or so they say), "Tayong Dalawa" is undeniably a hit in 2009.

QUOTE OF THE YEAR: 'Congrrrachulaysheennss!'

Okay. So more of jologs-ness and network disloyalty. Last year's winner, the ever epic Janina San Miguel, should proudly turn over the crown for the best quote of the year to Aprilyn 'Congratulations' Gustillo. She forever changed the way the masang Pilipino greet someone else for a job well done. Here is how you do it: take a deep breath, say 'Congrrachulaysheenns' at the top of your lungs enough to rip your vocal cords apart, and exaggeratedly open your arms to the air. Oh, and don't forget to show off your armpits. If you think my descriptions aren't enough, click here for the actual thing. :)

MOST OVERPLAYED SONGS OF THE YEAR: Manny Villar's Campaign Jingles




Okay. I know that the Supreme Court has already approved the airing of campaign ads outside of the campaign period, and I also know that Manny Villar owns gazillions of lands in the country, but man, this guy overdid it with his campaign ads. They pollute the TV airwaves every single nanosecond! And it doesn't stop there. They play on the MRT (I wanted to slash my wrist when I heard it there, swear). Kids on the street sing his 'Dagat ng Basura' jingle (which I completely hate. Why would I mindfully swim in a sea of garbage?). People use his 'Akala mo Petiks' as ringtones. It haunts you everywhere you go! So sorry Wonder Girls. MV wins the awards for the most overplayed songs of the year.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Taylor Swift

Look, Imma let you finish, but for me, Taylor Swift wins the Artist of the Year Award for 2009. I even have Billboard Magazine to back me up on this. This cute little blonde country girl was definitely a smash hit last year. She beat Michael Jackson at the AMAs and she earned for herself $18 million in 2009. So for that, Taylor, I sing: 'You belong with meeeheeeheee... You belong with me.' :)

PS. The ever eccentric Lady Gaga came in close second.

VILLAIN OF THE YEAR: Andal Ampatuan Jr.

Not even the most antagonistic performance of any actor in a movie or TV show can match how villainous Andal Ampatuan Jr. became towards the latter part of 2009. For allegedly masterminding the killing of more than 50 people in Maguindanao, Andal Jr. became every Pinoy household's concept of the kontrabida. The good thing is, Andal Jr. is already in jail, and let's all hope he stays there forever with all other people responsible for the Maguindanao massacre.

PERSON OF THE YEAR: Corazon Aquino

It was in her death that she brought back our nation to life again. Unquestionably, former President Corazon Aquino is the person who made the most impact to the country this year. I was lucky enough to be in her wake just for a day, and the sight of multitudes who wanted to pay last respects to her was very much overwhelming. Her so-called "magic" carried on even after her historic funeral, and prompted her son, Noynoy, to make a game-changing decision to run for president this year. For youngsters like me who never really got to know her as the President (most of us know her a Kris' mother), former President Cory really opened our eyes to what being a Filipino is all about, and I sure hope this goes beyong patriotic shirts and yellow twibbons.

*So there you go with my top picks for 2009. I have officially, officially closed the year. After looking back, I'll be coming up with another post about things to look forward to this year, so you better watch out for that. Good day everybody and enjoy the rest of 2010. :)

Top 5 Most Memorable Moments of 2009

Hello again, blogosphere. It is so nice to be back after seven months of hiatus. Because one of my New Year's resolutions is to maintain this blog more often, I am back blogging, and I am just so excited to write things again other than news stories. ;p

Anyway, as my opening salvo for 2010, I am looking back at my top 5 most memorable moments of 2009. I've done this before, so to keep the tradition, I am doing this countdown thing again this year. So here we go:

5. Bagyong 'Ondoy'

I bet most Filipinos have this day in their most memorable moments of 2009 lists too. I remember getting dressed for work that day, buying something in UP, then being soaked by un-focking-believably hard rains after. I had to go back to the boarding house to change into my rain gear, just because the office is calling me up already to report to work. Being the dedicated fashion student that I am, I braved the deep floods along East Avenue just to go to the office and bring the latest updates on this cyclone that really gave Metro Manila and Luzon some serious beating. I also remember calling my family and closest friends on this day, just to check if they are still above sea level. Pretty please, Mother Nature, no more Ondoys in 2010.

4. The 'Mayonnaise Summit' and the GMANews.TV Team-Building Activity in Batangas

The 'Mayonnaise Summit' has to be on this list because it was during this one helluva night in a restobar along Timog Avenue when I realized I found a PAMILY in GMANews.TV (and that, I know is sobrang cheesy). Half the fun of a good job is working with people you like to work with, and I think I partied with those people during this night. :) And I would also not forget how, after drinking booze the whole night, President Corazon Aquino died the next morning. And covering a death while having a serious hangover is never, ever fun. ;p

Also equally memorable is our team-building activity at Tarawoods in Batangas. It was really good to be out of the office once in a while (although I still had to write stories on site during the first day, lest our site would be stagnant). The venue was fantabulous, the food was phenomenal, and the fun activities with my officemates sure were really memorable.

3. Cool Group's Backpacking Adventure to Pahiyas

This trip was a year in the making, and I am so glad the COOL group was able to pull this off. Travelling sure is fun, but travelling with really crazy people is bliss. Experiencing Pahiyas festival and all the things that go with it (kiping, Princess Sarah hats, pansit habhab) with kasamang Ka Gaya, Ka Tonyo, Ka Dora and Ka Rosa was really great. Here's to more travels in 2010, Cool Group. Ang cool natin noh? We travel? ;p (More pictures here.)

2. The Hot Seat Moment in UP MCO's Alumni Send-Off

I will forever hate my orgmates from UP MCO for putting me on the hot seat this day. It was during this deceptively fun-looking event when my orgmates became Boy Abunda-ish and pried into the littlest details of my (supposedly existent) emotions. ;p But hey, although I felt seriously emotionally drained after being asked the tough 10 questions, I really enjoyed the moment because it was ONLY and ONLY that time when I was very open about how I feel. MCOers, no more sessions like this in the future please. I really hate the spotlight.

1. College Graduation

Duh. No Brainer. Haha. This has got to be the most memorable moment of 2009 because it capped my four years of struggle (sort of) in college. Every single detail of this day, until now, feels sooo surreal, from the noontime show slash fashion show college graduation to that moment when I was marching on the amphitheater with the whole of UP Diliman Batch 2010. What made this day VERY, VERY memorable is the fact that I shared it with the people who matter the most to me: my mom, my dad, my siblings and my closest college friends. So to everyone who took part in this crazy ride called Dreo's college life, MARAMING SALAMAT. :) I owe you all whatever honor I got during this day. (More grad pics here and here.)

*So there. I think it's really unfair to label 2009 as a bad year, just because of the various tragedies that met us during the past year. Look back and count your blessings. It is only through this that you will realize that 2009 was a certified rockin' year. And I'm sure 2010 would be a good one too. :)

Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Scenes of All Time

So my bum-hood these days made me think of my most memorable movie scenes, and below is the product of my idle-mindedness. This is a mix of local and foreign movies of different genres. Enjoy. Haha. :P

1. Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung's Taxi Scene ("In the Mood for Love")
- Most kilig scene of all time. They didn't even say anything! Maggie Cheung just laid her head on Tony's shoulder, and I instantly melted. Haha. Definitely the best.

2. The Moment Tony Leung Smiled in Ending Train Scene ("Happy Together")
- Okay, so I obviously have a huge mancrush on Tony Leung. Haha. His final smile in this film was really, really memorable because it was a signal that he is happy and ready to move forward despite everything that has happened in his life. A happy ending that almost made me cry. Weird.

3. Lustful Sex Scenes between Tony Leung and Tang Wei ("Lust, Caution")
- This movie defined what lustful bed scenes should be. I don't want to elaborate. Just watch the film! (The picture is an UNDERSTATEMENT!)

4. The Bloody Baptism Montage ("The Godfather")
- Very, very artistic. I love gangster films and this has got to be the best gangster film moment of all time. It also sets the mood for the equally great sequel. I love the blood!

5. The Revelation Scene ("The Usual Suspects")
- SPOILER ALERT: This is the ultimate WTF moment for me. This movie really played the biggest joke on me, ever. Kevin Spacey was the one who did everything after all.

6. Magnifico laid to rest ("Magnifico")
- Absolute tearjerker. Nakakaiyak 'yung fact na 'yung ginawa niyang coffin eh sa kanya nagamit. And nakakaiyak 'yung maraming tao ang nakipaglibing. Pinigil ko lang talaga luha ko nito.

7. The Shower Scene ("Psycho") / Javier Bordem haunting down Tommy Lee Jones at the hotel ("No Country for Old Men")
- This has to be a tie for the most suspense-filled scenes ever. These scenes really brought me at the edge of my seat.

8. Dae-su slicing his own tongue ("Old Boy")
- This scene is super brutal and bloody that it super rocked to the core. Dae-su cutting his tongue was THE moment of this film, at naramdaman ko talaga ang sakit. Haha. :p

9. Final 'Jai Ho' Dance ("Slumdog Millionaire")
- Typical Bollywood finale that made me want to groove. Lovit.

10. Maja Salvador breaking up with John Lloyd Cruz ("One More Chance")
- Okay, call me jologs but I super loved the close-your-eyes portion of this scene. And JLC is really a good actor, and okay rin naman si Maja, so very memorable talaga!

*I really had fun doing this list, so I hope you had a nice time reading it to. In case you haven't scene some of these (#8 is NOT a good scene to watch for the faint-hearted though), there's always YouTube to access these clips. I think this list deserve a part 2. Haha. :)

And the Academy Award Should Go To...

Okay. So it's hours before the 81st Academy Awards aka Oscars, and I'm super PROUD to say that I've seen all five nominees for Best Picture (yey!). Based on what I saw, I think the Best Picture trophy should rightfully go to "Slumdog Millionaire." I've said much about it in my previous post, but now that I've seen all its contenders for Best Picture, I personally think that "Slumdog" should unquestionably win the award. It beats all the other nominees in almost all aspects: directing, editing, screenplay and musical score.

I must say that "Slumdog" is the only Oscar Best Picture nominee that gave me goosebumps. While Frank Langella's portrayal of Richard Nixon made 'Frost/Nixon' gripping, and while Sean Pean's did a convincing take on Harvey Milk, it is still "Slumdog's" 'freshness' that made the greatest mark on me. One particular scene-- when Dev Patel's character Jamal won the jackpot in the gameshow 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire'-- made me realize that this movie is the movie to beat. No questions asked.

But hey, let's give credit to the other movies. 'The Reader' really had the potential to be a great film, but I think Stephen Daldry failed to make the film gripping. Halfway through the film, I kinda lost interest in what was gonna happen. And the plot twist was just not shocking enough. Anyway, I also think Winslet didn't do a phenomenal job playing the role of a former Nazi guard, although I am not dispensing the possibility of her pulling off a surprise Best Actress win. When will Kate ever NOT strip in a movie? Haha.

'Milk' is very creatively done. Period. It has all these reflection shots drama (which I think were very difficult to shoot). I would love it if Van Sant will steal the trophy from Danny Boyle tomorrow, but Boyle really just nailed "Slumdog" that he really deserves the award. And Sean Penn. What a great actor. His 'gay-ness' as Harvey Milk was super convincing I doubted his sexuality while watching the film.

And 'Frost/Nixon'. Hmm. I was expecting it to be quite a bore, since it is journalistic, and journalism is a bore (jowks. haha). But the movie surprisingly held my interest. As I said earlier, Langella should be given credit for this. He really played the part of the bully Nixon well, and I think he deserves to win the Best Actor trophy for this (although I have yet to see the performances of his two other contenders). And to be fair, this film was really educational for a journ major like me. It was indeed a very informative movie.

Okay. I would puke all over our living room if "Benjamin Button" aka "Forrest Gump 2.0" will win any award, save for Best Make-Up. It was a SUPER DUPER BORE! Enough said.

There you have it. I am really looking forward to later's awarding ceremonies. Hope my favorites win. :)

Dreo's 2008 Year-End Awards

What does Isadora and Obama have in common? They both made it to my year-end list!

I started this last year, and I am continuing the 'tradition' just in time with the opening of the New Year. I am giving out more awards this year though, so here you go:

Movies of the Year:

1. The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan)

Kenneth nominated this movie through Plurk, and I am gladly naming 'The Dark Knight' as movie of the year, because, primarily, it developed in me a liking for Batman. It is also one of those films whose sequel is better. Just when superhero movies are saturating the market, 'The Dark Knight' came with a breath of fresh air. The plot was good, production was good, but what really contributed to the phenomenal success of this film is the late Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker. Ledger did a great job portraying the villain we all love to hate (the nurse Joker scene and the ship social experiment scene were fantabulous). I think Heath deserves lots of posthumous awards for this. Truly, a blockbuster hit!

2. Slumdog Millionaire (Danny Boyle)

Maybe not a lot of people have seen this film (I, myself, streamed it through YouTube), but this feel-good movie about how a humble tea-maker from India won the gameshow 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' is really worth watching. The screenplay is really fresh. The cinematography and the editing are superb. The use of Indian music for scoring is super nice. What really makes this movie unique is use of a gameshow as a means of telling a story? So why should we all watch this movie? A. It will make you believe in destiny B. The technicals are impeccable C. The Bollywood-ish dance number towards the end is something to watch out for. Answer: D. ALL OF THE ABOVE! I daresay this is the best movie of the year, and I can't wait for it to win awards next year.

TV Show of the Year:

Gossip Girl

Not even the writers' strike stopped our favorite gang from the Upper East Side in giving us their share of kilig moments, scandals, issues, and what have you. The show is just super fun to watch. Personally, I stopped following other shows such as 'Brothers and Sisters' and 'Prison Break' religiously, but 'Gossip Girl' is just too awesome to miss. Forget about the sometimes messed up plot. 'Gossip Girl' just makes each one of us crave for the next episode (and I'm dying to see the next episode!). Blair-Chuck moments are my reason for watching this show, although Blair moments and Chuck moments (separately) are always fun too. And of course, Dorota FTW! The show had such huge impact among the youth that people started imitating the fashion sense of the cast. Blair bands are everywhere in 2008, making those who didn't carry these headbands well look like oversized gifts. Nonetheless, 'Gossip Girl' is undoubtedly THE television show of the year. You know you love it.

(Most Overplayed) Song of the Year:

'Always Be My Baby' by David Cook

Okay. The David-David American Idol finale was sooo phenomenal, that post-Idol, people still have the songs of these dudes as their LSS's. However, the ultimate, ultimate LSS of the year is Cook's 'Always Be My Baby.' It is super overplayed by all the radio stations (yes, even Love Radio) that there was a time I hear it almost anywhere. From noontime shows to reality singing contest, people just love singing and performing Cook's rendition of Mariah Carey's song. But that's not all. The ultimate OMG moment is when I heard a Tagalized version of it over the radio! This song is sooo popular it's driving me insane. Ohwell. Kudos to Cook for making his version of the song overly popular. But please, enough is enough.

Statement of the Year:

'I don't feel any pressure right now' from Janina San Miguel's Bb. Pilipinas speech

You might have come from outer space or lived under a rock the entire year last year if you haven't heard of this infamous line from Binibining Pilipinas contestant Janina San Miguel. It was the buzz everywhere at a certain time last year. Let's admit it: the entire speech was hilarious since the girl was... uhmmm... grammatically-challenged. But hey, let's look at the bright side since New Year naman. The girl was super confident when she uttered these lines. Best of all, it taught every one of us a very important lesson -- that when you can't say it in English, for God's sake, say it in Filipino. Filipino is still the best way to communicate, not to mention it saves you from the same shame suffered by this notorious beauty queen. So guys, don't feel any pressure right now. (See the video here.)

*PS: 'Whatever, Yaya. You are such a loser' from Bubble Gang's Angelina came in close second.)

Villain of the Year:

Isadora of 'Iisa Pa Lamang'

Move over Heath Ledger. Isadora beats you this year as Best Villain. She just made my primetime for the most part in 2008. Cherrie Pie Picache did a great job portraying a new kind of villain for all of us. Isadora is the only villain you'll enjoy seeing on screen, because her actions are so comical. And who could ever forget her witty lines? From the 'cheapanggang kumunoy' to that memorable 'Best Actress' moment, every Isadora moment was plain, unadulterated fun. Please ABS-CBN, give us an 'Iisa Pa Lamang' spin-off featuring Isadora (pero baka maging sitcom ito kapag nagkataon. Haha). Isadora = love. (for more Isadora lines, click here.)

Artist of the Year:

Britney Spears

I could have easily given this award to Rihanna or Chris Brown or even Amy Winehouse, but Britney made noise this year for her unexpected comeback, thanks, primarily, to 'Womanizer.' After all the custody and driving issues, and after The Rolling Stones called her life a 'tragedy,' Britney was able to prove that she is indeed THE pop icon of this generation. And hey, she's still hot after giving birth *Sauna scene in 'Womanizer' music video in mind*! Let's see what will happen to Miss Spears in the coming year.

Person of the Year:

Barack Obama

Chesa will hate this, but I think US President-Elect Barack Obama is undoubtedly 2008's Person of the Year. I am not saying this just because other publications such as Time have already named him as such. Obama really got the whole world talking about him, since he was able to overcome all the odds (including that historic battle against Clinton) to become the United States' first Black president. Obama really made history this year, and let's just wait how much impact his presidency brings to our country.

There you go with my list. Last year was indeed filled with lots of entertaining moments that it was really difficult to make this list. I am REALLY looking forward to year 2009.

Happy New Year, everybody! :)