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.
- Parasite
- The Matrix (1 > The Animatrix > 2 > 4 > 3)
- Children of Men
- Everything Everywhere All At Once
- Ghost in the Shell (1995)
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail
- John Wick (1>2>3>4)
- What Dreams May Come
- Gattaca
- Blade Runner 2049
- Young Frankenstein
- Man On Fire
- The Truman Show
- Sorry To Bother You
- The Game
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- Memento
- Raiders of the Lost Ark — Indiana Jones (1>3>2)
- Robin Hood: Men In Tights
- Jackie Brown
- Sinners (New: Added 5/5/2025)
- Ex Machina
- The Fifth Element
- The Departed
- Arrival
- Shaun of the Dead
- Kill Bill ( 1 = 2 )
- Let The Right One In
- BlacKKKlansman
- Ratatouille — see Top Pixar Movies
- Contact
- The Dark Knight
- Back to the Future (1>2>3)
- Nobody
- 13 Assassins
- Once Upon a Time in Mexico
- Lost in Translation
- Casino Royale & Skyfall
- Monty Python and The Meaning of Life
- True Lies
Top Directors
- David Fincher
- Edgar Wright
- Christopher Nolan
- Martin Scorsese
- The Wachowskis
- Stanley Kubrick
- The Coen Brothers
- Jordan Peele
- Quentin Tarantino
- Ryan Coogler — +12 after seeing Sinners
- David Lynch
- Sam Esmail
- Denis Villenueve
- Robert Rodriguez
- John Woo
- Steven Spielberg
- Ridley Scott
- Mel Brooks
- Mike Judge
- Guillermo del Toro
- Tim Burton
- Terry Gilliam
- Rian Johnson
- 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
- Robin Williams 🪦
- Keanu Reeves
- Ryan Gosling
- Natalie Portman
- Charlize Theron
- Anthony Hopkins
- Samuel L. Jackson
- Julianne Moore
- Daniel Day-Lewis
- Denzel Washington
- Christian Bale
- Gary Oldman
- Emma Stone
- Clive Owen
- Nathan Lane
- Mahershala Ali
- Jodie Foster
- Benicio Del Toro
- Rami Malek
- Michael B. Jordan
- Tom Hardy
- Joaquin Phoenix
- Daniel Kaluuya
- John Goodman
- Robert De Niro
- Leonardo DiCaprio
- Olivia Colman
- Bill Murray
- Tom Hanks
- Jim Carrey
- Laurence Fishburne
- Song Kang Ho
- Robert Downey Jr.
- Morgan Freeman
- Jake Gyllenhaal
- Frances McDormand
- Ralph Fiennes
- Brad Pitt
- Sigourney Weaver
- Robert Pattinson
- Catherine O’Hara
- Idris Elba
- Amy Adams
- Rachel Weisz
- Laura Linney
- Hugh Jackman
- Daniel Craig
- Viola Davis
- Paul Giamatti
- Willem Dafoe
- Philip Seymour Hoffman 🪦
- Meryl Streep
- Cate Blanchett
- Adam Driver
- Ed Harris
- Lupita Nyong’o
- Kate Winslet
- Mark Ruffalo
- Will Smith
- Edward Norton
- Ewan McGregor
- Matthew McConaughey
- Christopher Walken
- Tilda Swinton
- Jack Nicholson
- Sandra Bullock
- Julia Roberts
- Sean Connery 🪦
- Andy Serkis
- Al Pacino
- Kathy Bates
- Woody Harrelson
- Jamie Foxx
- Jesse Plemons
- Christoph Waltz
- Reese Witherspoon
- Glenn Close
- Catherine Keener
- Michael Douglas
- John C. Reilly
Top Action Movies
- John Wick (1>2>3>4)
- The Matrix (1>2>4>3)
- Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark
- Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade
- Nobody
- 13 Assassins
- Predator
- Everything Everywhere All At Once
- Casino Royale
- True Lies
- The Dark Knight
- Gladiator
- Terminator (2>1)
- Speed
- Mad Max: Fury Road
- Die Hard
- Kingsman: The Secret Service
- The Transporter
- Face/Off
- Crank
- The Woman King
Top Kung Fu / Martial Arts / Fighting Movies
- John Wick (4>3>2>1)
- The Matrix (2>1>3>4)
- Kill Bill (1>2)
- Ip Man (only 1)
- Who Am I?
- The Legend of Drunken Master (I & II)
- Kung Fu Hustle
- Enter the Dragon
- Iron Monkey
- Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
- Everything Everywhere All At Once
- The Bourne Identity
Top Ten James Bond Movies
- Skyfall
- Casino Royale
- Goldfinger
- Goldeneye
- Dr. No
- Thunderball
- No Time To Die
- Tomorrow Never Dies
- The World Is Not Enough
- Die Another Day
Top Heist Movies
- Jackie Brown
- Heat (1995)
- How to Blow Up a Pipeline
- Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
- Inception
- The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
- Three Kings
- Mission: Impossible (1996) (1 > 7 > 4 > 5 > 6 > 3 > 2)
- Baby Driver
- Reservoir Dogs
- Logan Lucky
- Swordfish
- Point Break
- Ronin
- Rogue One
Top Comedy Movies
- Young Frankenstein
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail
- Robin Hood: Men In Tights
- Shaun of the Dead
- Monty Python and The Meaning of Life
- JoJo Rabbit
- Death Becomes Her
- Anchorman
- Liar Liar
- Old School
- Deadpool (2>1>3)
- Cunk on Life
- Blockers
- Ghostbusters (1>2)
- Van Wilder
Top Romance Movies
- Romeo + Juliet (1996)
- Thomas Crown Affair
- The Princess Bride
- Portrait of a Lady on Fire
- A Silent Voice
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- The Fountain
- Howl’s Moving Castle
- The Notebook
- Past Lives
- In the Mood for Love
- Moonlight
- Disobedience
- The Handmaiden
- Shakespeare in Love
- 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
- The Farewell
- Grave of the Fireflies
- The Iron Giant
- The Fox and the Hound
- Romeo + Juliet (Luhrmann 1996)
- Drive My Car
- Wings of Desire
- Coco
- Past Lives
- The Green Mile
Top Horror Movies
Also see: Halloween Movies
- Get Out
- Let the Right One In
- The Silence of the Lambs
- Alien (and Aliens)
- Late Night with the Devil
- Audition
- Perfect Blue
- Train to Busan
- The Ring
- Jaws
- The Invisible Man (2020)
- Us
- The Sixth Sense
- The Witch
- The Substance
- 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
- Sinners
- Let The Right One In
- Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
- Nosferatu (2024)
- Thirst
- A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
- 30 Days of Night
- Interview With The Vampire
- Cronos
- The Lost Boys
- Vampire Hunter D
- Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Top Sci-Fi Movies
Probably my favorite genre, so this one will be long.
- Children of Men
- Ghost in the Shell (1995)
- Blade Runner 2049
- Watch the Director’s Cut of the original first
- Ex Machina
- Arrival
- Gattaca
- The Fifth Element
- Contact
- Star Wars: A New Hope (and such…)
- Inception
- Alien & Aliens
- 2001: A Space Odyssey
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- Primer
- Akira
- Moon
- Snowpiercer
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind
- V For Vendetta
- Sunshine
- Annihilation
- 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
- A New Hope (4)
- The Empire Strikes Back (5)
- Return of the Jedi (6)
- Rogue One
- Revenge of the Sith (3)
- The Last Jedi (8)
- The Force Awakens (7)
- Solo
- Attack of the Clones (2)
- The Phantom Menace (1)
- The Rise of Skywalker (9)
Top Star Wars Shows
- Andor
- Visions
- The Mandalorian (season 1>2>3)
- Ahsoka
- The Acolyte
- Obi Wan
- 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)
- Episode 4 – A New Hope (1977)
- Episode 5 – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- Episode 6 – Return of the Jedi (1983)
- The Mandalorian
- Ahsoka
- Episode 7 – The Force Awakens (2015)
- Episode 8 – The Last Jedi (2017)
- —– (Prepare) —–
- Episode 9 – The Rise of Skywalker (2019) — It’s culturally necessary 😩
- —– (Grieve) —–
- The Acolyte
- Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace (1999)
- Episode 2 – Attack of the Clones (2002)
- Episode 3 – Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
- Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)
- Andor
- Rogue One
Top Superhero Movies
- The Dark Knight
- whole trilogy
- Unbreakable
- whole trilogy
- Superman (1978)
- Superman II (1980) — The Original Theatrical Release
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (series)
- Black Panther
- Batman (1989)
- Batman Returns (1992)
- The Crow (1994)
- Hellboy (I & II)
- V For Vendetta
- Deadpool (2016) (1>2>3)
- Logan
- Avengers: Endgame
- Thor: Ragnarok
Top Batman Actors
- Adam West
- Christian Bale
- Michael Keaton
- Robert Pattinson
- Val Kilmer
Top Fantasy Movies
- The Princess Bride
- Pan’s Labyrinth
- Labyrinth
- The Shape of Water
Top Anime Movies
Excluding movies that supplement a series (consider those ranked w/ the anime series list).
- Ghost in the Shell
- Original English Dub > 2.0 > Original Japanese Sub — fight me
- Princess Mononoke
- Akira
- Spirited Away
- Perfect Blue
- Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
- Ghost in the Shell: Innocence
- Tokyo Godfathers
- The Night is Short, Walk On Girl
- The Castle of Cagliostro
- Howl’s Moving Castle
- A Silent Voice
- Summer Wars
- Steamboy
- Ninja Scroll
- The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
- Kiki’s Delivery Service
- Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie — I hate this subtitle
Top Miyazaki (Studio Ghibli) Movies
- Princess Mononoke
- Spirited Away
- Howl’s Moving Castle
- Kiki’s Delivery Service
- The Castle of Cagliostro
- My Neighbor Totoro
- Castle in the Sky
- The Boy and the Heron
- Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
- The Wind Rises
Top Disney Movies
I am never talking about a sequel or live action remake unless I say otherwise.
- Robin Hood (related)
- Aladdin
- Lion King
- Sleeping Beauty
- The Muppet Christmas Carol
- The Emperor’s New Groove
- Little Mermaid
- Alice in Wonderland
- Moana
- Cinderella
- Wreck-It Ralph (and Ralph Breaks the Internet)
- Fantasia
- Big Hero 6
- The Brave Little Toaster
- Lilo & Stitch
- The Fox & The Hound
- Mulan
- Zootopia
- Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
- A Goofy Movie
Top Ten Pixar Movies
- Ratatouille
- Up
- Turning Red
- Coco
- Inside Out
- Monsters Inc.
- Wall-E
- Toy Story (series)
- The Incredibles
- Onward
Top Keanu Reeves Movies
- The Matrix (1>2>4>3)
- John Wick (1>4>2>3)
- The Devil’s Advocate
- Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1>2>3)
- Speed
- Constantine
- Point Break
- Always Be My Maybe
- Dangerous Liaisons
- A Scanner Darkly
- Johnny Mnemonic
- 47 Ronin
- Man of Tai Chi
Top Natalie Portman Movies
- Leon: The Professional
- Annihilation
- V for Vendetta
- Black Swan
- Heat
- Closer
- Mars Attacks!
- Thor (1>3>2)
- Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith (3>2>1)
Top Ryan Gosling Movies
- Blade Runner 2049
- The Big Short
- Drive
- The Fall Guy
- Barbie
- Blue Valentine
- Lars and the Real Girl
- The Notebook
- The Nice Guys
- Only God Forgives
Top Meryl Streep Movies
- Death Becomes Her
- The Devil Wears Prada
- Julie & Julia
- Fantastic Mr. Fox
- Adaptation
- Doubt
- The Hours
- The Manchurian Candidate
Top Jim Carrey Movies
- The Truman Show
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- Liar Liar
- Me, Myself & Irene
- Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls
- Man on the Moon
- Batman Forever
- Yes Man
- The Majestic
Top Wachowskis Movies
- The Matrix
- The Matrix Reloaded
- The Matrix Resurrections
- Speed Racer
- Cloud Atlas
- The Matrix Revolutions
- Jupiter Ascending
Top Edgar Wright Movies
- Shaun of the Dead
- Hot Fuzz
- Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
- Baby Driver
- The World’s End
- Last Night in Soho
Top David Fincher Movies
- The Social Network
- The Game
- Seven
- Fight Club
- Gone Girl
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
- Alien 3
- Panic Room
- Zodiac
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Top Tarantino Movies
- Jackie Brown
- Pulp Fiction
- Reservoir Dogs
- Kill Bill (1>2)
- Inglourious Basterds
- Django
Top Christopher Nolan Movies
- Memento
- Inception
- The Dark Knight (2>1>3)
- The Prestige
- Insomnia
- Dunkirk
- Interstellar
- Oppenheimer
Top Scorsese Movies
- Goodfellas
- The Wolf of Wall Street
- Gangs of New York
- The Departed
- Killers of the Flower Moon
- Casino
- Shutter Island
- Taxi Driver
Top Xmas Movies
- The Muppet Christmas Carol
- How The Grinch Stole Christmas
- Scrooged
- Jingle All The Way
- Tokyo Godfathers
- A Charlie Brown Christmas
- Nightmare Before Christmas
- Elf
- Die Hard
- Violent Night
- Batman Returns
- Home Alone
- Gremlins
Top Halloween Movies
Best movies to watch during Halloween season.
Also see: Horror Movies
- Nightmare Before Christmas
- The Crow
- Garfield Halloween Special
- Charlie Brown Halloween Special
- The Blackening
- Beetlejuice
- Scream
- Shaun of the Dead
- The Craft
- Hocus Pocus
Top Nostalgia Movies
Movies I watch only for nostalgia and aren’t good enough to fit other lists here.
- Short Circuit (1>2)
- Gremlins 2
- The Quick and the Dead
Top “Vibes” Movies
I just put these on in the background sometimes.

- Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
- Drive
- Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
- Inception
- Nightcrawler
- Leon: The Professional
- Romeo + Juliet (1996)
- Constantine
- Akira
- Lost Highway
Top Movies Based on Real Life
- The Social Network
- Spotlight
- BlacKKKlansman
- 12 Years a Slave
- The Wolf of Wall Street
- Dunkirk
- Hidden Figures
- Schindler’s List
- Catch Me If You Can
- Hotel Rwanda
- Monster
- A League of Their Own
- Glory
- The Imitation Game
Top Traumatizing Movies
These are the best flicks I show people after warning them that they’ll be broken afterwards.
- Visitor Q
- Grave of the Fireflies
- I’m Still Here (2024)
- Schindler’s List
- Ichi The Killer
- Dunkirk
TV Series
Top Ten TV Series
- Mr. Robot
- Hannibal
- Better Call Saul > Breaking Bad
- Black Mirror
- Severance
- Killing Eve
- Fleabag
- Star Trek: The Next Generation
- Sesame Street
- Sons of Anarchy
- This Is Us
- Justified
- Orange Is The New Black
- Firefly
- Chernobyl
- House of Cards ❌
- Game of Thrones
- The Sopranos
- Bojack Horseman
- Jessica Jones
- Succession
- Louie ❌
- The Last of Us
- Friday Night Lights
- The Penguin
- The Boys
- The Mandalorian
- The X-Files
- Shōgun
- The Diplomat
- Battlestar Galactica
- The Wire
- The Bear
- Spartacus
- Crash Landing On You
- Mad Men
- Dexter
- Stranger Things
Top Comedy TV Series
- Key & Peele
- Last Week Tonight w/ John Oliver
- The I.T. Crowd
- Chapelle’s Show ❌
- Futurama
- Whose Line Is It Anyway?
- South Park
- Fleabag
- Spaced
- The Muppet Show
- Silicon Valley
- Coupling
- The Simpsons
- Arrested Development
- Seinfeld ❌
- Taskmaster
- Monty Python’s Flying Circus
- In Living Color
- Ted Lasso
- I Love Lucy
- Saturday Night Live (Best-of cuts)
Top Anime Series
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
- Cowboy Bebop
- The Animatrix
- FLCL
- Spy x Family
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
- Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
- Berserk
- Hunter X Hunter
- Death Note
- Samurai Champloo
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- Delicious In Dungeon (Dungeon Meshi)
- Way of the Househusband
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans
- Shin Chan (Internet Archive)
- Trigun
- Gurren Lagann
- Food Wars! (Shokugeki no Soma)
- My Hero Academia
- Code Geass
- Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045
- Ghost in the Shell: Arise
- Ouran High School Host Club
- Parasyte: The Maxim
- Paranoia Agent
- One-Punch Man
- Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
- Serial Experiments Lain
- Mushishi
- Psycho-Pass
- The Apothecary Diaries
- Jujutsu Kaisen
- Violet Evergarden
- Tenchi Muyo!
- Yu Yu Hakusho
- Naruto Shippuden
Top Disney Animated Series
- Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers
- X-Men ’97
- Gargoyles
- Goof Troop
- DuckTales
- Darkwing Duck
Top Non-Anime, Non-Disney Animation
- The Venture Bros.
- Scavengers Reign
- The Simpsons
- The Ren & Stimpy Show
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Samurai Jack
- Blue Eye Samurai
- Invincible
Top Game Shows
- The Price Is Right
- Wheel Of Fortune
- Deal Or No Deal
- Family Feud
- Match Game
- Supermarket Sweep
- To Tell the Truth
- Card Sharks
- Jeopardy
- Double Dare
Games
My favorite versions in parenthesis.
Top Analog Games
- Magic: The Gathering (Commander w/ proxies)
- Dungeons & Dragons (5e, non-canon)
- Guillotine
- Dixit
- One Night Ultimate Werewolf
- Spite & Malice (homebrew playing card game)
- Codenames
- Snake Oil
- Viticulture
- Splendor
- Poker (Texas Hold’em, Pai Gow)
Top Ten Video Games
- Final Fantasy VI (Pixel Remaster)
- Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
- Final Fantasy Tactics (The War of The Lions)
- Final Fantasy IV (Pixel Remaster)
- Chrono Trigger (2018 Steam)
- Slay The Spire
- Mega Man 4 (NES)
- Elden Ring
- Mega Man X (SNES)
- Ori and the Blind Forest
Top Action/Adventure Games
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)
- Bastion
- The Legend of Zelda (NES)
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS)
- The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
- Hades
- Transistor
- Children of Morta
- Diablo III
- The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker (HD)
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
- The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
- Nobody Saves The World
Top Ten Final Fantasy Games
- Final Fantasy VI (Pixel Remaster)
- Final Fantasy Tactics (The War of The Lions)
- Final Fantasy IV (Pixel Remaster)
- Final Fantasy XII (The Zodiac Age)
- Final Fantasy IX (Original — but I would love a remaster)
- Final Fantasy VII (2013 Steam)
- Final Fantasy (Pixel Remaster)
- Final Fantasy X (HD Remaster)
- Final Fantasy V (Pixel Remaster)
- 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
- Chrono Trigger (2018 Steam)
- Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age (Definitive Edition)
- Sea of Stars (Steam)
- Dragon Quest III (HD-2D Remake)
- Baldur’s Gate 3 (Steam)
- Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (PS2 — release a remaster!)
- Chained Echoes
- Undertale
- Lufia 2 (SNES)
- Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen (Nintendo DS — release a remaster!)
- Mass Effect (Legendary Edition)
- Grandia II
- Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Mankind Divided
- Star Ocean: Second Story
- Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360 — release a remaster!)
- Breath of Fire II (2>3>1>etc.)
- Tales of Symphonia
- Super Mario RPG (SNES)
- Disgaea 4 (Complete+)
- Skies of Arcadia (Dreamcast)
- Ikenfell
- Lufia (SNES)
- Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic 2 (Steam)
- Phantasy Star IV
Top Platformer Games
- Super Mario World (SNES)
- Mega Man 4 (NES)
- Mega Man X (SNES)
- Mega Man X2 (SNES)
- Cuphead
- Super Mario Bros. 3 (SNES – Super Mario All-Stars)
- Shovel Knight
- Gris
- Ninja Gaiden (NES)
- Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PS2)
Top Mega Man Games
- Mega Man 4
- Mega Man X
- Mega Man X2
- Mega Man 2
- Mega Man 5
- Mega Man 3
- Mega Man 6
- Mega Man 9
- Mega Man
- Mega Man Battle Network 2
Top Metroidvania Games
- Ori and the Blind Forest & Ori and the Will of the Wisps
- Hollow Knight
- Super Metroid (SNES)
- Hyper Light Drifter
- Sundered (Eldritch Edition)
- Metroid Dread (Switch)
- Axiom Verge
- SteamWorld Dig 2
- Shadow Complex
- 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
- Slay The Spire
- Hades
- Vampire Survivors
- Noita
- Rogue Legacy
- Monster Train
- Balatro
- Dead Cells
Top Cozy Games
- Slay The Spire
- Vampire Survivors
- Pyre
- Teamfight Tactics
- Dave The Diver
- Sudoku
Top Fighting Games
- Street Fighter 6 (>5>4>2>3>1)
- Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 (>3>1)
- Tekken Tag Tournament
- Capcom Vs. SNK 2
- Street Fighter Alpha 2
- Tekken 4
- Street Fighter Alpha 3
- Super Street Fighter 2: Turbo
- Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4
- Killer Instinct (SNES)
- Power Stone 2
- X-Men Vs. Street Fighter
- Nidhogg 2
- 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”.
- Elden Ring
- Baldur’s Gate 3 (Steam)
- Elder Scrolls: Skyrim (Special Edition + Mods)
- Fallout 3
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Shadow of the Colossus
- Borderlands 2
- Middle Earth: Shadow of War
- Lego Marvel Superheroes
Top MMORPGs
- Final Fantasy XIV
- World of WarCraft (Wrath of the Lich King era)
- Star Wars – The Old Republic
- Final Fantasy XI
- Destiny (1>2)
- Guild Wars (2>1)
- Rift
Top MOBAs
- League of Legends
- Overwatch (2 is awful)
- Heroes of the Storm
- DotA (original WC2 mod)
- Smite
- DotA 2
Top Game Developers
- Square Enix
- Nintendo
- Supergiant Games
- FromSoftware
- Riot Games
Music
Top Artists
- Nine Inch Nails (Closer)
- Yoko Kanno (Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. Soundtrack)
- Björk (Hyperballad)
- Chvrches (Forever)
- FKA twigs (Two Weeks)
- Aesop Rock (Preservation)
- Sza (Pretty Little Birds)
- Kylie Minogue (Can’t Get You Out of My Head)
- Open Mike Eagle (Ziggy Starfish)
- Childish Gambino (Redbone)
- Doomtree (Little Mercy)
- Dessa (Fire Drills)
- P.O.S. (Sleepdrone/Superposition)
- Halsey (Honey)
- Sevendust (Denial)
- Beastie Boys (Intergalactic)
- Doechii (Nissan Altima)
- Garbage (Push It)
- Kendrick Lamar (Humble)
- Muna (Crying On The Bathroom Floor)
- Lostprophets (Shinobi Vs. Dragon Ninja) ❌
- Janelle Monáe (Make Me Feel)
- Orgy (Blue Monday)
- Pvris (You and I)
- Shiny Toy Guns (Don’t Cry Out)
- Mindless Self Indulgence (Shut Me Up)
- Radiohead (Talk Show Host)
- The xx (Together)
- Schoolboy Q (Numb Numb Juice)
- Saul Williams (List Of Demands)
- Placebo (Pure Morning)
Spotify Playlists
Top lists organized w/ playlists.
- Current Top 200 Songs – Rotates with my mood, has a maximum of 200 tracks.
- Best of 2010’s
- Best of 2000’s
- Best of 1990’s
- Retro (Pre-90’s)
Books
Top Fiction Books
- Player of Games, Iain M. Banks
- Lilith’s Brood (Xenogenesis) Trilogy, Octavia Butler
- The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Haruki Murakami
- Timeline, Michael Crichton — never watch the movie
- Snow Crash, Neil Stephenson
- Lost World, Michael Crichton
- American Gods, Neil Gaiman ❌
- Use of Weapons, Iain M. Banks
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick
- Prince Lestat (Vampire Chronicles), Anne Rice
- Eaters of the Dead, Michael Crichton
- The Stand, Stephen King
- Gone For Good, Harlan Coben
- Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Timothy Zahn
- The Strain Trilogy, Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan
- Ready Player One, Ernest Cline — The movie ruined it for me, though
- The Satanic Verses, Salman Rushdie
- Cryptonomicon, Neil Stephenson
- Rising Sun, Michael Crichton
- Sacrifice (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force #5), Karen Traviss
- I enjoyed the entire series, written by various authors
- 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
- Being Mortal, Atul Gawande
- Laziness Does Not Exist, Devon Price
- Come As You Are, Emily Nagoski
- Chokepoint Capitalism, Cory Doctorow
- Polysecure, Jessica Fern
- The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker
- How to Hide an Empire, Daniel Immerwahr
- Lies My Teacher Told Me, James W. Loewen
- Unmasking AI, Joy Buolamwini
- Codependent No More, Melody Beattie
Top Graphic Novels
- Saga, Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples
- Monstress, Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda
- Ghost in the Shell, Masamune Shirow
- Transmetropolitan, Warren Ellis & Darick Robertson
- Maus, Art Spiegelman
- Vampire Hunter D, Yoshitaka Amano
- The Maxx, Sam Kieth
- Batman: The Killing Joke, Alan Moore & Brian Bolland
- Watchmen, Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
- Civil War (Marvel – Volume), Mark Millar & Steve McNiven
- Sandman, Neil Gaiman ❌
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick & Tony Parker
- The Matrix Comics, Lana Wachowski
- Gender Queer, Maia Kobabe
- The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood & Renee Nault
Top Shakespeare Plays
- Midsummer Night’s Dream
- Hamlet
- Romeo & Juliet
- Much Ado About Nothing
- Comedy of Errors
- Macbeth
- Julius Caesar
- King Lear
- Twelfth Night
- The Taming of the Shrew
Live Performance
Top Theater Shows
- Jesus Christ Superstar
- Spamalot
- Little Shop of Horrors
- Book of Mormon
- Sweeney Todd
- Tommy
- Blue Man Group
- Into the Woods
- The Rocky Horror Show
- The Importance of Being Earnest
Top Live Music Performers
- Nine Inch Nails
- Childish Gambino
- Chvrches
- Kendrick Lamar (+ Sza)
- Bjork
- Sevendust
- Kali Uchis
- Mindless Self Indulgence
- Pvris
- Halestorm
Top Music Festivals
- Tropicalia
- Aftershock
- Outside Lands
Top Stand Up Comics
I’ve seen in person.
- Robin Williams 🪦
- Anthony Jeselnik
- Mitch Hedberg 🪦
- Louis C.K. ❌
- Patton Oswalt
- Pablo Francisco 🪦
- Tig Notaro
- Brian Regan
- Steven Wright
- Hannibal Buress
- Greg Giraldo 🪦
- Suzy “Eddie” Izzard
- Ron Funches
- Doug Stanhope
- Jim Jefferies
- Mike Birbiglia
- Gabriel Iglesias
- Brian Posehn
- Kyle Kinane
- Kevin Nealon
- Margaret Cho
- Dave Attell
- Jim Gaffigan
- Darrell Hammond
- Sarah Silverman
- Michael Che
- Todd Barry
- Russell Peters
- Tracy Morgan
- 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
- Chällerhocker
- Appenzeller (aged is even better)
- Sharp Cheddar 🫠
- Wisconsin
- Ireland
- Vermont
- England
- Brillat-Savarin
- Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Grana Padano
- Burrata
- Cambozola
- Red Hawk (Cowgirl Creamery)
- Mt. Tam (Cowgirl Creamery)
- Mozzarella 🫠
- Humboldt Fog
- (Smoked) Gouda
- Provolone 🥪
- Raclette 🫠
- Tête de Moine
- Cotija
- Stinking Bishop
- Munster 🥪
- Brie 🫠
- Haloumi 🫠
- Paneer
- Gruyère 🫠
- Meredith Dairy Goat Cheese
- Mimolette Vieille
- Morbier 🫠
- Manchego
- Tilsit
- Havarti 🥪
I absolutely love all of these, even the ones at the bottom.
🍕 Top Pizza Styles
- New Jersey Shore style thin-crust pizza (especially by the slice)
- Nemo’s Pizza (Stone Harbor, NJ)
- Marcello’s Pizza (San Francisco)
- Three Brothers From Italy (Seaside Heights, NJ and Las Vegas)
- Napoletana (Classic Italian Brick Oven)
- Tony’s Pizza Napoletana (San Francisco)
- Settebello (Las Vegas)
- Tomato Pie (Chicago style)
- Zachary’s (Oakland)
- Detroit style
- Sicilian style
- California style
- Frozen
- Low-carb GF: Open Nature Cauliflower Crust Pizza (Safeway)
Unmentioned styles (like St. Louis) are not worth consuming, IMO.
Top Veggies
This list was a mistake.
- 🍅 Tomato (shut up…)
- Purple Heirloom from local California gardens/farms
- Santorini
- San Marzano 🍕
- (and all the great Italian varieties)
- 🧅 Onion
- Yellow (Vidalia)
- Green
- Red (Italian > Others)
- Maui
- White
- 🧄 Garlic
- 🫘 Beans
- Cocoa
- Coffee
- Black Beans
- Bean Sprouts
- Cannellini
- Soy (Edamame)
- Adzuki (Red Bean)
- Mung
- Pinto
- Kidney
- Fava
- Lentils
- 🍄 Mushroom
- Morel
- Trumpet
- Chanterelles
- Truffles
- Shiitake
- Hen of the Woods
- Matsutake
- Porcini
- Oyster
- 🥬 Lettuce
- Cabbage (Kimchi)
- Bibb
- Little Gem
- Romaine
- Escarole
- Spinach
- Iceberg
- Arugula
- Kale
- 🥑 Avocado
- 🥔 Potato
- Yukon Gold
- Fingerling
- Peruvian purple
- Italian/Portugese Red
- Russet
- 🫒 Olives
- Spanish Green
- Kalamata
- Greek Mix
- Leccino
- Italian Black
- 🌶️ Chilis
- Serrano
- Habanero
- Poblano
- Aji Amarillo
- Ghost
- Thai Bird’s Eye
- Chipotle
- Shishito
- Hatch Green
- 🥦 Broccoli & Broccolini
- 🥕 Carrot
- Asparagus
- 🫑 Bell & Marconi Peppers
- Corn
- Zucchini
- Artichoke
- Spinach
- Yam
Top Dumplings
- Xiaolongbao (Chinese soup dumpling)
- Hamamatsu Gyoza (potstickers, guotie)
- Jiaozi
- Tortellini / Tortelloni
- Ravioli
- Pierogi
- Shumai (siomay)
- Age Gyoza (deep fried)
- Mezzelune
- Wonton
Honorable Mention
- Apple Dumplings are desserts that are hard to compare to these, so I won’t.
Top Desserts
- Cobbler
- Peach
- Apple
- Mixed Berry
- Chocolate Souffle / Lava Cake
- Pie
- Lemon Meringue
- Cherry
- Apple
- Pecan
- Peach
- Pumpkin
- Ice Cream
- Springer’s (Stone Harbor, NJ)
- Mitchell’s (San Francisco)
- La Paleta (Las Vegas)
- Store Bought:
- Jeni’s
- Ben & Jerry’s
- Tillamook
- Blue Bell
- Cake
- Chocolate Lava Cake
- Angel Food Cake
- Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- Carrot Cake (Anything with Cream Cheese or Buttercream Frosting really)
- Butter Cake
- Icebox Cake
- Strawberry Shortcake (or Pound Cake w/ strawberries and whipped cream)
- Lemon Cake
- Black Forest Cake
- Coffee Cake
- German Chocolate Cake / Coconut Cream Cake
- Marble Cake
- Cheesecake
- Oreo
- Cherry
Top Ice Cream Flavors
- Cookies & Cream -or- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- Espresso/Coffee + Chocolate Nibs/Chips
- Dark Chocolate
- Mint Chocolate Chip
- Sorbet
- Raspberry
- Lemon
- Cherry/Strawberry
- Salted Caramel / Butterscotch
- Frozen Yogurt — Tart (otherwise, just get ice cream or gelato!)
- Peanut Butter Cup
- Banana Split
Top Ten Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Flavors
- Chubby Hubby
- Half Baked
- The Tonight Dough (Jimmy Fallon sucks)
- Cookies & Cream Cheesecake Core
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Core
- Coffee Coffee BuzzBuzzBuzz
- Salted Caramel (Brownie, Core, whatever)
- Chunky Monkey
- Whiskey Biz
- Peanut Butter Chocolate (Core, PB Cup)
Places & Travel
Top Travel Destinations
Outside of Northern California.
- Kyoto, Japan
- Tokyo, Japan
- Hakone, Japan
- Seoul, Korea
- Cabo, Mexico
- Kona, Hawaii
- Long Beach / San Diego, CA (USA)
- Seattle, WA (USA)
- Guadalajara, Mexico (especially Tlaquepaque)
- Denver, CO (USA)
Top “Want To Go” Travel Destinations
- Marbella, Spain
- Barcelona, Spain
- Paris, France
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Sydney, Australia / New Zealand
- Shanghai, China
- Beijing, China
- Florence, Italy
- Lima, Peru
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Jeju, Korea
- Berlin, Germany
- Palermo, Italy
- Okinawa, Japan
- Brussels, Belgium
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Barranquilla, Colombia
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Manila, Philippines
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Monaco, France
- Lesbos, Greece
- Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Dublin, Ireland
- Vancouver, Canada
- Warsaw, Poland
- Gruyères, Switzerland
- Stockholm, Sweden
Top Relaxation Spots
- Hakone, Japan
- Cabo, Mexico
- Avalon, NJ
- Kyoto, Japan
- Mt. Shasta, CA
- Tomales Bay, CA
- Seoul, Korea
- Santa Cruz, CA
Top Places I’ve Lived
- SF Bay Area
- Emeryville
- Oakland
- San Francisco
- Las Vegas, NV
- New Jersey
- Jersey City
- Midstate Suburbs
- Jersey Shore (great to visit, not to live)
- Tucson, AZ
- Maryland
- Phoenix, AZ
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