Recommended Procrastination Reading

The internet is a wonderful thing. It connects people all around the world, provides information on any number of subjects, and, perhaps most importantly, provides endless new sources of procrastination. Sites like Facebook, Reddit, Tumblr, Twitter, and so on can very easily take up the bulk of a person's day, if one isn't careful. More than that, there is an endless supply of reading material: news, science, fiction, stories, comics, everything. THIS post is going to focus on recreational reading material: the stuff I read purely for entertainment. Not to say I don't read science blogs, or informational data sets, or interesting news articles and whatnot during my free time, but I have an awful fondness for things like webcomics and web fiction. 

One fact about me that I may not have mentioned is that I also have a fondness for listing things. The first thing I do at work is make a to-do list of goals for the day. If I'm stressed, one of the easiest ways to deal with it is to put EVERYTHING that I need/want to do out on paper, sort through it, and break things down step by step. I have a multitude of lists on my computer for long term to-dos (both work projects and for fun), ways to inspire myself, books to read, things to watch, and so on. Even my personal financial spreadsheets are waaaay beyond what most people would keep track of. I really like data, interesting data visualizations, and things of that sort (which serves me well as an observationalist). So I've decided to go through and list some of my favorite things to read online, as recommendations and for personal reference.  I've broken my list down into categories, and then tried to keep them in a vague semblance of order by putting my favorite stories first within any given topic. Of course, all of the stories on the list are ones I like, obviously, and which is exactly my favorite at any given time depends on my mood. Nevertheless. Here are various top recommendations of comics and stories! 

Webcomics and Serials:
I've been a fan of webcomics since my uncle introduced me to a couple of them when I was in 10th grade (I think I still remember the comics he started me off on, too: Acid Reflux, Dominic Deegan, Kevin and Kell, Faux Pas, Suburban Jungle, and Dakota's Ridge). Indeed, I probably now follow what most would consider an excessive amount of webcomics, and have finished or dropped even more, since I've been following and finding webcomics for more than a decade, now. But thank to RSS feeds and other tracking sites, it's easy enough to keep tabs on them. Anyways, this is by no means a complete list of webcomics and web serials, but these are some of my favorites!

Gunnerkrigg Court: The Court and the Forest have long been separated. Antimony Carver joins the court for her schooling. Webcomic, ongoing.
This is my favorite webcomic: just read it, you'll like it. This is a fantastic comic: the pacing and writing are excellent, the story is intriguing and has a great blend of realism and fantasy, and the author clearly knows how to weave a story together. Initially the art is a little 'meh', but over the years it has developed quite a bit; now there are some really gorgeous pages! 

Girl Genius: Agatha lives in a world run by Sparks! Clanks! and Mad Science! Webcomic, ongoing.
A close second on the favorite webcomic front: this steampunk-y webcomic is great fun to read, full of action and adventure, and of course, MAD SCIENCE!

Digger: Wombats, elephant statues, dead gods, and oracular slugs. Webcomic, Complete.
This is a completed story in its own right, and has a lovely blend of humor, adventure, and wombats.

A Girl and her Fed: A girl discovers that she's been placed on a watch list by the government, and is being spied on by a very unusual agent. Though he hasn't picked up on the fact that she lives with the ghost of Benjamin Franklin. A webcomic about civil rights, ghosts, and ethics. Webcomic, ongoing.

XKCD: Individual Comics relating to a myriad of topics, with a focus on science. Webcomic, ongoing.
If you aren't familiar with XKCD, you really should check it out, especially if you tend towards science. These don't follow a story, they're pretty much all one-shots, and have a lot of gems.

Tales of MU: Mackenzie Blaise begins college, determined to make a new start for herself and hoping to ignore her non-human heritage. Web serial, ongoing.
This is an interesting fantasy web serial with some very nice world building (which I tend to enjoy) - the setting is basically a D&D type world which has moved into the modern age - think 1990's. Honestly, some of my favorite chapters are the ones which describe Mackenzie's classes, simply because of the level of detail involved. For the most part it's a kind of a day to day life sort of thing, not so much focused on plot,. There is quite a bit of sex, and some of the early chapters can be a bit off-putting. You can start either at the beginning of Volume 1 or Volume 2 - the second volume is Mackenzie's second year, and the author tried to write such that new readers could pick it up at that point, so you may want to start there.

No Rest for the Wicked: November has been unable to sleep since the moon disappeared, so she goes forth to seek her fortune, in this fairytale based land. Webcomic, ongoing.
Although slow to update, this story has very interesting takes on a number of famous fairy tales, including the Princess and the Pea, Little Red Riding Hood, and Puss in Boots.

Mixed Myth: Keeva, half-goblin, half-elf, is being chased for something that she doesn't even know she possesses. Fantasy. Webcomic, complete.

Abstruse Goose: Individual comics, with science focus. Webcomic, ongoing.
This is another good set of comics for those with a science focus.

A Miracle of Science: Benjamin's job is to track down and subdue people affected by Science Related Memnic Disorder (more commonly known as Mad Scientists), and in pursuit of his latest quarry, he must work with an envoy from the enigmatic Mars. Webcomic, complete.

Hyperbole and a Half: A highly entertaining mix between a blog and stories told with MS Paint. Blog, ongoing.

Order of the Stick: An adventuring party and their ongoing quest for gold, XP, and justice! D&D based. Webcomic, ongoing.


Fanfiction:
One of my guilty pleasures is fan-fiction. Yes, I know, I know; a lot of it out there is really bad, or really smutty, or otherwise terrible --- I fully admit this. But some of it is written well, and it can be a lot of fun. 
I'm particularly partial to fanfiction based on the Harry Potter series (which I love) and that which is based on Sherlock Holmes, particularly the BBC version. So I've broken fanfiction into those catagories, with Crossovers between works and non Harry Potter or Sherlock fanfiction falling under "Miscellaneous". Most of these fictions can probably be read with just a passing familiarity for the original works, though there are definite spoilers in some.

Harry Potter:
Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality: Harry is a rationalist: he was raised in a loving environment by his Aunt Petunia, her husband (an Oxford Professor), and a steady diet of science and science fiction/fantasy books. When he gets his Hogwarts letter, he decides to claim the magical world in the name of SCIENCE! Work in Progress. 

This fic ALWAYS makes the number one spot on my list - it is amazing. It is well written, scientifically minded, interesting, and well thought out. If you like either science OR Harry Potter, you should really check this out. It's written such that you don't actually have to have read the books, but the author does poke fun at, reference, and keep some of the plot-relevant points from the originals. And you can't beat trying to understand magic with the scientific method. [You'll also find a couple other fics by this author under "Miscellaneous."]

Harry Potter and the Natural Twenty: An 11-year old wizard named Milo is summoned across the planes from a distant land: one in which people have hit-points, there are a limited number of spell slots per day, and a critical hit can make all the difference. Despite his strange magic, he soon enrolls in Hogwarts and befriends Harry Potter. Work in Progress.

This fic is a lot of fun: D&D players will particularly enjoy it. The author even keeps a fairly up to day character sheet for Milo, keeping track of his spells and stats.

Harry Potter and the Nightmares of Futures Past: The Battle of Hogwarts did not go well at all... so Harry casts a desperate spell to merge with his 11-year old self, and re-do Hogwarts with advanced knowledge. Work in Progress.

Getting the Hang of Thursdays: After a catastrophic accident in potions class, Severus Snape finds the day repeating itself, always resulting in the death of Hermione Granger. Complete.
This story has two possible endings, so make sure you refresh the last page to get both.

The Prince of the Dark Kingdom: Voldemort won, all those years ago, and currently rules over Great Britain. Harry discovers his wizardry and enrolls into Hogwarts, and soon catches the eye of the country's leader. Work in Progress.

Sherlock (BBC):
You'll note I list a fair amount of Sherlock Holmes fanfiction here - I really enjoy the BBC TV series, Sherlock, which is frustrating because there are only 6 episodes out, and they still haven't announced when the next season will be coming out. So lately, I've been glutting myself on Sherlock fanfiction in order to stave off my hunger pangs for the new season. It's sort of working, but needless to say, I'm really looking forwards to season 3, which is currently in production. 

The Googe Street Gambit: Bored at a crime-scene, John and Lestrade play a quick game of Mornington Crescent, to Sherlock's confusion. A short one-shot, complete.
A really funny short story, though you should probably be familiar with the game Mornington Crescent.

The Road Trip Series: Sherlock, John, and Lestrade need to travel 12 hours in a car together in order to get to a crime scene outside of the city. This goes about as well as you would expect. Complete.

Wee Doctor: While pursuing a mad scientist, John is hit by a gun which rips him out of time, and finds himself as an 8-year old child in a world where he never existed. Work in Progress.

The Green Blade: Sherlock and John investigate a string of murders by a serial killer. However, due to some recent events, Sherlock's credit with the Yard is at an all time low. Complete.

Performance in a Leading Role: Sherlock and John are actors, who meet (and fall in love) on a movie shoot. Complete.

Love, Thieves, Fear: After John is shot in Afghanistan, he finds he can talk to ghosts. He tries to ignore this, until he meets someone who has the same ability. Complete.

A Week is just Seven Days, isn't it?: Mycroft asks John to go back to Afghanistan for a week to investigate some issues for him, which means leaving Sherlock alone in London for a week. Nothing that bad can happen in a week, right?  Complete.

A Slip of the Finger: While still in school, John Watson accidentally sends a text to a wrong number: namely, the phone of Sherlock Holmes. A series of texts and phone calls as their relationship evolves. Work In Progress.

Midnight Blue Serenity: Sherlock and John investigate a series of murders by going undercover as a bartender and bouncer at a local club. Work in Progress. 

In Which John is a Cuddly BAMF Assassin: John is an assassin and Sherlock is trying to track him down. But John tracks down Sherlock first --- to ask him on a date. A short one-shot, complete.

Sometimes Family is the Most Terrifying part of the Fairy Tale: Sherlock takes John home to meet his family, and doesn't notice that Mummy doesn't like the doctor at all. Work in progress.

The Flat of Two Serial Killers: Breaking into 221B is not the best decision ever. Short one-shot, complete.

A Completely Different Untitled Police Force John (and Sequel): Sherlock meets John Watson when the doctor starts working forensics at crime scenes, and falls in love at first sight read-through of forensics report. Short, complete.

Letter of the Lore: Sherlock is Faery-blooded and bound by the rules of the Fae. A short one-shot, complete.

Knock Knock: Sherlock deletes most useless trivia, and in some cases, the results can be extremely amusing. Short one-shot, complete.

Long Ago and Far Away: Alternate universe which takes place around WWII. Sherlock and John romance. Complete.

On Feathers and Bacon Sandwiches: John Watson was killed when he was hit in the shoulder in Afghanistan, but conveniently, a demon was able to step in and use his body, anyway. And being a demon is an advantage when you live with Sherlock Holmes. Complete.

Semper Fedelis: John and Anthea (Mycroft's assistant), are framed for betraying their partners (Sherlock and Mycroft) and are forced to go on the run to clear their names. Complete.

Miscellaneous/Crossovers:
A Study in Emerald: Sherlock Holmes/H.P. Lovecraft, written by Neil Gaiman. Based on "A Study in Scarlet," this is a detective story set in a Lovecraftian Victorian England. Short story, complete.
This might be stretching what counts as "fan fiction," since this is published in an actual book somewhere, as well as being available for free online.  But I'm already a huge fan of Neil Gaiman (who wrote, amongst other things, the Sandman comics, Neverwhere, Stardust, Coraline, American Gods, and other pieces of awesomeness), and this story is amazing, so I don't care.

Trust in God, or the Riddle of Kyon: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Kyon and Haruhi are graduating, which makes Kyon wonder what is going to happen next. So he comes to an important decision. Complete.
This is my head-canon for how this anime should end when everyone graduates high school. Note that this and "the Finale of the Ultimate-Meta-Mega Crossover" (below) are by Eliezer Yudkowsky, who ALSO writes Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality (see Harry Potter Fanfiction list above). I'm a big fan of his work, in general - his other writings are also definitely worth checking out.

Friendship is Optimal: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. My Little Pony executives put out a new game, with an A.I. version of Princess Celestia running it. Only, she's truly a VERY advanced AI. Complete.

I don't even watch My Little Pony, but this is extremely well done, and you don't need to know much more than the bare essentials of MLP at all to enjoy it. In fact, this fic is actually one of the more terrifying things I've read.

Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc: Sherlock/Addams Family Crossover. On his mother's side, John Watson's family have some unusual traits and abilities. We see his life growing up, including visits to his extended family, the Addams, and eventually see when he moves in with Sherlock and tries to keep his odder quirks under wraps. Complete.

Loss of Flesh and Soul: Sherlock/Silence of the Lambs/Red Dragon Crossover. Sherlock was a psychologist and a serial killer, put behind bars by D.I. John Watson. But after some copy-cat crimes, the police want Sherlock's help in catching another serial killer. Work in Progress.

I Used to Live Alone Before I Knew You:  Sherlock/Good Omens crossover. Sherlock is a Demon, Mycroft is an angel, and John is just John. Short one-shot, complete.

The Magic of Deduction: Sherlock/Harry Potter Crossover. John is in Hufflepuff, Sherlock is in Slytherin. Friendship, love, and mysteries over 7 years at Hogwarts. Complete.

Stardust: Sherlock/Hunger Games Crossover. For the 74th Hunger games, John is selected in District 12 and Sherlock is selected in District 8. Complete.

The Finale of the Ultimate-Meta-Mega Crossover: Fire Upon the Deep/Permutation City/Miles Vorkosigan/Suzumiya Haruhi/Sherlock Holmes/Doctor Who/Star Trek/Hitchhikers Guide/Alice in Wonderland/Disk World/Matrix/Ah! My Goddess!/Monty Python/[Error: Overflow]. Short, complete.
So.... the list above where I list the stories this crosses over... I haven't actually read the first two items, and after that, I just listed some --- NOT all --- of the works that the story crosses over with that I'm FAMILIAR WITH. There are many crossover works mentioned in the story that are things I'm NOT familiar with; indeed, there may be more that I haven't read/seen then that I have. This is not important, nor is it the point. The point is that this story is a mere two chapters long, and not only makes this work, but it gives a reasonable explanation for why this is all happening in the end. Yes, really.

And I can think of nothing else online that would be better to end on then that, so until next time, happy procrastinating!

Movies!

I am a huge fan of movies, in general. Old, new, everything in between. I like to read about them, I like to talk about them, and in undergrad I even took a couple film courses completely unrelated to my majors (math and physics, so no big surprise that the "Hitchcock" and "Film Noir" classes I took were unrelated to those). But I have a special fondness for older films, the films that could be called classic. There are a lot of new movies I like, don't get me wrong, but older films often have a quality that sometimes seems to be lacking in the more modern film. 

Since I do very much like to TALK about movies - what I've seen, what genres I like and dislike, what I would recommend - I have, on occasion, been asked to recommend films to people. Recently, on an observing run to Hawaii, one of the local observers was kind enough to give me a tour of the island, and we ended up talking quite a bit as she did so. She had been wanting to get more into classic cinema, since when you are up on a mountain all night, you tend to have some downtime, when you are able to watch film. So, she asked me to write her a list of recommendations of where she could start off. I, personally, was thrilled. Not only do I love movies, but I ADORE interesting lists. Data can be lots of fun, and sorting through and organizing things is something I can find very satisfying. So, after returning home, I crafted a very long email recommending some of my favorite films. 

Now that I've recently started this blog, I figured that with some editing and expanding, that email could make for an interesting blog post - to those interested in starting off with some good old films, at any rate. And will give folks a sense of what kind of films I like. So, without further ado, if you like good movies, here are my recommendations.

First, I thought I'd give a couple recommendations for good sources for this: The American Film Institute's (AFI's) top 100 movies of all time (all from the USA, however). They also, if you look to the left, have other top 100 lists, and it's definitely worth checking out there more specific "10 top 10 list" which gives top 10 sci fi, top ten westerns, comedies. That's linked here.  For a more international approach, every 10 years or so, the British Sight and Sound poll (BS&S) - taken by movie critics and directors, specifically - comes up with their top movies of all time, world wide. And of course IMDB has their "best movie" lists, as well, which is always another good place to look, and also breaks down into subgenres.

Now, for some of my personal favorites, I'll start with a few favored directors.

Alfred Hitchcock:

-- Vertigo: probably my favorite Hitchcock (or at least the one that affects me the most) - a psychological thriller about a detective hired to investigate the strange behavior of another mans wife, who has been acting almost as if she's possessed. This film also has the benefit of having one of my favorite movie composers - Bernard Hermann - who wrote the scores for a number of excellent Hitchcock films. I own a number of his scores on CD.

-- Rear Window: A photographer who is stuck in his apartment with a broken leg (and thus spends his time people watching out the window) thinks that a murder has occurred in an neighboring apartment.

-- North by Northwest: classic Hitchcock: an innocent man mistaken as a spy, on the run (another BH score)

-- The Trouble with Harry: a COMEDY, kind of different in feel from most of his other movies, but full of good, dark, fun. Basically, a body is found in a small town and it causes some difficulties. (ALSO a BH score).

Other classics: Psycho, The 39 Steps, The Birds, Dial M for Murder, Rebecca, The Lady Vanishes, Rope... I could list a whole bunch of really good Hitchcocks, honestly, he's awesome. And if you're in NYC, the play version of 39 Steps is also really fun. And if you're going to watch any Hitchcock, you can't forget to look for his cameo appearance in each film!

Akira Kurosawa:  a Japanese director, most of his films are set in the samurai-type era. 

-- Rashomon: This is a really interesting story. Not a samurai film, per se, but instead an interesting study of a crime, told from the perspective of the various participants and witnesses. REALLY good, probably if I had to recommend one Kurasawa, this might be it, as an introduction to his work. The other one I'd be inclined to recommend is his most famous one:

-- The Seven Samurai: As the age of the samurai is ending, it's hard for them to find work. 7 samurai find work protecting a village from bandits. This movie is awesome, though it is rather long. The western Magnificent Seven is based on this film)

-- Throne of Blood: This is a movie version of MacBeth, set in feudal Japan. It's been called by some the best film version of the play, even if it's in Japanese and a completely different era! Plus, a super creepy lady MacBeth  (well, technically she's Lady Asaji Washizu, but really. It's MacBeth. You're going to think of her as Lady MacBeth.)

Others: Ran (Basically King Lear), and Yojimbo (which was pretty much stolen and made into Clint Eastwoods' A Fist Full of Dollars).

Orson Welles: both a great actor and a great director. Beautiful cinemetography. He's also responsible for the War of the Worlds reading over the radio which made people panic and think that aliens were ACTUALLY invading New Jersey! Anyway, if he touches a movie it gets better.

-- Citizen Kane:  often named the best movie of all time, based on the life of William Randolph Hearst. 

-- Touch of Evil: a very fine noir, about a detective, corruption, and a bomb threat.

As an actor, he's particularly good in:

-- The Third Man:  Shot in Vienna, a wonderful, top class noir about a missing man. 

-- Jane Eyre: a very good adaptation of the (wonderful) book, he plays Rochester.

Miyazaki:

And Studio Ghibli. Excellent animated films, a lot aimed at children, though not all. 

-- Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro): my all time, #1, absolute favorite children's movie. You don't need subtitles to understand or love this movie, although they are nice to have. But yeah, even if you have kids below reading age, this is a wonderful film. Roughly, about man with two children who move to be closer to their mother (who is in the hospital), to an area with a guardian forest spirit (the Totoro).

-- Laputa (Castle in the Sky): Another favorite movie as a child, about a boy and a girl who are searching for the lost land of Laputa, a floating castle in the sky. Also has giant robots.
Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind are also wonderful. (Of those, Mononoke isn't quite as much for children, as it has a bit more a violence).

Misc Other Movies:
(Generally categorized, but it can sometimes be hard to judge exactly where something should fit, so don't take this absolutely literally. Especially the one's in the "drama/other" section, I kind of stuck a bunch of other ones in there that just weren't as obvious. Being there doesn't mean things aren't funny, or noir-ish, just that they aren't as clearcut.)

Noir:

--Chinatown:  A detective, a mysterious woman, and a fight over local water rights. An amazing noir film starring Jack Nicholson.

-- Blade Runner: Another pretty classic Neo-noir, with Harrison Ford. There are about a million different cuts of this film, however - directors cut, original, etc, and some people think that the director has tinkered around with it WAY too much. I think I'm included in this. Not sure which cut I like best, but probably not the most recent directors cut. I don't know.

--The Maltese Falcon: Humphrey Bogart, detective, stolen objects, awesomeness. Humphry Bogart at his best! (I'm a Bogart fan, so any movie with him is also a good start. Same for Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, or Jimmy Stewart)
-- Brick: a modern film noir set in a high school
-- The Usual Suspects: An excellent gangster type film, in a story told by the only surviver of a mysterious boat explosion.
--Infernal Affairs: A fantastic Hong Kong movie, which The Departed was based off of. Cops, gangsters, and a mole in each camp.

Comedy:

--Shoulin Soccer: A hilarious Hong Kong film, where a bunch of Soulin Monks make up a soccer team. Director Steven Chow also has some other very good Cantonese films as well. You might also check out, by him, Kung Fu Hustle, The God of Cookery, and the James Bond spoof From Beijing with Love
--Bringing Up Baby: Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, a screwball comedy about a scientist, an heiress, and a wayward leopard. I LOVE this movie, it's really fun.
-- Some like it Hot: comedy with Marilyn Monroe
--The Apartment: A man moves up the corporate ladder by lending out his apartment for higher-ups to have affairs.
-- The Philadelphia Story: Romance/comedy with Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart
--Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb: errr, lets call this one a dark comedy/satire about nuclear annihilation.

Drama/Other:

-- Casablanca: I will quote my college film professor of mine and say: "If you haven't seen Casablanca, see it immediately. Because you could die and you shouldn't die without seeing Casablanca"

--Metropolis (1927): A very early science fiction film, be sure to get the extended cut which was recently (2008!) uncovered from Argentina, the plot is a lot more cohesive and is a lot deeper. There are also various sound tracks which can go with it, it being a silent movie - my favourite is from the Alloy Orchestra, a modern group which writes music for silent films. This film is german, it's about oppression and the differences between classes, and the dangers of letting technology lead morality.

--Mr. Smith Goes to Washington: Politics! Corruption! One man just trying to do right in DC!)

--12 Angry Men: (The original, not the remake) Literally the whole film takes place in a jury room, where 12 men decide the fate of one man.

--The General:  An old silent film, where at the climax they literally burn a bridge under a moving civil war engine train and collapse it. You have ONE SHOT for something like that. ONE.

-- The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly:  A fine Clint Eastwood Western during the Civil war

-- High Noon: An excellent western. The bad guy is coming to town at noon sharp, and the local sheriff knows he'll be the first target.
-- Run Lola Run - A German film about a woman and her boyfriend who need to raise a lot of money in half an hour. They take this time minute by minute. Note: this film is not half an hour long! 

-- The Bicycle Thief - an Italian film about a man who's bike get's stolen, which could put him out of a job if he can't get it back.

-- Primer: one of the best, or most relistic, or most confusing time travel movies I know of. Good science fiction, anyway.
-- Kill Bill: maybe not the best movie ever, but certainly a very fun, very violent one.

-- Groundhog Day: A man finds himself reliving the same day over and over. A great movie starring Bill Murrey.

-- Forest Gump: A slow but sincere and sweet man, living out his life throughout historical times in the 60's-80's.

-- The Day the Earth Stood Still: THE ORIGINAL NOT THE REMAKE FOR ALL THAT IS GOOD AND HOLY. *Ahem* An alien ship lands on earth, and turns off all the power and electricity sources on Earth for a day, in order to make the humans PAY ATTENTION.

And then there is Charlie Chaplin (City Lights, The Gold Rush, Modern Times)... and Harold Lloyd (Safety Last, The Freshman, Ask Father [a short]),  another wonderful silent action star/filmmaker... and Yellow Submarine is a fun movie if you like the Beatles though it's not exactly a classic... and It's a Wonderful Life makes me tear up every time, though that should properly be seen around Christmas.  And Preston Sturges - another great director - Sullivan's Travels is just a fantastic film about the depression era, and a rich director who decides to try to find out what life is life for REAL people. Very funny, but also a lot of social commentary.

I just realized that I may have gotten a bit carried away here, and it's getting less and less organized.... I guess this list should be a good start and last any new moviegoers a while? I had fun coming up with the list, anyway... and it certainly gives you a sense of my tastes. It's not really a complete list of everything I like, of course! I'm a sucker for Disney movies, and for musicals, for example! Not to mention a good action movie, superhero movie, or rom-com. But if I was going to think of my top recommendations, this would be a good start.