My Top 10 Movies & TV Shows

Hey everybody!

It’s been a little bit since I put up my last “Top 10” list. I’ve been getting other posts up, and almost forgot to do this one (A partial lie)! To step away from the doom & gloom of April, today’s list is actually two-in-one, giving you a double dose of the inner workings of my mind. This time around, we’ll be looking at some of my favorite movies & television shows. I would have done them separately (In fact, I did just this over on my old blog), but if you saw the clue in my last post, you might have noticed the clue. Anways, here are my top 10 movies & TV shows. Grab a bag of popcorn, and enjoy!

10) Hellraiser (Sample Clip)

Funny fact about me: I’m not much of a horror fan.

You might pick on me, but I’ve never really been able to get into the genre. I have a really overactive imagination, enough to the point where I can sometimes feel the pain when people get hurt or killed (I can’t watch Alien without getting chest pains). Even horror anime I can’t watch, but as with horror in anime, there are a few scary films I actually like, and Hellraiser is one of them. Clive Barker knows how to make a scary film, mixing the physical with surreal sights & sensations, not to mention having a interesting story, and characters that are both likable & absolutely filthy. Coupled with an iconic horror monster played by a damn good actor (Doug Bradley), some great one-liners, and some surprising intellectual value, you have an entertaining movie. Certainly a classic you shouldn’t miss!

9) A Christmas Story (Sample Clip)

The sad thing is, Scrooged is a movie I enjoy more than this, but only just. The premise behind it is familiar, but somehow new at the same time. It also helps that Bill Murray headlines the movie (Hell, his face is plastered on the front of the DVD case), and his performance is just awesome. So you’re asking yourself “If you liked Scrooged more, why are you putting A Christmas Story on this list instead?” Well.....

I’m putting A Christmas Story here because I can relate to it more. I can remember being as young as the main character during the holidays. I can remember how strange things could get during that time, and I can remember the wonder (And occasional horror) when I came down the stairs to gaze upon the sparkling tree with the presents underneath. It’s those kind of memories that ring in my mind, and I would put this in a film ark in a minute because of that!

8) Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (Sample Clip)

If you grew up during the 90s, chances are you’ve heard of the Power Rangers. If you were one of said kids of that liked the Power Rangers, chances are you’ve watched the Power Rangers movie. Despite problems during production and mixed reactions from movie critics, the film has gained a considerable cult following, and actually managed to be a financial success overall! While I despise the modern interpretations of the rangers, my childhood nostalgia still has fond memories of the older crew, and this movie is a part of that nostalgia. It’s cheesiness has aged considerably since it’s release (Whether it’s cheesiness is good or bad is a matter of the individual in question), but I still smile once in a while when I watch clips on youtube. If you want a glimpse into the 90s, it wouldn’t hurt to start here!

7) Rocky Horror Picture Show (Sample Clip)

Like the genre of horror, I’m not a fan of musicals. Unlike horror, I have a greater distaste for musicals. Most of them take themselves too seriously, and those that try to do something even a tiny bit original seem to go back to being too serious. However, there are two musicals that come to my mind when I think of musicals that actually do something original: Frozen, and my number 7 choice, Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Rocky Horror Picture Show does a bunch of things that separate it from the pack. For starters, it’s a rock n’ roll musical. Most musicals go for a big band kind of sound or operatic sounds, so basing a musical around rock n’ roll is a bit of a risk taker. Secondly, there are plenty of comedic & wacky moments that propel the story along. A cheesy wedding, meeting Tim Curry in drag for the first time, and seeing a undead Meatloaf ride around on a Harley are just some of the mindwarping moments you’ll witness over the course of this movie. Third & finally, and most importantly, this movie in general is balls to the wall insane, and doesn’t care what other people think about it. It’s that kind of attitude that can make a musical, movie, video game, music album, or anime pretty damn successful, even if critics don’t necessarily like. Rocky Horror Picture Show easily falls into that category, and if you’re a fan of unconventional movies, you’ll enjoy this immediately.

6) UHF (Sample Clip)

It’s really such a shame that this movie was slammed back in the day, because I thought that the film was Weird Al at his best. He was consistently funny throughout the entire film, and the supporting cast (Which included the guy that played Kramer in Seinfeld, as well Fran Drescher from The Nanny) added a lot of personality to it. What also makes this film fun, at least for me, was the wackiness of the scenes, and trust me when I say that some of these scenes/skits are some of the most bizarre things I’ve ever seen.

You have Weird Al’s daydream sequences (The first one is a spoof on the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and in a later sequence he’s imagining himself as Rambo rescuing Kramer), karate students getting thrown through walls and out of windows, the Wheel of Fish, and a host of other scenes/skits that I can’t really explain. This is an example where watching the movie will make far more sense than me trying to explain it.

5) Die Hard I (Sample Clip)

Considering how much I love guns, explosions, and one-liners, I found it to be a disservice to my action movie cred for never watching Die Hard in it’s entirety. I’ve always managed to catch pieces of it on TV, but it was usually censored, and there may have been something taken out. About mid-October of 2013, I finally managed to catch it right at the beginning, and holy hell was it fun!

There’s not that many movies out there where I smile the entire time, but this was one where that, once the shit hit the fan, I found myself smiling immediately, and my smile couldn’t fade away. Dare I say it, but I find that Die Hard is considerably more cheesy then the Power Rangers movie, and has considerably more staying power in pop culture. The only way for the cheese factor to reach diabetes level, would be to have Die Hard crossed with Power Rangers. Power Rangers Die Hard?

4) The Thing: 1982 Edition (Sample Clip)

Like I was talking about during Hellraiser, I don’t like horror films much. Most of them are far too creepy for me, and I sometimes feel the pain the victims are experiencing (A little bit of psychic stuff. Long story). Hellraiser was one of the first, and while I liked that movie, I enjoyed The Thing. From what I’ve heard about the prequel movie from 2011, it’s slaps the original movie’s face, so I’ve been avoiding it like the plague.

With that out of the way, The Thing still holds up today. The practical effects still look fantastic, the atmosphere is just perfect, the acting, while a little campy nowadays, is well done, and overall is a perfectly constructed horror movie. It knows when to be scary & suspenseful, it knows when to have character development, and it even knows when & how to be funny. Not a lot of horror movies do this nowadays, so go watch this!

3) Blazing Saddles (Sample Clip)

Easily the most politically incorrect movie I’ve ever watched, Blazing Saddles also has the distinction of being one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. If there’s anything wrong with the film, it’s that another film like it will never be made again, simply because the politically correct environment we live in right now won’t let it be made. It’s really sad that so many people get upset by what’s in the film, cause it’s a really great satirical comedy.

This definitely isn’t a movie for politically-correct individuals. Words like “Nigger” & “Chink” are thrown around, jokes about breasts and sex abound, and there’s the notorious Bean scene, where a torrent of farts floods your ear canals. Despite the subject matter of the humor, the underlying message of Blazing Saddles is just how ridiculous racism & sexism is, and that we should get along regardless of race, gender, and even orientation. It’s a great message that needs to be spread all over the world, and perhaps there won’t be as much bloodshed.

2) The Mummy (1999 Edition) (Sample Clip) & Mystery Men (Sample Clip)

Right around 1999 to 2000, I was beginning to get more into movies, the first two films I got addicted to was The Mummy & Mystery Men. I really can’t separate these two films, simply because I enjoy them that much.

Now, I’ve never seen the original 1932 edition of The Mummy, so I really can’t compare it to this one (Unlike The Thing, and even then that’s something of a stretch). When I saw this movie for the first time, I was awed by what I saw. Before The Mummy, the movies I saw were relatively tame, mostly because my mother was cautious about what I saw. I had turned 13 around 1999/2000, and this was the first movie I saw when she loosened up a bit.
What I can say is that this version of the Mummy is very different than it’s predecessor. Whereas the original movie was focused mainly on horror & suspense, the 1999 edition was a mix of action, horror, suspense, and it also managed to sneak in a couple comedic moments. The cast was also a plus for the movie, with Brendan Fraser as the lead good guy, and Arnold Vosloo as the main bad guy. There were plenty of other good actors that graced the movie, such as Rachel Weisz, John David Hannah, and Kevin J. O'Connor. The setting of a mid 20s Egypt brings a mystical & early modern wonder to the movie, making for a great flick to watch when the lights are dim.

Like The Mummy, I watched Mystery Men in that 1999-2000 period of my life, when I was getting a better grasp & understanding of movies. Also like the previous movie, I watched the hell out of the VHS copy I have, probably to the point of making the tape fragile. What makes Mystery Men a fun film for me, is that it takes a standard film trope (In this case the Superhero genre) and turns it on it’s head. In the movie, the bay guy is fairly obvious, the obvious good guy turns out to be a douchebag, and the real good guys are the underdogs that save the day in the end.

Even if the movie wasn’t a goofy superhero/sci-fi comedy, it’s the cast of characters that endears me to the movie. For the good guys, there’s William H. Macy, Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria, Kel Mitchell, Paul Reubens, Janeane Garofalo, and Wes Studi as various lesser-known superheroes. With the bad guys, Geoffrey Rush is the lead villain, and Eddie Izzard as his second-in-command. This cast is quite an ensemble of A-list and B-list actors & comedians, and somehow, through some mysterious way, all of these people meld together, and create a truly memorable experience.

With my number 10 to 2 movies out of the way, now it’s time for some TV. Here are my number 10 to number 2 television shows!

10) MXC (Sample Clip)

Looking back, if there was a television show that I’m ashamed of liking, it would be this. Airing from 2003 to I think 2006/2007, MXC (Formerly known as Most Extreme Elimination Challenge) was a Japanese game show with a English dub. Now, if that sounds strange, let me go on by saying that the dub doesn’t match up with the mouth movements all that well, said dub is filled with incredible amounts of crude sexual innuendo, racial humor, pop culture references, and a host of other things to turn a Japanese game show into a American Gladiators spoof.

The reason this show was able to work in the first place was that it aired at the stage in SpikeTV’s early years, where a good chunk of the shows were relatively crude, and they were still touting the “Network for Guys” moniker. If they were to re-air the show today, or somehow make new episodes, it would totally clash with Spike’s cleaner (But still manly and occasionally crude) image. I guess the reasons why I liked MXC was because of the crude humor, and it somehow appealed to my younger self (I was 16/17 when I first watched the show). When I watch a episode or a clip of an episode now, I still laugh, but at the same time my soul gets just a little darker.

9) WWE (Raw & Smackdown) (Sample Clip)

If I had my blog up around early/mid 2000s (Maybe even late 2000s), I would have placed WWE anywhere from number 6 to number 4 on this list, simply because I loved it that much. Due to some of their business decisions in the past couple years, I’ve become a bit disgusted (During the late summer/early fall of 2014, I voluntarily skipped some episodes of Raw, due to how asinine their actions were at the time). Coupled with how they treat some of their superstars, and some controversies past & present that I’m finally learning about, I have finally begun to lose faith in the company.

With that said, I still have fun watching Raw & Smackdown. I’ve always been a sucker for spectacle, and both of those shows deliver. I still see some of the wrestling legends show up from time to time (It’s awesome to see some of the older guys come back), but it’s great that new talent is coming into the WWE as well (Despite not getting much in the way of screen time). I might not enjoy wrestling as much as I once did, but I still have fun, which I guess is what matters in the end. 
                               
8) Deadliest Warrior (Sample Clip)

There was a time, in the course of SpikeTV’s history, that they actually seemed to be gaining credit & respect. From about 2008 to maybe late 2011, the network was bringing in shows & specials that seemed relatively intelligent & interesting (Emphasis on the word relatively). Of these shows, Deadliest Warrior was right on top for quite a while. For anyone who’s never watched, the show is basically a “What if insert name fought against insert name”, and used elements of Reality TV, History, and Science Fiction. It was actually kinda revolutionary, as silly as that may sound, because while this idea had been flying around for a while, nobody has ever picked it up.

It was really fun to watch! I liked the idea of the show. I liked the testing of the various weapons, and the history behind the warriors of a particular. Even the Reality TV aspects of Deadliest Warrior were fun, as they weren’t as standard as other shows of the genre. The one thing that prevents me from putting it lower on the list is the fact that, regardless of the seasons, there were screwup after screwup. Sometimes it was an expert that wasn’t who they say he was (Or they weren’t as impressive as they were shown), sometimes they screwed up a fact, and they even sometimes screwed up with the editing of a scene. Nowhere was this more evident than in season 3, when everything that was wrong with the show, and then some, became readily apparent. Suffice it to say, Deadliest Warrior is an example of a enjoyable & surprising television series, despite the bullshit.

7) Surviving Disaster (Sample Clip)

Getting axed even sooner than Deadliest Warrior (That show ran for 3 seasons, while this one only ran for 1), Surviving Disaster was another one of the shows that SpikeTV aired that was intelligent, but still provided some entertainment. The basic premise of the show was that the host (Who’s name escapes me) would guide a small group of people through a worst-case disaster, and teach the viewers & people how to survive the disaster in question, hence the name of the show. There was a surprisingly interesting selection of disasters that the show focused on, and they were (In order):

Airplane Hijacking
Office Building Fire
Hurricane
Home Invasion (1 Solitary Individual/Tiger Kidnappers)
Avalanche
Lost At Sea
Mall Shooting
Nuclear Attack (1 mile from the blast & 3 miles from the blast)
Earthquake
Pandemic (Nerve Gas Attack/Global Pandemic)

From the beginning to end, the host told you explicit steps to follow, and experts from various fields would chime in and give their wisdom about the disaster in question. It was really informative, and was quite entertaining in the process. If I had one complaint about Surviving Disaster, it was that the disaster would sometimes be oblivious towards the host, often to the point of ignoring him. Nowhere was this most evident than in the first portion of the home invasion episode. I won’t spoil it for you, so go watch it.

6) Mythbusters (Sample Clip)

There’s not many shows that I can recall that I’ve been with since the beginning. Some of the shows above I’ve been with for a bit, and a couple of the ones below I’ve also been with for a bit, but the one that comes to mind most often that I remember when thinking about this is Mythbusters. First airing on January 23, 2003, the show is still going on today, as it’s currently standing at 257 episodes (this includes special episodes). Part reality tv, part comedy (intentionally or unintentionally), and part science show, Mythbusters tested out the various myths of the world, whether from real life, scenes from movies, or commercials & pop culture. It’s really interesting to see which of the myths are real, and which ones are hoaxes. So if you want a unconventional science show, watch this one!

5) Good Eats (Sample Clip)

I’m very conflicted with this show. On the one hand, I enjoy the host. Alton Brown has been doing Good Eats since 1999, and brings an energy & fun that most other cooking show hosts don’t have. Mr. Brown also brought in a lot of history about many of the more iconic dishes (Beef Wellington, Pavlova, and Spaghetti with Meat Sauce are just a couple of dishes he brings into the light), and can get very scientific at times. Good Eats is also helped by having a lot of humor in the show (With maybe an exception of the first 1 to 3 seasons), and thus keeps viewers glued to the TV screen.

On the other hand, Alton Brown is no longer doing the show (His last episode, a 1-hour special on dark chocolate, aired back in February of 2012, which I used in the sample above). He’s also incredibly opinionated, often to the point of frustrating, and some of his cooking methods are downright bizarre. Steaming & baking chicken wings instead of frying them!? Baking a roux in the oven!? Cooking a lasagna in the crockpot!? These are just a small few of the methods he uses that makes me scratch my head. Despite some of the faults, Good Eats is a great show to get cooking info, or just to be entertained.  

4) ReBoot (Sample Clip)

If I had one complaint about this show, it’s that some of the computer terms they talk about are a little on the dated side (This show first aired back in the early 90s). Many of them don’t have as much weight to them, and the terms that are still relevant have changed in ways. With that said, this was damn good!

For starters, the whole show was done entirely in 3d, which was a big & unprecedented undertaking in the early 90s. Secondly, the concept behind ReBoot was quite unique, and still is (Inside a computer & computer programs? Has there been anything original since then!?). Third, for a kid’s show it was quite smart. There were definitely goofy/silly moments to be sure, but there were also some serious moments as well, and it never talked down to kids also (If there were moments where kids were talked down to, I didn’t notice them). If you’re a casual geek, or a full-blown nerd, then I highly suggest you go watch ReBoot.

3) Bill Nye the Science Guy (Sample Clip) & Beakman’s World (Sample Clip)

If you were a kid growing up in the 90s, and you were watching PBS, chances are you’d come across Bill Nye the Science Guy. Airing from September 1993 to June of 1998 in 100 episodes, Bill Nye was a learning show, teaching kids about various areas of science (Flight, Phases of Matter, and The Moon were just a couple subjects talked about). What made this show so fantastic was that the host was incredibly likable. Bill Nye was a guy that you could tell loved science (The guy still loves science, and is still active within the scientific community), and he wanted to teach the kids of the world about science. In addition to the educational content, there was plenty of goofy things to keep kids hooked onto the screen, not to mention a music video at the end of the episode that parodied popular music of the time.

With Beakman’s World, we have something a little different. Coincidentally airing a year before Bill Nye (Beakman’s World began on September 18, 1992, while Bill Nye started airing on September 10, 1993. Beakman’s World also ran for almost the same length as Bill Nye, reaching 91 episodes before stopping), the show was a educational series in the same vein as Bill Nye was: the host (In this case, Paul Zaloom) was a big science-type person, and he teaches kids all over the world about scientific things. What makes Beakman’s World different is a couple things. For starters, the show is considerably more goofy & silly, but somehow it still didn’t talk down to kids. Secondly, the show relied on kids sending in letters, and certain letters were used for the basis of an episode. Finally, the show was based off of a comic strip (You Can With Beakman and Jax was the name), and it also relied on questions sent in by kids. If you can’t find any Bill Nye episodes, then you can’t go wrong with Beakman’s World.

2) Monty Python’s Flying Circus (Sample Clip)

A couple Christmases ago, my Grandmother was up to celebrate the holiday with my parents & me, and the present I got from her that year was the complete collection of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, which was pretty expensive at the time (I still think it’s expensive, but I’m not quite sure). I’ve laughed at plenty of TV shows over the years, but this was one where I found myself laughing frequently. The crew of Monty Python have made a plethora of funny and iconic skits over the course of the show (The Lumberjack Song, SPAM, and Dead Parrot are just a couple), and even the ones where I wasn’t laughing out loud, I was at least snickering or giggling. It might take a while to watch the whole series, but Monty Python’s Flying Circus is one of those shows where it’s worth it.

Before we get to my number 1 movie & number 1 TV show, I want to quickly show of my honorable mentions for both. Movies & shows that, while absolutely fantastic to watch, didn’t quite make the cut. Maybe it’s subject matter, maybe it’s reputation, etc. Anyways, here they are!

Honorable Mentions (Movies)
HM1) Koyaanisqatsi (Sample Clip)
- Right off the bat, I just want to say that I friggen hate arthouse movies! Hate them completely! I find them condescending, insulting, and a waste of cinematic space. They do nothing but turn me off from the genre, and light an art exhibit on fire. Koyaanisgatsi, however, bucks this trend: translated as “Unbalanced Life” from the language of the Hopi Indian tribe, the film is different from other arthouse movies in that there’s no acting or narration involved. Instead, the film relies entirely on slow motion and time-lapse footage of cities and many natural landscapes across the United States, and the tone relies on the juxtaposition of images and music. Speaking of music, the iconic Philip Glass was brought on board, and he created a repetitive yet highly atmospheric soundtrack. I may not like the arthouse genre, but I can certainly respect this movie!

HM2) Frozen (Sample Clip)
- I was considering putting this movie together with The Rocky Horror Picture Show for a little bit, especially since this is just as much of a musical as Rocky Horror is. In the end, I simply found the previously mentioned film to be superior. I am not saying that Frozen is bad, not at all! It turns the typical “Disney Princess” trope on it’s head, it’s got some catchy songs, and it has characters that are very endearing. Come on, it’s got a talking snowman! Do you need anything else!?

HM3) How To Kill A Mockingbird (Sample Clip)
- Yes everybody, How To Kill A Mockingbird. In an honorable mentions section. Right now, many of you classic cinema fans are probably foaming at the mouth in rage right now. Truth be told, I’m not going to blame you. This is a classic movie, and I absolutely love the hell out of it. Great cast, incredibly timeless, and certainly something even a casual movie goer shouldn’t ignore. Hell, this film even has a scene that gets me to cry every single time I watch! Yes, How To Kill A Mockingbird is one of those movies that gets a hold of you, and never really lets go. If there was anything I had a problem with, it would be how it absolutely infuriates me when it comes to the treatment of African Americans. Yes, the movie is based off of a book, but considering how black people have been treated in this country, you can see why I think this way.

Honorable Mentions (TV Shows)
HM1) My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (Sample Clip)
- Even if you are among those who hate MLP, you can’t deny that the series has made an impressive impact. Spawning a loyal fan base, and creating a cutesy world filled with characters that have infectious personalities, My Little Pony is one of the most popular children’s shows ever produced in recent years. There are certainly some flaws with MLP to be sure: some episodes can be condescending, the story for an episode might not be the greatest, and the fanbase can sometimes be venomous to the point of being hateful (Ironic, given what the message of the show is). Despite it’s problems, I like My Little Pony. It’s cute, fun, and doesn’t make me feel the least bit girly in the slightest!

HM2) The A-Team (Sample Clip)
- Ah, The A-Team. If there was ever a nice piece of 80s cheese that one must consume, it would without a doubt be The A-Team. Granted, there was a surprising amount of sexism behind the scenes (Click “***” to read the dirty little details), but if you could get past that one point, then you would have one of the most testosterone-fueled shows out there. There’s guns, explosions, fight scenes, and some of the most ridiculous stories for the episode-of-the-day. The actors were absolutely perfect for the show(It’s always nice to see Mr. T on the TV screen), and the overall experience is just great!

HM3) Walker, Texas Ranger (Sample Clip)
- Remember everything that I just said about The A-Team? Well, put them here, and ramp it all up past 11! Yeah yeah, Chuck Norris gave his recommendation for Mich Huckabee back in 2008, and he’s become something of a homophobe, but back in the day, Mr. Norris was king. During the entire length that Texas Ranger ran, he could shoot & fight as good as any action star during the 90s, and his acting was just as hammy. In fact, the entire series was hammy! The scenario for each episode seemed so ridiculous, even Michael Bay couldn’t make a movie out of it! Walker, Texas Ranger might have aged more horribly than The A-Team, but it’s fans don’t seem to mind.

No. 1 Movie
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Sample Clip)
    - Now, I love all of the movies in the Indiana Jones series (Including Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), but the first movie I saw in this series was Last Crusade. There’s been plenty of older action movies I’ve seen that still hold up today, but this old-schooler is right at the top in terms of being well-aged (If it’s not at the top, it’s on the step before). Great story, great characters, great effects, great action sequences, It’s got it all. Even the acting, while a little hammy at times, is still great! I’ve met young people that love Last Crusade, and I’ve met older people that love Last Crusade. It’s that kind of power that makes it a movie that last for all time, allowing for individuals of all ages to enjoy.

No. 1 TV Show
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Sample Clip)
    - I should start by saying that this show hasn’t necessarily aged well over the years. The 3d effects look cheap, the acting at times is incredibly hammy, and the sets don’t look so great now. Having said that, this was a show that I had incredible amounts of fun watching when I was younger. It was also one of the first things on TV I watched with my Mother & Father, right up there with Saturday morning cartoons, and oddly enough, CBS News.

If I had one word to use when talking about this show, it would be fun. Kevin Sorbo, despite being something of a B-list actor, really puts his all into his role as Hercules. The setting of Ancient Greece was interesting: it was familiar, but gets turned onto it’s head. It also helps that the show has a great sense of humor (Emphasis on great), it knew how & when to be serious, and the main cast of actors just seemed to fit (Bruce Campbell anyone!?). Again, the show aged poorly, but it’s so much fun to watch, it’s hard to hate on it.

So these were my top 10 movies & tv shows. Hope you enjoyed this 3rd trip into my mind, and I’ll be back with the reviews shortly. See you soon!