Bobby Keough's Top Ten Movies, TV Shows, and Video Games.

MOVIES: 

1. “The Departed” (2006)

My favorite movie of all time, this stylish mob thriller by Martin Scorsese has an amazing cast, including Leo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin, and Martin Sheen. This film is full of great twists and memorable quotes, as well as a bloody climax and Boston as the main location. 

2. “Revenge of the Sith” (2005)

This is probably my favorite Star Wars movie, this ending to the prequel trilogy is crafted beautifully to set up what we come upon in the original trilogy. Anakin Skywalker’s path to the darkside is tragic and well done, and there are great jobs in acting by Ewan McGregor as the wise Obi-Wan and Ian McDiarmid as the villainous Emperor Palpatine. 

3. “The Dark Knight” (2008)

The best superhero movie I have ever seen, Christopher Nolan’s film brings realism into the comic book genre. This Batman film is heavy with moral ambiguity and dark tones, with Heath Ledger’s Joker as one of the most memorable villain performances in the entire decade.

4. “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” (2008)

This film by Kevin Smith is awesome because it is a great love story hidden inside of this raunchy comedy. Smith does a great job of balancing the comedy and drama when needed, with Seth Rogan and Elizabeth Banks performing admirably in the title roles.   Craig Robinson from “The Office” steals scenes with his hilarious one-liners. 

5. “Black Hawk Down” (2001)

This film boasts an impressive cast and great action sequences. Chronicling the day in 1993 in which militia in Somalia attacked United States soldiers; the film’s excellent direction makes it one of the best war films of all time in my book. 

6. “Live Free or Die Hard” (2007)

The fourth installment in the “Die Hard” franchise brings John McClane into the world of technological terrorism. However, McClane’s old school style is still great enough to beat the bad guys, and Justin Long adds a great comic relief to Bruce Willis’s aged hero. 

7. “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” (2003)

The third installment in the series is the most epic in scale. The battles are amazing and the characters are all well acted, with the CGI looking great as well. It definitely earned its 13 Oscar wins for the various departments. 

8. “Borat” (2006)

This film is hysterical, with Sasha Baron Cohen’s alter-ego Borat going through America and preying upon unknowing people.   Honestly, I have never had a better time in a movie theater watching a film, as the crowd and I were in tears at some points with how much laughter the movie provided. 

9. “Casino Royale” (2006) 

The first ten minutes of this movie made audiences know that James Bond was back in action. The Madagascar sequence is one of the best action sequences that I have ever seen, and the rest of the film does not disappoint. Daniel Craig makes a great Bond, and the action scenes are amazing and the love story is well done. 

10. “Dan in Real Life” (2007)

This is a low-key film that I have always admired, as it stars one of my favorite actors, Steve Carell. The laughs that are generated feel genuine within the movie, and its characters seem real and well fleshed out. 

TV:

1. “24” (2001)

Anyone who knows me is well aware that I am obsessed with CTU agent Jack Bauer. “24” was the first TV show that I became a hardcore fan for. It’s interesting real-time concept of 24 hours and terrorism style plots make for exciting and dramatic TV, and Kiefer Sutherland is an amazing casting choice as the heroic but tragic Bauer.

2. “The Office” (2005)

Though I was skeptical because this was a remake of the popular British series, I fell in love with the show when I started watching it. The mockumentary style and great office storylines puts a great viewpoint on cubicle life for workers. It also helps that the cast is also the best ensemble on TV, with Steve Carell leading the way as the idiotic yet noble Michael Scott. 

3. “Lost” (2004)

This show is amazing in its originality and how it has made serialized dramas once again relevant on TV at a time when crime and police procedurals ruled the airwaves. “Lost” has the ability to make the viewer addicted with its many different plot lines and huge cast of interesting characters. 

4. “Supernatural” (2005)

I only recently watched this show because of a friend’s recommendation, and am I glad that I did. “Supernatural” revolves around two brothers that fight monsters and demons all over the United States. What is great about this show is that it balances between drama and comedy, and the two main brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester, are flawed heroes that you can root for.

5. “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (2005)

The best comedy on TV that most people do not know about, this show has hilarious and outrageous storylines with main characters that have no real good morals. The laughs have always come in its five seasons on FX, and the standout character would have to be the illiterate, abrasive, and loud Charlie Kelly. As the tagline suggests, it is truly “Seinfeld on crack.” 

6. “Dexter” (2006)

A show about a serial killer that murders people who deserve it, “Dexter” is standout because of how each season juggles different storylines while being different and original from each other. Michael C. Hall shines as the dark Dexter Morgan, who sees the world differently than others, but acts as a normal person in order to get by. 

7. “Band of Brothers” (2001)

An amazing mini-series, this show followed the men of Easy Company Airborne in their drop into France during World War II. Produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, the series does remind me of “Saving Private Ryan” in its film style and quality, which is never a bad thing. Great acting and amazing action sequences solidify this show as one of the greats. 

8. “Glee” (2009)

 Just coming onto TV in the end of the decade, this show became popular instantly because of its status as a high school drama and musical. The storylines may not be extremely original, but the premise of singing and dancing to songs in a musical style really works, and the cast has really become one of the best on TV. Jane Lynch is amazing as the nefarious Sue Sylvester.  

9. “Family Guy” (1999)

Although it has dipped a bit in quality in the past few years, this show is still a laugh fest and I can never stop quoting lines from it. Whether it is the overly sexual Quagmire, the talking baby Stewie, or idiotic Peter Griffin, the characters are hilarious and the situations they get into are crazy. The Star Wars parody episodes are one of the best parts of this show. 

10. “South Park” (1997)

The best satire on TV, “South Park” brings the vulgar laughs while also making sure we as an audience can look at a pop culture situation from a funny perspective. It seems like creators Parker and Stone want to take any important or popular story from the real world, and put their spin on it in the land of South Park. One thing is for sure; they have not lost the hilarity in their thirteen seasons on TV. 

VIDEOGAMES:

 1. “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” (2009)

This game has me hooked right now, and I have never played another game that has taken up so much of my time. All I think about now is killstreaks, care packages, different class types, and how I cannot wait to get back online to “pwn some noobs.” The storyline was awesome as well, with Ghost now being my favorite video game character of all time. Overall, this game was worth the wait and the hype, and I will continue playing it excessively until another game can amaze me enough. 

 2. “Uncharted 2: Among Thieves” (2009)

This adventure game on the PS3 is amazing in how it is basically a modern day Indiana Jones game. Protagonist Nathan Drake is a great hero to root for, and the game’s storyline is both grand and interesting. Also, the multiplayer online is so much fun to engage in. 

3. “Call of Duty: World at War” (2008)

The first game I ever played extensively online, “World at War” has a good single player that features the voice acting of Kiefer Sutherland and Gary Oldman. The multiplayer is pure fun and boasts a great skill system that rewards you for the kills you get. Also, it is so satisfying to unleash the dogs upon the enemy. 

 4. “Mass Effect” (2007)

I haven’t played the second game yet, but this one was an amazing balance between an RPG and a third person shooter. The graphics were beautiful and the conversation system made the talking one of the bests parts about the game. Overall, it was a great beginning to a planned trilogy. 

5. “Killzone 2” (2009)

Another amazing PS3 exclusive, this game boasts some of the best visuals that I have ever seen in a game. The gritty environments of the planet Helghan are wonderfully done, and the online play is a fun time with game types changing in the middle of a match without any loading screens. 

6. “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” (2007)

 This game revolutionized the Call of Duty name, which was only known at the time for World War II shooters. With an exciting and original modern storyline, this game set out to show that Halo wasn’t the only great online franchise on the market. It became the best online shooter for a few years until its sequel came out. 

7. “Halo 3” (2007)

 A great way to close the epic space trilogy, “Halo 3” has amazing visuals, a great soundtrack, and fun gameplay. It is good to see Master Chief’s storyline come to a satisfying conclusion, and this is Halo gameplay perfected for next generation gaming. 

8. “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” (2004)

No offense, but I am tired of everyone telling me how great GTA “Vice City” is. I tried playing it and couldn’t because of the bad gameplay mechanics (shooting and punching is horribly done) and outdated graphics. Even Ray Liotta’s beautiful voice couldn’t salvage it for me. San Andreas had me obsessed for a long time because of its huge map with three different cities, its cool characters, and the tale of revenge and betrayal. I actually enjoyed this game more than the recent “GTA IV,” which was good but lacked the fun that I had with San Andreas. 

 9. “Gears of War 2” (2008)

This game expanded on the first, making more enemies, more explosions, and more exploits in the life of Marcus Fenix. The online was fun as well, with the third person cover style being a cool gameplay strategy and mechanic. 

 10. “Mario Kart Wii” (2008)

The ultimate party game, Mario Kart is never boring to play when you are with friends. I have enjoyed this game at parties, with my girlfriend, and even with my parents. It is great for people of all ages, and the rush you get when you throw a blue shell at the leader of the race is exhilarating. I will be playing this game for years to come.