Review Everything

That's right, we've gone back down the Tom Cruise well and landed smack on our asses in the middle of a NASCAR track. This week we're talking about the semi disastrous follow up to Top Gun. It's a movie that tanked a producer's career and killed a 300 Million dollar 5 movie deal with Paramount, and it taught us a whole lot about racing. Mostly, rubbing is racing, people die at Daytona, and by golly there was a lot of cocaine in Hollywood in the 80s/90s.

Want to support Ashton? Buy his books!

Short Fiction Collection of Dark Humor about AI, politics, and corporate F*ckery: https://books2read.com/darkhumor

Science Fiction Comedy Novel (Winner of New Mexico's Best Sci-Fi 2026, Gold Medal CIPPA EVY Sci-fi 2026): https://books2read.com/kedasi

This week, we're getting EXTREME. We've got tech interviews, take home assignments and public speaking. It's the white knuckle thrill ride your body isn't ready for. So hold onto your butts, slam those earbuds in, and get ready for the ride of your life.

Also this episode is about quite a bit of tech fu*kery, so be ready for that.

Purchase Ashton's new short story collection, The Dark Humor Will Continue Until Morale Improves: https://books2read.com/u/bML2gV

This week on Review Everything, we're kicking of spooky season and looking at things that creep and crawl. We're talking about the misunderstood terror that is the Giant House Spider, and the 1970s toy, The Thing Maker.

If you want to support the pod, like, subscribe, and share with your friends. If you want to support Ashton's writing, you can purchase ebooks, paperbacks, and audiobooks here: https://linktr.ee/MacAshton

Keywords: Thingmaker, creepy, spooky, spiders, brown recluse, toys, nostalgia, horror

This week, Conor REALLY wanted to talk about the failed start to Universal's Dark Universe. After some coaxing, we both rewatched The Mummy (2017) and found there's a lot to unpack there. It's confusing, it shows a lot of confidence from both the executives and Tom Cruise in what ultimately became a flop, and it pissed us both off a little.

So, strap in, because we're going long and we're looking in every cobweb-covered cranny that is this shitty movie.

If you want to support Ashton, check out his writing available everywhere books, audiobooks and ebooks are sold.

https://linktr.ee/MacAshton

This week, we're going down the rabbit hole of chiropractic "medicine" and somehow connecting it to Pokémon Cards? That's right, it's things you can metaphorically or literally sit on.

Listen to Ashton's new audiobook: books2read.com/NickVentnerWhiteout

Read Ashton's political satire short fiction: https://books2read.com/u/bML2gV

Key Topics:

• Chirp rollers
• Chiropractic medicine, is it bullshit, is it voodoo?
• How do I get rid of all these ghosts in my house and in my heart?
• Should I have taken better care of my Pokémon cards?
• Why is it that everything that was worth something to me as a millennial is now worth a lot but I didn't save it for long enough?

This week, Conor and Ashton are using their brains as time machines to go back to childhood summer nostalgia. There's summer at the movies, Pete and Pete, and a surprise Souptuber cameo.

If you like this podcast, please subscribe, rate, and maybe buy Ashton's books: https://books2read.com/u/bML2gV

Key Topics

• Summer at the movies as a solo activity
• Childhood memories linked to summer media
• Pete and Pete as a nostalgic symbol
• The feeling of endless summer days
• The impact of media on childhood nostalgia
• Experiences of going to movies alone
• Nostalgia for summer road trips and roadkill bingo
• The significance of specific childhood TV shows and commercials
• The emotional power of movies like Superman and Scooby-Doo
• Reflections on time perception and nostalgia

This week, we're talking sauna etiquette and corpse flowers. It's part botany part human condition and all stink.

If you haven't yet, purchase a copy of Ashton's new book in Ebook, audiobook, or paperback here: https://books2read.com/u/bML2gV

Explore the fascinating history of endless shrimp at Red Lobster, from its inception in 2004 to its recent return in 2026, including the business strategies, controversies, and surprising facts about shrimp farming and restaurant economics.

Pre-order Ashton's new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZLVS9K1

endless shrimp, Red Lobster, shrimp farming, restaurant economics, private equity, seafood promotions, food industry history

Preorder Ashton's new book: https://books2read.com/u/bML2gV

Join Ashton and Conor as they explore the depths of their minds, discussing hypomania, self-doubt, creative spirals, and the challenges of living with ADHD. This candid conversation offers insights into mental health, creativity, and the human condition, all wrapped in humor and honesty.

This week on Review Everything, we're looking at the oldest food items we could find in our pantry. At least, that's what Conor said we were going to be doing. In practice, we're on another bender about peanut shell conspiracies, and I'll tell you what; I'm loving it. I don't ever want to stop. Let's get this all the way to the top of Longhorn Corporate.

Links:

Ashton's Substack: https://macashton.substack.com/

Ashton's Books: https://linktr.ee/MacAshton

Mr. Bean Themed Bar Song: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7CrsTdQUyvo

Spooky Music by Universfield on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/users/universfield-28281460/

Cricket Sounds by: https://pixabay.com/users/felix_quinol-24608446/