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.

Movie Review Repost -- Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015)

Hey, guys. It's been a while since I've posted anything other than a current movie review. Sorry about that. You know, summer and all. I've begun work on a new article but it may take some time before it's finished. In the meantime let's look forward to the next Mission Impossible movie coming later this month, Mission Impossible: Fallout. Let's hope it continues the momentum set up by the previous one, Rogue Nation. Here's the review I wrote for that film back in 2015.

  Well, it's been about three and a half years since the last Mission Impossible film served us up a plate of good old, fun old action. The last one, Ghost Protocol, was amazing; I gave that one the full five stars. So does Rogue Nation accomplish its mission of measuring up? Let's find out.

  The story once again follows agent Ethan Hunt as he and the remaining members of the now-disbanded IMF attempt to uncloak and bring down the Syndicate, a mysterious terrorist organization. Like the other Mission Impossible films it has lots of globe trotting and double crossing that'll keep you guessing who's working for who until the very end.

  A lot of the fun of these films comes from the characters it follows. We've got the ageless Tom Cruise reprising his role as the fearless Ethan Hunt; Alec Baldwin, who sure has risen through the ranks of the CIA since Red October; Sean Penn as the lovably funny computer genius Benji; Jeremy Renner as the serviceable agent Brandt; Rebecca Ferguson as the kickass femme fatal Ilsa Faust who is kind of over-sexualized here (whether that's a good or bad thing, I'll let you decide) (edit: I've since decided that it's not that big a deal!); and Ving Rhames as the token black guy (seriously, did he actually do anything important?). And lastly, we have Sean Harris as the main villain Solomon Lane. The problem with him is that he's sometimes hard to take seriously, with his high-pitched whispery voice and his pouty angry face.

  The action is just as fun as ever, with some terrific stunts and action set pieces. But because of its PG rating, its violence feels a little too tame. There's even a freakin' knife fight scene that doesn't have a single drop of blood!

  Regardless, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation is a great action spectacle. I'd say it's not quite as good as Ghost Protocol was; that one had funnier jokes and a better villain. But this one is still a fine choice for any moviegoer.

Rating: four and a half stars out of five.

Movie Review -- Sicario: Day of the Soldado

  Sicario: Day of the Soldado is one of three movies I'm seeing this year – the others being Tomb Raider (reviewed back in March) and Venom (coming out in October) – not out of genuine excitement for them but more due to sheer curiosity. 2015's Sicario is a masterpiece of cinema that nicely wrapped up everything it set out to do. It's another one of those good movies that definitely didn't need a sequel, and yet here we are. So does Day of the Soldado honour the legacy of the first film while also being a good film in its own right? Let's take a look.

  Sicario 2 opens with human traffickers and drug cartels doing their thing along the Mexico-US border, except instead of just illegal migrants they're smuggling Islamic terrorists as well. CIAgent Matt Graver is tasked with striking back at the cartels by starting a war between them – the whole terrorism subplot is dropped rather quickly. For this he enlists the help of his old friend, Alejandro Gillick. It's a film that's just as brutal and badass as its predecessor but with a little more focus on action and less on moral dilemmas and the War on Drugs. There's somewhat less political and moral themes than the first film's although the theme of bureaucratic hypocrisy is still there. Overall, it's a story that isn't as engrossing as the first though it is enough to keep you entertained.

  There's also a problem with the movie's pacing. Within the last 30 minutes I kept thinking “is it over now?” not because I was bored but because there's several times where it looks like the movie could end at any moment. At least the ending we do get is pretty cool.

  Now for the characters. Emily Blunt's Kate Macer doesn't make a return nor is she given a proper replacement in Day of the Soldado. This is a real downer since Macer really gave the audience someone to latch onto in Sicario 1 as she experienced and reacted to the film's moral ambiguity firsthand. Instead Sicario 2 has the audience observing characters at arm's length which isn't as affective or thought-provoking. Josh Brolin returns as one of the film's two main characters, Matt Graver. His performance is more serious and less happy-go-lucky than in the first, but it's still quite good. This film has him faced with the likelihood of betrayal so it makes sense that perhaps he doesn't derive as much joy from his job as he did before. The other returning character is Benicio del Toro as Alejandro Gillick. His performance is spot on, very similar to the first film's. The only difference is that we see much more of him in the sequel and so the aura of mysteriousness he once possessed is a bit lacking this time around.

  Another mighty blow to fans of the first film is that Denis Villeneuve is no longer directing. Instead we've got some dude named Stefano Sollima and his direction is quite different. Gone is the picturesque composition and gone is the colour symbolism. Instead we've got more standard cinematography with some admittedly cool point-of-view shots from inside vehicles. At least that chilling theme song makes a return.

  And that's about all there is to say about Sicario: Day of the Soldado. It's a wholly unnecessary sequel that still manages to be sufficiently entertaining. It doesn't hold a candle to the original, but in spite of its flaws I still enjoyed it.

Grade:

Movie Review -- Solo: A Star Wars Story

  Another Star Wars movie already? But it's only been five months since the spectacle of mediocre dumbness that was Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. If Disney and Lucasfilm want moviegoers to spend their hard-earned doubloons on another Star Wars film so soon then they'd better bring their A-game. Or as Grand Moff Tarkin would say, “We're taking an awful risk, Kathleen Kennedy. This had better work.”

  Solo: A Star Wars Story follows a young Han Solo on his first heists in the galaxy's criminal underworld. Along the way he teams up with prisoner Chewbacca, smuggler Lando Calrissian, thief Tobias Beckett, and Han's former lover Qi'ra. It's a plot that's pretty dull, is somewhat predictable, and has lots of attempted jokes that don't always work. It seems that a lot of the scenes telegraphs their moves: they all begin with a character briefly mentioning some exposition about where they are and what's going on and right away you'll know “that thing he/she just off-handedly mentioned is definitely going to happen in the next ten minutes”. Lastly, there's an unacceptable amount of sequel-baiting for a movie that's supposed to be a self-contained chapter in an anthology series! Combine this with the fact that Alden Ehrenreich's contract is for three films – even though this first one is taking a beating at the box office – and you've got a pretty good example of what a cart before the horse looks like.

  But if you're a big fan of excessive fan service then you'll freakin' love Solo. Apparently everything important Han Solo-related thing in the Original Trilogy happened during this one adventure. You'll see the origin of every little thing you never really cared about from Han Solo's name to various classic (and some obscure) quotes. But this is all surface level reference stuff. Aside from Han's relationships with Lando and Chewbacca, there's no meaningful links to the original films or the Star Wars universe as a whole. If only they'd spent their creative energy on making this film worthwhile on its own.

  Speaking of which, Ehrenreich does an alright job in his performance as Han Solo, which largely sustains the whole film. Through him we see Solo change from underhanded idealist to cynical outlaw. But as good as Ehrenreich is here, he predictably doesn't hold up to the charisma of Harrison Ford. The same can be said of Donald Glover as Lando; good but not as good as Billy Dee Williams. Paul Bettany's performance as crime lord Dryden Vos is good, even if his character is somewhat generic and underutilized. Qi'ra is bland, not interesting at all. Oh yeah, and Chewbacca is now a savage brute who eats humans and rips people's arms off. Way to tarnish a classic character.

  It gets worse. There's this badass gang of speeder bike-riding pirates whose leader is later revealed to be a red-haired teenage girl with freckles. (Once you find out about this it is impossible to take her and her gang seriously.) There's an annoying droid who is an SJW (yes, even within the context of the Star Wars universe). And there's one character pointlessly brought back from the dead from a previous movie – it seems that nobody can let this person die peacefully.

  At least Woody Harrelson does a good job as Beckett.

  Solo's production value is about as good as most other Star Wars films: the sets look good, the music sounds exciting, and the CG effects are as frustratingly OK as ever. However, its scope is noticeably smaller which makes me wonder, by the Force, how the heck did this movie cost $250 million to make!? Not only is Solo the most expensive Star Wars movie, it's one of the most expensive movies period! No wonder this film is losing tons of money.

  So that's Solo: A Star Wars Story, an exceedingly average sci-fi action movie whose existence represents everything I dislike about today's Hollywood blockbusters: an obscenely-budgeted, unwanted cash-in with no heart made by uncreative studios who try shoving their politics in your face while also prematurely assuming that they'll be successful enough to crank out an unending, risk-free stream of sequels. Judged on its own merits Solo isn't terrible but it ends up being a lot like last year's The Last Jedi: by the standards of any old sci-fi action movie it's OK, it's just not a very good Star Wars movie.

Grade:

Movie Review -- Deadpool 2

  Has it really been two years since Deadpool took the world by storm and inadvertently convinced Marvel Studios to make all of their films the exact same laugh-fests à la Guardians of the Galaxy? Yup. Is the ultra-violent wisecracking Canadian mercenary still the best there is at what he does – like poking fun at Hugh Jackman? Yup.

  Deadpool 2 follows the titular merc with a mouth as he strives to protect a young mutant, Firefist, from Cable, an assassin from the future. This involves joining the X-Men, and later forming the X-Force. Hijinks ensue. Compared to the first Deadpool movie this one's story is a lot less standard and more imaginative. It goes in places you wouldn't expect, but just like the first one it also contains some tender moments. However the ending is just a little bit on the sappy side; without giving away too much I'll just say that Cable makes a particular decision that I find hard to believe.

  Deadpool's signature style of edgy, self-referential humour makes its grand return though in a slightly altered state. The sense of humour this time around is noticeably less crude and has more meta jokes. A couple jokes go on for just a tad too long and a few of the meta gags fall flat. But there's still tons of fun to be had with the references to other superhero films, the gratuitous gore, and the numerous and hilarious cameo appearances. The film's screwing with your expectations will leave you laughing out loud nine times out of ten.

  Ryan Reynolds pours on the charisma once again as Wade Wilson (AKA Deadpool) and all the previous film's oddball side characters are back such as Weasel, Blind Al, and Dopinder. It was also fun to watch Zazie Beetz in the role of Domino, a mutant who can manipulate luck. The villains of Deadpool 2 are way more interesting than those of the first Deadpool. Josh Brolin does an excellent job of bringing the hardened, no-nonsense Cable to life. Julian Dennison also does a fine job of portraying Firefist.

  As with its predecessor, this film boasts some outstanding fight choreography which is zealously showcased in slow motion. The special effects are also very well done... just not on Juggernaut though.

  So that's Deadpool 2, a fun superhero romp for the whole family. (Disclaimer: it's not for the whole family. Don't show this movie to young children.) If you were put off by the crass humour from the first Deadpool, don't be afraid to give this one a shot. With its wider range of characters, more interesting villains, and more creative story, Deadpool 2 is one of those rare sequels that's even better than its original.

  PS – There's no post-credits scene. Don't waste your time like I did.

Grade:

US Presidents Ranked Worst to Best, Part 2

Last week we looked at the worst. Now let's look at the White House's better half. These are the top 22 best Presidents of the United States.

22. Rutherford Hayes (1877-81)

• pros: upheld the gold standard, upheld the Monroe Doctrine, put down the Great Railroad Strike, civil service reform (based on merit)
• cons: ended Reconstruction, failed to protect black rights, didn't try for a second term

21. Ulysses Grant (1869-77)

• pros: established Department of Justice, implemented the gold standard, Enforcement Acts, outlawed the Ku Klux Klan, 15^th Amendment, Treaty of Washington, Peace Policy with Native Americans
• cons: Great Sioux War, mishandled the panic of 1873, corruption, scandals

20. Frankiln Roosevelt (1933-45)

• pros: ended prohibition, Good Neighbour Policy in Latin America, arsenal of democracy, Lend-Lease, Second World War, US world leadership
• cons: increased national debt nine-fold, beginning of big-government interventionism, expanded bureaucracy, possibly prolonged the Great Depression, Japanese internment

19. Harry Truman (1945-53)

• pros: oversaw the end of WWII, helped found United Nations, helped found NATO, Berlin Airlift, Korean War, desegregated the armed forces. Anticommunist
• cons: only world leader to use nuclear weapons on human targets, McCarthyism

18. Chester Arthur (1881-85)

• pros: civil service reform, naval reform
• cons: ???

17. James Garfield (1881)

• pros: civil service reform, universal education
• cons: died in office, only served six months

16. Donald Trump (2017-present)

• pros: tax reform, economic growth, travel ban from extremist countries. Won Chinese support in isolating North Korea, forced the DPRK to the negotiating table, got American prisoners released
• cons: airstrikes on Syria, omnibus spending bill, partial reversal of Cuban thaw

15. George H. W. Bush (1989-93)

• pros: ended US intervention in Nicaragua, pushed for German reunification, Gulf War, NAFTA, Points of Light, Clean Air Act
• cons: invaded Panama, broke his “no new taxes” promise, Savings & Loan bailout, deficits

14. Andrew Jackson (1829-37)

• pros: fully paid off national debt (only time in US history), US exploring expedition, upheld republican values
• cons: patronage, Indian Removal Act. His disestablishment of the Second Bank of the United States was partially to blame for the Panic of 1837

13. Grover Cleveland (1885-89, 1893-97)

• pros: anti-spoils system, modernized the military, anti-imperialist, preserved the gold supply, handled the Venezuelan Crisis well. Anti-corruption, small-government non-interventionist
• cons: his silver coinage policies were divisive, couldn't get a grip on labour unrest and the Panic of 1893

12. Ronald Reagan (1981-89)

• pros: Reaganomics, tax cuts, free trade agreements, INF Treaty, broke air traffic controllers strike, restored national pride/confidence
• cons: tripled the national debt, massively increased military spending, War on Drugs, bombed Libya, Iran-Contra Scandal, aided Mujahideen. Intervention in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Grenada

11. James Madison (1809-17)

• pros: reestablished the national bank, effective tax reform. The War of 1812 was very popular, united the American people, and broke Native resistance in the west...
• cons: even though the War of 1812 ended in a military stalemate mostly thanks to a mismanaged US army. Raised tariffs

10. Calvin Coolidge (1923-29)

• pros: tax cuts, national debt shrinks, dismissed corrupt officials from Harding's administration, left the Federal Reserve alone, withdrew US forces from Dominican Republic, Dawes Plan, granted citizenship to Native Americans, built highways
• cons: slow response to Great Mississippi Flood, vetoed the McNary-Haugen Farm Relief Bill

9. James Polk (1845-49)

• pros: annexed Texas and Oregon territory, Mexican-American War, Walker Tariff reduced tariff rates, established the US Naval Academy
• cons: ???

8. William McKinley (1897-1901)

• pros: Gold Standard Act, ended the Panic of 1893, Spanish-American War, Cuban independence, annexed Hawaii
• cons: Platt Amendment, Philippine-American War, weak response to growing racial tension/violence

7. John Kennedy (1961-63)

• pros: good handling of Cuban Missile Crisis, Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, established the Apollo Program. Supported civil rights and equality, abolished poll taxes
• cons: Bay of Pigs invasion, deficits

6. James Monroe (1817-25)

• pros: Monroe Doctrine, Treaty of 1818 granted harbour/fishing rights in Pacific, joint occupation of Oregon territory, acquired Florida, built canals, went on national tours
• cons: inadequate response to Panic of 1819, Missouri Compromise was divisive and unpopular

5. Dwight Eisenhower (1953-61)

• pros: founded NASA, ended McCarthyism, built highways, Civil Rights Acts (1957, 1960), integrated public schools, “ended” Korean War, reduced spending, balanced budgets. Left office warning people about military-industrial complex...
• cons: even though he was largely responsible for the rise of the military-industrial complex. U-2 Crisis; undertook coups in Iran, Guatemala.

4. Theodore Roosevelt (1901-09)

• pros: Square Deal, trust-busting, peaceful labour relations, conservation, began the Panama Canal, helped broker and end to the Russo-Japanese war, established the Food and Drug Administration
• cons: Roosevelt Corollary used to justify interventionism in Central America (i.e. Big Stick Diplomacy)

3. Thomas Jefferson (1801-09)

• pros: Louisiana Purchase doubled USA's size, lowered taxes and spending decreased national debt, maintained neutrality during Napoleonic Wars, prohibited slave imports, Lewis and Clark Expedition, First Barbary War
• cons: bad relations with the British, embargoes against Britain did more harm to USA

2. Abraham Lincoln (1861-65)

• pros: peacefully handled the Trent Affair, US Civil War, selected his own generals, Emancipation Proclamation, 13^th Amendment, moderate stance on Reconstruction, National Banking Act, Pacific Railway Acts
• cons: introduced federal income tax, Ex parte Merryman suspends habeas corpus

1. George Washington (1789-97)

• pros: maintained peace with Great Britain, suppressed the Whiskey Rebellion, established the national bank and other financial institutions, restored the nation's credit, re-established the US Navy, maintained neutrality during French Revolutionary Wars, Treaty of San Lorenzo, won the Northwest Indian War...
• cons: even though the war effort was disorganized and resulted in high casualties

US Presidents Ranked Worst to Best, Part 1

Happy President's Day... in May. Yes, my long awaited rankings of all United States Presidents is finally here. Sorry about that; the research took way longer than I thought. But that just means that this article will be very accurate and super-informative, right? As was the case with the PM rankings, I briefly spell out my reasoning for the rankings and while I'm not a history major I did study some American history in university so I do (mostly) know what I'm talking about. But first, a warning. As was also the case with my Canadian Prime Ministers rankings, a list ranking a nation's heads of government is inevitably going to be extremely political. This is all just a matter of opinion, so don't throw a temper tantrum if I didn't put your favourite prez very high or anything like that. So here we go, from worst to best!

44. James Buchanan (1857-61)

• pros: ???
• cons: no grip on (Democratic) party control, no response to the slavery/abolitionist dilemma, no response to the secessionist movement, largely responsible for the Civil War

43. Andrew Johnson (1865-69)

• pros: purchase of Alaska
• cons: clashes with Congress resulted in impeachment, opposed 14^th Amendment. His mishandling of Reconstruction resulted in the Black Codes and disenfranchisement for many African-Americans

42. Herbert Hoover (1929-33)

• pros: Reconstruction Finance Corporation
• cons: enforced prohibition, opposed anti-lynching laws. Infamously mishandled the Great Depression with his tax increases, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff, and his violent response to the Bonus Army

41. Franklin Pierce (1853-57)

• pros: Gadsden Purchase, trade treaties, reformed gov. departments to be more efficient and accountable
• cons: use of patronage appointments alienated his (D) party, Kansas-Nebraska Act leads to violence, was unable to resolve the slavery/abolitionist tensions

40. William Henry Harrison (1841)

• pros: ???
• cons: died after just 30 days in office

39. Zachary Taylor (1849-50)

• pros: Clayton-Bowler Treaty
• cons: died after 16 months in office, avoided the slavery/abolitionist debate

38. Richard Nixon (1969-74)

• pros: withdrew US from Vietnam War (temporary peace), returned POWs, Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, SALT I, established relations with China, enforced integration in Southern schools
• cons: expanded the Vietnam War into Laos and Cambodia, took US currency off the gold standard, imposed price controls, saw unemployment and inflation rise, supported Chilean coup, Watergate Scandal. Only president to resign

37. Lyndon Johnson (1963-69)

• pros: Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act Clean Air Act
• cons: escalated Vietnam War, intervention in Dominican Civil War, urban riots, Immigration and Nationality Act. His War on Poverty, Great Society, and social welfare measures were extremely expensive and were arguably not very successful

36. George W. Bush (2001-09)

• pros: tax cuts, PEPFAR, No Child Left Behind Act. Handled 9/11 well
• cons: doubled the national debt, started the Iraq War, slow to respond to Hurricane Katrina, 2008 bailout, dismissal of US attorneys, torture in Guantanamo Bay detention camp. His Patriot Act initiated mass surveillance and loss of liberty for Americans.

35. Barack Obama (2009-17)

• pros: Cuban Thaw, ended the Iraq War, the assassination of Osama bin Laden, defeated ISIS in Iraq, first non-white US president
• cons: almost doubled the national debt, less transparent government that continued mass surveillance, automated drone warfare in Yemen, Pakistan, and Somalia. Helped destabilize Syria and Libya. Medicare, Recovery Act, deteriorating race relations. Cult of personality?

34. Martin Van Buren (1837-41)

• pros: peacefully concluded the Caroline affair, kept the peace with Great Britain (and Canada)
• cons: Indian removal policies killed many, was ineffective in dealing with the Panic of 1837

33. Millard Fillmore (1850-53)

• pros: Perry Expedition, stood up to the French over Hawaii
• cons: Fugitive Slave Act

32. John Adams (1797-1801)

• pros: achieved peace with France
• cons: undeclared Quasi-War with France, raised taxes led to rebellion, Alien and Sedition Acts infringe on personal liberties

31. Gerald Ford (1974-77)

• pros: Helsinki Accords
• cons: pardoned Nixon, increased national debt

30. John Tyler (1841-45)

• pros: annexed Texas, Webster-Ashburton Treaty
• cons: his excessive use of vetoes let to a cabinet revolt

29. William Howard Taft (1909-13)

• pros: trust-busting, introduced popular elections for US senators (17^th amendment)
• cons: Dollar Diplomacy, the Banana Wars. Both the Payne-Aldrich Tariff and the Pinchot-Ballinger Affair split the Republican party

28. Jimmy Carter (1977-81)

• pros: Camp David Accord, Torrijos-Carter Treaty, SALT II. Partially responsible for inflation slowing down
• cons: Also partially responsible for 1980 recession, increased national debt. Mariel boatlift, supplied aid the the Mujahideen, couldn't handle the Iran hostage crisis

27. Warren Harding (1921-23)

• pros: Fordney-McCumber Tariff, Washington Naval Conference, established the Bureau of the Budget. Revenue Act of 1921 lowered taxes
• cons: his presidency was plagued with corruption, scandals, and affairs

26. Bill Clinton (1993-2001)

• pros: balanced budgets, welfare reform, Camp David Summit, NATO intervention in Bosnia
• cons: NATO intervention on Kosovo War kills hundred of civilians, Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act leads to less accountability/transparency on Wall Street. Whitewater Scandal, sexual misconduct. Lewinsky scandal, perjury, impeachment.

25. Benjamin Harrison (1889-93)

• pros: Sherman Anti-Trust Act, national forest reserves, modernized the US Navy, good handling of the Baltimore Crisis
• cons: needlessly raised tariffs led to huge budget surpluses, initiated silver coinage which then drained the nation's gold supply. Dawes Act ended up depriving Natives of their lands. Massacre at Wounded Knee

24. Woodrow Wilson (1913-21)

• pros: Federal Trade Commission Act, Federal Farm Loan Act, lowered tariffs. First World War, 14 Points for Peace, advocated for a League of Nations
• cons: Revenue Act (income tax), Federal Reserve Act (Federal Reserve System), Sedition Act (limited freedom of speech), segregated federal offices. Interventionism in Mexico, Central America

23. John Quincy Adams (1825-29)

• pros: paid down national debt, border negotiations, several recprocity treaties
• cons: trade issues with Great Britain, Tariff of Abominations was deeply unpopular, frequently blocked by congress

That about rounds up the bottom 22. Join me next time for the top 22!