Year-end list (sort of)

I'm making this simple list just so that I can start the ball rolling in my blog in 2006. Happy new year, everyone.

Event of the Year

I remember staying up late one Saturday evening, up until one in the morning the next day, just flipping channels between CNN International, Fox News, and BBC World. They were covering the dying Pope John Paul II. Even though I was at home, sitting in front of the TV, it felt like I was there with the crowd in St. Peter's Square, that I was with them praying for the pope. I slept for about five hours, waking up at around six in the morning, switched on CNN and saw that the headline was already "Karol Wojtyla: 1920-2005" or something like that.

I still have to get to used to seeing Benedict XVI celebrating the papal masses. It has always been Pope John Paul II my entire life until April of 2005.

Favorite Books

My favorite books, among those that I bought in 2005, are Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling and Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. I've blog about this two books already, so I'm not going to repeat my reasons for liking them.

Favorite Movie

My favorite movie of 2005, among those that I've seen in theaters, is Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I'd like to say it's one of those cool-sounding independent titles, but alas no. It is the Goblet of Fire. This is the only movie, so far, that I've seen in theaters three times in three different theaters. Honorable mention goes to Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, which I saw twice in two different theaters.

Least Favorite Movie

My least favorite movie of 2005, among those that I've seen in theaters, is Chicken Little. Not only did I have to travel thousands of kilometers to see it in the only theater in the city that I thought would do it justice (SM City), I also have to see a children's movie alone because I don't have children and because the she wouldn't watch a movie with me without the them. :-) And for what? For a movie that is too short to be worthy of the admission price and a story too for-TV to be a movie? Disney is not Pixar.

DVD

I haven't bought a lot of DVD's in 2005, opting instead to borrow from a co-worker titles that I'd like to see. My favorite last year is the Mr. Bean Collection. I have seen some of the episodes five times in TV prior to watching it on DVD, but I still get lots of laugh-out-loud moments out of them. My least favorite is The Final Cut starring Robin Williams. I liked the premise of the movie, but the ending did not satisfy me. It felt like I wasted my time building anticipation for an ending that never came. Yes, in a way it can be called a movie that did not end.

Favorite TV Programs

The Amazing Race (AXN and Studio 23) and lots of sitcom. These are my favorite TV shows in 2005. This lots of sitcom include Friends, Married to the Kellys, Everybody Loves Raymond, King of Queens, Becker, and Yes, Dear. All are shown in Star World cable channel. For local TV, I like Game Ka Na Ba and Wowowee, all of which are from ABS-CBN.