Music | Gio Gutierrez

2009 Gio Awards

// December 16th, 2009 // 5 Comments » // Personal

It’s that time of year again for me to reflect on some of the things I’ve enjoyed the last 360 something days. These are regionally (in my head) recognized examples of great stuff across the board that I’ve personally interacted with. So thanks the academy and on with the show:

Best Video Game: Street Fighter IV

I’ve been playing this game since I was a child when you used to have these things called arcades where you would go with your handful of quarters from the lunch you skipped. Imagine the flashback when this game hit consoles retaining the classic 2-D gameplay but with a twist of color, animation, and visual effect making it the best looking Street Fighter game yet.
Runner Up: New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Best Movie: Star Trek

Props to JJ Abrams for his revamp of the series. This is really the story that introduces the characters and how the Enterprise crew meets and the telling is pure bliss. You needn’t know the secret handshakes or utter the Vulcan blessing “live long and prosper” to enjoy this thrill ride.
Runner up: District 9

Best NOT A Love Story: 500 Days of Summer

A love story gone bad that connects two uniquely “real” characters via the music of The Smiths. I was sold on this premise alone. Here’s a movie that takes the wimpy, tortured, hopelessly-in-love boy from the other movies and tells them to grow the fuck up. It’s charming, yet brutally honest.
Runner up: Up In The Air

Best Television: Fringe | Dexter | Californication | True Blood

This year I’ve been glued to the following shows:
Fringe is modern day X-Files written by the guys that penned Transformers/Star Trek w/ JJ Abrams as executive producer.
Dexter (starring Michael C. Hall from Six Feet Under) is on it’s fourth year now and this season has been full of nail-biting suspense, revenge and mystery. Great thriller. Gut twisting finale.
Californication has hot girls, real-life sexual scenarios and David Duchovny as Hank - the character you want to be when you grow up with the best lines on TV.
True Blood finally grew up from it’s first season from being a show targeting fat gothic girls.

Best Read: Y The Last Man Standing

A graphic novel? Absolutely… Y is an adventure that spanned 5 years, the first issue had me intrigued and the journey of the last man on earth ’till the last episodes that had me in emotionally broken down (similar to season finale of Six Feet Under).
Runner Up: Life Without Lawyers

Best Albums: XX | Wolfgang Amadeus | Ocean Eyes

The XX, Phoenix and Owl City (homogeneous to Postal Service). Just listen.

Best Packaging: Lelo (NSFW)

Lelo is a Sweden-based company devoted to the design of sensual pleasure objects with a contemporary flair. Not only in the product itself, but down to the packaging. If Apple designed sex toys, they would look like Lelo’s.
Runner Up: B&N Nook

Best Restaurant: Mr Yum

I’ve raved about Mr. Yum before but it’s been a year now and I still catch myself going here once a week. Limitless saki, beautiful people and new menu items (Example: Ño Roll with fried plantains) keep this place fresh. And you simply can’t beat the vibe.
Runner Up: Ceviche 105

Best Web Site: Carsonified

It is cool to see someone exploring different ways to create a website. I give the Carsonified team full credit for their new site. Absolutely love the art direction - very, very stylish. Even the copy is cleverly written. I know some people think it’s too simple (monotone) but it’s refreshingly original… who else is doing this? No one.
Runner Up: Swear Words

Best iPhone Apps: Kindle | Now Playing | Tweetie

Too many apps to pick just one so here’s my top three:
Kindle - Love it when I don’t have my Kindle with me but I’m still able to sync and read my eBooks no matter where I am.
Now Playing - Trailers, local theater times (via GPS), Rotten Tomatoes score and Netflix integration
Tweetie - You guessed it - for Twitter

Best Product: The iPhone

Three versions later, this device still kicks ass. Not one week goes by where I find myself completely in awe of it’s awesomeness. I still live my iVirgin moments vicariously via my friends who just got their iPhone as I blow their minds with the little things we take for granted with this gadget.
Runner Up: The Sqweel (NSFW)