entertainment
Updated April 16, 2026
Best Books
Books I've read and ranked by personal preference.
Eiji Yoshikawa — 970 pages, ~20h. Historical Fiction / Philosophy. The epic tale of Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's legendary swordsman. A profound journey of self-discovery, strategy, and the pursuit of perfection.
Fyodor Dostoevsky — 671 pages, ~16h. Psychological Fiction / Crime. Raskolnikov's internal torment after committing murder becomes a deep exploration of guilt, morality, and redemption.
Mikhail Bulgakov — 384 pages, ~12h. Magical Realism / Satire. The Devil visits Soviet Moscow, throwing the city into chaos while telling the story of Pontius Pilate and Jesus.
Jane Austen — 432 pages, ~10h. Romance / Social Commentary. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy's relationship as a timeless exploration of class, marriage, and personal growth.
Koushun Takami — 624 pages, ~14h. Dystopian / Thriller. Japanese students forced to fight to the death on a deserted island. A brutal examination of human nature under extreme pressure.
J.R.R. Tolkien — 1,216 pages, ~25h. Fantasy / Epic. The definitive fantasy epic of hobbits, wizards, and the battle between good and evil.
Fyodor Dostoevsky — 824 pages, ~20h. Philosophical Fiction / Family Drama. Three brothers and their father's murder become a canvas for exploring faith, doubt, reason, and the existence of God.
Miguel de Cervantes — 1,072 pages, ~22h. Satire / Adventure. The deluded nobleman who thinks he's a knight-errant and his pragmatic squire Sancho Panza. The first modern novel.
Agatha Christie — 272 pages, ~6h. Mystery / Thriller. Ten strangers on an island, dying one by one according to a sinister nursery rhyme.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Mark Twain — 366 pages, ~9h. Adventure / Social Commentary. Huck and Jim's journey down the Mississippi River becomes a powerful critique of slavery and American society.
Homer — 541 pages, ~12h. Epic Poetry / Mythology. Odysseus's ten-year journey home from the Trojan War. The foundation of Western literature.
Herman Melville — 635 pages, ~16h. Adventure / Philosophical Fiction. Captain Ahab's obsessive hunt for the white whale. Brilliant but demanding.
Leo Tolstoy — 1,225 pages, ~32h. Historical Fiction / Philosophy. Napoleon's invasion of Russia seen through multiple aristocratic families. Monumental but overwhelming.
entertainment
Updated April 16, 2026
Best Movies
Movies I've ranked by personal preference.
2001 — Brian Helgeland — 132 min. Adventure / Comedy / Musical. A medieval peasant with a gift for jousting poses as a knight. A glorious anachronistic rock musical with Heath Ledger's star-making performance.
2001 — Steven Soderbergh — 116 min. Heist / Crime / Comedy. Danny Ocean and his eleven accomplices plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously. The epitome of cool.
2008 — Peyton Reed — 104 min. Comedy / Romance. Carl Allen's life changes when he says 'yes' to everything. Jim Carrey returns to form with surprising heart.
2008 — Jon Favreau — 126 min. Superhero / Action / Sci-Fi. Tony Stark builds a high-tech suit and becomes Iron Man. The film that launched the MCU and RDJ's comeback.
2019 — Guy Ritchie — 113 min. Crime / Comedy / Thriller. An American drug lord tries to sell his marijuana empire in London. Guy Ritchie's signature style with rapid-fire dialogue.
2009 — Quentin Tarantino — 153 min. War / Action / Drama. Jewish-American soldiers hunt Nazis in occupied France. Christoph Waltz's Hans Landa is one of cinema's greatest villains.
2017 — Edgar Wright — 113 min. Action / Crime / Music. A getaway driver with tinnitus relies on his personal soundtrack. Every action scene perfectly choreographed to music.
2012 — Quentin Tarantino — 165 min. Western / Action / Drama. A freed slave teams up with a German bounty hunter to rescue his wife. Violent, stylish, and emotional.
1997 — Gus Van Sant — 126 min. Drama / Romance. A janitor at MIT is a mathematical genius who must overcome his past trauma. Damon and Williams at their best.
2015 — Adam McKay — 130 min. Biography / Drama / Comedy. Investors bet against the US mortgage market before the 2008 financial crisis. Complex finance made entertaining.
2011 — Glenn Ficarra & John Requa — 118 min. Comedy / Romance / Drama. Interconnected love stories. Gosling and Stone have incredible chemistry.
2014 — Chad Stahelski — 101 min. Action / Crime / Thriller. A retired hitman seeks vengeance after his dog is killed. Revolutionary 'gun fu' action choreography.
food
Updated April 16, 2026
Best Pizza
Pizza places I've ranked by personal preference.
Pub Stop Pizza & Bar
Gora, Hakone, Japan
Artisan wood-fired with Japanese craftsmanship. Hidden gem in the mountains with award-winning craft beer and Nobu-style grill influence. Mountain views, craft beer brewed with Hakone natural water, and meticulous pizza preparation.
Noble Pie
720 11 Ave SW, Calgary, AB
Artisan North American. Self-taught pizza maker Mike Lange brings obsessive experimentation and methodical care to every pie. Inspired by travels to North America's great pizzerias.
Pizza Culture
Crescent Heights, Calgary, AB
Authentic Neapolitan. Ranked among the world's top pizzerias. True-to-Italy Napoletana using flour imported from Italy and handmade dough. 60-second wood-fired bake with leopard-spotted crust.
Little Italy Pizza Kitchen
Auckland Airport, New Zealand
Neapolitan. Authentic Neapolitan pizza at Auckland Airport using a legendary pizza maker's secret family recipe perfected over years.
Famoso Italian Pizzeria
Multiple Calgary locations
Neapolitan & New World. Consistent Neapolitan pizzas with multiple locations. Traditional Neapolitan and 'New World' creations, plus artisan pastas and craft cocktails.
Posto Pizzeria
1014 8 St SW, Calgary, AB
Italian-inspired thin crust. Lively atmosphere with excellent drink menu and cute back patio. Italian-inspired pizzas and great wine selection.
Pulcinella
1147 Kensington Crescent NW, Calgary, AB
Traditional Italian. Located in lively Kensington just outside downtown. Cozy setting with full bar, cocktails, and gluten-free options.
UNA Pizza + Wine
Multiple Calgary locations
California-influenced thin crust. Hand-picked wines and focus on local products. 12" pizzas cut into eight slices, perfect for sharing.
Papa Johns
Worldwide chain
American delivery chain. Consistent delivery pizza with better ingredients than most chains. The garlic sauce and sweet crust stand out.
Little Caesars
Worldwide chain
Budget American chain. Hot-N-Ready convenience at an unbeatable price point. The Crazy Bread is actually pretty good.
food
Updated February 26, 2026
Best Burgers
The best burgers I've had, ranked by personal preference.
Class Clown Hamburgers
Calgary, AB
The absolute best burger. Perfect execution on every element - the patty, the bun, the toppings. Nothing comes close.
In-N-Out Burger
California & Southwest US
The legendary West Coast classic. Simple, fresh, and consistently excellent. Animal style is the way.
Bastion Burger
Calgary, AB
Calgary's elevated burger experience. High-quality ingredients with creative combinations.
Classic burger done right. No frills, just quality beef and perfect technique.
Super Duper Burger
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco's answer to the perfect burger. Fresh, flavorful, and consistently great.
Shake Shack
Multiple Locations
The burger that started as a hot dog cart and became a global phenomenon. Shack Sauce is legendary.
Calgary's creative burger spot with unique flavor combinations and quality ingredients.
Calgary burger joint with solid execution and good value.
entertainment
Updated March 3, 2026
Best Arcade Games
Classic arcade games you can play right now. Quick sessions, high scores, pure gameplay.
Super Mario Bros. 3
NES, 1988
Peak platforming. Every level is different, power-ups are creative, controls are tight. Speedrun or explore.
Donkey Kong Country
GBC, 1998
Pre-rendered graphics that still look amazing. Tight platforming, incredible soundtrack.
Super Mario Bros. 2
NES, 1988
The weird one that became a classic. Pick vegetables, stack enemies, master each character's abilities.
The definitive portable Tetris. Marathon mode, 40-line sprint, endless replayability.
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe
GBC, 1999
The original Mario with extras. Challenge mode, red coin hunts, Boo races.
Puzzle perfection. Match colors, clear viruses, survive. More strategic than Tetris.
Run and gun perfection. Memorize patterns, never stop moving, die a thousand times.
Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!
NES, 1987
Pattern recognition as sport. Learn tells, time counters, climb the ranks.
Brutal action platforming. Cinematic cutscenes, tight controls, legendary difficulty.
Build tracks, race bikes, beat times. Simple concept, endless replayability.