callanvass

MJW delivers the goods.

I saw this movie several months ago because I'm a big fan of MJW. Michael Jai White is one of my favorite action heroes. There aren't many people that can do the things he does when it comes to action movies. It's a blast watching him administer his own brand of justice. His intensity knows no bounds. Blood & Bone is a great example of how good MJW can truly be when he's given enough to work with. He has the charisma, talent and skills to be a big action star. I wouldn't call this a great film by any means, but it's definitely an above average B-Action film. Despite some annoying shaky camera work, (a pet peeve of money in general) the fight scenes deliver in a big way, with the best being a toss-up between MJW kicking all kinds of ass in a supermarket, and MJW's scrap at the end with Lateef Crowder. His fight with Crowder reminded me a bit of Jean-Claude Van Damme's fight with Bolo Yeung in Double Impact. Speaking of Crowder, he was a badass and a lot of fun to watch. I especially liked his cartwheel kick. My only real complaint about this movie are the pacing issues. It really cooled off after such an intense start and I found my interest waining at times when MJW wasn't on-screen. There are too many uninteresting side characters for my liking. Jimmy Navaro has a lot of screen-time and failed to do much with it, imo. The twist at the end with his character was highly predictable as well. Neal McDonagh is technically fine in his part, but I get the feeling he was here for the paycheck.

Falcon Rising isn't anywhere near as good as Blood & Bone, nor will it change your life. That said, it is fairly enjoyable and it will divert your attention for 100 minutes or so. If you're a MJW fan, or an action fan in general, I recommend seeing it at least once for some of the fight scenes alone. The ending leaves things open for a sequel. I'd be up for it.

6/10.

Something strange is happening in the quiet town of Riverdale. Jughead is watching too much television and acting more antisocial than usual. Jughead is informed by a television anchor that he won a viewing contest. He and Archie head to the TV Station to pick up Jughead's prize, but they are dismayed to learn that the prize is nothing more than a mere potato. Jughead and Archie are blissfully unaware that the prized potato they won is actually part of a plot to take over Riverdale by The Great Potato Monster. Despite being given ample warning by Archie that too much television is not healthy, Jughead continues to binge watch televison. Later that night, Jughead is tied up on the couch by the potato, allowing a potato cloned duplicate of Jughead to spring to life. Soon, most of Riverdale are turned into Potato Zombies. With the help of his friend Dilton Doiley, Archie is forced to try and uncover the mystery before it's too late.

I'm gonna quickly talk about how much this show means to me. I've loved Archie comics since I was a kid and still do to this day. I first discovered this show on Teletoon back when I was roughly 13 years old. I can't recall the first episode I ever watched, but it didn't take me long to fall in love with it. I was very upset when the show was canceled. It has something for all ages to enjoy. I'm 36 years old now and recently purchased this show on DVD from Ebay, because I was feeling super nostalgic reminiscing about my memories from watching this show. I can honestly say it was worth every penny. I knew right from the outset after to listening to the opening theme song that nothing had changed. I still had those special vibes from when I was a teenager. The animation is still solid and I love how well written the main characters are. (Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica, Dilton, etc. Evil, Anti-Jughead is especially fun to watch. ) I was happy to see Dilton portrayed as a brave individual that can take care of himself. It was nice that he got some love.

I also really enjoyed Archie and Betty's date. It was cute watching them both awkwardly try to make the first move. The internal dialogue Archie and Betty had on the date rings true to me. This episode benefits from a really cool villain. The Great Potato Monster might sound silly on paper, but I loved it. The Great Potato Monster felt like a genuine threat at times and was effectively creepy to boot. (I loved the red eyes!) The zombies were just icing on the cake.

As far as pilots go, Attack of the Killer Spuds is top-notch. It's not only a great pilot, it's one of the best episodes in the series. It's suspenseful and highly entertaining. It honestly reminded me of a short version of Invasion of the Bodysnatchers. The moral of the story here is watching too much television can be hazardous to your health. I had planned on having french fries with my dinner tonight, but now i think I'll keep the French fries in the freezer just to be safe.

9/10.

The Hatchet series reminds me a lot of The Friday the 13th franchise. It's filled with disposable characters, buckets of blood, and plenty of fun. A recipe for success when it comes to most slasher movies. I honestly didn't care for Hatchet when I first saw it. Perhaps I wasn't in the right frame of mind, but I didn't like it too much. It was a lot better the 2nd time around because I appreciated it for what it is. The swampy atmosphere of New Orleans is absolutely perfect as well. If you're a gorehound who's never seen this before, you'll be quite pleased. It's not quite as over the top as the sequels are, but it's more than enough to quench your thirst, to say the least. The performances are decent. Kane Hodder is one of my favorite horror icons. He's big, badass and imposing. He's the best Jason Voorhees and he's created another iconic horror character here in Crowley. It's a blast to watch Hodder kill people in the most brutal ways imaginable. Joel David Moore is OK as Ben. He was on and off for me. Amara Zaragoza was easily the most likable character here. She's not quite as good as Danielle Harris is as Marybeth, but she is definitely very solid as our heroine. Deon Richmond is both funny and annoying in his role. Tony Todd is great fun and I was glad he had a substantial role. Robert Englund has a cameo in the beginning of the movie as a redneck. You can technically say this movie features 4 of the greatest horror villains of all time. (Freddy Krueger, Candyman, Jason Voorhees & Victor Crowley)

I personally prefer the sequels but this is definitely an above-average start to a fun franchise. Check it out if you haven't.

6/10.

Accepted is a solid coming of age film. It's a bit of a throwback to 80's coming of age movies, such as Animal House. I'm sure I'll get some heat for saying this but I personally enjoy this film much more than Animal House. I find Animal House to be overrated and dull. It also hasn't aged well, imo, but I digress. Accepted heavily criticizes the current education system for being far too conventional in its approach. That's honestly been a complaint of mine for years now. I have ADHD and I've always hated the lack of support for myself and other people that suffer from learning disabilities. The education system has needed real changes for a long time now. If South Harmon was a real college, I would definitely go there. I like the idea of getting to choose what I want to learn, in lieu of having to put up with the options the school gives me. Accepted benefits from a likeable cast. I've always liked Justin Long. His portrayal of Bartelby Gaines was pretty entertaining. Some of his actions in this movie may be deceitful but I was rooting for him the whole way. He had the courage of his convictions and I respect anybody that has the audacity to rebel against the system for a good cause. Jonah Hill is amusing as Long's friend. Blake Lively makes the most out of a thinly written part as Long's love interest. She is charming and very beautiful. Lively is one of my favorite actresses. Lewis Black has his moments as the phony dean. Some of his ramblings amused me, others got on my nerves.

I don't care how unrealistic this movie is. It's a fun movie overall. It's never truly laugh-out-loud funny but it's consistently amusing. It's quite raunchy at times but it has plenty of heart to offset the raunchy humor. The ending is completely heartwarming as well. I personally give this movie a thumbs up. It deserves more love than it gets, in my opinion.

7/10.

Disgraced ex-police officer Brian O'Connor relocates from Los Angeles to Miami for a fresh start after failing to arrest Dominic Toretto. He makes a living by participating in illegal street races, befriending the likes of Tej (Ludacris) and Suki (Devon Aoki). He is thwarted after he gets arrested by the police. The FBI offer to erase Brian's criminal record if Brian can take down drug lord Carter Verone. (Cole Hauser) O'Connor takes the deal and convinces ex-friend Roman Pierce (Tyrese Gibson) to be his partner in exchange for the same deal Brian has with the FBI. They get some help from U. S Customs agent Monica Fuentes (Eva Mendes), who is working undercover as an assistant for Carter Verone.

I love the first movie even if it's not a great film per se. It just has this charm about it that's impossible to resist. This sequel isn't nearly as good, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't enjoyable. I'm fully aware of how stupid it is, but it's a guilty pleasure of mine. I love entertaining cheese and this is simply great cheese. I think a lot of people (myself included at the time) were turned off by Vin Diesel's absence. Apparently, he didn't care for the script much and turned down a cool 25 million not to return for this sequel. Vin's presence is sorely missed here, but I enjoyed this movie far more than I did when it first came out. With my expectations now out of the way, I'm able to appreciate it for the mindless fun that it is. You've got really cool cars, beautiful women, fun car races, and plenty of great action to keep you entertained. A couple of good examples include the infamous stare and drive scene with Brian and Monica Fuentes. I loved how cheeky that was. Another example is near the end of the film where Brian and Roman use a ramp to launch their Camaro onto a yacht in a desperate attempt to rescue Monica and take down Carter Verone.

Paul Walker brings many of the same qualities that he had in the first movie. He's charming, affable and charismatic. He helped keep this movie afloat. Tyrese Gibson won't make anyone forget about Vin Diesel, but I liked him. He's annoying at times, but his innate charisma shines through. His antics had me grinning on more than one occasion. He also had good chemistry with Walker. Eva Mendes is gorgeous and does what she has to do well. I'd like to see her return to the franchise in the future. Cole Hauser is OK as the villain. He's technically fine and had the right amount of intensity, but I found him to be rather dull. Devon Aoki and James Remar stand out the most among the rest of the cast.

It is one of the worst movies in the series, I'm not gonna deny that. That said, I do think it's dumb fun overall and deserves to be treated as such. Just make sure you turn your brain off before viewing

6/10.

One thing you'll quickly learn about me is I love anything vintage....especially the 80's. I was born in 1985...so I didn't get to experience the 80's like I wish I could have. I've made up for lost time over the years. I was looking for something interesting to watch a while back and I came across this wonderful, hidden gem. Talk about underrated! It's a great coming of age movie about the pressures of sex, life, and losing your virginity, set in the 1950's. It mirrors the 50's perfectly. The groovy 50's tunes, the outfits, and just everything in general mirrored the 50's almost to perfection. My only real carp is it's pretty crass for the 50's at times and I did wonder about some of the dialog (Some of it seemed way too modern) That's just minor nit-picking and it didn't ruin the experience for me at all. I also loved a lot of the humour. I won't spoil the whole scene...but there is a hilarious scene where one of the main characters gets an erection in class. That almost had me in stitches.

The performances are a lot of fun with some terrific eye candy if you're a guy like me. Catharine Mary Stewart, Kelly Preston and Jami Gertz are all gorgeous ladies with some solid acting chops. It was kinda hard to buy Jami Gertz as a nerd, as she is too gorgeous...but she pulled it off well. Doug McKeon (Our virgin hero, Jonathan) and Chris Nash ( Gene Harbrough) are good as the best friends. Doug McKeon is a loveable loser and Chris Nash had some serious shades of James Dean with his rebellious style. The ending is really well done and I was completely satisfied with it. I thought it was fairly realistic and pretty emotional. I'm admittedly, a hopeless romantic...so it got to me. I loved this movie overall. This is a gem you need to seek out as soon as possible. I dare you not to crack a smile or two while you're watching it.

8.5/10

Live from Dayton, OH

Attendance 6,500

Your commentators are Jim Ross, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

KOTR: First Round

Bret Hart Vs Razor Ramon

Bret wins after a countering a suplex from the top in mid-air. This was a fun opener. Bret was a godsend around this time, but the two really had good chemistry and the last 5 minutes are almost breathtakingly exciting. They have another good match at the Rumble.

***1/4 out of 5

KOTR: First Round

Mr. Perfect Vs Mr. Hughes

The battle of the Mister's! Perfect wins by DQ after Hughes foolishly nails Hennig with The Undertaker's urn. Personally, I would have had Perfect win clean here. Hughes was garbage. That said, Perfect did his best to get a good match out of him. He was semi-successful.

** out of 5

KOTR: First Round

Bam Bam Bigelow Vs 'Hacksaw' Jim Duggan

This is gonna suck, big time. Bigelow wins with a diving headbutt. Well, this could have been a lot worse, considering Duggan was wrestling. That's about the best compliment I can give it.

*1/2 out of 5

KOTR: First Round

'The Narcissit' Lex Luger Vs Tatanka

The match ends in a draw after the 15 minute time limit expires. This was actually well above average. Both men worked pretty hard and this was much better than I remembered it to be. The finish makes sense since you had to protect both men. Tatanka had the undefeated streak and Luger was a new heel.

**3/4 out of 5

There is a great interview segment between Bret Hart and Mr. Perfect.

KOTR: Quarter Finals

Bret Hart Vs Mr. Perfect

Bret wins with a small package. Perfect teases a heel turn after the match but ends up shaking Bret's hand and patting him on the back. This was one beautiful match. Amazing action, perfect storytelling, and flawlessly executed. Not quite as good as their Summerslam match, but it's a classic for sure. It's got everything. I love how desperate Perfect was and I loved Bret's resiliency. Close to 5 stars as you can get.

****3/4 out of 5

WWF Championship

Hulk Hogan (C) Vs Yokozuna

As much as I love Heenan, he makes one of the stupidest comments I've ever heard. "The longer the match goes, the advantage goes to Yokozuna. He'll wear Hogan down" Bahahahahahaha. Yokozuna wins the title after a photographer flashes fire in Hogan's eyes. Yokozuna beats Hogan with his own leg drop. Man, even as an adult, this is still upsetting. Hogan put Yokozuna over big time and I'm not sure people realize that. Yokozuna kicked out of the leg drop, beat Hogan with Hogan's own maneuver, and looked very strong. Hogan barely got in any offense. Personally, I think Hogan should have done the honors to Bret Hart, but that's just me. The match was pretty awful, but it wasn't expected to be a masterpiece. Hogan did the job and that's the last we would see of Hulkamania in the WWF until 2002.

*1/4 out of 5

Promos from Mr. Perfect and Shawn Michaels, where Michaels introduces Diesel as his bodyguard.

The Steiner Brothers & The Smoking Gunns Vs Money INC & The Headshrinkers

The Steiner Brothers and The Gunns win. This was a throwaway match if there ever was one to calm the crowd down. The crowd was completely dead and still in shock from Hogan's demise. Don't blame them either. I barely paid attention to it.

* out of 5

Intercontinental Championship

Shawn Michaels (C) (W/Diesel) Vs Crush

HBK retains with a superkick to the back of the head after three Doinks come out and distract Crush. This was actually decent stuff. Shawn bumped like a mad man for Crush and Crush looked solid as well. Much better than I remembered.

**1/4 out of 5

King of the Ring

Bret Hart Vs Bam Bam Bigelow

Bigelow initially pins Bret with a diving headbutt after Luna Vachon interferes. The referee reverses the decision when Earl Hebner tells the main ref what transpired. The match restarts and Bret wins King of the Ring with a victory roll. This was a very good big man vs little man match. It was a tad overbooked, but the match quality cannot be denied. This was Bret's consolation prize after kinda being screwed out of the WWF Title.

***1/2 out of 5

Jerry 'The King' Lawler says Bret is a pretender and doesn't deserve to be king. He'll make Bret a prince if Bret kneels down and kisses Lawler's feet. Bret calls Lawler a Burger King. Lawler responds by beating the crap out of Bret to end the show.

Well, this was a memorable show for a lot of reasons. Bret winning King of the Ring, multiple great matches, and the end of Hulkamania in the WWF for 9 years. Hart Vs Perfect is worth watching for the PPV alone, but there is plenty of other great stuff too. It may have been the end of Hulkamania, but this was Bret's night. He proved he was the workhorse. One of the best King of the Ring PPV's and the best PPV of 93 by far. Highly recommended.

8/10

Live from Biloxi, Mississippi

Attendance 8,600

Your commentators are Tony Schiavone & Jessie Ventura

Television Championship

'Mr. Wonderful' Paul Orndorff (C) Vs Ron Simmons

Orndorff wins by DQ after Simmons backdrops Orndorff over the top rope. This was a pretty average opener. There was nothing bad about it, but nothing all that good either. The finish was really lame as well.

** out of 5

2 Cold Scorpio & Marcus Bagwell Vs Tex Slazenger & Shanghi Pierce

Slazenger & Pierce are The Godwinns. Scorpio and Bagwell win. This was actually a decent match! I had very little interest in it before it started, but I ended up pleasantly surprised. They had good chemistry.

**1/2 out of 5

Lord Steven Regal Vs Erik Watts

Regal wins with a roll-up by using the tights. This match was almost nothing but rest holds. Not only was it boring, but crappy as well. Anyone that had to watch Erik Watts back in the day gets my deepest sympathies.

* out of 5

Johnny B. Badd Vs Maxx Payne

Badd wins with a flying cross-body from the second turnbuckle. This is another match I didn't care about. It spoke volumes with how silent the crowd was for it. It was mediocre.

*1/2 out of 5

Tag Team Championship

The Hollywood Blonds (C) (Steve Austin & Brian Pillman) Vs Arn Anderson & Paul Roma

The Hollywood Blonds retain the titles. This was a solid tag team match. It started off a little slowly, but really picked up after a bit. The Hollywood Blonds were one of the best things about WCW at this juncture.

**3/4 out of 5

United States Championship (30 Minute Iron Man Match)

Dustin Rhodes(C) Vs 'Ravishing' Rick Rude

The match ends in a draw when it ends in a 1-1 tie. This match was inconsistent. They weren't able to fully kick it into another gear when it mattered most. It was watchable, but it had too many wear down holds as well. It was a missed opportunity for something special.

**1/2 out of 5

NWA Heavyweight Championship

Barry Windham (C) Vs Ric Flair

Flair wins the title after pinning Windham with the Figure Four. This was a solid match without a doubt, but it felt like both guys were sleepwalking. I definitely don't think they gave us their best by a long shot. That's just my opinion. Flair's title win is a cool moment because he became a 10 time champion here.

**3/4 out of 5

Sting & Davey Boy Smith Vs Vader & Sid Vicious (W/Harley Race & Col. Parker)

Sting & Davey win after Davey pins Vader with a crucifix. They probably should have ended the show with Flair and Windham. This was a watchable, but underwhelming main event. The highlight of this match is Davey delivering a delayed vertical suplex to Vader. That type of strength is inhuman.

** out of 5

This is an average PPV. There isn't anything horrible about it, but nothing stood out either. I would save this one until you have nothing to watch on the WWE Network. It's that type of show. 7.0 is way too high for this event.

5/10

Live from Mobile, AL

Attendance 5,000

Your commentators are Jim Ross & Jessie Ventura

Light Heavyweight Championship

'Flyin' Brian Pillman Vs Scotty Flamingo

Flamingo is Raven. Anyways, Flamingo wins the title. This was a solid opener. It's hampered a bit by a couple of slow spots, but this is a fun match for the most part. It had some great drama near the end.

**3/4 out of 5

Ron Simmons Vs Terry Taylor

Simmons wins with a powerslam. This match was nothing special. These two didn't have great chemistry out there. It was kind of clashing of styles as well. I didn't hate it, but I didn't particularly care for it either.

*3/4 out of 5

Marcus Bagwell Vs Greg 'The Hammer' Valentine

Valentine wins by submission with the Figure Four. I'm happy Valentine won, but he was kind of past his prime at this juncture. Bagwell was never a truly great wrestler either. As a result, this match was mediocre.

*1/2 out of 5

Falls Count Anywhere

Sting Vs Cactus Jack

Sting wins. I enjoyed this match very much. Mick Foley is a master at these types of matches and Sting was his perfect match. It's not quite as good as Cactus's Falls Count Anywhere match with Vader at Halloween Havoc in 93, but it's pretty good.

***1/4 out of 5

30 Minute Iron Man Match

'Ravishing' Rick Rude Vs Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat

Steamboat wins 4 falls to 3. This was a very good match for the most part. Aside from some boring rest holds, these two wrestled their asses off for 30 minutes and put on one hell of a show with some great back and forth action.I was very impressed.

***1/2 out of 5

'Stunning' Steve Austin, Bobby Eaton & Arn Anderson Vs Nikita Koloff, Dustin Rhodes & Barry Windham

The team of Koloff, Rhodes & Windham win the match by DQ. Well, all that for nothing. The finish really angered me. I get that you had to be protective, but a clean finish would have been nice. The match was rather disjointed and all over the place.

** out of 5

Ricky Steamboat is interviewed by Eric Bischoff. Paul E. Dangerously interrupts and claims Steamboat will never get another United States title shot again. Cactus Jack attacks Steamboat from behind and gets into a big brawl with him.

Tag Team Championship

The Steiner Brothers (C) Vs 'Dr. Death' Steve Williams & Terry Gordy

They fight to a 30 minute time-limit draw. Both teams worked hard, but this was TOO long and rather slow at some points. All that for that inane finish? It really angered me. I also question why this was chosen as the main event. Sting and Cactus Jack should have gone last.

**3/4 out of 5

"Hairdressers"

Mr. Bean heads to the hairdresser for a routine haircut. In typical Mr. Bean fashion, things go awry when the hairdresser has to attend to business on the telephone. Things take a horrific turn when Mr. Bean plays barber and starts ruining people's hair. No matter how many times you see this, it never fails to be funny. NEVER EVER let Mr. Bean near a pair of scissors. Mr. Bean cutting and styling people's hair is a very scary thought. It's a nightmare for people who value their hair. It's one of the most hilarious things Mr. Bean has ever done. When I first watched this episode, I couldn't wait to see what Mr. Bean was gonna do to people's hair. You are guaranteed to laugh.

"Village Fete & Pet Show"

Mr. Bean heads to the village for a day of fun. He cheats at a tricky a game by unplugging the plug. Next Mr. Bean tries to hit the headmaster with sponges. When the headmaster laughs at him for missing, Mr. Bean doesn't stop there. He starts throwing canned goods and cereal boxes at him. To end the day, he attends a pet show and enters Teddy for an obedience test. Mr. Bean's devious 9-year- old mind is at work here. Mr. Bean can be a bit mean at times, but in a very funny way. Mr. Bean entering his teddy-bear into the pet show is one of the most ridiculous things you can possibly think of, yet it works perfectly. That's the brilliance of the Mr. Bean character. He can make anything hilarious.

"Mail Bag"

At the train station, Mr. Bean forgets his ticket. Not one to give up, Mr. Bean decides to hop into a sack to hide himself. He crawls around in the sack to avoid everybody. He manages to succeed, but he gets on the wrong train. I appreciate the send-off Mr. Bean got here. At first, I didn't care for it. I thought Mr. Bean ending up in Moscow was pretty silly. Over the years as I've matured, I've grown to love it. Rowan Atkinson does some amazing physical comedy here by crawling around in the sack and bumping around. I used to get very saddened because it was the last episode of this show, but we ended up getting two Bean movies, and Bean appearances here and there.

Overall, this is a great send-off for Mr. Bean. Anybody that loves to laugh will appreciate the fun here.

9.5/10

This is one of Jackie's most enjoyable films. It's basically Jackie Chan playing Indiana Jones, only with more slapstick. That said, it's very effective. The action scenes are fantastic. I'm not gonna spoil all of them, but I'll give you a hint of what to expect. We get an insane opening with some death-defying stunts from Jackie (Including one that almost killed Jackie) , some exciting car chases that will have action fans foaming at the mouth, and great fight scenes that are filled with creativity. Jackie's fight with the 4 leather women at the end is exhilarating. It's one of the reasons why Jackie's films in the US pale in comparison to films like this. The slapstick is a lot of fun to watch. You even get to see Jackie sing! The love triangle provides some good laughs as well. Jackie Chan is fun as always, but his character is kind of a dick in this movie. He's a likable one, though. Jackie always makes you laugh. His chemistry with Alan Tam is good. Lola Farmer (May) is my favorite out of the two ladies. Rosamund Kwan was solid as well.

This is one of my favorite films of Jackie's. It's exciting, funny, and has everything you could possibly want.

Live from Nashville, TN

Attendance: 9,030

Your hosts are Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes & Bobby Heenan

Cruiserweight Unification Match

Dean Malenko (C) Vs Ultimo Dragon (W/Sonny Onoo)

The Ultimo Dragon wins the title. This was one hell of an opener with a title switch I didn't see coming. It kinda deflated the crowd a bit, but overall, they were the winners. They got to see this terrific opener. If it wasn't for a slow start, I'd give this four stars.

***3/4

Women's Championship

Akira Hokuto (W/Kensuki Sasaki) Vs Madusa

Hokuto wins the title after Sonny Onoo interferes. I wasn't too impressed by this match. Hokuto pulled out a couple of cool manuevers, but that's about it.

*3/4

Rey Mysterio Jr. Vs Jushin "Thunder" Liger

Liger wins with a Liger bomb. I'm loving the quality of wrestling tonight! This is another outstanding match on this show. They went toe to toe with move after move. I was surprised that Liger got the win, but Japan winning seems to be a theme tonight.

***3/4

Chris Beniot (W/Woman) Vs Jeff Jarrett

The ending to the match is pretty chaotic! Konnan and Hugh Morrus try to take Woman to the back, but she kicks Morrus in the nuts. Meanwhile, Arn Anderson DDT's Jarrett on the floor. Kevin Sullivan drills Beniot from behind with a wooden chair. Jarrett somehow finds a way to win. This was a good match. It had the right intensity, and Jarrett actually did a decent job of playing a face here.

**3/4

Steve McMichael and Debra come out for an interview. McMichael says Beniot had Jarrett handed to him on a silver platter, but he still couldn't get the job done. Man Debra was a heat magnet. That woman almost got boos as loud as Vickie Guerrero

Tag Team Championship

Scott Hall & Kevin Nash (C) (W/Syxx) Vs Meng & The Barbarian (W/Jimmy Hart)

Hall and Nash retain after Nash delivers a powerbomb to The Barbarian. As expected, this was a pretty mediocre match. It was a drastic departure from the quality wrestling that was opening the show. The nWo had some cool aspects to it, but also some annoying ones.

*1/2

United States Championship

Diamond Dallas Paige Vs Eddie Guerrero

Eddie wins the title with the help of Scott Hall. Eddie tries to fend off an attack from the nWo, but he can't quite do it. Syxx takes away the title. The last 5 minutes of this match are really good. The rest of it isn't so hot. One memorable thing about this match is DDP's face turn.

**1/2

Lex Luger Vs The Giant

The referee gets knocked down. Lex Luger has it won with The Torture Rack, but referee, Nick Patrick comes down and nails Luger in the knee to stop it. Syxx interferes as well. Sting comes down and scares Nick Patrick away and leaves a baseball bat in the middle of the ring. Luger gets to the bat first and nails The Giant with it a few times to pick up the upset victory over The Giant.

Thoughts: The match wasn't that great, but boy was the finish exciting, and the crowd popped huge for it. Normally, I'd complain of overbooking, but it was really exciting so it doesn't matter here.

*1/2

"Hollywood" Hulk Hogan (W/Ted Dibiase, Vincent & Miss Elizabeth) Vs "Rowdy" Roddy Piper

Piper fends off The Giant and beats Hogan by submission with the sleeper hold. After the match, The Giant and Hogan get into an argument. Even though it wasn't for the title, Piper beating Hogan was a huge deal. It was quite amazing that Hogan put over Piper relatively clean. The match itself was pretty ugly, but the ending gave you a nice feeling.

*

Overall, this is a memorable PPV. It features some solid matches and some fun storytelling. WCW was red hot at one point.

7/10

Live from Tampa, FL

Your hosts are Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler & Jim Ross

Intercontinental Championship

Hunter Hearst Helmsley (C) Vs Marc Mero (W/Sable)

Goldust appears and watches from the crowd with Marlena. Hunter wins with the pedigree. Helmsley taunts Goldust after the match and says Marlena can come home with a real man. Goldust chases Hunter to the back. Helmsley's win was easier than I expected. It was an average match for the most part. I've seen the two have much better.

**

Sunny comes out dressed as Santa's little helper. She looks gorgeous to say the least.

Rocky Maivia Vs Salvatore Sincere (W/Jim Cornette)

Rocky wins with a shoulderbreaker. This was before the crowd started hating Rocky. The match itself was rather mediocre. It was a good win for Rocky, though.

*1/2

Up next is an interview with Sycho Sid. Sid says in the span of 30 days, he's defeated the two greatest technical wrestlers of all time in Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. Sid says when he walks, the ground shakes. He says he's the super predator of the WWF, and the master and ruler of the world. He says he'll be 6 foot 9, 300 pounds tomorrow, the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after that. Weird promo

Pierroth & Cibernetico Vs The New Rockers

Pierroth and Cibernetico win. This was a pretty boring match. Vince was using the AAA to promote the Royal Rumble in 97. That's why Pierroth and Cibernetico won

*1/4

The Honky Tonk Man makes his return to the WWF to no reaction. He's gonna do some commentating.

Bret Hart Vs "The Fake" Razor Ramon

Bret wins by submission with The Sharpshooter. Let's face it! Even though he mimic's Scott Hall's moves, he's nowhere near the caliber of Scott Hall. Bret carried him to a watchable match.

*3/4

This is a relatively poor show for the most part. None of the matches are worth seeing, and there aren't any exciting moments at all.

3.5/10

Live from Sacramento, CA

Attendance: 16,000

Your hosts are Gorilla Monsoon & Bobby Heenan

The Steiner Brothers Vs The Beverly Brothers

The Steiner's win after Scott hits a frankensteiner. This was an above average opener. I felt this was a good debut match for The Steiner's to really strut their stuff. You can't ask for much more than you got here.

**3/4

Intercontinental Championship

Shawn Michaels (C) Vs Marty Jannetty

Sensational Sherri is gonna be in a neutral corner. Shawn wins with a superkick after Sherri accidentally nails Janetty with her shoe. These two stole the show with this match! Jannetty starts off like a house of fire like any intense feud should. Shawn and Marty also gave us some excellent psychology before the match turned into one near-fall after another. It's an excellent match. Thankfully, all the Sherri drama didn't detract from the match

****

Shawn Michaels confronts Sherri backstage and tees off on her. Marty runs in and brawls with Shawn.

The Big Bossman Vs Bam Bam Bigelow

Bigelow wins with a diving headbutt from the top. These guys were doomed to fail after the clinic Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty put on, but it still wasn't a very good match. It moved at a pretty slow pace and lacked excitement. Both of these guys are good wrestlers for their size. They just didn't click here.

*1/2

WWF Championship

Bret Hart (C) Vs Razor Ramon

Bret wins with the Sharpshooter. This is an underrated match. Bret proved he was the best wrestler in the world at the time, and Razor held his own as well. This is one of those matches that doesn't get talked about enough as far as great Rumble matches go.

***3/4

Bobby Heenan unveils "The Narcissist" Lex Luger. It's worth watching simply for Bobby Heenan's performance. He's magnificent here.

Royal Rumble Match

Yokozuna wins after eliminating Randy Savage. This is an average Royal Rumble for the most part. It does have some standout moments. Mr. Perfect eliminating Ric Flair garnered a big pop from the crowd. Bob Backlund lasted all the way until the end and got a standing ovation for his efforts. The crowed booed when he got eliminated. Giant Gonzalez debuted and eliminated The Undertaker. (That was more dubious than standout) One thing that made me shake my head was how Yokozuna won the rumble. Savage hits the flying elbow from the top and goes to pin him. Yokozuna simply powers him off over the top rope and to the floor. It made Savage look really stupid.

**1/4

Aside from the Royal Rumble match itself, this was a really good card. Shawn Michaels vs Marty Jannetty and Bret Hart vs Razor Ramon are both fantastic matches. If the Rumble match wasn't so forgettable, this could have been a classic PPV.

6.5/10

'Hour one.

Live from Pensacola, FL

Your hosts are Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyszko

Eric Bischoff, Ted Dibiase & Vincent come out and remove Schiavone & Zbyszko from the announcer's table. So our hosts for the night are gonna be Eric Bischoff & Ted Dibiase.

Television Championship

Steven Regal (C) Vs Psychosis

Regal wins with the Regal Stretch. This was a great little match almost RUINED by Bischoff's commentary. He went on and on about Hogan and Piper. Not only was it disrespectful, but very distracting as well. I was able to let it go and watch this show stealer.

***3/4

Big Bubba Rogers Vs Chavo Guerrero Jr.

Bubba wins with the Bossman slam. Chavo got in some offense to make this slightly competitive. Once again, the commentary annoyed me.

*1/4

Masa Hiro Chono Vs Chris Jericho

Jericho wins by DQ. Chono's offense was really dull to watch. Jericho wasn't able to do much with this one. That's not his fault.

*

Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Steve McMichael & Debra comment on the absence of Chris Beniot and Woman. This segment was ruined by Debra. She's beyond annoying.

Dean Malenko Vs David Sammartino

Davis is Bruno Sammartino's son. Malenko wins. This match was too short to really amount to much. They basically traded some moves and it was over before you know it.

*

Hour two.

Your hosts are Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay & Bobby Heenan

Ice Train (W/Teddy Long) Vs Jerry Flynn

Ice Train wins by submission. This isn't worth recapping.

3/4*

Syxx & The Outsiders are out next. They issue a challenge to The Faces of Fear later tonight.

Rey Mysterio Jr. Vs Bobby Eaton

Mysterio wins with a frankensteiner from the top. Eaton dominated most of the match until Mysterio hit a move at the end. This match was mediocre at best

*1/2

We get another video of Chris Beniot & Woman taunting Kevin Sullivan

Kevin Sullivan (W/Jimmy Hart) Vs Arn Anderson

Sullivan wins after Dungeon of Doom members interfere. This was an intense brawl while it lasted. I'm kinda shaking my head at the result, though.

*1/2

Sting Vs Rick Steiner (W/Scott Steiner)

nWo Sting and the real Sting both come out. Sting delivers the Scorpion deathdrop to the nWo Sting and throws Rick Steiner his baseball bat before leaving.

Hollywood Hogan comes out. He calls out Roddy Piper. Hogan says he started his career in Pensacola, FL, and considers it his hometown. Hogan says he was beating up Andre the Giant when he started. Hogan rips on Ric Flair. He says with Piper's bad hip and Flair's bad arm, he could beat both of them up at the same time. Hogan asks Elizabeth to kiss him on the cheek. Elizabeth kisses him on the cheek. It turns out, Roddy Piper isn't here tonight. Hogan talks some more trash and poses to end this pointless segment.

The Outsiders Vs The Faces of Fear (W/Jimmy Hart)

The match ends in a no-contest. Big Bubba Rogers comes out and turns on the Dungeon of Doom. He's now with the nWo. Many more nWo and WCW wrestlers come out. Scott Norton joins the nWo as well. Sting comes out and does nothing until WCW wrestlers start attacking him. Sting shoves them all away and leaves as Nitro goes off the air.

Thoughts: This was kind of a decent ending. It's too bad the show was so boring for the most part.

After a great match between Regal and Psychosis, it all went downhill after that. This episode is a snooze fest with WAY too much nWo.

3.5/10

This is one of my favorite comedies! I have to admit that I was surprised by how watchable the remake was, but it can't top the original. It's weird, because I'm not a Chevy Chase fan, but he's so good in this movie. I always laugh watching him do stupid things. There are so many classic moments in this movie that I don't know where to begin. I'll just start by how good the cast is. As I said, Chevy Chase is fantastic. Beverly D'Angelo is cute as a button here. I thought she was really good. Anthony Michael Hall & Dana Barron are both great as the kids, especially Michael Hall. Randy Quaid is a show stealer. I can't forget Imogene Coca's performance as Aunt Edna. I felt bad for her.

You can't be a true fan of comedies if you haven't seen this movie. If you're looking for a lot of belly laughs, you'll get plenty of them by watching this movie. It's a classic!

P.S

I'll never forget Christine Brinkley in the Ferrari. She's one of the most gorgeous women you'll ever see!

8.5/10

Eddie and Frank are Siamese brothers connected by their waists. Eddie an arrogant person who always seems to get himself into trouble. Frank is the complete opposite. He has a good heart and good values. Eddie tries to convince Frank to agree to a special surgery that will free them both. Frank thinks it's far too risky. Frank meets a girl named Marie in a bar and becomes very attracted to her. Marie is initially disgusted by Frank's situation, but she falls for him too. Frank is convinced by Marie to agree to the surgery, but Eddie does something very devious to change everything.

This is one twisted episode! I enjoyed every second of it too. Tales from the Crypt seems to come up with some of the grossest concepts imaginable. It's a very original tale as well. It's full of creativity and great humor. Not only is being attached to each other's hips disgusting enough, but you are able to relate to both of them. Sure. Eddie is a jerk, but he's kind of an endearing jerk. That said, i would HATE to have a brother like him. I wouldn't be able to put up with it either. Can you imagine having to do literally EVERYTHING together? They even pee together here! There isn't too much gore here. We get a cleaver in the back and icky effects. But that's about it. The ending is very satisfactory as well. As another reviewer pointed out, some may recognize Jessica Harper here from Suspiria!

Tales from the Crypt fans will love this one! It's original, sickeningly funny, and creepy.

7.5/10

Live from Tampa, FL

Your hosts are Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler & Jim Ross

We start off with JR interviewing Bret Hart. Bret says there is no reason why Bret isn't the WWF Champion. He says things have changed in the WWF, because you can't tell anybody apart anymore. You don't know who your friends, your enemies, or what the rules are. He says the problem with the WWF is there are no rules. He says he doesn't need to abide by any rules. He calls Shawn Michaels a prissy and says he gave Bret his word that he wouldn't interfere in Bret's match against Sycho Sid. He says Shawn's been out to get him because he can't handle that he's better than him. He says he'll do anything to get back on top in the WWF. He announces that he'll be in the Royal Rumble.

Thoughts: Bret was slowly morphing into a vindictive and bitter personality. He cut a great promo here.

Vader (W/Jim Cornette) Vs "Stone Cold" Steve Austin

Bret Hart joins for commentary. Austin wins by DQ after Bret Hart attacks Austin. Bret Hart applies the Sharpshooter to Austin and refuses to relinquish the hold until officials come help and break it up. As short-lived as it was, the brawl between Austin and Vader was certainly intense. Bret Hart's attack on Austin added to the growing intensity of the feud between Bret and Austin.

*3/4

Razor Ramon & Diesel Vs The Godwinns

Razor and Diesel win after Diesel hits the jackknife on Phinneas. Yech! This was pretty bad. Two teams nobody gave a damn about. This is the "fake" Razor and Diesel.

*1/4

Sycho Sid says nobody can beat him for the WWF title. He's the master. If you step into the ring with him, you will go down. He says he's not afraid to face Shawn in Shawn's hometown at the Royal Rumble. Sid thrives on adversity. He warns Jose Lothario not to get involved with him and Shawn.

Shawn Michaels says he's used to being humiliated. He says San Antonio is also the home of Jose Lothario. He says Texas doesn't like what Sid's done to Lothario. He says he has no problem with Sid beating him. He has a problem with what Sid did to Jose Lothario. He's not here to whine and cry like Bret Hart. He says he's the only one who can talk about his life intimately. He's gonna walk out the WWF Champion at the Royal Rumble. He tells Bret Hart he's no Shawn Michaels.

Doug Furnas & Phill Lafon Vs TL Hopper & Doctor X

Furnas and Lafon win with relative ease. I don't have much to say about this one.

3/4*

Billy Gun cuts a quick promo about facing Bart Gunn later tonight.

Jerry Lawler loses to Sable in a game of Karate Fighters. Triple H & Jerry Lawler beat up Marc Mero after until Goldust makes the save. Jerry Lawler calls Goldust queer and gets his ass kicked for it.

Bart Gunn Vs Billy Gunn

The match ends in a no-contest after Billy can't get up from a stun gun on the ropes. Billy's wife and Bart's wife run in to check on Billy. Billy ends up being loaded on a stretcher as Raw goes off the air. Billy wasn't really hurt. They were trying to make the Billy and Bart feud really mean something. They didn't really succeed with it.

*1/2

4/10 overall.

Live from Washington, DC

Attendance: 7,500

Your commentators are Jim Ross & Bob Caudle

Cactus Jack, Bam Bam Bigelow & Kevin Sullivan (W/Sir Oliver Humperdink) Vs The Roadwarriors & Norman The Lunatic

Norman The Lunatic is Bastion Booger. The Roadwarrios & Norman win. This was much better than I thought it was gonna be. I wouldn't call it a good match, but it certainly had some exciting moments and it was fast paced more often than not.

**1/4

Mean Mark Callous (W/Teddy Long) Vs Johnny Ace

Johnny Ace is John Laurinaitis and Mean Mark is that fellow known as The Undertaker. Callous wins with an elbow drop from the top. Good god, this was boring. Not only boring, but LONG. They could have easily trimmed this a little bit. The Undertaker wouldn't really come into his own as a wrestler until 96/97.

*1/2

Mike Rotunda & Tommy Rich Vs The Samoan Swat Team

The Samoan Swat Team wins. This match felt like an Iron Man match, only with nothing but boredom. If you're looking to cure your insomnia, this match is worth considering. It's nothing technically bad, just extremely boring.

*1/4

Hair Vs Hair Match

Teddy Long Vs Paul Ellering

For god's sakes! Please let this be quick. Teddy Long is wearing boxing gear.... Ellering wins by nailing Teddy Long with a loaded glove. Teddy gets his hair cut after the match. This was utterly pointless in every way. This was designed to be a comedy match, but it failed miserably at that. I'm not a Scrooge either. It's just not funny.

DUD

United States Tag Team Championship

Brian Pillman & The Z-Man (Tom Zenk) (C) Vs The Midnight Express (W/Jim Cornette)

Jim Cornette is locked inside a cage. The Midnight Express win the Tag Team titles. This is more like it! This was a really good match with both teams on top of their game. It went back and forth nicely with several great near falls.

***1/2

Next, is one of the most unintentionally hilarious segments in wrestling. The Four Horsemen lock Sting inside a personal cage. Robocop meanders down to ringside VERY slowly and rips the cage door of to free Sting. I give JR all the credit in the world for having the guts to give it his all and play it straight during this segment.

The Junkyard Dog makes his return to the NWA. He and Jim Cornette almost get into a physical confrontation after Cornette tries to stir things up with JYD.

Corporal Punishment Match

The Rock & Roll Express Vs The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin)

This is a variation of a strap match. The Rock & Roll Express win. This match heated up in the last 5 minutes, but its way too inconsistent overall. Just when you're getting into it, it would run into some boredom. The straps ended up being kinda pointless.

**

Tag Team Championship

The Steiner Brothers Vs Doom (Ron Simmons & Butch Reed) (W/Teddy Long)

Doom wins the titles after a double team maneuver. This was a solid match for the most part. I expected The Steiner's to carry this match, but Doom actually held their own. Depending on how the cage match goes, it'll probably be the 2nd or best match on the card.

**3/4

World Heavyweight Championship (Thunderdome Cage Match)

Ric Flair (C) (W/Woman) Vs Lex Luger

Luger has the title won until Ole Anderson runs down and fiddles with the cage switch to allow Barry Windham to run in and attack Luger to cause the DQ. This main event was a tad underwhelming. Flair bled like stuffed pig and put on a good show like usual. It just felt like there was something missing. It didn't feel epic to me. For those that care, El Gigante (Giant Gonzalez) made his debut here.

**3/4

Well this wasn't a bad PPV, but it wasn't exactly good either. The Main event was decent, but underwhelming overall. The best match on the card is The Midnight Express Vs Brian Pillman & Tom Zenk. Robocp was heavily promoted, but barely featured.

5.5/10 overall

Hour one.

Live from Charlotte, NC

Your hosts are Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyszko

Roddy Piper opens the show. He says he's done a lot of things wrong, and he's surprised people cheer for him.He says the last time you saw him, the nWo was attacking his knee. Piper hops around on his leg to show he's fine. He says he has 6 kids and he has to win this fight as a loud "Hogan sucks" chant breaks out. He says his 7-year- old son questioned Piper on how he's gonna face Hogan with one leg. Piper says that didn't stop Bo Jackson. He says when he had a boxing match with Mr. T, they wanted Piper to take a dive for him. He says he doesn't take dives for anyone. He points out a guy with a "this is nWo country" sign on it. Piper says he has nothing against the nWo. He's not with WCW or the nWo. He trashes the guy in epic fashion. He says he's sick of hearing about Hulk Hogan, but he truly is a superstar. He's not taking this fight lightly. Piper calls Hogan out, but he doesn't show up.

Thoughts: Piper is magic on the microphone. He really is one of the best talkers ever. This was a great segment.

Mr. Wallstreet Vs Mike Enos

Wallstreet wins with a Samoan Drop. Ted Dibiase comes out and gives Wallstreet a contract. This was a sly nod to Dibiase's former partnership when Wallstreet was I.R.S in the WWF.

1/4*

Next, is a video. Chris Beniot is out with Woman at a restaurant. They drink wine together and taunt Kevin Sullivan.

Hugh Morrus Vs The Renegade (W/Joe Gomez)

Morrus wins with a moonsault off the top. This match isn't worth recapping.

* Kevin Sullivan storms out. He chastises Tony Schiavone for playing the video of Chris Beniot and Woman at the restaurant. He says it's all about ratings. Schiavone says he's just doing what he's told. Sullivan says that video affected somebody in his family really bad. The next time that happens, he wants Schiavone to show it to him.

Kevin Greene comes out for an interview with Mean Gene. Kevin Greene says he's still bothered that Steve McMichael souled him out for a couple bucks. He says the nWo is crap, and he's gonna rename Hollywood Hogan "choking Hogan" because he's gonna have his fist down Hogan's throat.

Cruiserweight Championship

Dean Malenko (C) Vs Jimmy Graffiti

Malenko wins with a small package. This was an entertaining match. Graffiti was booked pretty strong in this match, and that made things better. This is what happens when you book your undercard properly.

***1/4

The Nasty Boys Vs Meng & The Barbarian (W/Jimmy Hart)

Meng & The Barbarian win after The Barbarian nails Brian Knobbs with the megaphone. This was a chaotic brawl, and not a very good one at that. The Outsiders made a brief appearance during the match.

*1/4

Ric Flair comes out for an interview. He brings out Roddy Piper. Flair endorses Piper and offers The Horsemen to be in his corner. Piper politely turns the help down.

Hour two.

Your hosts are Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay & Bobby Heenan

Chris Jericho Vs Bobby Eaton

Jericho wins with a missile dropkick off the top. This was a nice win to build some momentum for Jericho.

*

Arn Anderson (W/Steve McMichael & Debra) Vs Sgt. Craig Pittman

Anderson wins with the DDT. I'm not sure why McMichael needed to interfere. Pittman was strictly an enhancement talent at this juncture.

Arn Anderson and Steve McMichael condemn Woman for not being there. They are questioning her loyalty. I have to say, Debra is one of the most annoying people I've ever seen.

Diamond Dallas Paige Vs Jeff Jarrett

DDP wins with the help of Scott Hall. DDP tells Scott Hall & Kevin Nash to leave him alone after the match. I was somewhat looking forward to DDP nailing Jarrett with the Diamond Cutter, but oh well. The match was pretty decent.

**1/2

Roddy Piper calls out Hulk Hogan, but he gets Eric Bischoff instead. Some fan hilariously throws a drink right in Bischoff's face. I don't condone that, but I can't stand Bischoff so I found it funny. Bischoff says he is Piper's only friend because he's trying to protect Piper from himself. Bischoff says Piper is no Hulk Hogan. His 24 inch pythons are gonna squash Piper like a grape. Bischoff calls Piper a gimp and walks away. Piper nails Bischoff from behind and threatens to bash his head in with a chair. The nWo comes running out. Kevin Greene, Arn Anderson, and Steve McMichael come out to help Piper.

Thoughts: This was a really hot ending. Piper was fantastic as the aggressive face that wanted Hogan. Bischoff was Bischoff. It was nice to see somebody other than the nWo get the upper hand for once.

This was a decent show for the most part. It's amazing how someone like Roddy Piper can enliven a show so much. There was solid story advancement with DDP as well as others.

6/10

Live from New Haven, CT

Your hosts are Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler & Jim Ross

Sycho Sid Vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley

Sid wins by countout. Sid absolutely obliterated Helmsley here. Helmsley didn't get any offense in what so ever. This might sound sick, but I enjoyed it thoroughly. Triple H has ruined so many pushes and careers with his politicking over the years. For me, it was a joy to watch.

*

Goldust (W/Marlena) Vs Bart Gunn

Goldust wins with a chopblock to the knee. Billy Gunn tries to humiliate Bart Gunn after the match, but Bart fights back and sends Billy running to the back. There wasn't much to see here. It was a pretty mediocre match for the most part. Goldust was on the verge of a face turn. I'm not that into the Billy and Bart feud.

*1/2

Handicapped Match

"Double J" Jessie James Vs Bradshaw & Uncle Zebekiah

Jessie James wins after Zebekiah accidentally hits Bradshaw with the branding iron. Bradshaw turns on Zebekiah after the match, and brands him. As much as I dislike him, Bradshaw would move onto better things after this. So would Jessie James.

*1/2

Next, Jim Ross interviews Bret Hart. Bret says he's learned that things get crazier and crazier in the WWF. He says his match with Sycho Sid at In Your House isn't gonna be a wrestling match. All he's thought about is the WWF Championship. When Sycho Sid snaps, they call him Psycho Sid. When Bret snaps, they're gonna call him the world wrestling federation champion. He doesn't care how big or bad Sid is. Sid's gonna be excellently executed by the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.

No Holds Barred

The Undertaker Vs Mankind (W/Paul Bearer)

The Undertaker wins with a tombstone. This was a decent brawl between these two, but far from their best. It didn't help that there time was limited either. Mankind and The Undertaker had some brutal spots, but nothing all that memorable.

**1/2

4/10 overall

Hour one.

Live from Dayton, OH

Your hosts are Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyszko

The Steiner Brothers come out and interrupt the broadcast. Scott Steiner says he considers Sting a friend. He's here to make sure Sting doesn't attack Rick Steiner again.

Glacier Vs Hardbody Harrison

Glacier wins in just over a minute with a spin kick to the head. This was a short squash match to put over Glacier.

DUD

The Amazing French Canadians (Jacques Rougeau & Carl Ouellet) (W/Col. Parker) Vs The Renegade & Joe Gomez

The French Canadians win. At least this wasn't a total squash. Gomez & The Renegade managed to get in some offense. At the end of the day, it's still a glorified squash.

3/4*

Next, is an interview with Arn Anderson. He says the perception of Hulk Hogan is that he couldn't be beat. Arn says he destroyed that myth by beating Hogan twice in a row. Arn says Ric Flair told him years ago that the toughest fight he ever had was against Roddy Piper. Arn says he took it with a grain of salt until he watched the passion, the heart, and the guts Piper had with every match. He says Hogan gave Piper his best shot, but he couldn't take him out. He says in Charlotte, NC,the Four Horsemen are gonna be watching Piper's back.

The Faces of Fear (Meng & The Barbarian) Vs Robert Gibson & Scotty Riggs

Meng & The Barbarian win. Riggs nail Meng & The Barbarian with chairs in the head, but it barely phases them. They all did fine, it's just that the match had little to no heat behind it.

Kevin Sullivan Vs KC Sunshine

Kevin Sullivan completely squashes Sunshine.

½*

Cruiserweight Championship

Dean Malenko (C) Vs Billy Kidman

Malenko wins by submission with the Texas Cloverleaf. This was a sweet little match. Kidman got a chance to strut his stuff, and he looked good in defeat. I'm glad this got some time.

***1/4

Hour two.

Your hosts are Mike Tenay, Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan

Jeff Jarrett Vs Big Bubba Rogers (W/Jimmy Hart)

Jarrett wins by dropkicking the megaphone in Bubba's face. Jarrett wasn't working as the Flair wannabe. This match was kinda overbooked as well.

*

Rick Steiner and Scott Steiner are in the ring. Rick is calling out Sting. Sting appears from the rafters and looks on. Rick Steiner challenges Sting to a match. Sting nods his head yes and leaves.

Eric Bischoff, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Syxx, and Vincent invade the announcer's table and scare off the commentators. Eric Bischoff is gonna take over play-by-play.

Eddie Guerrero Vs Squire Dave Taylor

Eddie wins with a frogsplash. This was a quick match that seemed like a glorified squash to me. The nWo's commentary was admittedly entertaining.

3/4*

Arn Anderson Vs Jim Powers (W/Teddy Long)

Anderson wins with a DDT. Powers got in more offense than I expected, so I guess that's something.

*

Chris Beniot Vs Lord Steven Regal

Beniot wins. This was a decent match ruined by poor camera work. It was really annoying and ruined a bit of the effectiveness.

**

Arn Anderson, Chris Beniot, Steve McMichael & Debra all speak about the unity of the Horsemen. They question Beniot whether Woman is a member of the Horsemen. Beniot reassured them she is. Debra rips Woman because she wears poor perfume.... And people wonder why I dislike Debra.

Lex Luger Vs Rocco Rock (W/Johnny Grunge)

Lex Luger wins with the torture rack. The matches have really sucked tonight for the most part. This was another glorified squash.

*

Rick Steiner (W/Scott Steiner) Vs Sting

Rick and Sting brawl for a while until Sting hits a Scorpion deathdrop on him. After Rick Steiner gets up. Sting hands Rick Steiner the bat and turns his back to Rick. Rick goes to hit him, but Scott Steiner stops Rick. Sting walks up towards the nWo and points his bat at them before leaving back into the crowd.

Thoughts: Sting is the best part about Nitro every week, not the nWo. People can disagree with that all they want.

This was a below average show. The nWo is sporadically entertaining. Other times, they are too much. Tonight, they were a bit of both. I crave wrestling, and the only good match I got was Billy Kidman Vs Dean Malenko.

4.5/10

Live from New Haven, CT

Your hosts are Vince McMahon & Jerry Lawler

Flash Funk Vs The Goon

Funk wins with a corkscrew somersault legdrop. This was all about Funk's high-flying moves. He hit quite a few of them and they were fun to watch. That's really what all this match is about.

*1/2

'Fake' Diesel Vs Phineas Godwinn (W/Hillbilly Jim)

Diesel wins with a jackknife powerbomb. If you were expecting a quality match here, I really don't know what to tell you.

*

Next, Shawn Michaels is being interviewed at the WWF studios. Vince says it must have bothered Shawn that fans cheered Sid while Sid humiliated him by drilling Shawn with a camera. Shawn says he doesn't have a problem with humiliation or the fact that Sid used the camera on him. He has a problem with Sid using the camera on Jose Lothario. Shawn's a very emotional man outside and inside the ring. Shawn says the fans may have booed him at Survivor Series, but these are the same people who flock to see him because they know Shawn's gonna have the best match on the card. Like it or not, he's a man's man. Shawn claims people think he's a bad role model. Shawn says if telling the truth, bringing your skeletons out of your closet is being a bad role model, so be it. He admits he's got tattoos, belly is pierced, and he's not politically correct. He says people at the Royal Rumble are gonna watch him become WWF Champion once again. He says whether Bret, Sid, or anybody else likes it or not, he's gonna stay who he is because he's not ashamed.

Thoughts: This promo was OK. Shawn's full of sh***** at times, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at some of his comments.

"Double J" Jessie James Vs Justin "Hawk" Bradshaw (W/Uncle Zebekiah

Bradshaw wins with a running lariat. I really don't have much to say about this match. It was mediocre at best.

*1/2

Marc Mero & Jake "The Snake Roberts" (W/Sable) Vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley & Billy Gunn

Helmsley and Billy Gunn get into an argument. This allows Mero to pin Helmsley with the shooting star press. This was an average main event. As much as I love Jake Roberts, he was past his prime at this juncture. This match is simply nothing special.

**

This is a really weak episode of raw. It lacks star power and excitement. I'd skip this one.

3.5/10

(Credit to Alex on IMDb) Buffy returns from her summer vacation after defeating the Master and is not the same fun-loving slayer she used to be. Her cold, distant behavior escalates when she discovers that the remaining vampire population are planning to resurrect the Master.

Buffy is heading into darker territory. Season one ended with a bang, but they hadn't even scratched the surface in season one. Season one was rather green. They were just starting to realize that they are legit. Bad Buffy was fun to watch. I'm so used to Buffy being the bubbly, charismatic heroine that it was somewhat surreal to watch at times. She treats her friends, her family, and everyone else mean. Her bitter and selfish attitude really made this show. Wait until you see the black dress she wears in a training scene. That was so hot! There are so many great scenes in this episode. The dancing scene with Xander and Buffy is harsh and downright cold. We even get a huge hint of a romance between Xander and Willow. There were hints before, but they really turned it up a notch here. Just like season one ended with a bang, season two starts off with a bang!

9.5/10

(Credit to Alex on IMDb) In the first-season finale, Giles discovers an ancient prophecy which states that Buffy will face the Master and she will die. Upon hearing this, Buffy first denies her slayer roots, but when a small tragedy occurs at school, Buffy realizes she can't run from destiny, and decides to take on The Master.

I consider nothing to be perfect, but this is as close to perfection as you can possibly get for a finale. This episode is pretty dark and even frightening at times. Everything feels real and it hits you hard. For the first time, you actually sense that Buffy is in severe danger. She's been in danger before, but nothing like this in season one. Death is a scary thing. It's something you can't control. Buffy's reaction when she learns of her impending death is powerful. Sarah Michelle Gellar gives a phenomenal performance here and her reactions are bang on. There is more character development for Cordelia. She actually becomes somewhat endearing. Also, I felt so bad for Xander. He's so in love with Buffy, and watching Buffy fail to reciprocate it is heart wrenching. I'm not gonna spoil much in this review. It's just a damn good ending to season one.

10/10