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David Letterman's Late Show Top Ten graphic

Top Ten Everything

I’m bringing back one of the first pages I ever created for my websites: The Top Ten Everything page.

Ranking Stuff

I’m anti-competitive by nature, so ranking things sometimes feels inauthentic to me, but the exercise of tier lists and listicles is a fun creative exercise that prompts discussion, so I still indulge once in a while.

Obviously, these are all entirely based on my opinion and faulty memory. Let me know if you think I forgot something you expect to be in these lists!

Jump Links

Movies

Top Movies

Overall ranking. This includes factors like: movies I love, watch repeatedly, and recommend others see. This is not a list of technical/artistic merit or some attempt at objectivity.

Context: I majored in film for 6 months and didn’t enjoy the type of critical lens I was being taught in that environment.

  1. Parasite
  2. The Matrix (1 > The Animatrix > 2 > 4 > 3)
  3. Children of Men
  4. Everything Everywhere All At Once
  5. Ghost in the Shell (1995)
  6. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
  7. John Wick (1>2>3>4)
  8. What Dreams May Come
  9. Gattaca
  10. Blade Runner 2049
  11. Young Frankenstein
  12. Man On Fire
  13. The Truman Show
  14. Sorry To Bother You
  15. The Game
  16. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
  17. Memento
  18. Raiders of the Lost Ark — Indiana Jones (1>3>2)
  19. Robin Hood: Men In Tights
  20. Jackie Brown
  21. Sinners (New: Added 5/5/2025)
  22. Ex Machina
  23. The Fifth Element
  24. The Departed
  25. Arrival
  26. Shaun of the Dead
  27. Kill Bill ( 1 = 2 )
  28. Let The Right One In
  29. BlacKKKlansman
  30. Ratatouille — see Top Pixar Movies
  31. Contact
  32. The Dark Knight
  33. Back to the Future (1>2>3)
  34. Nobody
  35. 13 Assassins
  36. Once Upon a Time in Mexico
  37. Lost in Translation
  38. Casino Royale & Skyfall
  39. Monty Python and The Meaning of Life
  40. True Lies

Top Directors

  1. David Fincher
  2. Edgar Wright
  3. Christopher Nolan
  4. Martin Scorsese
  5. The Wachowskis
  6. Stanley Kubrick
  7. The Coen Brothers
  8. Jordan Peele
  9. Quentin Tarantino
  10. Ryan Coogler — +12 after seeing Sinners
  11. David Lynch
  12. Sam Esmail
  13. Denis Villenueve
  14. Robert Rodriguez
  15. John Woo
  16. Steven Spielberg
  17. Ridley Scott
  18. Mel Brooks
  19. Mike Judge
  20. Guillermo del Toro
  21. Tim Burton
  22. Terry Gilliam
  23. Rian Johnson
  24. Luc Besson

Honorable Mention

  • Bong Joon Ho and Alex Garland are going to join this list once they have a few more films out, I’m sure.
  • M. Night Shyamalan is very hit-or-miss, but might deserve a spot.
  • Chris Cunningham for music videos.

Top Actors

  1. Robin Williams 🪦
  2. Keanu Reeves
  3. Ryan Gosling
  4. Natalie Portman
  5. Charlize Theron
  6. Anthony Hopkins
  7. Samuel L. Jackson
  8. Julianne Moore
  9. Daniel Day-Lewis
  10. Denzel Washington
  11. Christian Bale
  12. Gary Oldman
  13. Emma Stone
  14. Clive Owen
  15. Nathan Lane
  16. Mahershala Ali
  17. Jodie Foster
  18. Benicio Del Toro
  19. Rami Malek
  20. Michael B. Jordan
  21. Tom Hardy
  22. Joaquin Phoenix
  23. Daniel Kaluuya
  24. John Goodman
  25. Robert De Niro
  26. Leonardo DiCaprio
  27. Olivia Colman
  28. Bill Murray
  29. Tom Hanks
  30. Jim Carrey
  31. Laurence Fishburne
  32. Song Kang Ho
  33. Robert Downey Jr.
  34. Morgan Freeman
  35. Jake Gyllenhaal
  36. Frances McDormand
  37. Ralph Fiennes
  38. Brad Pitt
  39. Sigourney Weaver
  40. Robert Pattinson
  41. Catherine O’Hara
  42. Idris Elba
  43. Amy Adams
  44. Rachel Weisz
  45. Laura Linney
  46. Hugh Jackman
  47. Daniel Craig
  48. Viola Davis
  49. Paul Giamatti
  50. Willem Dafoe
  51. Philip Seymour Hoffman 🪦
  52. Meryl Streep
  53. Cate Blanchett
  54. Adam Driver
  55. Ed Harris
  56. Lupita Nyong’o
  57. Kate Winslet
  58. Mark Ruffalo
  59. Will Smith
  60. Edward Norton
  61. Ewan McGregor
  62. Matthew McConaughey
  63. Christopher Walken
  64. Tilda Swinton
  65. Jack Nicholson
  66. Sandra Bullock
  67. Julia Roberts
  68. Sean Connery 🪦
  69. Andy Serkis
  70. Al Pacino
  71. Kathy Bates
  72. Woody Harrelson
  73. Jamie Foxx
  74. Jesse Plemons
  75. Christoph Waltz
  76. Reese Witherspoon
  77. Glenn Close
  78. Catherine Keener
  79. Michael Douglas
  80. John C. Reilly

Top Action Movies

  1. John Wick (1>2>3>4)
  2. The Matrix (1>2>4>3)
  3. Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark
  4. Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade
  5. Nobody
  6. 13 Assassins
  7. Predator
  8. Everything Everywhere All At Once
  9. Casino Royale
  10. True Lies
  11. The Dark Knight
  12. Gladiator
  13. Terminator (2>1)
  14. Speed
  15. Mad Max: Fury Road
  16. Die Hard
  17. Kingsman: The Secret Service
  18. The Transporter
  19. Face/Off
  20. Crank
  21. The Woman King

Top Kung Fu / Martial Arts / Fighting Movies

  1. John Wick (4>3>2>1)
  2. The Matrix (2>1>3>4)
  3. Kill Bill (1>2)
  4. Ip Man (only 1)
  5. Who Am I?
  6. The Legend of Drunken Master (I & II)
  7. Kung Fu Hustle
  8. Enter the Dragon
  9. Iron Monkey
  10. Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior
  11. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
  12. Everything Everywhere All At Once
  13. The Bourne Identity

Top Ten James Bond Movies

  1. Skyfall
  2. Casino Royale
  3. Goldfinger
  4. Goldeneye
  5. Dr. No
  6. Thunderball
  7. No Time To Die
  8. Tomorrow Never Dies
  9. The World Is Not Enough
  10. Die Another Day

Top Heist Movies

  1. Jackie Brown
  2. Heat (1995)
  3. How to Blow Up a Pipeline
  4. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
  5. Inception
  6. The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
  7. Three Kings
  8. Mission: Impossible (1996) (1 > 7 > 4 > 5 > 6 > 3 > 2)
  9. Baby Driver
  10. Reservoir Dogs
  11. Logan Lucky
  12. Swordfish
  13. Point Break
  14. Ronin
  15. Rogue One

Top Comedy Movies

  1. Young Frankenstein
  2. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
  3. Robin Hood: Men In Tights
  4. Shaun of the Dead
  5. Monty Python and The Meaning of Life
  6. JoJo Rabbit
  7. Death Becomes Her
  8. Anchorman
  9. Liar Liar
  10. Old School
  11. Deadpool (2>1>3)
  12. Cunk on Life
  13. Blockers
  14. Ghostbusters (1>2)
  15. Van Wilder

Top Romance Movies

  1. Romeo + Juliet (1996)
  2. Thomas Crown Affair
  3. The Princess Bride
  4. Portrait of a Lady on Fire
  5. A Silent Voice
  6. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
  7. The Fountain
  8. Howl’s Moving Castle
  9. The Notebook
  10. Past Lives
  11. In the Mood for Love
  12. Moonlight
  13. Disobedience
  14. The Handmaiden
  15. Shakespeare in Love
  16. Splash

Honorable Mention

  • While not technically “movies”, Black Mirror has several episodes that could easily fit in as short films here:
    • San Junipero
    • Hang the DJ
    • Striking Vipers

Top Sad Movies

  1. The Farewell
  2. Grave of the Fireflies
  3. The Iron Giant
  4. The Fox and the Hound
  5. Romeo + Juliet (Luhrmann 1996)
  6. Drive My Car
  7. Wings of Desire
  8. Coco
  9. Past Lives
  10. The Green Mile

Top Horror Movies

Also see: Halloween Movies

  1. Get Out
  2. Let the Right One In
  3. The Silence of the Lambs
  4. Alien (and Aliens)
  5. Late Night with the Devil
  6. Audition
  7. Perfect Blue
  8. Train to Busan
  9. The Ring
  10. Jaws
  11. The Invisible Man (2020)
  12. Us
  13. The Sixth Sense
  14. The Witch
  15. The Substance
  16. Thir13en Ghosts

Honorable Mention

  • Shaun of the Dead doesn’t count, but it deserves mentioning.
  • The Host is an excellent monster flick that barely missed the cut.
  • Upgrade is underrated and I find it a more palatable version of some of the insane body horror movies I’ve enjoyed but don’t want to watch again.

Top Vampire Movies

  1. Sinners
  2. Let The Right One In
  3. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
  4. Nosferatu (2024)
  5. Thirst
  6. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
  7. 30 Days of Night
  8. Interview With The Vampire
  9. Cronos
  10. The Lost Boys
  11. Vampire Hunter D
  12. Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Top Sci-Fi Movies

Probably my favorite genre, so this one will be long.

  1. Children of Men
  2. Ghost in the Shell (1995)
  3. Blade Runner 2049
    • Watch the Director’s Cut of the original first
  4. Ex Machina
  5. Arrival
  6. Gattaca
  7. The Fifth Element
  8. Contact
  9. Star Wars: A New Hope (and such…)
  10. Inception
  11. Alien & Aliens
  12. 2001: A Space Odyssey
  13. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
  14. Primer
  15. Akira
  16. Moon
  17. Snowpiercer
  18. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
  19. V For Vendetta
  20. Sunshine
  21. Annihilation
  22. District 9

Honorable Mention

  • Attack the Block is the Shaun of the Dead of this genre.
  • Back to the Future doesn’t really count, but I love it. (1>2>3)

Top Star Wars Movies

  1. A New Hope (4)
  2. The Empire Strikes Back (5)
  3. Return of the Jedi (6)
  4. Rogue One
  5. Revenge of the Sith (3)
  6. The Last Jedi (8)
  7. The Force Awakens (7)
  8. Solo
  9. Attack of the Clones (2)
  10. The Phantom Menace (1)
  11. The Rise of Skywalker (9)

Top Star Wars Shows

  1. Andor
  2. Visions
  3. The Mandalorian (season 1>2>3)
  4. Ahsoka
  5. The Acolyte
  6. Obi Wan
  7. Rebels (selected episodes)

The Best Order to Watch Star Wars

In my opinion, the best order to watch them is chronological starting from A New Hope through the end, then the worthwhile prequels. (skipping many things entirely)

  1. Episode 4 – A New Hope (1977)
  2. Episode 5 – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
  3. Episode 6 – Return of the Jedi (1983)
  4. The Mandalorian
  5. Ahsoka
  6. Episode 7 – The Force Awakens (2015)
  7. Episode 8 – The Last Jedi (2017)
    • —– (Prepare) —–
  8. Episode 9 – The Rise of Skywalker (2019) — It’s culturally necessary 😩
    • —– (Grieve) —–
  9. The Acolyte
  10. Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace (1999)
  11. Episode 2 – Attack of the Clones (2002)
  12. Episode 3 – Revenge of the Sith (2005)
  13. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
  14. Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)
  15. Andor
  16. Rogue One

Top Superhero Movies

  1. The Dark Knight
    • whole trilogy
  2. Unbreakable
  3. Superman (1978)
  4. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (series)
  5. Black Panther
  6. Batman (1989)
    • Batman Returns (1992)
  7. The Crow (1994)
  8. Hellboy (I & II)
  9. V For Vendetta
  10. Deadpool (2016) (1>2>3)
  11. Logan
  12. Avengers: Endgame
  13. Thor: Ragnarok

Top Batman Actors

  1. Adam West
  2. Christian Bale
  3. Michael Keaton
  4. Robert Pattinson
  5. Val Kilmer

Top Fantasy Movies

  2. The Princess Bride
  3. Pan’s Labyrinth
  4. Labyrinth
  5. The Shape of Water

Top Anime Movies

Excluding movies that supplement a series (consider those ranked w/ the anime series list).

  1. Ghost in the Shell
    • Original English Dub > 2.0 > Original Japanese Sub — fight me
  2. Princess Mononoke
  3. Akira
  4. Spirited Away
  5. Perfect Blue
  6. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
  7. Ghost in the Shell: Innocence
  8. Tokyo Godfathers
  9. The Night is Short, Walk On Girl
  10. The Castle of Cagliostro
  11. Howl’s Moving Castle
  12. A Silent Voice
  13. Summer Wars
  14. Steamboy
  15. Ninja Scroll
  16. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
  17. Kiki’s Delivery Service
  18. Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie — I hate this subtitle

Top Miyazaki (Studio Ghibli) Movies

  1. Princess Mononoke
  2. Spirited Away
  3. Howl’s Moving Castle
  4. Kiki’s Delivery Service
  5. The Castle of Cagliostro
  6. My Neighbor Totoro
  7. Castle in the Sky
  8. The Boy and the Heron
  9. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
  10. The Wind Rises

Top Disney Movies

I am never talking about a sequel or live action remake unless I say otherwise.

  1. Robin Hood (related)
  2. Aladdin
  3. Lion King
  4. Sleeping Beauty
  5. The Muppet Christmas Carol
  6. The Emperor’s New Groove
  7. Little Mermaid
  8. Alice in Wonderland
  9. Moana
  10. Cinderella
  11. Wreck-It Ralph (and Ralph Breaks the Internet)
  12. Fantasia
  13. Big Hero 6
  14. The Brave Little Toaster
  15. Lilo & Stitch
  16. The Fox & The Hound
  17. Mulan
  18. Zootopia
  19. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
  20. A Goofy Movie

Top Ten Pixar Movies

  1. Ratatouille
  2. Up
  3. Turning Red
  4. Coco
  5. Inside Out
  6. Monsters Inc.
  7. Wall-E
  8. Toy Story (series)
  9. The Incredibles
  10. Onward

Top Keanu Reeves Movies

  1. The Matrix (1>2>4>3)
  2. John Wick (1>4>2>3)
  3. The Devil’s Advocate
  4. Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1>2>3)
  5. Speed
  6. Constantine
  7. Point Break
  8. Always Be My Maybe
  9. Dangerous Liaisons
  10. A Scanner Darkly
  11. Johnny Mnemonic
  12. 47 Ronin
  13. Man of Tai Chi

Top Natalie Portman Movies

  1. Leon: The Professional
  2. Annihilation
  3. V for Vendetta
  4. Black Swan
  5. Heat
  6. Closer
  7. Mars Attacks!
  8. Thor (1>3>2)
  9. Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith (3>2>1)

Top Ryan Gosling Movies

  1. Blade Runner 2049
  2. The Big Short
  3. Drive
  4. The Fall Guy
  5. Barbie
  6. Blue Valentine
  7. Lars and the Real Girl
  8. The Notebook
  9. The Nice Guys
  10. Only God Forgives

Top Meryl Streep Movies

  1. Death Becomes Her
  2. The Devil Wears Prada
  3. Julie & Julia
  4. Fantastic Mr. Fox
  5. Adaptation
  6. Doubt
  7. The Hours
  8. The Manchurian Candidate

Top Jim Carrey Movies

  1. The Truman Show
  2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
  3. Liar Liar
  4. Me, Myself & Irene
  5. Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls
  6. Man on the Moon
  7. Batman Forever
  8. Yes Man
  9. The Majestic

Top Wachowskis Movies

  1. The Matrix
  2. The Matrix Reloaded
  3. The Matrix Resurrections
  4. Speed Racer
  5. Cloud Atlas
  6. The Matrix Revolutions
  7. Jupiter Ascending

Top Edgar Wright Movies

  1. Shaun of the Dead
  2. Hot Fuzz
  3. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
  4. Baby Driver
  5. The World’s End
  6. Last Night in Soho

Top David Fincher Movies

  1. The Social Network
  2. The Game
  3. Seven
  4. Fight Club
  5. Gone Girl
  6. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
  7. Alien 3
  8. Panic Room
  9. Zodiac
  10. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Top Tarantino Movies

  1. Jackie Brown
  2. Pulp Fiction
  3. Reservoir Dogs
  4. Kill Bill (1>2)
  5. Inglourious Basterds
  6. Django

Top Christopher Nolan Movies

  1. Memento
  2. Inception
  3. The Dark Knight (2>1>3)
  4. The Prestige
  5. Insomnia
  6. Dunkirk
  7. Interstellar
  8. Oppenheimer

Top Scorsese Movies

  1. Goodfellas
  2. The Wolf of Wall Street
  3. Gangs of New York
  4. The Departed
  5. Killers of the Flower Moon
  6. Casino
  7. Shutter Island
  8. Taxi Driver

Top Xmas Movies

  1. The Muppet Christmas Carol
  2. How The Grinch Stole Christmas
  3. Scrooged
  4. Jingle All The Way
  5. Tokyo Godfathers
  6. A Charlie Brown Christmas
  7. Nightmare Before Christmas
  8. Elf
  9. Die Hard
  10. Violent Night
  11. Batman Returns
  12. Home Alone
  13. Gremlins

Top Halloween Movies

Best movies to watch during Halloween season.

Also see: Horror Movies

  1. Nightmare Before Christmas
  2. The Crow
  3. Garfield Halloween Special
  4. Charlie Brown Halloween Special
  5. The Blackening
  6. Beetlejuice
  7. Scream
  8. Shaun of the Dead
  9. The Craft
  10. Hocus Pocus

Top Nostalgia Movies

Movies I watch only for nostalgia and aren’t good enough to fit other lists here.

  1. Short Circuit (1>2)
  2. Gremlins 2
  3. The Quick and the Dead

Top “Vibes” Movies

I just put these on in the background sometimes.

Marge Simpson holds a potato and says I just think they're neat!
  1. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
  2. Drive
  3. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
  4. Inception
  5. Nightcrawler
  6. Leon: The Professional
  7. Romeo + Juliet (1996)
  8. Constantine
  9. Akira
  10. Lost Highway

Top Movies Based on Real Life

  1. The Social Network
  2. Spotlight
  3. BlacKKKlansman
  4. 12 Years a Slave
  5. The Wolf of Wall Street
  6. Dunkirk
  7. Hidden Figures
  8. Schindler’s List
  9. Catch Me If You Can
  10. Hotel Rwanda
  11. Monster
  12. A League of Their Own
  13. Glory
  14. The Imitation Game

Top Traumatizing Movies

These are the best flicks I show people after warning them that they’ll be broken afterwards.

  1. Visitor Q
  2. Grave of the Fireflies
  3. I’m Still Here (2024)
  4. Schindler’s List
  5. Ichi The Killer
  6. Dunkirk

TV Series

Top Ten TV Series

  1. Mr. Robot
  2. Hannibal
  3. Better Call Saul > Breaking Bad
  4. Black Mirror
  5. Severance
  6. Killing Eve
  7. Fleabag
  8. Star Trek: The Next Generation
  9. Sesame Street
  10. Sons of Anarchy
  11. This Is Us
  12. Justified
  13. Orange Is The New Black
  14. Firefly
  15. Chernobyl
  16. House of Cards ❌
  17. Game of Thrones
  18. The Sopranos
  19. Bojack Horseman
  20. Jessica Jones
  21. Succession
  22. Louie ❌
  23. The Last of Us
  24. Friday Night Lights
  25. The Penguin
  26. The Boys
  27. The Mandalorian
  28. The X-Files
  29. Shōgun
  30. The Diplomat
  31. Battlestar Galactica
  32. The Wire
  33. The Bear
  34. Spartacus
  35. Crash Landing On You
  36. Mad Men
  37. Dexter
  38. Stranger Things

Top Comedy TV Series

  1. Key & Peele
  2. Last Week Tonight w/ John Oliver
  3. The I.T. Crowd
  4. Chapelle’s Show ❌
  5. Futurama
  6. Whose Line Is It Anyway?
  7. South Park
  8. Fleabag
  9. Spaced
  10. The Muppet Show
  11. Silicon Valley
  12. Coupling
  13. The Simpsons
  14. Arrested Development
  15. Seinfeld ❌
  16. Taskmaster
  17. Monty Python’s Flying Circus
  18. In Living Color
  19. Ted Lasso
  20. I Love Lucy
  21. Saturday Night Live (Best-of cuts)

Top Anime Series

  1. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
  2. Cowboy Bebop
  3. The Animatrix
  4. FLCL
  5. Spy x Family
  6. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
  7. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
  8. Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
  9. Berserk
  10. Hunter X Hunter
  11. Death Note
  12. Samurai Champloo
  13. Neon Genesis Evangelion
  14. Delicious In Dungeon (Dungeon Meshi)
  15. Way of the Househusband
  16. Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans
  17. Shin Chan (Internet Archive)
  18. Trigun
  19. Gurren Lagann
  20. Food Wars! (Shokugeki no Soma)
  21. My Hero Academia
  22. Code Geass
  23. Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045
  24. Ghost in the Shell: Arise
  25. Ouran High School Host Club
  26. Parasyte: The Maxim
  27. Paranoia Agent
  28. One-Punch Man
  29. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
  30. Serial Experiments Lain
  31. Mushishi
  32. Psycho-Pass
  33. The Apothecary Diaries
  34. Jujutsu Kaisen
  35. Violet Evergarden
  36. Tenchi Muyo!
  37. Yu Yu Hakusho
  38. Naruto Shippuden

Top Disney Animated Series

  1. Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers
  2. X-Men ’97
  3. Gargoyles
  4. Goof Troop
  5. DuckTales
  6. Darkwing Duck

Top Non-Anime, Non-Disney Animation

  1. The Venture Bros.
  2. Scavengers Reign
  3. The Simpsons
  4. The Ren & Stimpy Show
  5. Avatar: The Last Airbender
  6. Samurai Jack
  7. Blue Eye Samurai
  8. Invincible

Top Game Shows

  1. The Price Is Right
  2. Wheel Of Fortune
  3. Deal Or No Deal
  4. Family Feud
  5. Match Game
  6. Supermarket Sweep
  7. To Tell the Truth
  8. Card Sharks
  9. Jeopardy
  10. Double Dare

Games

My favorite versions in parenthesis.

Top Analog Games

  1. Magic: The Gathering (Commander w/ proxies)
  2. Dungeons & Dragons (5e, non-canon)
  3. Guillotine
  4. Dixit
  5. One Night Ultimate Werewolf
  6. Spite & Malice (homebrew playing card game)
  7. Codenames
  8. Snake Oil
  9. Viticulture
  10. Splendor
  11. Poker (Texas Hold’em, Pai Gow)

Top Ten Video Games

  1. Final Fantasy VI (Pixel Remaster)
  2. Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
  3. Final Fantasy Tactics (The War of The Lions)
  4. Final Fantasy IV (Pixel Remaster)
  5. Chrono Trigger (2018 Steam)
  6. Slay The Spire
  7. Mega Man 4 (NES)
  8. Elden Ring
  9. Mega Man X (SNES)
  10. Ori and the Blind Forest

Top Action/Adventure Games

  1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
  2. Bastion
  3. The Legend of Zelda (NES)
  4. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS)
  5. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
  6. Hades
  7. Transistor
  8. Children of Morta
  9. Diablo III
  10. The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker (HD)
  11. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
  12. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
  13. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
  14. Nobody Saves The World

Top Ten Final Fantasy Games

  1. Final Fantasy VI (Pixel Remaster)
  2. Final Fantasy Tactics (The War of The Lions)
  3. Final Fantasy IV (Pixel Remaster)
  4. Final Fantasy XII (The Zodiac Age)
  5. Final Fantasy IX (Original — but I would love a remaster)
  6. Final Fantasy VII (2013 Steam)
  7. Final Fantasy (Pixel Remaster)
  8. Final Fantasy X (HD Remaster)
  9. Final Fantasy V (Pixel Remaster)
  10. Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (Steam)

Honorable Mention

Final Fantasy XIV is my favorite MMORPG ever. It’s not close.

Top Non-Final Fantasy RPGs

  1. Chrono Trigger (2018 Steam)
  2. Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age (Definitive Edition)
  3. Sea of Stars (Steam)
  4. Dragon Quest III (HD-2D Remake)
  5. Baldur’s Gate 3 (Steam)
  6. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (PS2 — release a remaster!)
  7. Chained Echoes
  8. Undertale
  9. Lufia 2 (SNES)
  10. Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen (Nintendo DS — release a remaster!)
  11. Mass Effect (Legendary Edition)
  12. Grandia II
  13. Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Mankind Divided
  14. Star Ocean: Second Story
  15. Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360 — release a remaster!)
  16. Breath of Fire II (2>3>1>etc.)
  17. Tales of Symphonia
  18. Super Mario RPG (SNES)
  19. Disgaea 4 (Complete+)
  20. Skies of Arcadia (Dreamcast)
  21. Ikenfell
  22. Lufia (SNES)
  23. Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic 2 (Steam)
  24. Phantasy Star IV

Top Platformer Games

  1. Super Mario World (SNES)
  2. Mega Man 4 (NES)
  3. Mega Man X (SNES)
  4. Mega Man X2 (SNES)
  5. Cuphead
  6. Super Mario Bros. 3 (SNES – Super Mario All-Stars)
  7. Shovel Knight
  8. Gris
  9. Ninja Gaiden (NES)
  10. Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PS2)

Top Mega Man Games

  1. Mega Man 4
  2. Mega Man X
  3. Mega Man X2
  4. Mega Man 2
  5. Mega Man 5
  6. Mega Man 3
  7. Mega Man 6
  8. Mega Man 9
  9. Mega Man
  10. Mega Man Battle Network 2

Top Metroidvania Games

  1. Ori and the Blind Forest & Ori and the Will of the Wisps
  2. Hollow Knight
  3. Super Metroid (SNES)
  4. Hyper Light Drifter
  5. Sundered (Eldritch Edition)
  6. Metroid Dread (Switch)
  7. Axiom Verge
  8. SteamWorld Dig 2
  9. Shadow Complex
  10. Star Wars – Jedi: Fallen Order

Honorable Mention

Rogue Legacy is a roguelike procedurally generated Metroidvania style game that I love, but I don’t think I want to include procedurally generated levels in this list.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is my favorite Castlevania game, and I know this is sacrilege, but I’m not the biggest fan of Castlevania. I really lean more on the Metroid half of the genre title.

Top Roguelike Games

  1. Slay The Spire
  2. Hades
  3. Vampire Survivors
  4. Noita
  5. Rogue Legacy
  6. Monster Train
  7. Balatro
  8. Dead Cells

Top Cozy Games

  1. Slay The Spire
  2. Vampire Survivors
  3. Pyre
  4. Teamfight Tactics
  5. Dave The Diver
  6. Sudoku

Top Fighting Games

  1. Street Fighter 6 (>5>4>2>3>1)
  2. Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 (>3>1)
  3. Tekken Tag Tournament
  4. Capcom Vs. SNK 2
  5. Street Fighter Alpha 2
  6. Tekken 4
  7. Street Fighter Alpha 3
  8. Super Street Fighter 2: Turbo
  9. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4
  10. Killer Instinct (SNES)
  11. Power Stone 2
  12. X-Men Vs. Street Fighter
  13. Nidhogg 2
  14. Super Smash Bros. Melee

Top Open World Games

I know my definition of open world may not be the same as everyone else’s but I think of these as “games where I can roam around at my own pace and do whatever”.

  1. Elden Ring
  2. Baldur’s Gate 3 (Steam)
  3. Elder Scrolls: Skyrim (Special Edition + Mods)
  4. Fallout 3
  5. Cyberpunk 2077
  6. Shadow of the Colossus
  7. Borderlands 2
  8. Middle Earth: Shadow of War
  9. Lego Marvel Superheroes

Top MMORPGs

  1. Final Fantasy XIV
  2. World of WarCraft (Wrath of the Lich King era)
  3. Star Wars – The Old Republic
  4. Final Fantasy XI
  5. Destiny (1>2)
  6. Guild Wars (2>1)
  7. Rift

Top MOBAs

  1. League of Legends
  2. Overwatch (2 is awful)
  3. Heroes of the Storm
  4. DotA (original WC2 mod)
  5. Smite
  6. DotA 2

Top Game Developers

  1. Square Enix
  2. Nintendo
  3. Supergiant Games
  4. FromSoftware
  5. Riot Games

Music

Top Artists

  1. Nine Inch Nails (Closer)
  2. Yoko Kanno (Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. Soundtrack)
  3. Björk (Hyperballad)
  4. Chvrches (Forever)
  5. FKA twigs (Two Weeks)
  6. Aesop Rock (Preservation)
  7. Sza (Pretty Little Birds)
  8. Kylie Minogue (Can’t Get You Out of My Head)
  9. Open Mike Eagle (Ziggy Starfish)
  10. Childish Gambino (Redbone)
  11. Doomtree (Little Mercy)
  12. Halsey (Honey)
  13. Sevendust (Denial)
  14. Beastie Boys (Intergalactic)
  15. Doechii (Nissan Altima)
  16. Garbage (Push It)
  17. Kendrick Lamar (Humble)
  18. Muna (Crying On The Bathroom Floor)
  19. Lostprophets (Shinobi Vs. Dragon Ninja) ❌
  20. Janelle Monáe (Make Me Feel)
  21. Orgy (Blue Monday)
  22. Pvris (You and I)
  23. Shiny Toy Guns (Don’t Cry Out)
  24. Mindless Self Indulgence (Shut Me Up)
  25. Radiohead (Talk Show Host)
  26. The xx (Together)
  27. Schoolboy Q (Numb Numb Juice)
  28. Saul Williams (List Of Demands)
  29. Placebo (Pure Morning)

Spotify Playlists

Top lists organized w/ playlists.

Books

Top Fiction Books

  1. Player of Games, Iain M. Banks
  2. Lilith’s Brood (Xenogenesis) Trilogy, Octavia Butler
  3. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Haruki Murakami
  4. Timeline, Michael Crichton — never watch the movie
  5. Snow Crash, Neil Stephenson
  6. Lost World, Michael Crichton
  7. American Gods, Neil Gaiman ❌
  8. Use of Weapons, Iain M. Banks
  9. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick
  10. Prince Lestat (Vampire Chronicles), Anne Rice
  11. Eaters of the Dead, Michael Crichton
  12. The Stand, Stephen King
  13. Gone For Good, Harlan Coben
  14. Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Timothy Zahn
  15. The Strain Trilogy, Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan
  16. Ready Player One, Ernest Cline — The movie ruined it for me, though
  17. The Satanic Verses, Salman Rushdie
  18. Cryptonomicon, Neil Stephenson
  19. Rising Sun, Michael Crichton
  20. Sacrifice (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force #5), Karen Traviss
    • I enjoyed the entire series, written by various authors
  21. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Mark Twain

Dishonorable Mention

Fuck Neil Gaiman. Half my top list may’ve had his books in it before his voice (as a writer) was ruined for me.

Top Non-Fiction Books

  1. Being Mortal, Atul Gawande
  2. Laziness Does Not Exist, Devon Price
  3. Come As You Are, Emily Nagoski
  4. Chokepoint Capitalism, Cory Doctorow
  5. Polysecure, Jessica Fern
  6. The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker
  7. How to Hide an Empire, Daniel Immerwahr
  8. Lies My Teacher Told Me, James W. Loewen
  9. Unmasking AI, Joy Buolamwini
  10. Codependent No More, Melody Beattie

Top Graphic Novels

  1. Saga, Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples
  2. Monstress, Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda
  3. Ghost in the Shell, Masamune Shirow
  4. Transmetropolitan, Warren Ellis & Darick Robertson
  5. Maus, Art Spiegelman
  6. Vampire Hunter D, Yoshitaka Amano
  7. The Maxx, Sam Kieth
  8. Batman: The Killing Joke, Alan Moore & Brian Bolland
  9. Watchmen, Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
  10. Civil War (Marvel – Volume), Mark Millar & Steve McNiven
  11. Sandman, Neil Gaiman ❌
  12. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick & Tony Parker
  13. The Matrix Comics, Lana Wachowski
  14. Gender Queer, Maia Kobabe
  15. The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood & Renee Nault

Top Shakespeare Plays

  1. Midsummer Night’s Dream
  2. Hamlet
  3. Romeo & Juliet
  4. Much Ado About Nothing
  5. Comedy of Errors
  6. Macbeth
  7. Julius Caesar
  8. King Lear
  9. Twelfth Night
  10. The Taming of the Shrew

Live Performance

Top Theater Shows

  1. Jesus Christ Superstar
  2. Spamalot
  3. Little Shop of Horrors
  4. Book of Mormon
  5. Sweeney Todd
  6. Tommy
  7. Blue Man Group
  8. Into the Woods
  9. The Rocky Horror Show
  10. The Importance of Being Earnest

Top Live Music Performers

  1. Nine Inch Nails
  2. Childish Gambino
  3. Chvrches
  4. Kendrick Lamar (+ Sza)
  5. Bjork
  6. Sevendust
  7. Kali Uchis
  8. Mindless Self Indulgence
  9. Pvris
  10. Halestorm

Top Music Festivals

  1. Tropicalia
  2. Aftershock
  3. Outside Lands

Top Stand Up Comics

I’ve seen in person.

  1. Robin Williams 🪦
  2. Anthony Jeselnik
  3. Mitch Hedberg 🪦
  4. Louis C.K. ❌
  5. Patton Oswalt
  6. Pablo Francisco 🪦
  7. Tig Notaro
  8. Brian Regan
  9. Steven Wright
  10. Hannibal Buress
  11. Greg Giraldo 🪦
  12. Suzy “Eddie” Izzard
  13. Ron Funches
  14. Doug Stanhope
  15. Jim Jefferies
  16. Mike Birbiglia
  17. Gabriel Iglesias
  18. Brian Posehn
  19. Kyle Kinane
  20. Kevin Nealon
  21. Margaret Cho
  22. Dave Attell
  23. Jim Gaffigan
  24. Darrell Hammond
  25. Sarah Silverman
  26. Michael Che
  27. Todd Barry
  28. Russell Peters
  29. Tracy Morgan
  30. Lewis Black

Honorable Mention

  • I need to see these: Ali Wong, Marc Maron, Nikki Glaser, Pete Holmes, Fortune Feimster

Dishonorable Mention

  • Fuck Dave Chapelle. His recent choices have soured my enjoyment of even his amazing past work now.
  • Fuck Louis C.K. His work was wonderful before he was outed as a creep and sex pest. I can still enjoy his past work, but everything he’s done since being canceled has been so boring and bitter.
  • Fuck Aziz Ansari. He wasn’t that special in stand-up but I really enjoyed Master of None before he was outed.

Food

Top Cheeses

  1. Chällerhocker
  2. Appenzeller (aged is even better)
  3. Sharp Cheddar 🫠
    1. Wisconsin
    2. Ireland
    3. Vermont
    4. England
  4. Brillat-Savarin
  5. Parmigiano-Reggiano
  6. Grana Padano
  7. Burrata
  8. Cambozola
  9. Red Hawk (Cowgirl Creamery)
  10. Mt. Tam (Cowgirl Creamery)
  11. Mozzarella 🫠
  12. Humboldt Fog
  13. (Smoked) Gouda
  14. Provolone 🥪
  15. Raclette 🫠
  16. Tête de Moine
  17. Cotija
  18. Stinking Bishop
  19. Munster 🥪
  20. Brie 🫠
  21. Haloumi 🫠
  22. Paneer
  23. Gruyère 🫠
  24. Meredith Dairy Goat Cheese
  25. Mimolette Vieille
  26. Morbier 🫠
  27. Manchego
  28. Tilsit
  29. Havarti 🥪

I absolutely love all of these, even the ones at the bottom.

🍕 Top Pizza Styles

  1. New Jersey Shore style thin-crust pizza (especially by the slice)
  2. Napoletana (Classic Italian Brick Oven)
  3. Tomato Pie (Chicago style)
  4. Detroit style
  5. Sicilian style
  6. California style
  7. Frozen

Unmentioned styles (like St. Louis) are not worth consuming, IMO.

Top Veggies

This list was a mistake.

  1. 🍅 Tomato (shut up…)
    1. Purple Heirloom from local California gardens/farms
    2. Santorini
    3. San Marzano 🍕
    4. (and all the great Italian varieties)
  2. 🧅 Onion
    1. Yellow (Vidalia)
    2. Green
    3. Red (Italian > Others)
    4. Maui
    5. White
  3. 🧄 Garlic
  4. 🫘 Beans
    1. Cocoa
    2. Coffee
    3. Black Beans
    4. Bean Sprouts
    5. Cannellini
    6. Soy (Edamame)
    7. Adzuki (Red Bean)
    8. Mung
    9. Pinto
    10. Kidney
    11. Fava
    12. Lentils
  5. 🍄 Mushroom
    1. Morel
    2. Trumpet
    3. Chanterelles
    4. Truffles
    5. Shiitake
    6. Hen of the Woods
    7. Matsutake
    8. Porcini
    9. Oyster
  6. 🥬 Lettuce
    1. Cabbage (Kimchi)
    2. Bibb
    3. Little Gem
    4. Romaine
    5. Escarole
    6. Spinach
    7. Iceberg
    8. Arugula
    9. Kale
  7. 🥑 Avocado
  8. 🥔 Potato
    1. Yukon Gold
    2. Fingerling
    3. Peruvian purple
    4. Italian/Portugese Red
    5. Russet
  9. 🫒 Olives
    1. Spanish Green
    2. Kalamata
    3. Greek Mix
    4. Leccino
    5. Italian Black
  10. 🌶️ Chilis
    1. Serrano
    2. Habanero
    3. Poblano
    4. Aji Amarillo
    5. Ghost
    6. Thai Bird’s Eye
    7. Chipotle
    8. Shishito
    9. Hatch Green
  11. 🥦 Broccoli & Broccolini
  12. 🥕 Carrot
  13. Asparagus
  14. 🫑 Bell & Marconi Peppers
  15. Corn
  16. Zucchini
  17. Artichoke
  18. Spinach
  19. Yam

Top Dumplings

  1. Xiaolongbao (Chinese soup dumpling)
  2. Hamamatsu Gyoza (potstickers, guotie)
  3. Jiaozi
  4. Tortellini / Tortelloni
  5. Ravioli
  6. Pierogi
  7. Shumai (siomay)
  8. Age Gyoza (deep fried)
  9. Mezzelune
  10. Wonton

Honorable Mention

  • Apple Dumplings are desserts that are hard to compare to these, so I won’t.

Top Desserts

  1. Cobbler
    1. Peach
    2. Apple
    3. Mixed Berry
  2. Chocolate Souffle / Lava Cake
  3. Pie
    1. Lemon Meringue
    2. Cherry
    3. Apple
    4. Pecan
    5. Peach
    6. Pumpkin
  4. Ice Cream
    1. Springer’s (Stone Harbor, NJ)
    2. Mitchell’s (San Francisco)
    3. La Paleta (Las Vegas)
    4. Store Bought:
      1. Jeni’s
      2. Ben & Jerry’s
      3. Tillamook
      4. Blue Bell
  5. Cake
    1. Chocolate Lava Cake
    2. Angel Food Cake
    3. Pineapple Upside Down Cake
    4. Carrot Cake (Anything with Cream Cheese or Buttercream Frosting really)
    5. Butter Cake
    6. Icebox Cake
    7. Strawberry Shortcake (or Pound Cake w/ strawberries and whipped cream)
    8. Lemon Cake
    9. Black Forest Cake
    10. Coffee Cake
    11. German Chocolate Cake / Coconut Cream Cake
    12. Marble Cake
  6. Cheesecake
    1. Oreo
    2. Cherry

Top Ice Cream Flavors

  1. Cookies & Cream -or- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
  2. Espresso/Coffee + Chocolate Nibs/Chips
  3. Dark Chocolate
  4. Mint Chocolate Chip
  5. Sorbet
    1. Raspberry
    2. Lemon
    3. Cherry/Strawberry
  6. Salted Caramel / Butterscotch
  7. Frozen Yogurt — Tart (otherwise, just get ice cream or gelato!)
  8. Peanut Butter Cup
  9. Banana Split

Top Ten Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Flavors

  1. Chubby Hubby
  2. Half Baked
  3. The Tonight Dough (Jimmy Fallon sucks)
  4. Cookies & Cream Cheesecake Core
  5. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Core
  6. Coffee Coffee BuzzBuzzBuzz
  7. Salted Caramel (Brownie, Core, whatever)
  8. Chunky Monkey
  9. Whiskey Biz
  10. Peanut Butter Chocolate (Core, PB Cup)

Places & Travel

Top Travel Destinations

Outside of Northern California.

  1. Kyoto, Japan
  2. Tokyo, Japan
  3. Hakone, Japan
  4. Seoul, Korea
  5. Cabo, Mexico
  6. Kona, Hawaii
  7. Long Beach / San Diego, CA (USA)
  8. Seattle, WA (USA)
  9. Guadalajara, Mexico (especially Tlaquepaque)
  10. Denver, CO (USA)

Top “Want To Go” Travel Destinations

  1. Marbella, Spain
  2. Barcelona, Spain
  3. Paris, France
  4. Amsterdam, Netherlands
  5. Lisbon, Portugal
  6. Sydney, Australia / New Zealand
  7. Shanghai, China
  8. Beijing, China
  9. Florence, Italy
  10. Lima, Peru
  11. Bangkok, Thailand
  12. Jeju, Korea
  13. Berlin, Germany
  14. Palermo, Italy
  15. Okinawa, Japan
  16. Brussels, Belgium
  17. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  18. Barranquilla, Colombia
  19. Copenhagen, Denmark
  20. Manila, Philippines
  21. Mexico City, Mexico
  22. Monaco, France
  23. Lesbos, Greece
  24. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
  25. Dublin, Ireland
  26. Vancouver, Canada
  27. Warsaw, Poland
  28. Gruyères, Switzerland
  29. Stockholm, Sweden

Top Relaxation Spots

  1. Hakone, Japan
  2. Cabo, Mexico
  3. Avalon, NJ
  4. Kyoto, Japan
  5. Mt. Shasta, CA
  6. Tomales Bay, CA
  7. Seoul, Korea
  8. Santa Cruz, CA

Top Places I’ve Lived

  1. SF Bay Area
    1. Emeryville
    2. Oakland
    3. San Francisco
  2. Las Vegas, NV
  3. New Jersey
    1. Jersey City
    2. Midstate Suburbs
    3. Jersey Shore (great to visit, not to live)
  4. Tucson, AZ
  5. Maryland
  6. Phoenix, AZ

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