My Top 20 Favourite Video Games Ever (Part 2)

Sorry about the delay. I had some computer issues a couple weeks ago but it's all good now. Let's take a look at numbers 10 to 1.

10. Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood (Xbox, 2005)

I've already written at length about the Brothers in Arms series (back in March 2016) so I won't go too much into detail here, but suffice it to say I think BIA is a great underrated series for fans of tactical shooters. Road to Hill 30 (2005) was a good debut but it was just a bit too linear. Hell's Highway (2008) had a great story but wasn't challenging enough. For me it's the second game, Earned in Blood, that holds the trilogy's crown. It upped the ante in terms of smarter enemies, enthralling storytelling, and more open-ended levels that made you think more. Not to mention it had more multiplayer modes and even multiplayer bots. All three BIA games are fun but if you're thinking of just getting one, Earned in Blood is my recommendation.

9. Splinter Cell: Blacklist (Xbox 360, 2013)

If you've read my Splinter Cell game rankings (January 2016) then this shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. While Blacklist isn't a perfect game it is hard to deny the amount of effort put into it, not to mention the amount of fun you'll get out of it. In a return to the series' signature form, it combines the fluid gameplay of Conviction (2010) with the stealth and level design of the original trilogy (2002-05). A strong contender for most replayable game in the series, Blacklist is bursting with content: in addition to the single-player campaign, there's a coop campaign and an additional twelve levels that can be completed either solo or coop. Combine this with the three different playstyles and you've got a game you'll be playing for a long time. Overall, Blacklist is a fun and accessible game that I would recommend to anyone curious about the stealth game genre.

8. RollerCoaster Tycoon (PC, 1999)

And now for something completely different. I mean, this list can't all be console action games! RollerCoaster Tycoon is an addicting game that I still get out and play from time to time. There's so many fun things to do, it's a game that you can easily lose yourself in. By customizing the names of the park/rides I would make parks with ridiculous themes like King of the Hill quotes or a cyborg revolt against humanity. Whenever guests would die in a roller coaster crash I would build a statue and plant tons of flowers around it, rebuild a new roller coaster in its place, and give it a name that had the word “memorial” in it. Sometimes I would hire about 20 or so guys in animal costumes and have them all patrol the same little strip of footpath, mobbing any guests who tried to pass through. I'd always make at least one ride that was called “Pooping my pants” so that when the guests got off it they'd all say “Pooping my pants was great!” And sometimes if time was running out and my guest count wasn't high enough I'd dig a hole, wrangle up all the people who were thinking “I want to go home”, and drop them into the hole from which they had no means of escape! And all this stuff is just the tip of the iceberg. RollerCoaster Tycoon is a timeless game that never gets old. If you've never tried it before, consider picking it up sometime. You will not be disappointed.

7. NHL 2002 (PC, 2001)

Like most Canadian boys, I grew up playing a healthy amount of hockey... video games. I'm not particularly good at sports in real life so instead I kicked ass on virtual ice with the NHL games -- or "chell" as I like to call it. I've played NHL 98, 99, 2002, Hitz 2003, 2004, 2005, 07, 12, and 17 in varying amounts and out of all of those I've gotten the most enjoyment out of NHL 2002 (with 99 as a close second). This was back when the NHL games weren't trying too hard to be realistic. The players didn't move around slugishly and lethargicly and the contols weren't overly complicated. 2002 is a fast-paced game, just as a hockey game should be. The movement is fluid, the hits are devastating, and the slapstick colour commentary featuring Don Taylor is amusing. For (I believe) the first time in the NHL series you could choose which jersey each team would wear, which as a fan of both retro hockey and the Vancouver Canucks (the NHL team with the most uniform changes) I found to be awesome. Another awesome thing was the trading card system – which if it was done in today's NHL video games, I guarantee it would be tied into loot boxes or other such microtransaction BS – which allowed you to unlock mods and cheats. These mods included silly things such as sumo suits, big heads, higher/lower pitch voices, and my personal favourite, Shrink n' Grow. In this mode players shrink when they're hit and grow when they score goals, and after a few minutes it makes for a hilarious match. It's this whole arcade style of gameplay and presentation that is so sorely missing from recent games in the NHL series. But if you ever want to go back to a simpler time when sports games didn't have to take themselves seriously then NHL 2002 has got you covered.

6. Batman: Arkham City (Xbox 360, 2011)

From a purely objective point of view Batman: Arkham City may be the best video game I've ever played. It's definitely the open world game I've played through the most and one of the very few games in which I found every collectible. In this game Batman takes on Arkham City, an open-air prison full of common crooks, political prisoners, undercover cops, and of course a whole bunch of supervillains. This open world isn't terribly large but it is amazing how much stuff is packed into it including collectible Riddler trophies, Riddler riddles, AR challenges, side missions, destructible objects, hostages who need rescuing, crime scenes to investigate, mysteries to solve, and prisoners to beat up. And the world you're playing in is really fleshed out with all sorts of characters who each have their own backstories. Also the progression system is rewarding since it unlocks new combat moves and gadgets, encouraging further exploration and replays. And did I mention that Catwoman and Robin each have their own campaigns too? The developers' attention to detail in Arkham City is commendable; they've made a game you can spend a ton of time with. If I was stranded on a deserted island and I could only have three games to play there, Batman: Arkham City would easily be one of them.

5. Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (Xbox, 2005)

I've written about this game before (January 2016) and everyone seems to agree that Chaos Theory is easily the best game of the Splinter Cell series. So let me tell you about why I rank it as one of my favourites. It's a game that makes you think for yourself. The most obvious path to your objective is often the most dangerous and difficult and so you must learn to find your own way through the levels and make use of things in the environment that you normally wouldn't notice. It encourages you to explore for hidden paths. In short, it makes you think like Sam Fisher would. It's what makes completing a level with a 100% success rating feel so satisfying. Chaos Theory was the first Splinter Cell game I played and I'll admit I got stumped a lot. But I persevered, eventually beating it and all the other SC games. Looking back I have to say that this was the Splinter Cell with the best soundtrack, the best level design, and the fairest challenge. It's no wonder why this game is liked by so many people.

4. Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360, 2008)

What can you say about Gears of War 2? It's just a good game, as simple as that. I've played all games in the Gears series except 4 and I believe that Gears 2 was the best of them. It was more refined, varied, and graphically impressive than the first Gears. It was more hardcore, serious, and fun than the third Gears. (For the record, I really liked GOW: Judgment, I just thought it was a bit short.) GOW 2's campaign can accurately be described as a badass simulator, chainsawing vicious foes, firing powerful-sounding weapons, and delivering brutal execution moves all along an interesting plot that takes you to unexpected places. And then there was the multiplayer which I sunk a ton of hours into; seriously, GOW 2 is one of the two games I've spent the most time playing (#1 on this list is the other game). The maps were great and the game modes were even greater. My personal favourite was King of the Hill on Ruins. Gears of War 2 was my introduction to the Gears series back in 2008 and I've been hooked ever since.

3. Civilization III (PC, 2001)

Strategy is a genre I don't play all that often but when I find a good strategy game I stick with it. Just like RollerCoaster Tycoon, Civilization III is a highly addicting game that I've been playing on and off for a decade and a half now. In Civ 3 you build up an empire by establishing cities, controlling resources, trading with other nations, managing productivity, keeping your people happy, and defeating opposing civilizations in battle. It's a game that is rich in detail and deep in terms of gameplay. Each civilization has its own distinct personality thanks to unique military units, historical leader figures, and civilization traits. For example France – the one I played the most because I seemed to do the best with – is an industrious and commercial society led by Joan of Arc and can produce musketeers. It's also really fun to see your empire progress through eras of history, learning scientific advancements which can support new city improvements and military units. Declaring war gives you a rush like nothing else, but it's not a decision to make lightly. Getting into the wrong conflict can have serious consequences! There are several different ways of winning the game, which supports different play styles and strategies, making replays a must. It's a game that never stops giving.

2. Halo 2 (Xbox, 2004)

My first few exposures to Halo 2 were always as I was hanging out at friends' houses playing the multiplayer. The game's presentation was the first thing that struck me: the jaw-dropping sound effects, the captivating music, the crisp blue menus, the multiplayer voice guy, the cool weapons, and the heavy-duty looking player characters just blew my mind. When I got around to getting my own copy of the game I quickly came to the conclusion that Halo 2 is the coolest game ever made. Though I hadn't yet played Halo: Combat Evolved (2001) I found Halo 2's story and universe to be fascinating. With such likeable characters, interesting enemies, and great locations I found the experience quite immersive. And the gameplay was fantastic also. The Legendary difficulty setting on Halo 2 was notoriously hard – full retard, basically – but after years of learning the intricacies of combat and all the right tactics I eventually beat the sucker on its most challenging setting. Conquering one of my favourite games on an infamously brutal difficulty: that made me proud. Although Halo 2's multiplayer mode was technically outclassed by its successor it is still a phenomenally awesome multiplayer suite, one that my friends and I still play occasionally.

1. Star Wars: Battlefront II (Xbox, 2005)

Please note, I said 2005, not 2017, as if that greedy pile of vomit deserves to share the name of this gem of a game. No, son. This is the classic Star Wars shooter game that deserves your attention, money and time. And that it has gotten; Battlefront II, along with Gears of War 2, is one the games I have played the most. My disc has got so many scratches on it it's a miracle my Xbox still runs it! I grew up during the prequel age of Star Wars and it was pretty awesome. The movies weren't the greatest but we still liked them. The video games were even better and we ate them up. In 2005 there came along an intense third-person shooter that put you into the boots of the soldiers fighting in all the franchise's big battles from episode I to VI. It was busy, chaotic, and fun. You had so many maps, several game modes, space battles, and even heroes from the movies one could play as. You could be Darth Maul cutting down clone troopers by the hundreds with your doublesaber like a one-man army, but sometimes it was more fun to just be an ordinary engineer sneaking behind enemy lines capturing command posts, trying to survive on your own with nothing but your shotgun, your health packs, and your wit to keep you going. You could hop in the AT-AT walkers on Hoth and blow up everything and everyone, or you could be a sniper holding out as long as you could at the shield generator base on Endor. In space battles you could land a squad aboard the enemy's flagship and destroy its systems from the inside or you could get in a starfighter and just fly around and shoot down enemy ships. In addition to multiplayer there was also the Risk-like strategy war game Galactic Conquest (which I don't think I ever completed when played against my brothers, we were just too good to fail!) and the undercooked but still enjoyable singleplayer campaign. With so many things to do and so many different ways of doing them it's no wonder I spent so much time having fun with Star Wars: Battlefront II. It's just that good.

Thanks for reading

My Top 20 Favourite Video Games Ever (Part 1)

This is it, the one list that every gamer wants to make yet despairs when the time actually comes to make it. I'm talking about a ranked list of my personal favourite video games, that games that have given me the most enjoyment over the years, the games that I (almost) never get tired of playing. Making this list wasn't easy; in fact I'm still not sure about the order I've got here. (It'll probably have changed by the time I'm done writing this!) But such is the fate of an entirely subjective list based on preferences that aren't easily quantifiable. Let's do this!

Honourable mentions: Call of Duty 4 : Modern Warfare (2007), Guitar Hero: World Tour (2008), Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis (2005), Star Wars: Republic Commando (2005)

20. Brütal Legend (Xbox 360, 2009)

If you haven't heard of Brutal Legend then I apologize in advance because my words here won't do it justice. You play as Eddie Riggs, voiced by Jack Black, the greatest roadie the world has ever seen as he gets transported back in time to a world inspired by heavy metal album covers. Armed with his lightning-summoning guitar and his trusty battle axe it's up to him to lead the human resistance and defeat hordes of demons, glam rock sellouts, and goth panzies. With its face-melting soundtrack, impressive voice cast, cool character design, jaw-dropping environments, and fun sense of humour Brutal Legend is a game that you'll want to explore every nook and cranny of. It does have a few downsides: the graphics are low-res and light on details, the side missions are repetitive, and the control scheme is a bit puzzling at times. (There's no jump button. Also it took me 2.5 playthroughs before I found out there was a sprint button!) Still, Brutal Legend manages to be a pretty fun game that serves as a heartfelt tribute to heavy metal subculture. Rock on.

19. Ultimate Spider-Man (Xbox, 2005)

Ultimate Spider-Man is a game that has a lot of sentimental value to me. It was the first video game I ever bought with money that I'd earned from a job. At the time I was a huge fan of the Ultimate Spider-Man comic series and I frequently compared myself to Peter Parker in middle school (I wasn't in high school yet). I had previously played the games based on the Spider-Man movies, but they didn't exactly blow me away perhaps because of their non-original stories and sometimes clunky controls. But Ultimate Spider-Man had none of those problems; it was like Spider-Man 2 (2004) but with more refined controls, an original story, more rewarding collectibles/unlocks, and a dazzling art design. And did I mention that you can also play as Venom? Needless to say, this game was one the coolest things in the world to my 15 year-old self. Sure its open world wasn't as big as the previous game's and it could be frustratingly difficult at times but that didn't hinder the feeling of truly being in a story of the Ultimate comic series. Excelsior, true believers!

   18. Call of Duty: Black Ops (Xbox 360, 2010)

Alternate history is one of my favourite subgenres of fiction, one that I wish video games would do way more often. This is probably why I like Black Ops so much. The Cold War is such an enthralling era of history which doesn't have all that many games focusing on it. Anyone who says that video games can't be educational needs to play this game. If it weren't for Black Ops I might never have learned about things such as the Vorkuta Gulag, the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kowloon's walled city, MK Ultra, and Rebirth Island. And it's all wrapped up into a gripping story in which the fate of the world is at stake. As if that wasn't enough Black Ops has by far my preferred CoD multiplayer mode and it even has Dead Ops Arcade, a four-player overhead twin stick shooter that's way more fun than it has any right to be! This game has so much bang for your buck it's unreal.

   17. The Simpsons: Road Rage (Xbox, 2001)

You might be thinking “Tony, what the heck is this game doing on a list like this?” I'll admit, Simpsons: Road Rage is a simple game, one that wasn't meant to be played for hours on end. It's basically a ripoff of Crazy Taxi, in which you take control of Simpsons characters and pickup passengers and shuttle them to their destinations around Springfield as quickly as possible. Successful runs award the player with more cash (i.e. high scores) which allow the player to unlock more locations and playable characters each with their own vehicle. Sounds simple, right? That's because I haven't told you about one on one mode! In this mode two players compete to be the one to deliver more passengers. It involves ramming the other player to steal the passenger, a lot of detours to lose your opponent, and a ton of sneaky manoeuvres to try to shake off your pursuer. I play this game a lot with my brothers and when you get two experienced players facing off it makes for an intense, sweat-inducing game. Seriously, if you can find this game on the cheap its two-player mode easily makes it worth a try.

    16. Doom 3 (Xbox, 2005)

This is some serious crap. I don't play horror-type games often but I thoroughly enjoyed Doom 3's campaign which is set in a dark, creepy research facility on Mars that's been invaded by demons and monsters from hell. The scary enemies that spawn from nowhere without warning, the inability to hold a weapon and the flashlight at the same time, and the unnerving sounds one can hear are extremely effective at putting the player on edge. This is one of the very few “silent protagonist” games in which I felt truly immersed. I think this is due to two things: the outstanding sound design and the PDA. Early on, the player is given a PDA through which they can read emails and listen to audio logs that are found throughout the game. In addition to providing security clearance and helpful tips (such as supplies storage), these emails and audio logs offer significant story details and really help flesh out the world you're playing in. While I do have a couple gripes with this game – the enemies who constantly respawn behind you do get rather annoying, plus weapon switching can be cumbersome at times – I still have tons of fun with Doom 3. Horror developers, take note.

    15. Forza Motorsport 4 (Xbox 360, 2011)

I've played plenty of Forza games and while they're all very finely crafted racing simulators I'd have to hold up Motorsport 4 as my preferred title of the series. It's more detailed and varied than Forza Motorsport (2005), less restrictive than Forza Motorsport 3 (2009), and is more straightforward than Forza Horizon (2012). The variety of tracks and cars available were phenomenal, the unlockable cars (AKA autovista) were really cool, and the number of unlocks, titles, and events was mind-boggling. I especially liked the little things they included such as how each pass, turn, draft, and drift is given a grade from one to four. These grades were surprisingly helpful in teaching the player how to play the game. And just like the other games in the series, it was very highly polished with excellent physics and graphics. Also, the commentary from the Top Gear guys was amusing and gave this game a bit of personality. If you like racing games at all, then Forza Motorsport 4 is a game that's easy to love.

    14. Halo 3 (Xbox 360, 2007)

Please don't get mad at me for not putting this one higher on this list. I had become a Halo fan after playing through Halo 2 the year before and I was all aboard the hype train in anticipation of Halo 3. I was slightly let down at things like the lacklustre sound effects, slower pace of gameplay, and lack of surprises in campaign. While it's not as memorable or as badass as its predecessor I still appreciate Halo 3 for what it is: a well-designed sci-fi action FPS set in a fascinating universe with enemies that are fun to tango with. This entry in the series added new vehicles and weapons, had fun locations for single-player, had a fantastic soundtrack, and gave the players more multiplayer options than ever before. It's a game that my friends and I still play to this day and probably will continue playing for quite some time. From a purely objective viewpoint it's probably the best Halo game ever made but there's just one other game in the series that I prefer over Halo 3. More on that later...

13. Wolfenstein: The New Order (Xbox 360, 2014)

Why yes, this game did come out on Xbox 360. (I don't have an 8^th gen console... yet.) Remember what I said about how much I love alternate history in CoD: Black Ops? That goes double for Wolfenstein: TNO. In this game the Germans have won the Second World War through their use of highly advanced technology. The game takes place in a 1960 in which the Third Reich rules most of the world and has even established a colony on the moon. This is a fantastic – if somewhat absurd – setup for a video game; rarely have I been so enthralled at a game's character and environment design. What's more, TNO boasts some very fun and addicting gunplay as well as some options for those who prefer a stealthier style of gameplay. Though it can be difficult at times, Wolfenstein: TNO never feels frustrating and it rewards players who are willing to change up their strategy from time to time. That's what being a great first-person shooter is all about.

12. Red Dead Redemption (Xbox 360, 2010)

What can I say about Red Dead Redemption that hasn't already been said? It's one of the best games this decade and one of the best open-world games ever made. Never has the act of driving around – or in this case horseback riding around – and shooting things been presented in a way that's so fresh and exciting. At times it really did seem like I was playing a Sergio Leone film thanks to the excellent soundtrack, enthralling story, and diverse cast of relatable characters. And that's not even counting all the interesting side missions! There's so much to do, so many places to go, so many people to meet, so much trouble to get into. It's a highly detailed and beautiful looking game. Describing it all in depth would take up an entire article on its own. I'll just leave it at this: Red Dead Redemption is a game that took on the often underutilized setting of the old west and brought it to life in the most ambitious and amazing way one could hope for. You done good.

11. Fight Night 2004 (Xbox, 2004)

It's no secret that the best part of an EA Sports game is getting to make your own butt-ugly characters. Fight Night takes it one step further by letting you make butt-ugly characters who can then beat eachother up! My brothers and I would go all out with the dudes we created in this game. I even went through the trouble of making Beavis and Butthead to watch them duke it out. Even without all that silly stuff, Fight Night is a fun and intense game. It's probably my favourite sports game aside from the NHL games. Making your way up to the top and fighting some of history's greatest boxers was a simple yet satisfying setup for a career mode. Really the only complaint I have is that all the punching is mapped to the thumbstick which works well, but if you play the game at length (like I have) I guarantee that your thumb will end up calloused. But as your coach tells you between rounds, “This is boxing, kid: pain comes with the territory.”

That'll about do it for this week. Check back next time for the top 10.

Top 20 Good Parts of Bad Movies, Part 2

10. The Battle of Britain in Pearl Harbor (2001)

Remember in Part 1 where I unfavourably compared Passchendaele to Pearl Harbor? The time has come to talk about Pearl Harbor itself; it's a pretty bad movie. It's a sappy by-the-numbers romance with weird dialogue and the type of logic that would exist in an elementary school student's short story. The titular battle scene could've been great if it weren't for (1) the historical inaccuracies, (2) the US sailors are incompetent and helpless, (3) the audience isn't given time to get attached to the servicemen and as such won't be invested in what happens to them, and (4) much of the focus of the attack scene is given to the fictional characters whose actions are only loosely based on true events. Having said all that, the one aerial battle scene with Rafe McCawley over the English Channel is pretty good (he volunteers to join the RAF, which in real life wasn't allowed to active USAF pilots) even if it is fictional. It's an intense, thrilling scene that just goes to show that director Michael Bay can do a decent action scene every once in a while.

9. Leonardo DiCaprio in J. Edgar (2011)

It's no secret that Leonardo DiCaprio is one of this generation's best actors. But it wasn't until 2016 that he finally won the Academy Award for best actor (for The Revenant), which means that before then we got performances like this one in which he tried Oscar-baiting so hard but to no avail. DiCaprio tries so hard to go for gold – in fact one could be forgiven for thinking the word is spelled “Oscurbate” – but the film it's in just isn't interesting at all! I must confess, I found J. Edgar to be so boring that I couldn't finish it; I quit at about the 45 minute mark. And I'm not a guy who usually quits watching stuff due to boredom (I made it all they way through the Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy miniseries, for cryin' out loud!). But what do you expect when you're watching a movie about a dull long-serving bureaucrat?

And speaking of Leo DiCaprio...

8. The soundtrack to Before the Flood (2016)

I stand firmly against the commonly held misbelief that celebrities know what's best for us. Celebrities live in a completely different world from us normal folks and lead very different lifestyles than ours; they don't have to worry about the same things us commoners do and so their political advice and opinions are unrelatable at best and nakedly cynical at worst. (For example, I don't want some super-rich late-night talk show host who can afford to airlift his family to any hospital in the world to get the best medical treatment money can buy lecturing me on which political candidate will support a half-assed public healthcare service.) Additionally, celebrities certainly don't hold any moral high ground, as their never-ending stream of scandals will attest. Honestly, I could write a whole article on this topic but I'll just get to the point: Leonardo DiCaprio is not someone to lecture us on climate change. The man is notorious for his obscene overuse of private flights – which burn more fossil fuels than dozens of ordinary people will burn throughout their lives – and his affinity for hanging out with Arab royalty (ie. oil barons) on giant, diesel-guzzling luxury yachts. Apart from that, Before the Flood itself is a terrible argument. Not much scientific evidence is presented, not a single counter-viewpoint is put forth. For example, the Athabasca oil sands surface mine is shown to demonstrate how oil sand extraction is ugly and scars the landscape when in reality those mines were opened in the 1960's and 1970's and only about 10% of the Canadian oil sands are shallow enough to be mined in this way. It's pure and simple propaganda. But at least the music is nice. For all its faults, Before the Flood has one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard in a movie. The mix of ambient electronic/experimental scoring from the likes of Mogwai, Gustavo Santaolalla, and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross sets up an organic, introspective, and cerebral atmosphere that deserved a better film. My recommendation: listen to the soundtrack, skip the movie.

7. Private Witt's death in The Thin Red Line (1998)

OK for the record, Thin Red Line isn't a terrible movie, but it is a very disappointing one. I went into it hearing that it was one of the greatest war films ever made. But what I got was an almost 3 hour snoozefest where director Terrence Malick periodically forgot he was making a war film and instead made a bunch of nonsequitur dream-like, abstract inner reflection bullcrap, the same kind of bullcrap that made Malick's The Tree of Life (2011) utterly unwatchable to me. One of the most annoying parts of Thin Red Line is this Pvt. Witt character. Played by Jim Caviezel, Witt is a frequent source of the whole shoe-gazing boredom that pervades the whole film. He's a total slacker hippie loser who makes you wonder why he ever joined the army in the first place. The only part of Thin Red Line that made me stand up, pump my fist, and shout “yeah!” was the part where Witt freakin' dies! That may sound callous of me, but unless you've seen this movie you have no idea how irritating this dude was. They even made it a heroic death too, so kudos there.

6. The possible trolling of Saving Christmas (2014)

Saving Christmas is a pretty bad movie, even by the standards of Christian movies. It's a shoddily put together load of faux-festive materialistim and weird conspiracy theories pumped full of padding in an effort to barely scrape the threshold of feature-length (79 minutes). Some of the theories put forth in this film are so out there and held together with only the thinnest of logical explanations, like how stacks of presents under the tree symbolize the skyline of New Jerusalem (because boxes are the same shape as buildings, you see). And yet, consider for a moment that perhaps none of this was ever meant to be taken seriously and that the audience is just being screwed with. What if Kirk Cameron is actually just trolling us and that this movie is really just an elaborate satire of the War on Christmas? If this is true then Kirk Cameron might just be a comedic genius the likes of which we haven't seen since Andy Kaufman himself!...or it might just be a load of crap. Who knows?

5. Jack Black as Slip in The NeverEnding Story III (1994)

I really like Jack Black. He's one of those rare actors who makes good movies better and bad movies watchable. He's pretty much the only good part of NeverEnding Story III, a sad little sequel that really had nothing to add to its series and was clearly made just to earn a quick buck. But Black's rendition of Slip, the school bully, is truly something to admire. He plays this leather-clad, monobrowed punk villain like some kind of elaborate mastermind; a combination of Kahn and Blofeld. And he clearly revels in it. Jack Black gets so into this role and has so much fun that the audience can't help but feel it too. Like Michael Ironside in Highlander II, Jack Black is in his own little world with this one and it makes for some great entertainment.

4. Meat Loaf in To Catch a Yeti (1995)

Now we get into the truly awful stuff, starting with To Catch a Yeti, a movie whose quality is pitiful even by the standards of made-for-TV children's films. The plot and characters are forgettable, all problems are solved within minutes (mostly by random chance and not any actual thinking on part of the characters), the special effects don't deserve the moniker “special”, and the acting is almost uniformly bad. The reason I say almost is because the one bright spot in the whole film is Meat Loaf's performance as Big Jake Grizzly, a grumpy big game hunter. Similar to Jack Black in NeverEnding Story III, Meat Loaf plays a riveting villain, but in this film he brings a surprising amount of intensity found nowhere else. He also gives the irritating bad guy kid his comeuppance at the end.

3. Matthew Lillard as Shaggy in Scooby-Doo (2002)

Let's face it, Shaggy is the best character in any Scooby-Doo show or movie. He's by far the most fun and most memorable of the Mystery Machine bunch. And so it's only fitting that he is the only good part of the live-action Scooby-Doo film from 2002. Matthew Lillard – who apparently watched as many episodes of the show as he could before filming began – is spot on in the role of the laid-back, lanky, cowardly slacker/jokester Shaggy. His speech and mannerisms are uncanny; if you're patient enough then the film might be worth watching just to see the Shagster brought to life. Since 2002, Lillard has gone on to play and voice Shaggy in subsequent Scooby-Doo media so I guess some lasting good came out of it. And let's not overlook the fact that if it weren't for Lillard the role likely would've gone to either Jim Carrey or Mike Myers. That fact alone is enough to earn this actor's efforts a spot on this list.

2. Al Pacino as himself in Jack and Jill (2011)

Yeah, yeah. We all knew this was coming. Who hasn't heard of Jack and Jill's legendary awfulness? Is there anyone who doesn't immediately think “disaster” when they hear of a Happy Madison comedy in which Adam Sandler plays identical twins, one of them female? (Fun fact: this is impossible because identical twins are almost always the same sex. There've been a few confirmed cases of boy/girl identical twins being born, but each time the girl is born with Turner Syndrome. I really hope that this wasn't what Jack and Jill was going for!) Apart from its stupid premise it suffers from the usual Sandler comedy problems: the humour is dumb and mean-spirited, the plot is directionless, the child characters are creepy, the tone shifts wildly between low-brow comedy and sentimental schmaltziness, and Sandler's character is an unlikable jackass who also serves as Sandler's self-insert fan fiction. But the one thing that stands out from it all is Al Pacino playing himself, giving his all in a performance where he really didn't have to. Sure it's sad to see such an accomplished actor in a film like this, but he really commits to portraying an intense version of himself who is so obsessed with acting that he's gone a little bit crazy. This affords the film a few genuinely decent gags. This includes the last spoken lines of the film, uttered by Pacino himself: “This must never be seen by anyone... All copies: destroy them!” I'd like to think this is an instruction to the audience as to what should be done with their copy of Jack and Jill.

1. Michael Chiklis as John Belushi in Wired (1989)

If you've never heard of Wired, then allow me to fill you in. Wired is a biopic of the “laughs and times” of comedian John Belushi who died of a drug overdose in 1982 at age 33. It's pretty freakin' terrible. It's a low budget, tone-deaf pile of trash that plays like a melodramatic PSA about Hollywood drug abuse. Wired offers little insight about its subject and focuses way too much on his addictions. The anti-drug stuff isn't always handled well and mostly consists of characters yelling at John to stop doing drugs. In other words, the film lectures a man who is dead. And we haven't even gotten to the part where Belushi's ghost/corpse lies screaming during his own autopsy delivered by sushi chef as John's guardian angel dances around. Yep, that happens. I could go on about how much truly awful stuff is in Wired but I'll just cut to the chase: Michael Chiklis is outrageously good in this film. He's got John Belushi's manic energy, his mannerisms, and even his appearance down to a T. He impersonates Belushi so well that it makes you a bit sad that that actual comedian isn't around any more. It's a performance that definitely deserved a better movie than this. In fact Wired was so controversial when it came out that it kind of wrecked Chiklis' career for a couple years, which is a shame. It's not his fault the movie was crap!

Top 20 Good Parts of Bad Movies, Part 1

Sometimes even bad movies aren't all bad. It's very rare to find a bad movie that has absolutely no redeeming qualities to it. A lot of bad movies have at least one good part – be it an actor, a particular scene, or some other element – that make the whole thing... tolerable, the only thing you might look forward to when you watch it. So for the next couple weeks I'm going to count down the Top 20 Good Parts to Bad Movies. For this list I've tried sticking to films that had only one redeeming element to them; so you're not going to see movies like Spider-Man 3 or Attack of the Clones because, while they weren't that great, they did have several individual good things in them. And keep in mind that my ranking of this list is very subjective. I tried ranking it in order of which movies benefited the most from their one good thing. Trust me, it'll make more sense when you read it. And lastly, I'm not counting things that are ironically good or so-bad-they're-good. So you won't see Tommy Wiseau's acting or Birdemic's editing on this list. So here we go.

Honourable mentions: the thumbs up GIF from Batman Forever, the hand-to-hand combat in Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, the baseball scene in Twilight

20. Jack Black as Augie in Airborne (1993)

If you don't know Airborne, don't feel bad. It's not worth knowing. Apart from Seth Green's ludicrous haircut the only thing of note here is a young Jack Black playing some jock/bully who has one angry outburst. Some hippie surfer dweeb is introducing himself to the class at highschool and Jack Black just jumps to the front, interrupts the dude, and shouts him down. It's pretty amusing. Thank you, Jack Black.

19. Colin Farrell in Total Recall (2012)

The Total Recall remake isn't a terrible movie; if you switch your brain off it can be modestly entertaining. But one can't deny that it's a derivative and wholly unnecessary film with nothing new to say for both science fiction and the 1990 original and is just cashing in on the original's name recognition. But at least Colin Farrell was pretty good in it. He makes for a decent action hero and he capably pulls off the whole everyman-being-swept-along-with-crazy-events thing. Still, he's not as memorable as Schwarzenegger.

18. Malcolm McDowell as Dr. Loomis in Halloween I & II (2007, 2009)

The two Rob Zombie Halloween films aren't very good. You might like them if you enjoy films in which everyone is a redneck jerk, there's tons of mean-spiritedness, and there's no tension or suspense... and if you never liked the original Halloween films to begin with. (On second thought, maybe I'll write an article on this one day.) But at least Malcolm McDowell makes a great Dr. Loomis. Sure, he's got an ego, he's not all that great a doctor, and this performance doesn't compare with the intensity and gravitas of Donald Pleasence's but this version of Dr. Loomis is still rather good. Like the original, he's an obsessed doctor who despairs at how he can't help Michael Myers. What makes him different from classic Loomis is that McDowell's Loomis sort of says “screw it”, becomes an arrogant jerk, and tries profiting off the whole mess which sets up his redemption later on. Again, this isn't as interesting as the classic Loomis, but it is by far the best thing about Rob Zombie's Halloween films and this mainly thanks to McDowell's performance.

17. The Three Stooges in The Three Stooges (2012)

As I've said before, I've been a big fan of the 3 Stooges since childhood. Who doesn't get some sort of enjoyment from watching a trio of chowder-heads slap eachother around and get into wacky hi jinks? The 2012 3 Stooges movie wasn't all that great, but the one thing it got right was really the only thing it needed to get right, and that's the Stooges themselves. (I mean, nobody goes into a 3 Stooges movie expecting groundbreaking cinematography or an expertly crafted musical score.) Chris Diamantopoulos (Moe), Sean Hayes (Larry), and Will Sasso (Curly) all play their characters to a T. These wise-guys so closely resemble the classic Stooges that it's almost eerie, they've been brought back to life. These three knickle-heads have done their comedic idols proud and 3 Stooges fans soitenly couldn't have asked for better.

16. The train chase in The Lone Ranger (2013)

Too little, too late? Perhaps, but one can't deny that the final train chase scene of Lone Ranger was some good fun. For once in this two-and-a-half hour movie, the thing doesn't take itself so seriously (or try cramming in some weird ivory fetishes). What follows is several minutes of some over-the-top Pirates of the Carribean-style spectacle with an impressive blend of special effects, stunt work, humour, fast-paced action, and the classic William Tell overture. If you're curious, then just watch this one scene and don't bother with the rest of the film. I guarantee it'll be the most fun you've seen on a train in movies since Spider-Man 2. All aboard!

15. The Battle of Passchendaele in Passchendaele (2008)

Canadian cinema doesn't exactly have the most enviable reputation around, and Passchendaele is no exception to the rule. Don't get me wrong, it isn't a terrible movie but it is a pretty dull one. To call it the Great White North's answer to Pearl Harbor wouldn't be that far from the truth. At times it plays like a history lesson, and not a particularly interesting one. There's only two battle scenes: a very brief one at the film's beginning and the titular 1917 battle toward the film's end. And this is a right proper battle scene as brutal as anything in Saving Private Ryan with perhaps even more grit. Canadian and German soldiers slog it out in the rain and mud, shooting, stabbing, impaling, drowning, blasting, and beating eachother in an orgy of death that is directed serviceably. It has some tense moments and you'll care about what's happening to at least a few of the characters. It is my belief that every country that produces movies deserves at least one really badass historical battle scene. This is Canada's and I'm proud to call it my own.

14. Pierce Brosnan as James Bond in Die Another Day (2002)

Sure he was just on the verge of being too old for the role, but Pierce Brosnan does do an alright job in his last outing as agent 007, which is one of the few positive things I can say about Die Another Day. If you read Arnold's Benediction often then you probably already know my thoughts on Die Another Day and it's a shame that Brosnan's last James Bond performance was in such a lame film (which seems to happen a lot to Bond actors). I consider him to be one of the better James Bond actors; a well-rounded, total package sort of performance. While not all of his 007 flicks were great Pierce Brosnan was often a highlight in them. Mission accomplished.

13. Jennifer Aniston in Just Go With It (2011)

I'm just going to come out and say this – and you're not going to believe me – but Just Go With It is a worse movie than Jack and Jill. It is half an hour longer with a wholly pointless, meandering plot, spotty logic, and wretched characters who don't care about anyone but themselves. The only lifelike, believable, down-to-earth one amongst them is the one played by Jennifer Aniston who has surprisingly good comedic timing and decent chemistry with the main character (the Adam Sandler dude; trust me, it's not worth the time to look up these characters' names). I mean yeah, it is obvious that they're going to get together at the end, but in a movie this bad I'll take what I can get.

12. Seth Green as Scott Evil in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)

Hmm. You know, I was originally going to mention how much I liked Seth Green in the second Austin Powers movie, but then I did some research and realized that most of his scenes that I liked actually took place in Man of Mystery (1997), the first film in the trilogy. But you know that's what happens when you've got three films with dull plots, shallow main characters, and recycled jokes that become progressively dumber and immature. I liked these films when I was 12 (big surprise), but since then my admiration for Austin Powers films has almost vanished. (Having said that I have come to appreciate the attempt at spoofing 1960's Bond films. There was at least a respectable amount of effort in that regard.) Having said that, the character of Scott Evil was a highlight for me, especially in the first two films. This may be perhaps because he is at one and the same time both the bewildered straight man/slacker of the Evil organization and a bright-eyed teenager who wants to be accepted by his evil mastermind father. It's brilliant. Too bad it's surrounded by dick jokes and poop gags.

11. Michael Ironside as General Katana in Highlander II: The Quickening (1991)

I think everyone already knows that this is one of the worst films ever made, so I'm just going to skip ahead to the good stuff. Michael Ironside is an actor I enjoy watching. He plays the tough guy/villain role well and his voice sounds so cool. In Highlander II we get all this and more: he hams it up a bit with goofy one-liners and jokes and over-the-top faces. It's just too bad that his character is dumb as a post and has no real motivation for doing the things he does... 'Dat voice, though.

Top 20 Best Movies I've Ever Seen - Part 2

10. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

For decades war films had taken the form of heroic tales of exciting, virtuous adventures and flattering depictions of easily-identifiable goodguys. It wasn't until the 1980's and 90's that Hollywood took a grittier and more realistic approach to portraying warfare for a mass audience. Perhaps due to the unpopularity of the particular conflict they depicted, Vietnam War movies like The Deer Hunter (1978), Platoon (1986), and Born on the Fourth of July (1989) led the way. The Second World War didn't receive the tragic, “hell on earth” treatment until movies like Saving Private Ryan came along. Simply speaking, this movie was a game-changer amongst war films. The unflinching violence, the brutal subjective camera, and the sometimes ambiguous morality of it all are now genre tropes. But back in the day, this was shocking stuff. Today the film is still held up by outstanding set design, a moving John Williams score, and some spot-on acting, especially from Tom Hanks. Well done, soldier.

9. Paths of Glory (1957)

Paths of Glory may be one of Stanley Kubrick's more underrated films, but upon watching it is clear that it stands abreast of the rest of his great work. Maybe its status as an early anti-war film which brought it a great amount of controversy in its time is the reason why it doesn't have the attention it deserves today. In any case, it serves as a great example of how institutionalized nationalism and patriotism can become a ravenous, self-destructive force. In this example, it takes the form of a witch hunt: three seemingly random French troops are being court-martialed for cowardice after their regiment failed to capture the heavily fortified “Ant Hill” in what was basically a suicide charge. Kirk Douglas gives a most impassioned performance as Colonel Dax, the officer who has chosen to defend the three. Throughout the film are great examples of Kubrick's eye for framing and camera movement: too many to list here. Just watch it, you'll see what I'm talking about.

8. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

This is an epic movie. This should be one of the fist movies that comes to mind when you hear the term “epic movie”. Not only does it have outstanding production designs, stunning cinematography, an iconic theme song, and an impressive scope, but it also has real drama in which you can't help but feel invested. Peter O'Toole does an impeccable job of portraying a man dealing with several different struggles at once: to liberate Arabia from Ottoman rule, to learn how to be a proper leader, to unite the Arab tribes into one cohesive nation, to find his own identity, to cope with the war's bloody violence, and to determine his true allegiance. Suffice it to say, T.E. Lawrence is one of the most complex and fascinating characters in movie history. If you're even a slight fan of old movies, you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not watching this classic.

7. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)

Face it: you're probably humming that theme song to yourself already. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is one of the most iconic movies ever made. And it's certainly one of the coolest. Words can barely describe the amount of satisfaction and just straight up fun one can have from watching this legendary film. The final entry of Sergio Leone's grand Dollars Trilogy, this flick finds Clint Eastwood playing the Man With No Name in a race to find buried Confederate gold. One problem: he has to team up with his slimy, rotten yet resourceful former partner in crime, Tuco. Played expertly by Eli Wallach, Tuco steals every scene he's in; he's one of those bad guys you love to hate. Rounding out the titular trio is Lee Van Cleef as the ruthless bounty hunter Angel Eyes. Add to this Ennio Moricone's classic score and Leone's oh-so-stylish direction, and it's no wonder why so many people consider this the best western ever made. It's certainly got my vote.

6. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

Come to think of it, this might just be the oldest feature length film I've ever seen. Despite the old-school acting style on display, it doesn't always feel like it. For its time, All Quiet on the Western Front showcased sophisticated camerawork and set piece battle scenes. They really went all in, possibly making this the first epic war movie ever made. The novel All Quiet on the Western Front just happens to be one of my favourite books and I can say that this film is very faithful in recreating the story of a group of young men who are forever changed by their experiences in WWI. It's an intense movie that doesn't shy away from distressing subjects. It's a film that has aged well, hauntingly relevant for all generations.

5. The Godfather (1972)

Mhm. Sorry to be predictable, but The Godfather really is one of the best ever. There's no denying it. It's got fabulous direction, a timeless score, outstanding performances, and a deep, tragic plot. Everybody who watches movies at all knows about it and holds it in high esteem. So why didn't I rank it at #1? Well simply put, there's a few moments in it that I think are boring. Yeah, I said it. There are a handful of boring scenes in this movie: it seemed the part with Michael in Sicily just would not end! Despite this, The Godfather is an excellent piece of cinematic history. It's just that the next time I watch it I'll make sure to have the skip button handy.

4. Taxi Driver (1976)

King Missile rejoice: I strongly believe that Taxi Driver is Martin Scorsese's strongest work. His direction with this effort is just astounding. The camerawork is so intuitive and organic, panning and following items just as a person's eyes would. (Scorsese also makes one of the greatest director cameo appearances ever in one memorable scene.) New York City's authentic 1970's dirt and sleaze just seems to permeate the screen and engulf the viewer into the film's grimy and corrupt environment. Travis Bickle, portrayed impeccably by Robert De Niro, is one of the most fascinating movie characters of all time. This depressed, lonely, paraniod Vietnam veteran insomniac is so interesting and unpredictable, you can't help but wonder what he's thinking. And that theme song: classic. In short, if you haven't seen Taxi Driver before, then do it. The whole thing is like a feel-good movie gone horribly wrong: it's the anti-feel-good movie.

3. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

Stanley Kubrick sure does make a lot of movies about war, which is great because I like watching movies about war. Paths of Glory depicted war as unjust. Full Metal Jacket depicted war as insane. And Dr. Strangelove depicts war as a farce. With the threat of nuclear warfare hanging in the balance, the stakes have never dared to have been so high for a comedy before or since. What's cool about the world of comedy is that there's very few subjects that are taboo. Sometimes the world throws some scary stuff at you, and sometimes the only reasonable thing to do is laugh about it, which is exactly what Dr. Strangelove sets out to do. The film's got an array of memorable characters – the jingoistic Gen. Buck Turgidson (George C. Scott), the exasperated President Merkin Muffley (Peter Sellers), the mad scientist title character (also Sellers), the cowboy bomber pilot Maj. Kong (Slim Pickens), the delusional nationalist Gen. Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden), and the absurdly polite Capt. Lionel Mandrake – all portrayed excellently, bringing on home a manic energy rarely seen in Kubrick's works. Combine this with some iconic set design, some memorable lines, and the director's signature camera techniques and sense of irony and you've got what I think is the greatest comedy movie ever made. And as long as nuclear warfare is just a button-press away, Dr. Strangelove will remain just as relevant as ever.

2. Pulp Fiction (1994)

If you like movies that have a lot of dialogue, then you'll absolutely love Pulp Fiction. This movie's dialogue is so intricate and so natural and so engaging and so memorable, you'll find yourself quoting it for the rest of your life. This film's screenplay – eclectic, episodic, engaging, out of order, and delightfully awkward – very much deserved its Academy Award. It's a very original film without a single dull moment and it certainly stands out amongst all other films before or since. Pulp Fiction, a film about one (well, technically two) day(s) in the life of a bunch of LA lowlifes who espouse their philosophical beliefs to each other, is a fun movie to watch over and over again. This is largely thanks to its abundance of engaging characters. The cynical Vincent Vega (John Travolta), the hot mess Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman), the defiant tough guy Butch (Bruce Willis), mob boss Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames), and the cool Winston Wolfe (Harvey Keitel) all are really neat folks to follow. But by far the best is Jules Winnfield played by Samuel L. Jackson. This talkative, easily-excitable, badass motherf----- is one of the most entertaining movie characters of his generation. His story of redemption is the capstone on this treasure of a film. Go watch it now.

1. Apocalypse Now (1979)

I sure do watch a lot of war films, and without a doubt Apocalypse Now is the very best of them. While it's a movie that doesn't focus too much on actual combat, it does provide an epic journey through war's morality and psychology. Epic: that's the perfect word to describe this film. A hybrid of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Homer's Odyssey, Apocalypse Now's scenes each feel like a struggle against the forces of insanity and pure evil. You can practically feel the weight of each and every bullet fired, and each line spoken feels as if it's leading to something big. Martin Sheen – as Capt. Willard – and Marlon Brando – as Col. Kurtz – each take their characters to extraordinarily dark places in haunting performances viewers won't soon forget. Director Francis Ford Coppola gives it his all on this gorgeous-looking film, lending it a psychedelic, dreamy, myth-like feel. Watching a movie like this will definitely make one understand the mindset of the US soldiers in Vietnam who went to great lengths to remind themselves of home and distract themselves from their loneliness and anxiety. Because as poor Kurtz came to understand, war tends to reveal truths about just how close to the abyss one's soul can wander. One of the film's many unforgettable lines sums this up perfectly: “The horror... the horror.” And this is what makes Apocalypse Now the greatest movie I've ever seen.

Top 20 Best Movies I've Ever Seen - Part 1

I love writing about movies, both from a critical and a personal perspective. Reviewing movies is a fun and engaging way to talk about and appraise both our culture's artistic expression and the worthiness of the various methods by which we entertain ourselves. There are some movies that do both those jobs so conspicuously well, that I think they are worth a mention. And so for the next two weeks or so I'm counting down the Top 20 Best Movies I've Ever Seen. The rules are simple, these films need to have been theatrically released and I need to have seen them. And just so you know, I'm going to try to judge this list as objectively as I can. So don't go thinking that this is the list of my top 20 favourite movies. That one will probably come later some time.

Honourable Mentions: Koyaanisqatsi (1982), Seven (1995), Der Untergang (2005), Sicario (2015)

20. A Christmas Carol (AKA Scrooge)(1951)

Ah, Christmas movies... Who doesn't love to kick back and watch a good X-mas flick every December? And this timeless gem is one I watch every year. Even though it may seem archaic by today's movie making standards, that only seems to add to the overall “old-ness” of the film's setting. The tone perfectly – albeit somewhat retroactively – complements the story and theme of this very much Industrial Era film. I remember reading the book A Christmas Carol in elementary school and upon rewatching this film afterwards, I saw just how faithful it was to Charles Dickens's original tale. And I believe the few changes that were made in the film were for the better. The scoring is classic, and it enhances the mood quite nicely. I find this most evident in the scenes depicting the Cratchit family. They'll get you right in the feelies, they will. And lastly, who could forget the fantastic performance of Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge? In all the iterations I've seen of this story, no one pulls off the transition from bitter, grumpy old man to jovial good guy better than Mr. Sim. If there's any one film that can brighten your cold winter day and put you in the Christmas spirit, then this is it, my friends.

19. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)

I remember in my grade 7 drama class my teacher showed us this film, instructing us to pay extra attention to the acting, the choreography, the drama, and the story-telling. It was the first time I recall ever watching a movie with a critical eye. And Master and Commander was a fine film to learn from. Aside from being an engaging and epic thrill with edge-of-your-seat action scenes, it has some exceptional production design and interesting characters. I love how the movie balances its focused portrayal of Napoleonic naval warfare and the relationships between characters: in particular, Russel Crowe as Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend Dr. Stephen Maturin played by Paul Bettany. It's one of those films that achieves the perfect balance between story, action, and characterization. Huzzah!

18. The Revenant (2015)

Alejandro Inarritu's two most recent films – Birdman (2014) and The Revenant – have found widespread mainstream success. While the two aren't all that different in style, I believe that the Revenant is the superior of the two. This one has a more interesting setting and is just all-round more entertaining. I enjoy a good western every now and then and the Revenant has got to be the most visceral yet also the most beautiful of the ones I've seen. Each shot looks like a work of art. I've already written a review on this movie, so the only thing different I can say is try watching this movie alone some time. Take in the atmosphere, the spectacle. It's quite an experience.

17. Casino Royale (2006)

No, not the one with Woody Allen. This is the one with Texas Hold 'Em, son. If you're familiar with my blog then you probably already know that Casino Royale is my preferred Bond film. In fact I'd list it as a strong candidate for best action movie of this generation. It successfully mixes an intense, gritty (yet coherently edited, thank you) feel with the patented wit and style that Bond films are known for. I particularly love how the tone is set with the stylish opening scene and the brilliant opening credits set to hard rock music. The smart dialogue and shining performances – from the likes of Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Judi Dench, and Mads Mikkelsen – will pretty much obligate you to rewatch it again and again.

16. Interstellar (2014)

Christopher Nolan has made some pretty remarkable films over the past decade an a half, but this one must be his most fascinating. How can you not love a science fiction movie that takes itself so seriously, tries very hard to be scientifically plausible, and yet sets up fantastic new worlds to explore and dire problems to solve? This type of expressive imagination is the very stuff that movies were invented for, as early as 1902's La Voyage dans la Lune. Interstellar is one of those films in which everything seems to come together perfectly: the commendable acting, the seamless special effects, masterful directing, and of course the amazing Hans Zimmer soundtrack. By the time it's over, you may be surprised to find out that it's almost three hours long. Partly because it eschews most of the long philosophical debates of other Nolan films, and partly because it's so cool, Interstellar's viewers will experience a bit of time dilation themselves.

15. The Departed (2006)

For this entry I could simply recite the lyrics to King Missile's “Martin Scorsese”, but he really does make such excellent movies. In the Departed, you'll find a great crime thriller in which the tension just builds unrelentingly as the plot thickens again and again. Featuring first-rate performances from pretty much every one of the ensemble cast members (Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jack Nicholson just to name a few), this film has the type of drama that you really care about without a doubt for any of the characters' intentions or motivations. As Scorsese himself has said, “This is the first movie I've done with a plot.” And that ending! The movie has a triple-twist ending in rapid succession, one that you won't see coming but will surely leave you satisfied. So get watchin'.

14. Das Leben der Anderen (AKA The Lives of Others) (2006)

I first saw Das Leben der Anderen in my Soviet Union history class a few years ago. I thought it was cool. For those of you who don't know, The Lives of Others is about a Stasi agent in 1984 who runs a surveillance operation on a suspected dissident playwright who increasingly makes the agent second guess his political and moral beliefs. Unlike most spy movies which are all about action and suspense, this one sticks to realism and is more focused on drama, making it a unique entry in the spy genre of films. Its gripping opening scene alone is enough to get you hooked for the next two hours. The historical accuracy of the film's setting and organizations is quite stunning, even going so far as to use real-life locations such as the former Stasi headquarters building. The Lives of Others also boasts terrific acting, a powerful visual style, brief moments of dark humour, clever subtlety (plot-wise), and one of the greatest and most touching endings to any movie I've ever seen. If you haven't heard of it, I would highly recommend checking it out.

13. No Country For Old Men (2007)

It seems that people love to sing the praises of the Coen Brothers' films, but for me they seem to be hit and miss. I liked The Big Lebowski (1998), but Hail, Caesar (2015) didn't do it and I just didn't get Fargo (1996). But No Country for Old Men is a film that I immediately understood. A modern neo-western thriller set in Texas in 1980, the film is loaded with deep themes typically found in most other Coen Brothers flicks. The narration, conspicuous absence of music, and impressive cinematography all work together to establish a powerful mood which is bleak and foreboding. Combine this with the standout performances of Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, and Javier Bardem and you've got an endlessly watchable gem of a film.

12. Full Metal Jacket (1987)

And here we have a Stanley Kubrick classic, one of my favourite films ever: Full Metal Jacket. What can I say about this film that hasn't already been said? It's a Vietnam War film in the style of both a drama and a black satire with loads of irony. It's comparable to Kubrick's earlier work, Dr. Stangelove (1964), but much more harsh and violent. In this film he explores the psychological effects of militarism and warfare on the individual. Full Metal Jacket depicts warfare as a grotesque machine infused with sexual frustration and child-like naivete, ultimately making it insane, much like some of its participants as portrayed here by Vincent D'Onofrio. The film's other performances are excellent, especially Lee Ermey as the foul-mouthed GySgt Hartman. It may not be the most original war movie ever made, but it sure looks pretty with Kubrick's trademark direction and it has by far the most gripping boot camp scenes of any war movie.

11. Zodiac (2007)

David Fincher is my favourite director. He has made a bunch of great movies, but if I had to pick just one as his very best it would be Zodiac. It's the first of his films that really feels complete, where his methods and style have fully matured (digital cameras, practical lighting, etc.). This is evident when you compare the film to Fincher's first serial killer movie Seven (1995), which is still really good by the way. Here Fincher uses his distinctive visual style to emphasize both the paranoia and anxiety that gripped the San Francisco bay area during the Zodiac Killer's reign of terror and also to portray the passing of time as the case frustratingly drags on and on. I actually have read the book this movie is based on and from what I recall this film is extremely faithful to its source material. It sticks to the real-life facts and accounts, even those that contradicted each other, the main source of frustration to our main characters played handily by Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., and Jake Gyllenhaal. Lastly, Zodiac's display of highly detailed set design and seamless CG backgrounds make for an extremely accurate and convincing period drama. Overall, Zodiac is a film whose tone and subject matter perfectly matches its director's artistic sensibilities. A true masterpiece.

Stay tuned next week for the top 10!