By: Wil Watson

It’s that time of the year again, folks!  The top of the list is rock-solid, with a few standout films that really left an impression. However, thing drop off from there, with a string of mid-tier movies that, while enjoyable, didn’t exactly blow me away. It’s a trend that’s been plating for a while now, with streaming services churning out content, we’re seeing more decent movies, but fewer truly great ones.

Time to jump into my top picks for the best movies of the year, sink into the morass of the worst ten movies of the year, and close out with full list of every movie I saw this year ranked, with guest commentary (as always) from Ryan Garcia!

We’re going in!

Honorable Mention

HM.  Poop Cruise

My take: It wasn’t my #1 movie of the year, but it was certainly Number Two!  This documentary about the Carnival Cruise line that broke down and then went to…shit… was so much fun.  I mean…the conditions on this ship were so bad that people were excited to be headed to Mobile, Alabama.  (Hey!  I can make that joke.  You can’t!) Watch it with someone you love!

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: Netflix

Counting Down the Top Ten

10. F1

What it’s about: An action-packed movie centered around Formula 1 racing where a might have been superstar gets one last chance at glory.

My take: A nice throwback movie that would have been more common 25 years ago. Nice to see it succeed. There was nothing uniquely special about this story.  It is a bad boy sports movie we’ve all seen a dozen times.  But it just freaking worked.  Pair that with the incredible shots that capture the thrill of F1 racing, and you have a crowd pleaser.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: Apple TV+

9. Mountainhead

What it’s about: Four tech bros have their annual retreat where they decide to interfere in global turmoil unfolding.

My take: Being in the Tech industry, I think this movie is less farcical than most people might think. And that’s a little terrifying.  A pretty good take down of the people who think they are wise because they are uber-wealthy.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: HBO Max

8. Rental Family

What it’s about: An American actor in Japan joins a business that hires actors to deal with emotionally charged moments in their lives.

My take: The post-covid streaming era has really cut into the adult, art house indie type movie.  Glad to see this one get some legs and carry the flag for small, beautiful filmmaking.  Frasier was brilliant, and the Japanese supporting cast around him were the perfect compliment to his style.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: PVOD

7. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

What it’s about: A mystery thriller and sequel to Knives Out, where the views of a fire and brimstone priest clashes with the idealist leanings of the junior priest sent to help his parish.

My take: Very different than the first two movies.  It was more dramatic than silly like Knives Out and Glass Onion.  Like Ana de Armas in the first film, Josh O’Connor matches Daniel Craig scene for scene here.  I’m still onboard for more after Rian takes a beat to do an original film.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: Netflix

6. The Life of Chuck

What it’s about: The celebration of the life of a normal man, told in a manner that is anything but normal.

My take: Of the three Stephen King adaptations this year, this was by far the best. A story told in three acts, it will leave you scratching your head until it all comes together in the end. Mark Hamill gives my favorite performance of his ever where he wasn’t swinging a lightsaber. A movie that is both sad and happy at the same time. I think they call that poignant?

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: Hulu / Disney +

5. Caught Stealing

What it’s about: A normal bartender was just supposed to cat sit for his nogoodnik neighbor and all hell breaks loose.

My take: It wasn’t a smash hit, but I don’t care.  Austin Butler is a star.  Everything about this movie just worked for me. It was tense, funny, violent, and batshit crazy. In addition to Butler, special shout out to Schreiber and D’onofrio, who were great as a pair of gangsters who will kill you and stay kosher at the same time.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: HBO Max

4.  Sinners

What it’s about: The trailers left the plot very vague, so I will as well.  Just know that Michael B Jordan plays twins and some eerie shit is about to go down.

My take: The first of TWO horror movies in the my top ten! What a crazy year! Sinners had a little more of an action horror vibe than Weapons, but both were great in their own ways. I was really impressed with Michael B. Jordan and the way he played two very different characters… very naturally. I think this movie should crossover from surprise hit, to Oscar contender.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: HBO Max

3.  Superman

What it’s about: Starting three years into his career, James Gunn kicks off the new DCU franchise with a sunny take on superheroes.

My take: I am an unapologetic DC fan.  After years of Marvel dominance, I really needed this movie to be well received, by fans and popular appeal. Well boy did James Gunn deliver. After a decade and half of superhero movies, the genre has been pretty heavily mined. Cheers to Gunn for finding a way to making it fresh, funny, without making it a farce. I really love the universe he is creating and cannot wait to see Milly Alcock as Supergirl in 2026.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: HBO Max

2.  One Battle After Another

What it’s about: A retired revolutionary has to shake off the cobwebs when his long time nemesis threatens the safety of the life he’s built with his daughter.

My take: I was kind of dreading seeing this. Paul Thomas Anderson is hit or miss for me. Plus, this was a LONG freaking movie. But it was getting universal praise and Leonardo DiCaprio generally doesn’t pick bad scripts. Well, his streak continues because this was great start to finish. This movie had all the PT Anderson drama and violence, but it had a current of fun running through it that made the time fly. Sean Penn stole the show and should be a contender come Oscar time.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: PVOD

NUMBER ONE!

1. Weapons

What it’s about: One night, at exactly the same time, every kid in an elementary school class except one gets out of bed, leaves their house, and disappears.

My take: One of the most come from nowhere A movies of all time. I hadn’t even heard of it until I read an article predicting it would top the box office the weekend it opened. So despite horror being my least favorite genre, I gave it a shot. So glad I did because this movie was smart, scary, and creative. I know they will ruin the hell out of this will a dozen sequels, but this was a gem.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: HBO Max

FLUSHING OUT THE BOTTOM TEN

Poop Cruise couldn’t flush…but these movies should…  so let’s take a look at the stinky turds inhabiting the Watson Bottom Ten!

10. Fountain of Youth

What it’s about: A group of daring adventurers are in search of some magical maguffin or another.  Let’s say…the Fountain of Youth.

My take: This movie made Nic Cage’s National Treasure flicks look like Indiana Jones. This was a kids movie but for kids who ate paints chips.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: Don’t

9. Another Simple Favor

What it’s about: After an appeal orders a new trial, the main characters of the original film go to Italy for a big wedding.  Because that’s how bail and bonds work…

My take: The original was a surprise classic. The sequel is insultingly stupid. I mean…man did they go to lengths to conjure up some hackneyed plot points to REALLY crash the landing on this one?  

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: Don’t

8. The Woman in Cabin 10

What it’s about: A journalist accepts an invite from a billionaire on an elite, private cruise of the nordics, and suspects foul play despite evidence to the contrary.

My take: Woman in Cabin 10 had me excited coming into the year, but ultimately fell way short. The book was great and the visual of the film matched my imagination perfectly. But that’s where it all falls apart. What could’ve been a tense, isolated thriller was ruined by forced “team-up” dynamics. The director clearly didn’t grasp the assignment and made some terrible choices. A big disappointment.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: Don’t

7. Kinda Pregnant

What it’s about: A woman pretends to be pregnant and hijinks (or Amy Schumer’s best take on hijinks) ensue.

My take: Abort!  Abort! This movie is a stinker, continuing Schumer’s streak of unfunny films since her hit Trainwreck. Her last movie that WASN’T a train wreck. Schumer’s humor falls flat, and the movie’s attempts at tackling serious issues like pregnancy and motherhood feel insincere.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: Don’t

6. Naked Gun

What it’s about: Frank Drevin Jr picks up the torch and solves crimes in L.A.

My take: How did anyone think this is funny? I understand how a generation who think 6-7 is funny would SAY this was funny. You know? To goof on us old folks? Sadly, Ryan pretended to like it so he’d look cool, only to discover he was the butt of the joke. I laughed exactly ONE time, when the snowman sequence went haywire. Otherwise, this was a sad reminder that we no longer have the comedic genius that is Leslie Nielsen.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: Don’t

5.  Smurfs

What it’s about: Smurfs living their best lives.

My take: This mother smurfing movie smurfed the bed. I would rather Smurf my own Smurf while it is covered with Smurfs than Smurf this dog Smurf another Smurf.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: Don’t

4.  The Electric State

What it’s about: In a future world, two mismatched characters do stuff with robots.

My take: The plot meanders through a dystopian world, but the CGI is unimpressive and feels like a waste of a substantial budget. The Russo Brothers seem out of their element, struggling to bring depth or intrigue to the story. The result is a lackluster experience, with shallow characters and a disjointed narrative. The CGI spectacle falls flat, failing to impress or engage. Overall, The Electric State makes me even MORE worried about the next Avengers movie.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: Don’t

3. War of the Worlds

What it’s about: Aliens attack the planet and an intelligence officer mounts a global response and does a little light Prime Day shopping at the same time.

My take: What a snooze fest! This remake of the classic Orson and HG combo would have been tired even if it was the first time it had been done. The movie follows a government surveillance expert played by Ice Cube, as he navigates an alien invasion through his computer screens. The “screenlife” format, meant to add a modern twist, feels forced and dated, like a Covid-era experiment gone wrong. The real stars (sadly) are Amazon Prime’s product placements, including a cringe-worthy drone delivery sequence that’s more advertisement than storytelling.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: Don’t

2.  The Minecraft Movie

What it’s about: A movie set in the universe of Minecraft.  That’s as sophisticated as it gets.

My take: Wow. This made a billion dollars?!? The film follows a predictable hero’s journey narrative as our protagonist navigates a blocky world filled with pixelated creatures. I managed a chuckle when the defeated boss refused to give up, but that’s about it. To be honest, I was grateful I didn’t catch most of the inside jokes, as they seemed to only serve as a reminder of the movie’s lack of originality. I normally say this movie just isn’t for me, but this movie should be for no one.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: Don’t

DEAD ASS LAST

1. Star Trek: Section 31

What it’s about: Like…a spy group from the Federation does a deal with a crime boss for… reasons…

My take: Honestly, I couldn’t tell you what was happening most of the time. The CGI was laughable, looking straight out of a mid-2000s video game. The action scenes resembled bad cutscenes, with stiff characters and awkward camera angles. The story was a jumbled mess, with plot twists coming out of left field and characters acting out of character. Overall, a disappointing addition to the Star Trek franchise.

Where You Can Watch It Right Now: Don’t

Final Thought:

Next year looks promising.  Lot of good movies to look forward to like Project: Hail Mary, and The Odyssey, Supergirl.  We also have some once great franchises putting out flagship movies that have me concerned, like Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Avengers: Doomsday, and Star Wars: Mandalorian and Grogu.  There’s some serious red flags on movies that would have thrilled me five years ago.  Check back next year to see how they stacked up!

Full List (#1-111)

ALL-TIME GREATS

No movies quite hit this category in 2025.

EXCELLENT

RANK

MOVIE

GRADE

RYAN SAYS:

WATSON SAYS:

1	Weapons	98	You will now be able to freak almost anyone out by running at them with your arms outstretched.	One of the most come from nowhere A movies of all time. I hadn’t even heard of it until I read an article predicting it would top the box office the weekend it opened. So despite horror being my least favorite genre, I gave it a shot. So glad I did because this movie was smart, scary, and creative. I know they will ruin the hell out of this will a dozen sequels, but this was a gem.
2	One Battle After Another	98		I was kind of dreading seeing this. Paul Thomas Anderson is hit or miss for me. Plus, this was a LONG freaking movie. But it was getting universal praise and Leonardo DiCaprio generally doesn’t pick bad scripts. Well, his streak continues because this was great start to finish. This movie had all the PT Anderson drama and violence, but it had a current of fun running through it that made the time fly. Sean Penn stole the show and should be a contender come Oscar time.
3	Superman	98	Imagine being a person so unhappy they don’t like this movie. Sad.	I am an unapologetic DC fan.  After years of Marvel dominance, I really needed this movie to be well received, by fans and popular appeal. Well boy did James Gunn deliver. After a decade and half of superhero movies, the genre has been pretty heavily mined. Cheers to Gunn for finding a way to making it fresh, funny, without making it a farce. I really love the universe he is creating and cannot wait to see Milly Alcock as Supergirl in 2026.
4	Sinners	98	A brilliant movie with brilliant performances, a brilliant script, one jaw-dropping musical sequence and even more outstanding ones. Anyone who doesn’t have this as the best movie of the year hates black people.	The first of TWO horror movies in the my top ten! What a crazy year! Sinners had a little more of an action horror vibe than Weapons, but both were great in their own ways. I was really impressed with Michael B. Jordan and the way he played two very different characters (twins) very naturally. I think this movie should crossover from surprise hit, to Oscar contender.
5	Caught Stealing	98		It wasn’t a smash hit, but I don’t care.  Austin Butler is a star.  Everything about this movie just worked for me. It was tense, funny, violent, and batshit crazy. In addition to Butler, special shout out to Schreiber and D’onofrio, who were great as a pair of gangsters who will kill you and stay kosher at the same time.
6	The Life of Chuck	97		Of the three Stephen King adaptations this year, this was by far the best. A story told in three acts, it will leave you scratching your head until it all comes together in the end. Mark Hamill gives my favorite performance of his ever where he wasn’t swinging a lightsaber. A movie that is both sad and happy at the same time. I think they call that poignant?
7	Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery	96		Very different than the first two movies.  It was more dramatic than silly like Knives Out and Glass Onion.  Like Ana de Armas in the first film, Josh O’Connor matches Daniel Craig scene for scene here.  I’m still onboard for more after Rian takes a beat to do an original film.
8	Rental Family	92		The post-covid streaming era has really cut into the adult, art house indie type movie.  Glad to see this one get some legs and carry the flag for small, beautiful filmmaking.  Frasier was brilliant, and the Japanese supporting cast around him were the perfect compliment to his style.
9	Mountainhead	89	It’s funny because it’s true.	Being in the Tech industry, I think this movie is less farcical than most people might think. A pretty good take down of the people who think they are wise because they are uber-wealthy.
10	F1 Movie	89		A nice throwback movie that would have been more common 25 years ago. Nice to see it succeed. There was nothing uniquely special about this story.  It is a bad boy sports movie we’ve all seen a dozen times.  But it just freaking worked.  Pair that with the incredible shots that capture the thrill of F1 racing, and you have a crowd pleaser.
11	Marty Supreme	89		Amazingly engaging. Chalmet deserves an Oscar. But be warned, Safdie movies are not to be watched with a mild headache. Noise, screaming, blaring music creates an attack on the senses.

STRONG ENTRIES

RANK

MOVIE

GRADE

RYAN SAYS:

WATSON SAYS:

12	Train Dreams	89		Slow and dry, but really captivating. GREAT cinematography.
13	The Perfect Neighbor	89	Horrific to see the inevitable outcome a mile away and yet these racist cops won’t do shit to prevent it.	My best documentary of the year! The entire documentary is pulled from bodycam footage or interrogation recordings. It tells the story of a lovely neighborhood full of working class people who just want to enjoy a safe environment for their kids. It also tells the story of an entitled and anti-social malcontent who doesn’t understand the meaning of community. The clash between those two competing forces is tragic.
14	The Fantastic Four: First Steps	89	What the fuck does First Steps mean? It isn’t an origin story, there’s a baby that doesn’t walk, it’s one of the stupidest titles Marvel has ever used for a perfectly decent movie.	This movie suffered from Marvel fatigue because it was excellent and audiences just didn’t turn up like before. I liked every performance in the movie, I liked the story, I loved Galactus, and I LOVED the visual aesthetics of the film. Hmmm… maybe superhero fans don’t appreciate visual aesthetics. Well…if you do? They were good.
15	Thunderbolts*	88	People falling all over themselves to praise this movie because the villain was depression but the reality is Marvel has no idea how to write villains anymore.	I really liked this movie, but it was overshadowed by other better genre movies this year. It was smart, funny, and had heart. Pair that with some good action, I only consider this a dissapointment financially.
16	Trainwreck: Poop Cruise	88	There needs to be a sequel about the insane fuckers who were on this cruise and then STILL WENT ON MORE CRUISES. What else does the universe need to do to make you stop?	I will never see lasagna the same way again.
17	Hamnet	87		Chloe Zhao makes an impressive film, but can somebody get her a cup of coffee? She just goes so slooooooowwww!

VERY GOOD

RANK

MOVIE

GRADE

RYAN SAYS:

WATSON SAYS:

18	John Candy: I Like Me	87		I liked him before I saw the doc. I like him even more after.
19	The Roofman	87		The previews led you to believe this was a slapstick comedy, but it was a dramedy that had a lot of heart.
20	Good Fortune	87		Only Keanu could have pulled off the character of Gabriel.
21	Predator: Badlands	86		Dan Trachtenberg has revitalized the franchise by making it more science fiction and less horror monster.
22	Predator: Killer of Killers	86	Blast of a film that then tries to sneak in an easter egg at the end that makes you question the whole movie. Have a little confidence in your work, you Predator writers. Your desperation isn’t cute.	Trachtenberg directed this animated anthology film, which had incredible animation, a smart script, and amazing action.
23	Wick is Pain	86		Another Keanu is great entry. He is so damn likable and really enjoys being John Wick. I think I liked this as much as any of the movies.
24	The Long Walk	86	Can’t wait for the sequel: The Short Dock.	Another King entry. This was good, but more of a performance piece than a strong plot. Mark Hamill was also in this King flick.

GOOD MOVIES

RANK

MOVIE

GRADE

RYAN SAYS:

WATSON SAYS:

25	The Thursday Murder Club	86	Because on Wednesday, we wear pink.	Comedic mystery is my jam. I would take one of these from this cast every year. It was silly, good fun.
26	Sunday Best	86		I always imagined Ed Sullivan as a stuffy member of the establishment rather than a man Harry Belefonte admired as ally to the civil rights movement, even at the risk of his sponsors and audience.
27	Happy Gilmore 2	86	In case you didn’t catch the references to the original film, don’t worry, YOU WILL LITERALLY BE SHOWN A FLASHBACK EVERY TIME.	One of the rare legacy dust-off movies that delivered something fun. Sure there was a lot of nostalgia, but Sandler tackeled the LIV/PGA rift to good effect.
28	Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning	86	It’s funny how they tried to wrap up all the storylines by introducing giant plot holes and OH YEAH NOBODY CARES. Two giant stunt sequences, the first of which was pretty lame but the second was outstanding.	It was a little of a let down from the last few, but I think Cruise leaves the franchise with a good ending.
29	Jaws @ 50	86		If you ever wanted to know why Spielberg is the GOAT, this doc answers it.
30	Nothing But a Winner	86		I love that the documentary doesn’t ask if Alabama had the greatest coach ever…it asks WHICH of its great coaches was the greatest ever. Roll Tide!
31	Jay Kelly	85		I like Clooney. I like Sandler. A bit of a navel gazer, but a good one.
32	Warfare	85		It was good, but not terribly original.
33	Becoming Led Zeppelin	85		Made me appreciate a band I never had connected with before.
34	Wicked: Part Two	85		Not as good as the first (my top movie last year), but a nice time at the theater.
35	Conan O’Brien Mark Twain	85	Conan is a treasure and this shows why.	I haven’t been a regular late night viewer since Arsenio, but I have always been Team Coco.
36	Avatar: Fire and Ash	85		I actually liked this one more than the other two. Sure, the story wasn’t there same as always, but man were the action and villains great?
37	A House of Dynamite	85	The only movie this year that made me feel more horror than the news	I think if I had seen this at the theater instead of Netflix, it would have been a disappointment. But for a Friday night on the couch, solid entry.
38	Bugonia	85		Could have been special, but didn’t stick the landing.

DECENT FLICKS

RANK

MOVIE

GRADE

RYAN SAYS:

WATSON SAYS:

39	Nobody 2	85	The family that kills together gets a sequel together.	It was exactly what the sequel needed to be.
40	Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost	85		A nice look at 60s/70s comedy and a pretty loving family.
41	K-Pop: Demon Hunters	85	A perfectly fine film used as a delivery vehicle for the album of the year.	Like Taylor Swift, it is not for me but I respect others love it. The animation is gorgeous and the music is catchy. Felt like a KPop disney princess movie.
42	Murder in Monaco	85		Fun Netflix true crime doc.
43	Frankenstein	85		Well crafted but how many ways can you make the same story before it gets tedious?
44	Trainwreck: The Mayor of Mayhem	84		He’s just a weird dude.
45	Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything	84		She led a really interesting and anxiety filled life.
46	Untold: The Hall of Favre	84		He’s just a douche.
47	Novocaine	84	Clever premise and likeable characters only held back by a chicken shit script too afraid to really dive into what living without pain would look like.	A fun, dumb comedy that used to be mild hits at the box office but today really just feel like Streamers.
48	Flight or Fight	83		I liked this more than I thought I would.
49	The Amateur	82	An assassin who can’t do things the easy way. I guess calling it the Self-Sabetour would have reduced audiences.	Probably the okeyest movie of the year.
50	Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy	82	Holy fuck what is wrong with Texas? Just how many brown people have to die from negligent (at best) behaviour by white business people before they’ll think of holding someone accountable? This movie is equally heartbreaking and infuriating when you see how Live Nation GOT AWAY with killing ten pre-teens, teenagers, and young concert-goers. More people were charged with trespassing on the concert grounds than with anything having to do with ten deaths. It’s enough to make you want to scream. Plus it had Drake.	Man, this made me made at Live Nation. They were to blame but Travis Scott took all the heat. I left the doc thinking he didn’t do ANYTHING wrong and Live Nation should have been held criminaly liable.
51	The Phoenician Scheme	82		I turned to my buddy Jonathan after coming out of this silly, bizarre, surreal comedy and asked “So…at this point, he’s just fucking with us, right?” Then we agreed we would be there opening night in a couple of years to see how he fucks with us next.
52	Breakdown: 1975	80		The second best thing to happen in 1975…
53	Unknown Number: The High School Catfish	80	Other documentaries could learn from this one–don’t just uncover the mystery, show us what happened next!	Man…this was a shock twist.
54	The Twister: Caught in the Storm	80		This was a twist shock.
55	28 Years Later	80		I think I liked it about the same as the original.
56	Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere	80		The most cromulent movie of the year.
57	Being Eddie	80		Fun but loses points for the subject being so in charge. Eddie has a legendary resume.
58	The Gorge	80	That vast, empty space between the two leads in the first act was the plot hole for the rest of the film. That’s not a gorge, that’s laziness.	Thank goodness it was a streamer.
59	Boo-Yah: A Portrait of Stuart	80		Sweet doc about someone I admired.
60	The Comeback Trail	80		I waited years to see this long shelved comedy (OG release date was five years ago) and was expecting a trainwreck. It was a perfectly cromulent comedy with a smart performance by Tommy Lee Jones.
61	SNL 50th Anniversary Special	80	Cool.	The live sketches were the worst part. Felt flat. But the produced segments (like Newman and Davidson) and the interviews/presentations saved the day.

NOT A WASTE OF TIME

RANK

MOVIE

GRADE

RYAN SAYS:

WATSON SAYS:

62	Ruby Red Handed	78		A fun crime documentary with a crazy cast of characters.
63	Paid to Play	78		Interesting info but a little paint by numbers.
64	Brett Goldstein: The Second Best Night of Your Life	78	The best part about this show is watching Brett for an hour and remembering the best Ted Lasso moments.	He had some really funny bits, but the act was not a cohesive special.
65	The Carman Family Murders	78		Mediocre Netflix true crime that I will watch every time.
66	From the World of John Wick: Ballerina	78	I don’t know if it’s a failure or success to come out of this spin-off saying how much of a bad-ass is John Wick.	Only saved by Keanu. Third Keanu entry!
67	The White House Effect	78	I don’t know if it’s a failure or success to come out of this spin-off saying how much of a bad-ass is John Wick.	A pretty conventional look at the history of global warming and climate policy.
68	The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie	78		This was actually a cute enough movie, but I have a soft spot for Looney Tunes.
69	Cover-Up	77		Seymour Hersh is to investigative journalism what Mark Maguire was to hitting: he either hit a massive homerun or he struck out swinging. Loses points for ignoring his Bin Laden fantasy story.
70	Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel	77		Vapid and douchey people who did vapid and douchey things.
71	The Stringer: The Man Who Took the Photo	77		I left unsure what the truth was, but I felt the journalist being the subject was a weaker take on the story.
72	A Deadly American Marriage	77		I don’t even remember what this movie was about.
73	Untold: Shooting Guards	77		Gilbert Arenas is an ass and knows he’s an ass. But he is kind of enteraining as a heel.
74	Captain America: Brave New World	77	Brave New World the novel is a brilliant piece warning readers of the impact of too much government control and a media system based on shame. Brave New World the movie was the latest MCU film to give us a totally forgettable plot and a red hulk.	This would have been a mild hit a few years ago, but I think we’ve out grown this style of superhero movie.
75	Oklahoma City Bombing: American Terror	77		Paint by numbers, but well painted.
76	Devo	77		They were quirky and fun, but this fails my 60 Minutes documentary rule.
77	Who Killed the Montreal Expos?	77		Recommended only for MLB fans.
78	It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley	76		Moderately interesting life but the people who lived to tell his story weren’t that interesting, sadly.
79	My Father The BTK Killer	75		Sadly, the daughter wasn’t interesting.
80	Con Mum	75		Fun little turd.

IF YOU HAVE SPARE TIME

RANK

MOVIE

GRADE

RYAN SAYS:

WATSON SAYS:

81	Mickey 17	72		I totally forgot I saw this until I went to write this entry. Like… wondering when it was getting released forgot. And I read this book first!
82	Heads of State	72	It’s a pitiful world when you see an unqualified Jon Cena character play POTUS and you know he’d be better than the current one.	A dumb movie, but I laughed the whole time.
83	Trainwreck: The Real Project X	70		Kids are stupid.
84	Jurassic World Rebirth	70		Jurrasic World movies are stupid.
85	Now You See Me 3	70		It had its moments. Some of them were even ok moments.
86	Flight Risk	70		I wish I didn’t know who directed it.
87	Pixar’s Elio	70		This was a Dreamworks movie that they slapped the Pixar label onto before releasing. I believe this.
88	Anaconda	69		Could have been better.

GETTING A LITTLE TEDIOUS

RANK

MOVIE

GRADE

RYAN SAYS:

WATSON SAYS:

89	The Running Man	65		This is the first Edgar Wright movie that just wasn’t any good.  That’s disappointing because I figured the studios would let him go for the jugular.  It wasn’t great until the end, but man the end…
90	Trainwreck: P.I. Moms	65	WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO THE TEENAGE RUNAWAY???	Really brought shame to a franchise that is already shameless.
91	Karate Kid: Legends	65	I have so many questions about the “underground street tournament”	I now know I do not need to ever watch Cobra Kai.
92	Air Force Elite: The Thunderbirds	63		I respect the dedication, but if something is so inherently dangerous, and isn’t necessary, we should stop risking lives and multi-million dollar planes to wow the rubes.
93	Back in Action	63	Go back to inaction, please.	I think horror might be overtaking bland action movies. And horror is my least favorite genre.

I’M GETTING A HEADACHE

RANK

MOVIE

GRADE

RYAN SAYS:

WATSON SAYS:

94	Untold: The Liver King	60		This dude was weird and a douche.
95	Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster	60	LiveNation could learn something from OceanGate. Not how to make things safely, but to put your CEO directly in harm’s way.	I really thought they could have told this story better.
96	Heart Eyes	57		A dumb horror with a couple of decent moments.
97	Love Hurts	55	Yeah, love hurts, but not as much as this script.	Great cast. Terrible movie.
98	Chaos: The Manson Murders	50		A weak and dishonest documentary by an Oscar winner.
99	The Old Guard 2	50		No wonder it was delayed so long.
100	Tron: Ares	50	If this movie finally stops Jared Leto, it will all be worth it.	Pretty. Boring. Pretty boring.
101	Wolf Man	45		It was just such a nothing of movie.

THE BOTTOM AND DESERVING

RANK

MOVIE

GRADE

RYAN SAYS:

WATSON SAYS:

102	Fountain of Youth	40	Not as good as the original trilogy, but better than Crystal Skull and whatever 5 was supposed to be.	This movie made Nic Cage’s National Treasure flicks look like Indiana Jones. This was a kids movie but for kids who ate paints chips.
103	Another Simple Favor	40	You want a sequel to an amusing movie that has no chance of deliverying on the original? Amazon delivers.	The original was a surprise classic. The sequel is insultingly stupid. I mean…man did they go to lengths to conjure up some hackneyed plot points to REALLY stick the crash landing on this one.
104	The Woman in Cabin 10	40	This is why I stopped taking invitations from billionaires for trips on their megayachts.	Woman in Cabin 10 had me excited coming into the year, but ultimately fell way short. The book was great and the visual of the film matched my imagination perfectly. But that’s where it all falls apart. What could’ve been a tense, isolated thriller was ruined by forced “team-up” dynamics. The director clearly didn’t grasp the assignment and made some terrible choices. A big disappointment.
105	Kinda Pregnant	39	Kinda awful.	This movie is a stinker, continuing Schumer’s streak of unfunny films since her hit Trainwreck. Her last movie that WASN’T a train wreck. Schumer’s humor falls flat, and the movie’s attempts at tackling serious issues like pregnancy and motherhood feel insincere.
106	The Naked Gun	38	Watson has forgotten how to laugh. Please watch for the upcoming Gofundme.	How did anyone think this is funny? I understand how a generation who think 6-7 is funny would SAY this was funny. You know? To goof on us old folks? Sadly, Ryan pretended to like it so he’d look cool, only to discover he was the butt of the joke. I laughed exactly ONE time, when the snowman sequence went haywire. Otherwise, this was a sad reminder that we no longer have the comedic genius that is Leslie Nielsen.
107	Smurfs	37	This mother smurfing movie smurfed the bed. I would rather Smurf my own Smurf while it is covered with Smurfs than Smurf this dog Smurf another Smurf.	This mother smurfing movie smurfed the bed. I would rather Smurf my own Smurf while it is covered with Smurfs than Smurf this dog Smurf another Smurf.
108	The Electric State	35	This movie cost $320 million. Buying every American over 18 one lottery scratcher would cost less than $260 million. And the scratchers would have given a few seconds of entertainment.	The Electric State is a disappointing, visually underwhelming sci-fi drama. The plot meanders through a dystopian world, but the CGI is unimpressive and feels like a waste of a substantial budget. The Russo Brothers seem out of their element, struggling to bring depth or intrigue to the story. The result is a lackluster experience, with shallow characters and a disjointed narrative. The CGI spectacle falls flat, failing to impress or engage. Overall, The Electric State feels like a misstep, lacking the magic that makes me even MORE worried about the next Avengers movie.
109	War of the Worlds	33	Need a movie where people overact in front of Zoom screens? Amazon delivers.	What a snooze fest! This remake of the classic Orson and HG combo would have been tired even if it was the first time it had been done. The movie follows a government surveillance expert played by Ice Cube, as he navigates an alien invasion through his computer screens. The “screenlife” format, meant to add a modern twist, feels forced and dated, like a Covid-era experiment gone wrong. The real stars (sadly) are Amazon Prime’s product placements, including a cringe-worthy drone delivery sequence that’s more advertisement than storytelling.
110	A Minecraft Movie	32	I have one wish. I wish for the youth of today who piled into theaters to see this crapfest of a movie, who yelled out lines from the trailer before the movie started and then, when the 5 lines ran out, said them again and again, and who did the worst of the worst and most obnoxious shit ever when someone said Chicken Jockey…I hope they one day wake up and feel the deep, immense shame that everyone else felt watching them watch this movie. I hope they feel it in their bones and it leaves them huddled in the dark, weeping for their souls.	Wow. This made a billion dollars?!? The film follows a predictable hero’s journey narrative as our protagonist navigates a blocky world filled with pixelated creatures. I managed a chuckle when the defeated boss refused to give up, but that’s about it. To be honest, I was grateful I didn’t catch most of the inside jokes, as they seemed to only serve as a reminder of the movie’s lack of originality. I normally say this movie just isn’t for me, but this movie should be for no one.
111	Star Trek: Section 31	31	The first AI generated Star Trek script is as bad as this sentence makes it sound.	Honestly, I couldn’t tell you what was happening most of the time. The CGI was laughable, looking straight out of a mid-2000s video game. The action scenes resembled bad cutscenes, with stiff characters and awkward camera angles. The story was a jumbled mess, with plot twists coming out of left field and characters acting out of character. Overall, a disappointing addition to the Star Trek franchise.

By: William Watson

Well…I’ve come a long way since 2017.  I watched 50 new seasons this year and quite a few legacy seasons from the years I was a Movie snob (shoutout to Sweet Tooth, which would have been top ten contenders if I watched TV more back in the day.)

There were some really amazing shows this year.  I had a handful of shows outside the top ten that could have easily been in the discussion.  Quality, original content has definitely shifted from movies to television.

Here we go with my spoiler free article…

Time to jump right into the list!

Top Ten

10. The Studio

What It’s About:  A goofy movie exec takes over a major studio after his boss/mentor is fired.

Where You Can Watch It:  Apple TV+

Why I Liked It:  I like show business send ups, and this is a really good one.

9. A Man on the Inside S2

What It’s About:  A retired engineer continues to dabble as a P.I. in his golden years, this time trying to solve a quirky crime on a college campus.

Where You Can Watch It:  Netflix

Why I Liked It:  Ted Danson is just charming.  Michael Schur, the show’s creator, is equally charming.  The casting director put charming people (including Danson’s wife, Mary Steenburgen) around him.  The show is just…charming.

8. American Dad: S21

What It’s About:  The same thing it has been about for 20 other seasons.  Anything they want it to be about.

Where You Can Watch It:  Hulu gets them on a staggered basis.

Why I Liked It:  Wow.  Strong season after some adequate but not all time seasons.  S21 popped with a bunch of strong episodes, as well as a couple of all time great entries.

7. Peacemaker S2

What It’s About:  The continued adventures of a flawed guy trying to be a hero.

Where You Can Watch It:  HBO Max.

Why I Liked It:  This one didn’t drop of in quality from Season 1…even though the opening credit dance sequence is not QUITE as great as S1’s.  The show is funny, has great action, and shows a lot of heart.  John Cena is a treasure.

6. King of the Hill 2025

What It’s About:  Hank and Peggy return to Bobby, the gang, and Texas from Saudi Arabia after several years.

Where You Can Watch It:  Hulu.

Why I Liked It:  I was SOOOOOO opposed to this being made, but in Mike Judge we trust.  Most legacy comeback series suck, but Judge had something to say… as he cashed the checks…

5. Pluribus S1

What It’s About:  Aliens beam in a genetic code that makes all but a handful of people into a linked hive mind…who only want love and peace.

Where You Can Watch It:  Apple TV+

Why I Liked It:  A science fiction comedy/thriller by the guy who did Breaking Bad?  What’s not to like?

4. Pee-wee as Himself

What It’s About:  How Paul Reubens largely gave up his life to live publicly as a character.

Where You Can Watch It:  HBO Max.

Why I Liked It:  Reubens is combative and charming at the same time.  His dedication to his craft created one of the more impressive pieces of performance art ever.

3. Death By Lightning

What It’s About:  The election and murder of James A. Garfield by a cray-cray lunatic.

Where You Can Watch It:  Netflix.

Why I Liked It:  Made a forgotten piece of American history come alive with amazing acting and smart writing.

2.  Paradise

What It’s About:  I will say nothing more than a secret service agent investigates the death of the president. You will know more at the end of the first episode.

Where You Can Watch It:  Hulu.

Why I Liked It:  The rare genre show with a season that could be a miniseires.  It had a beginning, middle, and end. What a shockingly great show.  If you haven’t checked it out, go in cold.  I have recommended that to a few people and they appreciated the shocker that comes at the end of the pilot episode. Don’t look into the show.  Go in cold.  GO NOW!

NUMBER ONE!

1. Andor Season 2

What It’s About:  This is the origin story of the rebel alliance.  Cassian Andor is tacitly the lead, but a rich ensemble tell of how we got to Star Wars.

Where You Can Watch It:  Disney+

Why I Liked It: This was the best show or movie of the year.  Andor has a special place in Star Wars now.  The time jumps worked perfectly.  I read someone say that Andor S1, S2, and Rogue One was the best Star Wars trilogy ever.  I mean… I don’t agree…but it isn’t laughable.  Disney knocked it out of the park finally.

OTHER SHOWS OF NOTE

Honorable Mentions:

• Murderbot- Fun show with a great performance by Skaarsgard.
• The Traitors S3- Boston Ron is the GOAT.
• Creature Commandos- Gunn is the Boston Rob of superhero adaptations.

A Little Disappointed:

• Squid Game: Season 3- Didn’t stick the landing.
• Futurama S13- A once favorite classic fails to deliver for a second season on Hulu.
• Wednesday S2- Fell off after a red hot (or coal black?) first season.
• Severance S2- Everyone else seemed to like it, but I don’t get the hype. S1 was captivating. S2 was a treadmill that went nowhere.
• The Last of Us S2-  I was totally ok with the big twist, but man did they do nothing interesting BUT the twist.

Total Stinkers: 

• South Park Seasons 27 and 28….they just weren’t funny, insightful, or engaging…

Full List

New Rank	Show	Score	Network	Genre	Ryan Says
1	Andor S2	100	Disney+	Adventure
2	Paradise	98	Hulu	Drama	I love the idea of spending all the extra money to make an underground bunker feel just like a real city. All the people who died so you can have vaulted ceilings and a fake sun, totally worth it.
3	Death By Lightning	97	Netflix	Drama
4	Pee-wee as Himself	97	HBO Max	Documentary
5	Pluribus S1	95	Apple TV+	Drama
6	King of the Hill 2025	95	Hulu	Animated
7	Peacemaker S2	95	HBO Max	Adventure	Perfection until that ending. And the only opening number better than Peacemaker season two is the opening number from Peacemaker season one.
8	American Dad: S21	95	PVOD	Animated
9	A Man on the Inside S2	93	Netflix	Comedy
10	The Studio	93	Apple TV+	Comedy
11	Murderbot	92	Apple TV+	Drama	Horrible name for such a great show.
12	The Traitors S3	90	Peacock	Reality	Boston Rob retains his title as the greatest reality competitor ever, even though he didn’t come close to winning
13	Creature Commandos	90	HBO Max	Animated	Way too fun for an animated show
14	The Four Seasons	90	Netflix	Comedy	Who are these middle-aged people who want to go to hotels just to sit and drink. YOU CAN DO THAT AT HOME FOR FREE!
15	The Residence	88	Netflix	Comedy	I would give anything for there to be a crossover with this and Knives Out.
16	Department Q	87	Netflix	Drama	This would be a boring procedural in the US, but everything is better in Ediburgh.
17	Beast Games S1	87	Amazon	Reality	Mostly stupid games that you’re amazed how much they spent to create.
18	Trainwreck: Storm Area 51	87	Netflix	Documentary
19	Amy Bradley Is Missing	87	Netflix	Documentary
20	Always Sunny S16	86	Hulu	Comedy
21	American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden	85	Netflix	Documentary
22	Turning Point: The Vietnam War	85	Netflix	Documentary
23	Battle Camp	83	Netflix	Documentary	The elimintation wheel was the most brilliant reality show innovation since immunity idols.
24	The Yogurt Shop Murders	83	HBO Max	Documentary
25	High Potential S1	83	Hulu	Comedy	Take a fantastic French TV show and remove all the French elements and you’re left with pure gold.
26	Daredevil: Born Again	82	Disney+	Adventure	Great first and last episode with entirely cromulent middle content.
27	Alien: Earth	81	Hulu	Adventure
28	Sean Combs: The Reckoning		Netflix	Documentary
29	Mob War: Philadelphia vs the Mafia	80	Netflix	Documentary
30	American Manhunt: OJ Simpson	80	Netflix	Documentary
31	Surviving Black Hawk Down	80	Netflix	Documentary
32	Squid Game: The Challenge S2	78	Netflix	Reality
33	Attack on London: Hunting the 7/7 Bombers	77	Netflix	Documentary
34	Poker Face S2	77	Peacock	Comedy
35	Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action	77	Netflix	Documentary	Amazing how to height of trash TV has now turned into the lens for cultural discussion for the decades before and after 9/11.
36	Only Murders in the Building S5		Hulu	Comedy
37	Court of Gold	76	Netflix	Documentary
38	Squid Game: Season 3	74	Netflix	Adventure	Lost a lot of the impact compared to season 1, but this was a great wrap-up to the core drama.
39	Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man	74	Disney+	Animated
40	American Murder: Gabby Petito	74	Netflix	Documentary
41	Futurama S13	74	Hulu	Animated
42	Wednesday S2	73	Netflix	Comedy	Missed some of the magic of season 1 but still fine.
43	Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders	73	Netflix	Documentary
44	The Diamond Heist	72	Netflix	Documentary
45	Running Point	72	Netflix	Comedy	As forgettable as a Mission Impossible movie without any of the stunts.
46	Severance S2	70	Apple TV+	Drama
47	South Park Season 27	69	Paramount	Animated
48	Zero Day	68	Netflix	Drama	“Are you cyber attacking me? Are you cyber attacking ME?”
49	The Last of Us S2	67	HBO Max	Adventure
50	Nobody Wants This S2	67	Netflix	Comedy
51	The Recruit S2	65	Netflix	Drama	Even when you become a spy, turns out being a lawyer is still mostly boring.
52	South Park Season 28	50	Paramount	Animated

By: William Watson

I decided it was time to put my phone down and start reading more.  I mean…symbolically since I read mostly on the Kindle app on my phone, but still the effort and goal was there.  I read a lot more this year than in past years, but I am still fighting the A.D.D. rush you get from scrolling Facebook.  Which is a fine product produced by a fine company staffed with fine people.

Also, Ryan and I work there…

But when I wasn’t marveling at the connections from Facebook, the amazing images of Instagram, or the augmented world of Quest or Ray Ban Metas (see parental warnings for appropriate age usage!), I was reading new books.  Well…they are new to me anyway.  This is the only of my annual lists that isn’t restricted to content that was released this year.  There are too many books published to get them all when they come out.  These are instead the best books I read in 2024, but only one of them (#2 on my list) was released this year.

Time to jump right into the list!

Top Ten

10. Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton

What it is about: “On a fairly routine scouting mission, [settlement colony clone worker] Mickey7 goes missing and is presumed dead. By the time he returns to the colony base, surprisingly helped back by native life, Mickey7’s fate has been sealed. There’s a new clone, Mickey8, reporting for Expendable duties. The idea of duplicate Expendables is universally loathed, and if caught, they will likely be thrown into the recycler for protein.” (FICTION)

Why I liked It:  It wasn’t overly heady sci-fi, but it was a fun story with good world building.  The idea of clones and shared memories is a concept I enjoy exploring.  Like if you are a clone, is the memory you have been passed really yours?  Or if you pass the memories you have to a clone after you die, do you really live on?  What makes you “you”?  This book has a clever exploration of those themes and had some really cool world building.  I can’t wait to see what Parasite director Bong Joon-ho does with the film adaptation later this year.

9.  Pines by Blake Crouch

What it is about:  “Wayward Pines, Idaho, is quintessential small-town America–or so it seems. Secret Service agent Ethan Burke arrives in search of two missing federal agents, yet soon is facing much more than he bargained for. After a violent accident lands him in the hospital, Ethan comes to with no ID and no cell phone. The medical staff seems friendly enough, but sometimes feels…off. As days pass, Ethan’s investigation into his colleagues’ disappearance turns up more questions than answers.” (FICTION)

Why I liked It:  After watching Blake Crouch showroom a near perfect adaptation of one of my favorite books, Dark Matter, I decided to give his earlier work a try.  This is a fun page turner where you don’t know if it is a real world mystery, a horror novel, or a science fiction tale gone wild.  I will definitely complete the other two parts of the series, which should be easy because all of the books are about 300 pages.

8. The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann

What it is about: “From the author of Killers of the Flower Moon, a thrilling story of shipwreck, survival, and savagery, culminating in a court-martial that reveals a shocking truth. The powerful narrative reveals the deeper meaning of the events on the Wager, showing that it was not only the captain and crew who ended up on trial, but the very idea of empire.” (NON-FICTION)

Why I liked It:  I really loved Grann’s book, The Lost City of Z,  and I also got to hear him speak at my son’s Boston University commencement in May.  So it was a good time to read his latest book about a shipwreck and what desperation does to humanity.  The book could be dry at first, as the book collects a lot of the narrative for diaries and ship logs, but once the action gets going, Grann whips up a great story.

7. Freezing Order : A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin’s Wrath by Bill Browder

What it is about:  “Following his explosive New York Times bestseller Red Notice, Bill Browder returns with another gripping thriller chronicling how he became Vladimir Putin’s number one enemy by exposing Putin’s campaign to steal and launder hundreds of billions of dollars and kill anyone who stands in his way.” (NON-FICTION)

Why I liked It:  While not as good as the first book on the subject, Red Notice, it is still very important and timely.  This covers more about Browder’s life after the passage of the Magnitsky Act and famous Browder comes across a little smugger than activist Browder.  But the efforts by Russia to pay him back shows how dangerous Putin is to cross.

6. A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal by Ben Macintyre

What it is about:  “Kim Philby was the greatest spy in history, a brilliant and charming man who rose to head Britain’s counterintelligence against the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War—while he was secretly working for the enemy. And nobody thought he knew Philby like Nicholas Elliott, Philby’s best friend and fellow officer in MI6. The two men had gone to the same schools, belonged to the same exclusive clubs, grown close through the crucible of wartime intelligence work and long nights of drink and revelry. It was madness for one to think the other might be a communist spy, bent on subverting Western values and the power of the free world. But Philby was secretly betraying his friend. Every word Elliott breathed to Philby was transmitted back to Moscow.”  (NON-FICTION)

Why I liked It:  I love the nonfiction spy books of Ben Macintyre and this is one of his better offerings (the best is The Spy and the Traitor).  Like his best works, this reads more like a novel than a history in telling the story of the most damaging spy in the history of Western Civilization.  Browder generally focuses on British intelligence, so Americans might not be as familiar with Philby, but his name is as synonymous with “traitor: in the UK as is Benedict Arnold is in the U.S.  In addition to this book, I also read (and recommend) two other Macintyre books this year:   Prisoners of the Castle and Rogue Heroes.

5.  Caesar’s Palace Coup: How a Billionaire Brawl Over the Famous Casino Exposed the Power and Greed of Wall Street by Max Frumes and Sunjeet Indap

What it is about:  “It was the most brutal corporate restructuring in Wall Street history. The 2015 bankruptcy brawl for the storied casino giant, Caesars Entertainment, pitted brilliant and ruthless private equity legends against the world’s most relentless hedge fund wizards.

In the tradition of Barbarians at the Gate and The Big Short comes the riveting, multi-dimensional poker game between private equity firms and distressed debt hedge funds that played out from the Vegas Strip to Manhattan boardrooms to Chicago courthouses and even, for a moment, the halls of the United States Congress.”  (NON-FICTION)

Why I liked It:  I love business books that read like narrative stories.  This book about rival groups of investors fighting to maximize their returns in one of the ugliest and most interesting bankruptcies in history.  This one is a little heady on corporate finance, so being a lawyer with an MBA helped.  At least I finally used my MBA for something…

4.  The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House by Kate Andersen Brower

What it is about:  “America’s First Families are unknowable in many ways. No one has insight into their true character like the people who serve their meals and make their beds every day. Full of stories and details by turns dramatic, humorous, and heartwarming, The Residence reveals daily life in the White House as it is really lived through the voices of the maids, butlers, cooks, florists, doormen, engineers, and others who tend to the needs of the President and First Family.”  (NON-FICTION)

Why I liked It:  It is really cool seeing the First Family through the eyes of the people who cook their food, clean their sheets, and tend to the grounds.  Though most of the staff tend to be liberal, their love of the First Families went well beyond politics, where the staff found themselves rooting for the incumbent because they had become so attached.  This covers the families from JFK to Obama, but I will give a small spoiler:  Every president and first lady is playing for second favorite behind Poppy Bush and Barbara.  They were the most beloved First Family ever and some of the stories of their kindness makes me proud they were Houstonians!

3. The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie

What it is about:  “Logen Ninefingers, infamous barbarian, has finally run out of luck. Caught in one feud too many, he’s on the verge of becoming a dead barbarian – leaving nothing behind him but bad songs, dead friends, and a lot of happy enemies.  Nobleman Captain Jezal dan Luthar, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, has nothing more dangerous in mind than fleecing his friends at cards and dreaming of glory in the fencing circle. But war is brewing, and on the battlefields of the frozen North they fight by altogether bloodier rules.
Inquisitor Glokta, cripple turned torturer, would like nothing better than to see Jezal come home in a box. But then Glokta hates everyone: cutting treason out of the Union one confession at a time leaves little room for friendship. His latest trail of corpses may lead him right to the rotten heart of government, if he can stay alive long enough to follow it.  Enter the wizard, Bayaz. A bald old man with a terrible temper and a pathetic assistant, he could be the First of the Magi, he could be a spectacular fraud, but whatever he is, he’s about to make the lives of Logen, Jezal, and Glokta a whole lot more difficult.”  (FICTION)

Why I liked It:  I read three books in this trilogy (The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged and The Last Arguments of Kings) but only wanted to include it as one entry.  If I had included it separately, it would have occupied three spaces on the list because I loved this world.  It has a lot of humor, combat, and political intrigue.  Not as deep or dense as Game of Thrones, but maybe the Diet Coke version.  It is just a fun and easy read with the characters engaging in disparate battles across their continent, only to wind up in a party on a central mission that plays out over the trilogy.  This is like a fun, familiar Dungeon’s and Dragons campaign.

2. Cue the Sun by Emily Nussbaum

What it is about:  “Who invented reality TV, the world’s most dangerous pop-culture genre, and why can’t we look away from it? In this revelatory, deeply reported account of the rise of “dirty documentary,” Emily Nussbaum unearths the surprising origin story of the genre that ate the world, as told through the lively voices of the people who created it. At once gimlet-eyed and empathetic, Cue The Sun! explores the morally charged, funny, and sometimes tragic consequences of the hunt for something real inside something fake.”  (NON-FICTION)

Why I liked It:  I really read this book on a flyer, expecting a catty history dishing dirt starting with Survivor and going to the era of Real Housewives.  It had all of that, but so much more.  This was a smart book about the full evolution of a shady genre.  It helps when a Pulitzer Prize winner takes you on the journey that started back in the days of radio, through early TV game shows, Candid Camera, PBS’s American Family in the seventies, The Real World, and through today.  This book covered everything in a smart and insightful manner.  I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book!

NUMBER ONE!

1. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

What it is about:  “Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.  Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.  His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.  And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone.

Or does he?”  (FICTION)

Why I liked It:  Weir’s The Martian is one of my very favorite books of all time, but I just got around to reading this because I thought it was his second book that I skipped because it got weak reviews (Artemis).  But I finally gave it a shot on audio book and I might like it more than The Martian.  It is hard to tell why I like this without giving away spoilers so I would recommend going in blind if you like smart space travel and science fiction.  I also think the audio book is the way to go because the performances were absolutely brilliant.  Cannot wait to see the movie starring Ryan Gosling.

Well, that’s the top ten.  Looking forward to reading more in the new year.

Source:  Book descriptions courtesy of Goodreads.

By: William Watson

Since the pandemic, I have started watching way more television.  It is not like I don’t still watch a lot of movies too, but the pandemic made me old and lazy for the last half of a decade, I am more likely to be on my couch with Stephanie on a Friday night than exploring Austin.  Austin is a young man’s city these days.  I got three part true crime docuseries to watch!   My list is anything that aired its last episode in 2024…whether a new series, a continuation of a legacy series, or a limited series.

Here we go with my spoiler free article…

Time to jump right into the list!

Top Ten

10. Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War

What It’s About:  This miniseries explores the relationship between the U.S. and Russia from the alliance of convenience in WW2 all the way to today’s war with Ukraine.

Where You Can Watch It:  Netflix.

Why I Liked It:  It is a really smart series.  It takes an extensive look at the most important dynamic of geopolitical security in the last 75 years.  It interviews Bush, Rice (Susan and Condi!), and other key leaders who engaged in the cold war, the thaw, and the refreezing.  Smart television.

9.  The Traitors Season 2

What It’s About: Well…it’s not Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War, I can tell you that.  Instead, it is a trashy reality competition show hosted by the amazing Alan Cumming, featuring reality “stars” from other reality shows, competing in a wicked game of betrayal and strategy.

Where You Can Watch It: Peacock after it airs on Bravo.

Why I Liked It:  It all comes down to Alan Cumming!   It’s like two shows at once. Whatever the contestants are doing in the game and whatever acid trip Cumming is having nearby while wearing fabulous clothing.  He is the best reality host since Probst.

8. Shogun

What It’s About:  Based on James XXX’s novel, “Shogun” is a historical drama series set in feudal Japan, following the story of an English ship pilot who becomes embroiled in political intrigue and cultural clashes while serving with a Japanese Lord.

Where You Can Watch It: Hulu after it airs on FX.

Why I Liked It: Shogun was the show I had never watched that won the Emmys I thought my favored shows should have taken home.  Then I watched it.  With great apologies to everyone else, but this show was worthy of its wins.  Especially Hiroyuki Sanada as Lead Actor playing the feudal leader Yoshii Toranaga.  You’ve seen him before in other stuff, but he crushed it here.  It is slow at times, but it is always beautiful and compelling.  It is Game of Thrones without dragons.

7. American Nightmare

What It’s About:  A total mindf&@k of a true crime docuseries about some horrific crimes committed in California.  Every time you think you have it solved, you don’t.

Where You Can Watch It:  Netflix.

Why I Liked It:  I like how implausibly stupid everything sounded, only to find out that the reality was even more bizarre.  I had no idea what was happening until Netflix finally had mercy and told me.  This series makes you hate Mustard.

6. 3 Body Problem Season 1

What It’s About: The Three-Body Problem is a smart sci-fi series exploring humanity’s first communication with aliens, and how different pockets of humanity respond to their chilling message.

Where You Can Watch It:  Netflix.

Why I Liked It:  Unlike most Game of Thrones fans, I see the presence of that series’ showrunners working this project as a positive.  Sure they didn’t stick the landing, but when they had material to adapt, Thrones was the best there was.  This show, renewed through Season 3, is a complete story based on the Chinese novels of the same name.  And so far, so good.  Amazing large cast, which the showrunners know how to manage, chilling stories, and great action.  Cannot wait for S2.

5. STEVE! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces

What It’s About:  The two phases of Steve Martin’s life.  Part one is how he rose from a kid in SoCal to selling out arenas as the most popular standup comedian of all time.  The second part is where he decides to shed his rebellious image at the top of his game and become a movie star we’d come to think of as our kindly uncle.

Where You Can Watch It:  Apple TV+

Why I Liked It:  Who doesn’t like Steve Martin?  Either version!?!?!  While the first part is better because you remember what a wild and crazy guy he was, the second part is amazing as well because you see him build a whole new life just as successful as his standup era.  Plus, him and Martin Short ride bicycles together…

4.  A Man on the Inside

What It’s About:  A bored widower takes a job with a P.I. agency to move into a swanky retirement community where a valuable necklace has gone missing.

Where You Can Watch It:  Netflix.

Why I Liked It:  I liked Danson’s work with creator Michael Schur on The Good Place, and I liked this even more.  Danson deserves an Emmy as his character bounces from laugh out loud comedy to heart wrenching exploration of aging and death.  Season 2 has been approved, and I would 100% watch a new season of this every year for several more seasons.

3. The Penguin

What It’s About:  Set after The Batman (the one with Robert Pattinson), Collin Farrell (yes, Stephanie…that’s Collin Farrell under the makeup) plays the Penguin as a low level criminal looking to rise among the ranks in Gotham City’s underworld.

Where You Can Watch It:  HBO Max

Why I Liked It:  I like superhero stuff, but I would recommend this to anyone who likes crime or mob dramas.  There is almost no geeky content here, and that was great.  Other than a few (usually vague) references, this could have been a Sopranos spinoff.  Farrell and Christina Milioti, as the mob heiress Sofia Falcone, are both amazing and deserve Emmy hype.  There wasn’t a dull moment the entire season.

2. Dark Matter

What It’s About:  It’s a TV adaptation of Blake Crouch’s novel about a physicist who finds himself in an alternate version of reality and just wants to find his way home.

Where You Can Watch It:  Apple TV+.

Why I Liked It: Well…they nailed it.  Beginning.  Middle.  End.  This show was amazing.  I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.  The changes from the book were great.  Crouch as the showrunner was effective both from “maintain the book’s vision” and a “gotta make changes for a series” perspectives.  All time classic.

NUMBER ONE!

1.  Fallout Season 1

What It’s About:   It’s the TV adaptation of the popular video game, this one from Christopher Nolan’s brother Jonathan.

Where You Can Watch It:  Amazon Prime.  But like all Amazon Prime shows on that horrible app, I often watch them out of order if one of the boys watched it first.  This time I started on Episode 2.  I thought it was compelling and setting up mysterious characters.  NOPE.  We knew all that stuff from the previous episode I skipped.  THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED!

Why I Liked It:  This was the best show of the year for me.  I was SO impressed with how they took a world that is more concept than story and made it an incredibly compelling narrative.  I can also attest that this show is so good that if you start on Episode 2 instead of part 1 (damn you, Amazon Prime App!), it still makes sense.  THAT is great story structure!

OTHER SHOWS OF NOTE

Honorable Mentions:

• Mr. McMahon-  This explains so much about America.
• Agatha All Along-  The best Marvel show since Hawkeye.
• The Kings of Tupelo- As a boy from Alabama, thank goodness for Mississippi!

A Little Disappointed:

• House of the Dragon Season 2-  Still beautiful but it really took the story nowhere.
• Baby Reindeer-  Started promising but didn’t end well.  I am not blaming the plot because it was based on his life, but the presentation of it was all over the place.
• The Gentlemen Season 1-  I loved the movie and this could have been great but it got silly when a Lord was the mob’s best agent for a job.  It became a “challenge” of the week sort of thing…

I’ve been ranking my top movies even before we started Gabbing Geek. Sure, I see a LOT more movies now than in 2010 when I first posted my rankings on my Facebook page, but over the years there has always been a Top 10.

I had previously went back and re-ranked my top ten for 2010-2016 to see how my lists have held up over time.  Now it is time to pick up the next block of time!

Without further a dude…

Continue reading Watson Re-Ranks His Top 10 Movies of 2017-2021

I’ve published my Top 25 list a few years ago (that is actually a Top 26, because I accidentally had two #19s!), and updated it again in 2019 but my favorite movies is a big moving target.  So, now it is time to add some new entries and reevaluate some films and franchises that are not holding up for me as the years goes by…

It is always a “tough choices” moment for these lists… A couple of films that have been on my list for decades often drop as new, great films emerge; some even out of the Top 25. When I examine the old list, I try to shake off as much nostalgia as I can from the rankings to get a real take on how much I actually STILL enjoy the film.

Surprisingly, I find myself relying more on Gabbing Geek Ryan’s re-watchability standard to determine my all-time favorites.  While I don’t like to use that standard for grading a film on the artistic merits, it certainly plays into my all-time FAVORITES…

Continue reading Watson’s 25 Favorite Movies EVER! … & Ten Painful Omissions! (2022)