2 posts tagged “awards”

A bit early this year, but time for some annual awards... For I sure love handing them out.

Music
Best music discovery - Wonder Girls, although this is a bit of a pity vote, since I only listen to 3 of their songs. I'm not sure I made any great music discoveries this year... I guess that's something I need to fix in 2009. I'm interested in finding more good music sung in Chinese
Best music rediscovery - Garbage. I finally gave a re-listen to my long-time favourite band (all my teen years, basically) and remembered how much I love them
Best new group of the year - Buono!. They officially debuted in 2007, but most of their releases have been in 2008, so there. The ultimate chipmunk vocal unit, they are cute and awesome and have cheerful songs

Hello! Project
Best Hello! Project single - Lotta Love Lotta Love (or Rottara Rottara). I instantly fell in love with it. It makes me happy and bouncy
Best new Hello! Project group - High-King, because I already mentioned Buono! above and this unit had another single I loved this year (c/w included). Great choreography that is so rare in H!P. I also liked seeing Yuuka get some spotlight and as a result, more people become interested in her/H!P Eggs. Too bad it was a temporary unit
Best Hello! Project Egg - Sengoku Minami. During the past year her charm has just really won me over. Her smile is irresistible, and I'm not the only one who has noticed her
Best Berryz Kobo member - Tsugunaga Momoko. She is pretty much my favourite member in the entire H!P currently and this year has only strengthened her position. I'm loving her personality, her voice, and the PBs she released. Momo makes me smile even more than before, if that's possible, and I'm not getting tired of her at all. There's just nobody else like her
Best Morning Musume member - Tanaka Reina. While she isn't my favourite member in Morning Musume, she's the one I gained more respect for during the past year. I thought she was really good in High-King and realized that she has always been good and will always be
Best DVD release of the year - BC Concert Tour 2008 Spring - Berryz Kamen vs Cutty Ranger - I don't really remember much of it right now, but I remember liking it at the time and watching certain performances more than once. (Actually I liked the H!P Egg Shiba concert better, but I don't want everything to be about Eggs, kek)

Movies
I actually kept a list of all movies I watched this year and watched more movies than usual. I'm planning on writing about them separately on my LJ, so I don't feel like plunging into them right now.

Television
Best new series (in Finland) - Madmen. It only started a bit more than a month ago, and I skipped last week's episode because I felt I wasn't getting that phroarrr feeling from the show... But watching last night's episode brought my faith back and I think I'll keep watching now. In the end it's surprising how few new shows I've started watching this year.
Best continuing series (in Finland) - Lost. Usually I would avoid naming the same show again for two years in a row, but Lost season 4 was so damn good. If not Lost, Dexter season 2 was also amazing.
Best hospital series - ER, seasons 1 - 3. I started watching this show from the beginning and I was surprised to notice how much I remembered of it (I thought I'd only seen bits and pieces of it since I was so young when it was first aired here) and how funny the show is in addition to all the drama. Witty dialogue
Best new TV actress crush - Yunjin Kim/Sun from Lost. I've been watching Lost since it started, but only this year really got into Sun (probably because her character leveled up during Season 4)
Best new TV actor crush - I can't remember anyone... There's Faraday from Lost, but that was only a temp
Best reality series - Survivor: Micronesia. Best final 3 ever, best winner ever. Parvati <3 This season had so many blindsides, so much entertainment and classic moments that I'll probably watch it again when it's finally aired in Finland
Best Survivor contestant - Parvati. She's a shameless flirt and pwned everyone. Personalitywise not as entertaining as someone like Courtney from China, but I don't think it can be denied that she provided entertainment in Micronesia. (I haven't been watching Survivor Gabon for more than 4-5 episodes so I can't really say if there's someone more likeable there)
Best Big Brother contestant - Brigitte from BBAUS. This girl just cracks me up. I think I have a thing for this type of female characters on reality tv: girls who seem really dumb/have poor common knowledge, but don't feel shame and turn out to be good judges of character (Brigitte could see through Nobbi for one). AND are hilarious in the process. Brigitte would say things like "I hate you" or "break a leg", but instead of finding it offensive I just ended up finding it hilarious. It really is quite strange. I really feel like watching this series of BBAUS again. I think it was really underrated and I'm sad that my first season of BBAUS turned out to be the last
Best America's Next Top Model contestant - Anya. I've actually stopped watching ANTM because it's so ridiculous, and I didn't see all of Anya's cycle... But I did love this girl for as long as I did watch it. She was just so genuinely sweet and funny and.. yes, a bit of an airhead. Other than that, she was fierce in all her pictures. If that show was really about crowning the best model she would've won, but I'm kind of glad she didn't so that she won't have to drag around the embarrasing crown of ANTM in her career

Idols, celebrities
Best gravure discovery - Sato Rika. I'm pretty sure I discovered her earlier, but I re-discovered her again this year thanks to Masa. She is THE cutest little gravure idol
Hottest Korean pretty boy of the year - T.O.P. from Big Bang, he's a pimp and he loves it.
Most beautiful Japanese actress - Shibasaki Kou, and yes, I only made this category for her
Most beautiful western actress - Amy Adams. I'm not sure if she's the most beautiful, but I certainly fell for her in 2008. I love her hair, smile, and cuteness
Best personality in a western actor - James McAvoy. Previously this category was for actresses, which is weird... But anyway, McAvoy is a charming Scottish lad who makes me laugh, even when I don't know what he's saying

Entertainment
Most addictive PC game - The Sims 2. There's no other game that fits my personality better, since it gives me free hands to do what I like
Most addictive PS2 game - Can't say I've been playing it much...
Best novel - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, not that there's much competition because I'm a lazy reader, but it's really a good book, okay...

And that's that. A bit lame. Oh well.

I couldn't think of a theme for a new post, but then I realized that the year's about to end. Of course it's time to hand out some awards!

Music
Best music discovery - F.I.R., a Taiwanese rock band with beautiful female vocals and strong ballads
Best music rediscovery - Yaida Hitomi, a Japanese female artist with joyful pop-rock songs and a unique voice
Best new group of the year - So Nyuh Shi Dae, a Korean pop girlgroup with 9 talented and crazy members
Best SNSD member of the year - Jessica (I only made this category so that I'd get to name her, so nevermind me. Any Asian pop idol who can quote Shakespeare deserves an award)

Hello! Project
Best Hello! Project single - Egao YES! Nude. Restored my faith in Morning Musume's singles; a catchy tune with sexy lyrics and a sexy video (even if not all the members are sexy)
Best new Hello! Project group - Ongaku Gatas, a group that combines past talent and cuteness with future talent and cuteness, in members such as Ishikawa Rika and Mano Erina. This group makes me smile
Best Hello! Project Egg - Ogawa Saki. She isn't my favourite Egg, but has convinced me/changed my opinion about her the most during the year. At the beginning of the year I thought she was a cute kid, but nothing special; now I know that she's a pretty good singer (in H!P terms) and performer for such a young little girl, and incredibly cute. She's charming and definitely someone to pay attention to, if she chooses to stay in this business
Best Berryz Kobo member - Natsuyaki Miyabi. Again, not my favourite member (my favourite is Momoko), but Miyabi is the member I started liking more than before the most, if that makes sense. Suddenly she was more charismatic to me than before (even if some people have said the opposite), and I became more interested in her
Best Morning Musume member - Kusumi Koharu. I'm feeling her miracle power, and she's the only Morning Musume member who has really fascinated me during the past year. I wanted Linlin to be that, but since I haven't watched any Momusu videos at all (except for some PVs and performances), it's hard for me to get to know the new members.
Best DVD release of the year - The shinjin kouen DVD, featuring Momusu 8th gen, Kanna, THE Possible and H!P Eggs. I'm a H!P Egg fan, so naturally this was something I was really excited to see, and I've actually watched this concert more than once (I usually don't do that).

Movies
*these aren't movies that were released this year, since I don't go to movies
Best psychological thriller - A Tale of Two Sisters. A Korean mindfuck movie, which I recommend to anyone who likes the genre
Best action movie - Infernal Affairs - actually, I don't know if this counts as an action movie, but it's a great movie in any case. Chinese, made me fall for Tony Leung
Best drama movie - Mezon do Himiko. Not too serious, has some hilarious moments, as well... But still touching, and has Shibasaki Kou

Television
Best new series (in Finland) - Dexter. A delightfully disturbing series about a serial killer who works for the police. Every episode was brilliant to me, which can't be said for every series I watch
Best continuing series (in Finland) - Lost. Yes, I be loyal to a series that I can say I'm a real fan of, since I've actually even bought the seasons on DVD. Every new season of Lost is at first difficult for me to follow, but after a few episodes the show starts to feel just as exciting as ever.
Best finished series (in Finland) - HBO's OZ. Yup, I watched the whole series as late Monday night reruns on Finnish TV, and it finished some time this fall. Hands down one of the best series I've ever seen. Great cast, great storylines, never a boring episode. There were some events in the show that I didn't like, but it just made me think "well, it's Oz. Shit happens." I'm happy that not everybody I liked died. lol
Best hospital series - Grey's Anatomy (3rd season). Just because it's the hospital series I watched the most. I think some of the storylines are a bit... Out there (like Meredith's afterlife experiences), but it's still an enjoyable series with some fun moments and good drama. I love Addison! I hope her spin-off series will be aired here, too. I've heard some bad things about Grey's 4th season, anyway.
Best new TV actress crush - Elizabeth Mitchell/Juliet from Lost. I was so convinced that I wouldn't fall for her, but I did. She's amazing.
Best new TV actor crush - Henry Ian Cusick/Desmond from Lost. He's hot (especially the accent).
Best reality series - Survivor: China. Actually, I haven't finished watching it, but I know who won and all. Some great casting and the most likeable final two ever (at least in my opinion). A pretty good season of Survivor, if I may say.
Best Survivor contestant - Courtney. Not because she 'played the best', but because she had the shiniest personality. She was absolutely hilarious and I just hope that I'll see her again one day in something. It's weird how she seemed to be both bitchy and loveable. Brutally honest, but in a funny way. Oh and she's very cute ^__^
Best Big Brother contestant - Nicky from BBUK. Not that many choices this year, to be honest, what a crappy year for Big Brother. Anyway, Nicky because she was so serious and unfunny that it actually made her funny. I found her rather adorable because of it, too. I don't think she deserved the boos that she got when she left the house. Then again, those vile beasts boo at anyone these days, it's just not special anymore.
Best America's Next Top Model contestant - Heather, both for looks and entertainment. I love her type of beauty, I love it that she's a geek, I love it that she's socially awkward but takes gorgeous pictures. But she also offered some of the funniest confessionals/narrational parts in the show. So shamelessly Heather, I love her. Heather was the star of Cycle 9 for me, no doubt.

Idols, celebrities
Best gravure discovery - Sugimoto Yumi. Cute dimples, gorgeous face, great body, needs more bum shots
Hottest Korean pretty boy of the year - G-Dragon from Big Bang, though maybe it's unfair to give an award to someone I first saw in late November (or was it early December) this year...
Most beautiful Japanese actress - Shibasaki Kou, and yes, I only made this category for her
Most beautiful western actress - Evangeline Lilly; love her eyes, freckles and smile
Best personality in a western actress - Kristen Bell. I've found out that she's a lot of fun and kind of crazy. Loving it. It makes me want to see more of her, in acting, behind the screen, photos, anything

Entertainment
Most addictive PC game - The Sims 2. See the family tree of my favourite family below
Most addictive PS2 game - Final Fantasy X. Yes, I'm late...
Best novel - The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot; I have to say this one because it made me cry twice, heh.

Famtree

I would've added more pictures, but this post is already long and it would take a LOT of time.. Spare me...