Opus Collections

To celebrate my 50th birthday in 2026, I compiled and published some definitive lists of my favorite music and movies.

Thanks to their frequent appearance on Omaha’s KPTM Fox 42 in the late ’80s and early ’90s, I have an unabashed fondness for Chuck Norris movies. Also, nothing beats a good roundhouse or flying kick.

Starting in the ’80s, direct-to-video original video animations (OVAs) offered animators an avenue for exploration and experimentation. OVAs ran the gamut, from action and sci-fi to more mature material, and their low cost led to a boom of releases that popularized anime around the world.

Released here in the States as Robotech, Macross is one of anime’s most famous and beloved franchise. Macross has been going strong since 1982, with numerous installments employing a mix of space opera, transforming robot action, pop songs, and romantic triangles.

Thanks to my inner 6th grader, I’m always up for a ninja movie, no matter terrible it might be. In fact, I think most movies would probably benefit from a ninja or two. Although ninja films contain a much higher percentage of crap than most genres, I still love them unreservedly.

With their fanciful armor, flashing katanas, and strict code of honor, Japan’s feudal warriors make for great cinema, be it arthouse gems or cult/exploitation classics. Like their shadowy ninja counterparts, samurai always make an impression, no matter the genre.

With their shared focus on moody sonics, dreamy guitars, and wispy vocals, there’s a lot of overlap between shoegaze and dream pop. The former arose during the late ’80s British music scene, and was originally a term of derision. The latter was coined by A.R. Kane to describe their sound, and later expanded to encompass numerous bands.

When it comes to streaming movies and TV shows, Netflix, Disney+, et al. aren’t the only options. Other streaming services, many of them free, offer thousands of titles for your entertainment, including lots of lesser-known titles that have fallen through the cracks.

The Sentinel of the Spaceways. Silverado. Sky-Rider. Herald of Galactus. Savior of Zenn-La. Norrin Radd. Whatever you call him, the Silver Surfer has long been my favorite superhero thanks to his tortured past and innate nobility.