Tribute: Uncle Danny Sundberg

Yesterday my uncle Danny Sundberg died at the age of 80 years old. He had been quite sick for the past few years and this comes as no major shock but always sad to lose a family member. He was the eldest of my dad's 7 siblings, and probably the one I had least memories with. Nonetheless I still always remember him at the family gatherings, parties, weddings, etc. With his wife Jan, he had two daughters, Kim and Susan (the eldest of the cousins). They lived in North Carolina most of my life and we made three trips to visit them. One for Kim's wedding, one for Susan's wedding, and one most recently in 2018 to celebrate his life. By this point it was quite clear that he was going to die soon and it is a very good thing we all got to have one last family gathering in his honor before he died. 

Most the times I saw Uncle Danny he was usually quite reserved and never as outspoken or charismatic as some of the other Sundbergs. He had somewhat of an intimidating affect with his large stature, grey beard, and rather serious personality. He was clearly someone with wealth, intellect, and conservative views. I'm not for sure what his exact career was, but I believe it had to do with business and IT infrastructure. His wife and two daughters were always very friendly, though I also had limited interactions with them. Both of his daughters also had two children apiece, giving him a total of 4 grandchildren. 

For both of his daughters' weddings Uncle Dan reserved cabins for the family in the mid 90s. Susan's came first, maybe around 1995 when I was in 5th grade. I remember we had a very nice cabin to stay at on a large estate near a creek and woods. The wedding was also quite different as it was held outside. I particularly remember a very good rendition of the gospel song "Oh Happy Day". I also remember the reception being held in a barn. I told Kim that night that the next wedding we would celebrate would be hers and she was very shocked and happy to hear that. 

It was maybe a couple years later in 1997 or 1998 that we returned to North Carolina for Kim's wedding to Jose Amigo. I hardly interacted much with Susan's husband, however Jose Amigo was the coolest dude ever to all us cousins. He was an Asian-American photographer and had a very fun party-centric personality. I believe Uncle Dan once again got us a cabin to stay at, and this time the wedding was held in the city of Charlotte. I remember my dad and older family members getting very drunk, while us younger cousins played hacky sack outside near the Carolina Panthers stadium. 

I think I got to know Uncle Danny best when I worked for Carl's autism clinic (The BACA) in 2010. Danny was brought on as the business consultant for the company and was often staying at Carl and Devon's house. Few times I saw him at the clinic or at Carl's house and would have some brief interactions with him. I remember him often going on about his Republican ways yet also sharing interesting family insights. He told me how my dad still owed him around $5000 for investing in his studio album. He also agreed with my idea that there should be a limit on campaign financial contributions. However the advice I most remember from Uncle Danny was that "a failure to plan is a plan to fail". I remember him telling me this at the BACA, and it is a quote that has always stuck with me as my mantra. 

The last time I saw Uncle Danny was in the summer of 2018 when his daughters decided to host a party in his honor. I remember saying hi to him, but my interactions were quite brief and I believe he was already showing signs of frailness at this point. The party was no doubt organized as an effort to celebrate his life as he approached the end. I remember that Friday evening we gathered at Susan's house in the backyard enjoying food, games, and conversation. On Saturday we gathered at a public pool and Uncle Mark had organized the 2nd Enoch Olympics. I performed poorly in the swim event however defended my title for the handstand. It was a very fun day with cousins and family and a nice visit to North Carolina to celebrate Dan's life. May he rest in peace. 

Memories with Uncle Dan

• Providing a quote that has become my mantra; "failure to plan is a plan to fail"
• Telling stories of the Sundberg family, including how my dad owed him money for his studio album
• Talking about his Republican views and telling me that I would make a good Republican
• Agreeing with my idea that there should be a limit on campaign financial contributions
• Giving me a photo of grandpa Enoch sitting on the Hollywood sign at the Sundberg Christmas Party in 2015

Top 50 Christmas Songs

I've been wanting to do this for several years now to capture my favorite Christmas songs. These are the songs I grew up with as kid. They are the songs we hear for a month in December, weather driving in the car, at church, or celebrating the holidays at home with family and friends. They are festive songs yet also religious songs that truly accentuate the reason for the season. I really do enjoy the Christmas season; maybe not so much the present aspect, but most certainly the decorations, movies, traditions, and the musical carols.

I'll say up front there are songs that I enjoyed way more as a kid (like Rudolph or Frost the Snowman) that won't make this ranking. I'll also say there are some songs that have just been overplayed into annoyance, like none other than Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas is You". I hope to fine tune this ranking in later years, and also have a more thorough study on the history and culture of Christmas. But for now here are my favorite Christmas songs that really bring me a sense of nostalgia and happiness. 

Many of the popular Christmas songs have been covered by various musical artists. The most iconic Christmas singers are Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, and Andy Williams. To me these singers capture the nostalgic feeling of Christmas that I grew up with. There are also many modern hits and religious songs that I want to include in this ranking. I'm going to do my best to capture my favorite version of each song. I'll also provide examples of the song's significance where I can. I'm sure there are many popular songs that I have missed, and hope to further update this list in future years. I'll also emphasize that the rankings are not so locked in place, yet are more so my overall top favorites. 

50. Joy to the World

Artist: Nat King Cole

Writer: Isaac Watts (1719)

Recorded Year: 1962

Genre: Religious Hymn

Significance: This is a very simple yet iconic Christmas song that is one of the oldest. Dating back to the 1700s it was written by an English minister, Isaac Watts celebrating Psalms 98:4. It is one of the most covered published Christmas carols since. 

49. Blue Christmas

Artist: Elvis Presley

Writer: Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson (1948)

Recorded Year: 1964

Genre: Rock-n-Roll

48. Little Saint Nick

Artist: The Beach Boys

Writer: Brian Wilson and Mike Love

Recorded Year: 1963

 Genre: Rock-n-Roll

48. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

Artist: Frank Sinatra

Writer: Richard Storrs Willis (1850)

Genre: Religious Hymn

Significance: Another very old, religious, and classical song composed by Richard Storrs Willis. The melody is actually written for a poem of the same name written by Edmund Sears. It is a very beautiful song. 

47. Christmas in the Stars

Artist: Anthony Daniels

Writer: Maury Yeston

Year: 1980

Genre: Pop

Significance: This is a very personal preference for me having grown up obsessed with Star Wars. I believe it was my aunt Gily who bought this Christmas album for my birthday, and I couldn't get enough of it. I remember Philip and I enjoyed every song on this Christmas album, especially this opening song. It later became a tradition to start every Christmas season at Thanksgiving with this album.  

45. Feliz Navided

Artist: Jose Feliciano

Writer: Jose Feliciano

Recorded Year: 1970

Genre: Latin Rock

44. Run Run Rudolph

Artist: Chuck Berry

Writer: Johnny Marks

Recorded Year: 1958

Genre: Rock-n-Roll

43. Jingle Bells

Artist: Frank Sinatra

Writer: James Lord Pierpont (1857)

Recorded Year: 1957

Genre: Pop

Significance: There are many many versions of this old classic American song written by James Lord Pierpont in 1857. It is probably one of the oldest Christmas recordings, dating back to 1889. The version I have included here is the upbeat rendition by Frank Sinatra with the choral spelling out the J-I-N-G-L-E bells. 

42. The Holiday Song

Artist: Andy Williams

Writer: Irving Berling (1942)

Recorded Year: 1963

Genre: Pop

41. This Christmas

Artist: Donny Hathaway

Writer: 1970

Recorded Year: 1970 

Genre: Soul

Significance: Another original song by the soul artist Donny Hathaway. It provides an upbeat R&B version of an African-American man in the Christmas spirit. 

40. The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)

Artist: David Seville

Writer: Ross Bagdasarian

Recorded Year: 1958

Genre: Pop

Significance: Yet another very original Christmas song performed by the popular animated Alvin and the Chipmunks. The trademark of this song is the ridiculously high-pitched notes blended with perfect harmony and melody. 

39. The First Noel

Artist: Frank Sinatra

Writer: William Sandys and Davies Gilbert (1833)

Recorded Year: 1957

Genre: Religious Hymn

Significance: Yet another very old classical song from the Cornish people of the United Kingdom. It has been covered by many artists and remains one of the more iconic Christian songs at Christmas time. 

38. Please Come Home for Christmas

Artist: The Eagles

Writer: Charles Brown (1960)

Recorded Year: 1978

Genre: Rock

37. Caroling, Caroling

Artist: Nat King Cole

Writer: Nat King Cole

Genre: Easy Listening

Recorded Year: 1962

36. Merry Christmas Baby

Artist: Otis Redding

Writer: Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore (1947)

Recorded Year: 1967

Genre: Soul

Significance: Yet another popular soul version of Christmas covered by Chuck Berry and Bruce Springsteen but best performed by the famous Otis Redding. 

35. I Saw Three Ships 

Artist: Nat King Cole

Writer: William Sandys (1833)

Recorded Year: 1962

Genre: Religious Hymn

34. I Saw Momma Kissing Santa Claus

Artist: Jackson 5

Writer: Tommie Conner (1952)

Recorded Year: 1970

Genre: Soul

Significance: Originally recorded by the Ronettes, this covered version by the Jackson 5 has to be the most popular track on their Christmas Album. The album has become a family tradition and was given to me by my friend Sergio. 

33. O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Artist: Lauren Daigle

Writer: John Mason Neale (1861)

Recorded Year: 2016

Genre: Religious Hymn

Significance: This old Christian hymn was translated by John Mason Neale in 1861 pertaining to the biblical passage of Matthew 1:23. It has a very powerful and enigmatic appeal to it and was one of my favorite religious songs, especially since my confirmation name was Emmanuel. This recent cover of the song by Lauren Daigle is my favorite version.

32. There's No Place Like Home for the Holiday

Artist: Perry Como

Writer: Robert Allen and Al Stillman

Recorded Year: 1954 

Genre: Pop

31. Santa Baby

Artist: Eartha Kitt

Writer: Philip Springer

Recorded Year: 1953

Genre: Jazz, Pop

Significance: A somewhat provocative yet playful song of a woman asking Santa for expensive gifts. Their are many versions of this song, sometimes associated to Marilyn Monroe, however this version by Eartha Kitt was the original and most popular version. 

30. Good King Wenceslas

Artist: Bing Crosby

Writer: John Mason Neale (1853)

Recorded Year: 1957 

Genre: Religious Hymn

Significance: Yet another very classical Christian hymn translated by English hymwriter John Mason Neale. This song is especially enjoyable for me as it is a reference to the feast of St. Stephen (which is the day after Christmas). 

29. Jingle Bell Rock

Artist: Bobby Helms

Writer: Bobby Helms

Recorded Year: 1957

Genre: Rock

Significance: The catchy songs screams of 1950s rock-and-roll with it's electronic guitar and sleigh bells. I recognize the song from many iconic Christmas movies such as Jingle All the Way. 

28. Hey Santa!

Artist: Carnie and Wendy Wilson

Writer: The Wilson Sisters

Recorded Year: 1993

Genre: Pop

Significance: This is an example of a modern hit that has infused itself in the popular Christmas tunes. It's an upbeat melody of two women harmonizing and wishing for Santa to bring their baby back on Christmas. 

27. Twelve Days of Christmas

Artist: Bing Crosby

Writer: Frederic Austin (1780)

Recorded Year: 1949

Genre: Pop

Significance: The very old traditional hymn is a reference to the European celebration of the Twelve Days of Christmas also known as the Twelvetide. The song has been reformatted various times and took it's more popular version we know it as today in 1909. It's a playful countdown of presents offered on the 12 days of Christmas. 

26. Baby It's Cold Outside

Artist: Ray Charles, Betty Carter

Writer: Frank Loesser (1944)

Recorded Year: 1962

Genre: Soul, Pop

Significance: Once again a popular song with many versions of a man trying to convince a woman to stay in with him. The song is quite provocative and somewhat controversial for it's hints of sexual harassments yet still considered a very popular Christmas classic. This version by Ray Charles and Betty Carter has the best harmonic melody to it. 

25. Let it Snow

Artist: Dean Martin

Writer: Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn (1945)

Recorded Year: 1959

Genre: Pop

24. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Artist: Judy Garland

Writer: Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane

Recorded Year: 1944

Genre: Easy Listening

Significance: Not long after her fame from Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland introduced one of this very  emotional Christmas songs. The song was originally produced for the film, Meet me in St. Louis, but has since become one of the most iconic of Christmas songs. 

23. Christmas, Baby Please Come Home

Artist: Darlene Love

Writer: Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry

Recorded Year: 1963

Genre: Soul

Significance: This popular R&B song performed by Darlene Love offered something quite unique and original to the Christmas carols. It has a very festive fusion of rock and soul music that can be enjoyed by all. 

22. Someday at Christmas

Artist: Stevie Wonder

Writer: Stevie Wonder

Recorded Year: 1967 

Genre: Soul

Significance: A very powerful, original, and soulful Christmas song by the great Stevie Wonder. The song is loaded with references to equality and justice in a future world. 

21. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Artist: Nat King Cole

Writer: William Hone (1829)

Recorded Year: 1962

Genre: Religious Hymn

Significance: Yet another very old classic religious hymn that dates back as far as 1760. The traditional English melody that we know it as today was composed by William Hone. The song has ever since become a traditional festive song during the Christmas season. 

20. Have a Holly Jolly Christmas

Artist: Burl Ives

Writer: Burl Ives

Recorded Year: 1965

Genre: Rock

Significance: A very catchy rock-n-roll song by the folk artist Burl Ives. While also known for his work on Rudolph the Red-Noised Reindeer, this in my opinion is his real claim to fame. 

19. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Artist: Andy Williams 

Writer: Edward Pola and George Wyle

Recorded Year: 1963

Genre: Pop

18. Silver Bells

Artist: Dean Martin

Writer: Jay Livingston and Ray Evans 

Recorded Year: 1966

Genre: Easy Listening

17. Rocking Around the Christmas Tree

Artist: Brenda Lee

Writer: Johnny Marks

Recorded Year: 1958

Genre: Rock

16. It's Beginning to Look A lot Like Christmas

Artist: Perry Como and the Fontaine Sisters

Writer: Meredith Wilson

Recorded Year: 1951

Genre: Pop

Significance: One of the most iconic Christmas songs for me, I remember fondly as a child. I would almost put this in the overplayed category had it not been for two memories. The first was when I was a kid skipping around church with Jhormy singing this song at the start of Christmas season. The 2nd is that famous line of "mom and dad can't wait for school to start again". 

15. Sleigh Ride

Artist: The Ronettes

Writer: Leroy Anderson (1948)

Recorded Year: 1963

Significance: Once again a catchy song with many version, my preference is the pop version by the Ronettes. This girl group truly embodies the 1960s R&B soul scene with this very upbeat song. 

14. Winter Wonderland

Artist: Darlene Love

Writer: Felix Bernard and Richard Bernhard Smith

Recorded Year: 1963

Genre: Pop

13. Silent Night

Artist: The Temptations

Writer: Franz Xaver Gruber (1818)

Recorded Year: 1980

Genre: Religious Hymn

Significance: This old classical religious hymn dates back to 1818 composed by the German Franz Xaver Gruber. It is a staple of religious songs during Christmas season best performed by choral arrangements. This version by the Temptations is quite different from the original melody but still the same lyrics loaded with the utmost of passion. The harmony and vocal range by this group in this particular song is incredible. 

12. O Christmas Tree

Artist: Aretha Franklin

Writer: Ernst Anshutz  (1824)

Recorded Year: 1992

Genre: Soul, Pop

Significance: This old German song dates back to 1824 first referred to as "A Tannebaum". The song is loaded with powerful religious references that celebrate the meaning for the season. This version by Aretha Franklin is loaded with powerful soul and emotion that truly brings it home. 

11. Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Artist: Bruce Springsteen

Writer: J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillepsie

Recorded Year: 1975

Genre: Rock-n-Roll

Significance: There are many versions of this song and it would very likely fall in my overplayed category had it not been for this version by the boss, Bruce Springsteen. His live rock-n-roll version really gets going and makes for an ideal festive song. 

10. O Come All Ye Faithful

Artist: Celine Dion

Writer: John Francis Wade (1744)

Recorded Year: 1998

Genre: Religious Hymn

Significance: A very old religious hymn acredited to various authors and composers. One of the earliest and most recognizable printed version was that of English hymnist John Grancis Wade in 1744. The song is originally referenced in Latin as "Adeste Fideles" and is an iconic religious hymn during Christmas. This version by Celine Dion is one of my favorites accompanied by a choir she really belts it out as the song builds and builds. 

9. Happy Xmas (War is Over)

Artist: John Lennon

Writer: John Lennon and Yoko Ono

Year: 1971

Genre: Rock-n-Roll

Significance: From Mr. Beatle himself, John Lennon brings home a very powerful message about peace and love in this song. Unlike his former band-mate Paul McCartney's cheesy song about simply having a wonderful Christmas time, John Lennon is challenging the listener in this song. He is asking what have you done to celebrate Christmas and to make it something very worthwhile. 

8. I'll Be Home for Christmas

Artist: Bing Crosby

Writer: Kim Gannon and Walter Kent

Recorded Year: 1943

Genre: Easy Listening

Significance: One of the most iconic and beautiful of Christmas songs by the father of Christmas Carols himself the great Bing Crosby. 

7. Little Drummer Boy

Artist: Harry Simeone Chorale

Writer: Katherine Kennicott Davis (1941)

Recorded Year: 1971

Genre: Easy Listening

Significance: There are so many great versions of this song which is no doubt a credit to it's brilliance. The song is a celebration of percussion at its finest. I enjoy the Jackson 5's version as well as Bing Crosby's multiple versions including his duet with David Bowe "Peace on Earth". For sake of originality I'm going to include the original version by the Harry Simeone Chorale which provides the iconic "Pa-rum-pa-pum-pum" melody and drumline with a full choral backing. 

6. Christmas Canon

Artist: Tran-Siberian Orchestra

Writer: Paul O'Neil and Johann Pachelbel

Recorded Year: 1998

Genre: Classical

Significance: This is a very unique fusion of a song mixing the classical piece of Pachelbel's Canon with lyrics and music by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The song is accompanied by a beautiful children's choral arrangement in which the melody builds and builds as the song progresses. 

5. The Littlest Angel

Artist: Bing Crosby

Writer: Charles Tazewell

Recorded Year: 1962

Genre: Easy Listening

Significance: One of the most beautiful, emotional, religious, soul-wrenching song of them all. It tells the sad story of a young poor boy who is an angel and ashamed of his meager gift he gives to Jesus. However Jesus takes favor with the little boy's gift and thus the star of littlest angel of them all shines brightest at night. This song reminds me of my mom and was always one of her favorite songs. 

4. The Christmas Song

Artist: Nat King Cole 

Writer: Robert Wells and Mel Torme

Recorded Year: 1962

Genre: Easy Listening

Significance: One of the most iconic and beautiful of the easy listening Christmas melodies. There are so many great versions of it, but it's the one by Nat King Cole that really hits home for me. Something about that opening line, about "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" really establish a warm feeling of comfort and nostalgia. 

3. White Christmas 

Artist: Bing Crosby

Writer: Irving Berlin (1942)

Recorded Year: 1942

Genre: Easy Listening

Significance: One of the most popular and iconic of the Christmas melodies sung by the father of Christmas carols himself, Bing Crosby. The song was written by the famous American songwriter Irving Berlin, but first debuted in the 1942 film Holiday Inn. Bing opens with his deep crooning voice and is later accompanied by a full orchestra and choral arrangement. 

2. O Holy Night

Artist: Celine Dion

Writer: Adolphe Adam and Placide Cappeau

Recorded Year: 1843

Genre: Religious Hymn

Significance: The song was originally written as a poem by the French author Placide Cappeau to celebrate the birth of our lord, Jesus Christ. It was later composed into a classical music piece by Adolphe Adam in 1847. It is in my opinion without question the most beautiful religious melody of Christmas. There are so many great versions, however it's Celine Dion's powerful voice that really brings this one home for me. The song builds and builds throughout and she delivers several gut-wrenching long-sustained notes towards the end in beautiful harmony. 

1. Do They Know it's Christmas

Artist: Band-Aid

Writer: Bob Geldof and Midge Ure

Recorded Year: 1989

Genre: Rock-and-Roll, Pop

Significance: This is a personal preference to me and every time I hear it it brings me great joy. It's quite a unique, original, and rather modern song from most Christmas carols. But it drives and builds and has a positive message (on par with John Lennon's song) about being grateful and doing good onto others for Christmas. The song reminds us of everything we have to be grateful for and finishes on a very celebratory message of sharing Christmas cheer with all. I remember blaring this song as a kid in our living room during Christmas time; jumping, dancing, and singing my heart out. 

Game Review: Red Dead Redemption II

Well after a solid two months I am finally wrapping up my gaming experience of Red Dead Redemption II and it was a very enjoyable time. I feel I truly got the most out of it, and put in a total of 72 hours playing the game. The game offered everything I was looking for with a complete free-reign immersion into the Old West. I don't think I've ever played a game so detailed as this, with endless options and things to do. Aside from the main outlaw story, there was an outdoorsmen aspect to this game that really heightened it's quality for me. With all it's features, cutting edge graphics, and exhilarating gameplay I would easily put this in my top ten all time video games. 

The setting is actually a prequel to Red Dead Redemption I set in the 1890s of the Old West. From playing the original game it was made clear that John Marsten use to be a member of a gang. He decided to leave the gang when he was left for dead and later hunted those who betrayed him. This game thus details Marsten's involvement in Dutch van der Linde's gang. However quite surprisingly the main hero of this game is not John Marsten, yet a character named Arthur Morgan. The map is once again a fictional setting, however not quite as much western desert as before. Most of the game play takes place to the east of the western setting included in RD1. The map is massive on par with Breath of the Wild or many of the Assassin's Creed games.

The Story

Having played several of these open-world format games I decided to really take my time with this one and not rush thru the story. It's loaded with great character content and interactions. After all the basis is about a gang of outlaws trying to escape from the law and establish a community. The story begins with this gang escaping high up into the snowy mountains. They had just robbed a bank in Blackwater and needed to clear out for a bit. At this point Arthur Morgan is laid with the first task to locate former gang member John Marsten. He is later discovered barely alive being attacked by a bear (this explains the scars on his face in RD1). From this point the gang takes refuge in the mountain camp where Arthur learns to hunt and track from one of the fellow native American gang members, Charles. 

After some time Dutch convinces the gang to rob a train and relocate to warmer weathers near the towns of Strawberry and Valentine. At this point Arthur Morgan is able to operate freely bringing in resources to the gang's settlement and performing tasks to build wealth. He goes on various missions with Hosea Matthews, Javier Escuella, and Bill Williamson. He helps free one of the gang members, Micah Bell and has an epic drunken escapade with Lenny Summers. He also befriends other gang members such as Saddie Adler (the gunslinger), Josiah Trelawny (the con artist), Leopold Straus (the debtor), Mr. Pearson (the butcher), Rev Swanson (the drunken clergyman), Sean MacGuire (the Irishman), Uncle (the drunkard from RD1), as welll as Abigail and Jack Marsten (the wife and son of John). There are various other minor gang members that Arthur also helps throughout the game. 

The gang has to relocate once again after breaking Micah out from the Valentine prison. They relocate to the hillbilly territory of Lemoyne and settle near the town of Rhodes. Dutch instructs his gang to stay out of trouble and befriend the wealthy families of the territory. The families eventually turn on the gang, leading Dutch to destroy both families in retaliation. They then relocate their camp near the booming city of Saint Denis to recover the kidnapped Jack Marsten. The gang finds a partnership with the city mob boss, Bronte, performing various jobs for him until feeding him to an alligator. Everything goes wrong for the gang however when the attempt to rob a major bank in Saint Dennis. Hosea and Lenny are killed, John is arrested, and the rest of the gang must flee on a boat. 

Dutch, Arthur, Bill, Javier, and Micah crash land on a remote island named Guarma. They are quickly imprisoned by the ruthless plantation owner, but rescued by a group of revolutionaries. The gang offers to help the revolutionaries if they can provide a ship back to America. This is an all out war on a tropical island and quite a change from the previous tasks and gameplay. The gang is able to help defeat the sugar plantation, free the island slaves, and find passage back to America. They are able to regroup with their isolated gang members in the swamplands of Lagras. Arthur disobeys Dutch and teams up with Saddie Adler to break John Marsten out of prison. 

From this point on a distrust begins to grow with Arthur Morgan and Dutch. Furthermore Arthur catches tuberculosis and begins to grow very sick. Knowing he is approaching his death, Arthur begins to act more graciously towards others. He insists that John and Abigail leave the gang and find a better life. Meanwhile Dutch and his new right hand man Micah establish a new partnership with the native tribes of Wapiti. Arthur sees thru Dutch's intentions to help the native people as more of a decoy from the law. The gang continues to dissolve amidst internal conflict and growing paranoia. Arthur however continues to stay loyal and aids Dutch in the robbery of an Army train. However once again this heist goes bad and Dutch abandons Arthur, leaves John for dead, while Abigail is captured by the Pinkerton. 

At this point Arthur is done with Dutch's gang, however still wants to help free Abigail. He teams up with Saddie to assault the Pinkerton's stronghold. They are able to free Abigail and also discover that Micah is a Pinkerton informant. Arthur then returns to the gang's camp to confront Micah and a standoff occurs between Arthur against Dutch, Micah, Javier, and Bill. Out of nowhere Arthur is aided by John who is somehow still alive. Before the gunfight can commence the Pinkertons arrive to bust the camp and everyone disperses. Arthur runs off with John into the mountains to help him escape as he holds off the Pinkertons. As John is able to flee, Micah ambushes Arthur in a final fight. Already weakened by the gunfight and his sickness Arthur eventually succumbs to death. His heroic act is complete however as John has successfully escaped with Abigail and their son.

The epilogue of the story now begins where the game's playable character switches from Arthur to John Marsten. John and Abigail begin to start a new honest life free from crime. John find's work as a ranch hand and quickly gains the favor of the owner as he fights off local bandits. After several years he is able to take a loan from the Blackwater bank and purchase the plot of land at Beecher's Hope. He is later joined by Uncle and Charles to build a ranch on the land. He also reunites with Saddie who shows him her successful endeavor of bounty hunting. In the final task of the game John, Saddie, and Charles set off to kill Micah. In a rather shocking turn of events, Dutch kills Micah before John can and everyone parts ways. John returns to his ranch happily with his wife and son and the main story ends at this point. 

The Gameplay

The format of the game is quite similar to Red Dead 1 with the basic elements of shooting, horseback riding, and western trade. Some new trade elements of this game include a butcher, fur-trapper, barber, and the ability to buy and eat food. New features include the ability to hunt, fish, craft, and cook which are essential in building the character's health and resources. I'll get more into this aspect of the game later. For now I'll focus on the general shooter-up format of the game. As I mentioned in my previous RD1 game review, I normally prefer the sword-and-slash over the shooter-up format and made a rare exception for both of these games. However it made for a very exhilarating new change for me. 

This game has many realistic elements to maintaining your character, your horse, and your supplies. For example the character has not only a health bar, but also a stamina bar and a dead-eye bar. It is encouraged to eat, drink, take medicine, and rest often to revitalize the character. The horse also has a health bar and can only run for so long without any supplements. Even the guns require frequent maintenance and cleaning with oil for more accurate shooting. I found this to be a very realistic addition to the game.    

I found targeting to be a little more difficult in this game, however once again the very valuable tool of Dead Eye is back. This feature slows everything done so the character can get a proper target in the midst of a gunfight. The Dead Eye meter only lasts a few seconds but can easily be restored with various forms of tonic, tobacco, cigarettes, or alcohol. The arsenal in this game offers five types of guns (revolvers, pistols, rifles, repeaters, and shotguns). It also offers various other weapons such as the bow-and-arrow, knives, dynamite, tomahawk, and the classic lasso. Other items include the character's satchel, his binoculars, lamp, fishing rod, mask, and his camping gear. He also has the ability to change outfits and weaponry while mounted on his horse. 

The game has so much to offer in side quests, mini games, and challenges. There are many characters in need of help and assistance that have arching stories. There is also the random stranger in need of help (be it a lost horse, kidnapped friend, or rescuing from bandits). Acts such as this will build your player's honor, while killing or robbing for no reason will bring dishonor. When a dishonorable act is committed the crime will be reported, investigated, and later hunted. At this point there is a red region on the map in which the player must flee from to avoid conflict with the law. Bounties and misdemeanors are a frequent element of this game, and even bumping into a citizen can result in a criminal offense. 

I began to really enjoy the side games and challenges once I had finished the main story. I enjoyed Arthur Morgan but it felt especially fun to be playing once again as John Marsten. I partook in the side games of Poker, Blackjack, Dominoes, and Finger Filet. I explored as much of the map as possible, which surprisingly included some of the western towns in RD1 (such as Armadillo and Thieve's Landing) however these towns were not quite as settled yet. I also got very engaged in the challenges of this game pertaining to Bandit, Explorer, Gambler, Herbalist, Horseman, Hunter, Sharpshooter, Survalist, and Weapons Expert. I achieved about 40 of the 100 various challenges in these categories to be performed within the game.

The Outdoorsmen Aspect

I think it was Assassin's Creed 3 where I first began to enjoy the outdoorsmen feature of games. The character in that game could hunt and trap animals and use them to upgrade his equipment. I'm really not a fan of hunting for sport, but I do enjoy the idea of using it for survival. This feature was also very prevalent in Breath of the Wild and a very important part of the game for Link's survival. He needed to hunt in order to eat and maintain his health. Well in this game, the outdoorsman aspect is not quite as vital as it was in BOTW, however it is very much more detailed. 

Any animal in this game can be studied, tracked, hunted, skinned, stowed, cooked, eaten, or sold. The tracking feature is similar to dead eye where the player can follow the scent and footprints of an animal. The skinning and stowing of each animal's carcass is very detailed, realistic, and graphic in this game. I was furthermore quite impressed to see the hunter's ability to stow the dead carcass on his horse's back. Hunting is not as easy as shooting the animal dead, and has higher benefits for better hunting. A perfect hunt depends on the quality of the animal, yet more-so the right weapon with a clean kill-shot. Some animals required a bow-and-arrow or a varmint rifle to get a clean kill. With a clean kill you can sell or craft the animal pelts for clothing and equipment gear upgrades. 

Aside from hunting, the player also has the ability to collect plants and herbs. These herbs can be used as food or medicine and are ideal for crafting. In order to craft a certain recipe the player must obtain a recipe pamphlet and can learn to craft medicines or weapons such as a horse stimulant or a poisonous arrow. He can also cook coffee or his hunted game that will quickly restore health. In order to craft the player must be near a fire or at his campsite. Also at the campsite the player can sleep or fast travel to another location. 

There is also the ability to fish in this game which on par with the rest of the game is also very detailed. There is a variety of bait and lures that correspond with the type of fish and the type of water. The player can cast from along a shoreline or a small boat in the midst of the water. Once the proper bait is secured it's a matter of casting, hooking, and reeling the fish in. Just like normal fishing this takes patience but also precision. There are about 15 different species of fish in this game ranging from pickerel, salmon, perch, trout, and bass. The fish can be stowed and cooked just like the hunting game meat. It is as a great resource to revitalize the player's health.  

Historical Study: The Pinkerton Detective Agency

Continuing with my Old West phase, I want to turn my attention away from the outlaws and towards those who hunted them. Aside from the local lawman and county officials, perhaps the biggest enemy of the western outlaw was the Pinkterton Detective Agency. I have often heard of the Pinkerton Agency as the enemies of the labor unions during the early 1900s. They were basically the bought-out police force of big business interest. However their role goes further back than that and the agency really got started during the Civil War hunting gangs and train robbers. 

This organization was founded by Allan Pinkerton in 1850 established as a private police force. They provided security, espionage, counterintelligence, and investigative services. This agency was the pre-cursor to the FBI, and during the 1870s-1890s were under contract with the government. In this post I want to give a brief summary of their rise to existence and some of their most notable cases. I should also note that the Pinkerton detective agency is still in operation to this day as a private detective corporation. 

Allan Pinkerton

The famous detective organization was founded in Chicago by a Scottish immigrant named Allan Pinkerton. Pinkerton immigrated from Scotland to Illinois in 1842 and quickly took on a career in crime-fighting. His big break came when he exposed a group of counterfeiters to the local Chicago authorities. By 1849 Pinkerton became the first police detective of Chicago and worked with some attorneys to establish an agency within the police force. Within a year this agency grew to become a national operation known as the Pinkerton Detective agency. They were solving crimes all across the midwestern region, most of which were train robberies. 

By the mid 1850s Pinkerton had partnered with many major railroad businesses to protect their services. He was working with prominent businessmen and politicians such as George McClellan and Abraham Lincoln. Allan Pinkerton was also a firm abolitionist and sided against the south during the rising tension over slavery. He even supported John Brown's infamous raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859, however did not publicly get involved with the failed uprising. 

Union Intelligence Service during Civil War

At the outbreak of the Civil War, Pinkerton was appointed as head of the Union Intelligence Service. This organization secretly sought out information just like with Washington's Culver Ring spy-network during the American Revolution. Perhaps Pinkerton's biggest contribution during the war was uncovering an assassination plot on recently elected President Lincoln. It what was known as the Baltimore Plot of 1861 in which Pinkerton provided security and safe passage for the president thru Baltimore. From that point on the president was always protected by Pinkerton guards in what could be considered the predecessor to the Secret Service that was founded in 1865.

Aside from their role in protecting the president, the Pinkerton agency also provided espionage services by infiltrating the Confederate ranks. Allan Pinkerton himself partook in various undercover operations in the Deep South and was discovered and nearly killed in Memphis 1861. His agency also provided counterintelligence as a tactic to protect against infiltration from Confederate spies. Pinkerton later relinquished his post during the war to Lafayette Baker. Meanwhile however he continued to focus on his crime solving and after the Civil war. At this point they took on the identity of the eyeball that "never sleeps". The Pinkerton detective agency really rose to prominence in stomping out Confederate insurgents.

Hunting Outlaws in the West

Perhaps the pinnacle of the Pinkertons' fame came in hunting the infamous outlaws of the west. Following the Civil War and the boom of the west, lawlessness became the norm which gave way to the rise of gangs. Since many of these gangs were often migrating and changing their location it required a federal force to hunt them. As a proud northern abolitionist, Allan Pinkerton took the rise of these outlaws personally and considered them Confederate terrorists. Throughout the 1870s-1880s the Pinkerton agency was hired by businessmen and government officials alike to hunt and track well-known gangs. This included the Jesse-James/Younger gang, the Reno gang, and the Wild Bunch of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid. The Pinkertons were successful in most of their endeavors however also lost many of their detectives in gunfights against the outlaws.

The Pinkerton agency was essentially an organization of bounty hunters during this period. However aside from their contracts paid out by banks and railroad companies they were also funded by the government. In 1871 the newly formed Department of Justice acquired the Pinkerton agency as their  secret police force until it was defunded under the anti-Pinkerton act in 1893. During this period the Pinkerton agency operated as the predecessor to what would become the Bureau of Investigation in 1908 and later J. Edgar Hoover's Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1933.  

Fight Against Labor Unions

I'd say my first understanding of the Pinkertons was as the hired police force that squashed labor union assemblies. Following the Industrial Age a new movement of labor rights swept the world, influenced by political theorists such as Karl Marx. By the 1870s labor unions had become common-place in most major American manufacturing companies. These organized work-forces demanded better pay and benefits which severely put them at odds with their employers. So naturally there were many disputes and strikes that occurred especially during the Gilded Age of the 1880s-1900s. The Pinkerton agency was quite often hired by big business owners to help squash these labor strikes. 

One of the Pinkerton's earliest involvements against labor unions came against the Molly Maguires in the 1870s. This was an organization of Irish-American coal-miners working for the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company. One of the Pinkerton agents infiltrated the organization and played a vital part in dismantling the group. Perhaps the most infamous of Pinkerton-labor union standoffs came at the Homestead Strike of 1892. This strike occurred at Carnegie Steel's facility in Pittsburg under the management of Henry Clay Frick, where 16 people died in a gunfight. Throughout the 1870s-1890s the Pinkerton agency was involved in over 70 other labor disputes (such as the Pullman Strike of 1894). It's also worth noting that Allen Pinkerton died in 1884 and as a Scottish immigrant may not have supported this union-busting approach his company had taken. 

Other Misc Cases

With the onset of the Anti-Pinkerton Act in 1893 the government could no longer hire private detective agencies and this certainly took away some of the organizations power. Nonetheless the Pinkerton agency continued it's work into the new century as the top private-eye organization. They were also very much involved in union-busting especially during the First Red Scare against communism and anarchism. However much of their espionage and investigative business was swallowed up at this point by the newly developed FBI. 

Aside from their involvement in the Civil War, hunting of western outlaws, and busting labor unions the Pinkerton agency partook in many other legendary cases. Some worth mentioning here is their discovery of Marm Mandelbaum's underworld crime empire in New York City 1884. In 1890 they did investigation work at Indiana University to help unveil an underground student newspaper using profane language against faculty. They also worked with the police to help expose the serial killer H. H. Holmes in 1894. In 1905 Pinkerton agent James McParland's investigated the assassination of Governor Steunenberg of Idaho in 1905. He was able to discover that the assassination was coordinated by the Western Federation of Miners. 

By around the 1930s the Pinkerton Agency had lost much of it's national business and were mostly handling private security contracts. The agency was eventually bought out by the Swedish security company Securitas AB in 1999. The company has sense relocated it's headquarters from Chicago to Ann Arbor, Michigan as a division of Securitas AB. Around this time the agency removed "Detective" from their company title and today are known simply as Pinkerton. Most of their private cases today pertain to threat intelligence, risk management, executive protection, and shooter response. So while the company still exists it no longer is at the driving seat of history as it once was during the Gilded Age. 

Top 10 Movie Franchises

Ever since Star Wars came out with it's trilogy, it seems the staple for successful blockbuster films is to release sequels (or prequels or spin-offs). The standard is often a 3 movie trilogy however there are also many examples of movies that have exceeded the trilogy format. In this post I simply want to rank my favorite movie series and franchises. These are mostly fictional universes that have been created in film or books, and are extended over multiple great movies. What they may lack in dramatic/cinematic quality they make up in creative/special effect quality. I'm a big fan of the fiction/fantasy genre, and many of these blockbuster action movies have become iconic film franchises and are some of my all time favorite movies. 

Honorable Mention

Oceans Eleven

• Movies: (3 movies)
• Oceans Eleven (2001)
• Oceans Twelve (2004)
• Oceans Thirteen (2007)
• Universe: Present day Las Vegas and Europe
• Heroes: Danny Ocean, Rusty Ryan, Linus Caldwell
• Villains: Terry Benedict, Francois Toulour (Night-Fox), Willy Bank
• Premise: Set in modern day Las Vegas, this movie series pertaining to professional con-artists is the epitome of cool. With it's all-star cast of George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Julia Roberts the movie is loaded with top quality dialogue and dramatic scenes. Oceans' team of thieves are not your typical villains, yet rather presented as anti-heroes in this series. They are stealing from ruthless casino owners and competitors. It's their heist-planning and suave tactics that make this such an entertaining film series. 

Thor 

• Movies: (4 movies)
• Thor (2011) 
• Thor: The Dark World (2013)
• Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
• Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) 
• Universe: Marvel Universe (Asgard) 
• Heroes: Thor
• Villains: Loki, Dark Elves, Hela
• Premise: This is one of my favorites of the Marvel Superhero films, mostly because it pertains to Norse Mythology. This character of Thor is a modernized version of the mythological Norse god who journeys to earth to help humanity. The son of Odin, Thor is often at odds with his mischievous brother, Loki. Thor later helps establish the Avengers superhero team based on earth. Thor is a very powerful hero with super strength and his iconic hammer of mjolnir. However the character is also presented as very egotistical, dim-witted, and very humorous. 

Spiderman

• 
  Movies: (8 movies; 3 different series)
• Spiderman (2002)
• Spiderman 2 (2004)
• Spiderman 3 (2007)
• The Amazing Spiderman (2012)
• The Amazing Spiderman 2 (2014)
• Spiderman: Homecoming (2017)
• Spiderman: Far From Home (2019)
• Spiderman: No Way Home (2021)
• Universe: Marvel Universe (New York City present day) 
• Heroes: Spiderman
• Villains: Green Goblin, Dr. Octopus, Sandman, Venom, The Lizard, Electro, The Vulture, Mysterio
• Premise: In present day New York City, a young teenage nerd named Peter Parker is bitten by a very unique spider that gives him superpowers. He has the ability to shoot web from his hands, climb buildings, and very fast reactions thus becomes the superhero known as Spiderman. The first trilogy was my favorite with Tobey Maguire. The 2nd series I didn't care so much for with Andrew Garfield. The third series with Tom Holland merged the character into the ongoing Marvel Series, and was loaded with great action yet also great humor. Spiderman is one of my favorites of the Marvel heroes much thanks to these movies. 

Pirates of the Caribbean

• Movies: (5 movies)
  
• The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
• Dead Man's Chest (2006)
• At Worlds Ends (2007)
• On Stranger Tides (2011)
• Dead Men Tell No Lies (2017)
• Universe: Set during the 1720s (The Golden Age of Piracy) 
• Heroes: Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swanson
• Villains: Captain Barbossa, Davy Jones, Blackbeard, Captain Salazar  
• Premise: Set during the Golden Age of Piracy this series is without question the most iconic of pirate films. Just as with Oceans Eleven it once again pertains to antiheroes (semi-villains) who are at odds against even worse villains. The first movie is by far the best of the 5 and really set the bar for the famous character of Jack Sparrow and his ship known as the Black Pearl. The sequels were overly complicated yet still very fun and entertaining. The series is loaded with great humor, characters, action, musical composition, and special effects. 

Rocky

• Movies: (6 movies)
  
• Rocky (1976)
• Rocky II (1979)
• Rocky III (1982)
• Rocky IV (1985)
• Rocky V (1990)
• Rocky Balboa (2006)
• Universe: Present day Philadelphia 
• Heroes: Rocky Balboa
• Villains: Apollo Creed, James Clubber Lang, Ivan Drago
• Premise: One of the best sports film series of all time, Rocky is the epitome of the underdog story. It pertains to a down-and-out/small-time boxer in Philadelphia who is able to seize his chance at glory in facing the heavyweight champion Apollo Creed. Thru the training of Mickey Goldmill and his courtship of Adrian, Rocky is able to reach the pinnacle of boxing by defeating Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang, and an epic fight against the Soviet Champion Ivan Drago. The four movies are all very entertaining sports drama, while part 5 and 6 don't quite compare. The movie series also provided an incredible musical score and soundtrack, with it's iconic song "Eye of the Tiger". 

Top Ten

10. The Avengers

• Movies: (4 movies)
  
• The Avengers (2012)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
• Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
• Avengers: Endgame (2019)
• Universe: Marvel Universe (Earth and Space)
• Heroes: Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye
• Villains: Loki, Ultron, Thanos
• Premise: The culmination of the many Marvel superhero movies are best presented in these four grand-scale blockbusters. While each of these heroes have their own film series, it is in this epic series that they all come together. The movies are loaded with an all-star cast, humor, action, iconic music, and great special effects. The team of superheroes continues to grow throughout the series, and by the final film of Endgame they have amassed a total of 36 superheroes. While I was not a fan of the final plot in Endgame (in which they resolved everything by going back in time), the final battle of the series was top notch epic movie drama. The scale of action and special effects in these films are up there with Star Wars and Lord of the Rings and should come as no surprise that it was the most expensive movies ever made (also the most profitable). 

9. Indiana Jones

• Movies: (4 movies)
  
• Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
• Temple of Doom (1984)
• The Last Crusade (1989)
• Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
• Universe: 1930s-1940s
• Heroes: Indiana Jones
• Villains: Mola Ram, Walter Donovan, Rene Belloq  
• Premise: Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg teamed-up to create this iconic adventure hero. Indiana Jones is a charming archeology professor who travels the world searching for ancient treasures. He is best represented with his brown leather jacket, fedora hat, satchel, and bullwhip. In each of the films he does battle with the Nazis and Soviet communists of the 1930s-1940s as he searches for ancient relics such as the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail. This film series is loaded with historical references, great action, and a very iconic musical score composed by the great John Williams. 

8. The Matrix

• Movies: (4 movies)
  
• The Matrix (1999)
• The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
• The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
• The Matrix Resurrections (2021)
• Universe: Virtual world known as the Matrix
• Heroes: Neo, Trinity, Morpheus
• Villains: Agent Smith
• Premise: Set in a futuristic world where artificial intelligent machines have conquered humanity. The machines however have not eliminated humans, yet rather fertilize them as a means of energy source. Humans thus dwell in chamber fields in a state of simulated reality which is known as the Matrix. However there are some humans who have managed to escape this virtual reality and fight against their machine oppressors. Morpheus and Trinity help liberate Neo who leads a war against the machines. The 3 films are loaded with great sci-fi action, fighting, car chases, and special effects. Perhaps the most iconic feature of this film was the slow-motion camera sequences in which Neo performs incredible martial art tactics. Although I was somewhat disappointed with the 3rd film and it's ending, the trilogy was very entertaining with an original premise. 

7. James Bond

• Movies: (25 movies)
  
• Dr. No (1962)
• From Russia with Love (1963)
• Goldfinger (1964)
• Thunderball (1965)
• You Only Live Twice (1967)
• On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
• Diamonds are Forever (1971)
• Live and Let Die (1973)
• The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
• The Spy who Loved Me (1977)
• Moonraker (1979)
• For Your Eyes Only (1981)
• Octopussy (1983)
• A View to Kill (1985)
• The Living Daylights (1987)
• License to Kill (1989)
• GoldenEye (1995)
• Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
• The World is Not Enough (1999)
• Die Another Day (2002)
• Casino Royale (2006)
• Quantam of Solace (2008)
• Skyfall (2012)
• Spectre (2015)
• No Time to Die (2021)
• Universe: Britain and various other locations 
• Heroes: James Bond
• Villains: Goldfinger, Jaws, Oddjob, Ernst Blofeld, Dr. No, Francisco Scaramanga, Le Chiffre
• Premise: One of the longest standing movie series, James Bond is the epitome of the suave sophisticated killers. He works for the British Secret Service and has the charm to match his fighting skills. Known as agent 007, James Bond is an iconic character who enjoys martinis, driving Aston Martins, gambling, and hooking up with beautiful models (known as "Bond girls). The 25 films have undergone 6 different actors in the title role starting with Sean Connery (6 films), George Lazenby (1 film), Roger Moore (7 films), Timothy Dalton (2 films), Pierce Brosnan (4 films), and Daniel Craig (5 films). Sean Connery provides the best most classic portrayal of James Bond, however Daniel Craig has provided a more modern-day physical portrayal. The movie series is loaded with iconic villains, weapons, gadgetry, love interests, musical composition, and exhilarating action. 

6. The Godfather

• Movies: (3 movies)
  
• The Godfather (1972)
• The Godfather II (1974)
• The Godfather III (1990)
• Universe: 1945 New York City, 1901 New York City, 1979 New York City
• Heroes: Michael Corleone, Vito Corleone, Sonny, Tom Hagen
• Villains: Sollozzo, Hyman Roth 
• Premise: Francis Ford Coppola directed two of the greatest films of all time here, and this trilogy may be ranked higher for me if the 3rd movie was a little better. The premise pertains yet again to anti-hero villains taking on worse villains in the world of organized crime. The film series is unique from all the other iconic movie franchises on this list, in that it is not a blockbuster action movie yet rather an epic drama. It pertains to the fictional Corleone family and their ascension to becoming one of the strongest mafia families in New York City. The series is loaded with top quality acting, dialogue and a very iconic musical score composed by Nino Rota. It has an all star cast in it from Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Michael Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, John Cazale, Talia Shire, and Andy Garcia. 

5. The Dark Knight Series

• Movies: (3 movies)
  
• Batman Begins (2005)
• The Dark Knight (2008)
• The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
• Universe: Gotham City
• Heroes: Batman
• Villains: Ra's al Ghul, Scarecrow, The Joker, Two-Face, Bane, Catwoman
• Premise: This series directed by Christopher Nolan was a complete reboot of the previous 4 films directed by Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher. Christian Bale takes on the title role as Batman in this much darker adaptation of the popular comic series. These films were unlike most superhero movies and rather presented a more realistic world of criminals. Of all the three films, none of the heroes or villains had any real superpowers. Perhaps what made these films so popular were the psychotic portrayal of the villains, especially The Joker (played by Heath Ledger) and Bane (played by Tom Hardy). It is believed that Heath Ledger dedicated himself so much to the lunatic portrayal of the Joker, that it cost his life in an overdose (he posthumously won the Oscar for this role). Aside from the complex villains, Batman is portrayed as a much more physical hero that previous versions where he relies more on his weaponry. Each of the stories in these films are top quality, with great acting, great action, great music, and great settings. 

4. Back to the Future

• Movies: (3 movies)
  
• Back to the Future (1985)
• Back to the Future II (1989)
• Back to the Future III (1990)
• Universe: Fictional town of Hill Valley, California presented in 1885, 1955, 1985, and 2015.
• Heroes: Marty McFly, Doc Emmitt Brown
• Villains: Biff Tanen
• Premise: This was a great sci-fi story pertaining to time-travel and loaded with so much interlaced content. Beginning in 1985, Doc Emmitt Brown invents a time-traveling machine with a flux capacitor within a Delorean vehicle. He has a strange association with the teenager Marty McFly who accidently drives the car back into time in 1955. From this point on Marty must re-unite with the much younger Doc Emmit Brown to return to his present day. Each event within the movie however further complicates the timeline. In the later movies Marty travels to the future of 2015 to help his children and later to the past of 1885 to save Doc Brown. The movie is loaded with reoccurring themes and catch-phrases and is arguably one of the most complete trilogies ever. It is the type of movie you can watch again and again and pick up on some new reference. Aside from it's great dramatic story, the movie offers one of the most iconic movie scores composed yet again by Alan Silvestri. 

3. Harry Potter

• Movies: (8 movies)
  
• Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone (2001)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
• Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- Part 1 (2010)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- Part 2 (2011)
• Universe: Wizarding World
• Heroes: Harry Potter, Hermoine Grainger, Ron Weasley, Dumbeldore
• Villains: Voldemort
• Premise: This fictional universe created by author JK Rowling pertains to a secret magical world of witches and wizards, living in secrecy among regular human beings (known as muggles). The hero of this great fictional story is the young Harry Potter, whose parents were savagely killed by the wicked Voldemort. Harry Potter enrolls in Hogwarts the school of magic, where he befriends Hagrid the groundskeeper, as well as classmates Hermoine Grainger and Ron Weasley. Together they stand up to the return of the dark lord Voldermort and his many evil followers. Each movie gets darker and more mature as the story progresses. What made these films so special for me was that I read each of the books before the movie was released. The movie is loaded with great creativity, special effects, humor, drama, action, music, and settings. It has become an annual watch for me usually around fall time. 

2. Lord of the Rings

• Movies: (6 movies)
  
• The Fellowship of the Rings (2001)
• The Two Towers (2002)
• The Return of the King (2003)
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
• The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
• Universe: Middle Earth
• Heroes: Frodo Baggins, Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Samwise Gamgee
• Villains: Sauron, Saruman, Gollum
• Premise: From the classic fantasy writings of JR Tolkien, comes this great epic film series directed by Peter Jackson. The filming is grand scale, with vast elaborate settings throughout Middle Earth such as The Shire, Gondor, Mordor, Rivendale, Lothlorien, Rohan, Isengard, and Minis Tirath. The acting is top notch with an all star cast of heroes and villains. The writing is downright poetry much ado to JR Tolkein's creation yet perfectly adapted to the screen. The special effects are groundbreaking, depicting trolls, dragons, and the infamous creature known as Gollum. The score by Howard Shore is also one of the best of all movie scores, with great songs by Enya and Annie Lennox. This is a movie series I watch annually usually around wintertime or New Years. 

1. Star Wars

• Movies: (11 movies)
  
• A New Hope (1977)
• Empire Strikes Back (1981)
• Return of the Jedi (1983)
• The Phantom Menace (1999)
• Attack of the Clones (2002)
• Revenge of the Sith (2005)
• The Force Awakens (2015)
• Rogue One (2016)
• The Last Jedi (2017)
• Solo (2018)
• The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
• Universe: Star Wars Universe
• Heroes: Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Rey
• Villains: Darth Vader, The Emperor, Kylo Ren
• Premise: George Lucas' epic space opera has without question become the most famous and popular of all fictional universes. This movie series first introduced in 1977 with it's groundbreaking special effects has snowballed into a multimedia pop-culture phenomenon. It's reach far exceeds the string of 11 movies, branching off into books, television shows, merchandise, games, and even theme parks. Disney has further expanded the universe with many more projects to come both on the film screen and on the television screen. These films were my favorite growing up as a kid and to this day always strike a warm nostalgic feeling when I watch anything that has to do with Star Wars. Although they do not compare to the artistic quality of Lord of the Rings; the action, characters music, and special effects of Star Wars are superior. Furthermore it has a much vaster universe of content, rivaled only by the Marvel superhero universe. Star Wars is one of the most profitable movie franchise of all time and in my opinion one of the most iconic.