Top Ten Disney Villain Songs

Very simply put: I'm listing my picks for my top ten Disney Villain Songs.   One per series and I have to have seen the movie are the rules.  (So sorry, no Frollo song.) The link to the song should be in the title if you'd like to listen to it. 

#10---   The Siamese Cat Song  --- Lady and the Tramp

It's about as close to villains as this movie gets.   The twin cats, owned by the child's aunt who has come to babysit, sing about how they're going to take over the new household.    Took me awhile to realize why they got the names Si and Am.  It is a catchy tune, which is one of the main reasons it made the list.

#9---   You're Only Second Rate ---  The Return of Jafar

This one isn't higher mainly cause I've only seen this movie once and it was shortly after it was released on video.   It is a very catchy tune and Jafar is one of my favorite Disney villains.   He is as arrogant and confident as it comes and it shows in this song.

#8---   Cruella De Vil ---  101 Dalmatians

I just have to say I get a kick out of Roger performing this song.   He takes delight in taking shots at this woman he finds absolutely repulsive.   Anita tries to keep him down but he goes on.   When he starts playing the piano and pounding on the floor with his foot is probably my favorite part, it usually makes me start laughing. 

#7---  Oogie Boogie's Song ---  Nightmare Before Christmas

I actually didn't see this movie until I was in my early 20's.  Since then I've become a pretty big fan and the soundtrack is one reason why.   I usually can't resist singing along with Oogie Boogie during this number.  

#6---   Every Little Piece ---  Pete's Dragon

I have to wonder how many of the youth today even know of this song.   Even how many have heard of the movie.   It was one of my family's favorites when I was a kid.   Back then I didn't look into the song as deeply.   I just knew they wanted Elliot.   It wasn't till I revisited the song recently that I listened to the lyrics and understood everything they meant.   It fits in with the era of these medicine peddlers who sold, "miracle cures" for just about anything.

#5---   Gaston ---  Beauty and the Beast

I may be in the minority, but with all the amazing music found in this movie, this might actually be my favorite.   Listening to it as an adult, I find myself catching on to the background to it that has that perfect French feel.   I often find myself singing along to it, including all the different parts.

#4---   Friends on the Other Side ---  Princess and the Frog

This is a movie that's grown on me since I first saw it, most particularly the soundtrack.   I really enjoy Keith David's performance as Dr Facilier.  I wouldn't mind seeing Disney cast him in another role in the future.   Fun one to sing along with.

#3---   Be Prepared --- The Lion King

This one has always been one of my all-time favorite Disney songs.   One thing that surprised me was to find out it's performed by two different voice actors.   Jeremy Irons lost his voice in the middle of recording so Disney veteran Jim Cummings stepped in to fill in for him.   No matter how many times I listen to it, I can't figure out where Jeremy ends and Jim starts.  I own this soundtrack in German so I can technically sing this one in two languages.   ;-)

#2---  Poor Unfortunate Souls ---  The Little Mermaid

It was hard not to put this one in my #1 spot.  (I'll explain when I get there.)  The Little Mermaid was one of my favorites as a kid and now I'm revisiting it as my son has become hooked after our trip to Disneyland.   Pat Carroll asked Howard Ashman to perform it for her before she recorded it.   He obliged and she used some of his ad-libbed lines and mannerisms.   ("Pathetic", "Life's full of tough choices,  innit?", "No more talking, singing, zip!")  I just have to hope Pat Carroll came up with the "body language" move.  Ha ha ha.   Just cannot get enough of this villain song. 

#1---   Savages ---  Pocahontas

I only recently saw this movie, yet this song tops my views of villain songs.   Why might you ask?   Because this song deals with reality more so than any other on this list.   This is the eternal struggle of mankind that has raged for centuries and still goes on today.  "They're different from us.   That means they can't be trusted."  Look around you, in your neighborhoods, in the media, around the world,  how many times do WE think that?   How many times are we told the negative about a group of people?  Do we automatically hold a whole group responsible for one news article?   Do you meet somebody of a certain race, ethnicity, religion,  etc and instantly pre-judge them based on experiences they likely had no control over?   Don't let hate be your first impression of anybody.

Ok, I'll get off my soapbox there.   Hope you enjoyed my list!   If you have any I missed or suggestions on ones I should check out, feel free to let me know.  

Top Ten Disney Villains

 Top Ten Disney Villains

      For today's entry, in honor of it being the month of Halloween, I decided to list my ten favorite Disney villains.  For them to be on my list, they have to be from an animated Disney film (As much as I wanted to put Davy Jones or Lord Cutler Beckett on the list, I decided to make this an animated top ten.) and I must have seen the film.  (So as much as I have heard about him, Frollo will not be appearing on the list, sorry!)

     With that, let's get started!!

 #10 Queen of Hearts

Alice in Wonderland

     One of the first Disney films I remember watching, the Queen is remembered as one of the first jerks I remember being introduced to!  Drunk on power, just waiting for an excuse to decapitate someone, she rules with an iron fist without the least bit of patience or mercy for anybody.  Not to mention she's a cheat at croquet!

#9 Shere Khan

The Jungle Book

     Shere Khan is the sole reason this story is set in place to begin with.  The mancub Mowgli is in danger himself and endangers the other animals in the jungle when they hear Shere Khan is in the jungle.  He comes across as sophisticated and educated.  Mowgli, however, shows no fear when he meets Khan.  I love that interaction where Khan gives him ten seconds to run.  "You're not making this very fun!"

#8 Maleficent

Sleeping Beauty

     I think this is one where people will be questioning my placement.  Usually when I see her on lists, she's usually at least top five.  I really don't have much attachment to Sleeping Beauty.  I can, however, acknowledge her for what she is as an iconic Disney villain.  She tries to curse Aurora to death simply because she didn't get an invite to a party!  Plus, I can admit that her final confrontation with Prince Philip where she transforms into the dragon is one of the coolest fight scenes ever in a Disney film.

#7 Scar

The Lion King

     The lion who's jealous of the nephew who robbed him of his path to the throne, he's actually one of my favorite villains in a Disney film.  Be Prepared is one of my all-time favorite Disney films, despite it being a villain's song.  However, Scar does get a big knock on the list because although he's one of the few villains who succeeds (for a time) at pulling off his plan, he becomes a whiny diva after he achieves his goal.  ("It's the lionesses job to do the hunting!")  

#6 Prince John

Robin Hood

     The interim King while his brother Richard is off on the Crusades, Prince John is about as selfish and cruel as you can find them.  Egotistical and a pansy at the same time, he is fairly entertaining to watch.  He gets quite dark at the end of the film where he's raised taxes so much nearly every citizen is in jail.  This is one of my all-time favorite Disney films

#5 Dr Facilier

Princess and the Frog

     Ok, honestly, if I had created this list a year or two ago, Dr Facilier would not have even made this list.  However, as of late I've really grown to love The Princess and the Frog, the story, the characters, the songs and hence, the villain.  A voodoo man out to capture souls for the underworld, he becomes involved in trying to capture Prince Naveen and thus ultimately capture all of New Orleans.  (I don't want to explain it all here.  I just suggest watching it if you don't know the story.)  

#4 Jafar

Aladdin

     I love Jafar merely because of his demeanor.  Most of the time he's just so cool and calm, all the while plotting his rise to power.  Not to mention he has one of the best accomplices ever.  Iago is one of the funniest sidekicks in any movie ever.  I don't blame Gilbert Gottfried for saying it's his favorite role of all-time.

#3 Ursula

The Little Mermaid

     Since The Little Mermaid was my favorite Disney film for quite awhile, it's no surprise the Sea Witch is on this list and so high on it.  I also remember she was the first character I ever saw that was patterned after the person who voiced them.  (Which is now quite common.)  Plus she has one of the most memorable villain songs ever.  (Poor Unfortunate Souls).

#2 Hades

Hercules

     The hothead from the underworld is really hard to top.  The top two on my list were REALLY hard to pick between.  Simply unhappy with his given lot in life, he plots to overtake Zeus and rule on high.  His character was written and pulled off so well.  Almost everything is perfectly timed, especially his temper tantrums.  One of the funniest moments ever for me in a Disney film ever is where he flips out on Pain and Panic for supporting Hercules.  James Woods loved Hades so much he insists on being brought on whenever Disney uses Hades.  (ie Kingdom Hearts)

#1 Captain Hook

Peter Pan

     Like Dr Facilier, if I'd written this about a year or two earlier, this turnout might have been different.  Unlike Dr Facilier though, I still believe Hook would have made the list, just wouldn't have been here at number one.  I can't really think of anybody who hears "Captain Hook" and doesn't immediately think of this version.  For me Disney created the most memorable version of the character, it's tough to beat.  

There we go, my top ten Disney villains!   This post was created fairly quickly.  I didn't plan out what I was going to say about each character either, so that's why it's fairly brief.  

TOP TEN MOST ANNOYING ENEMIES

TOP TEN MOST ANNOYING ENEMIES

For this entry I decided to make a list of the ten most annoying enemies I've ever had to deal with in video games.  Using the same rules that I have to at least played the game and only one per franchise.

 #10---Dan---Street Fighter

    I'm starting with Dan at #10 because he's the one I'm newest to.  I played Mortal Kombat more growing up so I missed Street Fighter as it continued it's franchise.  But I recently picked up Super Street Fighter IV for my 3DS and was introduced to Dan.  I have heard these same things said about him and it's absolutely true.  He is full of himself, even though he's not that great.  He prances away from you at times during the fight!   Plus, come on, he wears freaking pink Gi!


#9---Zinger---Donkey Kong Country

    I love Donkey Kong Country.  I remember when we first got it on our SNES, my brothers and I would spend countless hours trying to beat it.  I also remember how annoying the Zingers were.  Not only did they have spikes on their back, making them impossible to jump on, (unless you had Winky the Frog) they always showed up in the absolute WORST spots.  I particularly hated them in Barrel Blast Canyon or other spots where they barricaded barrel jumps.


#8---Wizard---Final Fantasy

    Another game that my brothers and I worked HOURS away on.  Though we had to tag team it because it only gave you one save file.  These enemies are found later in the game as "random encounter" enemies, but I'm putting them on the list due to their forced fight.  While trying to recover the Prince's crown out of the Marsh Cave, you must first fight these wizards.  If you aren't properly leveled up, these guys will make easy work out of you.  The most annoying part of their attacks is that they can stun you, then if they connect again while you're stunned, it's death, regardless of how much HP you have.  I don't know how many times we had to start the Marsh Cave all over again after being defeated by these wizards.


#7---Jade---Mortal Kombat

    I've played nearly every Mortal Kombat game they have ever released. (besides the spin-offs such as Special Forces and Shaolin Monks)  I'm sad that it seems they don't want to recreate Mortal Kombat 9 for the Wii U now that they have the graphics and processor to support it.  I've dealt with nearly every kombatant in the MK universe and when thinking about creating this list, only one name came into my mind.....Jade.  She makes the list for one special move in particular: her projectile invincibility move.  I don't know how many times I've been fighting her and as soon as I try to throw something at her, she turns invincible and unleashes a massive combo against me.  It's also irritating that the computer can pull it off at the drop of a hat but it seems you can never do it as fast when you attempt it.  (Honorable mention for this spot: Nightwolf and his reflective chest move)


#6---Owls---Ninja Gaiden

    The owls aren't higher on the list due to the fact I haven't played very many Ninja Gaiden games.  But whenever I think Ninja Gaiden, I curse those owls.  They always show up when you're trying to jump from one platform to the next and they infinitely re-spawn.  As soon as you get rid of one, another one will nearly always show up in it's place.   (Sorry, I couldn't find a pic that showed them, so I had to just go with cover art)


#5---Trevelyan's Agents---Goldeneye 64

    The final level of the Goldeneye story (excluding the two bonus levels) is particularly annoying.  First off for the fact you have to chase Trevelyan essentially in circles and second, you have to deal with his minions.  They're also infinitely spawning, if you stop to try to just fight them off you're never going to win.  They're also the strongest stock enemies you have to fight in the game.  When I played this level, I would resort to the tactic of just making sure I stayed as close to Trevelyan as possible and ignoring his henchmen so I could finish the level as quickly as possible without dealing with too many of these guys.


#4---Metroids---Metroid

    These things are on the list not only because they're annoying, it's really the first thing in a video game that has actually scared me.  They home in on you like a heat seeking missile and once they latch onto you, it's hard to get them off within ten seconds.  By then you've already lost a good chunk of life.  My tactic was just to pound the B button as quickly as possible and hope I froze them, once frozen I'd just run!  To this day they still give me chills when they appear in whatever game in the Metroid franchise I'm playing.


#3---Iron Knuckle---Legend of Zelda

 
    These are enemies that have appeared in multiple games in the Zelda franchise, but I'm putting them on this list purely for their appearance in Zelda II: The Adventure of Link on NES.  They carry a shield, which means you have to continually try to attack them high and low, depending on where the shield is located.  Plus you have to avoid their attacks, the early ones just stab at you, but eventually you meet the blue version which throws daggers at you.  These are mega-annoying because they're some of the only enemies that you can't just run from, usually they're placed where you HAVE to go through them to progress in the temple.


#2---Blooper---Super Mario Bros.

    The Super Mario Bros. franchise was a tough one to find an annoying enemy to put onto this list.  When I first thought I was going to create this list, I put Magikoopa on the list.  Then I did some thinking and decided I was going to put Lakitu on the list.  Ultimately, I was playing New Super Mario Bros. U and I came to the ultimate conclusion that Blooper deserves the spot for the Mario franchise.  I already hate water levels, but Blooper makes it SO much worse.  Their pattern of going down and then swimming up should be a pattern you can plan for and avoid, but it's never that easy.  Even when I have a fire flower it seems that they find ways to avoid my fire.  Maybe it's my fault for panicking and just smashing the button to throw fire instead of ensuring that I'm high enough in the water, they annoy me that bad.


#1---Medusa Heads---Castlevania

 
    These were the instant number one in my head when I decided to create this list.  I cannot even begin to tell you how many deaths and inconveniences these enemies have caused me in multiple Castlevania games.  Their wavy pattern (like Blooper's pattern) should be easy to anticipate and avoid, but they always find a way to hit you, particularly when they're coming from both directions on the screen.  Add onto that the fact that Simon (or whatever protagonist you're playing as) have a tendency to spring backwards when hit and they can cause some major disaster!  Those who have played the original Castlevania know too well the annoyance Medusa Heads cause when you're fighting off knights at the same time!


There are my ten most annoying enemies.  I'm thinking on what my next list will be, if you have an idea, I'd like to hear it!  Maybe if you have an annoying enemy that didn't make my list, I'd like to hear it too!

Top Ten Video Game Franchises

It's been awhile since I created a post but I finally decided to sit down and write another one. For this one I decided to talk about the top ten video game franchises I've ever played. To qualify it has to at least have three games in the series.

Let's get started

HONORABLE MENTION---Final Fantasy


This one misses the cut because honestly, I only really like the first one. I can play that one over and over again. I've tried playing the later ones (VII and beyond) and just couldn't get into them. I do want to track down the "original" III and IV and try them though. The first one still remains my favorite RPG of all time.




#10---SUPER SMASH BROS.


What can be better than smacking your friends and family around with your favorite Nintendo characters? I still remember how much laughter ensued when my friends and I popped in the original on the Nintendo 64. Then with Melee on the Gamecube and Brawl on the Wii they kept adding more and more content. More fighters, trophies, secondary modes and even online play. It all has evolved into one of the funnest fighting games in existence.

#9---Kingdom Hearts

I remember being intrigued when this collaboration between Square Enix, makers of the Final Fantasy series and Disney was announced. The game is a very well put together story that blends the two worlds. It turns out to be a lot of fun to visit Disney-themed worlds and fight alongside well-known Disney heroes. The games are well put together, with easy-to-use controls finding inspiration from another entry on this list to be mentioned later.

#8---Castlevania

This is what people need to think about when they think Dracula and vampires. These games still hold up very well today, I find myself playing the first one and the third one from time to time. The second one, Dracula's Curse, was attempted but I gave up due to many reasons. If you'd like to know most of them, watch The Angry Video Game Nerd's review. This franchise was not happy just keeping to the same formula, later entries introduced new twists, from leveling up to changing characters and even sometimes using two characters in the game. I currenty am working on "Portrait of Ruin" for the DS and I am just in awe of how well it's put together graphically, gameplaywise, story, etc.

#7---Mega Man

I still remember my first experience with the Blue Bomber. A friend in school offered to trade Mega Man 2 for one of my games for a period of two weeks. I had heard about Mega Man, but not that they'd made a sequel. After just a few days I became hooked and eventually bought the game myself. The Mega Man series is often known for it's unforgiving difficulty but it still remains addictive. I currently own the Anniversary Edition and still love playing these games over and over. To my admission I have only beat 2 and 3, though I've come very close on 1 and 4. For nostalgic reasons, along with awesome music and bosses, I have to declare I think 2 is the best in the series. 3 is pretty good too, I know it has it's fans, but I hate that they chose to recycle the bosses from 2 and shoved them inside some hideous generic robots to extend the game.

#6---Animal Crossing

I admit I have tried the Sims but just could not get into it. It's too much responsibility to feed, bathe and rest your Sim to keep their spirits up and keep them alive. But Nintendo's kiddie version surprised me and sucked me in. The game plays in "real time", meaning it plays even when you aren't. Seasons change, in most versions they celebrate holidays and sometimes your neighbors want to come visit you! You're the only human living in an animal world. The mayor is a turtle, the shopkeeper is a raccoon and the museum curator is an owl amongst other animals you can meet. Your neighbors will move in and out at will, normally based on how well and often you interact with them. The DS and Wii versions allow you to travel to other people's towns, giving you a more interactive experience.

#5---Metroid

This is another series that, for me, has stood the test of time despite many different variations of gameplay. I love the side-scrolling versions, the first-person shooter versions and even the mixture version. (Other M) The game pretty much just starts you and allows you the freedom to figure out what to do next. True you can't access certain parts of levels until you get certain weapons or upgrades, but it adds to a puzzle aspect that I have grown to love. It surprises me that there are people out there who don't know Samus is a woman. I once read a letter to Game Informer by some girl who was offended they'd suggested Samus Aran marry Master Chief on the grounds that "Master Chief isn't gay." Boy did they have fun answering her, letting her know that Samus is a butt-kicking woman and that marriage would be a bad sign for bad scum of the universe. My only wish for the series is that they'd expanded on the multi-player version that they included in Metroid Prime:Hunters. I think it would have been a fun experience had they included it in Metroid Prime 3:Corruption.

#4---Mortal Kombat

Mortal Kombat.......the game that single-handedly gave us the ESRB rating system that we all know and love today. Don't get me wrong, I believe we need it in this day and age, but I just have to pay homage that it was this game that got the ball rolling. It does have over-the-top blood and gore incorporated but also the fighting and combinations you can pull off are amazing to watch if you can get the button combinations right. Also, you would think it was just a game thrown together as "let's just let people beat each other to death", but Ed Boon and John Tobias went to great lengths to actually create a storyline for their games. That translated into one of the best video game movie adaptations I've ever seen. The second one really got lost and was not nearly as good of quality as the first one but I still love watching the first one.

#3---Madden

Oh........Madden NFL football....the series that has eaten up so many hours of my time over the years. Writing this I still remember playing it on the Super Nintendo, it had some of the cheesiest lines. Plus I remember there was a cheat to play as a Tiburon team which you could not lose with. I still have Madden 08 on my Wii and I have yet to find a reason to update it. Roster updating isn't too much of an issue for me. I love strategizing on both sides of the ball. For me it's almost half as fun picking my plays and reading the offense/defense as it is actually running the plays. I will probably keep playing these games as long as they keep making them.

#2---Legend of Zelda

One of the most storied franchises in all video game-dom. I have played most of the games in the series and actually only have beaten one but one day I hope to add more to that list when I get the chance. I don't even know where to start on why I love this game. Each game has a great storyline that adds to the lore of the series. When Zelda moved to the 3d realm on the Nintendo 64, it created controls that were emulated in other series. (See Kingdom Hearts) For the life of me though, even with cheats I cannot beat Zelda II:The Adventure of Link. I neglected to think of that when I created my "Most Difficult Games" list.

#1---Mario

Who else would take the number one spot but the most recognizable face in all of video gaming? Every one of his outings has been fun and challenging at the same time. At least with this series I can say I've beaten numerous entries! Nintendo hasn't been afraid to try just about anything with the plumber in his many attempts to rescue Princess Peach and has very rarely failed at it. He even has a popular spin-off that failed to make the list. (Mario Kart) I'm fully looking forward to his next adventure.

My Top Ten TV Shows of All Time

For this top ten I decided to tackle my top ten tv shows. Now there are plenty of shows I still love and wish were still on tv, but after careful deliberation I was able to narrow them all down to ten that I could either watch over and over or that I feel had a major impact on television history and perhaps even both!


#10---The Simpsons




This show could have possibly placed higher on the list, but it loses ranks because they're extending the show way past it's prime. I don't feel the show has been fresh or funny over the past 8-10 seasons. I love to watch seasons 1-12 but after that I trail off. Still you can't argue the success and influence the Simpsons have had on America. It's also funny to see celebrities being "Simpson-ized", Mark McGwire, Richard Gere, Metallica, the list goes on for people who have made appearances over the course of the show.


#9---Law and Order:SVU

Amonst lineups that are over-saturated with shows based on chasing and catching criminals (Law and Order, CSI, NCIS, Criminal Minds, etc) this is the only one I've been able to really get into and follow. This show is very gripping and the characters play their parts so well. Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay excel in their roles as Detective Elliott Stabler and Olivia Benson as they fight sexually based crimes in New York City. Some episodes are heart-breaking and seem to mirror reality.

#8---King of Queens

This show is hilarious. One of the ones I can quote over and over again. Kevin James really rocketed to fame as IPS Delvery Man and bumbling husband Doug Heffernan. He knows not only how to master timing of quotes but he's a gifted physcial comedian. If you're a fan of Kevin James' films (even including, ugh, "Paul Blart:Mall Cop") you owe it to yourself to get into "The King of Queens".

#7---Everybody Loves Raymond

Another hilarious comedy. This one gets the nod over King of Queens because of it's relatibility. No matter what walk of life you're in, it seems you can find yourself or someone you know in a character in this show. Perhaps you've always been in the shadow of your sibling so you're like poor Robert. Or perhaps an in-law drives you bananas so you laugh at the antics between Debra and Marie. Not to mention this show can teach you things. For example, taping a Super Bowl over your wedding video is frowned upon by most women out there! Ha ha ha!


#6---Saved By The Bell

This show brings back so many memories. My brothers and I had a daily routine. We'd come home from school and immediately tune in to TBS for a double dose of this show at 3:00. I don't even know how to fully describe the show. For kids going through school it was funny to watch the crazy stunts that Zach Morris and crew would pull. Not to mention laugh at things that would never happen in our schools. (Like Slater constantly running around in a tank top.) This is one of the few shows that really makes me wish I still had access to cable, cause it's still available via reruns!


#5---Little House on the Prairie

Now, had you asked me to create this list 8+ years ago I would never have pulled this show into the discussion at all. I remember my mom watching this show every now and then but my only take on it back then was, "How boring!". But then I married a woman who loved it and now we own nearly every season. I have now gotten converted over to it. There is a reason this show is still on tv. It can teach good life lessons and I have a deep respect for people who lived in those times. It's just such a simpler time and although things were hard, it seems life was a bit easier as well. People seemed to care more for each other and money was not really as much an object as it is nowadays.


#4---King of the Hill

I remember when this show was first being unveiled, I was mainly attracted to it because it was advertised as coming from the same guy who created "Beavis and Butthead" which I thought was hilarious at that time. I watched the first season and at the time I was a bit disappointed. It seemed so "serious" if it was trying to be funny. But about 4-5 years later I started watching it again and it grew on me, bad. Not only did I realize this show was hilarious, but it did try to instill good characteristics as Hank Hill is a very moral person who was always teaching everybody else how to treat people right. This gets ranked way higher than "The Simpsons" because they knew when to quit. Perhaps it's because Fox was pressuring them to, as they were trying to push more idiotic cartoons onto TV like, "Family Guy", "The Cleveland Show" and other cartoons I could care less for. King of the Hill is probably the most underrated show on this list and that has ever been on TV.


#3---Friends

Once again, ask me about this show about 11+ years ago and this show wouldn't be on this list. But I married a woman who thought it was hilarious so I started watching the reruns on TV with her and immediately converted over. We now have seasons 6-10 (We're going backwards on collecting the seasons!) and could watch them over and over again. Once again it's the relatibility and quotability of this show that endears it to me. I remember one time I posted a quote from this show on my Facebook status and it ended up being one of my most highly commented status ever, with friends posting quote after quote from the show. Without this show, I couldn't turn to someone who's having a cow and state, "Wow, you're pulling a Ross!"

#2---Lost

I often don't even know where to start with this show. I once again have to credit my wife with getting me into it. She watched seasons 1-4 on Netflix and season 5 on TV before finally convincing me to give it a try and we ended up watching 1-5 on Hulu before we watched season 6 together as it unfolded. This has to be my all-time favorite drama that's ever graced the TV screen. For these survivors, an adventure or mystery is always just around the corner. The producers did a very good job always ending the episode with a moment that made you look at the screen in horror and scream, "NO!!! Don't stop there!!!!" With each episode and each season you got more and more of the background of each character which only endeared you to them more or made you loathe them more. Then there are characters that are straight out enigmas, you can't tell what to think of them, do you hate them or love them? The creators were cryptic right up to the end. The ending only sparked either confusion or outrage from most die-hard fans. For me, I've been able to interpret it to make sense to me and it feels fitting for such a wonderfully written show. Even though I now know what happens I can still watch this series from start to finish over and over again.

#1---I Love Lucy

When I first thought of this topic for a top ten and started listing the shows I'd put on the list, this is the only show I knew exactly where it would go. There is no arguing the impact that I Love Lucy had on the television world. Desi Arnaz introduced so many things that are now done in shows even still to this day. He introduced the practice of shooting with several cameras at once, helping with continuity in shots. He also introduced the rerun while Lucille Ball was recovering from childbirth to give her the chance to rest up and be ready for the next season. Though Desi and Lucille couldn't stay together in real life, they remained great friends until their deaths and maintained the greatest on-screen chemistry ever seen on television. Lucille Ball was a gifted comedian who played her part well, getting into crazy antics every episode, usually based upon trying to getting into Ricky's current show. The show also benefits from the two greatest co-stars ever, Vivian Vance and William Frawley as the Ricardo's landlords/friends Ethel and Fred Mertz. My wife and I still quote and laugh at, "I love you I love you I love you, Sincerely Fred........FRED?!" There are so many memorable moments from this show it could be it's own list.

Those are my top ten shows of all time! I'm sure yours may be different but hey, it's my list after all! ;)

Disneyland trip review, comparison and Top 6 Annoying things you encounter at Disneyland

Just having returned from a wonderful trip to Disneyland I thought I'd share a review of the experience and also touch on some annoying things that you run into while at the park. Disneyland is rightfully named "The Happiest Place on Earth". (Unless you're Ross Gellar, then of course there's another name for it! Luckily, we didn't have any tacos before entering the park! :-P) The atmosphere is absolutely amazing, the cast members are always kind and helpful (for those of you who might read this and haven't been there yet, "Cast Members" are what Disney calls their employees) and the ride experiences are unparalled.

For those of you here in the state of Utah, I will be comparing things to Lagoon. (For those who find this and don't know "Lagoon" it is an amusement park in Farmington, Utah, about 25 minutes north of Salt Lake City) Though in all honesty, a comparison isn't really fair to Lagoon. For starters, Lagoon is only about 1/8th of the size of Disneyland. (Not including California Adventures) Plus, Disneyland is worth every penny you spend at the park, while Lagoon is inflating their prices which makes their park decrease in value every year. Lagoon has emulated Disney in several ways. They have a log flume but it's very basic, nothing real added to it. Splash Mountain trumps the experience by a long shot. I was very sad that Splash Mountain was closed for refurbishment while we were there. They installed a water rapids ride called "Rattlesnake Rapids" which is like "Grizzly River Run" but without the drops, which gives Grizzly the win in comparison. They have the "Rocket" which is similar to the "Maliboomer" that California Adventures had before it made way for "Toy Story Mania". Now it can only compare to "Tower of Terror" and Tower of Terror wins that comparison easily for the darkness, spookiness and the fact it goes up and down. The Rocket makes you choose, go up fast or come down fast, you can't do both.

But that reminds me of another thing I love about Disneyland, they get so into character that it gives a great ambience to the experience that you just don't get anywhere else. On the Tower of Terror, cast members will treat you as "guests" who are staying at the hotel, they don't mention "ride" at all when they're giving the introductions.

Lagoon does have a few roller coaster rides, but California Screamin' can top them all easily. That first blast-off and first dip gives me such a dark feeling in my stomach, it makes me scream in delight everytime! Even Space Mountain can beat all of them, there's nothing like riding a coaster in the dark, not knowing what's coming next!

Another thing I love about Disneyland is that they're not content with leaving everything the same. Five years ago when we were there and we went on Indiana Jones you see Indy after the first turn you make. At that time Indy was pinned inside the door as it was half closed. His sayings are always different. When we went this year he was now on the outside of the door pushing on it like he was trying to shut it. Also noticeable was how Madame Leota inside of the "Haunted Mansion" is sometimes floating in the air, but other times she'll be merely on a pedestal.

Entertainment is also another way Disney goes above and beyond. Lagoon mostly has "Rock U 2 the Top" which is a quite cheesy cover performance of whatever songs are popular at the time. Disneyland has "Fantasmic", "The World of Color" and "Remember...Dreams Come True" fireworks show that are all great and worth the time spent watching them. Even while waiting in lines in Tomorrowland we noticed "Instant Replay" where bands will convene and play cover songs and possibly original songs as well. We didn't find the time to sit and watch it but it was an enjoyable addition to the experience of just being in the park.

Dining is exquisite as well. "Goofy's Kitchen" is a character dining experience. It's a buffet dining experience. The food is quite good for a buffet, normally I've found buffet style food to be quite bland. Overall we decided it was cool to see the characters, but this would be kind of a one-time thing. However, "The Blue Bayou" was a totally awesome experience that we will be making a tradition to go there every time we vacation there. The food was great and the ambience was nice, being inside "Pirates of the Caribbean". We were not treated to unruly shouts as had been reported by other people. We ended up getting seats right next to the water. Seems we did make it into some people's photos as we saw flashes go off in our direction a few times.

I honestly think that Disneyland is like the "Mecca" of America. Everyone owes it to themselves, married, single, kids, no kids, etc. to make a pilgrimage there at least once in their lifetime. We found for us that 3 days is a good amount of time to be at the park. Both parks are massive and you can't hit everything in one day and often 2 will be hard to get everything in as well. It can be considered "pricey" but it's worth every single cent spent on the trip. If you even remotely LIKE Lagoon you owe it to yourself to make it to Disneyland. The next part of this blog I'm going to talk about the 6 most annoying things we noticed about our experience at Disneyland. Normally I do "Top Tens" but I only found six things bothersome about our experience. None of them really took away from the trip, it was still 99% awesome, but I'm still going to touch on these 1% annoyances.

#6---Underdressed Women

I understand that it's southern California and it is quite warm. (On Thursday it got close to, if not above 90 degrees) But you don't have to bare it ALL! I think a classic rule of thumb is: "If you can't bend over without fear of flashing or mooning anybody, then it's probably a good idea NOT to wear it!" (I even saw some who were in danger of flashing/mooning me without even bending over!) Also, I think women who dress like that lose the right to complain about that 46 year-old unshaven man who hasn't blinked while looking in their direction for the past five minutes. You chose to flaunt it, it's attracting attention and you should accept it. Don't like it? Cover yourself up more!

#5---Loud Talking without Thinking

This was kind of annoying on a few fronts. First case was while we were in line to get into the park on Thursday we were ahead of a couple of women. One of them was a teenager and suddenly we hear her state out loud, "I hate men who shave their heads." I didn't turn around but really? I'm sorry, but I have really dark black hair and highly active sweat glands. When I'm in spring-summer weather long hair can absolutely kill me. So obviously I'm going to shave my head so my hair isn't a huge problem to me when I'm in warmer weather. I just had issue with the fact that she probably knew I'd hear it and she'd probably been staring at my head for the past 10 minutes so it's not like she suddenly said it and noticed me.

The next two actually happened in the same experience. We had fastpasses (for people who haven't been to Disneyland, fastpasses can be picked up for certain popular rides to enable you to come back at a later time and go through a shortened line. It's limited to one ride per park at a time so you can't go around collecting them) for Indiana Jones and we were heading there about the same time that Fantasmic had let out so it was a real mad house getting through the crowd. People were heading to the stand-by (aka normal) line and we were on our way to the fastpass line, when about 10 feet away from the cast member checking the fastpasses I hear this guy behind me say loudly, "It sure is nice for people to butt in line!" There was absolutely no real "line" anywhere near us but I'm so non-confrontational that I just stopped and let his party pass us by and go first. We ended up getting some satisfaction that halfway through the line a kid in his party chickened out so they ended up leaving. Then we also ended up having two guys and a girl behind us.

This really wasn't annoying TOWARDS us, but just having to listen to this drabble...... :-P The girl was obviously going with this one guy. He started going off on how "an engagement is a contract and if you break it off you can get your wages garnished because you can get sued for breach of contract." Other things mentioned were that you can get sued for not returning a ring after a broken engagement. She eventually mentioned for him "not to give her a ring." Really? Sounds like you're on the right track to win this girl over dude!!! He also started going on a rant that the "Grizzly Man" was killed because he got high and went out to fight a bear. I can't refute that cause I don't know the exact facts but it just sounded funny.

#4---Quoting Along With The Narration

This only really happened on "The Haunted Mansion" but it still was annoying. Yes, I've ridden it enough and listened to the narration plenty of times on CD and "Visions Fantastic". But that doesn't mean I'm going to quote along with the narrator as he starts his "You'll find that this chamber has no windows and no doors...." segment. If it were my first time ever riding I think it would have taken away from the experience. I really didn't think these teenage kids were that much COOLER for showing off that they had it memorized.

#3---Inattentive Parents

This is high because it's also a pet peeve of mine outside the park as well. The biggest example of this happened in line for "Toy Story Mania". Shortly after entering the line the mother pulled out her iPhone and began pouring over the pictures that had been taken on it, posting to Facebook and text messaging. Her daughter at one point tried to get her attention to which she just got a hurried, "Yes, dear" before the mom returned to her phone. Halfway through the line the father followed suit and got on to his iPhone. Then he got perturbed when his son wanted interaction and whacked him with his foam sword. He took it away and went back to his phone...... I'm sorry, but these types of things are half the problem nowadays. I admit, even I can get carried away by technology, I work with it.

I don't necessarily have children but when I'm with my nieces and nephews I can create experiences and interact with them without the distraction of a cell phone or other technological distractions. I know if we'd been there even with our nieces and nephews we could have just had conversations and joked around with the children in line. It's what my wife and I did in every ride. Not to mention how dangerous being in public with children can be, parenting can be like playing football, it's called "head on a swivel". Whenever I'm in public with my nieces and nephews I keep very close eyes on them and their movements. If I notice they're even in danger of leaving my sight I move to position myself where I can still track them. I think that there could have been times with these parents that their children could have left the line/been yanked out of line and they wouldn't have noticed until it was too late.

Also, am I the only one thinking it's amazing that on EVERY ride and attraction at the park you're reminded to "Please supervise your children." We honestly are constantly reminded of something people should just innately know? Something you accept responsibility to do as soon as that child enters the world? I also have to rant that I find it sad that people find it the right thing to do to allow their children to do whatever they want and then try to claim someone else is responsible if their children get hurt/lost. One example I've heard of is a story that came from the "Alice in Wonderland" ride, where a child squirted out of his seat and jumped out of the ride. The parent held Disneyland responsible and so they put up an extra barrier after the accompanying lawsuit. It was obviously NOT the parent's fault for not watching their own child and allowing them to get out of the ride. (Note the heavy sarcasm)

#2---Inconsiderate People

This is also high on the list because of hating these people in everyday life. I hate that feeling knowing I've intruded or possibly hurt anybody with my actions. But this happens more often than you'd think at Disneyland. Fortunately, we avoided any experiences with the strollers as our fellow Mouse Waiters have mentioned. (Mouse Wait is an app we use on our phone that has a lounge for people to communicate with each other) Apparently people there have been smacked by strollers and treated as the offenders. We never got "hit" but we did have one lady brush past us pushing a stroller at such a high speed. The park can be crowded and it's inevitable that you'll hit people in your comings and goings. Everytime I felt a bump, whether it was my fault or not I made sure I turned and excused myself or apologized. But I was amazed when sometimes if I was standing still and got hit and I'd turn and get the most rotten look. I wasn't the one who initiated the contact, I was just standing there!

Also one time we were in line to ride "Pirates of the Caribbean" and when we got up to wait to board the people before us were boarding. It was obvious that there was a group together, but they weren't going to fit in one row, so one woman was placed on the row ahead of her group. There were only two people in that row, a woman and a man. The woman scooted down and sat down, the guy sat next to her and then put their bags ON THE SEAT next to him, preventing this woman from taking a seat to be on the same ride as her group. She scooted back behind the gates and stammered to her friends who were helpless watching this. The guy knew what he'd done and just looked up at this woman with such a look of indifference. I just could not believe that I saw that.

#1---Line Jumping!!!!

I can't say enough about this one, probably because it happens SO often. I know this isn't just a Disneyland problem, it's a problem in probably every park you go to. This happens in many ways. One time on California Screamin' we got behind some teenage kids who after getting in line wanted to get fastpasses. One of their friends jumped out of line, got all the fastpasses, then used the outside foliage to skip ahead to meet back up with his friends. You can't go get them and THEN get in line? Or then what happened almost everytime on "Toy Story Mania" is that people would just wait near the building and then when they saw their friends they'd jump the chain and join in. Then there are still the "classic" line jumpers who will simply push past you, giving everybody the "excuse me" treatment. One tactic I've heard of happening is the children will meander through the line, crying "Mama? Mama?" making everybody think they're looking for their mother, then they'll abruptly stop. Five or so minutes later their mother will actually appear asking to be allowed up with her children. The two people who reported on this said this happened several times when they were at the park. They said finally when it happened on "Splash Mountain" when the mother came back through they (being of pretty big stature) stood firm and wouldn't let her through. When she became fussy they flatly explained that she was just line jumping. She finally accepted it and called her kids back and they actually left the line.

We even nearly got line jumped in a fastpass line! This teenage kid started bolting ahead of everybody in line at Space Mountain until his buddies called him back.

My main thoughts on line jumpers is: What makes YOU that much more important than anyone else in the park? We all paid good money to be here and most of us are being honest and standing in line. Just because you hate the line means you have to try to get ahead of everybody else? It's just a very selfish thing to do. It's also an inconsiderate thing to do, you're not thinking of anybody else but yourself. It can also combine other things that are found on this list.

It's also mega frustrating when it happens in line for a character. I understand that it can be a rush cause the characters don't stay in place forever. When we saw Donald I was so scared that we might not make it to him in time. Luckily we did but I was not thinking of trying to jump in line just to make sure I got a picture with him. But when we saw Stitch in California Adventures we noticed this happen. He didn't have a cast member with him, which always makes things much harder. When we were about 2 people behind in line there was a family passing by. They all took pictures of him from where we stood but then two of the kids ran back and jumped in line behind us. Now the line to see him wasn't even THAT long, there were probably only about 7 people in line. The mother did not even utter a peep about this to her children although she saw what her kids had done. So not only are they cutting in line, they are being taught this is normal behavior they can get away with.

This is not saying all parents are like I've described. We did see parents who were quick to teach their kids about behaviors. One kid at Goofy's Kitchen placed himself in a picture with Pluto that another parent was trying to get with their child. The parent came up and took him away and apologized and while going away we did hear her telling her son that he couldn't do stuff like that. So please don't think I'm saying everyone I saw at Disneyland was a HORRIBLE parent, there were just some that we had to shake our heads at.......

I think this has possibly been my longest post! If you've been to Disneyland (or any park) and have had similar experiences or anything to add feel free to comment! Also if you have your own experiences from the park itself to share, let us all know!

Top Ten Video Game Theme Songs

After a long hiatus between my first and my second entries, I'm making the third right after the second. I have to give credit to my brother, who gave me the idea for this one. This time I'm listing the top ten video game theme songs. Ground rules for this one are one per franchise and it has to be a theme from an actual game, not music from a music-based game. (IE, Rock Band, Guitar Hero, etc)

#10---Kirby's Dreamland--Level 1

I remember this tune even though I haven't played this game in over a decade. One of the first games I had on the Game Boy and it was very addicting. The first level tune was so catchy I hated passing it half the time. Sadly the rest of the game was fairly forgettable as far as the soundtrack went.

#9---Battletoads--Main Title Theme

I loved the title theme to Battletoads. Even though I'm not really a surfer, this theme made me imagine riding the waves on some sunny beach. I only wish the feeling you got after listening to the title theme for a few minutes wasn't crushed 15 minutes later trying to pass the hover craft part of Level 3!!!

#8---Contra--Energy Zone

This is about where the "one per franchise" rule started becoming VERY hard. Contra is a very fond memory from my childhood. I remember playing this game over and over with my brothers and enjoying all the aspects. The music, the game play, the stealing lives from each other... (It got to the point where we had to lay out a rule you could only steal so many lives) Only my brothers would get it if I said, "me first me first". After much deliberation I decided to go with the Energy Zone level. This one is just so "energetic" (couldn't think of any other word, sorry if it seems redundant.) It also sounds very frantic, if you allow yourself to be controlled by the tempo of the music it can lead to premature and unnecessary deaths!

#7---Donkey Kong Country--Jungle Japes

Another classic game from my childhood. Only bummer that we had to endure was that for some reason our second SNES controller wouldn't operate on this and a couple other games. That meant that we couldn't play as a team, which would have made this game funner. But the soundtrack is still awesome, it was hard to choose a favorite but I have to choose the original jungle tune. I love the beats of the drum and the soft flutes that accompany them. There's also an inside joke if I were to mention also in the running from this game was the theme, "The Burger King Kid's Club, just for kids!" I'm sure everyone aside from my brothers are scratching their heads on that one! ;)

#6---Double Dragon--Mission 1

This one was a toughie as well. I love most of the music from this game, from the title screen all the way to the caves in Mission 3. But I have to choose the Mission 1 music. This is where your journey to rescue your kidnapped girlfriend begins and the music sets the tone perfectly. Heck, this song is so perfect, they re-use it at the end of Mission 3. This is one of those songs that I feel if I ever got up the motivation to learn the guitar, I'd learn how to play this song on it.

#5---Goldeneye--Dam

Yet again, SO hard to decide on just a single theme. I have nearly the complete soundtrack and I had to review it all over again just to single it down to one. The one I think I wanted to put on this list actually came from the multi-player mode, but I wanted to choose a level theme and I chose the dam level. I love the percussion/drum part of it that runs in the background of the level. It's kind of interesting that if you're walking the percussion kind of keeps beat with your walking. When Activision re-made this for the Wii, I was half hoping they'd input the old soundtrack on top of it, but sadly no.

#4---Ducktales--The Moon

It's safe to say that the top 5 became the toughest as far as the "one per franchise" rule mattered. Ducktales was an amazingly awesome game for one based off of a cartoon. I also remember that I beat this game the very first time I played it. But now I try to play it and I need cheats to beat it!!! Nearly every level on this game are soundtrack gold. I have this soundtrack as well. But I have to follow almost everybody else's selection from this game and go with the Moon level. 

#3---Super Mario Bros--Overworld Theme (Multiple games)

Mario games have always had awesome music in my opinion, even oddball games like Mario 2 had memorable music.....choosing just one from the whole series would really be a tough task. But you just can't choose anything other than the original theme song that has become completely hand-in-hand with Mario. You can't really mention Mario to me without this theme song popping into my head, even if you aren't mentioning Nintendo's Mario!

#2---Legend of Zelda--Overworld Theme (Multiple Games)

Like Mario, the Zelda series has been prime with awesome, unforgettable music. From the very first one all the way through the series it hasn't disappointed. Ocarina of Time had a very memorable soundtrack to go with an awesome game. But you have to give the ultimate nod to the tune that started the whole series off. As soon as you turn the game on, it starts playing while telling you the story. (If you give it enough time before hitting start) If I had to choose a VERSION of this song, I'd have to say the Link to the Past version. I think the SNES really brought out a great version of this theme song. The percussion they added in gives it a little bit more "umph".

#1---Mega Man 2--Dr Wily Castle Levels 1 and 2

It was EXTREMELY hard actually putting this at number 1, because I often feel Mario or Zelda deserve the top spot, but this is a song I can just NEVER forget or get out of my head. Mega Man 2 is full of very awesome and moving music. (Except for perhaps Heat Man, that was a pretty blah song.) Bubble Man, Air Man, Flash Man.....this game was just the epitome of cool for me on the NES. But the first two levels of Wily's castle just has a very awesome theme song. So awesome Brentalfloss even created lyrics for it that pretty much sums up what you're up to:

Gotta run gotta run now, gotta run now, run slyly

Gonna get you, Dr Wily

Gotta climb gotta climb now, gotta climb up highly,

I am Mega Man, here's my mega plan: YOU DIE! (Copyright Brentalfloss)

And there are my top ten video game theme songs!!! I may take a bit of a breather now before my next entry. I've just had a bit of time on my hands lately to do these last two.