Category: reviews with a 4 of 5 rating

video review : UFC 299

video review : UFC 299

As far as main card schedules go, UFC 299 is better than 300. Both are exceptional, but the Zhang Weili title bout is a weak link and I looked forward to every fight on 299. They mostly deliver. Petr Yan starts it off on the good foot and ends his partly undeserved losing streak; he beat O’Malley; by defeating Song Yadong.

Jack Della Maddalena, though less dominant, comes off even more impressively with a Hail Mary knockout victory over Gilbert Burns. Kevin Holland versus Michael Page; the fight I anticipated the most beside the main event; ends up being a bit of a letdown as Holland loses handily not via knockout but decision.

The biggest winner of the night, aside from Donald Trump; the most popular attendee judging by crowd reaction; is Dustin Poirier. He knocks out tough guy Benoît Saint Denis in a hard-fought battle, proving he’s “still got it”. The biggest loser is Marlon Vera who’s simply outclassed by champion Sean O’Malley.

my rating : 4 of 5

2024

video review : UFC 300

audio review : In A Major Way ( album ) … E-40

audio review : In A Major Way ( album ) ... E-40

Listen to Da Bumble. It’s one long verse and it showcases just how unique E-40 is when it comes to rapping. It’s not really a matter of substance. His ghetto gab isn’t particularly clever or witty. It’s how he says what he says; his flamboyant flow and slangy style; that makes it both funny and addictive.

E-40 is the dope boy, after all, providing street drugs to the masses. This album offers back-to-back fixes until about halfway when the quality suddenly drops, mostly due to weak hooks. That’s when you start to realize that, though better than his Federal debut, it would’ve been better as another EP.

my rating : 4 of 5

1995

audio review : 2000 Watts ( song ) … Michael Jackson

There seems to be a conceptual conflict with this being both a “dance” anthem and music to blast in your car at “high speed”; it would be hard to do both at once; but the main issue is the deepening effect on the lead vocals. It’s an artistic decision that, on an official Michael Jackson song, borders blasphemy.

The cut; literally the missing title song cut from Tyrese’s newest album, oddly enough; starts in the middle (mediocre) lane but soon reaches “the next level” as Michael Jackson puts you in the groove. It’s his ad-libs during the peak that boost it. The beat, whether you’re driving or dancing to it, is also a banger.

my rating : 4 of 5

2001

audio review : Invincible ( album ) ... Michael Jackson

audio review : The Blueprint 2 [ The Gift And The Curse ] ( album ) … Jay-Z

This isn’t only better than the original Blueprint, it’s also Jay-Z’s best album. That’s not really saying much. The rapper is vastly overrated. There are nonetheless a surprising amount of good songs here; enough to fill a single album, which is what this should’ve been. Instead it’s 2 in one; The Gift And The Curse.

I prefer The Gift. That’s where most of the best songs are, including a sequel to Dr Dre’s Watcher that’s even better than the original. It starts with perhaps Jay-Z’s best verse as he outshines even “the great Rakim himself”. Poppin Tags and Excuse Me Miss; a club serenade “for the grown and sexy”; also shine.

The other set is a bit more Cursed with mediocrity; Some People Hate, he says of critics like me; but there is a U Don’t Know Remix that, like the aforementioned Watcher, improves on the original. The Blueprint 2 title song, on which Jay-Z takes more shots at rival Nas, and Meet The Parents are also worth a listen.

my rating : 4 of 5

2002

Madison Brown Fabulous Ice Cream : Cookies N Cream

Madison Brown Fabulous Ice Cream : Cookies N Cream

This doesn’t look like Cookies N Cream. That name is usually reserved for vanilla ice cream with bits of Oreoesque cookies. The ice cream here is a grayish brown with a slight pink hue. It looks closer to chocolate than vanilla but doesn’t really taste like either. The flavor is rather distinct. Fabulous? Not quite. It is good though.

my rating : 4 of 5

Freshness Guaranteed Apple Pie [ No Sugar Added ]

Freshness Guaranteed Apple Pie [ No Sugar Added ]

There’s No Sugar Added, but what’s the catch? Gas from sorbitol. It’s a relatively minor drawback for a relatively “fresh-from-the bakery” (Walmart) Apple Pie that’s about as good as any you’ll have. The crust is cute, but the best part is the main ingredient; the sweet Apples themselves. This is a treat best served not warm but cold from the fridge.

my rating : 4 of 5

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