Top Ten - The Best Minor Characters (Live Action)

I can become quite obsessed with certain television shows and this can lead me to over think a lot of the characters and story lines. The best thing about this is that once you start to really obsess about a show, you discover just how great some of the more subtle elements of the show are. This list is dedicated to the minor characters of television, they are unbelievably necessary to every show and without them, failure would be imminent. Their contribution can be just a single episode or maybe a small recurring role, but the one thing they all have in common is the massive impact they have on the series. So these are my 10 favourite minor characters from the TV shows I watch:

10.     Bernadette Rostenkowski (The Big Bang Theory)

Spontaneously cautious of deadly microbiology, she is too good for Howard but I hope they stay together so that she will continue to be on the show and hang out with Amy & Penny.

9.     Cerie (30 Rock)

Her naiveté gives off a charming innocence. She is at her best when interacting with Liz and assuming she is married with children.

8.   Sunday (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

She was only ever in 1 episode but it had a lasting effect on me. The Freshman is one of my favourite episodes and Buffy is really challenged by her power and attitude - S04E01.

7.     Heather (Mr. Sunshine)

Everyone thinks that she is crazy and they are probably right, but her 'unusual' quirks are what make her so cute, especially when around Ben Donovan.

6.   Margaret Hooper (The West Wing)

She works as Leo's assistant and never graduated to a main character, but she was a constant delight during all seven seasons and her quotes would often upstage the rest of the cast.

5.   Louise Grant (Gilmore Girls)

Originally one of Paris's minions but she was always a lot smarter than she seemed. Her sassy attitude and sharp wit helped separate her from Madeline.

4.   Sally Sparrow (Doctor Who)

Only appeared in 1 episode of the show, but it is maybe the best one they made during the David Tennant era. The Weeping Angels are still one of the scariest things I have ever seen - S03E10.

3.     Julie Powers (Scott Pilgrim)

The ultimate bitch, and that is why I love her. Her involvement in the movie is rather limited but her contribution to the comic series is immense.

2.     Seymour (Burn Notice)

He started off as a crazy gun dealer but as Michael dealt with him more, he really became one of the gang. Only a couple of appearances but they are all genius. Matt Nix needs to bring him back.

1.   Dean Pelton (Community)

Even though the Dean was recently recognized for his contribution to the show and included in the opening title sequence, I still feel he should make this list because of his awesome contribution to Community. He is at his best when flirting with Jeff and his animated movie is such a fucking brilliant tag, it rivals the Spanish rap of season 1.

Top Ten - My Favourite Ships

I can become fairly obsessed with the fandom aspect of the television shows I watch, so it is no surprise that I become quite invested in my own little realities. This is a list of the fictional romances that I ship for relentlessly. Some of them are no surprise to anyone who spends time on the Internet and some of them may perplex even the most devoted fandom followers. My logic behind this list is based simply on instinct, rather than rational thought and plausibility. They are not all conventional but they are all interesting and compelling combinations of characters. I am aware of the fact that there are actually 11 romances in this Top Ten list, but I couldn't be bothered making a new graphic, so here we go:

Margaret Hooper & Bruno Gianelli (The West Wing)

Based entirely around his playful wit and a necklace - S03E20.

John Carter & Lucy Knight (ER)

A blossoming romance that was tragically cut short.

Barney Stinson & Lily Aldrin (How I Met Your Mother)

I would never want to do this to Marshall, but their relationship is too adorable - S02E05.

Draco Malfoy & Hermione Granger (Harry Potter)

No surprise to fandom lovers but this is a much better reality than what actually happened.

Penny & Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)

The most unconventional couple but they are so cute together and have the most unique relationship.

Cindy "Mac" MacKenzie & Logan Echolls (Veronica Mars)

This all started with their flirty banter about their history - S03E16

Sophie Stagner & Michael Westen (Burn Notice)

It might take a few years but the way she looks at him explains it all - S01E03

Eric Northman & Lafayette Reynolds (True Blood)

I enjoy the predator/prey aspect of their bond.

Jess Mariano & Paris Geller (Gilmore Girls)

Their similar intellects and mutual dislike of everyone makes a perfect match - S02E16 

Jeff Winger & Annie Edison (Community)

My happiness depends on this, there is still time! Who could forget the Debate - S01E09

Ainsley Hayes & Sam Seaborn (The West Wing)

As far as I am concerned, this is reality. I believe they are engaged in season 7 and they will be happily married when Sam runs for President one day.

BONUS LEVEL!!!

Scott Pilgrim & Wallace Wells (Scott Pilgrim)

You just unlocked a secret ship! Romance +2. Awesomeness +8. Gay +1,000,000

Top Ten - The Best Live Action Movies

I'm definitely not a critic or a film expert, so hopefully nobody will take this list too seriously. I'm just a (semi) normal human being who is ranking his favourite live action movies for the amusement of a couple of strangers on the Internet. This list is my own creation and is based solely on my own opinion and personal enjoyment of the movie. You will probably notice that pretty much all the movies on this list fall into the genre of Comedy, that just sort of happened. Some of the biggest factors in judging a movie (for me) is how easy it is to watch and how re-watchable it is. I guess those factors are why I tend to lean towards Comedies, rather than Drama or Action (as good as movies like Inception are, they are nearly impossible to re-watch because you already know all the twists and mysteries, which is what the entire movie is based around). So yeah, this is my Top Ten, I hope you enjoy it.

10. GET HIM TO THE GREEK

Jason Segal, Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis were amazing in Forgetting Sarah Marshall but I have always found myself more attracted to the spin-off movie, maybe it is the weak spot I seem to have for Jonah Hill. The rock n roll lifestyle is something that has always fascinated me and Jonah's impersonation of The Mars Volta was the best moment of the movie. I loved getting to see Elizabeth Moss (a member of the brilliant West Wing cast) and I was introduced to Rose Byrne, who I just saw in Bridesmaids and now I cant wait to see what she does next. The movie would've been a lot better without the weird threesome scene. Epic Tom Felton cameo.

9. ZOMBIELAND

The best zombie movie I have ever seen. The light hearted and comedic approach to the apocalypse is reminiscent of the greatest television show ever created, Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin make kick-ass zombie hunters and those rules could really come in handy one day. This movie could be the most helpful tool to survival when the zombies rise up.

8. THE HANGOVER

This movie has delivered some of the best comedic script writing in the 21st century, and the premise of the movie is so simple, it's genius. A group of guys get drugged in Las Vegas at a bachelor party and their world spirals into a vortex of strippers, tigers and lost babies. Alan is pretty much one of the funniest characters ever created, he has so many good lines that I couldn't pick just one to put up here. I really enjoyed the sequel aswell, it was true to itself and is a really good alternative, but the original will always reign supreme.

7. BRING IT ON

This just reminds me of my childhood. I will admit the one of the reasons it is so high on my list is the nostalgia factor. Though the number one reason it is so high is because of the beautiful and talented Eliza Dushku, who is best known for playing the badass, back-up slayer, Faith,  from Buffy The Vampire Slayer. The Classic cheerleader movie that will forever be a thousand times greater than any of the sequels that came after it. Lets not forget how fucking catchy all those cheers and songs were.

6. 17 AGAIN

This is the biggest surprise on my list, with all the hype around the High School Musical franchise and the media's obsession with the Disney kids, I was unsure about how Zac Efron would do in an actual movie. But after watching it, I was really surprised with just how good Zac Efron is in this movie. He is really funny and has great comic timing, he really needs to do more movies like this. Part of the reason for his great performance could've been the due to the guidence of the great Matthew Perry though (It's such a shame that Mr. Sunshine got cancelled, I loved seeing Allison Janney and Portia Doubleday working with Matthew). Also Michelle Trachtenberg is wonderful in it (another cast member from Buffy, surely you are seeing the pattern by now).

5. YES MAN

This is really one of the only films I enjoy Jim Carrey in, he is always so over the top and crazy that it is easy to overdose on his personality in a movie, but I really think he did a great job in this one. The real star of this movie though is the amazing Zooey Deschanel and her faux band Munchausen By Proxy (her real band She & Him is fantastic as well). As a New Zealander, I can't look past the fact that Rhys Darby (Flight Of The Conchords) is constantly stealing scenes away from the big name stars with his fucking awkward yet hilarious lameness. If you really want a laugh, make sure you look up Rhys Darby's stand up. Yeah New Zealand!

4. DATE NIGHT

I just love Tina Fey, so this movie was a no-brainer. From such greatness as 30 Rock and Megamind, Tina Fey was the absolute greatest thing to happen to this movie. She works really fluently with Steve Carell and her influence on this movie really shows. The appearence by Mila Kunis and James Franco is one of the highlights of the movie, they are not in it for long but their charaters/performance really steals the spotlight in this movie.

3. SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD

The Scott Pilgrim comic books are the greatest thing to happen to literature in the 21st century, they speak directly to our modern generation and relate to actual people better than any story. Even though everyone will tell you that the books are better than the movie (and I agree with that statement), the movie is still brilliantly done and is easily the best comic-to-movie adaption that I have ever seen. The movie retains all the quirks and gags that made the comic so unique and successful. With one of the best young casts around and some of the most addictive music you will hear (including the flawless, T. Rex), this movie is fucking genius. And I do still recommend that you read the comics, it is

worth it.

2. DRAG ME TO HELL

As you have probably already become familiar with, I quite like Buffy The Vampire Slayer, so it is no surprise that I am so attracted to this movie. A tale of demons and magic with a beautiful blonde protaganist who can really kick ass when she wants to. I love Black Comedies, and the way this movie manages to intertwine the elements of Horror and Comedy is just brilliant. I couldn't help but find myself getting a fright one minute, bursting out into laughter the next and in some scenes (like the kittens sacrifice and the gypsies funeral) I even experienced a weird combination of the 2. Although I think it is so unfair that all that happened to poor Christine Brown, simply because she denied an old lady an extension on her loan. I mean, it wasn't great what she did but to get dragged to Hell for it is a bit of an over-reaction. I guess the Devil is just petty like that.

1. IN BRUGES

This is easily my favourite movie of all time. The entire movie is brilliant, ever aspect of it. It starts as a pretty Black Comedy and has some of the funniest moments and lines I have ever seen. As the movie progresses, it is revealed that there is actually a lot more to the storyline than what was first let on. The depth of this movie is fantastic, it just keeps peeling away layers and continuing to surprise you with the intracacies of the story. By the end of the movie, it is a wonderfully dark and depressing tale of regret and remorse, it will rip your heart right out of your chest. The way it manages to balance Comedy and Drama is a near impossible achievement that I have only ever witnessed during this movie. It is great to see Colin Farrell speaking in his native tongue and it's that Irish accents that really adds something to the level of comedy in this movie. The greatest Film I have ever seen, it is a must watch for anyone.

Ray: Maybe that's what hell is, the entire rest of eternity spent in fucking Bruges.

Honourable Mentions:

Easy A

Mean Girls

Black Swan

Role Models

and probably a couple of others that I can't think of right now...

Check Out Top Ten - The Best Animated Movies