video review : Jaqueline Amorim versus Polyana Viana at UFC Fight Night

video review : Jaqueline Amorim versus Polyana Viana at UFC Fight Night

“This one’s gonna play out on the ground,” Laura Sanko predicts and thankfully it does. Who wants to see two sexy Brazilian women fight standing when they could be sixty-nining 35 seconds in? Jaqueline Amorim is the top as she dominates Polyana Viana for the whole bout before submitting her. The cutest moment is their confused reaction to Dan Miragliotta mistakenly ending the first round early.

my rating : 4 of 5

2025

video review : Creepshow 3

video review : Creepshow 3

Creepshow 3, which should’ve come out in 1992; the first two were fours years apart; is worse than 2 but better than 1. The best story is the simplest; the one about The Professor’s Wife. It at least has a decent story arc. The Radio and The Haunted Dog are downright stupid, though the latter’s protagonist does manage to provide some laughs.

my rating : 2 of 5

2006

video review : Honeydew

video review : Honeydew

Honeydew is sweet and suspenseful, well on its way to being a good horror movie, for about the first half hour. That’s when you start to realize too much time is going by without anything (significant) happening. From there it’s a mundane affair as couple Riley and Sam get served by a crazy hag named Karen and her scrawny dining partner.

my rating : 2 of 5

2020

video review : Vacancy 2 [ The First Cut ]

video review : Vacancy 2 [ The First Cut ]

The trembly camera is a tad annoying and the plotting is somewhat hackneyed, but this Vacancy sequel, which serves as a prequel, is a decent follow-up. It’s not as thrilling as the original; part Twos rarely are; but there’s enough suspense to keep you checked in. The protagonist this time around is a “hillbilly” named Jessica staying at the Meadow View Inn with her fiancé and his friend.

my rating : 3 of 5

2008

audio review : Temple Of Hip Hop [ Global Awareness ] ( album ) … KRS-One

audio review : Temple Of Hip Hop [ Global Awareness ] ( album ) ... KRS-One

This is released as a KRS-One album, but it’s more like a mixtape to promote his new European Tour. The concept is established from the very start; “Welcome to the Temple Of Hip Hop 2025 Global Awareness Tour,” he says, which limits the set to not only a specific purpose but a specific date range.

The songs are what fans have come to expect; raw raps over boom-bap beats; but he should’ve saved the best ones for a proper release. The Tribute interludes, on which his industry peers praise him in the past tense as if he’s retired or dead, are reminiscent of the ones from the 1995 KRS-One album.

my rating : 3 of 5

2025

Reese’s Peanut Butter

Reese's Peanut Butter

This isn’t just Reese’s Peanut Butter. It’s an ice cream version from Breyers. It tastes sweet and yummy, of course, but it’s not quite as good as you might anticipate. It’s “light”, meaning it has less fat than normal ice cream, and you can tell. The “chunks of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups” are also too small or maybe there just aren’t enough of them.

my rating : 4 of 5

audio review : Music From Beyond ( album ) … Techno Bass Crew

audio review : Music From Beyond ( album ) ... Techno Bass Crew

This album is a year late; their first two releases came two years apart; but the Techno Bass Crew is forgiven as they were too busy winning Bass Sound Off USA. There are intergalactic laser beams on the cover, but is there anything here as electric as Machine Language? Subsonic Love perhaps. Other highlights include The Age Of Machines, Do It To Me and Undertow.

my rating : 3 of 5

1998

audio review : a DM Records compilation : Latin Booty Party

audio review : a DM Records compilation : Latin Booty Party

The first song; El Tiburón by Proyecto Uno; is fun. You may as well go home after that because this Latin Booty Party; which the cover suggests attracts the same crowd, in the same clothes and poses, as last year’s Booty Bass Party; falls apart from there. The DJ plays mostly crappy rap songs. The other exceptions include Esa Morena and the ending Mega Mix, but I doubt most people will make it that far.

my rating : 2 of 5

1998

A Shoc Energy : Blue Raspberry

A Shoc Energy : Blue Raspberry

I don’t like the taste of Raspberry, Blue or otherwise, but it doesn’t overwhelm the general sweetness of this A Shoc Energy drink. That’s despite the fact that it contains “zero sugar”; not that sucralose is a healthy replacement. The “natural caffeine” count; it’s “charged by nature”; is 200 milligrams.

my rating : 3 of 5

Marketside Five Cheese Traditional Crust Pizza

Marketside Five Cheese Traditional Crust Pizza

Even topped with Five Cheeses; mozzarella, provolone, Monterey Jack, Parmesan and Romano; a serving of this Pizza, which for me usually means the whole pie, is a bland affair. Part of the blame goes to the lack of meat; pepperoni alone could improve the taste drastically; but most of it goes to the underwhelming flavor of the sauce and spices.

my rating : 3 of 5

audio review : The Art Of War ( album ) … Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

audio review : The Art Of War ( album ) ... Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

Who are Bone at War with? “Hatin-ass niggas” according to the Intro, including rappers stealing their style. It’s not the rapid-fire delivery nor the Harmony but their melodies that make them sound better than the average rap group. They’re Thuggish Ruggish R-and-B singers too as all the best songs; Ready 4 War, Look Into My Eyes, Hardtimes, Nothin Changed; have them crooning the choruses all the while toting guns and murdering people.

my rating : 3 of 5

1997

Scoops Ahoy : Mint Flare

Scoops Ahoy : Mint Flare

I don’t like the taste of mint; it’s a shame how difficult it is to find good toothpaste in other flavors; but it goes well enough with chocolate. This Scoops Ahoy ice cream, from the Starcourt Mall in Hawkins (Indiana) on Netflix’s Stranger Things, also includes “chocolate chunks and rainbow confetti”; chewy bits that help make it a lot better than the name suggests.

my rating : 4 of 5