On day 27 I just did the Burn it Off workout in the evening. I was still helping my mom unpack her stuff, so I figured I was getting an extra workout in anyway.
Here you will find things about fitness and nutrition, mainly (but not exclusively) in relation to the Beachbody programs like P90x and Insanity. And, I will start adding reviews for Books, DVDs and Blu-Rays, and other products. All views and opinions on this blog are my own.
Welcome
Welcome to my ever-evolving blog. It started out as a blog on Beachbody workouts and products, mainly when I was a Beachbody coach. I no longer coach, not because I don't believe in Beachbody's programs (I subscribe to Beachbody on Demand and use their workouts every day), I am just not a salesperson and hated that aspect of it. I am more than willing to answer questions about my experiences with their products and the various workouts, and I feel freer to do so without the appearance of giving a biased review of something.
I have also started adding reviews for various things I have purchased like movies, books, CDs, and other products. This was brought about by a fight with Amazon in which all of my reviews were removed over a completely bullshit allegation that I posted a review that violated their terms of service. After going back and forth with the morons in the community-reviews department (even after they admitted that my posts did not violate their guidelines) they restored my account (which took them six months to do), but I have been posting my reviews on my blog to have them preserved in case something like that happens again. And here, I will post uncensored reviews so I will swear from time to time and post reviews that may be longer than Amazon's character limit. Everything I post here on any topic or product is my personal opinion, and I take no compensation for any product reviews I post. I am a member of Amazon's vine program and because I get those products for free, I keep those reviews on Amazon only, but everything I have purchased with my own money, whether from Amazon or some other store/website/outlet, I will post here.
I also plan to do some longer blog posts on various topics, such as how to learn physics, how to get through calculus, and longer reviews of workout programs as I do them. Basically, whatever strikes me as interesting at the time. As you can see if you navigate around the blog, I had many years in between postings. During that time I was going back to school to get an engineering degree, and learning material that I avoided my first time through college was a different experience and one that gave me a lot of insight into how to do well in those classes, which I will try to impart here for those who are looking to get a science or engineering degree.
Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Chalean Extreme Day 26
On day 26 I did 645 cardio in the morning and BC3 in the evening. Both workouts were challenging since I was tired from the day before, and I was helping my mom unpack today, so I got even more work in. So, while I cannot say that either workout was awesome, I got them done. This was the last week of the Burn phase in CE. Over the four weeks, I was able to increase the amount of weight I used for most of the exercises (except for a couple of the shoulder exercises).
Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Chalean Extreme Day 25
Day 25 was kind of an off day, but kind of not. I did not do any regular workouts, but I was helping my mom move, so I was lugging boxes around pretty much all day long. So, I got a ton of exercise and a ton of steps in, and I still ended up working out.
4k-UHD/Movie Review: Apocalypse Now Final Cut
The 4k set is a six-disc set containing two UHD discs and four regular Blu-Ray discs. It includes the theatrical version of the film, which is about 2.5 hours long, the Redux cut, which is about 3 hours and 16 minutes long, and the Final cut, which is just over 3 hours long. Each version is both on a UHD disc and a regular Blu-ray. There are a ton of extras, some of which are new, and some which are carried over from prior DVD releases of the movie, including a discussion between Martin Sheen and Coppola, which was done in 2010 for a prior release, a 1936 radio broadcast of Heart of Darkness (which was a huge inspiration for the movie) narrated by Orson Wells, deleted scenes, and much more. There is also a commentary track by Coppola on the Redux version of the movie, which gives a lot of insight into the process of making the movie, including how George Lucas was supposed to direct it before he started making Star Wars and how Coppola made a lot of it up as he was shooting the movie, and was not working off a finished script.
It is definitely not a movie that everyone will like. But if you are a fan of the movie, the actors, and/or the director and especially love when a lot of bonus material is available, it looks and sounds great. And you get every possible variation of the movie that will ever be put out. It is a must-get, even if you have one of the earlier releases.
Book Review: Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: Black Spire
The hardcover version of the book is about 400 pages long. The story is kind of a follow-up to the Phasma novel and kind of a bridge to TROS. None of the "main" characters aside from Leia appear, although Rey and Luke Skywalker are mentioned a couple of times. It does introduce a handful of new characters that become the Resistance unit on Batuu, who also have to cooperate with the local crime syndicate and make too many waves. Overall, I will not say that it is the best of the side story novels that are a part of the "main storyline," but it is an enjoyable (and fairly quick) read and clearly sets up the possibility of a follow-up book.
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
DVD/Movie Review: Shanghai Noon
The DVD has plenty of extras, including deleted scenes, several behind-the-scenes and making-of featurettes, a music video, a couple of interactive games, and a commentary track with the director. A good amount for people who like going through the bonus material. Overall, the movie does not try to be anything more than it is (mostly). It does throw in a couple of dramatic moments, but it is mostly an action-comedy with an East vs. West vibe. If you accept that you will not be watching award-winning content, it is a good, enjoyable way to kill a couple of hours.
Monday, July 29, 2024
Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Rogue Season 3 Part 2
The third season of Rogue was split in two, with the first 10 episodes transitioning from Grace's storyline, resulting in her death, to Ethan's storyline set in Chicago. The second half of the season, which aired in the spring of 2016, picks up with Ethan trying to track down a woman named Mia (played by Twilight's Ashley Greene), who ends up being an ex-NSA contractor who has downloaded a bunch of secret material to a flash drive, a-la Edward Snowden, and who happens to be a badass. She ends up getting entangled in a storyline with Ethan that involves Marty Stein (the corrupt lawyer played by Richard Schiff), the DEA, the Chicago gangs, and the Russian mob. It packs a lot into 10 episodes, and honestly at times, how the show is trying to blend all the storylines into one, makes it hard to follow. On the plus side, Greene is a great addition to the cast, and her character is always playing on the edge between good and bad, and it is not until the final couple of episodes that you really figure out where she stands.
This blu-ray release is another two-disc German import. The audio defaults to a German overdubbed track, but you can play an English audio track. There are three short behind-the-scenes featurettes (totaling less than 10 minutes) mainly focusing on Green's character and Cole Hauser's character. Those are in English, and then there are some trailers in German. Also note, that you will need a Region-2 or Region-Free blu-ray player to play this set. Players sold commercially in the US and Canada will not play this set.
Overall, the show is good, but it has strayed significantly from the original storyline from season 1. There is a lot of swearing and some nudity (mainly from Greene), but, it was toned down from what was in season 1. So, if that turns you off to a show, then you should skip this. And, if you were a huge fan of Thandie Newton, and only watched because of her, there is really no reason to pick this up. The season does end on a cliffhanger, and given that the shortened 10-episode 4th season aired in 2017, it is becoming less likely that will ever show up on DVD or Blu-Ray, either in the States or as an import. So, for now, as far as physical discs, this may end up being the de-facto end to the series. And, since it is very hard to find the series streaming since AT&T NOW removed it if you did not watch season 4 when it aired, it may be a while (or never) before you get a chance to see it. With those caveats in mind, it is worth picking up when it is listed for a reasonable price.
Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: The Sinner Season 2
The Blu-Ray set is a two-disc set. The show looks good in HD, but it is a standard MOD set. There are no captions and no extras, just the episodes spread over the two discs. The acting and writing are very good. There are some sexual situations and swearing during the season, but I do not think there was as much as there was in the first season. That said, it is still not what I would call a family-friendly show. But if you are looking for a good adult drama, it is worth checking out.
Sunday, July 28, 2024
4k-UHD/Movie Review: Rocketman
As one of the producers said in the behind-the-scenes material, it is a biopic that is not a biopic, and a musical that is not a musical. It starts out with Elton in rehab, relating events from his life at a group meeting. Then we see the events play out in flashbacks that every so often break out in musical numbers. The songs used in the movie (mostly his songs from the 1970s) were selected from Elton's vast catalog of music but were not exactly tied to the time frame in which the events in his life actually occurred. For example, the movie shows the song Saturday Night's All Right for Fighting being played before Elton and Taupin ever meet. The songs were used mostly to fit with particular scenes in the story, not to convey when in his career they were actually released. Also, the movie does not tell events exactly as they happened or when they happened. For example, the final act of the movie shows Elton leaving rehab using the song I'm Still Standing which was released in 1983, yet he actually went to rehab in 1990. Even though the movie is a more "fantasy" telling of Elton's life, using actual events but oftentimes putting a different spin on them, it does convey the mess his life was as he was coming to terms with his sexuality, using and abusing drugs and alcohol, and his issues with food, as well as his rather horrible family. Bryce Dallas Howard does a wonderful job playing Elton's mother and certainly gives the impression that she saw him just as a meal ticket.
The 4k set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a regular Blu-Ray disc. The movie looks and sounds great in the UHD format. The UHD disc only has the movie, and all the extras are on the regular Blu-Ray disc. Those include about 20 minutes of deleted scenes, a handful of making-of featurettes, a version of the movie that will display the song lyrics during the musical numbers, and a version of the movie that just plays the musical numbers. All-in-all a very good amount of bonus material for those who like to watch it.
Overall, the movie is very good. While I do think it would have worked as a more "traditional" biopic, without having musical numbers where everyone in the scene breaks out into song, I get why the choice was made to do it that way. Taron Egerton not only does a great acting job playing Elton, but he also sang all the songs, and not just lip-synching to the real songs. This allowed them to re-arrange the songs to help tell the story yet still keep the character of the original songs. For many of the songs, they were arranged to start differently and then transition to sound more like the album versions. While I cannot say that the movie is going to appeal to everyone, if you are a fan of Elton John's music and/or know a bit about his life, it is definitely worth checking out.
Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Rogue Season 3 Part 1
The third season was split into two parts, each consisting of 10 episodes. The first 10 episodes aired during the summer of 2015. In the first part of the third season, the show shifted to Chicago, with Newton's character in a supporting role and Hauser's character in the lead. In it, Ethan gets involved in a fight between the DOJ, DEA, a shady Chicago lawyer (played wonderfully by Richard Schiff), and a feuding pair of Chicago gangs. The first half of the season saw Grace's storyline wrapped up in a rather underwhelming (in my opinion) way. That is really what knocks it down a star for me, but otherwise, the season was fine.
The show is notoriously hard to find both to stream or via physical discs (especially seasons three and four). The show did stream on DirecTV now for a while, then just disappeared. It has streamed on Amazon, but I do not believe it is included free with a Prime membership. In the United States, only the first two seasons of the show are available on DVD. The first three seasons are available on Blu-Ray in Germany, with the third being split into two separate releases, and the fourth season has not (to my knowledge) been released at all in any country on either DVD or Blu-Ray. This set will not play on a US/Region-1 Blu-Ray player. You will need either a Region-2 player or a region-free player to watch it. The audio defaults to playing a dubbed over-German track, but you can switch audio channels to have it play in English. For extras, there is about a half-hour's worth of behind-the-scenes and making-of featurettes (on the final disc) that you can play one by one or all at once, as well as a bunch of trailers that play in German only. The discs also have a true "play all" mode that will allow you to pick up where you left off, even in the middle of an episode.
I cannot say that everyone will like this season, especially those who loved the first season of the show. That said, it is well-written and acted, even if it is much different in this season than how it started out. There is a lot of violence and swearing, as well as some nudity (although not as much nudity as in prior seasons). So, if any of those things turn you off to a show, it is best to avoid it. Given that the season really does reset the show, it is helpful, but not essential that you see the first two seasons. The second season is more important to be up to speed on what is going on in season three than the first season though. If you can find the discs at a reasonable price (you will pay more because they are imports) it is definitely worth checking out.
Book Review: Star Wars: Thrawn: Treason
As most hardcore fans know, the character of Thrawn was introduced in the 1990s in a trilogy of now Legends novels set after Return of The Jedi as a threat from the old Empire to the New Republic. The backbone of the character was his ability to strategize and use what he knew (or could discover) about an advisory against them. In the first two canon novels, Thrawn and Thrawn: Alliances, much of that skill in the context of action/battle sequences was missing. This novel more than makes up for what was lacking in those novels. I will not go into too much detail about the plot, but the story centers around a danger/threat to the Stardust initiative, which, as everyone likely to read this knows, was the construction of the first Death Star, as well as to Thrawn's species, the Chiss. The novel features appearances by Governor Tarkin, Director Krennic, and The Emperor. While the cover of the novel suggests that the Emperor has a larger role in the novel, he really has only a small appearance, mostly at the end. The novel also alludes to the events from the series Rebels, which first reintroduced the Thrawn character in the TV series, as Thrawn is eager to get back to Lothal and deal with the situation presented by Ezra Bridger.
The hardcover version of the book is just about 400 pages long. It reads fairly quickly, especially since most of the characters that appear in the book are well-developed or have already been established in the movies. Overall, while I do not think this novel is as good as the original "Thrawn Trilogy," which many hoped would be the basis for a sequel trilogy before the original cast members got too old to make that a reality, it is the closest to those novels in terms of all that makes the character of Thrawn great. There is definitely some political strategizing and infighting that has been a part of much of the canon material, but the book has a very good mix of action sequences to keep the story moving along. Chances are, if you are a die-hard fan of Star Wars, you are probably already getting the hardcover versions of the novels as they are released. But, if you are one who is more selective about which novels you get, this one is definitely worth picking up.
Saturday, July 27, 2024
Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Molly's Game
Chastain is great in the role of Molly and plays Bloom with a great mix of cocky, bordering on arrogant, funny (albeit dark humor), and vulnerable. Her chemistry and ability to banter with Elba (in a non-romantic role) really make the movie work, so much so that even the parts that don't work as well (like trying to buy Michael Cera as a badass) are easy to overlook. The movie looks and sounds great on Blu-ray. The extras are mostly non-existent. Just what amounts to an extended TV spot for the movie. So, if you only get the physical discs when there is a lot of bonus content included, you will probably just want to stick with streaming this. That said, if you have a little more than a couple of hours to kill and are looking for a good movie to watch, this is definitely worth checking out.
DVD/TV Series Review: Merlin Season 2
The DVD set is a five-disc set, which is getting harder to find at a reasonable price now they are going out of print. The extras include commentary tracks on select episodes, then a separate disc of bonus material contains a photo gallery and about a half-hour of making-of and behind-the-scenes material for the season as a whole, and then the episodes of the "behind the magic" series, which gives about a 13-15 minute behind the scenes look at each individual episode of the season, so almost three-hours worth of material there. So, for those who like bonus material on the physical discs, you get a lot of good material.
Overall, in the second season, the show is still getting its footing and finding its tone. The actors' performances (meaning the young actors who were still relatively inexperienced at the time) are getting stronger, and the storylines get stronger and darker. If you liked or loved the first season, then chances are you will like this one. Conversely, if you were not a big fan of the first season, then chances are this one is not going to convert you. It is definitely worth checking out.
Friday, July 26, 2024
4k-UHD/Movie Review: Charlie's Angels (2019)
My biggest complaint about the movie is that it lifts too much from the prior movies, including a villain from the agency, an updated version of The Thin Man character (played by Crispin Glover in the prior film), a mogul bad guy, etc. The "empowered woman"/"girl power" theme of the movie was fine, even if a bit ham-fisted at times. As you can see from some of the comments on Amazon, it turned many people off, but it is not something that bothered me all that much.
The 4k set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a regular Blu-Ray disc. The movie looks and sounds great in the UHD format. The UHD disc has previews that play before the menu loads, then the movie itself. The rest of the extras are on the regular Blu-ray disc. They include deleted scenes, a gag reel, several short (5-7 min, give or take) making-of and behind-the-scenes featurettes, a feature on Elizabeth Banks in her roles as actor and director, and the music video for the movie's theme song. Overall, it is a decent movie, but not great. It is not as good as the original 2000 movie but on par with the 2003 sequel, full throttle. It will definitely not appeal to everyone, but for a two-hour action movie, it is worth checking out as long as you accept that it is not award-winning material.
4k-UHD/Movie Review: Skyscraper
The movie is a pretty standard action film and is derivative of movies like Die Hard and The Towering Inferno without being outright copies of either. If you have seen any of The Rock's action movies over the years, it definitely falls on the end of the ones where he is nearly indestructible and can overcome any obstacle. It is not as tongue in cheek as his role as Hobbs in the Fast and Furious movies, but almost. So, there is definitely a lot of suspension of disbelief that is required to get through it, so if you cannot do so or are hypercritical of unrealistic action movies, this is not for you.
The 4k set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a regular Blu-Ray disc. The film looks and sounds great in the UHD format. The bonus material (which is included on the UHD disc, so you do not have to switch over to the regular blu-ray) includes deleted and extended scenes, a commentary track on the movie with the director, and a few short behind-the-scenes features. Good for what was included, but not hours worth of material. Excluding the commentary track, the extras probably clock in at around 45 minutes or so. Overall, it is a good movie, but not exactly a unique story. It is a bit predictable, but I think fun nonetheless. If you accept it for what it is, and what it is not, I think you can enjoy it. You do not have to watch every second of it to get what is going on and at just over an hour and a half, it flows well and does not feel too long.
Thursday, July 25, 2024
DVD/TV Series Review: Merlin Season 1
Even though the story does not follow the other versions out there, and the cast is mostly unknown younger actors and actresses, it is a very good telling of the story. The first season does a lot of character development, introduces some of the more important elements (Excalibur) and characters (like Lancelot), and does a good job blending story-of-the-week episodes with a larger story arc. Anthony Head plays a great Uther who is kind of a bad guy, certainly not a compassionate ruler, but more complex a character than he seems to be. Merlin is far from the wise wizard he will become, and Arthur is kind of an arrogant jerk who becomes more virtuous throughout the season. Morgana is not the sorceress she will become, and Gwenevere is her servant.
The DVD set is a five-disc set. The A/V quality is okay but not great. The special effects fall in the same category. The show had a different kind of budget than say, Game of Thrones, so the CGI looks like it is CGI and not as blended in as shows and movies with larger budgets to work with. The extras include commentary tracks on some episodes, usually with the director and a member or two of the cast. Those are on the "regular" discs, and then there is a final bonus disc with about two hours worth of behind-the-scenes, cast video diaries, production still photos, and more. A ton of good material for those who like going through the bonus features.
Overall, it is a well-written and acted series. Unless you are really tied to one version of the story, I think you will find this enjoyable if you enjoy the Middle Ages mixed with magic kinds of stories. I definitely recommend it.
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
4k-UHD/Movie Review: Joker
Phoenix, a weird dude anyway, does an incredible job with the character. He totally makes it his own and does not try to be a carbon copy of any of the performances that have come before him. It is unclear where the movie fits (if at all) into the DC movie and television universe. Obviously, Jared Leto played a totally different version of the character in Suicide Squad, and this version is not a precursor to that one. It does not give anything away to say that the movie is set when Bruce Wayne is still a child, so we do not get any hint of Joker vs Batman.
The 4k set is a two-disc set containing the UHD disc and a regular Blu-Ray disc. The UHD disc just includes the movie, and the extras, which consist of about half an hour of making-of and behind-the-scenes material, are included on the regular Blu-ray disc. The only disappointing thing about the physical release is the lack of bonus material. Even though the movie does create something of a continuity mess with the DC cinematic universe, even more than it already has been to this point, if you accept the fact that it is its own thing and does not (at least as of now), and may never tie into the other movies, it is definitely worth checking out. It is well-written, acted, and paced. The two hours do not drag at all. I highly recommend it.
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
DVD/TV Series Review: Cobra Kai Seasons 1 & 2
The show picks up 34 years after the first movie's events and is primarily told from Johnny's perspective. We find out that his life basically went to crap after the tournament, and he was one whose best days were in high school. He is now a middle-aged Luddite working as a handyman and bordering on being an alcoholic. In a twist of fate, he ends up being a Miyagi-like character who comes to the aid of a kid who is being bullied. He ends up reopening the long-shuttered Cobra Kai dojo.
The show does a great job balancing the old and young characters. It also does a great job of giving Johnny depth that he never had in the original movie. And you see the events of the original movie through his eyes and why he thinks he was the wronged party back in 1984. The show also does a great job playing the two as rivals who still kind of hate each other because of a fight over a girl, yet have a begrudging respect for each other that almost borders on something that could be a friendship. Johnny still kind of believes the old Cobra Kai no mercy mantra, but also kind of knows that it is total BS. as well. Martin Kove also returns as Kreese to cause similar problems to those he caused in the movies.
The writers do a good job of balancing an original storyline and many tie-ins to the original movies, including bringing back some of the original characters. Of course, Pat Morita passed away in 2005, so the only appearances he makes are via flashbacks and pictures. Some of the original Cobra Kai members appear in what is a very emotional episode, and the show teases an eventual appearance by Elizabeth Shue, hopefully reprising her role as Ali.
For those who get the DVD set, it has the 20 episodes making up seasons 1 and 2 on 4 discs. They are stacked on top of each other in the case, which is kind of a dumb packaging choice. The episodes are about 30 minutes long, give or take, and it is definitely not totally PG like the movies. There is no nudity, but a lot of swearing, underage drinking, and drinking and driving that goes on. The characters are not all good or all bad, which I think really works well. The extras include a couple of gag reels, deleted scenes, a couple of live musical numbers from a band that does some of the music for the show, and a few making-of featurettes. A decent amount, but not a ton.
Overall, if you were a fan of the original movie(s) at least the original and Part II, you will likely love this series. You get a bit of nostalgia, quite a bit of humor, and much better martial arts action than was in at least the first movie. The set was only printed on a limited run, so it is very hard to find it at a reasonable price. It is not worth the $130 that tends to go for now, especially since you can watch the episodes for free on YouTube (with ads) or ad-free on YouTubeTV. But if you can snag one for the original $20 price, it is definitely worth picking up.
Book Review: Star Wars: Dooku: Jedi Lost
The hardcover version of the book is a little under 500 pages. Like many of the books released since Disney took over, it is set in different time periods. One is during the time of the Clone Wars when Ventress was Dooku's apprentice/assassin (further showing the rule-of-two was less of a rule than a loosely followed guideline), and then Dooku's life growing up told in flashbacks throughout the book. Unlike any of the other books (up to the time it was released), it is written in a format as a script for a play or movie. It describes the locations, notes when characters talk in their heads versus out loud, etc. I personally prefer the traditional novel format, with chapters that easily break up the story (since it is not the easiest book to read in one sitting), but that did not bother me as much as it did other reviewers.
Overall, it did an excellent job with Dooku's arc and character development from a very smart but a bit smug padawan to exactly how evil he was as a Sith lord. I do think it missed out on explaining the circumstances under which Palpatine turned him, but even without that, it made clear that he was drawn to the dark side throughout his life. It is certainly not the best of the canon books, and if you are one of those who only get certain books but not all of them, it is not necessarily a must-read.
Monday, July 22, 2024
Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Peppermint
For those who get the Blu-ray disc, the movie looks and sounds great in HD. It is a shame that it was not released in 4k UHD (at least not initially) because there are a lot of great visuals despite it not being a special-effects-laden sci-fi movie. The bonus material is kind of pathetic. It consists of a two-and-a-half-minute behind-the-scenes featurette and a commentary track by the director. The movie is not exactly novel or unique. Even though it is a pretty standard revenge story and kind of predictable in parts, it is well done and timed very well (just over an hour and a half), so it does not lag or feel like it drags on too long. If you are a fan of Garner and looking for a good action movie, it is definitely worth checking out.
Thursday, July 18, 2024
Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Professor Marston & the Wonder Women
For those who get the blu-ray, the movie looks great in HD. Obviously, it is not a CGI-heavy movie, but the cinematography is great, with many visual location shots. There is about a half hour's worth of extras, including deleted scenes and making-of/behind-the-scenes material. Overall, it is a really great movie that tells the story of an interesting group of people and the consequences of the life they chose to live, especially in the 1930s -40s. The writing and acting are all excellent. There is a lot of swearing and some nudity in the movie, not to mention depicting a relationship between three people. So, it is not going to appeal to everyone. But, if you are looking for a good movie that went under the radar when it was released, it is worth checking out.
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Chalean Extreme Day 24
On day 24, I did 645 cardio in the morning and BC2 in the evening. I was tired during the BC2 workout because I was packing most of the afternoon, but I got it done. I was able to increase the amount of weight for a few exercises in the workout and could do a couple more push-ups on my toes at the end of the workout, which kind of surprised me.
4k-UHD/Movie Review: Doctor Sleep
The 4k set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a regular Blu-Ray disc. The 4k disc has the theatrical version of the movie and all of the extras. The regular Blu-Ray includes the director's cut of the movie. It looks and sounds great in the UHD format. The movie stays faithful to Kubrick's version of The Shining, which Stephen King really disliked, but also incorporates the ending of the book version of The Shining (having Danny take over Jack's role at the end of the book) while fighting Rose Hat. There is about 45 minutes worth of behind-the-scenes and making-of material included as extras. It's not a ton of bonus content, but what was included was good. Overall, the movie is excellent. It is very violent, and there is some nudity, so it earns the R-rating. Ferguson dominates nearly every scene she is in, and McGregor does a great job playing the adult version of Danny. Kyliegh Curran does a wonderful job as the child lead in this movie, and if there are more stories to be told of her character, she would do a great job. It is definitely worth checking out.
Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Chalean Extreme Day 23
Day 23 is normally a rest day in CE, but because I will have an extremely busy day on Thursday, I decided to switch it up and do the Burn Intervals workout instead of taking a rest day. Then, I will take the rest day on Thursday. And I did 645 cardio in the morning (with low-impact exercises). Both workouts went well, but there was nothing notable from either one.
Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Chalean Extreme Day 22
Day 22 was the start of week 4 in CE. I did 645 cardio in the morning and BC1 in the evening. I was again able to increase the amount of weight I was using for a couple of the exercises in BC1, and I can tell my cardio fitness is very slowly improving.
Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Chalean Extreme Day 21
On day 21, I did 645 cardio and the CE ab routine in the morning and then the Recharge yoga routine from CE in the evening. My flexibility was a little better this week than last, but I still have a ways to go.
Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Chalean Extreme Day 20
On Day 20, I just did the Burn it Off workout from CE. I did not feel like doing doubles today, so I skipped the 645 cardio workout. It went fine, no real difference from last week.
Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Titans Season 1
The first season is really all about character development. Brenton Thwaites plays Dick Grayson, who works as a detective in Detroit after leaving Bruce Wayne. He comes across Raven, played by Teagan Croft, who, unbeknownst to her, is part demon. Anna Diop plays Starfire, Minka Kelly plays Dawn/Dove, Ryan Potter plays Beast Boy, Alan Ritchson plays Hank Hall/Hawk (he also played Aquaman in Smallville), Curran Walters plays Jason Todd/New Robin, and Conor Leslie plays Donna Troy/Wonder Girl. Rachel Nichols (from GI Joe and Alias, among others) has a significant role in the season as well. The show also introduces the Doom Patrol characters and teases Krypto and Superboy.
The bulk of the first season is spent introducing the characters and providing backstories for everyone to set up how they got to where they are. That, along with advancing the "main" storylines about protecting Raven from people hunting for her and herself. Dick is trying to deal with his own past as Robin. I will not go too much into the story to keep from spoiling anything, but there are a lot of characters and story setups in this season packed into a handful of episodes.
The Blu-Ray set is a two-disc set. The show looks and sounds great in HD. The bonus material includes some deleted scenes and several short (around 10 minutes, give or take) making-of and character-based featurettes. A decent amount of material for a MOD blu-ray set, for sure. It is well-written and very well-acted. I cannot say how closely it sticks to the comics or cartoons since I have not read or watched either of those, but it was very well done for what it was trying to be. It is definitely not for everyone, but it is worth checking out if you are a fan of the genre.
Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Chalean Extreme Day 19
On day 19 I did 645 cardio in the morning and BC3 in the evening. I was again able to increase the amount of weight I used for some of the exercises, such as the squat and calf raise combination, but the amount of weight I used for the shoulder exercises remained the same.
Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Chalean Extreme Day 18
Day 18 was 645 cardio in the morning and burn intervals in the evening. The interval workout was a little easier than last week, and I actually adjusted the amount of weight I used. Instead of using the same weight for the entire thing, I used very light weights for the shoulder and triceps exercises and heavier weights for the rows and squats. Then, I used an intermediate weight for the bicep curls. That worked well, so I will stick with that for the rest of the program.
Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Little Women (2019)
The movie was written and directed by Greta Gerwig. She decided to start the film with the women as adults and then use parts from the first novel, when they were girls growing up in New England, as flashbacks. For those unfamiliar with the story, this storytelling method can make the movie hard to follow since the book starts with the girls as children. That said, the film does not deserve one star like some Amazon reviewers have given it because the acting, the cinematography, and the overall story are all excellent.
For those who get the Blu-Ray, the movie looks and sounds great in high-definition. There are about an hour's worth of extras, give or take, including several behind-the-scenes featurettes and a feature on the Alcott house, which has been preserved and saved multiple times from being torn down. A decent amount of material for those who like going through the bonus features. While it would have been better to tell the story linearly, it is still a very good and extremely well-acted adaptation of the story. It is absolutely worth the time to watch.
Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Chalean Extreme Day 17
Day 17 was 645 cardio in the morning and BC2 from CE in the evening. In the BC2 workout I again was able to increase the amount of weight I used on some of the exercises, but not by a huge amount.
Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Chalean Extreme Day 16
Day 16 was a rest day in CE, so I did 645 cardio in the morning and the stretching routine from Lift 4. Both went fine. My flexibility has not improved but has not regressed.
Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Chalean Extreme Day 15
Day 15 was the start of week 3 in CE. So, I did 645 cardio in the morning and the BC1 workout in the evening. I was able to increase the amount of weight I used on a couple of the exercises in BC1, but because this one is heavy on shoulders, I could only increase the weight on the exercises that were either only legs and the bench press and chest flys.
4k-UHD/Movie Review: Rampage
The basic plot is that a company run by Malin Akerman's character is doing genetic experiments on rats in space, to make them essentially invulnerable to anything. The space station blows up, but canisters with the serum being used on the rats end up crashing to Earth and infecting a wolf, alligator, and gorilla. The Gorilla, George, is in a habitat run by Dwayne Johnson's character, who is a primatologist (and because he is 6'5" and 300lbs of muscle, ex-military) who works with George. Naomie Harris plays a scientist who worked for the company on the serum, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan is an FBI agent responding to the Rampaging animals.
The movie is a good blend of action, comedy, and a bit of drama. Of course, it makes The Rock an indestructible hero who can survive getting shot, being in crashing planes and helicopters, and falling buildings, and not only walk away but keep fighting. So, in that way, the movie is clearly tongue-in-cheek. The Rock also continues to show that he is a decent comedic actor and an excellent action star. And he can be self-deprecating and does not seem to take himself too seriously.
The 4k set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a regular Blu-Ray disc. The film looks and sounds great in UHD, especially with a large screen. All the extras are included on the second, regular, Blu-Ray disc. Those include several behind-the-scenes and making-of featurettes (averaging about 10 minutes long), as well as a short gag reel. There is around an hour, give or take, of extras. Overall, it is an enjoyable action movie if you can suspend your disbelief and not take it extremely seriously. If you are a fan of The Rock's films, especially the newer ones like San Andreas or Hobbs and Shaw, then you will very likely enjoy this. If you are not a big fan of action movies as a whole, especially ones with lots of explosions and monsters, then this is not going to do anything for you.
Monday, July 15, 2024
Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Young Sheldon Season 1
The show, while being a half-hour sitcom, is very different from BBT, which works well for the show. Firstly, and most notably, it is not filmed in front of an audience and has no laugh track. So, it has much more of a Wonder-Years-like feel, with Jim Parsons acting as the narrator. Secondly, it does not try to be a carbon copy of BBT, especially where the character of Sheldon is concerned. It is not like watching grown-up Sheldon in a nine-year-old's body. The producers and writers went out of their way to make the younger version of Sheldon different than his older self, with glimpses of who he would grow into. For example, he dressed and acted like an adult as a kid. In his 30s, he dresses and acts more like a kid. He is also not as cynical as he is as an adult, but you can see how he was starting to become cynical at that age. The show definitely would not work as well if the showrunners had not taken that approach. That said, there are plenty of references to things we eventually see in BBT, so the two shows are tied together well.
The Blu-Ray set is a four-disc set. The episodes have English captions, and the second disc includes a couple of behind-the-scenes extras. The A/V quality is good but not super important, given that there are not a ton of special effects (other than de-aging Bob Newhart, who appears as Professor Proton). Overall, the show is well-written and very well-acted. While it is definitely a sitcom with a story-of-the-week flavor, it can also be considered a dramedy because it has very warm and heartfelt moments. Raegan Revord and Annie Potts steal every scene they are in. Revord really nails the character of Missy and makes you wish the character would have been around more in the parent series. Montana Jordan is also great as George Jr. and looks enough like Jerry O'Connell that you can buy that is who he will become. The show has pretty good continuity with BBT, other than the casting of Barber, who played a different role on BBT, but given that it was a small, one-off role, it is not really a big deal. If you are a fan of BBT, especially if you are a fan of the character of Sheldon, this is definitely a must-watch.
Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Chalean Extreme Day 14
On day 14, I did 645 cardio and the CE ab workout in the morning, and the CE Rechange/yoga routine in the evening. Nothing to update with either workout. They went pretty much exactly the same as last week.
Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Chalean Extreme Day 13
On day 13, I did a low-impact version of 645 cardio in the morning and Burn it Off, which is all HIIT in the afternoon. Both of them went fine. My cardio fitness is getting better, but is nowhere near where I want it to be.
Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Chalean Extreme Day 12
On day 12, I did the 645 cardio workout in the morning and Burn Circuit 3 in the evening. In this workout, I was able to raise a couple of the shoulder exercises from 10 lbs to 12 lbs, but because my shoulders are my weak point, I was not going to overdo it and hurt myself.
DVD/Movie Review: A Christmas Carol
The DVD itself is just a basic transfer of the movie. It was not restored, nor are there any kind of extras included. It is closed captioned, however, which is hit-or-miss with a DVD release like this. So, if you only get physical DVDs when there are a lot of extras, this one is not for you. The only reason to get this is if you remember seeing this version on TV and want to own it now that it gets played less and less and is much harder to find on TV during the Christmas Season. During the 80s and 90s, it was assured to play at least once and could be found easily, especially if you had cable TV. As the years have gone by and new adaptations have been released, this has been played less, and it is not old enough to be played on Turner Classic Movies like some of the older (1930s and 1950s) versions are.