video review : Valentina Shevchenko versus Jessica Eye at UFC 238

video review : Valentina Shevchenko versus Jessica Eye at UFC 238

Round 1 looks like lesbian rape; Valentina Shevchenko is on top; but it’s not the best part of the bout. That comes later in Round 2 when Shevchenko knocks Jessica Eye out (“cold”) with a head kick from a leg Joe Rogan just two seconds before compared to a baseball bat.

my rating : 3 of 5

2019 June 08

audio review : Aruba Prelude ( song ) … Bass Syndicate

I don’t know what the Prelude bit is about. Perhaps you’re supposed to play this on your way to Aruba, arguably one of the most beautiful islands in the world; certainly one of the most popular tourist destinations.

The song, mysteriously described as German Musik on Bass Sound Off USA, seems to fit the occasion; the best part being the chords that start it. When they stop near the middle and at the end, the quality takes a deep dive.

my rating : 4 of 5

1997

a DM Records compilation : Bass Sound Off USA [ Volume 3 ]

video review : Jared Cannonier versus Dominick Reyes at UFC Fight Night

video review : Jared Cannonier versus Dominick Reyes at UFC Fight Night

Jared Cannonier is a scary-looking dude, but the behemoth height of Dominick Reyes makes him (Reyes) look a whole weight class above. Power shots are the name of the game here. “They’re both fighting like it’s a one-round fight” and it is when Reyes catches Cannonier with an uppercut to the face.

my rating : 3 of 5

2018

video review : Jon Jones versus Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 232

video review : Jon Jones versus Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 232

Fans of their epic UFC 165 bout; the closest Jon Jones has ever come to losing a fight aside from his fluke DQ to Matt Hamill; will be disappointed by this sequel. Jones seems up for a replay. It’s Gustafsson who comes up short.

Gustafsson doesn’t look bad here. He actually manages to land some notable strikes. It’s just that he’s not able to stay pass the kicking range of his opponent. Jones ends it in Round 3 by taking him down and pummeling him.

my rating : 3 of 5

2018

video review : Child’s Play

video review : Child's Play

A toy that talks, walks and murders people in a story otherwise set in the real world requires a suspenseful of disbelief. That is unless you believe in Vodou magic. If so, you might be as crazy as the adults think little Andy is when he says Chucky, his Good Guy doll, is really alive.

As silly as it may be, the plot of Child’s Play thrills in some interesting ways. Who’s in the doll, how he got there and how to get out; that’s where Andy and the aforementioned Vodou come into play; are the gist. The boy’s mother and everyone else are just obstacles in his way.

As far as horror movie killers go, Chucky is a force to be reckoned with. He’s more fun and less scary than the others, but no one has more fourth-wall-busting potential in the business of branded toys. With the popularity of this flick, Good Guy dolls should be flying off the shelves.

my rating : 4 of 5

1988

video review : Child’s Play 2
video review : Child’s Play 3

video review : Unidentified : Inside America’s UFO Investigation [ Season 1 ]

video review : Unidentified : Inside America's UFO Investigation [ Season 1 ]

The one glaring flaw of this show, which follows Lue Elizondo as he attempts to “expose” the truth about UFOs, is that it extends what should be a two-hour documentary to a six part (four-hour) miniseries. It does so by repeating itself ad nauseam.

Perhaps the point is to make each episode stand on its own, but it gets annoying. It’s the compelling concept that keeps it interesting. Though Elizondo places too much importance on eyewitness testimony, which simply isn’t reliable, there is video evidence.

Unidentified revolves (aerodynamically) around the three Pentagon videos revealed by The New York Times in 2017, probably the most government-official clips of UFOs ever released in the US. It starts with what one pilot describes as “a giant Tic Tac”.

my rating : 4 of 5

2019

video review : Unidentified : Inside America’s UFO Investigation [ Season 2 ]

Lay’s Stax : Original

Lay's Stax : Original

If you want to torture yourself, wait till you’re really hungry and try to eat just one of these. I often do try to ration them; my favorite way to eat them is with a sweet drink; but to no avail.

These “crisps”, which aren’t thick like other brands, are better than regular Lay’s potato chips mainly because of their uniformity. They do break but not as often. The taste is about the same.

my rating : 4 of 5

Mott’s 100% Juice : Apple

Mott's 100% Juice : Apple

This is not 100% juice. That’s a marketing lie. There’s water and vitamin C added. Both are good for your health and Mott’s is on a major health kick, so it seems their point is that there are no bad ingredients added. Sugar is, of course, and there’s plenty of it (fructose) in apples, which is the main reason apple juice tastes so good.

my rating : 4 of 5

audio review : Gangsta Boogie ( song ) … Wale ( featuring Tha Dogg Pound )

This Boogie goes from good to great near the end when the GANGSTA chant comes in. Wale says it “crank like a motherfucker” and he’s right. What he should’ve done was interpolate it, at least the main parts of it, into the other chorus sections. As is, the song, which celebrates the Cali “gangsta” lifestyle with Kurupt and Daz, is a would-be classic.

my rating : 4 of 5

2016

audio review : Gangsta Boogie ( song ) ... Wale ( featuring Tha Dogg Pound )

audio review : Down 4 My Niggas ( song ) … C-Murder ( featuring Magic + Snoop Dogg )

If C-Murder insisted on “4” for “For”, he should’ve put four Niggas on the song. Not that he’s the type that cares about petty semantics. He might shoot me for even suggesting it. “If you fuck with me,” he warns, “it’s a must you die.”

What makes the song go hard is that along with decent verses; Snoop’s monotone flow drags the energy down a bit; and a solid beat, it has a catchy hook, albeit one that almost makes the mistake of parroting the horn riff.

my rating : 4 of 5

1999

audio review : Down 4 My Niggas ( song ) ... C-Murder ( featuring Magic + Snoop Dogg )

audio review : Darryl And Joe [ Krush Groove 3 ] ( song ) … Run-DMC

My only problem with this song is its titles. The main one; the names of the rappers, which they mention at one point in their verses; would only be appropriate if this were supposed to be their official theme, which the subtitle suggests it isn’t. It’s dubbed Krush Groove 3, but the song is perfectly suited to stand on its own.

Musically it’s one of their best; not because of the raps, which stop exactly midway thru, but the beat, which, after a series of unnecessary drum breaks, transforms into what sounds like the soundtrack to some sort of futuristic science fiction epic. That’s where DJ Jam Master Jay and his infectious scratching comes into play.

my rating : 4 of 5

1985

audio review : Darryl And Joe [ Krush Groove 3 ] ( song ) ... Run-DMC

video review : Conor McGregor versus Donald Cerrone at UFC 246

video review : Conor McGregor versus Donald Cerrone at UFC 246

Nevermind Conor McGregor. The victory here goes to Dana White. His most popular UFC draw is back; the Notorious one took an extended hiatus after losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov at 229; and apparently in fine form. The cash cow beats the Cowboy in less than a minute via a brutal TKO that starts with; get this; shoulder strikes to the nose.

my rating : 3 of 5

2020