49 – Funeral
What is it? – Funeral is the debut album from indie rock band Arcade Fire, the album getting its name because many of the band’s members had recently lost family members before the release of the record
Why? – Funeral’s first notes always take me back to one year ago, when I first started writing for this website and had an insatiable drive to get better, to prove something – “I want to be great or nothing” from Little Women was the quote driving me, defining me. And maybe I still haven’t quite reached greatness yet, but Funeral always kicks that motivation back into me, transports me to a time where I was striving to become a reviewer the likes of David Ehrlich or Roger Ebert.
48 – Vespertine
What is it? – Vespertine is the fourth album from Icelandic singer Björk, having a softer, dreamier sound than her previous work
Why? – Vespertine is the most calming album I’ve ever listened to – I often put it on when I’m struggling to fall asleep. This means that I’ve only ever listened through the entire project once or twice, but that speaks to its soothing nature more than anything. Even during my most stressful, sleepless nights, hearing just the first few seconds of the otherworldy sound of “Hidden Place” always manages to subsume my raging emotions and lull me into some peaceful rest.
47 – The Goldfinch
Why? – The Goldfinch is a painting by Carel Fabritius that depicts an European goldfinch chained to a wooden half circle. No, this pick isn’t for the painting, it’s for Donna Tartt’s 2013 novel The Goldfinch, a novel that depicts teenager Theo Decker chained to an underwhelming life, not through any physical barriers, but through a mental passivity that pervades throughout the entire 700 page epic. Is it any wonder, then, that he finds the 13.2” by 9.0” painting so captivating, enough so that he takes it during a massive fire at an art museum? More than anything, The Goldfinch (the book) is a character study of Theo – we spend hundreds of pages with him numb in grief after his mom dies in the very accident that led to his acquisition of The Goldfinch (the painting), we spend hundreds of pages with him while he lives a hedonistic lifestyle in Las Vegas with his bestie, both ending up blackout drunk every night, and we spend hundreds of pages watching him with a woman he doesn’t particularly care about. But his generally miserable life means that he has a pure, unadulterated obsession with the few things that bring him joy in his life – he sets his entire career path to help his mentor figure, he’ll do anything to protect The Goldfinch (again, the painting), and he has an all-consuming, limerent crush on a girl who lives across the Atlantic Ocean and doesn’t actually care for him all that much. And so, an absolutely fascinating character is created, a passive, obsessive, numb teenager who constantly makes decisions that aren’t logical, but always understandable. Yes, your enjoyment of The Goldfinch (the book) largely depends on how much you’re willing to put up with Theo, but if you’re willing to empathize with him a little bit, it’s a shockingly breezy read considering how thick it is – Tartt does the impossible here and creates a future classic that’s literary and accessible.
46 – It’s Such A Beautiful Day
Why? – Anti-intellectual memes captioned something like “Cinephiles when the family wants to watch Spider-Man instead of a mind shatteringly slow burning 4 hour black & white Russian art house drama about a boy discovering his sexuality during his 16 year stay in a Polish boarding school, told through the perspective of a dying squirrel” run rampant on the internet. (Admittedly, the joke is pretty funny.) It’s Such A Beautiful Day sounds like a movie entirely made up to become a part of one of these memes – “Cinephiles when the family wants to watch Spider-Man instead of an animated drama about a man going through extreme mental and physical deterioration learning to appreciate life, becoming immortal and living until the heat death of the universe, until his accomplishments are reduced to nothing in the face of all the stars slowly blinking out, all told through black and white stick figure animation.” But it’s films like these that make you realize that maybe the cinephiles are right – Don Hertzfeldt has a remarkable ability to express intense philosophical ideas through a few lines and some stick figures and It’s Such A Beautiful Day is his magnum opus, taking just over an hour to rewire your brain into accepting that death is what gives life meaning. Sam Raimi could never.
44 (Tie) – Lawrence of Arabia
What is it? – Lawrence of Arabia is a 1962 historical epic loosely based on the real life story of officer T.E. Lawrence, who helped Arab tribes in the Middle East revolt against the Ottoman Empire in WWI.
Why? – Lawrence of Arabia is, essentially, a stripped down Dune. And as much as I do love that series, this allows Lawrence of Arabia more time to tackle the big ideas of Dune, from its exploration to white saviorism to its warning against believing in messianic figures without having to deal with the less interesting aspects of the complex politics and sci-fi world building. I do feel the second half is much worse than the first, partly because maybe the most important scene in the half is censored in most versions of the film, but mostly because the narrative decision surrounding that scene is highly questionable in the first place. Still, it’s a sweeping epic that deserves its status as a masterpiece because the first half is so impeccable – seeing this in theaters during its re-release this year was an absolutely unforgettable experience.
44 (Tie) – Seven Samurai
What is it? – Seven Samurai is a1954 historical epic following the eponymous heroes protecting a town from bandits
Why? – Seven Samurai is the best action film – director Akira Kurosawa takes a simple concept and directs the hell out of it, with the long runtime flying by even for a modern audience with how effectively the script introduces the characters, integrates interactions within and between the groups, and tackles complicated ideas like the cyclical nature of violence and what it means to live honorably.
43 – Dragon Quest V
What is it? – Dragon Quest V is the fifth entry in the long running JRPG series, following the life of the main character through his birth to him raising children of his own. While it was originally released in 1992, it got its first western release in 2009 with a DS remake. This entry is for that DS remake, which updated the graphics and added some quality of life features. Interestingly, the game predates the first generation Pokemon games by several years and is thus one of the first monster collecting type games, alongside early entries in the Megami Tensei series.
Why? – I’m not all that attuned with my Japanese heritage, but playing the Dragon Quest series makes me feel a little more connected with my family’s country of origin, with the series being universally beloved over there. Dragon Quest V has always been my favorite because it has the best story in the series, but also because the “epic tale that spans over multiple generations” part of it is more resonant to me than most people because my wonderful dad introduced me to the series.
41 (Tie) – La La Land
What is it? – La La Land is a musical that follows the tumultuous romance between wannabe actress Mia and wannabe jazz bar owner Sebastian in the dreamy, suffocating streets of Los Angeles
Why? – La La Land is a film about coming to terms with what could be versus what is, about dreams and romance being synonymous and antonymous, about the heartbreaking reality of meeting the right person at the wrong time. I’ve never understood the general sentiment of this being a “feel good” movie, it’s not a particularly happy film- Mia and Sebastian both go through so much shit while pursuing their dreams, with their only comfort in the cruel world being each other for the vast majority of the film. Yes, this creates some staggeringly romantic moments, but the purpose of that is to make that vicious ending hurt so much more. It’s all undeniably powerful and occasionally magical, but still, it makes me wonder what kind of hurt a person has to go through to consider this jagged mess one of their favorites.
41 (Tie) – Mulholland Drive
What is it? – Mulholland Drive is an abstract, artsy film about Hollywood. If you think this is a shitty description, you should watch the film and come up with a better one.
Why? – Mulholland Drive is the inverse of La La Land – while that film captures the outward beauty and allure of Hollywood while showing the intense mental anguish it puts all its dreamers through, Mulholland Drive is primarily about how shitty and farcical Hollywood is, but also about its remarkable ability to create art through its artificiality.
40 – Chrono Trigger
What is it? – Chrono Trigger is a 1995 JRPG following adventurers using time travel to prevent a global catastrophe. This entry is for the DS port, which adds some extra content and some quality of life features and is generally considered the definitive version of the game.
Why? – Chrono Trigger is the platonic ideal of classic JRPGs – the legends behind the other classics, from Dragon Quest to Final Fantasy, came together to create a generational culmination of talent that still holds up as one of the greats even after a few decades of technological advancement.
39 – The Owl House
What is it? – The Owl House is an animated fantasy TV series that ran for 3 seasons from 2020-2023. The show has become well known for its LGBT representation, with it featuring the first gay couple as a leading pair in any Disney property.
Why? – The Owl House is a charming, fun, emotionally resonant show that easily filled the Harry Potter shaped void in many hearts after J.K. Rowling came out as a filthy transphobe. It was done dirty by Disney and had an extremely shortened season three, but other than that, it’s just a consistently engrossing fantasy series.
38 – To Pimp A Butterfly
What is it? – To Pimp A Butterfly is rapper Kendrick Lamar’s third album. While it’s primarily a hip hop album, it uses other styles from the history of African American music, giving it a funkier sound than his previous projects. It’s also an extremely politically charged album, tackling racial inequality in modern day America through the central metaphor of the butterfly, usually a symbol of beauty, being pimped because of the systems working against it
Why? – Yes, To Pimp A Butterfly is a very generic choice here – #1 on music nerd site RYM, a defining album of the 2010s, generally considered one of the best albums ever. But I couldn’t not pick it – this is an English dork’s wet dream, there’s so much to dissect and uncover with the symbolism and metaphors and how all the songs weave into each other. Even beyond that, though, the album just sounds good, it flows so fluidly that the 79 minute runtime absolutely flies by – I will say that my favorite Kendrick song is still “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst” from his previous album, but nearly every song reaches similar heights in To Pimp A Butterfly.
37 – Perfect Blue
What is it? – Perfect Blue is an animated psychological horror film directed by Satoshi Kon following a Japanese idol being stalked by an obsessive fan after leaving her group to pursue an acting career. This movie is known for being an inspiration for Darren Aronofsky’s 2010 critically acclaimed film Black Swan.
Why? – Perfect Blue is my favorite film from the greatest anime director of all time – watching this on a crappy monitor is the most immersed I’ve ever been in a film – the way the movie does as much as possible with its medium to psychologically fuck with you is utterly brilliant. Its exploration of dual identities is also surprisingly prescient for a 90s film – in many ways, it feels like it was specifically made to speak to an audience a couple decades in the future where everyone’s sense of self is more fractured than ever.
36 – Speed Racer
What is it? – Speed Racer is a colorful racing film directed by the Wachowski sisters following the prodigy Speed Racer trying to beat the corrupt officials at the top of the racing world
Why? – Speed Racer is sincere to a fault. It’s a film where the main character (named Speed Racer) says “No more Mr. Nice Guy” unironically, a film where the main family has a pet monkey lurking around, a film that couldn’t possibly have been filmed here on planet Earth. It looks absolutely ridiculous – the Wachowski sisters probably invented new colors just to throw into this mess of a film. From this sincerity, though, comes a brilliant, anti-capitalist look at the impossibility of creating art and choosing to do so anyways. And Speed certainly succeeds in making capital A Art – the final Grand-Prix race is absolutely transcendental.
35 – The Lord of the Rings
What is it? – The Lord of the Rings is a story where Frodo, a hobbit (short, human-esque creature) has to get rid of a piece of jewelry by throwing it in a volcano. This entry can be for either the extended film trilogy or the novel, both are equally excellent in my mind.
Why? – The Lord of the Rings is a universally beloved story because it’s about ordinary people saving the world. Frodo and his companion Sam don’t have any special powers – they make their trek to Mount Doom through sheer perseverance and the power of friendship. Of course, it helps that the book is beautifully written (though, it does occasionally
pull the Tolkien classic of spending a few dozen pages describing a tree) and the films are some of the best produced epics ever. I recently had the pleasure of seeing The Two Towers (extended, of course) in theaters – seeing the Battle of Helm’s Deep in an environment like that was an absolutely sensational experience.
34 – Synecdoche, New York
What is it? – Synecdoche, New York is a film about a theater director attempting to create his magnum opus after receiving a large grant for his previous project
Why? – Synecdoche, New York is the human condition given cinematic form. No, not just elements of the human condition – plenty of films have tackled birth, philosophy, death, suffering, and everything else that composes our universal human experience. The whole human condition. An absurdly foolhardy task at best, but Charlie Kaufman has the audacity to make it actually work. The struggle to create anything meaningful, the way time passes in the blink of an eye and we’re helpless to do anything about it, art is life and life is art, and so much more is covered in a dense two hours. Perhaps it’s too much to stomach for many people – too pretentious, too miserable, too solipsistic. But for those won over by the absurd metanarrative, Synecdoche, New York is a life changing film, convincing people to ask out their crushes, make the art they’ve always wanted to, and generally become better versions of themselves. This isn’t because this is a cinematic equivalent of a sappy self-help book telling you to “be happier” and “think again”, but because it isn’t. Synecdoche, New York is so, so depressing, nihilistic, and bleak, convincing us to be better to not end up like the main character – so lost in his own anxieties and detached from reality that Synecdoche, New York feels like a blooper reel if blooper meant “overwhelming, unalterable, irrevocable life regrets”.
33 – Kaguya Sama Love is War
Why? – Kaguya Sama Love is War is a romcom with a crazy premise – Miyuki Shirogane and Kaguya Shinomiya, president and vice president of the student council respectively, have a massive crush on each other. Unfortunately for them, they’re both too proud to admit it to the other and start to create elaborate scenarios to make the other confess their love. For example, the first chapter follows Kaguya trying to get Miyuki to invite her to the theater. How? Obviously, she fakes a scenario to make the student council secretary think that she won two free tickets in a contest. Unfortunately, the secretary’s parents won’t let her go to the film, considering it inappropriate. This situation is designed to be effective against Miyuki, since he comes from a poor family and can’t pass up anything if it’s free, but the catch is this – the ticket is for a romance film that’s rumored to make any pair that goes to watch it a couple soon afterwards. Essentially, if he asks Kaguya to come with him, it would practically be the same as a love confession, making him lose the “war” the two are having. But what roots the series emotionally is how relatable it ends up becoming – because while the shenanigans the council gets up to are ridiculous, that feeling of overthinking about every little thing your crush is doing is fairly universal. Plus, beneath their antics is a deep vulnerability, with both of them having a deathly fear of rejection from the other. And in the rare moments where they can throw all that away to show affection to each other? Those beautiful flashes are why Love is War is the king of romcoms.
32 – Revue Starlight The Movie
What is it? – Revue Starlight: The Movie is a sequel movie to the Revue Starlight series, which follows sapphic theater girls duking it out in an underground fight club run by a talking giraffe.
Why? – Revue Starlight is the best modern anime. Nothing else has topped its perfect symbiotic relationship of brilliant fight scenes and genuinely touching drama, the two feeding into each other until they both become greater than they ever could be alone. Revue Starlight The Movie, then, takes the immaculate base of the original series and refines it even further – no longer constrained by a weekly release schedule, the setpieces become absolutely bonkers and the movie is able to follow the theater girls graduating high school and their various reactions to that, turning into a theatrical supernova of pent up teenage angst and lesbian pining.
31 – Vagabond
What is it? – Vagabond is a manga very loosely based on the life of famous samurai Miyamoto Musashi. It’s been on indefinite hiatus for nearly a decade now, so most have come to the conclusion that it’ll never get a proper ending. (Though, the author did write an ending chapter for a display in the Ueno Royal Museum in Tokyo if you’re really desperate for closure)
Why? – Vagabond is about a lot of things. Violence, honor, strength, everything you’d expect a long manga about samurais to be about. But more than that, it’s about a philosophy of abandoning hatred and anger to achieve true strength. Miyamoto Musashi wants to become “invincible under the sun”, but what does that really mean? The series is filled with quotes like “All truly strong people are kind”, “Beneath the vastness of these starry heavens, both of us are insignificant”, “All our individual paths – they’ve been preordained by the heavens. And it’s for that very reason that we are free”. The beauty in Vagabond, then, is that it sends you on your own miniature philosophical journey – Musashi and the reader are challenged by dozens of different worldviews throughout the journey, none of which are presented as right or wrong. It’s for this reason that it doesn’t really matter that the series is never going to get an ending – the real ending of Vagabond is how it affects how you go about your everyday life by giving you a more peaceful, zen mindset.
30 – Enter the Gungeon
What is it? – Enter the Gungeon is a roguelike following “Gungeoneers” traveling in procedurally generated dungeons to kill the legendary High Dragun and to “kill their pasts”. Death is permanent in the game and you do lose all your progress, but a successful run is only ~30 minutes long and new weapons are unlocked the more you play the game.
Why? – The first few hours of Enter the Gungeon are brutal – you will die again and again to falling chandeliers and massive boss attacks and exploding barrels and spike traps. But what you’ll eventually realize is that you can use every mechanic in the game to your advantage – you can blow up the enemies with the barrels, crush them with the chandeliers, dodge into bottomless pits while you have items that protect you from fall damage. And when you finally use your mastery of the mechanics to pull off a successful run to beat the High Dragun? It’s an unforgettable, euphoric experience.
29 – The Social Network
What is it? – The Social Network is a biopic about Mark Zuckerberg and his meteoric rise to fame after creating Facebook
Why? – The Social Network is the defining movie of the 2010s, an exploration of the powerful, misogynistic, fallible people who rule the world, but it’s also such a kinetic film, the perfect screenplay immaculately translated to film to create a whirlwind of a character study/courtroom drama.
27 (Tie) – Harakiri
What is it? – Harakiri is a 1962 samurai flick following Hanshiro Tsugumo, a samurai who asks to commit seppuku (suicide by disembowelment) in front of an audience, on the condition that they listen to his story about how he was lead to this point
Why? – The latter half of the twentieth century was a golden age for Japanese samurai films- from Kurosawa’s seminal Seven Samurai to Inagaki’s epic Samurai Trilogy to Kuroda’s monumental Lone Wolf and Cub saga, Japanese audiences had very high quality and a high quantity of samurai entertainment. Yet, out of this golden age, one film is the undisputed king – Harakiri. It’s the highest rated film on letterboxd (film social media) of all time, standing at an extraordinary average of 4.7/5 stars. In a community filled with film buffs and cinephiles, most who have watched it have given it a perfect score. It’s also a universal experience thinking “It can’t be that good” walking into the movie and coming out a changed person for the better. Love, family, and honor – all themes commonly explored in samurai films, but never to the heartbreaking extent that Harakiri does. Aside from that, Harakiri is a large departure from the typical samurai adventure. The bloody battles are few and far between – director Masaki Kobayashi is far more interested in an ideological clash: honor vs human decency. No words I write can do Harakiri justice – it’s so deeply devastating and empathetic that it makes one a better person for having seen it.
27 (Tie) – Come and See
What is it? – Come and See is a 1985 Soviet war film following the young Florya Gayshun being sent to fight with the Resistance against German forces. The director originally wanted the film to be called Kill Hitler, but authorities didn’t allow it at the time, so he settled on Come and See, named after the following Bible verse from the Book of Revelation – “And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, “Come and see!” And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”
Why? – Come and See is the most effective, horrifying anti war film ever made – it’s also free on Youtube, so if you want to have the worst date night of all time, I guess I can’t really do much to stop you
WATCH HERE – YOUTUBE
26 – Station Eleven
What is it? – Station Eleven is a post apocalyptic novel following The Traveling Symphony, a group of people who perform Shakespeare and orchestras “because survival is insufficient”, even in a world where a virus killed off 99% of the population
Why? – Shockingly, this is the first time I’ve properly written about the book that gives this website its name. I’ve tried a few times, but it’s always been elusive because Station Eleven isn’t a story, it’s an ineffable feeling. Because sure, there is a plot, but it’s not particularly interesting or memorable – it’s more a vehicle for the big ideas of Station Eleven. What are these ideas? From the co-opted from Star Trek quote “Survival is insufficient” to the equally powerful “Hell is the absence of the people you long for”, the novel presents a fascinating worldview where the post apocalypse isn’t seen as the end of humanity, but rather a fresh start where we can eschew the menial, pointless habits that make up our daily existence to focus on what really matters. And this is the mindset that has driven the creation of Sufficiency – survival is insufficient, so what is? Now, finally, I have 100 answers to that question, and one of them unquestionably had to be the one that started me off on the journey.