Happy New Year!

With a new year comes a fresh start. Happy new year everybody :)

Take this frighteningly accurate color quiz! It will tell you your darkest secrets and greatest shames! Ok no it won't, but it's still accurate.

www.colorquiz.com

color me impressed. and also somewhat frightened. at the accuracy. good god its the accuracy!

Boredom: The Year in Review (Part 2)

Hey, who's your daddy? Most Compelling: Veronica Mars

Despite the dad's rather disturbing inclination to spout that line off to Veronica as often as he can, Veronica Mars remains in my eyes the most endearing, enjoyable, and overall best show of 2005. With its stellar cast, impressive dialogue/writing, and a thoroughly good mystery, there is little that this show lacks. Every episode brings forth new character development, crazily clever antics, and development of the season's story arc. I haven't seen such good tv since Buffy! And Buffy was good.

And on that note, there have been a lot of comparisons of Veronica Mars to Buffy, both having strong and independent female leads. Not to mention Joss Whedon himself is a huge fan of Veronica. Still, there are some significant differences, most notably the fact that Veronica Mars is, at heart, still only a teenage girl. And she doesn't have any super powers. She has weaknesses (her "fight" with Aaron Echolls for example) and faults (I would hardly attribute her vengeful nature as something good. Entertaining though). And these really make her character believable and likable.

Season Two continues in the same fashion as season 1, except with even more veronica-y goodness. I can't wait till the next veronica mars marathon at sproul.

Runner-ups: Battlestar Galactica. As I'll mention soon, this show just manages to suck you in, no matter how much you might hate sci-fi. Ok fine, I don't know that for sure...

Who can resist sexy cylon #6?. Most Surprising Hit: Battlestar Galactica

BG may not have Star Trek's super-futuristic technology, or Star Wars' jedi force/lightsabers...but what it doesn't have it makes up with believable characters, a great plot, and ... something, I don't know what that keeps me coming back for more. Seriously, it's hard to pinpoint exactly why Battlestar Galactica is so captivating. I mean, other shows have the same qualities...what is it that sets BG apart?

Oh well. Let's just say it's the pretty people and move on.

Runner-up: Veronica Mars. Yes, even I was skeptical about how good a show about a teenage girl in high school could be. And I'm sure all of you out there still are. IT"S GOOD I TELL YOU. WATCH IT.

A Show that I know I should have watched earlier but stubbornly refused to and now regret doing so. Best Anime Series Ever: Full Metal Alchemist

I still fondly remember those lazy summer days where I had absolutely nothing to do and was dying of boredom. Suddenly, out of a haze of google websites came narutofan.com and with it all the episodes of Full Metal Alchemist. I've already reviewed it, so let's just say that Full Metal Alchemist will capture both your hearts and minds if you haven't seen it already. And if you have, I'm sure you feel the same as me...waiting for that distant day in the future when you come back to the old classics and stumble across this jewel of a show, turn it on, and relive the greatness.

Runner-up: Bleach. While Bleach has that more "cater-to-viewers-for-commercial-purposes" feel (FMA was an art...Bleach is less arty), this anime still manages to deliver a good combination of action and story. The current arc is almost riveting...I was right about the main villain, but that's not to say the show's not good.

One word: Shocking. Most Disturbing: Nip/Tuck

Yes, I've already raved about this show and only a week ago...still. Nip/Tuck takes this award hands-down. I have yet to see another show that manages to twist everything up so bad you actually start feeling bad for the characters...even the ones that you know you should hate. The show may not be perfect, but it definitely is disturbing. And the surgery part is perhaps the least squeamishness of the show. Sick relationships, startling character flaws, and of course the big mystery twists at the end of the season are all done well and believably. Disturbingly believably.

Runner-up: Speed Grapher. There are some rather dark and uh...not-so-pleasant scenes in this anime. But Speed Grapher wasn't nearly as good as Nip/Tuck...and the disturbing factor had more of a shallow quality. As in a lot of it was gore-related. Meh.

Still leaving us wanting more. Most Mysterious: Lost

Lost is such a tease. I almost hate it at times, but after watching almost the entire first season within 48 hours I'm addicted to it as I am to ramen. I just hope that it doesn't go the way of Smallville. It probably won't. Or at least that's what I tell myself.

The first season was brilliant. A fresh and original series that relies heavily on both character development AND storyline plot is definitely a good thing. The second season has been heavily character-based however, with a lot less main plot going on...at least so far. The latest episode gave a little more of a hint to the secret base on the island, but not enough! I want more and I want it now! Yes, I'm spoiled.

Runner-up: Veronica Mars. I totally could not predict the ending to the first season of VM. And it was good. And what's good about it is that Veronica Mars actually had a resolution...perhaps why it's less mysterious than Lost. Which in my opinion, isn't a bad thing.

Boredom: The Year in Review

So, another year comes to a close, and my endless journey to escape from boredom comes one year closer to its inevitable outcome. Which is, of course, death. I mean, what could be more boring than death?

I guess that's subjective.

Anyway, here are my awards to the the entertainment's industry most notable products this year. I'll start off with the more dubious ones because I like to end on a good note.

Dreams are for crushing. Biggest Disappointment: Smallville

Oh Smallville, you had such promise. But as the seasons go on, I've started to realize that this show about Superman really has none of what Superman should actually be about. And that is? Violence! Combat! Beating helpless mortals into little piles of pulp, leaking all sorts of bodily fluids in all directions. Ok maybe not that much, but COME ON. Smallville is about SUPERMAN, and yet the most fighting I've seen is Clark and Brainiac duking it out for...about 30 seconds. And there wasn't much to it. Blasting each other with eye beams. Huzzah. Not to mention the tired and repetitive breaking-up and reunion of Clark and Lex. God, turn EVIL already.

The pretty people just aren't enough to cut it anymore, Smallville. Unfortunately I've already become addicted to you like you are - dare i say it - RAMEN. So I can't stop watching. Damn.

Sliding down a muddy hill. Most Dramatic Decline in Quality: Naruto

Dattebayo! Damn the fillers. Everything about this show has gone to ABSOLUTE CRAP. I can understand wanting to wait awhile for the manga, but inserting shoddily made meaningless drivel is not the way to go. Up until about may, this show was fantastic. Great fights, interesting characters, a compelling story...

Now it's the exact opposite. Story? What story? Naruto's storylines now are pointless, filled with characters acting completely out of character, plotholes, and general waste-of-timeness. And even worse, the fights have dramatically decreased in quality. The animation is dreadful, especially when compared to such excellent choreography as those of the naruto-sasuke battle. Bah...We can only hope the new year will bring an end to the filler.

The average of average Joe. Most Unremarkable: Basilisk

There were several other shows that I considered for this category, including Trinity Blood and Speed Grapher. Several things distinguish those shows from simple mediocrity however (Trinity Blood I would classify more as annoying than unremarkable, and Speed Grapher was at least innovative in its combat). Basilisk takes home this award with its protracted and now dull storyline, and its characters who have a tendency to die before any connection can be made.

Sure, the combat is interesting, but it's nothing special if you've already seen the better episodes of Naruto. And I have yet to see an actual conclusion, while both Trinity Blood and Speed Grapher were kind of disappointing. So I guess it still has a chance to redeem itself. Just not this year.

Acting that makes soap operas look like epics. Most Dubious Performance: Anakin Skywalker

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith was in my opinion, one of the best movies of this year in terms of storyline, but it was marred by the all-together unimpressive performance of the lead actor, whose name I do not know and am too lazy to find out. Admittedly, it may not all be the actor's fault, as a serious transition to the dark side is undoubtedly hard, especially when the entire change is limited to 3 hours. Coupled with some cheesy dialogue, and you have a potential disaster, but they did well with what they had I guess.

And that about wraps up the less honorable honors. I don't feel like there was anything worth mentioning as the crappiest of crap, but feel free to suggest something.

Endings that aren't endings. Most Angering Resolution: Halo 2

The original Halo was perhaps the perfect game in its genre. A singleplayer story mode that combined great action with a engaging story, and a multiplayer mode that let you link up to 16 players at once in team battles or free-for-all mayhem. Still, what I found most surprising was Halo's presentation and execution of the story, which was probably one of my first experiences with a good story outside RPGs. Needless to say, hopes were high for an equally well-done tale in Halo 2.

I was not let down...until the end that is. Because...the game ends right in the middle. There's this huge cliffhanger right when you should be fighting the climactic battle. WTF (f for fudge). What a sad and pitiful excuse for what should have been another epic ending. I can understand the developers wanting to milk the franchise or whatever, but it's sorely disappointing. Halo 3 better be good. Or I'll be angry.

The Book of Narnia

So apparently nobody liked who the Carver turned out to be. I still think it was done well though, although now that I've had some time to mill over the details there are some things that don't make sense to me. Still...

I missed seeing Chronicles of Narnia with my friends last night because I left my phone on silent. You idiot, roy. I wanted to see that movie too! Now i'll have to watch it all by my lonesome. Like those weird creepy people that go to movies alone. Yup, that'll be me.

I re-read the entire Chronicles of Narnia over summer and I think I mentioned this before already, but the entire thing is filled with religious references. Which for some reason makes it less authentic in my eyes. I remember when I was a kid I could just read the books and enjoy them for the stories they told. Now I have to freaking see symbolism. Damn symbols. I'll symbol you!

Something about the series being a big symbol for Christianity somehow takes away from the magic and the awe that I used to feel when I was kid reading these books (although admittedly, part of that may also be because I'm no longer10). I dunno. I hear Lord of the Rings is supposed to have a lot of christian symbols and references too, but it's a lot less apparent to me. At least...the movies didn't make it that apparent. Maybe Narnia the movie will be the same.

Ah well. I'm hungry. Gimme ramen.

Pure Perfection

Wow...

wow.

Wow.

Wow!

The twists never let up...the writers have got this down to an artform.

Wow.

...wow.

Perfection is...disturbing.

So, the season finale of Nip/Tuck is tonight at 10. Watch it on FX.

I have to admit when Aisa brought over cynthia's season 1 dvd's of this show I was somewhat skeptical about how good it would be, despite its self-description as a "disturbingly perfect drama". I mean...a show about plastic surgery generally wouldn't be my cup of tea. Or for that matter, any type of surgery generally wouldn't be my cup of tea (which is why I don't like ER or Grey's Anatomy I suppose). And therein lies the brilliance of Nip/Tuck. I realized that the show really isn't about plastic surgery...the plastic surgery part of Nip/Tuck's very own mask. Instead, the real story is about the lives of the two surgeons, Christian Troy and Sean McNamara...and boy do their lives SUCK.

Christian(Left): Tell me what you don't like about yourself...biatch. And then sleep with me.

Sean (Right): I have sex with dolls.

I really have no idea what draws me to this show. Maybe it's the fact that there's a lot of uncensored sex (matt says the show is practically softcore porn...which I have to agree. yay for porrnn!). But more than that, the show is basically a soap opera. The twists that the writers pull are at least at that level. The difference though, I guess is that Nip/Tuck is compelling. Everything is believable, and with its cast of superb actors, everything is pulled off with undeniable skill.

I don't want to give away any of the details in case there are any budding nip/tuckers out there, but let's just say if I were christian or sean i'd have thrown myself off a cliff. Their lives are like layers and layers of crap...I used to feel like I needed a break when I had nip/tuck marathons with aisa, because everything was just so depressing. The show still had me hooked though...I'd be back as soon as possible (which often ended up to be several days...damn aisa's busy schedule!).

Oh, I will showcase one little detail. The Carver! There's some crazy maniac running around cutting people up because he believes "beauty is a curse upon the world." Oh Carver, who are you! The season finale promises to reveal his true identity, but I have a guess. I'm kind of hoping I'm wrong though, because while my guess makes sense, it's not as twisty as I'd like it to be. I'm used to Nip/Tuck shocking my jaw off (as in the season 2 finale...that was a jaw-dropper - Oh Jean Grey, I will never see you the same way...).

So...Yes, I am looking forward to what this disturbingly perfect drama is going to dish out tonight. In fact, that's all I'm doing right now besides writing this blog. Waiting. For a tv-show. That starts at 10:00PM. And right now it's what like 4? ...

Shut up and leave me alone...or I'll carve you! That's right, I am the carver.

...

Oh um...Children, look away.

End, Hecticity

So I am finally done with fall quarter. I don't know why but it went by insanely fast, unlike spring quarter last year which seemed like it would never end. And I spent a LOT of this quarter studying too. damn 4 major classes! But it still went by quickly. Mmm...

I met a lot of cool people this year, for which i am thankful. I was worried that after last year I would return to my hermitness but that seems to have passed...i hope. Now, I just need to learn to be social enough so i can get a job. The one bad thing though I guess is that I haven't seen friends from last year as much. It's my fualt, I know...but Hedrick is just so far away from everything else...bleh...

Oh, that reminds me I haven't done anything for BAY in awhile. I'm pretty sure everbody i've met there has forgotten me. Oh well. Second impressions are just as important as the first (or so I like to tell myself...).

I got an A- in PIC 10A, i'm so grateful. I was so close to the border it wasn't even funny. What was funny was that I was below the grade percentage that you need to get for an A-. 0.2% below. i was pretty depressed about that for awhile yesterday. Cynthia knows.

Oh, cynthia s hsu is the coolest person in the world, and i am glad to have her as my friend. :)
even if she says she wants to kill me all the time. haha...ha.

Ok, now I have nothing to do for the rest of break. Damn. I can't wait till school starts again.

Harumph

The X3 trailer is up! Go watch it at apple.com. If you can't find the link to it from there, then you suck!

That's all, until finals are over at least. I'm heading back on the 16th i believe. I will see all you norcalers sooN! i will see all you ucla-ers in a few weeks!

time to hermitize so i can study.