The Album of the Year is what is considered as the highest award that one can get from music’s highest giving body. After all, you are rewarding a whole piece of work, and not just a single from it. In the past, this category has bestowed wins to endless classics such as The Beatles’  Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Carole King’s Tapestry, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours,  Michael Jackson’s Thriller, Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill, and Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill among others. Isn’t that a great group to be a part of? With that said, let’s take a look back at the last 13 albums to be rewarded in this category (including this year’s Babel by Mumford and Sons), and see how they hold up in this group:

13. “Two Against Nature”  (Steely Dan) | 2000
 Up Against: Beck’s “Midnight Vulture”, Eminem’s “Marshall Mathers LP”, Radiohead’s “Kid A”, Paul Simon’s “You’re the One“

While this one is an overall good effort, it’s mostly politics that fueled this win. This is Steely Dan’s comeback album in 20 years, and they have never been rewarded (not even a single Grammy) prior to this. So this one is more of a catch up slash welcome back to one of 70s’ more prominent rock groups.

My vote would have gone to: Radiohead’s “Kid A”. Definitely one of their best albums.

12. “Genius Loves Company”  (Ray Charles) | 2004
 Up Against: Green Day’s “American Idiot”, Alicia Keys’ “The Diary of Alicia Keys”, Usher’s “Confessions”, Kanye West’s “The College Dropout“

2004 was when we lost music legend Ray Charles, and the lovefest slash tribute to him has resonated throughout the whole awards season both in music (this) and motion pictures (Taylor Hackford’s Ray starring Jamie Foxx). Overall, it seemed as if a choice that was deemed because of the overwhelming love and appreciation to his legacy.

My vote would have gone to: Green Day’s “American Idiot.  A career resurgence of some sort that is filled of cohesive and sold tracks. It’s quite weird that their real Grammy sweep came the year after this nomination.

11. “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb”  (U2) | 2005
 Up Against: Mariah Carey’s “The Emancipation of Mimi”, Paul McCartney’s “Chaos and Creation in the Background”, Gwen Stefani’s “Love.Angel.Music.Baby.”, Kanye West’s “Late Registration“

17 years after their first win in this category, U2 nabbed their second win for the 2005′s How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. One can interpret this as a safe and expected choice from the NARAS to give it in a field full of two urban artists, one pop album, and a Beatle’s solid but inferior album. Or maybe it’s a make up win for All That You Can’t Leave Behind (which definitely should have won in its year).

My vote would have gone to: Kanye West’s “Late Registration“. Proving that he is no flash in the pan, Kanye West delivered an even better follow up to an already solid debut effort.

10. “River: The Joni Letters”  (Herbie Hancock) | 2008
 Up Against: Foo Fighters’ “Echoes, Silence, Pain & Grace”, Vince Gill’s “These Days”, Kanye West’s “Graduation”, Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black“

For the record, Herbie Hancock’s collaborations are some of the best created music by musicians. And it’s also nice to see jazz music taking the spotlight. This album, which Hancock dedicates to long friend Joni Mitchell, featured collabs with the likes of Norah Jones and Corrine Bailey Rae. However, as always, it was one of those choices that seemed too safe. Looking at the other nominees in the bunch, this was stuck in the middle of some of these other albums that were nominated and lost to him.

My vote would have gone to: Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black“. It was concise, creative, and transparent. Something that represents Amy’s musical talents as a whole.

09. “Babel”  (Mumford and Sons) | 2012
 Up Against: The Black Keys’ “El Camino”, fun’s “Some Nights”, Frank Ocean’s “channel ORANGE”, Jack White’s “Blunderbuss“

I love it when the Grammys tend to nominate an eclectic bunch of albums for its top prize. This is definitely one of the most inspired line-ups in a long time. Even the weakest, fun’s Some Nights, is different from the usual pop albums that they’ve nominated in the previous years. But when it comes to wins, NARAS goes wit the conservative safe album of the bunch. Mumford and Sons’ Babel is actually good, though it’s really hard to top their previous effort that I consider as more deserving of AOTY recognition.

Who would I have voted for: Frank Ocean’s “channel ORANGE”. Ocean’s debut is near perfection from start to end. Consistent, fresh, and heartfelt. After listening to his album, it’ll make you see how he can top this one.

08. “Taking the Long Way”  (Dixie Chicks) | 2006
 Up Against: Gnarls Barkleys’ “St. Elsewhere”, John Mayer’s “Continuum”, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Stadium Arcadium”, Justin Timberlake’s “Future Sex/LoveSounds“

If there’s one genre that definitely is the most powerful at the Grammys, it’s definitely country. With that said, this Dixie Chicks victory came at a time when they have been in the midst of a controversy within their own territory. On one hand, it’s nice to see thay they still got overall support to pull off this win. On the other, there are better albums in this category that was unrewarded.

My vote would have gone to: Gnarls Barkleys’ “St. Elsewhere”. If you’re one of those who know that CeeLo Green prior to his Fuck You success, you’d know that he’s half responsible for this genius album which contain’s the decade’s most infectious song, Crazy.

07. “Fearless”  (Taylor Swift) | 2009
 Up Against: Beyonce’s “I Am…Sasha Fierce”, Black Eyed Peas’ “The E.N.D.”, Lady Gaga’s’ “The Fame”, Dave Matthews Band’s “Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King“

From one country act to the other, Taylor Swift has been more known lately as the girl who uses her relationship status as material for her next albums. But prior to that, let me remind you that she was also able to come up with a solid effort that appeals to different genres and shows her multiple skills as a musician, songwriter, and (yes) singer. It also helped that she’s stuck with a mediocre company as co-nominees. So say what you want about her, but Swift’s AOTY win was every inch deserving back then, and even up to now.

My vote would have gone to: Taylor Swift’s “Fearless.” Listening to this album is probably one of the times where in I was really convinced that I was reading someone’s diary. It was fun, honest, and effectively introduced what Taylor wants us to think of her.

06. “Raising Sand”  (Robert Plant and Alison Krauss) | 2008
 Up Against: Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends”, Ne-Yo’s “Year of the Gentleman”, Radiohead’s’ “In Rainbows”, Lil Wayne’s “The Carter III“

By now, we should already accustom ourselves that if there’s a decent safe album from veterans that they love, then it is soooo sooo winning Album of the Year. Rarely though, we also get lucky that the veterans produce better albums, such as this collaboration between Grammy favorites Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Raising Sand might not be my first choice as Album of the Year, but it’s luckily one of the stronger efforts that manage to sweep its way into a win.

My vote would have gone to: Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends”. I’m shocked that this is only Coldplay’s AotY nomination, so it’s an easy pick for me. But it also happened that this is also a coherent solid album (though not my favorite from them).

05. “Come Away with Me”  (Norah Jones) | 2002
 Up Against: Dixie Chicks’ “Home”, Eminem’s “The Eminem Show”, Nelly’s’ “Nellyville”, Bruce Springsteen’s “The Rising“

Pulling off a win (and a sweep that night) is newcomer Norah Jones. I’ve always read and heard comments about how boring Norah Jones is, but I just convinced myself that they don’t get her. Come Away with Me is another of those strong debut efforts, and while she hasn’t come close to the combo of critical and commercial success that this album received, it’s a sweet consolation that this wa rewarded of Grammy’s top honor exactly a decade ago.

My vote would have gone to: Norah Jones, “Come Away with Me.” It’s a combo of liking the album itself and not a fan of the remaining nominees’ albums.

04. “Original Soundtrack – O’ Brother Where Art Thou?”  (Various Artists) | 2001
 Up Against: India Arie’s “Acoustic Soul”, Bob Dylan’s “Love and Theft”, Outkast’s’ “Stankonia”, U2’s “All That You Can’t Leave Behind“

Isn’t it such a pleasure when you see compilation soundtracks get music’s top honor? In this case, yes. And this is the third and last time that it has happened (OSTs of Saturday Night Fever and The Bodyguard are the two other winners here). While I admit preferring other albums in the line up, it’s just one of those albums that stood the test of time and still sounds good even if you listen to it now.

My vote would have gone to: U2’s “All That You Can’t Leave Behind“. When you’re gonna reward U2 with a second AotY victory, you could have at least went with this one that contains modern classics from this beloved rock band. The pair of Beautiful Day and Stuck in a Moment is already enough for me to cats my vote for this.

03. “21”  (Adele) | 2011
 Up Against: Foo Fighters’ “Wasting Light”, Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way”, Bruno Mars’ “Doo Wops and Hooligans”, Rihanna’s “Loud“

Many many years from now, when you’ve decided to take a look at what the music was in 2011, there’s only one name that will be remembered that year: Adele. She was not only everywhere that year, but her music has managed to be the start of the end for the usual auto-tuned dance tracks that dominated the mainstream music for the past few years. It also helps her that she’s up against three inferior pop albums and a decent rock album.

My vote would have gone to: Adele’s “21“. I still listen to this album from start to end, and I still know the lyrics to each and every song in it.

02. “The Suburbs”  (Arcade Fire) | 2010
 Up Against: Eminem’s “Recovery”, Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now”, Lady Gaga’s’ “The Fame Monster”, Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream“

Definitely an upset that made more sense that most predictions are telling (it was supposedly Eminem’s delayed AotY win for his successful 2010 comeback), it was bittersweet to see Arcade Fire getting the Album of the Year trophy when they even lost their own genre category at the pre-telecast that year. If anything, The Suburbs is far from Arcade Fire’s best effort, but then again, who cares? Arcade Fire at its weakest is still better than all these co-nominee’s albums combined.

My vote would have gone to: Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs.  Definitely the little album that could from that Billboard Hot 100 lovefest from the other four nominees, but it definitely pulled off that win and deservingly so.

01. “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below”  (Outkast) | 2003
 Up Against: Missy Elliott’s “Under Construction”, Evanescence’s “Fallen”, Justin Timberlake’s’ “Justified”, The White Stripes’s “Elephant“

Time and again, the whole conservative branch of Grammy voters aren’t brave enough to give their top honors to urban acts and albums. But then again, every now and then comes an exception. That’s why it was so sweet when OutKast was proclaimed as the winner in 2003. The double disc effort of Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is indeed one of the most definitive albums of the past decade, and it gives us hope that NARAS would open their doors for great urban albums such as this one.

My vote would have gone to: Outkast, “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below”. Clearly the stand out from the group, though I’d give points to Elephant as well, which could have been my winner in any other year.

There you go! Which of these albums is your favorite? Is there anything from the bunch that you still listen to its entirety? And who would you have given your wins in all those years?

As always, you can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

And with the Oscars wrapping up the awards season yesterday, it is safe to say that the fashion and the red carpet ended with a bang. As actresses walk the red carpet at yesterday’s Academy Awards, we got a good representation of the glitz and the glamour that is Hollywood. Here are my picks for this year’s best dressed list at the Oscars.

Once again, you can click the photos to enlarge them. All photo credits go to: Yahoo! OMG coverage

12. AMY ADAMS in Oscar dela Renta

This design has been done a lot of times at the Oscars (more notoriously by the ethereal Charlize Theron in baby blue back in 2005 ), but what makes this light gray Oscar dela Renta creation work was that Amy sashayed this on the red carpet very effortlessly. I’m liking the natural look both with her hair and make up too.

11. JESSICA CHASTAIN in Armani Prive

There is an unwritten rule in red carpet fashion to not wear a dress that perfectly matches the color of your hair, with black being the sole exception. With that said, Chastain’s Armani Prive gown is an exception to that rule as she gave a throwback to early Hollywood in this very sexy and classic ensemble.

10. QUEEN LATIFAH in Badgley Mischka

It has been exactly ten years when Quene Latifah herself was nominated for the Oscar, but she’s still looking every inch a winner in the red carpet. This clean white Badgley Mischka creation that she wore last night quickly trumps both her Chicago co-stars Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta Jones.

09. SANDRA BULLOCK in Elie Saab

I just love it when Sandra ditches sexy for fab. Well, it does seem like she managed to hit both in this lacy black Elie Saab dress which revealed enough skin, but at the same time, showed movie star vibes too. Plus points for that hair brooch she wore.

08. NAOMI WATTS in Armani Prive

The second Best Actress nominee in the list, Naomi Watts, is also wearing Armani Prive. This metallic ensemble with some very unique details need some warming up to do, but for an event such as the Oscars, it worked for Naomi who’s looking fresh and fab in it.

07. CHARLIZE THERON in Dior

Though not nominated this year, Oscar winner Charlize Theron was a hoot all night. One of the reasons definitely is this white Dior dress that looked simple but elegant to her. I imagine this as the better version of what Anne Hathaway wants to achieve at the Golden Globes.

06. JENNIFER GARNER in Gucci

She might not be going home with an Oscar, but she’s going home with an Oscar winner. That, and some fabulous remarks with her purple Gucci gown that had some very interesting back details. Garner didn’t just look like a plus one that night; she’s definitely a star in her own right.

05. ALICIA VIKANDER in Elie Saab Couture

Supporting her nominated film A Royal Affair is such an easy task when you have the lovely Alicia Vikander, here in an intricately beaded blue Elie Saab creation, to grace the event.

04. NICOLE KIDMAN in L’Wren Scott

While it was husband Keith Urban who chose this dress for her, Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman proved that the best way of responding to an Oscar snub is by going up to the event in this head turning L’Wren Scott creation that playfully gave the viewers a glimpse of her sexy body. How one achieves that at 45 is simply astonishing.

03. AMANDA SEYFRIED in Alexander McQueen

Third time seems to be the charm for Les Mis star Amanda Seyfried, as she finally hit it right the red carpet at her third Oscar appearance. Wearing this Alexander McQueen gown bearing these dragonfly design that fits her like a glove is her easy way en route the best dressed list.

02. CORINNE BISHOP

Just eight years ago, we witnessed this young woman at 11 seated beside her father who won Best Actor for Ray. Fast forward to now, Corinne Bishop isn’t just a companion to her father, but she’s also showing signs of fashion greatness when she stepped out the red carpet in this teal blue gown.

01. JENNIFER LAWRENCE in Dior Haute Couture

Who said you can only win one at a time? Aside from taking home the Oscar Best Actress, Jennifer Lawrence is also red carpet’s best dressed woman yesterday as she stepped out of this Dior Haute Couture ensemble yesterday. You know how some Best Actress Oscar frontrunners just look “winners” in their coronation night? That trend continued yesterday with J.Law. As far as Oscar appearances go, J.Law is 2/2 for me (that red dress in 2010 was also loooove).

That’s it! Who are your best dressed picks at yesterday’s Oscars? Did you also fall in love with J.Law’s Oscar dress?

As always, you can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

Yesterday, we were treated to a high nostalgia, as ABS-CBN unveiled their summer station ID. In celebration of their 60th year of broadcast, it was a nice throwback from the early days of the station up until its footing now as the biggest and most celebrated network in the country. During the 2000s, coming up with themed stations IDs have also been an “it thing” for TV stations to do, and it was ABS-CBN who revived (if not started) the trend back in 2002. Now sit back and enjoy a trip back to memory lane, as we visit all ten of their summer themed station IDs.

All videos are credited to the YouTube account of ABSCBN Official. Thanks!

2002: Saya ng Summer

ABS-CBN’s first summer station ID eleven years ago was a breakthrough for many reasons. For one, it was the only summer ID that has an English song to incorporate it via Roselle Nava’s Free. In this video, the major theme involves all Kapamilya stars pulling off a big rope that will later be revealed as a huge kite carrying the official theme “Saya ng Summer“. Watching this video now makes us miss the likes of Comedy King Dolphy, Carding Castro (of the Reycards duo), and heartthrob Rico Yan.

Notable highlights: The Hunks (composed of Piolo Pascual, Jericho Rosales, Diether Ocampo, Bernard Palanca, and Carlos Agassi) in one group shot, veteran actresses Helen Gamboa, Caridad Sanchez, Isabel Rivas and Pinky Marquez hitting the gym, and the original F ladies Angel Aquino, Daphne Osena, and Cher Calvin playing water guns.

2004: Sabay Summer Tayo Kapamilya

Two years after their first station ID, the second one was a throwback to the games of the Filipino kids during summer such as those of piko, patintero,  and tumbang preso among others. Notable inclusions this year include Dong Puno, Gary Valenciano, and Cesar Montano.

Notable highlights: Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino playing Chinese garter, Aga Muhlach and Edu Manzano playing teks, and a finale shot with the King of Comedy Dolphy

2005: Iba Ka-Summer ang Kapamilya

For 2005, the station ID involved different Kapamilya stars playing different summer items as musical instruments. For the most part, the music were just beats  until the catchy “Kasummer mo…Kapamilya mo” enters the scene until that hooking whistle by Dolphy in the end. For this year, Willie Revillame, Toni Gonzaga, and Anne Curtis join this annual tradition.

Notable highlights: Piolo Pascual playing drums while hanging on the side of a bridge, Marc Nelson and Dyan Castillejo’s creative way of crushing ice, and Dina Bonnevie’s sungka dance.

2007: Araw Natin To!

After skipping a summer station ID in 2006, the 2007 version involves a fun dance step that all Kapamilya stars were game to do including the Goin Bulilit kids up to Charo Santos Concio. It also involved lots of fun summer traditions and how to celebrate summer the creative way such as building sand castles from a construction building, sunbathing on roof tops, and the concept of province circumcision. Additional celebrities this year were the PBB teens including Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson, together with Pinoy Dream Academy singers from the first batch.

Notable highlights: The first inclusion of partners Ryan Agoncillo and Judy Ann Santos together, first appearance of the triumvirate friends Toni Gonzaga, Bianca Gonzales, and Mariel Rodriguez all in one shot, and the trio of comedy legends Maricel Soriano, Dolphy, and Susan Roces.

2008: One Team, One Summer

In 2008, the whole music was more into beats and syncs with a more “cheerdance” feel all over. Aside from the Kapamilya stars, most of the time, we were treated to a performance of the world class level greatness of the UP Pep Squad. Even the visuals used in this year’s summer station ID were more involved with prints and patterns in it.

Notable highlights: Kristine Hermosa clad in nothing but a bikini, the shot of Judy Ann Santos with an ocean backdrop, and then reel and real life couples Derek Ramsey and Angelica Panganiban with Jake Cuenca and Roxanne Guinoo.

2009: Galaw Galaw sa Tag-Araw

The following year is the start of the tailored theme songs for summer station IDs. With the famous foursome Kanto Boys (Billy Crawford, John Lloyd Cruz, Luis Manzano, and Vhong Navarro) in charge with the song this year, the video’s theme involves combination of worthy summer activities and environmental cause with most stars showing how to recycle and clean the environment. First timers this year include Lorna Tolentino, Gabby Concepcion, and Zaijan Jaranilla.

Notable highlights: Anne Curtis appearing ala Bond girl in a yellow suit, the reunion of Jericho Rosales and Kristine Hermosa, and the wacky presence of the Kanto Boys.

2010: Summer ang Simula

As the decade kicks in to a new start, the station ID has continued to be of great force in terms of themes and ideas. For this year, the production design was in full force with the Art Attack style of different summer ideas. It’s definitely one of the most inventive and imaginative  approaches in their history of summer station IDs. For this particular year, they also incorporated the election theme since it was the year of national elections. Vice Ganda, Andi Eigenmann, and Charice all debuted their station ID appearances here.

Notable highlights: John Lloyd Cruz and Angel Locsin’s first appearance as a pair, a short haired Maja Salvador, and the comeback of Sharon Cuneta.

2011: Bida Best sa Tag-Araw

It was all bout reaching and following your dreams in the 2011 summer station ID, as Angeline Quinto (with the help of Vincent Bueno) sings the theme Bida Best sa Tag-Araw. They incorporated different extreme summer sports together with Kapamilya stars who are known to be associated with those sports such as Sam Milby’s motocross race and Diether Ocampo’s water sports. It also featured the giant trampoline used with all the high jumps by the biggest artists of the networks. This also marked the debut of Kathryn Bernardo and Julia Montes, Enrique Gil, and Dawn Zulueta’s summer station ID appearances.

Notable highlights: Luis Manzano’s muay thai skills, the sexy football game of Jake Cuenca and Alessandra de Rossi, and Zanjoe Marudo’s sexy painting skills.

2012: Pinoy Summer Da Best Forever

Offering a taste of the colorful Filipino traditions, the 2012 summer station ID showed the rich culture of the country via the different fiestas and festivals all over the country. Some of those featured were the ati-atihan festival, lechon festival, and bangus festival to name a few. And while Gerald Anderson’s rap parts were very thankless, it was an okay inclusion though Sarah Geronimo’s vocals can hold the song together. This year,  Richard Gomez, Iza Calzado, and Paulo Avelino made their breakthrough.

Notable highlights: KC Concepcion’s fire dancing, Piolo Pascual’s more than ready summer “body”, and Iza Calzado’s entrance with a bang!

2013: Kwento ng Summer Natin

In celebration of ABS-CBN’s 60th anniversary, this year’s summer station ID is a throwback to the history of the TV station back from its heydays up to where it is now. Doing a homage of shows such as The Nida and Nestor Show, Chika Chika Chikks, Abangan ang Susunod na Kabanata, up to Pangako Sa’Yo  and Meteor Garden, and incorporating some of the biggest trends that originated from the network such as I-Dawn Zulueta mo ko, otso-otso, and the Pinoy Ako dance made this one of the more memorable station IDs that they have ever produced.  Richard Yap, Bamboo, and the Star Magic Batch 2013 are the newbies for this year’s station ID.

Notable highlights: The whole of Judy Ann Santos’ appearance, Angel Locsin’s Baywatch throwback, and the shot of Zsazsa Padilla juxtaposed with Dolphy’s picture.

There you have it! These station IDs have already proven how much they play a big part of our summers, as we anticipate its debut year in and year out. Among these ten, the station IDs from 2002, 2005, and 2013 were my favorites while 2008 and 2009 were my least liked years. How about you? Pipe them in below!

As always, you can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

The 66th Cannes Film Festival already finished its run yesterday, and boy has it been a whirlwind. After all, we are not only seeing the best of world cinema, but this also serves as a platform for worldwide fashion. The Cannes red carpet is known to be one of the most prominent in the world with actors all over the globe debuting and making their mark on the red carpet. This year, these 15 looks stood out among the rest.

*The photos can be clicked to see in a bigger form. 

Photo courtesy of: Just Jared

15. JESSICA BIEL in Marchesa

Only coming in as a plus one for husband Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel played the card well in this Marchesa creation that is not a total showstopper, but not totally lazy as well. It’s the perfect outfit for a star who has no movie in the festival. Plus, I love how strong the effect of the serpent necklace was.

Photo courtesy of: Just Jared

14. AUDREY TAOTOU

The festival hostess this year has been mostly in short dresses throughout the whole festivities, so it’s nice that she did saved the best for last. Her closing ceremony big red gown is both a showstopper and easily gets your attention.

Photo courtesy of: gettyimages.com

13. SHARON STONE in Roberto Cavalli

One of 90s superstars was literally a diva during the Behind the Candelabra gala night, as she stepped on the red carpet just minutes before the actual screening start. But who can blame Sharon Stone? She’s dressed the part in this blue Cavalli gown, and attention must really be given to her in this winning look.

Photo courtesy of: thefashionmedley.wordpress.com

12. LEA SEYDOUX in Louis Vuitton

Palme d’or winner Lea Seydoux was va va voom as she attends her other Cannes entry, Grand Central, gala screening. I particularly like the shade of blue that she wore here and the simple do and the dark lips add more character to this outfit. Best dressed worthy!

Photo courtesy of: Just Jared

11. BERENICE BEJO in Elie Saab

Cannes Best Actress winner Berenice Bejo was a sight to behold as she wears this teal ensemble during the closing festivities. While one might consider the whole teal look safe, it works exactly here and compliments her perfectly. That of course, and her new Best Actress plaque.

Photo courtesy of : luxury-insider.com

10. ZHANG YUQI in Ulyana Sergeenko

Russian designer Ulyana Sergeenko made a bold statement at the opening gala of the Cannes this year, as Zhang Yuqi strutted this peacock green gown in the red carpet. I think that while others might see this as too much of a cabbage leaf gown, it is the over the top nature of the dress that suits with the grandiose of the Cannes red carpet.

Photo courtesy of: Just Jared

09. UMA THURMAN in Atelier Versace

Uma Thurman was tasked to present the biggest award at Cannes yesterday, so it is just fitting that she comes out in top form which she did in this Atelier Versace creation. I’m not particularly enamored with the top part (as it gives me throw pillow vibes), but Uma hasn’t looked this good in a while.

Photo courtesy of: grisclair.tumblr.com

08. LIU WEN in Roberto Cavalli

Roberto Cavalli’s blue creations stood out this year. Aside from Sharon Stone, Victoria’s Secret model Liu Wen was the vision of elegance in this royal blue gown. It’s even better that she paired it with just jewels on the hand and kept her neck open.

Photo courtesy of: Just Jared

07. JESSICA CHASTAIN in Givenchy Couture

Two time Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain was a royal vision in purple as she steps on the red carpet of the All is Lost premiere in this custom made Givenchy ensemble. The embellishments added layers in this gown, and she kept the hair simple as to not compete with the attention of the dress.

Photo courtesy of: tomandlorenzo.com

06. JANE FONDA in Atelier Versace

It’s always such a breath of fresh air to see Jane Fonda parading the red carpet. After all, she’s one testament that age is no hindrance to rock the red carpet. That is what we have witnessed once again as she attends the Jimmy P premiere in this turquoise Versace ensemble with some very interesting designs.

Photo courtesy of: Just Jared

05. ROSIE HUNTINGTON WHITELEY in Christian Dior

While this one is not from the actual red carpet. Rosie Huntington Whiteley shows different personas as she showed up at the amfAR Cinema Against AIDS Gala in this white Dior dress. Half sultry, half sweet, dear Rosie kept it sweet and simple, which perfectly suited the event she attended to.

Photo courtesy of: Just Jared

04. ZHANG ZIYI in Elie Saab

As she attends the premiere of Venus in Fur, Zhang Ziyi looks fantabulous in this lilac Elie Saab creation that easily grans the attention of the audience. Whether it’s the see through top, the three fourths sleeve, or just the jewels, it surely made its mark in the red carpet scene.

Photo courtesy of: becauseiamfabulous.com

03. EMMA WATSON in Chanel Couture

With her film The Bling Ring opening the Un Certain Regard section of the festival, Emma Watson set the bar already high when she attended the gala screening in this Chanel creation. I love how this screamed elegance and sophistication and at the same time, she still managed to avoid looking boring and safe.

Photo courtesy of: Just Jared

02. KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS in Armani Prive

Not only is Kristin Scott Thomas getting raves for her scene stealing turn in Only God Forgives, she also nailed the part when she appeared in the gala screening of the said film in this glittering Armani Prive creation. It’s just so bold that it will easily grab your attention.

Photo courtesy of: Just Jared

01. IRINA SHAYK in Elie Saab

And Elie Saab strikes homebase in this pink gown accentuated with a belt. It was definitely a stunner, attention grabbing color, and does not lack tacky at all. Sounds like an easy winner to me.

BUT WAIT…

Of course we all know that there’s one legend who ruled the whole Cannes in terms of fashion. It will be unfair for the others to be lumped with her since I’m clearly biased, but Legend also is on a caliber of her own this year. If there’s one fashion icon who ruled this past festival, it’s no other than jury member Nicole Kidman. Here are her five amazing red carpet looks this year:

Photo courtesy of: Just Jared

LOOK 1: Opening Ceremony in Christian Dior

Legend wasted no time to impress everyone and hit the red carpet in this amazing Christian Dior creation that definitely stood out from the whole pack. Everything about this look just screams iconic from the strapless gown, to the interesting details, and the perfect do, and the coral shoes, this is how you start a festival, and Kidman knows exactly that this is the deal.

Photo courtesy of: Just Jared

LOOK 2: Inside Llewyn Davis gala screening in L’Wren Scott

Kidman’s next appearance would be her only one with husband Keith Urban for the whole festival. This time, it’s a L’Wren Scott creation that’s part of her 2013 Fall collection. This one is consistent with her previous look, and she was unafraid to bring the colors in the red carpet which totally paid off.  This could have been an easy misfire, but the gown plus that movie star hair is another hit for me.

Photo courtesy of: Just Jared

LOOK 3: Nebraska gala screening in Valentino Couture

For the Nebraska screening, Kidman stepped on the red carpet again, this time with a Valentino creation. Most bloggers quickly mentioned that this is the same dress that Anne Hathaway ditched the last minute at the Oscars (though people from Valentino already cleared the reports by saying it is NOT the same gown). With that said, Anne who? Legend Kidman is just majestic and ethereal in this look, which clearly cements this as one of her all time best.

Photo courtesy of: Just Jared

LOOK 4: Venus in Fur gala screening in Chanel

After that heavenly appearance during the Nebraska screening, it will difficult to follow the impact it caused, so this one is probably the weakest among Kidman’s red carpet appearances. However, this Chanel isn’t necessarily outstanding on its own, but the red pumps idea and the fact that Kidman seems to be comfortable wearing it gives this a free pass.

Photo courtesy of: Just Jared

LOOK 5: Closing ceremonies in Giorgio Armani

As to cap off her Cannes jury experience, Nicole Kidman attends the closing ceremony in a custom made Giorgio Armani gown. I love how this look is subdued but sublime. Kidman really exused a true movie star elegance and I like how she wore this white Armani gown which complimented her skin and height effectively.

What are your favorite looks this year? Are you as happy as I am that Legend Kidman wore different designers every time she appears on the red carpet? Which one will make the year end list? Add them in the Comments section.

Also, you can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

It is no big secret that my favorite actress ever is Legend Nicole Kidman. It’s definitely not because we share the same name (well maybe before when I was still young), but my appreciation for Kidman as an actress has really grown over the years. Sure, she might not have the numerous Oscar nods like the Blanchetts and the Winslets, and there was a point in her career where she was considered as a box office poison (which is really stupid because her films do better in the worldwide box office and US ≠ world), but she really takes on interesting projects and directors despite compromising situations. As a matter of fact, I think she belongs solely on a category that is a movie star that is also an auteur darling. She’s an A-list star but she does more indies than commercial outings, and that’s probably one of the reasons why I love her.  As for the other reasons, here are 12 performances that will help you understand what I’m saying.

12. THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY (1996)

In one of Jane Campion’s underrated pieces, Kidman played lead character Isabelle Archer who in the midst of finding herself gets entangled in a complicated twists and turns resulting to her further  desolate life. Kidman has her way of portraying sadness in the screen quite effectively, and this is one of the complex ones. It’s quite sad that this turned out to be underwhelming to a lot of people, but I say it’s a matter of releasing it in a time not ready for it. I’ve read a lot of sudden appreciation for this film, and one of its biggest asset is that of the actors’ performances in it, including Kidman’s.

11. HEMINGWAY & GELLHORN (2012)

Kidman’s first foray into the TV movie territory is via Philip Kauffman’s Hemingway and Gellhorn with Clive Owen. While the overall response to the film was mixed, Kidman’s performance as journalist Martha Gellhorn earned good response resulting to Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG nominations. What I particularly like about this performance is that it shows Kidman’s variety in approaching characters. While she also has the physicalities in it, she also punches the emotional needs of the character effortlessly.

10. THE HOURS (2002)

On one hand, I’m glad to see that Kidman’s take on author Virginia Woolf is what paved her way to Oscar glory. It’s really a combination of the voice, the nose, and the whole physical changes that she did  that made it memorable. It’s even more impressive to learn that she shot this film at a stage in her career when her personal life is going into shambles. However, it’s a bit saddening that she won her Oscar for this, when it’s not even one of her five best performances. Yes, the train station scene was pure acting gold, but I guess I’ll have to settle with the fact that an Oscar is an Oscar no?

09. EYES WIDE SHUT (1999)

Probably one of the best career highlights that Nicole Kidman ever had was that she got to work with the great late Stanley Kubrick on his final film. While the production for the film has reached over two years in the making, it was two years worth working for. Kidman even herself wrote a letter about how much she find this film memorable and important to her saying she learned a lot from this film. And this is also one of her underrated performance, as she was magnetic all throughout in it.

08. MARGOT AT THE WEDDING (2007)

There is just something so brave about Kidman’s options that makes you ask WTF when you watch the movie, but goes on understanding why she chose to do that film by the end. That’s where Noah Baumbach’s Margot at the Wedding falls too. Probably darker than the other more obvious comedies, Kidman’s Margot exudes this vulnerability and awkwardness that translates not only to the other characters in the film but to the audience as well. Plus, you can’t take the tree climbing scene against her.

07. DOGVILLE (2003)

One of the most memorable risks that Nicole Kidman did in her career was after her Oscar win, when she was the top A-list actress in Hollywood, she opted to work with someone like Lars von Trier. Of course, we know von Trier has been tried and tested when it comes to his actresses, giving them risky roles and churning out fearless performances. And that’s exactly what we have witnessed in Nicole’s performance of Grace in the film. How she failed to nab the Cannes Best Actress that year is beyond me.

06. THE PAPERBOY (2013)

Kidman’s latest movie offering is from one of the critically panned movies of last year: Cannes entry The Paperboy by Lee Daniels. Despite the movie getting unanimous thumbs down response, what seemed to be the only silver lining in it is that of Kidman’s performance. As Charlotte Bless, the white trash who Zac Efron’s character fancies like no other, not only does she performed a telepathic sex scene with John Cusack, but she also peed on Zac. How Legend does it at 45 showed no signs of stopping for this bravura actress.

05. THE OTHERS (2001)

In a one two punch of her 2001 performances that showed her versatility as an actress, first we get to see Nicole Kidman in Alejandro Amenabar’s The Others. In the film, she played single mother Grace, who comes to so much extent of love in order to defend her children. Despite the film being of horror genre, Nicole commanded the screen showing a boatload of emotions, that of love, hope, and even confusion as the movie unravels. It’s one of those performances that just sizzled all throughout the movie.

04. MOULIN ROUGE! (2001)

As for her other 2001 performance, it’s from Baz Luhrmann’s Oscar Best Picture nominee Moulin Rouge! For this, she received her first Academy Award nomination in 2001. What’s fascinating about this performance is that she did almost everything here. Sings? Check. Dances? Check. Makes us laugh? Check. Makes us cry? Check. Satine has turned out to be one of the most memorable movie characters of the last decade, and this performance is here to stay. This is a good representation of how she penetrated Hollywood, and there’s no turning back then.

03. RABBIT HOLE (2010)

For her first producing duties, Nicole Kidman chose this Tony award winning play and gave a really depressing and heartbreaking performance as Becca Corbett, the grieving mother of a child who died from an accident. While she gets a lot of Oscar scenery chewing scenes it, the Kidman in this film is annoying but sensible, open but still holds back every now and then, and it is the subtle moments in it that actually remains more with the viewers after. Also, this is her Oscar comeback, as it was her first nominations after winning eight years ago for The Hours.

02. TO DIE FOR (1995)

Before, she was simply seen as Mrs. Tom Cruise and the Aussie eye candy that he has. But all it took was a single performance that will change the way she is perceived in Hollywood. That performance came from her character as Suzanne Stone Maretto in Gus Van Sant’s To Die For. In it, she was just deliciously evil playing her comedic skills to the top. It was such a natural performance that hits right with the tone that van Sant aimed in this movie, and the result is a new found Hollywood actress, aside from her Golden Globe win that year.

01. BIRTH (2004)

And Nicole Kidman’s best performances comes from the underrated Jonathan Glazer cult classic Birth.  As Anna, Kidman plays a wife who thinks her dead husband reincarnated in the form of a ten year old boy. Kidman was just on a different level here. The intensity of her performance lingers to you all throughout. I just can’t at how intense the character was from the way it was written, but her performance just elevates in further. Plus, it featured the classic close up “theater scene” which still is one of the best acting moments I’ve ever seen in any film.

Now, let me ask you, what is/are your favorite Nicole Kidman performance/s? Pipe them in below!

By the way, the reason why I wrote this is because it is Legend’s 46th birthday today. Happy birthday to my favorite actress!

As always, you can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

Now celebrating its 20th year as the country’s premiere film outfit, Star Cinema has been delivering a lot of the most memorable movies  during the past two decades. The latter half of its 20-year production, though, mostly has been more on coming up with box office hits, as it now fills up all ten of the ten highest grossing films in the country. With that said, here are five reminders that every now and then, Star Cinema is still able to deliver quality potential films instead of the usual moneymaking ventures.

05. DREAMBOY (2005)

DIRECTOR: Gilber Perez
CAST: Piolo Pascual, Bea Alonzo
PLOT: Hopeless romatic Cyd (Bea Alonzo) met three versions of the same man (Piolo Pascual), until she was in for a rude awakening.
WHY IS IT UNDERRATED: It was 2005, and television is slowly taking over the cinema as the basis of celebrity popularity. With artista search happening left and right, the people weren’t particularly interested with the approach that the film did. It was brave for Star Cinema to pull off something like this during the peak of cutesy loveteams (and Piolo-Bea is an experiment pairing to say the least), and while it was not seen as total success during its time, I appreciate the risk they did with it.

04. MY AMNESIA GIRL (2010)

DIRECTOR: Cathy Garcia-Molina
CAST: John Lloyd Cruz, Toni Gonzaga
PLOT: When Apollo (John Lloyd Cruz) thinks that the answer to his great love is ex-girlfriend Irene (Toni Gonzaga), he finds her back only to find out she is now suffering from amnesia (or so we think).
WHY IS IT UNDERRATED: Sure it was the biggest hit of 2010, and John Lloyd and Toni were robbed of Box Office King and Queen titles during that year, but let’s take some few steps back and reminisce that during the release of the first trailer, everyone already dismissed it as a 50 First Dates rip-off. And boy they were wrong. While box office receipts were always mentioned, the out of the box  approach of the film (especially during the first 40 minutes of the film) is a fresh take on Star Cinema love story standards.

03. FOREVER AND A DAY (2011)

DIRECTOR: Cathy Garcia-Molina
CAST: Sam Milby, KC Concepcion
PLOT: Strangers Eugene (Sam Milby) and Raffy (KC Concepcion) met in the lovely place of Bukidnon for different reasons. He wants a break from work; she wants to prove something to herself. Once they start to get to know each other, true secrets were revealed about Raffy.
WHY IS IT UNDERRATED: By this time, Cathy Garcia Molina is already the perennial box office director that she is now, and everyone expects that she will deliver the same combination that makes all of her previous hits box office success. While this is the mere exception from the group, it’s an exception that gives her room to try other approach when handling stories, and one that’s rare to see in mainstream filmmaking.

02. NASAAN KA MAN (2005)

DIRECTOR: Cholo Laurel
CAST: Claudine Barretto, Jericho Rosales, Dietehr Ocampo
PLOT: Set in the haunted and mystical city of Baguio, it tells the story of three adopted children (Rosales, Barretto, and Ocampo) who grew up under two spinster sisters (Hilda Koronel, Gloria Diaz). Life has been pretty good to all of them until Pandora’s box of their family secrets were unveiled.
WHY IS IT UNDERRATED: UP graduate Cholo Laurel’s first foray into mainstream directing seemed to be a double edged sword. On one hand, this was a great debut for someone of his caliber. To be given this chance was definitely overwhelming for him. After all, its powerful storytelling (written by Ricky Lee himself), together with his direction, is a combination that made this one of the best films that year. It sucks that this did not perform too much commercially, as it was a good risk that should have paid off.

01. RPG METANOIA (2010)

DIRECTOR: Luis Suarez
CAST: Zaijan Jaranilla, Vhong Navarro, Aga Muhlach, Eugene Domingo
PLOT: When a virus from online games started to affect society, it will be up to this generation of computer game-loving kids to save the day.
WHY IS IT UNDERRATED: Animated film fans in the country are definitely many, and this is actually more than qualified to be the first local animated 3D film we have ever produced. That alone would have made this an “event” not to miss. Add the fact that it was a part of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival, and Star Cinema behind it, and I’m still not sure why it just didn’t reach its audience. Their loss, I guess, since it’s one of 2010′s best films.

Now entering their 20th year of producing and distributing local films, I hope that Star Cinema will still give focus to quality filmmaking even only every now and then. They used to do this more often, and it’s quite saddening how it has fallen way way below now. But with Erik Matti’s On the Job as one of their features this year, there’s still hope I guess.

As always, you can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

Welcome to the latter part of the year! It’s July now, and while it’s more known as the official start of the rainy season (here in the Philippines at least), it is compensated by the country’s favorite poll. July is the official “100 Sexiest Women” month by FHM, as we await on who will be unveiled as the country’s finest, as voted by the fans.

This poll which started way back in 2000 has definitely gone a long way already. In its first few years, it’s filled with Hollywood actresses dominating the list, as compared to now where they are struggling to even make the list. Among those who made the list are Oscar winners Halle Berry (topping in 2003), Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Gwyneth Paltrow, Reese Witherspoon, Kate Winslet, Penelope Cruz, Hilary Swank, and Natalie Portman.

News personalities like Rhea Santos, Vicky Morales, Cheri Mercado, and Pia Guanio also had their share of moments in this annual list, and even the likes of Kris Aquino (in 2001), Sharon Cuneta (in 2002), and Ruffa Gutierrez (both in 2000 and 2002)  have been included here. Singers Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Mandy Moore, Natalie Imbruglia and Andrea Corr  have been mainstays during the early years as well.

With the release of the 14th issue this year, 1400 spots have been gone to 300+ women who have, in one way or another, made mark as part of FHM Philippines history. Let’s first give a spotlight to sixteen impressive mainstays who frequent this list for a long time already.

THE TEN TIMER CLUB

Six women have been in the list for a decade already. Starstruck first batch alumnae Katrina Halili, Jennylyn Mercado, and Cristine Reyes all have stayed in the chart since their debut way back in 2004. Between the three of them, they all share three #1 titles, 20 Top 10 spots, and eight covers. Pretty impressive eh? More impressive than that though are hosts Toni Gonzaga and Iya Villania who maintained in the charts as well in the same time frame as the three previous women with no FHM covers to boot. Among the prominent female group Viva Hot Babes, it is the petite Maui Taylor who had the most number of appearances with ten starting from 2002 up until this year, only skipping 2008 and 2012.

THE MIGHTY ELEVEN

Next up are five women with something in common: all have been in the FHM Sexiest Women poll for eleven years now. Let’s start with the only FHM cover girl in the bunch, Angel Locsin. With four covers under her belt, Angel has already made her own FHM record. She’s the only ever in the history of the poll who have been in the Top 10 ever since her debut in 2004 (when she debuted at #10) up until her eleventh year this 2013 where in she was third placer. Really impressive eh? Alongside her though in this group are ABS-CBN stars Bea Alonzo, KC Concepcion, and Kristine Hermosa (none of them who graced the covers… yet) and Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez who has four Top 10 placements (with her #8 spot in 2010 as her most recent).

A DOZEN VISITS

Now next in line are those who have been in the charts for a dozen times already. What’s more impressive about these four women is that they all achieved this feat in simultaneous years. Let’s divide them in pairs and start with two past FHM cover girls. Maureen Larrazabal is one of those who can proudly say that she’s one of the original FHM Sexiest Women gals, as she started her stint in 2000. Two covers and 11 more appearances, and she ended her reign in 2011. On the other hand, original FHM darling Diana Zubiri is still going strong in the polls with her appearance #12 in this year’s list. She might not have coveted the top spot, but she was 2003′s Philippines’ Finest just behind global champ Halle Berry. As for the other two women in the list, let’s just say that they definitely belong to FHM’s best frustrations, as both didn’t give the magazine a chance to headline them, yet that didn’t stop both Anne Curtis and Heart Evangelista to slay these charts since their debut in 2002 up until now. With fifteen women down, do you have any idea on who tops our list?

THE ULTIMATE CHAMP

And the longest staying woman in  this list is none other than Rufa Mae Quinto. Peachy has made the list every single time since its beginning way back in 2000. With three covers under her belt, what’s shocking about this is that she wasn’t able to reach the Top 10 in all fourteen years, as her closest was #11 back in 2004. Since she showed no signs of stopping, maybe she can finally enter the coveted group in the succeeding years.

Now I know you want to know who made this year’s list, so as per tradition, here’s the top 20 in pictures (and in code names):

As for the rest of the poll, I’d let you find out that by yourself by grabbing a copy of the FHM July issue with Alodia Gosiengfiao on the  magazine cover and Roxee B (that’s Roxanne Barcelo for you, folks) on the Top 100 cover. Just to give you a clue, you’ll be seeing Jessy Mendiola, Andi Eigenmann, and Jodi Sta. Maria in the list but not the names of Sarah Geronimo, Iwa Moto, and Jasmine Curtis Smith in it.

Congrats to those who made the list this year!

And you can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

The MTV Video Music Awards is always regarded as the coolest party of the year. While it wasn’t once the most anticipated show as compared to its peak during the 90s and early 2000s, a lot of people still tune in and wait for possible iconic moments that the show can possibly offer. In the last decade alone, we saw a three way liplock between Britney, Christina, and Madonna, a bleeding Lady Gaga performing, and the infamous Kanye-Taylor incident. Moments like these make the VMAs a must watch every single year.

Last week, nominations for this year’s telecast have been announced with Justin Timberlake and Macklemore with Ryan Lewis leading the nominations. As for Video of the Year, the nominees were Bruno Mars for Locked Out of Heaven, Justin Timberlake for Mirrors, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis for Thrift Shop, Robin Thicke, Pharell, and TI for Blurred Lines, and the only rose among the thorns, Taylor Swift for I Knew You Were Trouble.

As you may all know, the Video of the Year is the biggest and most coveted VMA. In the show’s 29 years, it has gone to the likes of Aerosmith to Madonna, Eminem to Rihanna, Pearl Jam to Lady Gaga, and both Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Now we’ll be ranking the past 29 winners and see which one is the best among the rest in this precious group of winners.

You can click the image to link you to the actual music video.

29: Britney Spears, “Piece of Me” (2008)
Director: Wayne Isham

Britney Spears has created some of the most engaging music videos among her contemporaries including the now iconic Baby…One More Time in 1999. However, it’s sad to know that her only win for VotY comes from 2008′s Piece of Me. It was not bad video per se, but it’s very obvious that the win was mainly political. After the backlash she received a year prior when she opened the show for Gimme More, MTV made up to her by giving her a mini sweep the following year which included this win for top plum.

28: Don Henley, “The Boys of Summer” (1985)
Director: Jean Baptiste-Mondino

A black and white video that shows the metamorphosis of man in some of the most crucial stages of his life is the main concept of this Don Henley single. While it’s black and white approach helped it, one can’t help but wonder how this, in any way, is the best music video of that year? Even Don Henley can’t help but poke fun at the idea by stating that he won an award for riding in the back of a pick up.

27: Eminem, “Without Me” (2002)
Director: Joseph Kahn

While Eminem’s Without Me video is fun and colorful like any of his past videos, this win gives a been there done that film especially since he already won for a similar and more fun parody video just two years ago for The Real Slim Shady. And while the Survivor, Moby, and Batman jokes were fun in general, it just does not live up to a lot of videos in the list. What’s surprising though is that this also won the Grammy for Short Form Music Video so maybe I’m alone in this train?

26: INXS, “Need You Tonight/Mediate” (1988)
Director: Richard Lowenstein

This music video which combined two INXS singles in one is probably seen as a huge technical achievement during its time. Relying on a lot of visual effects (and an interesting one at that), this win results from the impact it made when it was released more than the longevity it has now. Still, it’s a catchy fun video to watch.

25: Neil Young, “This Note’s for You” (1989)
Director: Julien Temple

In what to be one of the more controversial videos of that year, Neil Young’s video which pokes fun at the concept of rockstars and advertising. It also included a Michael Jackson look-a-like setting fire on his own hair, This Note’s for You was initially banned at MTV as per the request of Jackson’s lawyers. Not only did MTV reconsider their decision, they also decided to reward it with the highest honor that year, ultimately beating Michael Jackson’s Leave Me Alone for the win. How’s that for a one two punch victory?

24: Katy Perry, “Firework” (2011)
Director: Dave Meyers

Every now and then, we see music videos that try to make a statement to the world. That’s what Katy Perry’s Firework exactly did as it addressed issues of homosexuality, confidence in one self, and standing up against others to name a few. Add in some colorful fireworks and the wonderful view of the Buda Castle. But come on, who are we kidding? If there’s one thing you’d remember from this video, it’s Katy Perry’s breasts spewing fireworks left and right. Now how’s that for a statement?

23: Van Halen, “Right Now” (2011)
Director: Mark Fenske

Right Now is a strong song on its own, but with the video containing lots of political statements all throughout, it somehow overshadowed the actual song. It’s a case of two great components (in this case, the song and the video) not bringing the best and ultimately dismissing each other. But yes, it will pass for a great PSA.

22: The Cars, “You Might Think” (1984)
Director: Jeff Stein, Alex Weil, Charlie Levi

The very first winner of the Video of the Year title happens to be CGI heavy one with model Susan Gallagher always seeing the members of the band everywhere she goes. It’s a very tongue in cheek approach for a video, but one that is clearly fun to watch especially with all the technological advancements now. It’s actually not bad for the neophyte win for this category.

21: Panic! at the Disco, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” (2006)
Director: Shane Drake

With 2006 being the first fan voted VMAs when it comes to determining the winners, we’re sure in bound for a surprise. And yes, we did when newbie rock group Panic! at the Disco winning the top plum for I Write Sins Not Tragedies. On one hand, it’s actually a decent video with the group crashing a circus themed wedding and featured lots of lavish costume designs and art direction. On the other hand, the mere fact that this is the only category they end up winning speaks volumes on the overall perception to the video.

20: Green Day, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (2005)
Director: Samuel Bay

It’s surprising to think that Green Day has only won the Video of the Year once, thanks to their career resurgence in 2004-2005. Their win comes for the music video of Boulevard of Broken Dreams which was also their biggest song during this era. What’s particularly striking about this video is the approach that director Samuel Bayer to give the dusty aged feeling of it. It definitely clicked well with the MTV people, as it won five other awards aside from VotY.

19: Christina Aguilera, Lil Kim, Mya, Pink, “Lady Marmalade” (2001)
Director: Paul Hunter

It’s sad to think that Fatboy Slim’s Weapon of Choice lost this award after sweeping the technical categories that year, but with this once in a lifetime moment to reward this diva collaboration by four of the in demand artists during that time is too hard for MTV to resist. That of course, and the fact that they were wearing lingerie through out the video definitely sealed the deal. As Christina Aguilera mentioned in their speech… “The big hair paid off!” Yes honey, it definitely did.

18: Eminem, “The Real Slim Shady” (2000)
Director: Dr. Dre, Phillip Atwell

Eminem’s first win in this category was for the more controversial video of his 2000 breakout song. Making fun of the popstars those days, a humping couple, and hundreds of Eminem clones among others are seen in the insult-filled version of The Real Slim Shady. While he was mostly in hot water during this moment, it also made him a household name during that time, so if there’s ain instance of controversy bringing in the good stuff, it’s definitely this.

17: Rihanna featuring Jay Z, “Umbrella” (2007)
Director: Chris Applebaum

From one two time winner to the other, Rihanna’s first time win here is still for her most iconic song to date. Umbrella, which was a major phenomenon during that time, not only promoted Rihanna from those R&B starlets to a star of her own, the video of her covered in silver paint also garnered positive praises from critics and the public. That’s why it’s no such surprise that it was chosen as 2007′s Video of the Year.

16: Missy Elliott, “Work It” (2003)
Director: David Meyers

Work It gave Missy Elliott a lot of firsts. Not only is this her first video which showcased her immense weight lost, the first single off her Grammy Album of the Year nominee Under Construction, but it was also her first video to win an MTV moonman. Missy might not look like a Halle Berry poster (as mentioned in the song), but she sure is firing in this video, and she can’t help but scream off excitement when she won VotY.

15: Madonna, “Ray of Light” (1998)
Director: Jonas Akerlund

Probably one of the most innovative female divas when it comes to music videos, it is really surprising that Madonna’s only win in this category is for 1998′s Ray of Light. I mean after Like a Prayer, Vogue, and even Take a Bow, this is what gave her the moonman for VotY. While one can easily think of it as a career award, this video which showed Madonna dancing while the whole world is moving behind her makes it an easy call that this merits her a much deserved win.

14: Sinead O’Connor, “Nothing Compares 2 U” (1990)
Director: John Maybury

It’s easy to dismiss this video as simply a close up of Sinead’s face, but what’s magnificent about it is the gamut of emotions that she showed as she sings the lyrics that reminded her of her relationship with her mother. This has been an inspiration to a lot of succeeding music videos showing only the singer’s face, but nothing parallels to the expressions shown here. Plus points to the random Paris shots in the video.

13: TLC, “Waterfalls” (1995)
Director: F. Gary Gray

The 90s has been notorious for making statements and narrating stories through music videos. TLC’s Waterfalls is definitely one of those who benefited from that. Packing in two stories that tackle HIV and drug selling, the sentimental feel of the video plus the shot of the girls dancing in the middle of the ocean (and later in the waterfalls) is a nice throwback of different 90s music video trends.

12: Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris, “We Found Love” (2012)
Director: Melina Matsoukas

The current title holder of this category is once again, Rihanna, only this time, her win comes from her lead single off Talk the Talk. This video with matching narration at the beginning is obviously a throwback to her once relationship with Chris Brown (with the leading man even a spitting image of him), and it went on to depict the relationship she once had with him. Set against the beautiful background of Ireland, this is probably Rihanna’s best video to date and a very deserving second win for her.

11: Dire Straits, “Money for Nothing” (1986)
Director: Steven Barron

In 1986, a completely animated music video is already seen as a big achievement, and I think that’s what pushed Dire Straits for the Video of the Year win. If you watch the music video, you will also be wowed with the technical achievement that it possessed given the time frame of when this was made. Director Steven Barron also helmed two other groundbreaking videos that year, and for that, one can’t say that this one is undeserving of the top prize.

10: Aerosmith, “Cryin’” (1994)
Director: Marty Callnar

Before videoke backgrounds decided to portray stories to accompany the lyrics, 90s rock music videos are also guilty of that. Aerosmith’s Cryin, which tells the story of a teen Alicia Silverstone whose heart was broken by Stephen Dorff, is probably one of their most requested videos. The shot of Silverstone jumping over a bridge and ending up giving a finger to Dorff is still one of the most iconic moments in music video endings. Give yourself a pat on the back if you identified Josh Holloway as the one who stole Silverstone’s bag in the cafe.

09: Lady Gaga, “Bad Romance” (2010)
Director: Francis Lawrence

There’s no better way to start this decade of music videos than with a big bang as Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance won the first Video of the Year for this decade. With dance steps inspired by Michael Jackson’s Thriller and containing some of Gaga’s stripped bare looks, not only does this video ended up with seven moonmen during the VMAs that year, but it also went on to be one of the most viewed Youtube music videos of all time. Not bad for a bad romance.

08: Pearl Jam, “Jeremy” (1993)
Director: Mark Pellington

With a very haunting video that portrays the character “Jeremy” being eaten by peer pressure and dysfunctional families which ended him into taking his own life is probably too much for a music video, but then again, it’s one that perfectly suits the nature of the song. This video has been banned and has been blamed for the cause of non-stop school shooting rampages that happened in the US, which is unfair for the music video. One can argue its connection but one cannot argue the effect it has.

07: OutKast, “Hey Ya!” (2004)
Director: Bryan Barber

Throwing a homage to The Beatles and their 1964 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show is the primary thing that you’ll notice in this very colorful OutKast music video. Now how this duo managed to portray everyone in the band might involve some visual effect tricks, but it also tripled the fun of the final product. How a fun song can be upstaged by a more fun video is definitely a testament of a great Video of the Year win.

06: Beyonce, “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” (2009)
Director: Jake Nava

Sure, it’s easy to credit Gwen Verdon’s dance routine over at The Ed Sullivan Show as the inspiration for this music video, but we all know that Beyonce surely did bring something to the table that made this an iconic music video with everyone from Justin Timberlake to Queen Latifah to First Lady Michelle Obama jamming to it. It maybe the dancing, it maybe the continuous effect, but whatever it is, it surely made Kanye West believe that “it’s one of the best videos of all time… OF…ALL..TIME!” Okay, Kanye, you win.

05: Peter Gabriel, “Sledgehammer” (1987)
Director: Stephen Johnson

Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer is definitely in for the books as one of the most famous and iconic music videos ever. By 1987, it already paved the way for music videos to be memorable and unique and be outside the box in terms of creativity. Combining claymation, pixilation, and stop motion format, it broke barriers and held its own in music video history. There’s a reason why it won a record breaking nine MTV VMAs (a record he still holds until now) and as the most played music video in MTV history. And Brit Gabriel did it by just sitting down in his video. Spell awesome.

04: Lauryn Hill, “Doo Wop (That Thing)” (1999)
Director: unspecified

As the 20th century comes to end, it’s nice to see that the last Video of the Year award for the 90s ended up with Lauryn Hill’s Doo Wop video. For one, it’s a bold statement about the role of women as she juxtaposed a 60s Lauryn on the left of the screen to a modern day 90s Lauryn on the right part. Not only does she present the message via the song, she made it clear what business she wants to say via the video.

03: REM, “Losing My Religion” (1991)
Director: Tarsem Singh

REM not only made a trademark song with Losing My Religion, but they also accompanied it with a dreamy and haunting music video. It’s dramatic, it’s dark, it’s bold, and one that will prompt you to watch for a second and third time. Seems like it was the intention all along which ended up not only with positive word of mouth, but also six MTV Video Music Awards including 1991′s choice for Video of the Year.

02: Jamiroquai, “Virtual Insanity” (1997)
Director: Jonathan Glazer

You know how sometimes after watching a music video, you’d ended up saying “Cool. I wanna try that too.” That’s what Virtual Insanity ended up doing to a lot of those who saw the song’s video. With some sliding floors, animated roaches, and moving sofas, it’s one that every child wants to try. I might not speak for everybody but that’s what I felt like after the first time I see it back when I was still seven. If ever they intend to put hidden meanings among these, I’d never realize, but one thing’s for sure: I’d love to try a moving floor.

01: The Smashing Pumpkins, “Tonight Tonight” (1996)
Director: Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris

Sometimes, the best ideas are those that accidentally pop up. The first idea for this video ended up not happening since it’s similar to a Red Hot Chili Peppers video that was just recently launched. This prompted them to go with another that will focus on the audience interpretation of the song, but that quickly fizzled too. The last and final idea that they used is a throwback to the silent film A Trip to the Moon. With limited materials and costumes to use, who would have thought this will end up as a Video of the Year winner and my pick as the best in the show’s 29 year history? Aside from VotY, it also ended up winning five other moonmen making it as the biggest winning video of 1996. Sounds about right.

There you go! What are your favorites among the list above? And which video among the five nominees this year will join the ranks of those above? With the fan voted concept, it’s hard to dismiss Taylor Swift especially since the last six winners here are all pop solo female and she’s the only one who fits the bill. But then again, I can see them finally giving an overdue VotY win to three time nominee Justin Timberlake who is still winless for the top prize. Right now, I’m leaning on JT though I won’t be surprised if it ended up with Taylor winning.

As always, you can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

Early last week, the lead single off Britney Spears’ soon to be released latest album leaked off the whole online community. The song, which was entitled Work Bitch!, is her first single in two years and a kick start song from her eighth full studio album. This has made Britney fans and pop geeks drool over to see if girl still has it in her as one of pop’s most defining princesses. In celebration of the video premiere of Work Bitch (in two days), we’d stroll back memory lane and rank all of her eight lead singles to see which ones still sound great and which ones can we start to forget. Let’s go work it bitches.

*Clicking the photo will lead you to the YT video of the said song.

08. Hold It Against Me (2011)
ALBUM: Femme Fatale

Sure, Femme Fatale is one of her better albums by far, but is quite unfortunate that this wasn’t represented by a great opening single. Hold It is as disposable as one gets, it’s forgettable, it’s not distinct, and it doesn’t hold up to a lot of Britney’s old songs. There’s nothing about it that makes you feel it will be remembered in a long time. If anything though, it served its purpose of Brit’s fans getting excited with new material, so it ended up its way on top of the Hot 100. But upon listening to the rest of the album, Hold It is nothing special as compared to the gems of this album. But don’t worry, we won’t hold it against you, Britney.

07. Oops!…I Did It Again (2000)
ALBUM: Oops!…I Did It Again

Wait what did she really do again? Come up with a dancey pop song? Lyrics containing unlimited yeahs? Add ellipsis on the title of her single? Whatever it is, Oops!… is a catchy song that simply did not hold up well. Listening to the song now shows how dated it is, but then again I understand why it’s such a hit during its release time. It has the Titanic reference, she’s wearing a red dominatrix suit, and this catapulted her into pop superstardom. It’s still fun to listen to this every now and then, and it’s a total representation of her pop status in 2000.

06. Me Against the Music (2004)
ALBUM: In the Zone

It was her first song post that VMA kiss, so it’s wise of her team to stick to the Madonna reference as her opening starter for her 2004 album In the Zone. After all, Britney rarely does collaborations and duets with other singers.  This did well, though the breathy delivery of the verses is something that refrains people from jamming with it perfectly. The video was so-so as well, though it gave enough material for some MadTV skit. This makes sense as a lead single… until we found out that it was followed by Toxic which is like one of the best Britney songs ever.

05. Womanizer (2009)
ALBUM: Circus

For her comeback single since everything that has happened to her from 2006 onwards, Britney stayed safe by opening this era with a song that is so repetitively done but is totally in her zone. Womanizer did its job as the perfect reminder of how Britney was loved by the people during her heydays: it has a catchy hook, a colorful music video, shows her body is in top form, and gives us those dancing skills we miss from her. For that alone, this is one strategic reminder of the old Britney while also introducing her to the new crowd.

04. Work Bitch (2013)
ALBUM: Yet to be announced

With seven albums now, Britney must think of a way on how to maintain interests with her material given the pop female domination now. And she does it by going the EDM way with her latest single. Work Bitch is very different from her previous singles, as it is her most “dancey” yet. It has that addictive beat that is just so inviting that you’d forgive her for trying to fit words such as governor, France, and treble in it.  I was looking for that RuPaul touch though.

03. Gimme More (2007)
ALBUM: Blackout

Well yeah, I’m quite indifferent that people’s biggest memory of this song is that disastrous but iconic MTV VMA opening performance. With that said, never judge a song by its debut performance. Blackout is still, by far, the best Britney album to date, and Gimme More compliments it. It’s a song that never gets old and doesn’t have an “overrated” stamp in it. Also, it contain’s one of the best opening lines in any song with her three liner of “It’s Britney, Bitch!“

02. I’m A Slave 4 U (2001)
ALBUM: Britney

If Britney remained teasing with her her first two albums, she manages to play with her sexuality in her third album. And to signal that, she released I’m A Slave 4 U at that year’s MTV Video Music Awards with tiger and pythons in tow. This is personally one of my favorite Britney tracks, and the music video provided more oomph to this addictive song. What I like about it is that it’s a song that gets better with each listen and that it just flat out screams sexy and sass.

01. ...Baby One More Time (1999)
ALBUM: …Baby One More Time

Come on, admit it. It’s not even a competition.There’s a reason why Britney was the teen queen and the forefront of pop when she broke out. It’s definitely …Baby One More Time. From the school setting, the “baby baby“, the endless covers, and its impact to almost everyone, there’s no doubt that this unleashed and took the bubblegum pop genre to a whole new level. Needless to say, but not only is this one of the most iconic songs of its generation, but it’s also one of the best pop songs ever.

But before I leave, do participate in the poll below:

There you have it! The music video of Work Bitch premieres in two days, and if you have seen the behind the scene photos, this seems to be another banger from Brit herself!

You can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

It was the television season of 2009-2010 when we were first introduced to three different families: the Dunphys with control freak mom Claire and happy go lucky dad Phil, the Pritchetts with sexy and loud Latina Gloria and a much older husband Jay, and gay couple Mitchell and Cameron. Four years later, with four Comedy Series Emmys, stars as household names, and a hundred plus nominations from different TV award giving bodies, Modern Family is definitely one of the landmarks of TV comedy this generation.

And as the show celebrate their 100th episode this week, let’s take a visit down memory lane and check the show’s fifteen best episodes from the first 99 ones:

All photos are courtesy of abc.go.com/shows/modern-family/photos

01. PILOT (Season 1, Episode 1)
Written by: Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd
Directed by: Jason Winer

I’m very lenient when it comes to pilot episodes of comedies since it needs a certain amount of time before the show can finally find and settle with the direction of where it wants to go. With that said, Modern Family is off to a good start by coming up with one of the funniest pilot episodes in years. The show gave a clear background of all the characters and introduced us to their world instantly. And of course, who would ever forget the Circle of Life moment which is like one of the best use of the song since…well…uhm… The Lion King?

02. FIZBO (Season 1, Episode 9)
Written by: Paul Corrigan, Brad Walsh
Directed by: Jason Winer

Eight episodes later, and we had the first birthday of the show when Luke Dunphy had his animal themed birthday. Between Gloria jumping as the men drools over her, Claire trying her best in the bead section of the party, and the introduction of Fizbo the clown a.k.a. one of the most memorable alter egos in the show, it’s definitely one of the show’s strongest episodes.

03. MY FUNKY VALENTINE (Season 1, Episode 15)
Written by: Jerry Collins
Directed by: Michael Spiller

Valentine episodes are common among comedy series, so it’s hard to come up with a memorable one, but the show’s first take on it is its best one yet. If Cameron has Fizbo, then Phil and Claire has Clive and Julianna as their alter egos. This also addressed the initial observation between Jay and Gloria’s age differences, but in a very comedic manner. Now if only the show’s succeeding Valentine-themed ones were as great as this one…

04. THE KISS (Season 2, Episode 2)
Written by: Abraham Higginbotham
Directed by: Scott Ellis

As I mentioned above, one of the best things about Modern Family is how they address the issues about the show and the characters in it. During the first season, the show received some flack for not showing any kisses between gay couple Cam and Mitch.  And with this second episode from their sophomore season, they finally managed to answer all back in a very heartfelt manner. Kudos, guys!

05. EARTHQUAKE (Season 2, Episode 3)
Written by: Paul Corrigan, Brad Walsh
Directed by: Michael Spiller

During its first airing, it was a pretty weird theme as it was up against Glee‘s Grilled Cheesus episode. Both involved religious themed storylines, and we saw both of it in the same week. But this one is probably more consistent, as it showed three different storylines, all funny as they revolve around one incident: the earthquake. If Gloria killing a rat isn’t enough for you, then maybe Phil surviving a cabinet fall while Claire is stuck with the plumber might do the trick.

06. UNPLUGGED (Season 2, Episode 5)
Written by: Steven Levitan
Directed by: Michael Spiller

Definitely what I consider as my most favorite episode of Modern Family ever, I have probably lost count on how many times I’ve seen this episode. On one hand, you have Cam and Mitch battling it out with a lesbian couple for a shot at an exclusive school. On the other, you have Gloria’s rowdy fight with her neighbor’s dog. And over at the Dunphys, a contest on who can stand away from technology the longest is happening. If Earthquake managed to bring three storylines with one relation, then this one had three separate storylines all working effectively. I still howl like a mad man everytime Gloria mentions that “jar of pickols“.

07. HALLOWEEN (Season 2, Episode 6)
Written by: Jeffrey Richman
Directed by: Michael Spiller

Winner of the Emmy for Best Directing in a Comedy Series, the show’s first Halloween episode is definitely a riot in almost any aspect. You have Mitchell being stuck in the bathroom of his office donning a Spiderman costume, Phil and Claire’s over the top Halloween preparations, and Gloria’s accent issues are the highlight of this episode. As the show went on, Modern Family have become some sort of formulaic wit their treatment of the episodes, but this belongs to the earlier ones where everything is still fresh and clicking.

08. MANNY GET YOUR GUN (Season 2, Episode 8)
Written by: Danny Zuker
Directed by: Michael Spiller

It’s safe to say that one of the show’s secret weapons is its great use of its ensemble. That’s why storylines that involve the whole cast is such a joy to watch. For the show’s second season, it’s Manny’s turn to celebrate his birthday and while this would have been a perfect time for a celebration, the opposite happens to be the case for each of the family’s feuding issues. With that said, how the show managed to still end up on a sweet note is what earns the “aww” after watching this episode.

09. CAUGHT IN THE ACT (Season 2, Episode 13)
Written by: Steven Levitan, Jeffrey Richman
Directed by: Michael Spiller

It is no secret that most of the stories featured in the show were from real life experiences of the writing group. That’s why it’s even funnier when Caught in the Act was shown primarily because of them admitting who are responsible for what stories. It was writer Jeffrey Richman’s own experience on what happened to Cama nd Mitch’s spilling issue, while show creator Steven Levitan is guilty of the Dunphy’s. If you still need more evidence on why this episode is one of the show’s best, one simply has to remember that uncompromising position between Phil and Claire at the start of the episode to prove my point.

10. DOOR TO DOOR (Season 3, Episode 3)
Written by: Bill Wrubel
Directed by: Chris Koch

Moving on to the show’s third season, this is the first episode that particularly clicked with me. That “door to door” montage of Claire, Jay and Manny, and Cameron and Gloria is one of the best edited scenes of the whole series. This episode shows us the fatherly side of Jay, which is a rarity in the show and with his character. Plus points to that Streetcar Named Desire reference in Gloria and Cam’s story.

11. LEAP DAY (Season 3, Episode 17)
Written by: Danny Zuker
Directed by: Gail Mancuso

The leap day narrative has been done in at least three shows the week this was aired, but what made this one memorable is that they connected it with a character, as it was revealed that it was Cam’s birthday.  Just the mere fact that Cam is in denial that this is his 40th birthday, as compared to his claim that it’s his 10th one is already a hoot. Then you also have Phil’s wish for this day to be special which is so typical of his character to do, and of Claire to be the thorn in his rose of plans. Gloria and Jay’s was the filler one here, but as expected, they managed to wrap this up in the end with a heart-tugging celebration that involved the whole ensemble.

12. BABY ON BOARD (Season 3, Episode 24)
Written by: Anraham Higginbotham
Directed by: Steven Levitan

Modern Family has a habit of screwing up their season finale episodes. In the first season, I would have preferred it if Hawaii was their last episode. In the second one, See You Next Fall made more sense as the season closer. But for the show’s third season, they finally managed to hit it the right way. As the episode began, it seemed like it’s your typical episode with all the comedy already. But it went to be more dramatic as it progresses, and it just ended on that bittersweet moment with Cam and Mitch under the stars. Also, it’s their first time to do a cliff hanger story with Gloria’s revelation.

13. ARRESTED (Season 4, Episode 7)
Written by: Becky Mann, Audrey Sielaff
Directed by: Gail Mancuso

Current winner of the Directing in a Comedy Emmy, Arrested is a perfect throwback to the older Modern Family. At this stage in the show, they have already managed to pair up all possible combination in their ensemble, but it’s still refreshing to see them do it by threes instead. Also, it’s great that they focus some of their major storylines to the kids in the show (particularly Haley in this one, since the kids have already built a fanbase of their own, and has shown multiple times in the past that they are capable to deliver as well) since it’s always the adults who take up the credit in terms of the show’s acting.

14. GOODNIGHT GRACIE (Season 4, Episode 24)
Written by: Steven Levitan, Jeffrey Richman
Directed by: Steven Levitan

Now we’re even when it comes to season finales. If the first two finales were underwhelming, the latter two definitely were much better ones. Goodnight Gracie is a very dramatic arc to say the least, we’re attending a funeral after all. But if there’s one show that manages to bring the optimism in cases such as this, it’s definitely this one. It felt like an effective throwback to the first season where in the characters are not playing exaggerated versions of themselves (a habit most sitcoms are guilty of), and the sweetness isn’t totally forced. I also noticed how the spotlight in the series finales isn’t limited to one person only, and Alex giving that speech is a worthy way to end an uneven season.

15. FIRST DAYS (Season 5, Episode 2)
Written by: Paul Corrigan, Brad Walsh
Directed by: Steven Levitan

As for the show’s current season, what I particularly love about this episode is that it makes the show feel as if it’s a character in the episode as well. With this one, it’s as if the show is on its first day as well, as it tries out new approach in its storytelling. From the stories in the actual episode, up until the delivery of the “lesson” at the end and the transitions in between stories, this is Modern Family doing a different approach. And I’m sorry but I can’t let my discussion of this episode pass without mentioning that hilarious Gloria and Phil moments as commercial extras.

There you have it! Are you excited for the episode this week? And did you love their new OBB? Don’t forget to watch Modern Family this Wednesday, 9 PM on ABC.

Also, you can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

Hi everyone! We’ve passed the latter part of the month, and Christmas is really around the corner? One of the things I really love about December is coming up with my year end lists! And there’s no better kick off to that than by posting my list of Entertainers of the Year list. Inspired by Entertainment Weekly’s same title, I came up with 15 names whose 2013 is a breakout year in local pop culture scene. Last year, Nora Aunor topped the list which also included Janice de Belen, Iza Calzado, and married couple Zoren Legaspi and Carmina Villaroel. Here are 2013′s batch of entertainers:

Photo courtesy of: twitter.com/DorisBigornia

And she’s bacccckkkk!!! After long years, the one and only Mutya ng Masa graces our screen again with her strong and feisty presence. Whether it’s asking the taumbayan questions for senatoriables, going back and forth with people on the street on their opinions of things, or showing her natural flair of humor and comedy on Gandang Gabi Vice, hers is a presence that was greatly missed. As if that’s not enough, she also serves as a fairy godmother very Tuesday afternoon in her own public service program, 2013 reunited us with this lively lady muse.

Photo courtesy of: philstar.com

Sure, the Philippine independent cinema has been roaring and peaking as each year passes, but aside from the movies that we see, we’re also showered with the great talents that we witness. And this year, indie figure Angeli Bayani is definitely the queen of festivals. You can find her participating in the Cinemalaya entry Purok 7, Sineng Pambansa entries Lauriana and Tinik and in the CineFilipino entry The Guerilla is a Poet. As if that’s enough yet, she shares the same distinction this year with Marion Cotillard and Carey Mulligan: all three of them graced the Cannes Film Festival multiple times as she’s a part of Lav Diaz’ Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan, and Singapore’s Oscar entry, Anthony Chen’s Ilo Ilo. 2x Oscar Best Director Ang Lee summed it best, when he said Angeli is a national treasure.

Photo by Jojit Lorenzo from http://manila.coconuts.com

Ever since his breakthrough in One True Love last year, Kapuso actor Alden Richards is definitely primed to be the next big leading man of its network. As a proof, he participated in two Kapuso series this year (Indio, Mundo Mo’y Akin), starred in his own Magpakailanman episode, and will soon be seen in the Metro Manila Film Festival entry 10,000 Hours alongside Robin Padilla. That’s more than enough confirmation that this mestizo hunk is definitely being groomed to follow the paths of Dingdong Dantes and Richard Gutierrez among others. Oh, and who would forget his Cosmopolitan Bachelor Bash stint this year?

Photo courtesy of: bidakapamilya.blogspot.com

If there’s one love team who definitely takes the cake as the most remarkable this year, no question that it’s the team up of Kapamilya stars Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo. Collectively known as Kathniel, they have managed to sweep the whole nation’s feet and surge into their best year yet as a love team. Last March, they had their launching movie Must Be Love which performed greatly at the box office. And as before the year ends, they’ll once again star in the lone horror MMFF entry Pagpag which will be another of their blockbuster. But aside from that, their follow up teleserye Got 2 Believe not only is a consistent top rater, but it’s definitely on Twitter’s trending topic worldwide EVERY.SINGLE.NIGHT. It’s definitely a career peak for both of these teens, and we’re waiting what’s next for them.

Photo courtesy of: philstar.com

The most prominent siblings in collegiate basketball the past season, the whole UAAP men’s basketball finale was all about one surname: TENG. Elder brother Jeric Teng of the UST Growling Tigers competes with younger sibling Jeron Teng of the DLSU Green Archers during the best of three series. And while it’s Jeron and the rest of the Green Archers that added a championship trophy in their mantle, the biggest winner from this are parents Alvin and Susan Teng whose hundreds of interviews and guesting stints this season have already emphasized how proud of them of their kids. The good things doesn’t stop there though, as Jeric easily got drafted by Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the PBA while Jeron, if not doing guest stints in Got 2 Believe, continues his stints everywhere.

Photos courtesy of: sashfactor.info, normannorman.com, abs-cbnnews.com

2013 is probably the best year in a long time for Philippines in the pageant world, as it’s a year of firsts, fabs, and fun for this pageant loving country. Megan Young clinched the country’s first ever Miss World title when she won last September. Weeks before, Mutya Datul also gave us our first Miss Supranational title, and just two days ago, Bea Rose Santiago clinched us out fifth Miss International title (just one crown away in tying the best performing Venezuela). As if that’s enough yet, Ariella Arida continued the winning streak of our Miss Universe contenders by placing in the Top 5 for the fourth consecutive year. Both Cindy Miranda and Angelee Forbes also ended up as semifinalists in Miss Tourism Queen International and Miss Earth contests respectively. Then Ali Forbes also ended up as third runner up in Miss Grand International. And to cap this fantastic year, Gil Wagas is 4th Runner Up in the Mr. International pageant. Whew!

Photo courtesy of: twitter.com/atomaraullo

As if he’s not on anybody’s list yet, ABS CBN’s in house reporter Atom Araullo suddenly became the country’s top leading man. Only this time it’s not for the movies. His commendable and brave coverage of the Yolanda incident last month gave new meaning to the word professionalism. Not only did he turn out to be the unsung hero of the incident, it also gave birth to memes such as the Man in the Rain and ATHORM Araullo. But what’s more impressive about it is that you know the man is not doing it for the acclaims or the buzz, but more of the human intention of helping other people. Apart from that, he continues to be a reason women wake up in the morning – literally that is – via Umagang Kay Ganda and creeping us every Friday afternoon with interesting stories in Hiwaga.

Photo courtesy of: sssip.wordpress.com

Definitely one of the prettiest faces in the biz then and now, Vivian Velez made 2013 a perfect comeback year for her both in television and movies. In the small screen, she starred  in two series for two networks with Misibis Bay in TV5, and as Malvina Sancuevas in the local adaptation of famous Mexican telenovela in Maria Mercedes in ABSCBN. In the big screen, her short but memorable stint as the female boss in On the Job made her the fierce female boss, but more than that, her participation in the Cinema One Originals entry Bendor not only gave her her first lead role status in years, but also a Best Actress accolade in the said festival. What a comeback indeed.

Photo courtesy of: musicweekly.asia

Rap music continues to be a force to be reckoned with in the Philippine music scene, after the likes of the late great Francis M., and Gloc 9 kept it alive the past few years.  The latest addition and poster boy of the said genre is 23 year old Raymond Abracosa, more familiarly known as Abra. Initially a part of the hiphop group LDP (Lyrically Deranged Poets) back in 2010, the rise of the fliptop sensation introduced him more to the general public. Last August, Abra launched his first concert and has performed in over 25 different TV shows the past year in the three largest networks of the country from ABS CBN’s Gandang Gabi Vice and Minute to Win It to GMA’s Celebrity Bluff and TV5′s Wowowillie. Now a certified household name, I’m pretty certain it takes more than a gayuma or an ilusyon on why he’s one of 2013′s entertainers of the year.

Photo courtesy of: Yes! Magazine Facebook page

Big things come in small packages. Or in this case, big talents come in small eight year old girls. Ryzza Mae Dizon is probably as cute as a button but I’m sure you’d be wowed by all her achievements thus far. Hosting her own talk show The Ryzza Mae Show everyday then going straight to Eat Bulaga! right after, that’s just a part of Aling Maliit”s daily routines. She has also covered magazines, starred in a lot of advertisements. and won awards left right from Child Star of the Year up to Best Talk Show Host. And she’s ending this year with a bang by starring in her own MMFF entry My Little Bossings. Her 2013 alone can definitely be considered as one of the greatest in the history of child stars.

Photo courtesy of: Esquire Philippines Facebook page

What a year for this pretty mestiza actress! Not only did she step out from being one of the second tier actresses in her station, she carved a name for herself as one of 2013′s biggest breakthrough stars. Probably the greatest thing that happened to her this year is that she went single as it opened a lot of new doors for her career wise. Playing the coveted title role in Maria Mercedes, Jessy not only showed us her amazing salsa skills, she also highlights her acting chops amidst the great veteran actors of the show. And of course, the endless magazine covers she had (even twice in the same month!) and appearing as Pokwang’s daughter in Call Center Girl. But I guess if there’s one visual image that Jessy left her stamp in 2013, it’s that ordering a McSpicy meal hasn’t been sexier the way she did it in her commercial.

Photo courtesy of: talentscoops.com

Certainly one of the best things that happened to Philippine singing shows, The Voice of the Philippines just murdered all these other local adaptations of foreign singing shows by coming up with an inspired coach line up. On one hand, you have apl.de.ap, a part of the prominent Grammy winning group Black Eyed Peas. Then there’s rocker Bamboo whose fanbase continues to grow as his years in the industry grows as well. Then there’s Pop Royalty Sarah Geronimo who still remains as the best output of her generation. And to complete the quartet, Tony winner and definitely on a league of her own, Lea Salonga. Aside from their natural chemistry, one of the best things they produced are their different coaches collaboration which we got a lot this year from Imagine to Man in the Mirror and even up to the official Christmas soundtrack. I mean if you’re gonna be coaching people in a singing competition, then you better show them how it’s actually done.

Photo courtesy of: latestcelebrityupdate.blogspot.com

Ever since he entered show business way back in 2009, there’s no doubt that 2013 has been the best by far for hunk Tom Rodriguez. Earlier this year, he’s best known as Aiza Seguerra’s partner Pards in the daytime hit drama Be Careful with my Heart. Months after, her switched networks to GMA, and that proved to be the best career decision by far. He got his first primetime lead role via the buzzed show My Husband’s Lover which opened more doors not only for him, but an unlikely love team with co-star Dennis Trillo (a.k.a TomDen). This show catapulted him not only to leading man status, but a pin up boy as one of the two faces of this year’s Cosmo Bachelor Bash. He’s also a recording artist and did concerts here and abroad with the rest of My Husband’s Lover’s cast. With this great 2013, he definitely jumps his way as one of the best and most successful post-Pinoy Big Brother careers.

Photo courtesy of: stardomfanatics.com

One word: PUSO. Probably in the best local basketball result of the year, it has been a long and winding road for this Philippine basketball team. But like anything else, patience is definitely worth the wait. Whether facing issues of the events venue, finding an immediate replacement for the host country, and even player participation, Gilas Pilipinas lives up to its name by showing greatness among other things via the team’s hard work and resiliency. That’s why when they’re up against that crucial game against Korea, the whole country is on their back supporting the whole team. And I’m certain that when that game ended, not a dry eye can be found on the whole arena as all you hear are loud congratulatory cheers. And while the team wasn’t able to beat Iran in the final round, who even cares anymore? It’s all about Madrid in 2014, and I’m sure the country will be there again to support this team, and the team will be motivated than ever to bring pride to the country.

Photo courtesy of: Esquire Philippines Facebook page

And 2013′s Entertainer of the Year is none other than… Joel Torre. In probably one of his most notable years in his career, Torre aced both the small and big screen this year. He started this year in the small screen as Pepe in Juan dela Cruz and ended it up with the role of funny and conniving Governor Hugo Layer in Honesto. But aside from that, his most remarkable moments for this year were his performances in the movies. As Tatang in On the Job, Torre shared lead star status with the likes of Piolo Pascual and Gerald Anderson. Then his Best Actor winning portrayal in the Cinema One Originals entry Kabisera as the controlling patriarch gave him two of the finest roles to work on this year. It’s rare that actors of his age get meaty roles like this, but it’s even rarer to find actors who’ll give justice to both roles. He already earned two Best Actor trophies, each film apiece, and he better makes more space for his shelf as he’ll be getting more this coming awards season. And with that, there’s person no more fitting to own the title of 2013′s Entertainer of Year than him.

There you have it! 2013′s honor roll as Entertainers of the Year! Who were your favorites in the list? Who do you think were overlooked? And who are your personal entertainers of the year? I’d love to hear your thoughts as well!

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Last year, I opened my list by saying that 2012 was an enjoyable year in local cinema. Turns out, I was speaking way too soon because 2013 turned out to be an even better one. To say it is great is probably a hyperbole, but at the same time, I say it with much conviction (and even an understatement). The medium of cinema has never been more exciting and adventurous in the past few years than what the 2013 batch has offered. That goes without saying that it didn’t have its share of misfires and mess, but then again, this year is too strong to focus on that. Three titles you wouldn’t see on the list, however, are Lav Diaz’ Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan, Alvin Yapan’s Mga Anino ng Kahapon, and Sigrid Andrea Bernardo’s Ang Huling Chacha ni Anita, because I was foolish enough to miss them during their run. With that said, here are my 15 picks for the best in 2013 local cinema:

15. TUHOG (Veronica Velasco)

Maindie is one of those terms that sounded so forced you don’t want to hear it ever again, but this Veronica Velasco film of three intertwined stories connected by an unfortunate incident gives it a free pass to be used just this time. Each of the three sub-stories provided interesting characters and back stories that any of them could have been further fleshed out to a whole film. But then again, maybe that’s one of the film’s asset? The movie also boasts of a fitting soundtrack to its story, and the end result is one of 2013′s most fresh mainstream or in this case, maindie, offerings.

14. OTSO (Elwood Perez)

Otso is director Elwood Perez’ first film in ten years, and in this case, it is really worth the wait. I think that doesn’t apply on waiting for Elwood’s comeback only, but for the film as well. Otso started in scenes that were still in multicolor, but it just sets up for an even better film once it turns black and white. I don’t think I’ve necessarily picked up everything that the film wants to show, but it’s part of its appeal. It lures you to its world where the crazy and the wicked happens, and you’re simply hooked.

13. BABAGWA (Jason Paul Laxamana)

One of the two Audience choice winners at last year’s Cinemalaya, it’s easy to see why a lot fell in love with this film. Its humor is one that appeals to everyone. But digging deeper, I think it speaks a lot to the curious and inquisitive nature of ourselves. In here, we see two people fleshing out two different personas of each, and we, as the audience, are the witness to all of it. It’s such an engaging scenario that by the time the slow reveal at the end happens, you probably have an idea of what’s about to happen yet you still want to see it happen. It also boasts of an inspired screenplay and one that speaks of the current times.

12. BOY GOLDEN SHOOT TO KILL: The Arturo Porcuna Story (Chito Rono)

I’ve been quite dismissive of this MMFF entry just because it’s Jorge Estregan with a leading lady almost half his age yet again, but I guess surprises do come when you least expect it. Not only does this film serve as a perfect throwback to the yesteryears of enjoyable action flicks, we’re also served with its topnotch technical achievements. The twists and turns of thew characters here, plus that out of nowhere scenes that provided the camp makes it a good reminder that every now and then, never judge a movie by its horribly made poster.

11. KABISERA (Alfonso Torre III)

Yes I’m not here for that Breaking Bad comparisons simply because they are two different films that happened to have some similarities. it happens, but I don’t see any “copying” between these two. In Borgy Torre’s directorial debut, Kabisera shows us how one family man’s dreams happen and its good and bad repercussions not only to him but to the people around him. Anchored with a commanding performance by Joel Torre (one of his two this year) and a really great supporting ensemble, Kabisera is really thrilling as it can get.

10. QUICK CHANGE (Eduardo Roy Jr.)

Eduardo Roy Jr.’s follow up has a dark humorous tone in it that is simply irresistible. Just like how the characters in the film get totally pumped over having those “shots” that lead character Dorina provides to them, we are really drawn and addicted to what happens. It gives us a peak into this world which not many of us are particularly adept about, and it does a great job in doing so. That of course, and lead actor Mimi Juareza’s haunting turn in it.

09. BUKAS NA LANG SAPAGKAT GABI NA (Jet Leyco)

One of the common themes I noticed among the Cinema One Originals entries this year is that the films are more experimental in nature. Jet Leyco’s Bukas Na Lang Sapagkat Gabi Na provides a mysterious atmosphere that makes you more interested as the film goes on. It is weird and eerie and that’s what make it work. The film, in its own nature, has a great grasp of what it wants to show in a really inspired manner (the handheld camera effect, black and white parts, gunshot sounds), and it  makes the whole viewing more enjoyable. It’s one film I think I’ll enjoy more in repeat viewings.

08. PUROK 7 (Carlo Obispo)

A portrait of an optimistic girl living in small rural town was vividly depicted in Carlo Obispo’s debut feature Purok 7. As we follow the story of 14 year old Diana and her younger brother, we were given an escape, thanks to the eye catching scenery of the country side. But more than that, we witnessed and felt the agony of two kids who have long wanted to be a part of something and be a part of a family. The simplicity of it all is what makes this whole thing fresh, endearing, and leaves a lasting impression.

07. TRANSIT (Hannah Espia)

As the overall winner of last year’s Cinemalaya New Breed category, Hannah Espia’s debut effort Transit is an achievement on so many levels. Not only does its display of technical achievements noteworthy, but its storytelling was also seamlessly interwoven. It’s not everyday that we see this kind of potential on a first time full feature, but for this particular effort, Espia manages to hit the right buttons. And as a bonus, it even ended up as the country’s Oscar Foreign Language Film submission.

06. BLUE BUSTAMANTE  (Miko Lovelo)

OFW movies have been done to death already during the past decade, but first time director Miko Livelo puts a new spin on it in his Cinema One Originals entry Blue Bustamante. The expected dramatic scenes were instead replaced with an earned sentimentality that just wins you over. As main protagonist George, Joem Bascon was such a delight to watch as he finds a replacement work in Japan that will not only bring in the money but an even closer bond to his son and family who are miles apart. It’s definitely one of the most fun times I had at the movies for 2013.

05. DEBOSYON (Alvin Yapan)

Hypnotizing right from the start, this tale of one’s faith and acceptance  – may it be because of love or commitment or just one’s mere existence – is one that lingers even after the credits roll.  The film, which also is aided by minimal dialogues but really magnificent visuals, takes its viewers to some breathless imagery. The movie rested solely on its two lead’s but they did more than what they were asked for. Plus, the last 20 minutes of this film is still one of the bests I’ve see for this year.

04. ISKALAWAGS (Keith Deligero)

Like OFW films, coming of age films have been done to death now, but Keith Deligero’s refreshing approach in the Cinema One entry Iskalwags puts a more inspired approach to it. It’s not hard to fall for the film as it certainly evokes an environment that is light and not totally sentimental. It sparks a certain touch of youth and playfulness that is rarely captured this well on screen. The voice over also adds a more interesting spin, and it features an ensemble whose innocence translates in a totally natural manner.

03. ON THE JOB (Erik Matti)

Probably one of the most buzzed films of the year, this picture depicts a setting of a dirty and very complex government; one which needed more than just a person who has an optimistic view to eradicate it and start anew.  It is through this core notion where these characters live and breathe, as Erik Matti gives us a more than satisfying crime action thriller that is gripping and at at the same time, really, really timely. It’s one of the rare movie experiences that makes you even sadder as you come out of the theaters because of how easy one can reflect and connect it to what’s really going on.

02. SANA DATI (Jerrold Tarog)

The cinema has given us lots of love stories. Most of them with happy endings, while some were flat out tragedies.  In Jerrold Tarog’s closing effort to his camera trilogy, he uses the notion of whether to stay stagnant or to let go as a path to understand how love really works. In the case of Lovi Poe’s Andrea, it’s a hard task, especially when you’re ready to move on yet a reminder of the past shows up hours before you’re ready to take the jump. Sana Dati is one of the best stories about love I’ve seen in a long time. And there’s no other way to end the film that with Up Dharma Down’s Indak.

01. BADIL (Chito Rono)

At one point, it doesn’t even seem that this would make it at the Sineng Pambansa festival last August. But thankfully, it did. Chito Rono’s entry which focuses in a small Samar town on the eve of election day is as arresting as one can get. Like On the Job, it’s a depiction of what’s wrong in a society, but this one is less technically polished but of the same, if not even more, intensity. It’s a film that has a lot of long continuous shots, probably making the whole experience more captivating. It also has a good ensemble with a very intense Jhong Hilario leading the ship.  Badil was an entry in the All Master’s Edition of the Sineng Pambansa, and with his controlled and almost restrained direction, Rono definitely lives up to the challenge.

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In the field of awards prognosticating, there will always be films that looked and sounded promising but all potential is lost once the final product is seen on the big screen. Then there are those that can ride the coattails of the buzz they accumulated all year. However, each year produces some of the biggest awards flop such as 2005′s Elizabethtown, 2006′s The Good German and Bobby, 2008′s Evening, 2011′s J.Edgar, and last year’s Hyde Park on Hudson. Here are eight films that fit this bill from 2013′s offerings and whose accumulated Oscar nominations is a big fat zero. You know you’re pretty much toast when that obscure film Alone Yet Not Alone can attach OSCAR NOMINEE once they release the DVD right?

8. THE FIFTH ESTATE (Bill Condon)

Bill Condon has directed Oscar nominated performances such as those of Laura Linney in Kinsey, Bill Condon in Gods and Monsters, and the award winning performance of Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls. The past few years though he was busy doing the Twilight films. But one is bound to bounce to a comeback no? In his first film post-Twilight, Condon tackled the story of the Wikileaks. In it stars supposed 2013′s breakout star Benedict Cumberbatch who will move on from his TV star stage to American cinema with this lead star role. But with the film’s pans and getting lost in the shuffle among the more successful festival films was the final nail in this film’s award chances coffin. Not only was Cumberbatch getting the one-two punch of disaster, but his co-star Daniel Brühl as well (see the list below).

7. THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (Ben Stiller)

Fun fact: Ben Stiller has already directed one Oscar nominated performance via Robert Downey Jr.’s turn in Tropic Thunder
Fun fact 2: Terence Malick’s favorite film is the Ben Stiller starrer Zoolander.

Given those, it’s easy to see that the Academy is just probably waiting for that moment to give the spotlight to Ben Stiller after all these years. It seemed probable last year when he will direct himself in this serious but charming film of a daydreamer based on the adaptation of a short film. Even the promotion of the film is done well. The only dealbreaker was when the film actually premiered and it was welcome with lukewarm to terrible reviews. It was then clear that this is not the Oscar vehicle that they are waiting for. When the film has been snubbed already even in a shortlist of ten visual effects, and a field of seven in make up which includes film like Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters and Jackass Presents: Bad Gramdpa, it’s time to call the film’s awards prospects dead. Not even the Golden Globes came to Stiller’s defense this year. To be fair though, Jim Carrey is still waiting for his first nod.

6. THE COUNSELOR (Ridley Scott)

On one hand, it’s easy to note that thrillers haven’t done as well as compared to the early 90s when they scream Oscar! On the other, the people involved in this film have been so familiar with Oscar that you know they’d make an exception for it. Well maybe not. But this on paper sounds like one of those shoo-in Oscar baits. Cormac McCarthy (whose novel No Country for Old Men swept the 2007 Oscars) writes his second original screenplay and is directed by Best Picture Gladiator’s director Ridley Scott. The cast has 10 Oscar nods under their belt with wins for real life couple Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz. As a matter of fact, the continuous hype over this is Cameron Diaz’ scene stealing scene that would have finally made her overdue Oscar snubs worth it. The film also boasts of baity technical achievements with the colorful costumes to the sound and cinematography that it’s bound to be noticed by Oscar. Of course the mere fact that you have read it in this list means none of those happened. In the end, it’s probably one of those films that the cast did for paycheck since no one bothered to promote it at all and has moved on to their different projects since.

5. RUSH (Ron Howard)

I don’t think this was meant to be an Oscar vehicle per se, but with Ron Howard, you’ll never know? His closest shot to an Oscar nomination since A Beautiful Mind dominated 12 years ago, this (another) biopic is one for the sports fans as it tells the rivalry of F1 legends James Hunt and Niki Lauda. The hopes went high for this one during September when things are getting solid of the race, but its box office disappointment in the US, while understandable, is still a disappointment. At the end of the day, this seems like the film that could especially when Daniel Brühl resurrected his (and the film’s) chances when he got nominated at the BFCA, GG, SAG, and BAFTA and was even a nominee for Best Picture Drama at the Globes. As predicted though, the whole Rush-urrection (if ever there was really one) came short when the guilds start to showcase their picks and Rush is nowhere to be seen. The film is simply non existent to these guilds which resulted to a shutout at the Oscars. To be fair though, it’s one of the two good films in this list.

4. DIANA (Oliver Hirschbiegel)

After getting her second Oscar nomination nine years from her first, things look really great for Naomi Watts. She made the most out of her fresh Oscar nod to work with the likes of Noah Baumbach and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. However, the only misstep she did is taking the role of Princess Diana. You know the feeling when there’s something really bad will happen and you knew it was doomed from the start? Yep, we all had the feeling. Every one that is, except Naomi Watts. This mess of a film was supposed to be her Oscar winning vehicle, but the signs already showed as early as Cannes when it took them days to find a distributor that will carry the film in the US. To make it clearer, a seven minute clip of Philomena was shown and after that, studios started to bid for the movie. Diana, showed the whole movie, yet no one still bid for it days after the event. It then went to E-One (a budding distributor in the US), but when the UK reviews started to pop in, it was very clear that disaster has indeed arrived. At that stage, probably the only thing that could have saved the faces of those involved was to hide the film altogether. To be fair, Naomi Watts received a nomination for Diana… as Razzie’s Worst Actress of the Year. I don’t think that was the trajectory they expected after last year’s The Impossible nomination.

3. FRUITVALE STATION (Ryan Coogler)

Every year, a spotlight is always given to the Sundance breakout film that will fight its way to the Oscars. It happened to Little Miss Sunshine in 2006, Precious in 2009, Winter’s Bone in 2010, and Beasts of the Southern Wild last year. All those received Oscar Best Picture nods alongside those that received lots of Oscar attention as well: Away from Her, The Visitor, and An Education. 2013′s breakout representative was Ryan Coogler’s debut feature film Fruitvale Station. Everything seemed destined for it to reach Oscar glory by winning in Sundance, at Cannes, and even the critics awards for Breakthrough Feature and Breakthrough Actor for lead star Michael B. Jordan. It also benefits from the timely issue of Trayvon Martin and is being handled by Harvey Weinstein. Alas, it got lost in the shuffle in a “year of black” narratives. Come televised Oscar precursors season, the film was not a presence anymore.

2. LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER (Lee Daniels)

So close yet so far. After the critically panned The Paperboy last year, director Lee Daniels decided to go the safe route again, and produce a biopic about the life of a black butler who served many presidents in the White House. It features Oscar winner Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey as the headlines of the film (handled by Harvey Weinstein) and will have a lot of celebrity participation to play the White House figures. In 1998-2002, that would have been a lock for Best Picture. But definitely not in 2013. What’s more perplexing about it is its awards journey. On one hand, the SAG rewarded it with nominations, then the Globe snubbed it all throughout. That has been the road for The Butler the past few months. Come Oscar nominations time, most predictors stick with Oprah as it’s hard to believe that AMPAS would deny her a mention when she literally knows majority of the voters in it. But yes, not only was Oprah snubbed for a coattail Sally Hawkins nomination, it made NOPRAH a stable nickname for her and the film this season.

1. LABOR DAY (Jason Reitman)

And my pick for biggest Oscar toast this season is Labor Day. Coming from Up in the Air, it seems like Jason Reitman is poised to finally win one for his next effort. Though Young Adult also did not give him any recognition, the consensus was that it’s something that the Academy finds too lightweight as compared to baitier flicks that year. However, this adaptation drama starring six time nominee and Oscar winner Kate Winslet in her supposedly Oscar vehicle comeback since her 2008 win, was literally unfelt the whole season. No promotion, no critics talking about it, nada. After it’s Toronto premiere, it just magically disappeared. The only nomination it got is a Golden Globe Drama Best Actress for Kate who didn’t even attend the ceremonies. Now I’m sure you’ve been bombed with its TV spots now featuring Rihanna’s Stay, but if you would have told me a year ago that they will snub a Jason Reitman drama of a suburban housewife that is also a literary adaptation starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin, I would have totally laughed at you. Not only is the joke on me, but more on the film itself.

You can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

The February issue of Vanity Fair magazine is reserved for its Hollywood issue. It’s that one month a year where they celebrate anything and everything about the Tinseltown. And one of the most prominent indication of this are the anticipated magazine covers. Each year, a combination of some of the most prominent and/or up and coming actors join forces in coming up with bravura pictures handled by the famous Annie Leibovitz. This year marks the 20th year of this annual tradition, so it’s just fitting to revisit all 19 covers (they skipped the 2009 issue and made a special to President Obama instead).

Batch ’95

Jennifer Jason Leigh, Uma Thurman, Nicole Kidman, Patricia Arquette, Linda Fiorentino, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sarah Jessica Parker, Julianne Moore, Angela Bassett, and Sandra Bullock

Oscar tally: 12 nods, 3 Oscars (Nicole Kidman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sandra Bullock)

For its initial cover, Vanity Fair invited 10 actresses to don up the issue. And boy was this a wicked way to start it. There’s a lot of WTFuckery going on in here. Is Jennifer Jason Leigh pooping? Why is Nicole Kidman dressing up as Tara Reid? Who stole Sarah Jessica Parker’s top? How about Sandra Bullock’s shoes? This is a messy start but that’s a part of the cover’s appeal.

Batch ’96

Tim Roth, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey, Benicio Del Toro, Michael Rapaport, Stephen Dorff, Johnathon Schaech, David Arquette, Will Smith, and Skeet Ulrich.

Oscar tally: 10 noms, 1 Oscar (Benicio del Toro)

For its sophomore issue, it’s the men’s turn in the spotlight as these ten men represent young Hollywood. At this time, only Tim Roth was an Oscar nominee, David Arquette wasn’t married to a Friend yet, and Will Smith isn’t battling aliens yet.. Also, isn’t it quite amazing that the two frontrunners for Best Actor this year share the front cover status? That would certainly make this year’s tally up to two Oscar winners.

Batch ’97

Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Claire Danes, Renée Zellweger, Minnie Driver (reclining), Alison Elliott, Jada Pinkett, Jennifer Lopez, Charlize Theron, and Fairuza Balk.

Oscar tally: 12 nods, 3 Oscars (Kate Winslet, Renee Zellweger, Charlize Theron)

By now, I’m pretty sure you don’t even know who Fairuza Balk and Alison Elliott were, but I won’t take that against you. And don’t you miss Renee’s old face? (I do!) And Claire Danes, post-My So Called Life and Romeo + Juliet would have been the next big thing. Now she’s after Abu Nazir and three Emmys after. Not being too shabby either, months after this premiere, Kate Winslet would then star in the biggest film ever, and Cameron Diaz was Hollywood’s it girl. And dead at Charlize Theron getting the last page when she ended up as an award winning actress in six years.

Batch ’98

Joaquin Phoenix, Vince Vaughn, Natalie Portman, Djimon Hounsou, Cate Blanchett, Tobey Maguire, Claire Forlani, Gretchen Mol, Christina Ricci, Edward Furlong, and Rufus Sewell.

Oscar tally: 13 nods, 2 Oscars (Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett)

Cate Blanchett stands out like a sore thumb here for some reason. But of course this was during Elizabeth era, and that was her Hollywood debut. And don’t you miss Joaquin Phoenix when he still cared about hygiene? Vince Vaughn is still matinee looking here, and Djimon Hounsou (thanks to Amistad) is still dapper as ever. And of course there’s Natalie Portman. She’s one of the few who Hollywood cheered along the way and totally delivered.

Batch ’99

Adrien Brody, Thandie Newton, Monica Potter, Reese Witherspoon, Julia Stiles, Leelee Sobieski, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Polley, Norman Reedus, Anna Friel, Omar Epps, Kate Hudson, Vinessa Shaw, and Barry Pepper

Oscar tally: 4 nods, 2 Oscars (Adrien Brody, Reese Witherspoon)

Wow a lot of these people have had find their success in TV. There’s that guy from The Walking Dead, the girl from Pushing Daisies, the Emmy snubbed actress from Parenthood, and that staff from House. Then of course there are those success stories as well with the guy who liplocked Halle Berry at the Oscars, Tracy Flick, Oscar winner from As Good As oops that was Helen Hunt, and Giovanni Ribisi.

Batch ’00

Penélope Cruz, Wes Bentley, Mena Suvari, Marley Shelton, Chris Klein, Selma Blair, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, and Sarah Wynter.

Oscar tally: 2000 – 3 nods, 1 Oscar (Penelope Cruz)

So thank you Penelope Cruz from saving this line up from major floppage. But whya re you even there anyway? You’re not even the same league. I guess this batch (save Cruz) is a testament that beauty has its toll in Hollywood especially if that’s all you’ve got. And while I’m reminded of the sad passing of Paul Walker, the others can bring their sad careers to the grave as well.

Batch ’01

Nicole Kidman, Catherine Deneuve, Meryl Streep, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet, Vanessa Redgrave, Chloë Sevigny, Sophia Loren, and Penélope Cruz

Oscar tally: 47 nods(!), 10 Oscars(!!) (Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep x3, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet, Vanessa Redgrave, Sophia Loren, Penelope Cruz)

What they lack in 2000, they more than make up in 2001. In their most ambitious and most iconic cover to date, they managed to bring in everyone. This cover is like the Mt. Everest of OMG actressing. You have the veterans like Deneuve and Redgrave, the foreigners via Loren and Cruz (now this is the group you should be joining, gurl), critical darlings Kidman and Blanchett, and movie stars Winslet and Paltrow. Then there’s Meryl Streep. The weak link is Chloe Sevigny but even at that time, she already has an Oscar nod under her name. Vanity Fair never reached this type of peak again in terms of star wattage in their Hollywood covers.

Batch ’02

Kirsten Dunst, Kate Beckinsale, Jennifer Connelly, Rachel Weisz, Brittany Murphy, Selma Blair, Rosario Dawson, Christina Applegate, and Naomi Watts

Oscar tally: 4 nods, 2 Oscars (Jennifer Connelly, Rachel Weisz)

Well the glory of 2001 is really hard to top so I understand that they go low key the following year. But it’s not too shabby either since a lot of these are underrated actresses though one might make a case of them rarely getting lead roles. However, the overall effect of the cover is quite bland, and I don’t have much to add to it aside from I miss Brittany Murphy.

Batch ’03

Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, Jack Nicholson, Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Jude Law, Samuel L. Jackson, Don Cheadle, Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid, Ewan McGregor, and Matt Damon

Oscar tally: 35 nods, 6 Oscars (Tom Hanks x2, Jack Nicholson x3, Matt Damon)

Now this one compliments the 2001 cover by featuring the men in it. You have Ford and Nicholson representing the veterans, mega stars Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, and boys next door Hugh Grant and Matt Damon, and Brits Ewan McGregor and Jude Law. And of course, Tom Hanks. If anything, they managed to include all those necessary during this time, though if nitpicking, I guess they’re missing Leonardo di Caprio in it.

Batch ’04

Julianne Moore, Jennifer Connelly, Gwyneth Paltrow, Naomi Watts, Salma Hayek, Jennifer Aniston, Kirsten Dunst, Diane Lane, Lucy Liu, Hilary Swank, Alison Lohman, Scarlett Johansson, and Maggie Gyllenhaal.

Oscar tally: 13 nods, 4 Oscars (Jennifer Connelly, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hilary Swank x2)

Gowns, gowns, and more gowns. That’s what this photoshoot is about. It;s too glamorous in an exclusive Hollywood way with all these women dressed in big coutures and flowy dresses with their sex appeals and big smiles in front. I like how they went a step forward with diversity here including an Asian and a Mexican, though they could have made room for Halle Berry here.

Batch ’05

Uma Thurman, Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet, Claire Danes, Scarlett Johansson, Rosario Dawson, Ziyi Zhang, Kerry Washington, Kate Bosworth, and Sienna Miller

Oscar tally: 13 nods, 2 Oscars (Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet)

They got this one right by having Cate and Kate in the cover and Uma’s also fitting because of her career resurgence. The rest varied from getting it right (Johansson) to waiting for my break (Claire Danes). What took my attention though is Olivia Pope! Six years before we discovered her leading the gladiators. Also, Sienna Miller looks left out here. Did the wardrobe hate her?

Batch ’06

Scarlett Johansson, Tom Ford, and Keira Knightley.

Oscar tally: 1 nod, 0 Oscar

So for 2006 they went with “less is more.” And less is more it is. Not only are there fewer actresses now, there’s no even budget for wardrobe I supposed. Ironic with Tom Ford on the cover. This one is more of the prominent iconic ones though as it got parodies and endless mentions. Sadly though, whoever’s in charge of the photoshop must really dislike Scarlett Johansson. They made ehr face Bridget Jones-like. And you know that isn’t Keira’s figure as she’s much thinner than that.

Batch ’07

Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Chris Rock, and Jack Black

Oscar tally:  1 nod, 0 Oscar

So I get it, they want to deviate away from their formula and tried something featuring the guys, but nothing worked here. If they’re gonna go with comedians, then they could have gotten at least a Carrey or a Carell. This is probably one of their weaker efforts, and it’s funny that in this photo, the only Oscar winner are the penguins.

Batch ’08

Emily Blunt, Amy Adams, Jessica Biel, Anne Hathaway, Alice Braga, Ellen Page, Zoë Saldana, Elizabeth Banks, Ginnifer Goodwin, and America Ferrera

Oscar tally: 8 nods, 1 Oscar (Anne Hathaway)

So yay finally Vanity Fair is back to their old format, and this time, they featured the next set of Hollywood ingenues. I love the Devil Wears Prada reunion with Emily Blunt and Anne Hathaway headlining with Amy Adams. I’m not here for butterface Jessica Biel tho. And even though her main break is on TV, I like how they tossed a bone to America Ferrera (just like Jennifer Aniston in 2004). A lot of these made some nice careers too like Ellen Page, Zoe Saldana, and Elizabeth Banks.

Batch ’10

Abbie Cornish, Kristen Stewart, Carey Mulligan, Amanda Seyfried, Rebecca Hall, Mia Wasikowska, Emma Stone, Evan Rachel Wood, and Anna Kendrick.

Oscar tally: 2 nods, 0 Oscar

What a bland batch. It’s like a vanilla sorority batch photo. And in a year where Gabourey Sidibe got one of the biggest breaks, they chose an all white line up. And a lot of these women haven’t lived up to their potential careers too (hello Abbie Cornish I’m looking at you!). The good is that there’s no Gemma Arterton, but I mean the four girls who should have headlined this issue were Mulligan, Stone, Kendrick, and Wasikowska. Where’s Emma Watson too?

Batch ’11

Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, James Franco, Jennifer Lawrence, Anthony Mackie, Olivia Wilde, Jesse Eisenberg, Mila Kunis, Robert Duvall, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Andrew Garfield, Rashida Jones, Garrett Hedlund, and Noomi Rapace

Oscar tally: 14 nods, 3 Oscars (Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Duvall)

I like how every time Vanity Fair would put up an underwhelming cover, they’d make up for it twice the following year (see 200 and 2001). This year, what’s good about the line up is that all of their inclusions were understandable since they all gained traction for that year. It’s all these dapper dudes and sexy ladies. When they managed to make Jesse Eisenberg universally handsome, you know they achieved their goal. Plus points for adding Duvall in it.

Batch ’12

Rooney Mara, Mia Wasikowska, Jennifer Lawrence, Jessica Chastain, Elizabeth Olsen, Adepero Oduye, Shailene Woodley, Paula Patton, Felicity Jones, Lily Collins, and Brit Marling

Oscar tally: 6 nods, 1 Oscar (Jennifer Lawrence)

It seems like whenever there’s no concept that Vanity Fair can work on, the “ingenue group shot” is the one they always end up with. Sure we get Lilly Collins, Adepero Oduye, and Shailene Woodley here, and we have the awesome foursome at the cover (funny how Lawrence and Chastain would be the Best Actress contenders a year later), but one thing that has always bothered me is how does Paula Patton get any of these stuff at all!?!? Oh well.

Batch ’13

Ben Affleck, Emma Stone, Bradley Cooper

Oscar tally: 4 nods, 2 Oscars (Ben Affleck x2)

Okay this is a disaster. I know how they want to try new stuff, but this is just plain disastrous. I would totally have stolen that reaction of the monkey when I first saw it and have that reaction of whatever animal Ben is wearing to the one who suggested this is an awesome concept. Sorry Ben and Bradley, this is not how your supposed Hollywood issue cover should have looked. And Emma that’s two bad covers for you already.

Batch ’14

Chiwetel Ejiofor, Julia Roberts, Idris Elba, George Clooney, Michael B. Jordan, Jared Leto, Lupita Nyong’o, Naomie Harris, Brie Larson, Chadwick Boseman, Margot Robbie, Lea Seydoux

Oscar tally: 15 nods, 3 Oscars (JUlia Roberts, George Clooney x2)

Now this one showed up a lot of potential. Of course being the diva that she is, I doubt Julia Roberts would have even agreed to be oin the cover if she has to share it with another female superstar (coughSandraBullockcough). It’s surprising though that this is both Julia and George’s first Hollywood issue covers. What I’m loving here is the diversity though. Lots of black actors (even half of the main cover) then you have Michael B. Jordan besides George and the stunning Lupita Nyong’o looking like an Oscar herself in the middle. They could have had added Asians in the mix, but I guess baby steps, Vanity Fair. Then there are ingenues as well via Brie Larson and Margot Robbie. My biggest complaint though is WTF is Lea Seydoux wearing. Not only did it make her boobs look saggy, but you can see in her eyes that she knows it’s not a good look. Ugh.

All in all, if I have to choose five best covers, 2001 would win this in a cake walk followed by 2003. Then 2011 and 2014 were third and fourth placers. Last spot probably goes to 2006. How about you? What are your favorites? And who do you want to see be included in the future (mine would be Marion Cotillard and Diane Kruger!)?

You can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

Admit it. At one point in your life, you’ve been a Gleek. You sing their renditions, followed their fashions styles, and though of throwing a slushie at someone else. Winning Emmys, Golden Globes, and even Grammy nominations, pop culture of the last decade has been hugely influenced by Glee, and despite the show’s continuous battle with relevance nowadays, it already has left its mark in pop culture history. And as the show celebrates its 100th episode this week, we revisit and choose 15 series best episodes the show they have produced in a span of five seasons.

(You can click on the title of the musical moments to lead you to the YouTube clip of such. ;))

01. PILOT (Season 1, Episode 1)
Directed by: Ryan Murphy
Written by: Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan

And it all started with this. Back then, it was a gamble for FOX to lay their cards on a weekly musical show. But this story of misfits and loners who were all combined to form a dying glee club seems to strike a chord with the masses. We were then introduced to the individual stories of the original glee club members in this charming pilot episode.

MEMORABLE MUSICAL MOMENT: “Don’t Stop Believin‘” by Rachel, Finn, Mercedes, Kurt, and Tina. In what remains to be the trademark version from the series, the New Directions’ performance of this Journey hit song not only started their glee club experience, but it ended up to a Grammy nomination for the group as well.

02. THE RHODES NOT TAKEN (Season 1, Episode 5)
Directed by: John Scott
Written by: Ian Brennan

The show’s first big guest star happened to be Tony winner Kristen Chenoweth playing April Rhodes, a lost with her life, old colleague of Will Schuester.  Chenoweth’s presence added more prestige and fun to this slowly building buzz show, and it’s one of the best reminders when Glee still manages to incorporate their guest stars properly in the show without being so contrived. After all, this role landed her two consecutive Emmy nods for Guest Actress.

MEMORABLE MUSICAL MOMENT: ‘Somebody to Love“ by the New Direction. No, it’s not the Justin Bieber song (though they’ve also covered that come the third season). I’m referring to the Queen song that ended this episode. That high note Mercedes hit is a perfect way to end the episode.

03. WHEELS (Season 1, Episode 9)
Directed by: Paris Barclay
Written by: Ryan Murphy

Chosen as one of the five best directed episodes of that particular TV comedy year, Wheels is when things started to show some clear signs in the New Direction. While they did use a storyline that sounded really ridiculous (Quick! Everyone will be on wheelchair this episode!), the whole episode was actually memorable and their Proud Mary in wheels is one of their more creative numbers.

MEMORABLE MUSICAL MOMENT: “Defying Gravity“ by Rachel and Kurt. The show can’t hide its love for Wicked anymore. As if it’s not enough that they had both Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel to guest star in the show’s first season, they even did a diva off of this prominent Broadway staple by showcasing a battling Kurt and Rachel. Jury’s still out, but my vote goes to Miss Berry.

04. SECTIONALS (Season 1, Episode 13)
Directed by: Brad Falchuk
Written by: Brad Falchuk

It’s a fact widely considered that if Glee did not work out, it was originally intended to be a 13-episode one season miniseries. This would have been the show’s supposed final episode. And though it still suffered from overstaying in the long run, we’re just happy to admit that at least this wasn’t the last we’ve seen from them. Oh, and they’ve won Sectionals so that’s new.

MEMORABLE MUSICAL MOMENT: “Don’t Rain on My Parade“ by Rachel. Count it as her official slash unofficial arrival, Rachel Berry can’t hide the Fanny Brice in her when she opened their Sectionals performance with a solo number of this Babs classic. I actually think it’s the main reason why they won the Sectionals, though as Will Schuester would probably say it “it’s team effort.” Yeah right.

05. DREAM ON (Season 1, Episode 16)
Directed by: Joss Whedon
Written by: Brad Falchuk

Dream On has been that rare special episode for Glee standards. For one, it was directed by Joss Whedon, so the episode felt quite different. Add the fact that special guest star Neil Patrick Haris dropped off the tux and his Barney Stinson character to play Bryan Ryan, Will Schuester’s alter ego. This was NPH’s only appearance in the show, and I echo the sentiment that he should have seen more than this time.

MEMORABLE MUSICAL MOMENT: “Dream On“ by Bryan Ryan and Will Schuester. Well what would Neil Patrick Harris be for if he won’t end up stealing the whole episode again. Still his only Emmy acting win, this lung tiring, scream belching Aerosmith classic lives up to the title when handled by these two pros.

06. DUETS (Season 2, Episode 4)
Directed by: Eric Stoltz
Written by: Ian Brennan

After the airing of their first heavy episode Grilled Cheesus the week before, this was the perfect equalizer when Schuester divided them in pairs to come up with duet collaborations. And sure they did deliver! It was one of the most fun episodes of the show, as it’s on of the rare instances where it wasn’t the Rachel, Finn, and Kurt show. Everyone got their fair share of the spotlight, and that ending with the Lady and the Tramp reference is the cherry on top of this sweet episode.

MEMORABLE MUSICAL MOMENT: “River Deep, Mountain High“ by Mercedes and Santana. This one is a bit tricky since it’s an episode full of unforgettable numbers. Whether it’s the sugary sweet Lucky by Sam and Quinn, the hilariously intended Sing! by Tina and Mike Chang, or the hilariously unintended With You I’m Born Again by Finchel, this episode delivered musically.  It’s a nail biting choice between Kurt and Rachel’s Happy Days Are Here Again, but in the end I have to go with Santana and Mercedes’ take on this Tina Turner classic.

07. THE SUBSTITUTE (Season 2, Episode 7)
Directed by: Ryan Murphy
Written by: Ian Brennan

In probably the most relevant she has been since winning the Oscar way back in 1999, Gwyneth Paltrow’s first major TV appearance definitely started with a bang. Playing the substitute glee club teacher Holly Holiday, she brought out the fun in every member of the New Direction. This ended up with Paltrow winning the Emmy for Guest Actress that season and made her reach halfway of the EGOT territory.

MEMORABLE MUSICAL MOMENT: “Forget You“ by Holly Holiday. It’s not even a debate anymore. Paltrow’s take became the clear and child friendly alternate to Cee-Lo Green’s explicitly titled original. The impact of this performance reached new heights and ended up with a duet between the two at the Grammy stage back in 2011.

08. SILLY LOVE SONGS (Season 2, Episode 12)
Directed by: Tate Donovan
Written by: Ian Brennan

Glee has been fond of doing love themed episodes, but none has been sweeter by far than this sophomore season episode. At a stage in the show’s life when it’s starting to meet the critical backlash, this sugary sweet episode was a perfect reminder of how they can still manage to pull it off perfectly. It’s the second episode from the sophomore season that I’ve listed here, and both of them were episodes without Sue Sylvester in it. Probably a clue of what’s wrong with that season?

MEMORABLE MUSICAL MOMENT: “Silly Love Songs“ by Dalton Warblers. This is one heavy and musicallys tar studded episode as they tackle MJ and Queen. But of course, this ending performance of this Paul McCartney classic just swept us all off our feet.

09. RUMOURS (Season 2, Episode 19)
Directed by: Tim Hunter
Written by: Ian Brennan

By this time, the show has already done a lot of tribute episodes. Whether it’s Britney, Madonna, or The Rocky Horror Picture Show, most of them usually ended  up flat or too much. This one though is where they got it right. Of course it does help that it’s Fleetwood Mac that they’re covering, but at least the connection of the music to the episode felt natural. Plus, it’s the debut episode of Brittany’s “Fondue for Two” segment, so there’s that.

MEMORABLE MUSICAL MOMENT: “Dreams“ by April Rhodes and Will Schuester. Sure Chenoweth can be too much to a lot of people, but in this rare instance where her character was stripped off the theatrics, it’s just a match made in heaven.

10. ASIAN F (Season 3, Episode 3)
Directed by: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Written by: Ian Brennan

Definitely one of the more underrated episodes of the whole series, Asian F deserves more credit than it actually have. By the third season, it’s like the show has been too tired and has been repetitive with their storylines. So when this episode featured a lot of Harry Shum Jr.’s Mike Chang character, it gave a fresh breath of air to the show. Sure we still got the never ending Rachel and Mercedes feud, but who ever gets tired of the diva off? Definitely not me!

MEMORABLE MUSICAL MOMENT: “It’s All Over“ by Mercedes, Will, Mike, Finn, Kurt, Santana, Brittany, Quinn, and Tina. The show has done a lot of copycat movie/Broadway performances, but this reprise of the Dreamgirls classic was totally in synch to the struggle of the episode. If only we could have continued it with Mercedes doing And I Am Telling You…

11. YES/NO (Season 3, Episode 10)
Directed by: Eric Stoltz
Written by: Brad Falchuk

Okay so it wasn’t one of the msot perfect episodes the show has ever done, but it’s one that is really memorable. For fans of the series, a proposal from Will to Emma has been so overdue, and this was the right time to do so. And it’s surely as grand as one can get. We’ve seen Will walk in water just to pop the question, and all is well again. Whether it’s a sigh of “finally they’re engaged!” or “finally it’s been three season you know!”, at least it progressed the story of the both of them. Also, Helen Mirren plays as Becky’s inner thoughts. Come on, who doesn’t want a Dame to voice out your thoughts?

MEMORABLE MUSICAL MOMENT: “We Found Love“ by New Direction. It’s as lavish and grand as one proposal can get. Jumping off the water, some water acrobatics, and walking on it? It’s too much over the top, but it perfectly suits the Glee environment.

12. GOODBYE (Season 3, Episode 22)
Directed by: Brad Falchuk
Written by: Brad Falchuk

There are some shows that lives and dies with their characters, but you’d realize that it’s time to say goodbye to them. This is one of those shows. After three seasons, it’s pretty weird that we still have this near 30 somethings play high school students, and though Ryan Murphy isn’t really technically aware of the world reality, this is one concern that the show consistently gets. So finally, we’ve come to the end of most of the original New Direction members.  And of course they won’t go without a bang.

MEMORABLE MUSICAL MOMENT: “Roots Before Branches“ by Rachel. By now, we’ve already been used to the show stopping group performances every season finale, but this solo effort by Rachel gave us not only her usual dependable vocals, but also a reminder now that most of the original cast will be gone by next season.

13. THE BREAK UP (Season 4, Episode 4)
Directed by: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Written by: Ryan Murphy

The fourth season have shown more of the newbies and less of the original cast, so when an episode that mostly focused on the latter happened, it sure makes its way to the best of the show list. This episode, probably one of the saddest the show has ever produced, dealt with the break up of three longest couples on the show: Finchel, Klaine, and Britana. And as the episode progresses, it just went from sad to sadder and saddest. Definitely one of the “prepare your tissues” moments of the show.

MEMORABLE MUSICAL MOMENT: “Give Your Heart a Break“ by Rachel and Brody Weston. Yes, it has The Scientist number in the end, but this stripped down version duet of the Demi Lovato pop hit bu Rachel and Brody just hits the high point in the tears department. While Finn was watching them perform, you already know that a break up is about to happen and as the song progresses, it simultaneously starts to crumble and you realize that the relationship is slowly faltering right in front of your eyes. 

14. SHOOTING STAR (Season 4, Episode 18)
Directed by: Bradley Buecker
Written by: Matthew Hodgson

One thing I appreciate the most about earlier Glee is when they incorporate current issues into their weekly story. Like what happened when they dealt with Dave’s homophobia back in the second season. For this particular episode, they took the rampant school shootings angle and featured some of the most intense moments of the show. The end results and the whole episodes weren’t as pleasing as expected, but you gotta give them credit for at least trying. Also, it’s one of the few remaining episodes in the latter seasons where Sue was given something worthy to do.

MEMORABLE MUSICAL MOMENT: “Say“ by New Direction. Well as for starters, there weren’t many numbers in this episode, but this closing number easily wins this title.

15. THE QUARTERBACK (Season 5, Episode 3)
Directed by: Brad Falchuk
Written by: Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan

It’s rare that a show suffers from a  different kind of loss — one that does not involve contracts, salaries, or creative differences. When one of the show’s breakout stars Cory Monteith passed away last year, the show gave a proper send off tribute to him. While in the episode, they discussed the loss of Finn and not the actor himself, you know that all the emotions and sadness from the actors weren’t merely acting. It’s such a shame though that Diana Agron wasn’t present in this episode. The episode, starting with Seasons of Love group number, indicates that this will be a heavy episode but more than anything it was a celebration of one’s life. As a matter of fact, I’d speak for a lot of people when I say that they could have ended the show anymore with this since this episode is basically ending it on a high note.

MEMORABLE MUSICAL MOMENT: “Make You Feel My Love‘” by Rachel. There’s the aforementioned Seasons of Love and there’s Santana’s if I Die Young, but who wasn’t bawling by the time Rachel was already signing this Bob Dylan classic? No one.

There you have it. I’m actually excited for the 100th episode since the original cast will be back and will be re-doing their favorite numbers from the previous seasons. It’s such a bittersweet feeling since they have lost a member of the original cast, but then again,  hope they’ll incorporate Finn somehow in the story. Anyway, how about you? What are your favorite Glee episodes? How about Glee numbers? From those not mentioned above, I have to include Teenage Dream by the Dalton Warblers, the Rumor Has It/Someone Like You mash up, and Mercedes and Rachel’s Take Me or Leave Me as some of my additional favorites. Happy 100th, Gleeks!

Also, you can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

It’s that time of the year again. As per FHM’s calendar, July has got to be the buiest month with the release of the FHM 100 Sexiest Women list. This year marks the 15th edition of the list and nearly a thousand women have been on the list one part or another. For this year, we’ll be revisiting the Top 10 of all the first 14 years before we unveil this year’s positions. Remember when they use to have a Global Winner? Or that Coco Lee is a 2x Top 10 titlist? And at the end of it, I’ll reveal the women with the longest stay in the top 10. Ready?

Including this year’s Top 10, the five longest mainstays are:

5. 5 YEARS 

Iwa Moto (2007-2011) Angelica Panganiban (2005, 2007-2010)

4. 6 YEARS

Diana Zubiri (2003-2008) and Anne Curtis (2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014)

3. 7 YEARS

Katrina Halili (2004, 2006-2011), Cristine Reyes (2008-2014), Marian Rivera (2008-2014)

2. 8 YEARS

Jennylyn Mercado (2004-2007, 2011-2014)

1. 12 YEARS

Angel Locsin (2003-2014)

Angel from above definitely. Ever since her FHM debut here at #10 in 2003, Angel hasn’t left the Top 10 placement. What’s more impressive is that in her 13 year stay, 11 of those, she’s in the Top 5, and 8 of those years, she’s in the Top 3. What an FHM legend. Seems like she’s still here for the long run to dominate these records.

That said, if you still haven’t had your copy for this year, or if the stores are out of stock already (trust me I had this dilemma last week!), here’s a glimpse of the Top 25 ladies this year. It’s for you to identify the labels to the names (they’re easy to guess!). Congrats to Marian Rivera for being the first 3x champ!!!

And you can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

So I have decided to start another project here which obviously from the title of this post already gives you a clue on what it’s about. Inspired from a poll on a forum, I’ve decided to watch all the 90s Best Actress Oscar champs arranged from the earliest up to the last of the decade in order to revisit, rekindle, and look how these performances stood the test of time. The focus will be on the performances so little to no mentions of Anjelica Huston in The Grifters, Emily Watson in Breaking the Waves, and Judi Dench in Mrs. Brown and how they were all robbed here. Okay I take it back. Will mention them as well but in small doses. Okay let’s begin!

And we begin the decade with that surprise win of Kathy Bates for breathing life to the big fan turned obsessed creep Annie Wilkes in the adaptation of the Stephen King novel “Misery.” While the writing of Annie Wilkes can be a bit one note, Bates brings a certain humanity to the character thus encompassing emotions that show her character’s vulnerability. How Kathy Bates managed to show defeat and hurt of Annie when she spilled the wine on their dinner to bringing in the crazy when the officer visited her house and that composed demeanor she had after she tied Paul Sheldon is a testament of her range given the limitations of the role. And one has to appreciate the humor that Bates has brought to the role that makes the achievement more appreciated such as her rant against the coupon bond issue as for starters.  Of course at this stage, no one knew that Bates would  play another Stephen King character via Dolores Clairborne five years later, and while that one had the better performance, it does not take away the complexity that Kathy brought to the role of Annie Wilkes. It is difficult to laugh and be scared with the same character at the same time, and she does it so well that it’s hard to take this win from her. It’s also quite a special win considering how much the Academy rarely touches anything from the thriller/horror genre (unless one counts that win by Jessica Tandy just a year before) and that then unknown Bates, whose popularity only exists on the four walls of Broadway, managed to beat then it girl Julia Roberts, Hollywood royalty Anjelica Huston, Oscar favorite Meryl Streep, and legendary actress Joanne Woodward. Bittersweet indeed.

Just a year after I commented on how this category rarely touches performances from horror or thriller films, AMPAS then decides to reward them back to back. In 1991, The Silence of the Lambs defied all odds by being released exactly one whole year prior to its Oscar sweep the following year. Of course that includes the win for its lead actress Jodie Foster, who herself was already a recipient of this same exact trophy three years before for The Accused. However, this remains to be an iconic role and performance from Jodie, which is nothing to question about. As for starters, it is very refreshing for a woman to headline a thriller such as this one and gain much critical and commercial success. of course it would be unfair to dismiss the efforts of Anthony Hopkins who churned in an iconic performance himself, but Foster’s Clarice Sterling is basically the heart of the movie. And how it succeeds is definitely a gender bending milestone of how thrillers are associated with only male actors front and center. It also does not hurt that this performance is really great as well. In it, Foster rarely (or none at all) relied to histrionics and made Clarice driven but not totally ambitious, subtle but never forgettable, and complex without being one-sided. This is the same year when both Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis were nominated for their team up in Thelma and Louise and part of me thinks that’s also another reason which helped Foster’s road to the podium at all. While one can argue that those two are better than Foster (I belong to that camp to be honest), it is easier to reward this performance than pulling a Sophie’s Choice between the two. But in the end, it must not limit the merits that Jodie has brought into this performance, as it’s probably one of the most respected wins in this category especially for non-Oscar aficionados.

And from one Anthony Hopkins leading lady to another, queen of British period pieces Emma Thompson won the following year for her performance as Margaret Schlugel in Howard’s End. It was one of those easy Oscar calls as she has been the frontrunner all season long, and it’s not difficult to figure out why. Thompson brought a warm touch to a likable human being that isn’t a scene stealing, attention grabbing character. She was the voice of sense and reason, and Emma was quick to figure that her character balances the story in between her hands. Margaret was a sympathetic character but not one who you’d feel pity for, and there’s a certain glow that Thompson just radiates while playing this character. Whether it’s her tea sessions with Vanessa Redgrave or finding out about Anthony Hopkins’ romantic past, she inhabits Margaret’s confidence effortlessly reflecting Emma’s class act performance. 1990 winner Kathy Bates, Emma Thompson would go on and play another period character in another James Ivory film, The Remains of the Day, for which she nabbed another Oscar nomination, but whether it is arguable if she did well better in the former or the latter, the heart of Howard’s End will always belong to Emma Thompson and with that, she is certainly deserving of this Oscar recognition.

1993 was all about talking (or lack thereof). With Whoopi Goldberg hosting the Oscars — being the first black woman (and up to now still remains the only one) to do so, this was also the last previous bid for a black actress to win the coveted Best Actress Oscar prior to Halle Berry’s historic win in 2001. The person in talks was Angela Bassett for portraying iconic performer Tina Turner in What’s Love Got To Do With It? And the talks are loud, perhaps really loud, that this is still the subject of some debates years after. But the woman who ended up with the Oscar needs no talking in her film, at least. The Piano‘s Holly Hunter became the seventh person in Academy history to win an Oscar for not uttering a word on screen (except the narration at the beginning and the end). In hindsight, why people argue Holly Hunter’s win years after is beyond me. In a really strong field that includes Stockard Channing in Six Degrees of Separation and last year’s winner Emma Thompson in The Remains of the Day, Hunter towered above the rest of the field with her performance. The mute aspect isn’t gimmicky nor calculated for me, as she was able to translate a performance that started as a mail ordered bride who was cold but willing to open up, just given the opportunity to do so. Hunter has always been praised for her delivery and the energy she inserts into the role she plays, but she managed to overcome all that and give an equally impressive one stripped off her usual assets. The stares, the body language, and the actions are far from a stunt performance and on top of that, the emotions that she just poured in it. I doubt performances like this could win an Oscar in this period now where showy OMG acting in this category seemed to be the key to be considered an “actress.” It’s a performance that stood well the test of the time, and it’s one of the times when Oscar go against the norm and ultimately get it right.

There is such a stigma being labeled to the 1994 Best Actress line up to be one of the weakest in this category’s history. After all, this was the year when Linda Fiorentino should have swept all the awards if only The Last Seduction wasn’t shown briefly on HBO, thus making her ineligible for the rest of the season. But while there’s a hint of truthfulness with that, you can all spare Jessica Lange’s winning performance in it. Say what you want about her weak ass nominees, but Lange is nowhere a weak winner this year. Playing a mentally unstable wife of a military man and causing troubles to his career, Jessica was able to amp up the physical, emotional, and mental requirements of the role effectively that it’s definitely one of the underrated wins in this category’s history. Much of the talks about this performance and film was how it was dumped in the shelf three years after its completion, when in fact we should be talking about Jessica Lange slaying the hell out of this role. It’s a very complex performance which suited a woman of her age as she oozes her sexuality and shifts to calm to showy in a snap. While some performances get carried along the strength of their overall films, the opposite can be said about here as Blue Sky ended up as inferior to what Jessica brought to the role. Besides, her only Oscar until this year was a thank you for a great year supporting win in 1982, and if someone fits the narrative of a multiple Oscar winning actress, her name would definitely be up on that list. So this one albeit a weak year is an inspired win and one who should overcome, if anything else, the weak field she’s been grouped with.

After a weak 1994 line up, we’re bound to have a strong one no? But to say the 1995 Best Actress line up is a strong one is even an understatement if we are to look past the performances that were left off that year (Nicole Kidman in To Die For, Julianne Moore in Safe, Kathy Bates in Dolores Clairborne among others). Now if we are to look at those actual nominated performances, then it makes the case even stronger with Elisabeth Shue acting opposite the eventual Best Actor winner and Meryl Streep in the second best performance of her career are unrewarded with Oscars. But then, it’s all about Susan Sarandon. Sure, her overdue status would have pushed her the win that year especially since she was nominated four times the last five years, but to consider that as a demerit to her performance is reaching it. Playing real life nuin Helen Prejean, Sarandon would always be on the odd side of the film. On the outer, you have to act opposite Sean Penn’s more interesting and showy character as Susan is relegated to facial reactions to what his character is saying. To act with such a very complex character and not be overshadowed is a feat itself, but Sarandon perfectly crosses the line of being receptive but not totally eaten and distinct without overshadowing her co-star. If anything, it was a perfectly arranged harmony that she has showed here. And beyond that, she plays the character of a nun. It’s hard to play a character who is morally good and be believable in it, but Sarandon’s Prejean’s cling in her “faith” does not only resonate to Matthew Poncelet but to humanity is an acting accomplishment that is deserving to be honored with an Oscar.

On one hand, it would be a waste to hate on Frances McDormand’s win here especially since she’s a very talented actress whose charisma really transcends through her works. On the other, this was the year when the revelation that is named Emily Watson brought one of the best performances I’ve ever seen on screen via Breaking the Waves, that even if I know Oscar won’t touch it, I still feel like my hopes were dashed. But since I’ve let that one out of the way, let’s go back to our 96 champ Frances McDormand. Playing police officer Marge Gunderson, McDormand certainly made the most of all of her scenes in Joel Coen’s Fargo. It is very hard to root for a character as lovable and likable as Marge, and like Thompson’s Margaret, there’s a certain amount of rooting for that you feel with the character. Much of Marge’s magic — if I may call it that — can be attributed to Frances McDormand’s own wit and charisma. Her confident personality seems to play a factor with the end result of Marge’s character and that it will make you want to see more of her (granted she’s only in the film half of the time). There is a reason why Marge, despite limited screentime and borderline supporting appearance, is an iconic character and Frances is the main reason why. On a totally unrelated note, I would just like to share that I am amazed with Alison Tollman’s portrayal of such role in the FX adaptation series of Fargo because even if she wisely did not copy the same approach that McDormand did in her character, you can see the influences and nuances that McDormand indelibly left in her portrayal 18 years before.

Before we start the 1997 discussion, let’s get this one out of the way: Nope, Helen Hunt did not win just because she’s battling against four British actresses in here. If anything, Helena Bonham Carter and Dame Judi Dench are in British period pieces, Julie Christie has been rewarded an Oscar already, and Kate Winslet is the reason why Leonardo di Caprio died  serviceable but in no way awards worthy in Titanic. There’s a certain level of vitriol spawn on Helen Hunt’s Oscar win and that’s probably because her post-Oscar career sizzled or that like any others, she was perceived as the darling of that year’s awards season. In As Good As It Gets, Helen plays the longer version of what makes her a prominent American that time: a big TV star sweeping off Emmys for her show Mad About You. But that is not to say that Hunt wasn’t good in what she did in the film. As waitress Caroline who found love in the most unusual way, Hunt was pleasantly and delightfully sweet that it charms the Oscar voters to give her that trophy. It’s a performance where she’s acting off one of Hollywood’s finest Jack Nicholson, and how he did not swallow her in their scenes together must be credited to the both of them. I still don’t think Helen Hunt had any business winning an Oscar that year, but she was convincing for the most part, albeit sitcom-ish as well, in her performance in the film.

Now think of the vitriol that Helen Hunt received in 1997 and double it to come up with the reception that Gwyneth Paltrow’s Oscar win had earned over the years especially from fans of the performances of co-nominees Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth and Fernanda Montenegro in The Central Station. But then I think it is unfair to simply attach Paltrow’s competition to the performance that she has given in Shakespeare in Love. This is not the same case as that of the previous year’s winner since Shakespeare in Love is mighty ahead in terms of being the better film. As a matter of fact, Paltrow and the film itself carried the same burden with regards to their Oscar legacy — she and the film are perceived to tackle lighter subjects; thus they are easier to dispose. This is not to say that both her and the movie are rightfully and every inch deserving of their wins but more of an underestimation with the accomplishments that they have achieved. Focusing back on Gwyneth, her gender bending role as Viola de Lesseps provides the perfect heroine accessory to the film. Given that great screenplay and lavish production of the movie, it does not need an actress that will overshadow all of that but instead one that will understand the circumstances and just go with it, which she did in the movie. It is not easy to be charming and delightful as your film’s heroine and she possesses both of that in her performance. So while I understand that this leans on the lighter fare of stuff as compared to playing a queen, it does not warrant the notorious image that it has since then received.

Now after three comedic performances in a row, the decade closed with one of its closest and most infamous Oscar rivals. In 1999, Annette Bening, one half of the power couple with Hollywood legend Warren Beatty, is up for her performance as part of eventual Best Picture winner American Beauty. Prior to the Oscars, she has won the SAG and there’s a really great chance that the film will join the elite few of winning the four major awards (Picture, Director, Actor and Actress). Then there’s up and coming actress Hilary Swank, whose probably known for her remake of Karate Kid sometime in the mid 90s, playing the role of real life transgender Teena Brandon in the small indie film Boys Don’t Cry. And in a Cinderella moment, David beats G0liath as Hilary Swank became the last winner of the decade. That is probably one of the boldest moves made by the Academy and one of the best upsets if I may say. In one of the best breakthrough performances by an actress here, she was raw, heartbreaking, and every inch convincing in this performance. Swank never made the movie about her tics or her adjustments, but she assured that it will be about Brandon’s journey, and it is within this fearlessness that she made this character and performance remarkable. If anything, I think it’s even braver that she denied the easily to use sentimentality nor trademarks that in the hands of a lesser actress would rely to, and instead let it breathe and parade it with so much clarity and confidence. Whatever Hilary Swank did for the remaining of her career after this is hers to celebrate or to blame, but in this one particular performance, she made it clear that she would be remembered.

The 90s Best Actress winners line up in general have been less receptive to biopics (with only two out of the ten winners were for playing real persons) and more to poetic costume pieces films. There’s also a stage where humor works best (even three in a row from 96-98) and if you’d even include, Kathy Bates in Misery. Ranking this is difficult since there’s a lot of performance here that I admire and the ones I appreciate and respect aren’t even totally deserving of a low ranking. That said, I guess I’m gonna go with…

01. 1993 (Holly Hunter, The Piano)
02. 1999 (Hilary Swank, Boys Don’t Cry)
03. 1995 (Susan Sarandon, Dead Man Walking)
04. 1992 (Emma Thompson, Howard’s End)
05. 1991 (Jodie Foster, The Silence of the Lambs)
06. 1996 (Frances McDormand, Fargo)
07. 1994 (Jessica Lange, Blue Sky)
08. 1990 (Kathy Bates, Misery)
09. 1998 (Gwyneth Paltrow, Shakespeare in Love)
10. 1997 (Helen Hunt, As Good As It Gets)

So who is your favorite 1990s Best Actress winner? Who would you consider as the best of the decade? And how many of those performances have stood the test of the time? Chime in the Comments section below and let’s converse! :)

You can also follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

After a record breaking 83 submissions from different countries this year (six more than previous record 76 last year), it is safe to say that this is definitely one of the closest categories of the year. Add the fact that there is no definitive frontrunner for this year like that of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” in 2000, or “A Separation” in 2011 and “Amour” in 2012, it just makes the whole race more competitive. Below, I list down 20 countries (in alphabetical order) that are definitely in contention and are a cut above the rest in this field of 83 and has bigger chances of getting closer to that coveted golden naked Oscar trophy.

*Clicking the photo will lead you to the film’s trailer or a clip from it!

Post-submission release, here’s how I’ll assess the race in terms of countries getting closer to the Top 9 and ultimately the top five final nominations. Belgium can probably work on the “no win” narrative yet and it’s the Dardennes so it can be considered hitting two birds with one stone. But then, both Russia and Poland are in contention as well and can all share frontrunner status.

What are your thoughts on the race? Who do you think are ahead of the pack and who can still surprise? You can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

Last night, another teleserye premiered over ABS-CBN’s Primetime Bida– the Philippine remake of the hit Korean drama “Two Wives.” Shown here back in 2012, this local adaptation stars Kaye Abad and Erich Gonzales fighting over Jason Abalos. And based from the previews and teasers, we will see slapping – a lot of ‘em, apparently – and confrontations and “sagutans” between the two women. And if there’s one thing, these dramas are known for, it’s that we live for their over the top and melodramatic confrontations. After all, nothing snatches the interest of the TV viewing public by a showdown of two characters out-bitching each other. Thus, we revisit 12 of them in celebration of “Two Wives“‘ premiere.

01.  Rose/Emmanuelle vs. Sasha in “Sana Bukas Pa Ang Kahapon” (2014)

In the recently concluded “Sana Bukas Pa Ang Kahapon“, we see Rose (Bea Alonzo), now as Emmanuelle, flirting with former flame Patrick (Paulo Avelino). But this does not go well with Sasha (Maricar Reyes) when she sees him wiping the wine off Emmanuelle’s legs. And as Sasha comes to warn Emmanuelle, she trips off leading to a wet encounter.

The Kabugan Scene: Emmanuelle tries to help Sasha by offering her hand to help her rise from the pool. But when Sasha seizes the moment to grab Emmanuelle and pull her down the pool, the latter suddenly moves her hand away making the pathetic Sasha more miserable. For that we give this scene 2 full slaps!

02. Sarah vs. Mia in “Kung Ako’y Iiwan Mo” (2012)

Childhood friends turned husband and wife Sarah (Shaina Magdayao) and Paul (Jake Cuenca) is a struggling couple which led the man to go to Dubai to experience the greener pastures for his family. Upon working there, he bumps onto former flame Mia (Bangs Garcia) and rekindled their relationship. When Sarah followed Paul to Dubai is the time she realized this inifidelity.

The Kabugan Scene: In one of the most pasabog scenes in this show (clip starts at the 2:20 bit), there’s a scene where Mia open the big gate to see who’s knocking as Sarah goes to Paul’s direction and gives him a big slap. And since it takes two to tango, she then went to Mia and gave her the other pair of the slap. It’s a slap so hard I’m sure Mia’s head shattered for a few seconds. It’s followed by some shouting yada yada, but I bet it’s hard for Mia to process it since she’s still recovering from that slap. I give this confrontation, 2.25 slaps!

03. Vanessa vs. Sara in “Impostora” (2007)

Possessing some Orphan Black realness even before the show started five years later, this GMA serye with face snatching, doppleganger realness told the story of conjoined twins Lara and Sara against their diabolical cousin Vanessa. Sharing not only their face, but also their love interests, it’s hard to keep up who’s who and what’s happening to everyone in here.

The Kabugan Scene: In that big wedding scene right before the ceremony starts. we see Sunshine Dizon stops the wedding of Mark Anthony Fernandez and …. Sunshine Dizon. So as these 2 Sunshines go back and forth between who the real Sara is, Iza Calzado’s character comes in and reveals that Nicolas is marrying the wrong Sara.  Nothing beats the chaos that comes from a wedding, and with that, we rank this 2.5 slaps!

04. Chantal vs. Heidi in “Temptation of Wife” (2012)

While Angeline (Marian Rivera) and Heidi (Glaiza e Castro) have been friends since their childhood, Heidi had always developed a hidden envy to Chantal that she has kept as they were growing up. This even reached a point when they shared the same man — Marcel (Dennis Trillo). But when Angeline learned about the betrayal of the two people she loved the most, an accident that led Heidi thinking Angeline is dead is the start of the latter’s payback. She comes back as Chantal Gonzales, and she’s getting the receipts of her revenge.

The Kabugan Scene: Upon thinking that Chantal is flirting with her beau, this did not go well with Heidi as she decided to attack Chantal Mortal Kombat style. Jumping from chairs, tumbling in the carpet, tying with a hanky, and using fork as a weapon, this larger than life fight seemed to exist only in video games. It’s as over the top as it is ridiculous. But then again, it ended with a reveal of a pillow baby. So at least they’re consistent with it. This fight deserved a 2.75 slap rating!

05. Amor Powers vs. Claudia Buenavista in “Pangako Sa’Yo” (2000)

Gone were the days when we get these really over the top but serious showdowns in between characters. Nowadays, people live for the snark and the quotable quotations. But not in 2000 — as we see bitter rivals Amor Powers (Eula Valdez) and Madam Claudia Buenavista (Jean Garcia) battle out not only with money, but with men and children in this two year series. There’s a reason why these two are some of the most iconic characters in Philippine drama history.

The Kabugan Scene: When Claudia suddenly dashes her way to Amor’s house to ask for her daughter, she did it just for one reason: to slap her bitchy rival. Upon being threatened and be slapped  as well, she suddenly sneaks her way out. But that’s without mentioning the stanzas of lines that they shout at each other. And the pair of slap they gave to one another (including that rare leftie slap by Claudia to Amor). This doesn’t happen to modern teleseryes anymore. And to say I miss them is an understatement. For that, I give this scene a 3 slap rating!

06. Marimar vs. Angelika in “Marimar” (2007)

Definitely one of the most memorable telenovelas in Philippine history, the Mexican version of Marimar is one that will forever be one of the most influential ones. In this GMA remake, including a star-turning performance by Marian Rivera in the lead role, Marimar’s rag to riches story is, whether it’s Marimar and Sergio’s romance, or Marimar and Angelika’s revolving fates, and the other colorful characters in the soap, is one that will never get old.

The Kabugan Scene: While weddings and preparations bring out the class in most of us, consider both Marimar and Angelika as the likely outliers. When Angelika decided to poke fun at Marimar by asking her to be the maid of honor to Angelika and Sergio’s wedding, you know that it will only lead to chaos. And chaos it is, as not only did they ruin the whole place, but they’ve also wrestled with one another ruining gowns, cakes, and involving other people in the place.  Hopefully though, this type of mess only exists in the small screen and not in real life. This scene deserves a full 3.25 slap rating!

07. Vera vs. Victoria in “Magkaribal” (2010)

While most of the stories included in this lists had characters fighting over love interests, Magkaribal skews a bit as this one is a battle of power. When orphaned Anna Abella (Gretchen Barretto) thought that her younger sister Gelai (bea Alonzo) died from a hospital fire, she then made it a promise that she will take everything away from the person she thinks is responsible for those: Vera Cruz (Angel Aquino). So after his adopted father let her study fashion in Paris, she comes back to the country to snatch the title of “Queen of Philippine Fashion” from her mortal enemy.

The Kabugan Scene: Probably the start of a really famous pun — one that has been quoted many times especially during the trailer release and the premiere of the actual episode — Victoria visits Vera and informs her that she knows of the fashion designs that the latter has plagiarized and stolen from an up and coming designer. So when Vera confronted Victoria and asked her that she accepts the challenge, Gretchen Barretto, sans moving forehead, just said “You want war? I’ll give you war. Sabihin mo lang kung saan at kelan… I’ll be there in my red stilettos.” For that interaction alone, this clearly merits a 3.5 slap rating!

08. Milet vs. Sheila in “Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real” (2014)

GMA’s offering in the “kabitan” year of telserye, “Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real” featured the Diamond Star Maricel Soriano in the leading role as Milet Real, the original wife in the series. While Milet is mostly kind, patient, and calm, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned as she finally confronts the second Mrs. Real, Sheila, played by Lovi Poe in this nerve wracking elevator scene.

The Kabugan Scene: Never mind that the elevator seemed like it was stuck or that their confrontation went over 5 minutes without picking and dropping any new passengers, there will really be those times when nothing is more powerful than words. And that’s what Milet, who played a teacher in the soap, did here. Not only did she teach Sheila some lessons (“Bago mo ibuka ang hita mo, mag-research ka muna kung may asawa”), offending her parents, and doing everything as the mistress carries the lovechild, it is safe to say that the original schooled the second one here. This confrontation is deserving of a 3.75 slap rating!

09. Celyn vs. Margaux in “Ina Kapatid Anak” (2013)

Best friends turned enemies turned sisters turned rivals (whew!) Celyn (Kim Chiu)and Margaux (Maja Salvador) have all been fighting for the same things: parents’ attention, boys, interests, it always seemed like everything is going Celyn’s way. But while it seemed like the rivalry is too good to be true, well apparently it is since it’s one of those times when truth is stranger than fiction as the former real life best friends Kim and Maja aren’t really in a friendly mood during the production of this show due to some personal issues.

The Kabugan Scene: During the after party of their double celebration debut, Margaux finally had it with Celyn getting all the attention. Si while she’s drunk, she asked her if she can talk to her in which Margaux will just reiterate how much she hated Celyn following it with a really hard slap. Celyn then answered back “Para mahimasmasan ka..” and swooped up an equally hard slap. Sure, these slaps are supposed to be tame for a TV show, but in the context of what’s happening during these times, the tension in this scene alone trumps a lot of others in this list which leads to a solid 4 slap rating!

10. Catherine vs. Scarlet in “Iisa Pa Lamang” (2008)

This conflict over conflict over conflict of interconnecting stories focuses on naive lass Catherine (Claudine Barretto) and how she has smitten Miguel (Diether Ocampo) off her fingers. Miguel’s past flame Scarlet (Angelica Panganiban) came back just to meddle with these affairs and she will do everything it takes to make Catherine’s life msierable. For what its worth, Iisa Pa Lamang will never be forgotten as it pioneered the era of bitchy retorts and the endless over the top lines that have been uttered on Philippine dramas.

The Kabugan Scene:  It’s difficult to choose for this one as kabugan seems to be the name of the game for this soap, but let’s go with this court interaction in which Scarlet demands Catherine to be taken off the room only to find out that the latter will be used as a witness against Scarlet for the grounds of adultery. This led to a confrontation on the stairs where the two women shouted labels at each other ranging from “social climber” to “adulteress” and “slut” to “home wrecker” until Catherine capped it off by shouting “Desperraaattteee housewife from hellll” before attempting to push Scarlett off the stairs. That intensity of the scene alone is enough to give this a 4.5 slap rating.

11. Lally vs. Vincent in “My Husband’s Lover” (2013)

One of the hottest soaps of last year, GMA 7’s “My Husband Lover” provided major buzz in pop culture because of its handling of a sensitive topic that’s rarely (or even a first of its kind) focus on the relationship of two gay men on its forefront. This Dennis Trillo-Tom Rodriguez-Carla Abellana triangle not only made them household names (in the case of Tom Rodriguez), but it also proved her acting prowess (in the case of Carla Abellana) and initiated a career comeback (for Dennis Trillo).

The Kabugan Scene: While all of us pretty much know who “bhe” already is, Lally (Carla Abellana) seems like she’s the last person to figure things out. So when she did, it definitely shook her world (probably much more than we expected). This confrontation between husband and wife isn’t snarky or bitchy like the others on the list, but for sheer scene intensity and a high point moment in the series, it is worthy of a 4.75 slap rating!

12. Monica vs. Nicole in “The Legal Wife” (2014)

And rounding up the list is from 2014’s most memorable and most talked about teleserye… ABS-CBN’s “The Legal Wife.” Angel Locsin’s primetime TV comeback not only defied the high expectations for her, but it even delivered some of the highest ratings in the history of its timeslot. But then again, who can blame the audience? The story of how Monica (Angel Locsin) dealt upon learning that her former best friend Nicole (Maja Salvador) is having an affair with her husband Adrian (Jericho Rosales) has been the topic of endless debates, arguments, and trending Twitter topics during its time on the air,

The Kabugan Scene: We already had a taste of the confrontation when Monica went to Nicole’s house and attacked the latter while asking the now catchphrase “Masarap ba ang asawa ko? Paano mo siya nilandi? Anong unang tinanggal mo: yung bra mo, yung panty mo? O yung konsensiya mo?”, but then it was all Monica getting angry at a sheepish Nicole. In this however, we finally see a fight. And a very realistic one. Hair grabbing, hair pulling, and extension snatching fight. Everything about this scene is realistically awkward, but no one can bat an eyelash considering how we’re all Team Monica, yet even fans can sympathize of how it felt like to be Maja Salvador during this specific scene. I’m certain this scene will be remembered years from now, and it will be the barometer used for the next confrontations to come. This, a full perfect 5 slap rating!

There you have it! Do you think Two Wives will soon join the list? What are some of your favorite kabugan teleserye confrontation that missed the list? Pipe them in the comments section below.

You can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl

QUEEN!

Deity Swift just released her fifth studio album (earlier in some parts of the world than the US), and it is said to be her departure to the country genre to fully embrace her pop sound. And if we’ll based it on her first single this era, the infectious “Shake It Off“, it is indeed a major crossover. Is it a risk worth doing, or is it a step back to her glorious streak? In order to gauge how 1989 fared as compared to the rest of her discography, we revisit Taytay’s memory lane and rank all five of her albums.

5. TAYLOR SWIFT (2006)

It was eight years ago when Taylor Swift entered the music scene with her self titled debut album. Just like all ingenues to the music industry, Taylor’s first offering was mostly about her dreams, giving a safe offering. But if there’s one thing that’s particularly striking about her, it’s her potential for song writing. Even in her debut album, T.Swift was already giving hints of introducing her self on a deeper level with her song writing. I think she entered the country scene in the right time as there’s no solo teen country girl that has made some name for herself since Leann Rimes in the mid-90s. While she didn’t become as huge as Rimes was when she entered the scene, it is without a doubt that when it comes to Swift and this album, the rest is simply history.

Favorite tracks: “Our Song“, “The Outside“, “Teardrops in My Guitar“

4. SPEAK NOW (2010)

The follow up the the critically lauded and commercial hit Fearless will always be a crucial for any artist, but two years after, Swift comes up with “Speak Now.” If Fearless made Swift bank and bask in her youthfulness and the feeling of such, there’s certainly no place to move on but go further on her next album. Speak Now had Swift writing songs referring to Joe Jonas, Taylor Lautner, John Mayer and Kanye West to name a few, and what one might consider as petty can be Taylor’s view of finally letting her guard down and translating her frustrations as inspirations. And to the surprise of no one, it actually works. At this stage in her career, Swift needs to prove that Fearless isn’t just a fluke, a one-album wonder and she knows that her follow up will start to solidify the great start her previous album had. But like any Taylor related story, she ends up winning having the last laugh.

Favorite tracks: “Enchanted“, “Back to December“, “Mean“

3. FEARLESS (2008)

Officially making her entry known to the rest of the music industry, Fearless is what made Taylor the youngest winner of the Grammy for Album of the Year back in 2009. Coming from where her initial album left off, she followed it with something that is a mix and match of a lot of things. Her sugary stuff was still present, but not only does she make herself relateable with the young girls, she also served as an older sister to them giving them pieces of advice (like that in Fifteen) or being message specific (like that in Hey Stephen.). She still gives homage to her country roots while simultaneously testing the water with them pop beats which probably is an indication of a crossover she’ll be doing in the future years of her career. And for an 18 year old country lady in the business, her album title can probably signify to that shift as well. If anything, in Fearless, Swift is still enjoying both worlds talking about puppy love and romance with a charm that only she can pull off.

Favorite tracks: “You Belong With Me“, “Love Story“, “Hey Stepehen“

2. RED (2012)

The thing with Taylor’s albums is that the previous one can be connected with the succeeding one especially with the personal details that she shares behind the meaning of her songs. Red, which became her second album to be nominated for the Grammy Album of the Year, follows the same suit. Red is definitely her larger than life album tackling themes and topics in her songs so bluntly and partnering it with big beats and loud thumps making you feel as if every finish of a song is the closing of a different story. Her songwriting details are more aggressive and detailed this time around including a top notch favorite of mine “All Too Well.” In this album, Swift plays a teenager, a heartbroken woman, a cool girl, a hopeless romantic and lots of other facets making the listening experience more enjoyable. In Red, she acknowledges that she is mature already but that she’d still be petty every now and then. This is also her first (and still her only) album where she did collaborations (to the likes of Ed Sheeran and Gary Lightbody), and I think one that never fails to give you all the “feels.”

Favorite tracks: “All Too Well“, “The Last Time“, “Begin Again“

1. 1989 (2014)

Yep. You’ve read that right. Well you can freely accuse me of having knee-jerk reactions, but I was just slayed by it. In Taytay’s latest, she officially announced that she’s going full throttle to pop territory. While the pop sound was already present in Swift’s previous albums, one could still hear the country twang every now and then. Yet such is the risk that she decides to take with her fifth album. And boy does it pay off big time. 1989, mixing 80s synth pop in it, is probably her most cohesive effort to date. While other songs can sound annoying as stand alone tracks (like that of album opener Welcome to New York), it is perfectly fitting in the context of the whole album. One moment you’re hearing some Lorde realness, then the other you’re hearing Lana and Tegan and Sara. But the difference is that she’s not really ripping them off, but she’s putting her own spin on them. The succession of songs from Blank Space to Out of the Woods is pure pop perfection, and she does that with probably majority of the songs in this album. 1989 is definitely 2014’s pop-gasm album if ever you have to single out one, and DeiTay knew exactly what she had in mind by assuring she’ll deliver with this pop venture.

Favorite tracks: Uhm almost everything? Lol. But “Blank Space”, “Style“, “Wildest Dreams“, “Clean“

1989 will be digitally available via iTunes Philippines starting October 28. For the meantime, just keep on bopping to Shake It Off or watch her totally actressing performance of Out of the Woods over at Jimmy Kimmel Live (maybe she got tips from her The Giver co-star Meryl Streep? :))

You can follow me on Twitter: @nikowl