DVD.Movie Review: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny

 

Sword of Destiny is a sequel to the 2000 movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It stars Michelle Yeoh (who was the only cast member from the original film to return for the sequel), Donnie Yen, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Jason Scott Lee, Harry Shum Jr., Eugenia Yuan, Roger Yuan, JuJu Chan, Chris Pang, Woo Young Park, and Darryl Quon. The movie is set 18 years after the events of the first film. In the movie, we learn a bit more about Shu Lien's (Yeoh's character) past and the man to whom she was betrothed. There is another fight for, and an attempt to steal, the Green Destiny, which is still at the home of the recently deceased Ser Te, and then there are some weird side plots.

The DVD is clearly not an official release. It can be played in a variety of languages (defaulting to Chinese), with an English audio track also available. The movie was actually filmed in English, even though it was released in Hong Kong and China before being released in the US. Therefore, if you watch it with the English audio track, you won't have to sit through bad overdubbing. It is also captioned in a few different languages, including English, but the English captions do not even slightly match what the characters are saying in the English audio track. Even though the DVD menu indicates there are bonus features, there is no way to select "bonus" from the menu; you can only play the movie, navigate the scene selection, or choose the audio and captions. The A/V quality is only okay, and there are some really bad (and cheesy) CGI effects in a couple of scenes.

The movie is okay, but nowhere near as good as the original film. It appears that the script was written with the hope that Zhang Ziyi would reprise her character from the first movie, and then the script was slightly altered when she did not. It features some good action sequences, some of which pay homage to scenes from the first film. I think it would have been better as a straight sequel to the first movie, telling what happened to Jen after she jumped from the mountain, and what Shu Lien did after Li Mu Bai's death. Ultimately, it is not a must-watch, but if you liked the first movie, it is interesting to check out. 

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 10

Day 10 was the second core-cardio workout of the program. It was another challenging workout, but I would say it is more focused on core than it is on cardio. Because the breaks are extremely short, you will experience a cardio effect, but it is not comparable to a traditional cardio workout (such as those in Lift 4). This workout has three regular blocks in which you do two exercises, then a burnout block in which you do four exercises, back-to-back with no rest for 45 seconds each.  

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 9

Day 9 was the first upper-body workout of week 2. It was a super burnout workout, meaning all the band exercises are in the fourth block at the end of the workout, and for one of the two exercises in each of the three regular blocks, you use the 2x2 tempo. This workout includes exercises for the chest, back, shoulders, biceps, and triceps. I did have to drop weight between sets for a couple of the exercises, but I actually did increase the amount of weight on one of the shoulder exercises between the first and second sets. It is another challenging, yet doable workout, and there are modifications for every exercise if needed.

CD/Music Review: Paula Abdul: Head over Heels

 

Head Over Heels, released in 1995, is the third studio album from Paula Abdul. The album comprises 14 tracks, primarily falling within the dance-pop genre. This album was not as successful as Abdul's first two albums, but two of the three singles released from it, "Crazy Cool" and "My Love Is for Real," reached the Top 100. Only My Love Is for Real reached the Top 40, peaking at number 28. The CD liner includes the lyrics, writing, and production credits for each track, as well as a thank-you message from Abdul. Ultimately, the album is okay, but none of the tracks are as good as the biggest hits from the albums Forever Your Girl and Spellbound. That said, if you are a fan of Abdul or the dance-pop genre generally, this is worth listening to. 

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 8

Day 8 is the first workout of week 2, and the first lower-body workout of the week. This is a burnout workout. So each block has one weighted exercise that you do three times for one minute each, and then one band exercise that you do for 45 seconds. This workout also introduces tempo training into the program. In two of the four blocks, you perform the weighted exercise for two counts going down and two counts coming back up, or a "two and two" tempo. In this workout, the weighted exercises are deadlifts, front-loaded squats, front-loaded lunges, and bridges. The band exercises include band deadlifts, pulse squats, leg pulses, and bridges, where you lift one leg up after entering the bridge position.

Like the week one workouts, it is challenging even though it is short. I still think this is a perfect program to transition into Joel's other programs, Lift 4 and Lift More. I haven't done Lift More yet, but I have completed Lift 4 multiple times. Almost every exercise we have done so far, especially those that use weights, is included in Lift 4.

Book Review: Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear

 

The Mask of Fear, published in 2025, is the first in a new trilogy of canon novels by Alexander Freed, detailing the early years of the Empire and the Rebellion. This novel is set in the year after the creation of the Empire (its events begin weeks after the Battle of Coruscant/ The Revenge of the Sith), and follows Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and Saw Gerrera's early efforts to resist Palpatine. Their storylines are mostly separate, but do intersect at different points in the book. We learn that Mon and Bail did not see eye-to-eye on their approaches, and did not particularly like one another or agree with the other's approach to resistance or overall agenda. And, as was detailed in Andor and Rogue One, Saw was always an outsider on the fringes of the Rebellion.

The hardcover version of the book is moderately long, at just over 460 pages. Since most of the primary characters are likely well-known to the book's target audience, it reads fairly quickly. There are a handful of new characters, but not so many that it is hard to keep track of them. Palpatine is mentioned, but does not actually appear, and Darth Vader neither appears nor is mentioned. Hopefully, they will in the later novels. Ultimately, the book tells a compelling story that expands on the storylines from the live-action and animated movies and series, filling in details that have not been explored to this point. I wouldn't say it is a must-read, but if you enjoy the expanded stories in the novels, this one is worth your time.

4k-UHD/Movie Review: The Crow (1994): Limited Edition Steelbook

 

The Crow is the cult classic 1994 movie starring Brandon Lee, Ernie Hudson, Rochelle Davis, Michael Wincott, Michael Massee, David Patrick Kelly, Tony Todd, Bai Ling, Anna Thompson, Angel David, Jon Polito, Laurence Mason, and Sofia Shinas. It was directed by Alex Proyas and adapted from the comic book series by James O'Barr. In it, Brandon Lee plays Eric Draven, a guitarist in a band in Detroit who, along with his fiancée, Shelly (played by Shinas), is killed on the night before their wedding by a gang of criminals who terrorize the city, especially on Devil's Night (the night before Halloween). A year later, he is brought back from the dead and guided by a crow to get revenge on the gang members. 

The 4k Steelbook contains just a single UHD disc, which has the movies and all the extras. There is also a non-steelbook release that has the same content. This release corresponded to the 30th Anniversary of the movie, and includes most of the bonus content from the original physical media release and some updated bonus features. The A/V quality is outstanding and is absolutely an upgrade from the original DVD release. The bonus content includes two audio commentaries, one by the director and one by the producer, Jeff Most, and the screenwriter, John Shirley. Then there is a new three-part featurette featuring an interview with the production designer, Alex McDowell, in which he discusses everything from the music selection to the sets. The other new featurette includes an interview with another one of the film's producers, Edward R. Pressman, in which he discusses one of the popular figurines. Then there is the original behind-the-scenes featurette that includes interviews with members of the cast and crew, an interview with James O'Barr in which he discusses his life and the tragic personal event in his life that led him to create the comics, extended scenes, a montage of deleted footage, and the trailer. In all, the bonus material (excluding the commentary tracks), comes in at just under two hours.

The film is definitely a low-budget B-movie, but it is an above-average B-movie in terms of story and acting quality. Of course, the film was almost never finished after Brandon Lee was killed in an on-set gun accident after he had shot about 3/4 of his scenes. When Lee's fiancée gave her blessing to finish the movie, during reshoots, a body double was used as a stand-in for Lee, and CGI was used to replace Lee's face on the body double. Some scenes were also changed to complete the film without using as much of Lee's character as originally intended. While all the actors did a fine job in their respective roles, Lee's performance carried the film, and he would have absolutely become a bigger star and gotten better roles than he had had up to that point based on his performance in the movie had he lived. The movie has a good message, but it does earn its R-rating as it is very violent, features drug use, and has some sexual content and nudity. Ultimately, it is a very good movie that is absolutely worth watching.

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 7

Day 7 is the first "rest" day of the program, which is a flexibility and mobility routine. It incorporates some yoga poses, such as downward dog and pigeon, along with more dynamic hip and shoulder mobility exercises. You do not use any weight or bands in this one, and if you have done any of the other Bodi workouts that have a stretching routine, you will recognize all of the exercises in this workout.

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 6

Day 6 was the first full-body workout day in 25-Minute Speed Train. Like the other workouts, especially the core-cardio workout, this one has some exercises that use weight and others that rely solely on your bodyweight. This one has four blocks of work. You work chest, back, legs, core, biceps, and shoulders. Some of the exercises are compound moves that work two body parts in the same rep, like hammer curls into narrow shoulder presses, and lunges into single arm rows. It is another very challenging workout, and even though it is short, you will be tired by the end, even if you modify the exercises that have modifications. 

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 5

Day 5 was the second upper-body workout of the program. This had the same burnout format as the first workout, consisting of four blocks of work, each with two exercises. Then, after the fourth block, you have a burnout round in which you only use bands, and you do four exercises (actually three exercises, but one is a single-arm exercise that you do on one arm and then switch to the other) for 45 seconds with no rest. In this workout, you work your chest, back, shoulders, and triceps. Again, because you are going for time and not reps, you will probably have to use very light weight. The heaviest weight Joel used was 30 lbs on the one-arm rows. But, on the shoulder exercises, he was down to 10 and even 7.5 lbs. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: The Big Bang Theory: Season 11

 

+++Warning, this will spoil the cliffhanger from the end of season 10, but no major giveaways from season 11++++

The 24-episode 11th season of The Big Bang Theory aired during the 2017/2018 TV season. It would be the second-to-last season of the show. It was announced over the summer, after the 11th season aired, that season 12 would be the final season when Jim Parsons decided he would not return to the show.  Ultimately, I think it was a good decision, as the show was getting long in the tooth.

The main theme of this season is the build-up to Sheldon and Amy's wedding. As most know, the 10th season ended on the cliffhanger of Sheldon proposing. To the shock of no one, she says yes. The rest of the season is much the same as it has been for the first 11 seasons, where a story-of-the-week is meshed with ongoing story arcs. The other main storyline involves Howard and Bernadette having another child, incorporating Melissa Rauch's real-life pregnancy into the show and allowing her to be on bed rest. For much of the season, she was filmed in bed, and then, eventually, you just heard her voice, much like Howard's mother was. Of the main cast, I would say Raj took more of a back seat this year, only really having one episode centered around him (which guest-starred Beth Behrs and Walton Goggins. Other notable guest stars this year (aside from Wil Wheaton) were Bob Newhart, Kathy Bates, Teller (of Penn and Teller fame), Laurie Metcalf, Jerry O'Connell, and Mark Hamill. The writers also found a way to honor Stephen Hawking after his death.

The Blu-Ray set is a two-disc set. The A/V quality is excellent, and the episodes look and sound very good, much like the prior seasons. The set includes about an hour of bonus features, including part of the Comic-Con panel discussion, a couple of behind-the-scenes features, and a gag reel. Ultimately, the season was good, but the show was getting stale at this point. While there were some funny moments during the season, it wasn't as funny overall as it was in the beginning. That said, the season was still enjoyable, was worth watching, and provided a good setup for what will now be the final season.

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 4

Day 4 was the second lower-body workout of the week. This one was a burnout workout, similar in format to the upper-body workout. There are four blocks of work, each with a "main" exercise that you use a dumbbell for, for two or three sets (depending on the exercise), then there is a burnout exercise that you use a resistance loop for. 

Again, the workout is challenging, but not impossible. The hardest exercise in the workout is the negative lunge, in which you start in a lunge position with your knee on the floor and then raise up to what is a starting position for a traditional lunge. You can do the exercise with or without weight (and if you use weight, it will be very light; Joel was only using 15 lbs). You can also do what are essentially pulsing lunges if it is too hard on your knees. 

Even though these workouts are short, you absolutely feel them the next day. So, they pack a lot into 25 minutes, and because the breaks are very short, you are getting a cardio effect as well. 

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 3

Day 3 of 25-Minute Speed Train is the first core-cardio workout of the program. It again has four blocks of work (after a short warm-up), each block consisting of two exercises. One that has a cardio (and core) component, and the second, which is mostly core-focused. You do each exercise for 45 seconds, with 15 seconds between exercises for the transition. 

If you have done Joel's Lift 4 program, you will recognize many of the exercises from the cardio and core portions of that program. There are exercises like twisted mountain climbers, knee to elbow, and flutter kicks, among others. A couple of the moves require a light dumbbell. In the workout, Joel used 7.5 lbs. I used 5 lbs.  After you do the four blocks, there is a burnout round in which you do one exercise from each block for 45 seconds, back-to-back without rest. 

This workout had a lot of plank work, which I personally don't enjoy. It was not as exhausting as the cardio workouts in Lift 4, but it is a challenge, especially if you are working yourself back into shape. But, if you are in better shape, you can go faster for longer, so you will be working. Joel was dripping with sweat by the last block, and he is in excellent shape, so you know it works. 

CD/Music Review: Paula Abdul: Spellbound

 

Spellbound, released in 1991, was the second studio album by Paula Abdul, and the follow-up to her massively successful debut album, Forever Your Girl. The album includes 11 tracks in all. Many are still very much in the dance-pop genre of her first album; however, Abdul branched out into ballads on this one. The most successful ballad on the album (and the most popular track in general) was Rush Rush, which was one of two number one hits the album produced (the other being Promise of a New Day). Blowing Kisses in the Wind (another ballad on the album) cracked the top ten on the Billboard Top 100, and Vibeology (one of the dance tracks) was a minor hit. The CD liner includes the lyrics for all the songs, then the traditional artist thank you, writing, and production credits, etc. Ultimately, the album is enjoyable, especially if you like 80s and 90s pop.

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 2

Day 2 was the first upper-body workout of the week (and the program). Whereas yesterday's workout had a super burnout format, this one had a burnout at the end of each block. The format for this workout consists of four blocks, each block having one exercise that you do for three one-minute sets, with 15 seconds between the sets. In the first block, you do bent over rows, in the second block you do chest presses, in the third block you do shoulder raises, and in the fourth block you do biceps curls. After you finish the third set in each block, you do a band exercise for 45 seconds that works (i.e., burns out) the same body part as the weighted exercise. 

During the workout, Joel encourages you to do drop sets, meaning reduce the amount of weight you are using, if you need to. He dropped the weight he was using in the shoulder and biceps set. I reduced the weight I used in all blocks except the first, never exceeding 17.5 lbs throughout the workout. The heaviest weight Joel used was 25 lbs. If you have completed Lift 4, you are aware that Joel can use very heavy weights for exercises like biceps curls and rows. However, he did not use weights close to the amounts he provided as examples for the exercises in Lift 4. 

Even though you are lifting lighter weights during this program, I can confirm you will feel it in your muscles the next day, especially if you have taken time off from working out or are just starting a workout program. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Black Sails: Season 1

 

Black Sails was an action-adventure series that blended a fictional pirate story with real-life historical figures. It was written as a prequel to the novel Treasure Island. It aired on Starz for four seasons, from 2014 to 2017. The eight-episode first season aired in the winter and spring of 2017. It starred Toby Stephens, Hannah New, Luke Arnold, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Tom Hopper, Zach McGowan, Toby Schmitz, Clara Paget, Mark Ryan, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Sean Cameron Michael, and Louise Barnes. The story is set in the 1700s on New Providence Island, in what is now the Bahamas, where pirates threaten trade in the region. The plot of the first season involves several pirates hunting for the treasure from the shipwreck of the Spanish ship Urca de Lima, which was a part of the Spanish treasure galleon. 

The blu-ray set is a three-disc set. The A/V quality is terrific, with the episodes looking and sounding great in the HD format. All the bonus features, which consist of several making-of and behind-the-scenes featurettes. The longest is a nine-minute inside look at the series. The rest are shorter (ranging from a minute and a half to about three minutes). All totaled, the bonus content runs a little less than half an hour.

The series has an excellent mix of action and drama. There are a lot of characters and several storylines going on, and it can be hard to keep everything straight, especially if you have it on in the background. It is absolutely not a family-friendly show, as it has a lot of violence, sexual content, nudity, and adult language. The series does not have wall-to-wall action; indeed, in many episodes, there is minimal action and almost all political maneuvering. However, when it does include action, the action sequences are exceptionally well done. Ultimately, if you are a fan of pirate stories and/or the real-life history of the region, it is worth watching.

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 1

Day one of the 25-Minute Speed Train is a lower-body workout. It consists of three blocks. In the first, you do a front-loaded goblet sumo followed by squat pulses, wearing a resistance loop for both exercises. In the second block, you do two variations of deadlifts. First, you do traditional deadlifts, holding two dumbbells, starting standing up and then bending over (high to low). Then, you use a resistance band and go from low to high. In the third block, you do front-loaded single-leg lunges with a single dumbbell, followed by single-leg floating deadlifts with a band. Each block has the same timing, in which you do each exercise for a minute, with fifteen seconds between exercises. You get a one-minute rest period between blocks. At the end of the workout, you have a burnout round in which you wear a band and do leg lifts (one leg then the other), followed by pigeon calf raises, and ending with duck calf raises, all for 45 seconds with no rest between them. 

Even though this is only 25 minutes, the workout is challenging. I wouldn't say it is as tough as Lift 4, but I was using lighter weights than I should have, as I wasn't sure what my strength level would be after a month and a half of not working out. Even so, I could feel the workout, and I was getting winded at times, so it was not easy.  

4k-UHD/Movie Review: American Pie 2 (Deluxe Collector's Edition) [UK Import]

 

American Pie 2 is the 2001 follow-up to 1999's unexpected hit comedy, American Pie. All the primary cast members (Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Chris Klein, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Tara Reid, Alyson Hannigan, Shannon Elizabeth, Eugene Levy, Mena Suvari, Natasha Lyonne, and Thomas Ian Nicholas) return for the sequel, as do many of the supporting cast, including Chris Owen, John Cho, Casey Affleck, Molly Cheeks, Jennifer Coolidge, and Eli Marienthal. The new cast members in this film include Denise Faye, Lisa Arturo, JoAnna Garcia, and Joelle Carter. 

The story is set a year after the events of the first movie, as the characters' first year of college is ending, and they go back home for the summer. In an attempt to rekindle the post-high school weirdness, the friends decide to rent a house on Lake Michigan for the summer, with the plan to throw a massive blowout party at the end of the summer. Of course, hijinks ensue, and the group ultimately learn something by the end of the film. 

The 4K set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a regular Blu-ray disc. This is an import set from the UK, so while the UHD disc is region-free and can be played on a Region 1 4K player, the Blu-Ray disc is region-locked, so you will need a Region 2 player to watch it (which is really only an issue if you want to watch the bonus content, aside from the commentary tracks). The UHD disc includes both the theatrical and unrated versions of the movie and all four commentary tracks (one by the director J.B. Rogers, one by the writer Adam Herz, one by cast members Jason Biggs, Thomas Ian Nicholas, and Mena Suvari, and one by cast member Eddie Kaye Thomas) on the theatrical version. Both Rodgers and Herz's commentary tracks provide a lot of insight into the film and the process of getting it made, changes that were made, etc. The commentary with Biggs, Suvari, and Ian Nicholas is the most entertaining as they spend most of the time joking with each other. Thomas provides some insight into the movie, but he is a bit dry, and there are long stretches when he does not say anything (probably because he is by himself when it was recorded). The unrated version of the film adds about five minutes to the runtime and essentially extends a few scenes, but does not add anything significant to the storyline.

The rest of the bonus features are on the regular Blu-Ray. Some (like the deleted scenes, music video, trailer, etc.) were carried over from the original DVD release, but not everything from the original release is included on this release, so if you have the original DVD, you may want to keep it. Other bonus content includes featurettes on the changed Oz and Heather storyline, and the storyline with Stifler's dad that was ultimately cut from the movie.

The movie is a good follow-up to the original. While the tone (and many of the jokes) echo those of the first movie (especially in the beginning), it is not a carbon copy of the original film. There are some very funny moments and some dramatic moments in the film. The roles of the various characters underwent significant changes as the movie shifted its focus to Jim and Michelle's relationship. As a result, characters like Vicky and Kevin received much less screen time, while Hannigan's role expanded considerably in this movie compared to the first. Oz and Heather's story was supposed to be quite different, but it got changed during reshoots, as did Stifler's storyline, which changed the amount of screen time those characters received. Eugene Levy received similar screen time and served a similar function to his role in the first film. Shannon Elizabeth had a bit more screen time than she did in the first film (unfortunately, she does not get naked in this one), but she is mostly seen talking on the phone until the movie's third act. 

The movie does earn its R-rating, as it does have a lot of raunchy comedy, swearing, sexual dialogue, and nudity. Ultimately, it is a good movie about how life and relationships change after high school, whether you want them to or not. If you liked or loved the first movie, this one (while probably not quite as good as the first film) is worth watching.

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train (Sample Workout)

It's been a while since I wrote one of these updates, and even longer since I last worked out. I stopped the updates at the end of May, but I continued working out for a few more weeks; then life went crazy. My mom was in and out of the hospital, then in hospice care, and then passed away all within a month and a half. During all that, I also moved into a new place. So, needless to say, working out was not high on the list of priorities.

Now that life has started getting back to normal, I've decided to try the 25-minute Speed Train program for my next workout. It is one of the newest workouts by BODI. Joel Freeman is the trainer for this one. The workout was filmed in his very nice home gym. Like Lift 4, this has blocks of exercises, but you are not focused on reps. Instead, you focus on tempo. You do two exercises in a block for sixty seconds, with only fifteen seconds of rest between them. You do each exercise twice, then move on to the next block.

Today I tried the sample workout, which is a full-body workout. The workout is an eight-week program, with workouts each day. The structure is upper body, lower body, core cardio mid week, upper body, lower body, full body, and then a flexibility and mobility/recovery workout on day 7. For equipment, you will need dumbbells and rubber resistance loops. Since you will be doing each exercise for sixty seconds, on those that you are using weight (as opposed to bodyweight exercises), you will probably use lighter weight than you would in a program like Lift 4, Chalean Extreme, or P90x. However, you will still want light, medium, and heavy dumbbells. This is not, however, a program where you can substitute resistance bands for the dumbbells. That said, Joel does show you how to modify moves if the regular versions are too difficult when you are starting out.

Thankfully, despite not working out in a long time, I haven't gained a lot of weight; in fact, I am finally below 200 lbs. I am hoping to drop about 10 lbs in the next eight weeks doing this program. After that, I plan to do Lift 4 again, followed by Lift More, and then try another round of the OG, P090x. I will probably not, however, do doubles workouts. For now, I plan to do just one workout per day.

Book Review: The Second Great Dune Trilogy

 

This is a 2022 hardcover printing of the books of the second trilogy of Dune novels written by Frank Herbert: 1981's God Emperor of Dune, 1984's Heretics of Dune, and 1985's Chapterhouse Dune. The first novel tells the story of Leto II's reign over the empire, and the last two involve the Bene Gesserit versus another clan of powerful women called the Honored Matres. The stories in these novels are very far removed from those told in the original Dune novel and its first two sequel novels. Although characters like Paul and Jessica are mentioned, the massive time jumps used by Herbert mean they are long dead and not actively involved in the events of any of the books in this trilogy.

The hardcover version of the trilogy is just under 1000 pages. I found none of them easy to read, mainly because many new characters were introduced without much setup, and the storylines became increasingly convoluted with each book. So, none of the storylines were all that easy to follow. And, not much action happened in any of the books until the last handful of chapters. Ultimately, if you are a fan of the Dune series and have invested the time to read all the other novels, this set is worth reading, if nothing else, to see where the story goes. However, if you are only a casual fan or a fan primarily because of one or more of the live-action adaptations of the original novel, you may not like this trilogy, as none of the novels in this trilogy are as good as the original Dune novel or the prequel novels that were written by Frank's son, Brian, and Kevin J. Anderson.

CD/Music Review: Paula Abdul: Shut Up and Dance

 

Shut Up and Dance, released in 1990, is a 1990 album by Paula Abdul that remixes some of the tracks from her first studio album, Forever Your Girl, into club mixes. None of the mixes on this album are as good as the original tracks, and some of the tracks are definitely better than others. The CD liner just has the track listings and the information about who worked on each one. Ultimately, if you're a fan of the original album and enjoy dance remixes, this is worth listening to. If, however, you are more of a casual fan and rarely ever set foot in a dance club, then this will probably not be appealing.

CD/Music Review: Paula Abdul: Forever Your Girl

 

Forever Your Girl was the 1988 debut album of Paula Abdul, who up to that point had been a backup singer and choreographer for artists like Janet Jackson and George Michael. The album contains 10 tracks, four of which (Straight Up, Forever Your Girl, Cold Hearted, and Opposites Attract) reached number one on the Top 100 chart. All the songs on the album are pop/dance numbers, and even the songs that did not become big hits are enjoyable. The CD liner contains the lyrics for all the tracks and a personal note from Abdul thanking various people. Ultimately, if you are a fan of 80s pop, especially dance-oriented songs, this is worth listening to. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Cheers: Season 6

 

The 25-episode 6th season of Cheers aired during the 1987/1988 TV season. It saw the most significant shift in the show up to that point. Shelly Long was written out of the series at the end of the fifth season (although the writers did leave the possibility of her return open). To replace her, the show cast Kirstie Alley. Aside from Long, all of the series regulars returned. This season, George Wendt and John Ratzenberger each direct an episode.

Along with Alley, Tom Skerritt was brought in for a significant recurring role. Jay Tomas returned as Carla's husband, Bebe Neuwirth's role as Lilith was expanded (although she was still a recurring character), and Harry Anderson made a cameo appearance, reprising his role as Harry the Hat in one of the cold opens (despite starring in Night Court by that time). Robert Urich and Wade Boggs made special guest appearances. 

The season picks up months down the line from the events that ended the fifth season. We discover that Sam has gone sailing around the world, selling the bar to a large corporation run by Skerritt's character, Evan Drake. Alley plays Rebecca Howe, who runs the day-to-day operations at the bar, and is totally in love with Drake, who barely notices her. When Sam's boat sinks, he returns to Cheers looking to be the boss again, but is only able to be hired on as a bartender, with Rebecca as his boss. The show continues the format that it used in prior seasons, blending procedural one-off storylines with serial arcs. The writers attempted to replicate the Sam and Diane "will-they-won't-they" storyline with Sam and Rebecca, but it mostly involved Sam hitting on Rebecca and her turning him down (or messing with him). The writers did a good job balancing the storylines for the large ensemble cast, giving all the characters good material to work with. There were more good Lilith and Frasier moments, with Bebe Neuwirth stealing pretty much every scene she was in. 

The blu-ray set is a three-disc set. Like those for seasons four and five, this one does not have any bonus features, but the episodes can be played with English captions. As of this writing, the only way to get the blu-ray versions is to purchase the complete series set. The individual single-season sets are only available on DVD. The A/V quality of the episodes on blu-ray is very good, and the episodes look and sound great in the HD format, especially given the age of the show.

The season is good, and the introduction of the new characters gave the show a fresh boost. Whatever you think of Alley in real life, especially her politics toward the end of her life, she was hilarious in the show, and even though the writers tried to give her character a similar dynamic with Sam that Shelly Long's character had, she did not copy what Long did with the character of Diane. The comedy is still a lot different than today's sitcoms. In some ways, it is tamer (even though there is sexual banter and innuendo, nothing beyond kissing is shown). On the other hand, some of the jokes would definitely not fly in today's PC climate, especially the character of Sam sexually harassing the character of Rebecca every episode. Ultimately, if you liked the style and tone of the prior seasons (unless you only liked the character of Diane), you will probably like this season as well.

Book Review: Tales of Dune

 

Tales of Dune, published in 2011, is a collection of short stories set during the various Eras of Dune. The stores were written by Brian Herbert (the son of Frank Herbert, the author of the original Dune novel and the five follow-up novels) and Kevin J. Anderson. There are eight stories in all. Four of them are set during the Butlerian Period, which is the time frame in which most of the novels written by Brian Herbert and Anderson are set, thousands of years before the events of the original novel. A couple of stores are set in the Dune Period. One is set just before Paul, Leto, and Jessica go to Dune, and one is set during the events of the original novel. The final two stories are set during the second trilogy, after what is called The Scattering. 

The hardcover version of the book is relatively short, coming in at just under 170 pages. The first story is the longest (a little under 40 pages), and the others are about 10-20 pages, give or take. They are all relatively quick and easy to read. The stories in the book are ancillary to the main novels, and usually involve secondary characters (or characters who do not appear in the regular novels). However, one of the stories does focus on Paul and Duncan Idaho. Ultimately, if you are a fan of the various Dune novels, especially the prequel novels, this is worth reading. If you are only a fan of the original Dune novel, or that part of the story, this one may not appeal to you. 

Book Review: 100 Things to See in the Night Sky, Expanded Edition: Your Illustrated Guide to the Planets, Satellites, Constellations, and More

 

100 Things to See in the Night Sky is a guide by Dean Regas, published in 2017 and updated in 2020, that teaches/helps people locate various objects in the sky. The objects are those that can be seen in the Northern Hemisphere at different times of the year. It begins with the simplest objects we see every day-- the sun and the moon. In the discussion of the sun, Regas talks about how to safely observe it without damaging your eyes. He also talks about the best times to observe the moon through binoculars or a telescope, and what to look for when you do. He then discusses the planets visible to the naked eye, followed by various constellations and the stars that form them. He also mentions some deep sky objects that would require binoculars or a telescope to see, such as the Andromeda Galaxy and various star clusters, and how to find them relative to the constellations. He concludes with a discussion on observing things such as comets, meteor showers, and even satellites. 

The hardcover version of the book is a little under 250 pages long, but it has a lot of photographs and illustrations, so it is not 250 pages of actual text and reads quickly. Regas does an excellent job of detailing where to look for the various objects he discusses, as well as providing a short history of how they were first discovered (for those there are a record) or the stories behind how they were named. Ultimately, it is a fascinating book that is perfect for amateur astronomers, teaching what is becoming more of a lost art due to computerized telescope mounts. Namely, finding celestial objects just using your eyes and hands. It is absolutely worth reading. On a personal note, it will always hold a special place for me since it was the last book my mom got me before she passed away. 

CD/Music Review: 3LW: A Girl Can Mack

 

A Girl Can Mack, released in 2002, is the second studio album from the short-lived late 90s early 2000s girl group, 3LW, with group members Adrienne Bailon, Kiely Williams, and Naturi Naughton. Their first album produced their one big hit, No More (Baby I'ma Do Right), but none of the songs on this album could match the popularity of that one. There are 12 regular tracks and two hidden tracks on the album. The only song on the album that became a moderate hit was the single I Do (Wanna Get Close to You), but all the songs on the album would be filler tracks on albums of more popular artists. By the time the album was released, Naughton had left the group, and they pretty much fizzled out of existence after that. The CD liner includes pictures of the group, the production information for the songs on the disc (but not the lyrics), and notes from the group's members. 

Ultimately, the album is a very cookie-cutter early 2000s R&B release. If you are a huge fan of the group, it is worth listening to, but otherwise, it is probably not one that would be in heavy rotation on most people's playlists. 

Book Review: Chapterhouse Dune (Dune #21 Chronological Order, #6 Publication Order)

 

Chapterhouse Dune is the final book in the second "Great Dune Trilogy" and a direct sequel to Heretics of Dune. It was published in 1985 and was the sixth and final book in the Dune series, penned by the original author, Frank Herbert. To say the storyline is convoluted is an understatement. It boils down to the war between the Bene Gesserit and the Honored Matres. The Matres are trying to take control of the Universe, and have almost completely taken over the Old Empire. They are now trying to take control of the Bene Gesserit so they can combine the technological and superhuman abilities of the Bene Gesserit with their own. 

The length of the book will vary depending on which version you get, but the hardcover version comes in at around 450 pages. The overall storyline is not bad, but the execution of the story could be much better. There are a ton of characters in the book, making it hard to keep track of all their various roles. Like all the novels in the second trilogy, while characters from the original trilogy of novels are referred to, Duncan Idaho (or a version of him) is the only character from the original books that appears in this one. The vast majority of the book is set up, jumping back and forth between the points of view of members of the Bene Gesserit and the Honour Matres. Most of the action occurs in the last 75 pages or so (which is another thing that made it hard to get through), and it ends in a cliffhanger. Herbert would pass away the year after the book was published, leaving the result of the storyline in doubt; however, his son Brian and Kevin J. Anderson would write two follow-up novels based on Frank's notes for a seventh book to finish the story. 

Ultimately, the storyline in this book diverges significantly from the original Dune novel. It has very little to do with the storyline involving Paul, Jessica, the Harkkonens, etc. It also gets a bit weird. It is not as good as the original novel or any of the multiple prequel novels that were written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson to set up the events of the original novel. I think it is worth reading, if nothing else, to see where Frank Herbert took the story, but I wouldn't call it a must-read, especially if you were primarily invested in characters like Paul, Jessica, Chani, and Irulan. 

4k-UHD/Movie Review: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

 

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was the martial arts masterpiece of a film from 2000. It was directed by Ang Lee and starred Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Cheng Pei-Pei, Chang Chen, Xian Gao, and Sihung Lung. The story is set in 19th-century Imperial China. Fat and Yeoh play two master warriors named Li Mu Bai and Shu Lien. Bai is a Wudang swordsman. He and Shu Lien head a private security company. The two are in love, but because Shu Lien had been engaged to Li Mu Bai's close friend, they do not act on their feelings. Li Mu Bai is also grieving the murder of his teacher by a mysterious woman named Jade Fox (played by Pei-Pei), and decides to retire, giving his sword, Green Destiny, to Shu Lien to bring to their benefactor, Sir Te. She brings the sword to Sir Te's palace, where he is hosting a Governor and his family in advance of Governor Yu's daughter, Jen (played by Ziyi). The Green Destiny is stolen, which sets off the rest of the film's plot. 

The 4k-set is a two-disc set released in 2016 containing a UHD disc and a regular blu-ray disc, each containing the identical content. The A/V quality is outstanding. Both the audio and video of the UHD disc are at or near reference-quality. Although I will note that some of the audio seemed out of synch with the video upon my first viewing.  I think, however, that was my 4k player's fault, rather than a problem with the disc. 

Most of the bonus content from the prior physical media releases is included in this release, and there is some new bonus material created for the 4k release. There are two commentary tracks on the movie. The first is with director Ang Lee and screenwriter James Schamus. The second is by the cinematographer Peter Pau. Both commentary tracks provide a wealth of information about the film. Pau's is particularly enlightening because he explained how they pulled off all the visual effects on a very limited budget, which meant that the film had very few CGI effects. Then, there is a conversation with Michelle Yeoh and a photo gallery that was carried over from prior releases. New for this release is an introduction to the film by Ang Lee, several deleted scenes, a making-of featurette that includes some footage from the original making-of material included on the original release, and two versions of the music videa for the film's ending credits song, A Love Before Time (one in English and one in Mandarin). The most extensive bonus feature is a three-part retrospective on the movie that includes interviews with Lee, Schamus, and the movie's editor, Tim Squyres. 

The movie was a surprise hit, especially given that it was filmed in China, all of the dialogue was in Mandarin, and it played in US theaters with English Subtitles, had a cast made up of actors who were not extremely famous in the United States. Fat and Yeoh were pretty big international stars, and Pei-Pei was well-known in Hong Kong and China. This was the first major film role for Ziyi, who really had to carry much of the movie, especially during the half-hour-long flashback sequence in the middle of the film. Although she was only 19 when the movie was filmed, she did a wonderful job. Even though she was not billed as the movie's lead, she ended up being the lead. The movie came on the heels of the first Matrix film (and used the same stunt coreographers) and really (along with the first Rush Hour film, which was released a couple of years earlier) revitalized the martial arts movie genre. Unlike Rush Hour, this one incorporated fantasy elements into the story, such as the ability of some characters to "fly" (actually jump and soar, kind of like how Superman initially flew in the comics), which required a lot of wirework by the actors. Interestingly, Fat had never done a similar movie to this in his career, which was pretty extensive before this film, and Ziyi had a dance background, with no formal martial arts training. Yeoh, who had been in many martial arts films before this one, tore her ACL early on in filming, so the filmmakers had to use a lot of tricks to make it look like she was more mobile than she actually was. All the actors did an extremely good job with the action sequences and the dramatic moments. 

Unlike some martial arts films, it has a very good story. It is a bit harder to follow the story because you have to read subtitles while trying to watch what is going on (unless, of course, you understand Mandarin). Even so, the story is not that difficult to follow, even having to rely on subtitles. The only time it gets tough is when the characters are talking during the action sequences, so you have to try to read what they are saying and watch the action. While it does have a lot of fighting and some character deaths, there is not a lot of gore. There is also some sexual content, but no nudity. Ultimately, it is a wonderful movie that is worth watching and is a must-see for anyone who is a practitioner of martial arts and/or a fan of martial arts movies. 

CD/Music Review: 3 Doors Down: Seventeen Days

 

Seventeen Days, released in 2005, is the third studio album by the group 3 Doors Down. This album has 12 tracks, most of which are around three minutes long. It only produced one hit, the single Let Me Go, which still did not peak as high on the Top 100 chart as their biggest hits. The album's sound was very similar to that of their prior albums, mixing harder and softer/pop-oriented songs. While it only had the one big hit, the album has a good mix of songs that probably should have been bigger hits, including Be Somebody and Behind Those Eyes. It also features a collaboration with Bob Seger on the song Landing In London. Ultimately, if you liked the group's first two albums, you will like this one. If not, nothing about this album is likely to change your mind about them.

CD/Music Review: 3 Doors Down: Another 700 Miles

 

Another 700 Miles is a 2003 live album by 3 Doors Down, with seven tracks from a concert they played in Chicago. Although it doesn't include all the songs from their first two albums, it features their biggest hits, such as Kryptonite, When I'm Gone, and Here Without You. The final track on the disc is a cover of the song That Smell, which was originally recorded by the band Lynyrd Skynyrd. For this release, the CD liner just features pictures from the show and a reprint of a ticket for the show. The lyrics to the songs are not included. Ultimately, if you were a fan of the group's first two studio albums, this is worth listening to. 

CD/Music Review: 3 Doors Down: Away From the Sun

 

Away From the Sun was the second studio album by the group 3 Doors Down. It was released in 2002 and followed their debut album, The Better Life. The album contains 12 songs (although only 11 are listed on the back cover, the last one, titled This Time, is a hidden bonus track. 

Like the first album, the sound on this one is a mix of harder rock and more adult contemporary, softer rock. The big hit singles from this album are When I'm Gone, Away From the Sun, and Here Without You (which is my favorite song on the album and from the group as a whole). The CD liner contains the lyrics for the 11 regular tracks, but not for the bonus track. Ultimately, if you liked the group's first album, you will probably like (or love) this one as well. On the whole, I think it is a stronger album than their first and is worth listening to, with many of the songs worthy of a playlist rotation.

CD/Music Review: 3 Doors Down: The Better Life

 

The Better Life is the debut studio album of the southern rock band 3 Doors Down. It was released in 2000 and contains their first hit single, which launched them into the Top 40 music scene, Kryptonite. Their sound is a mix of hard rock, adult contemporary, and softer rock, with some grunge mixed in. The album has 11 songs in all. Kryptonite was the biggest hit, peaking at number 3 on the Top 100 chart, but it also contains the hit Be Like That, which peaked at number 24. While none of the other songs matched the success of those two on the Top 100 chart, some of them achieved success on the other Billboard charts, such as Loser and Duck and Run. The CD liner does contain the lyrics to all the songs on the album and pictures of the band members.

Ultimately, this is a good album if you like rock, especially what was being put out in the late 90s and early 2000s. While I wouldn't say any of the songs on the album, including the two biggest hits, are groundbreaking or life-changing, they make for a good mix of enjoyable tracks, and the album is worth listening to.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Cheers: Season 5

 

The 26-episode fifth season of Cheers aired during the 1986/1987 TV season. All the series regulars returned for the fifth season, including Ted Danson and Shelly Long, who played the two leads, Sam and Diane. Many of the "regular" recurring cast members, including Dan Hedaya and Jean Kasem, appeared this season, and Bebe Newerth returned in her role as Lilith. Lilith and Frasier were heavily featured in a couple of great episodes, including one of the funniest of the series so far. Other notable guest stars this season included Brenda Strong, Jay Thomas, Brent Spiner (who would go on to play Mr. Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation), and John Cleese. 

The blu-ray set is a three-disc set. As of this writing, the blu-rays are only available in the complete series release, with individual seasons only being available on DVD. Like the fourth season release, this one does not include any bonus material, but the episodes can be played with English captions.

The series continued the same format that it had from the beginning of the show, blending weekly procedural storylines with longer serial arcs. Of course, the longest arc throughout the season was the continued question of whether Sam and Diane would get together. All of the main characters get at least one episode focused primarily on them, including Woody, and every character gets good material to work with throughout the season. This season would also be the last for Shelly Long, as she made plans to leave the show after the season. Diane was written off in the season finale, but the writers did leave her departure open-ended, presumably so she could return if Long changed her mind. 

The show remained good, but its writing differed significantly from what would be done on a similar show today. The Sam and Diane "will they or won't they" storyline was getting a bit stale and played out by this season, and the character of Diane was getting a bit irritating and not really evolving. So, writing Diane out of the show was not a horrible thing, but I do think it could have been done better (especially given the fact that Long did not end up returning to the series, save for a guest appearance in the series finale). One good thing the show did was continue to expand the world beyond just the bar, and saw the characters interacting with each other outside the bar from time to time. Ultimately, if you liked the previous seasons, this one is worth watching.