Top 10 List | Top Ten Lists

I’m not particularly attracted to one certain type of car. Muscle cars; sure, I like a couple; exotics, yeah, there are some great ones. I don’t know what really qualifies a car to be great. Obviously aesthetics are a large portion, and a car can’t be some old buggy that can’t top 60 mph. I have been researching this list for the past 3 years and I think I’ve compiled a pretty good representation of the best cars of all time.

1. 1959 California Ferrari Spyder
The real car is actually a 1959 California Ferrari Spyder 250 GTO LWB, of which there are only 10 in existance, but I figured I should probably cover the gamut with this one. And that’s probably a little too specific. But seriously, unbelievable car. Sure, it’s only $4,000,000, but if you have never heard of or seen this car, LOOK IT UP. Like, now. Come back to this later. Or not at all. Just discover this car like I did. The design is incredible. It’s just SO BEAUTIFUL! It handles great, sounds great and has it where it counts, too.

2. 1967 Lamborghini Miura
Will there ever be a top 10 list without a Lamborghini on it? I actually really don’t like Lamborghinis that much. In fact, I’d go as far as to say I really don’t like them at all. But the Miura is so radically different from the others that I sometimes doubt it’s actually a Lamborghini. It is way ahead of its time, with a design that is more like something from the mid ’90s. It is a sleek, stylish, and, there’s no other way to put this, cool.

3. 2011 Porsche Cayman R
I’ve been a fan of the Caymans for longer than any other type of Porsche. So you can imagine when I discovered the Cayman R at the Detroit Auto Show in 2011, this was a real treat. The design of this Porsche is so subtly different from every other one, but something about it is just 50 times more charismatic than the others.

4. 1960 Lotus Elite
This car is so simple, yet so great. It was designed to be a racing car, but is really great looking as well. It is often overlooked by the Elan and Elise. Even the Exige S seems to have had more publicity than this. It actually took me two years to discover this car.

5. 1957 Chevrolet Corvette
Where has the Corvette gone? I hate, absolutely hate the new Corvettes, partially because they are nothing like this one. This car is an icon of the ’50s and was one of the last good corvettes.

Granted that music genres like pop, rap and hip hop are very popular, but one cannot deny that country songs are as good, if not better.

1. Forever and Ever Amen

Sung by Randy Travis, this song took the world by storm in 1987. The album was a part of the billboard charts for almost 4 months! Even though the country singer could not compete with himself afterwards, he did win the hearts of many music lovers all over the world with this particular ballad.

2. Friends In Low Places

This song by Garth Brooks is definitely his best even though some people believe that The Dance is much better. The lyrics are easy to remember and the music is soothing and upbeat at the same time. It will be stuck in your head in no time, mainly because it is so easy to sing along to!

3. I Fall To Pieces

Patsy Cline has a dramatic and eerie voice- but in a good way. She hits all the notes as perfect as is humanly possible and adds her own melodious touch to it. If the best female country singer was to be chosen, she’d win hands down. This song highlights her positive points and is the best of the best.

4. Stand By Your Man

Another female country singer, this one may not be as unique or up there as Patsy Cline but she practically oozes with talent. This particular song helped her create a permanent spot for herself in the industry and can be heard at weddings every where!

5. Always On My Mind

Willie Nelson is among the best country singers alive today and even though this particular track is associated with Elvis Presley, he did a great job with it too. That being said, almost all his songs are good enough to become unforgettable classics one day.

Wondering how to pull off a con job successfully? Here is the perfect inspiration as you take a look at the “jobs” pulled off by the top ten con men  of all times.

1. William Thompson – Mid 19th Century

Often known as “The Confidence Man”, William Thompson was the first of his kind, a con man. His appearance as a highly civilized gentleman was the most instrumental factor in pulling off his jobs successfully. His modus operandi would be to get acquainted with the target and take him into confidence to relieve him of his precious watches or jewels and then make escape.

2. Ben Marks – 1870s

Highly skilled in card games, this man prepared the blueprint for the biggest con jobs in the recent times. A ‘shill’ (a disguised partner) was used by the dealer, who would bet and win therefore attracting big players to the ongoing game. Although it was not highly profitable, Ben Marks perfected it in his times and set the foundation for con jobs in card games.

3. Phillip Arnold & John Slack – 1880s

Responsible for the diamond hoax of 1882, these men claimed to have found a perfect diamond site by scattering some poor quality jewels at the site to lure potential investors. Many highly reputed firms including Tiffany’s were duped by this near-perfect scam and lost a great deal of money in it. Later apprehended, the matter was solved outside the court.

4. Charlie & Frederick Gondorf – Early 20th Century

Gondorf brothers upped the level of the “big store” scam by playing the “wire” job. They made the target bet on races after they had finished by making him believe that they could prolong the time between the end of race and announcing of results.

5. George C Parker – 1920s

This clever man devised an ingenious way to dupe people by selling those fake landmarks and famous monuments which included the Statue of Liberty, Madison Square Garden’s and the Booklyn Bridge. His greatest assets were a smooth talking tongue and an impressive personality which made the target believe his ingenuity.

Movies have been a popular source of entertainment for a long time. Every person has his/her own taste when it comes to films, but some are always going to be better received than others. Many of the most expensive movies that came into existence did not fare well in spite of the sky-reaching costs. Here we shall see the top ten most expensive movies that have been made to date.

1. Pirates of the Caribbean – At World’s End
This film was released in 2007 and received good response from the audience, not so much because of a strong story line, but more because of the colourful settings and costumes. The final product cost was about $316.6 million.

2. Cleopatra
This movie was released in 1963 and had a final cost of about $314.6 million. Although it was the second most expensive movie ever made, it was commercially a flop of a film that served as proof of how things can still go wrong in spite of spending massive money.

3. Superman Returns
This film came out in 2006 and was potentially weak to replace its predecessors.  The total cost went up to $294.6 million, though, so it definitely came out with a bang.

4. Titanic
Released in 1997, the cost on this film went up to about $272.6 million. It performed very well in the box office, though, and broke some attendance records at the time. The major section of the cost was devoted to re-building the titanic with an exquisite appearance to make it identical to the original ill-fated sip.

5. Spider Man 3
It was released in the year 2007 and it didn’t manage to pull off as big of a response from the audience like the first two films in the series. In fact, this second sequel cost more than the first sequel. The main reason for this exorbitant $272.6 million cost is the numerous special effects that were a necessity to the third Spider Man, due to the presence of more super villains.

The epic Western has been a part of film lore since the early days of movie making. The vast expanse of the background, and rugged hard men and stories of heroism and valour made these into masterpieces. Star casts like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood have left their mark on innumerable Westerns and the gritty tales have been the fodder for many a scriptwriter.

1. The Searchers  –  1956
Nominated as the greatest Western movie of all time, this film has a great performance by the amazing John Wayne. He portrays a middle aged Civil war veteran seeking to locate his missing niece.  There are some beautiful vignettes of frontier life, and many subsequent film directors have acknowledged their debt to this film.

2. High Noon  –  1952
Gary Cooper’s finest performance in a riveting tale of one man’s courage against a bunch of goons, this film is an all time classic. With very few spoken words, the taut and intense showdown is the highlight of the film.

3. Shane  –  1953
One of the finest films in its genre, it has been directed superbly by George Stevens. Splendid and restrained performances by Alan Ladd and Jean Arthur, and a guardian angel type of story have made this into a great film in all its facets.

4. Unforgiven  –  1992
Clint Eastwood’s best directorial venture, this is a sombre, brooding film about guilt and shame, and about the rule of the strong over the weak, and of courage and heroism.

5. Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid – 1969
A modern Western, this film had two superb actors as its main leads – Robert Redford and Paul Newman. More on the lines of a modern comedy, it has some breathtaking landscapes and some great chases.

Romance and love stories have been the foundation of many films since time immemorial. Ranging from historical sagas to science fiction films, somewhere there is some element of romance in all of them. Here are some of our all time favourite romantic films.

1. Gone With The Wind – 1939
This classic 1939 movie is a story of young man and a woman who come together during the Civil War. It is based on the book of the same name by Margaret Mitchell, and starred Clark Gable, Vivienne Leigh, and Leslie Howard. It was the first movie to film in colour, and was the longest movie for that time, 3 hours and counting plus intermission. The film received ten Oscars, 8 competitive and 2 honorary. This was a record that stood in its place for a period of twenty years.

2. Roman Holiday – 1953
This is a 1953 romantic comedy about a young, sheltered princess, who runs away from her home castle, only to fall in love with a newsman. The film stars Audrey Hepburn, who won an academy award for her performance in the film, and Gregory Peck. The script was written by John Dighton and Dalton Trumbo, though Trumbo never got any credit until 2011. Hepburn and Peck were approached to star in a sequel of the film in the 1970s, though it was never made. In 1987, the film was remade for TV.

3. An Affair to Remember – 1957
“An Affair to Remember” is a 1957 movie starring the late great Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. The story revolves around two people who meet on a cruise on the way to New York from Europe. They fall in love despite being engaged to other people, and agree to meet six months after their initial meeting. Whether it does or does not happen is for you to wait and see. In honour of this amazingly romantic movie, a song was composed by Harry Warren, with lyrics by Leary McCarry. The song was called, “A Love Affair to Remember (Our Love Affair). There have been several remakes of the film, including “Grey’s Garden”, the 2009 movie starring Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore.

4. The Notebook – 2004
This is a 2004 movie based on the Nicolas Sparks novel of the same name. It stars Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling, who developed a three year romance in real life, despite not getting along while filming. The film centers around a teen couple, Noah and Allie, who have a summer romance until the two are separated by Allie’s parents because Noah comes from a poor family. The two are reunited after seven years apart, and try to rebuild their relationship. The story is set in the 1940’s, and is narrated by the present day Noah, who reads the story to Allie at a nursing home. The film also stars James Garner and Gena Rowlands, who play the older Noah and Allie.

5. Dirty Dancing – 1988
This 1988 classic is a tale based on the 1960s. It is the story of a young woman named Frances, nicknamed “Baby”. During the summer, her family relocates to a resort in New York. Frances’ family expects her to go to college, save the world and marry a doctor, just like her father. While at the resort, Frances meets a dance instructor, Johnny. Frances starts taking lessons from Johnny, and as they spend more time together at the studio, they fall in love. The movie stars Patrick Swyaze and Jennifer Grey. In 2004, a remake was developed called “Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights” starring Diego Luna and Romola Garai.

One of the most jarring and strongest themes of movies are those that delve on end-of-days scenarios. There are a slew of both blockbusters and forgettable movies that have gone through this route of giving us a view of how the post-apocalyptic life would look like. Let us take a look at the list of Top 10 greatest apocalyptic movies of all time.

1.  Mad Max Series

Majority of the present crop of post apocalyptic movies of today are largely inspired by the success of the Mad Max movie series. Its strong presentation of the destructive elements of mankind is one significant concept that has endured the changes in our times. Its theatrical formula and melodramatic character have made the Mad Max movies as one great opportunity of looking at how mankind has gone so wrong in bringing destruction to his world.

2. Children of Men

This judgment day movie is unarguably one of the greatest films of the past decade. This movie production conveys a message that despite the seemingly hopeless and dire situation that mankind is in, we can still have all the reasons to be hopeful. This movie is not awash with special effects and hits the bull’s eye with the powerful performance of the central character; Theo. Children of Men is a showcase of both the bright and dark sides of mankind.

3. 12 Monkeys

This is somewhat a bizarre glimpse at what the future will bring for mankind. It had gained reputation as a bit too cerebral for the ordinary moviegoers. Nonetheless, this movie easily makes the mark as one good scary, entertaining and, yes, intelligent movie. The movie plot revolves around the struggles of the main character, James Cole played by Bruce Willis in order to save humanity as he breaks the time barrier in finding answers about the puzzle involving the end of mankind.

4.  Day of the Dead

This is one of the movies that successfully makes to our A list by virtue of the graphically destructive demise of the human race. It successfully delivers the cryptic image of a world that has gone bad with the gory and blood-curdling details.

5. Invasion of the Body Snatchers

The movie paints a nightmarish scenario of alien taking possession of the human race. It has all the requisite heart pounding scenes of a movie that follows a story plot of alien possession and invasion. People are in agreement that this movie is eerily an unnerving film in the truest sense of the word.

We simply love period films which reflect human history in a grand scale. Let us take a look at the top 10 period movies of all time in terms of the scale of production.

1. Ben Hur, 1925; 1959

The movie chronicles the adventure and bravery of Prince Judah Ben Hur as he fights for his freedom and his right against the abusive and despotic emperor Messala.

2. Spartacus, 1960

The epic movie is about a slave named Spartacus and his struggle to gain freedom from the clutches of the Roman Empire. Their ambitious rebellion ended with tragedy and the total defeat they suffered from the hands of the more superior military of the Roman Empire.

3. Ivan The Terrible (I and II), 1944; 1958

The epic movie is about the significant events surrounding the life of the archduke of Moscow who crowned himself supreme Tsar of Russia. The movie chronicles defining moments in Russian history.

4. The Ten Commandments, 1956

This epic movie is easily one of the most enduring and extensively watched film among all epic productions included in this list. It is based on the events chronicled in The Bible about one of the most defining moments in the history of Christianity.

5. Gandhi, 1982

This epic movie is all about this iconic figure and is a showcase of non-violent struggle and fight for freedom of a nation against a powerful might which led to the defeat of the powerful entity without shedding a drop of blood.

Let us have a look at the compilation of the top 10 bestselling books of all time based on the combined sales of all the editions of the books covered in the list.

1. The Bible

Author- many contributed; 2.5-6 billion copies sold (inconclusive)

Although we may not be able to get material evidence to ascertain the exact number of copies sold, The Bible is easily the most widely read Book of the human race. When the Printing Press was first invented during the Renaissance, the Bible was the first to be printed.

2. Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-Tung

Author- Mao Tse-tung; 800 million copies sold
It is also known as The Red Book. Its claim to second spot in the circle of 10 most popular books is mainly due to the large population of its captive readership.

3. A Tale of Two Cities

Author-Charles Dickens-200 million copies sold

The book is set in Paris and London before and during the French Revolution. It also examines the strife of Third Estate against the aristocracy.

4. Lord of the Rings

Author: J.R.R. Tolken-150 million copies sold

The books are high fantasy epics that are beloved 50 years later by fans all around the world. It is a continuation of the Hobbit which was another fantasy novel written by the same author.

5. The Guinness Book of Records

Author- unknown; 115 million copies sold

This bestseller made it to the top because of our penchant for the outrageous and even the bizarre extremes. If you care to learn about the largest ball of ear wax then this book should be on your bookshelf.

Let us examine top 10 NHL players of all time. We only considered total number of points per player as reported by the National Hockey League.

1. Wayne Gretzky – 2857 points

The Great One” was born on January 26, 1961 in Brantford, Ontario. Even at the young age, Wayne Gretzky raised many eyebrows on the ice by collecting 517 points in a season. He began his National Hockey League career when the Edmonton Oilers moved from the WHA to the National Hockey League in the 1979-80 season. Gretzky would go on to win seven straight Art Ross Trophies starting at the age of 18, and ten in total. He also led the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cup Championships (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988) Gretzky played for four teams throughout his successful NHL career. (Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers) After his retirement in 1999, he was immediately inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He became Executive Director for the Canadian national hockey team. In 2000 he took  partial ownership of the Phoenix Coyotes and head coach position thereafter.

2. Mark Messier – 1887 points

“The Moose,” was born on January 18, 1961 in Edmonton, Alberta. Mark John Douglas Messier emerged from the great Edmonton Oilers teams of the 1980s to become a hockey superstar. He was a powerful skater who combined play-making skill and a goal-scoring touch with the toughness. Six times his teams sipped from the Stanley Cup (1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1994) and on two occasions Messier took home the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player. Mark  played for 3 NHL teams (Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks) before retiring in the summer of 2005. A year after, both the New York Rangers and Edmonton Oilers retired his number 11 in pregame ceremonies. Earlier that year, the National Hockey League created the Mark Messier Trophy, a monthly leadership award.

3. Gordie Howe – 1850 points

“Mr. Hockey” was born in Floral, Saskatchewan on March 31, 1928. Gordon “Gordie” Howe entered the NHL in 1946 played for the Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers; and the Houston Aeros and New England Whalers in the World Hockey Association (WHA). A four-time Stanley Cup champion with the Red Wings (1950, 1952, 1954, 1955), he won six Hart Trophies as the league’s most valuable player and six Art Ross Trophies as the leading scorer. He was the recipient of the first NHL Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.

4. Ron Francis – 1798 points

Ronald Michael Francis, Jr. was born on March 1, 1963 in  Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Ron played 23 NHL seasons  for 4 teams: Hartford Whalers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs. Francis was drafted by the Hartford Whalers fourth overall of the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. He was a model of consistency, averaging more than a point a game. He won 2 Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins (1991 and 1992). He retired from the NHL before the 2005–06 season and assumed a position with the Raleigh Youth Hockey Association.

5. Marcel Dionne – 1771 points

“Little Beaver” Dionne was born August 3, 1951 in Drummondville, Quebec. Marcel Dionne played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for 3 teams: Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers. During his first NHL season for Detroit in 1972, he set an NHL record for scoring by a rookie with 77 points. In his best NHL season 1979–80 he recorded 137 points and was awarded the Art Ross Trophy for scoring two more goals than Gretzky. Dionne also won the Lester B. Pearson Award in 1979 and 1980, and the Lady Byng Trophy in 1975 and 1977. Dionne retired in 1989 and  currently resides in Niagara Falls, Canada and owns Marcel Dionne enterprises.