Ten Things That Are Awesome

Calvin and Hobbes

Tim Tams

Cliffs of Dover

The Pacific Ocean

Newcastle

Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Liam Neeson in a Bar

The Call of the Wild

Chuck

Iron Man Punching Hugh Grant

The Blues Brothers

What if the World Wars were films?

World War I

It is generally agreed that the First World War was truly ground breaking. Boldly incorporating many new technologies and taking place in many diverse locations, World War One blew the world away. Easily the largest and in some ways most audacious production at the time of its debut, it has been criticized for dragging in the middle, but  ultimately received accolades for the sheer ambition of the production.

It is notable for starring all of the biggest names of the time, including France, Great Britain, and Germany. And while the performances of several participants, notably the Austro-Hungarian Empire, would lead to the end of their careers, several breakout stars were born as well. The most notable of these was the United States, the then all but unknown son of Great Britain. Of course opinions vary as how pivotal the United State's role was to the plot, but no one can deny United State's powerful performance at the conclusion of the film.

World War II

By the time the credits rolled on the first film, the world was demanding something even bigger, better, and more bombastic. Consequently a great deal of preparation went into the sequel. All of the big players would return. Russia had by this time fully reinvented itself, and Germany was controversially cast as an unrepentant and immoral villain. Notably, Italy was cast as Germany's sidekick, a role which it had refused in the first installment.

As the film progressed, initially it appeared that the United States would not in fact have a role at all, a fact which dismayed many. Thanks to the quick actions of fellow First World War breakout star Japan, the United States did return, and gave the performance of a lifetime. By the end, the United States and Russia, now better known as the Soviet Union, had clearly eclipsed their predecessors as a new generation of superstar.

World War III

Often considered the greatest sequel never made, World War III captured the imaginations of millions. It promised unprecedented use of nuclear technology that had been pioneered in the previous installment, and the casting of the Soviet Union opposite the United States quieted many critics who argued no one could ever match the menace of Germany's performance in World War II. For a time, it seemed like the stars had aligned and a truly explosive sequel was coming to fruition.

This was not the case however. Neither of the two major stars were willing to commit, and the movie fell into development hell. While films like "Space Race" and "Missile Crisis in Cuba" gave us brief glimpses into what could have been, those were just the tip of the iceberg. In the end, the movie was suddenly scrapped when the Soviet Union backed out for good.