Category: reviews with a 4 of 5 rating

video review : Jack Hermansson versus Joe Pyfer at UFC Fight Night

video review : Jack Hermansson versus Joe Pyfer at UFC Fight Night

Don’t be Joe Pyfer. The prospect downplayed Jack Hermansson during the prefight buildup; “I just don’t see him being able to hurt me, man”; and gets schooled. “Jack was better tonight,” the new bit goes as a humbled Pyfer accepts defeat.

He (Pyfer) clearly wins the first round and probably the second. That’s to his credit. As the bout goes on though, thanks in part to a punch to the eye and some crafty calf kicks, Hermansson, as Daniel Cormier so eloquently puts it, “kinda took over”.

my rating : 4 of 5

2024

Arby’s Crispy Fish Sandwich

Arby's Crispy Fish Sandwich

Arby’s Fish Sandwiches, which I prefer over their signature Roast Beef, are only available during a “limited time”; the Christian season known as Lent. This is the standard (Cheddarless) version and, thanks in part to its oversized triangle-shaped fillet, it swims among the best in fast food. Add extra tartar sauce or mayo to make it even better.

my rating : 4 of 5

audio review : Turn The Lights Back On ( song ) … Billy Joel

“Did I wait too long to Turn The Lights Back On,” Billy Joel ponders. Considering he hasn’t made an album since 1993, I’d say yes. He’s released just one song since; All My Life in 2007; but this one is better. It also makes more sense conceptually as the long-awaited follow-up to Famous Last Words; the final song on his final album.

From the first second, this sounds like a lost gem from the past. It’s not just Billy Joel’s singing voice, which still sounds like Billy Joel after all these years, but his comfy melodies that take you back in time. It’s not till the bombastic drums come into play that you realize he’s “here right now”. Better thirty-something years late than never.

my rating : 4 of 5

2024

video review : Taylor Swift : The Eras Tour

video review : Taylor Swift : The Eras Tour

Speaking of Eras, Taylor Swift is probably the most popular singer, Man or woman, in modern times. This concert is actually a montage of shows performed during her newest Tour, but it’s limited to SoFi Stadium in California; a fact that should’ve been referenced in the overgeneralized title, which covers her “17 years of music”.

That she’s made so few good songs in all that time is almost beside the point. Taylor Swift is overrated when it comes to her music, but she’s a sexy Disney princess; who are all these lucky guys she’s falling in Love with; and her performances, at least when filmed and edited as cinematically as they are here, entertain.

The final act suggests this Tour would be even better if, like the previous ones were based on albums, it were limited to Midnights; the Lavender/blue colors of which are nice. She’s also sweaty from hours of dancing, which makes me wish she’d throw her fishnets in the crowd so I can catch and do naughty things with them.

my rating : 4 of 5

2023

the Lumix GH6

the Lumix GH6

My one big complaint with this camera, which follows the GH5, is that you no longer have the ability to focus manually via Touch screen by wiggling your finger on the subject. It’s an incredibly useful feature that seems to have been simply overlooked this time around. Minor flaws include noisier blacks at low ISOs and the fact that the new confusing Dynamic Range Boost isn’t automatic.

The Lumix GH6 is otherwise a worthy successor. It’s better than the GH5 if only in a technical sense as it has more to offer when it comes to overall specs, including “even more robust image stabilization”. The ability to shoot open gate on the 4:3 sensor means it’s also possible to reframe vertically in post without losing any resolution, which now goes up to 5.7K, and that’s just splendid.

my rating : 4 of 5

video review : Vacancy

video review : Vacancy

This is a slasher flick with not a lot of characters or plot twists. It’s just the simple story of a married couple who, after their car breaks down on a lonely road, reluctantly decide to take refuge in the only overnight shelter within walking distance; The Pinewood Motel.

That’s where the tension begins; the kind you feel when you suddenly hear a loud banging on your door in the middle of the night. The game, played by sadistic voyeuristic killers, gets a tad mundane after a while, but the plot lodges enough scares to last till checkout.

my rating : 4 of 5

2007

video review : Vacancy 2 [ The First Cut ]

Van Leeuwen French Ice Cream : Caramel Sticky Bun

Van Leeuwen French Ice Cream : Caramel Sticky Bun

This should be called Cinnamon Sticky Bun because it’s the taste of cinnamon, not Caramel, that nearly overwhelms your buds at first bite. It’s a sweet treat indeed, but the best part, especially when you eat your Ice Cream melted down to a lumpy goo as do I, is the additional of actual “cinnamon bun pieces”. Yummy.

my rating : 4 of 5

Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs at Walmart

Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs at Walmart

These are Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs sold fresh, warm and ready to eat at, if you’re lucky, your local Walmart. You can usually find them at the deli or near the checkout area wrapped in aluminum foil. It’s good grab-and-go eating for anyone who likes hot dogs, at least when you add your favorite condiment; I prefer just mayo; free packets of which are usually available nearby.

my rating : 4 of 5

audio review : De La Soul Is Dead ( album ) … De La Soul

audio review : De La Soul Is Dead ( album ) ... De La Soul

Dissing yourself is an effective way to prevent other people from dissing you. It’s called self-deprecation and De La Soul takes it to the extreme for what might be hip-hop’s first critic-proof album. De La Soul Is Dead utilizes skits to tell the story of three thugs, led by a guy named Hemroid, who decide to give their new tape a listen after stealing it from a kid they just beat up. They’re listening as you are, in real time, stopping the cassette to state their opinions between tracks.

It’s a clever concept; check for read-along dialogue and comic illustrations in the featured booklet; one that loses its ironic charm if the album is indeed “garbage”. Thus the rap trio, along with producer Prince Paul, do everything in their creative power to make it match the qualitative level of their Rising debut. That it does. The two projects are actually quite similar; twenty-something tracks of mostly good songs with a quirky assortment of samples and bits planted about.

my rating : 4 of 5

1991