Best & Worst Films of 2005
Although the majority of movies I saw in 2005 were fairly decent, there were still a bunch of really horrible ones that I saw in the theaters and on DVD – particularly the comedy remakes and sequels. Except for The Corpse Bride, this was also a pretty disappointing year for animated features. The good news is, independent films continue to remain strong and Spielberg is once again on the top of his game. Plus, George Lucas redeemed himself by making a pretty decent conclusion to the Star Wars saga (thank God that’s over!). Ron Howard, who’s always consistent year after year, directed one of the best sports movies I’ve ever seen in Cinderella Man. As I’ve said, comedies were terrible in 2005 - only Hitch and The 40-Year Old Virgin were the exceptions. Action flicks continue to remain strong year after year also. In 2005, Hostage, Assault on Precinct 13, and Sin City were among the best.
For a guy who loves movies, I had fun at the theaters in 2005. Like I said, I saw more good ones than bad. Let’s hope 2006 brings us more surprises … and more Rachel McAdams … and less Tom Cruise. By the way, wake me up when King Kong ends – that’s one of the longest movies I’ve seen in recent years … (yawn) zzzzzz!
(Note: To be fair, here are some critically acclaimed films I have yet to see: Walk the Line, Brokeback Mountain, Syriana, The New World, Good Night and Good Luck, A History of Violence)
Dave’s Top Ten Films of 2005
10) The Constant Gardener
9) Jarhead
8) The Family Stone
7) Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
6) Sin City
5) Munich
4) The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
3) War of the Worlds
2) Cinderella Man
1) Crash
Worst of 2005:
10) Mr. & Mrs. Smith
9) Fantastic 4
8) Dark Water
7) Kicking and Screaming
6) Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
5) A Lot Like Love
4) The Adventures of Shark Boy & Lava Girl (3-D)
3) Herbie: Fully Loaded
2) Deuce Bigalow - European Gigolo
1) The Longest Yard
Check out:
Oliver’s Best Films of 2005Lem's Best Films of 2005Oscar Nominees
Tidbits
Overjoyed
Buboy got me the Stevie Wonder Song Review: Greatest Hits for Christmas. These songs are absolutely amazing. This compilation has been on my play list since the beginning of the year. Stevie’s freakin’ awesome!
Freaks and Geeks
Simon, Paula, and Randy are back for another season of American Idol. Dee and I watched the season premiere last night and we both enjoyed it for the most part. The only thing I hate is watching the sore losers who didn’t get selected. Just because you can yell, it doesn’t mean you are actually carrying a tune. The first stage of the ‘Idol’ auditions is just a big freak show. If these people are willing to embarrass themselves on tv for our enjoyment, then bring it on. After all, that’s the price you pay for fame.
Having Fun While Wasting Time
Anthony and I (mostly me) have been playing a lot of Battlefront II on our PS2. That game is so addicting. I hate spending hours playing video games, but I can’t help it. Also, the kids got Guitar Hero this past weekend. Thanks to those Best Buy gift cards they received last Christmas, we’re now rocking out to Ozzy, The Ramones, Megadeath, and much more.
Best & Worst
I’m trying to compile my list of the best and worst films of 2005. This is tougher that I thought. Stay tuned.
Defending Duck Eggs
While I was in San Diego, my aunt got us some balut for a late night snack. I was ecstatic! I don’t care what you Americans say. Balut is awesome! You can have your late-night chips, and ice cream – I’ll take balut any time, baby.
Thanks
Much thanks go out to my cousin Sharon and her husband Jeremiah for taking us in during our weekend in San Diego. Your couches were the best. And, thanks for coffee as well. We'll see each other again soon.
An Eventful Weekend
My weekend in San Diego was a busy one. We visited family, went to a night viewing, and then got up early on Sunday for the funeral. They even had a post-funeral luncheon immediately after the ceremony. All in all, it was a hectic, but worth-while trip. After all, it was all for my late uncle – one of our favorite uncles. On a side note, Daniel and I were pallbearers at the funeral. So, we both wore “barongs” – yeah, baby!
The highlight of the trip was definitely seeing my cousins, aunts & uncles, and close family friends. Filipino funerals become family reunions right after the ceremonies and after all the tears have been shed for the dearly departed. It’s what my Uncle Boy would have wanted – a party with lots of food and family. At the gathering, I even met up with a childhood friend whom I haven’t seen or heard from since I was 13. It’s amazing how small the world really is.
The drive back was a pleasant one. My Aunt Martha & my Uncle Willie were great company. I loved listening to their stories. It made the 8-hour drive go by fast even without my usual rock music blasting on the cd player.
To my family and friends in San Diego, it was great seeing you all again. Hopefully, the next time we see each other in the future, it would be under different circumstances.
A Time to Mourn, and a Time to Dance
So, we’re off to San Diego this Saturday to attend my uncle’s funeral. It’s been a while since I’ve taken a long road trip of more than 5 hours. Even though I’m going to a funeral, I’m very much looking forward to seeing relatives whom I’ve haven’t seen for years. It occurred to me this past week that the last time we were all together was 3 years ago at my grandma’s funeral. It’s true what they say, aside from the holidays, families only get together during weddings and funerals. It’s a shame that we’re not that close to some of our relatives, but we just learn to accept it. They may live far away, and sometimes even over seas, but we always feel connected to them – after all, we all share the same bloodline.
After we grieve and celebrate my uncle’s life this coming weekend, we will all go back to our normal lives. Sadly, unless there’s a wedding or another death in the family, we may never be in the same place all together ever again. So, in some ways, you can say that funerals may not be all that bad. Sorry if I sound insensitive. But, there’s truth to that.
R.I.P.
Uncle Boy passed away this Saturday, January 7th. The funeral service will be held this Sunday, January 15th at 11:00am.
Uncle "Boy"
Growing up in a big family is an inconvenience for some people. But, for me, it has been a true blessing. I just heard some terrible news yesterday that my Uncle “Boy” Nathaniel had a heart attack. He’s in the ICU and the latest prognosis isn’t good. As my thoughts and prayers go out to him and his immediate family, I’m reminded of my childhood. As a kid, you look at these people in your life, aunts and uncles, as superior and invincible human beings. They were there to take care of you, protect you, give you presents, give you hugs, and give you support. As I got older, they got older. And now, some of them are no longer these super men and women that I used to think they were. And that makes me really sad. My Uncle “Boy” has always been the tough guy. Even now, as an adult, I’m still intimidated by him. To hear that he’s now in a coma is truly unbelievable.
Despite these tragic events, we can always count on God’s comfort and shelter. There’s always hope. And if death comes soon, I know that there’s a purpose for that as well.
To the Torres family, may God comfort you during these times.
Soundtrack of 2005
Who said our everyday lives can’t have a soundtrack? Music isn’t all limited to just movies. Here were some of the songs (& albums) I enjoyed listening to during this past year. Some were new and some were worth revisiting from seasons past. This is my 2005 Soundtrack:
“Feeling Good”
Album: It’s Time
Artist: Michael Buble
“Wake Me Up When September Ends”
Album: American Idiot
Artist: Green Day
“Fix You”
Album: X&Y
Artist: Coldplay
“City of Blinding Lights”
Album: How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
Artist: U2
“Imagine”
Album: Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon
Artist: John Lennon
“Lovely Day”
Album: Lean on Me – The Best of Bill Withers
Artist: Bill Withers
“Oh! Look at Me Now”
Album: The Legendary Bobby Darin
Artist: Bobby Darin
“Chariot”
Album: Chariot
Artist: Gavin DeGraw
“Daughters”
Album: Heavier Things
Artist: John Mayer
“If I Ain’t Got You”
Album: The Diary of Alicia Keys
Artist: Alicia Keys
“Every You Every Me”
Album: Once More With Feeling
Artist: Placebo
“Jesus Walks”
Album: College Dropout
Artist: Kanye West
“My Happy Ending"
Album: Under My Skin
Artist: Avril Lavigne
What’s your 2005 Soundtrack?
Good Year
As we say goodbye to another good year, I want to stop and thank everyone who made it memorable and exciting. 2005 was a milestone year for a lot of us including me and Dee. It also marked some changes in our careers and jobs. Even though we had a few setbacks in 2005, it was still a pretty good year overall. Cheers to 2005, you were good to us!
2005 Highlights:
- My Christmas Day engagement to Dee. I’d be lying to everyone if I said I wasn’t nervous during the proposal. It’s a pretty big commitment. I’m glad I did it. I love you, Dee.
- Buboy graduating and receiving his certification for arts and design
- 2005 Malabuyo Camping Trip – Always a highlight every year. There’s nothing like being outdoors and spending hours at the beach with the family.
- Bunny’s Summer Vacation – It was great spending time with you again, girl.
- Balloon Fest 2005 – Another event that we look forward to every year. It’s one of the best festivals in the area. This year was even better with Chuck and Sandra joining us.
- Our trip to Santa Barbara – Wine tasting in the Santa Ynez Valley was truly memorable.
- Mary Ann’s engagement – Congratulations!
- My new job at the SF Weekly.
- Returning to the Chronicle after 2 months at the SF Weekly. - Summer Weekend BBQ's- Costume Party/Birthday Extravaganza – A success in its second year.
- Purchasing a Playstation 2 game console – After our trip to Vegas fell through, we spent the money on this instead.
- The Vertigo Tour – The best concert ever!
- Going to my first Sharks game – Daniel’s, Lisa’s & Sandra’s birthday party
- The Warriors finally getting their act together.
- My team (Chronicle Concord Retail) exceeding our 2004 numbers by more than $100,000 – good job, Michele, Jim, and Bill! - Christmas Sweater Massacre
- Our 2nd annual New Year’s Eve party – thanks to everyone who came. Welcoming the new year with you all was a blast! I'm glad you liked the food too.
