4k-UHD/Movie Review: Revenge of the Ninja

 

Revenge of the Ninja is a 1983 martial arts action film directed by Sam Firstenberg,  starring Shi Kosugi, Arthur Roberts, Ashley Ferrare, Kane Kosugi, and Keith Vitali. The supporting cast includes Virgil Frye, Grace Oshita, Mario Gallo, and John LaMotta. It is the second film in what is known as the "ninja trilogy" (along with Enter the Ninja and Ninja III: The Domination), released by Cannon Films and featuring Sho Kosugi. They are only considered a trilogy because Kosugi appears in each of them (he was not the lead in Enter the Ninja), and the storylines of the three movies are not related to each other. In this one, Kosugi plays Cho Osaka, a resident of Japan who is being pressured by an American Businessman named Braden (played by Roberts). Cho is reluctant to leave until the majority of his family is attacked and killed by evil ninjas; he agrees to move to America and open an art gallery with Braden's backing. We find out that Braden is in deep with the local mob and is running drugs through the gallery, using Japanese dolls to smuggle them into the country.

The 4k set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a standard blu-ray. The UHD disc just contains the film itself, which can be played with the commentary tracks. The A/V quality of the film in UHD is excellent. Despite being a low-budget 1980s action film, it received a very good 4k transfer and is definitely worth the upgrade. The bonus features include the two previously mentioned commentary tracks. The first includes the director, Sam Firstenberg, and the stunt coordinator, Steven Lambert (who also played one of the characters in the cheesiest fight in the entire film), in which they talk about the movie's production and behind-the-scenes events during filming. The second is by film critics Mike Leeder and Arne Venema. Theirs is more of a MST3K viewing in which they talk about (and sometimes make fun of) the scenes, but also talk about the history of martial arts films (particularly ninja movies), the history of Cannon Films, and more. The other bonus content is on the standard blu-ray and includes an introduction to the movie by Firstenberg, a behind-the-scenes stills gallery, and trailers for other 80s action films (the same trailers that were included with the Enter the Ninja release). 

The movie is very cheesy and definitely feels like it is stuck in the early 80s. The action is much better in this movie than in Enter the Ninja, due in large part to the fact that the main evil ninja wore a mask, so Steve Lambert could do the action in the costume. The movie still has many of the same continuity issues that Enter the Ninja has. For example, in the climactic battle, the two ninjas begin fighting just with swords, but different weapons (and decoy dummies) appear out of nowhere throughout the fight. It is clear from the commentary tracks that continuity was not something that really mattered on set (or matters in these movies in general). It absolutely earns the R-rating, as there is a lot of swearing and violence, and some brief nudity. Ultimately, it is a movie you have to accept as it is and not overthink. If you can, it is entertaining, sometimes in a "so bad it's good" way. And if you were a fan of the movie as a kid, it is definitely worth checking out and adding to a physical media collection. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 58

Day 58 was day 2 of Phase 3, which was the back and abs workout. For the entire workout, you pair a back exercise with an ab exercise and alternate between them. For most of the back exercises, you do four sets and increase the number of reps in each set. So set 1 has 6 reps, set 2 has 8, set 3 has 10, and set 4 has 12. After each set, you do the corresponding ab exercise for 45 seconds. So, essentially, the ab exercises act as an active rest for the back exercises. You do not have to adjust the weight from set to set, but you can go up or down as you need to. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 57

 Day 57 was the start of Phase 3 of Dig Deeper, the Build Phase. For the final group of workouts, it is just Shaun T, without his trainer, Kristen, or the guy who was with them during the Phase 1 workouts. Day 1 of Phase 3 is chest. The format is quite different than in the prior workouts. None of the exercises are really new, but you are performing more sets and fewer reps per set. Several of the exercises have 5 sets of 8 reps, using as heavy a weight as you can. A couple of the exercises use the 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 rep scheme in which you drop the number of reps by two in each set. One is a bodyweight exercise (decline push-ups), and one is weighted (hex presses). I started with 25 lbs in the hex press, and did the first three sets at that weight, then dropped to 20 lbs for the final three sets. Afterwards, I did the upper body foam rolling from 645 before winding down for the evening.

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Days 55 and 56

The weekend days were off days from Dig Deeper, but I did get my walks in, foam-rolled, and did the P90x stretching routine. I definitely needed the rest from Dig Deeper, especially going into the final phase/4 weeks. Overall, a good recovery weekend.

4K-UHD/Movie Review: Fast X

 

Fast X is the tenth, and at least as of this writing, the second-to-last installment in the Fast & Furious franchise of movies. It honestly still amazes me that a film about an undercover cop taking down a gang of robbers/street racers turned into a movie franchise that is so far removed from the premise of the original film, but here we are. The movie was released in 2023 and was directed by Louis Leterrier, who took over for Justin Lin, who was still given a writing and producing credit. Nearly every actor from the franchise appeared in the film (with a few exceptions), including Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, John Cena, Charlize Theron, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Scott Eastwood, Helen Mirren, and Jason Statham. The newcomers for this movie include Rita Moreno, Daniela Melchior, Alan Ritchson, Brie Larson, Leo Abelo Perry, and Jason Momoa. Paul Walker was also included via the use of archival footage. His daughter Meadow was also given a small role in the film. Gal Gadot and Dwayne Johnson (or Rock "The Dwayne" Johnson; if you know, you know) also reprise their roles. The latter, of course, being a major surprise, given the falling out The Rock and Vin Diesel had after The Fate of the Furious. 

As many of the films in the series do, this one ties back to prior events. Specifically, it ties back to the events of Fast Five. The opening sequence uses footage from the bridge chase in Fast Five and shows events from the point of view of this film's main antagonist, Dante Reyes (played by Momoa), the son of Fast Five's big bad, Hernan Reyes. He hatches a plot to get revenge against Dom and the team, first to frame them, and then to start taking everyone out. The best sequence is toward the beginning of the film involving a chase through the streets of Rome. 

The 4k set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a standard blu-ray. The A/V quality of the UHD disc is outstanding. It is pretty much at or near reference-quality, and if you have a big screen and a multi-channel Dolby Atmos sound system, you will not be disappointed. All the bonus features are included on the UHD disc. There is around an hour and twenty minutes, give-or-take, of bonus content, including a gag reel, a making-of featurette, scene breakdowns, and a couple of music videos. There is also a director's commentary track on the film in which Leterrier (who is definitely a fan of the franchise) breaks down the movie and its production. 

If you have seen the prior movies, this one is pretty much par for the course. You know what you are getting with the films at this point. A lot of action, much of it completely unrealistic and over-the-top, and okay (at best) writing and acting. Some stunts are so over-the-top that the only way to pull them off was to use CGI animation (which still looks like animation even if it gets better all the time). The theme of family, which has prevailed throughout the series, is really the only serious part of the movies. Everything else is done pretty tongue-in-cheek. It mixes action and comedy (mostly from Gibson, Ludacris, and Cena) with some drama. Momoa seemed to have a blast playing the bad guy in this movie, and if you watch the bonus content and listen to the commentary, you find out that he did almost all of his own stunts, including the motorcycle stunt driving. He was definitely the highlight of this installment. The movie ends on a major cliffhanger, and the final scene and mid-credits tag set up the involvement of more characters in what is planned to be the final movie in the series. Ultimately, if you have stuck with the franchise this far, this is worth checking out. If you have not liked the other movies, especially as the plots became more outrageous, this will probably not do much for you.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Frasier: Season 9

 

The 24-episode 9th season of Frasier aired during the 2001/2002 TV season. All of the series regulars returned for the 9th season. The show continues to primarily be a story-of-the-week procedural, with longer story arcs here and there, as well as callbacks to events in prior episodes. This season sees Niles and Daphne's relationship evolving, Frasier still trying to find someone, and Martin starting a new job. This season also includes the 200th episode, and the largest Cheers reunion to date, with the group going to Boston and inadvertently attending Cliff's retirement party (at a hotel instead of Cheers). John Ratzenberger, George Wendt, Rhea Pearlman, and Paul Wilson all reprise their roles during the episode. The guest stars this season include Bill Gates, Adam Arkin, Larry Gelbart, Allison Janney, Jennifer Jason Lee, Kristen Chenoweth, Brian Cox, Robert Picardo, Anthony LaPaglia, Millicent Martin, Wolfgang Puck, Bridgette Wilson, and Michael Keaton. Keaton plays Lillith's half-brother in a hilarious role. The guest callers this season include Scott Hamilton, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, Keith Carradine, Naomi Judd, Freddie Prinze Jr., Andy Garcia, Pat Boone, Cherry Jones, and Anthony Edwards. The first episode, which aired two weeks after the 9/11 attacks, was dedicated to series creator David Angell and his wife, who were passengers on  Flight 11.

As of this writing, the blu-rays are only included in the complete series set. In that set, the episodes are spread over three discs, which are held in a keep case. The individual season DVD release is a four-disc set. There are no extras with this season's discs, but the episodes can be played with English captions. The A/V quality of the Blu-rays is good and is a definite upgrade from the DVDs. The only drawback is that the 200th episode special that was hosted by Bob Costas, in which he interviewed the cast and showed outtakes from throughout the series, was not included. 

While the series was getting a bit long in the tooth by season 9, the writers did a good job of mostly keeping it from getting stale. David Hyde Pierce and Jane Leeves continued to be the comedy standouts, but all of the cast members do a great job in their respective roles. There are still not as many scenes in the radio station as there were in the first few seasons, but they are mixed in here and there. Episode 21 was titled Cheerful Goodbyes, and was probably the best of the season (for those who were also fans of Cheers). It would have been nice if they could have set the episode at Cheers and been able to get Ted Danson and/or Woody Harrileson to appear as well, but Ratzenberger, Wendt, and Pearlman all stepped back into their characters wonderfully. Ultimately, if you are a fan of the series, this season, while not as great as the first few seasons, is worth checking out. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 54

Day 54 was the final workout of Phase 2, Bis and Tris. The workout went well, and I was able to increase the weight I used from last week for a couple of the exercises. My form on triceps dips (and range of motion) is getting a lot better, which is nice since I have never been great at them. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 53

Day 53 was the final shoulders, glutes, and abs workout of Phase 2. I was able to increase the amount of weight I used for two of the exercises, but had to hold them steady for the rest. However, shoulders are my weak spot, so that is not surprising. I do love being able to make use of "getting stuck"/reducing my range of motion, which allows me to use a little heavier weight to challenge myself and work on getting my shoulders stronger.

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 52

Day 52 was my final leg workout of Phase 2. This is my favorite workout of the program so far, and it went very well. I actually increased the amount of weight I used for some of the exercises after the first set, which I rarely do during the workouts. So, my legs are absolutely getting stronger. And, my range of motion in the squats and lunges is getting better as I lose weight overall.  

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 51

Day 51 was the final chest and back workout of Phase 2. As has been the case for the past few weeks, I could increase the weight for some exercises and used the same weight for others as I did last week. I did notice that the core-focused exercises, while still not easy for me, are getting easier.  

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 50

Day 50 was the start of the final week of Phase 2 of Dig Deeper, which meant doing the total-body workout again. Even after 4 weeks, the workout is still challenging. I was able to increase the amount of weight I used from last week for a couple of the exercises. The last burnout round was pretty killer, with almost no breaks between exercises or sets. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Days 48 and 49

Days 48 and 49 were the rest days for Dig Deeper. I still did my approximately two-mile morning walks and did some flexibility and mobility work each day. I did some foam rolling on Saturday and did the P90X stretch routine on Sunday. This upcoming week will be the last week of Phase 2 of Dig Deeper.

DVD/Movie Review: Fantasies

 

Fantasies is a 1981 film written and directed by John Derek. It starred Bo Derek (credited under the name Kathleen Collins when it was filmed) and Peter Hooten. The supporting cast includes Anna Alexiadis, Phaedon Georgitsis, Nikios Pashalidis, and Kostas Baladimas. The movie was actually Bo Derek's debut. It was filmed in Greece in 1973 and was titled Once Upon a Love, but was not widely released until 1981 after the movie 10, and an appearance in Playboy magazine made Bo a well-known star. She was about 17 years old when the movie was filmed and began a romantic relationship with John Derek (who was 30 years older than her) and eventually, in one of the most cringe-worthy Hollywood relationships, married him a few years later.

The DVD is a bare-bones release. The only extras are short filmography listings for John Derek, Bo Derek, and Peter Hooten. Otherwise, you just get the movie itself, and it does not play with captions. The film is absolutely awful. The writing and acting are horrible, and to the extent there is a plot, it plods along. In it, Bo and Hooten play Anastacia and Damir. Although Damir and Anastacia are not siblings, they grew up together in the same household after his parents died. He wants to revitalize the island where they live and make it into a tourist attraction, and she dreams of owning a fancy bathtub. The two start to have feelings for each other, despite considering themselves to be like brother and sister. They basically fight with each other through the entire movie while they are trying to figure out if they are in love. The movie does earn an R-rating as Bo Derek is nude a few times (although there are no sex scenes). Of course, the nudity would never be filmed today since she was 17 years old when the movie was made. Ultimately, the only thing this movie has going for it is that it was Bo Derek's first movie. While she was never considered a great actress, she was a big star during the 1980s, mostly because of her looks and willingness to take her clothes off in every movie. If you are looking for award-winning acting and writing, this does not have it. If you want to check it out for the sake of curiosity and accept it for what it is, it's worth watching but probably not one that you would return to much.

4k-UHD/Movie Review: Enter the Ninja

 

Enter the Ninja is the 1981 action film starring Franco Nero, Sho Kosugi, Susan George, Christopher George, Alex Courtney, and Constantine Gregory that arguably launched the resurgence of martial-arts movies in the 1980s, specifically the Ninja genre. It was the first of what is called the "Ninja Trilogy," consisting of this film, Revenge of the Ninja, and Ninja III: The Domination. This film has no ties to the other two films, aside from featuring real-life ninjitsu practitioner Sho Kosugi (although he plays different characters in each film). In this film, Nero plays an American who goes to Japan to study ninjitsu. Kosugi plays Hasegawa, a ninja whose family lineage traces back to the ancient samurai, and does not believe an American should be allowed to be trained as a ninja. The film opens with a massive fight scene, which we eventually find out is Cole's final test to become a ninja. Once he graduates, Cole goes to Manila to visit his old war buddy, Frank Landers, who owns a plantation and is being pressured to sell his land by a wealthy CEO named Charles Venarious (played by Christopher George). When Cole dispatches his goons with ease, Venarious hires a ninja (Hasegawa) to take Cole out. 

The 4k release is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc (which just contains the film) and a standard Blu-Ray, which contains the film and the bonus content. The A/V quality of the UHD disc is excellent, and it is an upgrade over prior releases. The bonus content includes a commentary track by film historians Mike Leeder and Arne Venema, and trailers for several other films, including Koshugi's other movies. 

The movie itself is very cheesy and not particularly well-written or acted. It very much has the feel of a low-budget action film with some cheesy comedy sprinkled in here and there. The commentary track is quite interesting as Leeder and Venema give a pretty good breakdown of the film's interesting production history, including the fact that martial artist (and the guy who broke up Elvis and Priscilla), Mike Stone, was originally supposed to play the role of Cole. However, when the producers found out that Franco Nero was in the Philippines, they offered him the role despite the fact that he had no martial arts experience (which absolutely shows when he is doing action scenes), and Stone was relegated to being his stunt double and the fight coordinator. Having Stone in the role would have at least made Cole look the part, as Nero was hilariously bad during the fight scenes and could not even do a proper front kick, much less do anything that came close to looking like a trained ninja. You can also tell the movie did not have anyone paying attention to continuity, because in the opening sequence alone Cole would have a bow and arrow in one scene, then have two swords, then have one sword and a dagger, then would magically have the bow and arrows again, only to have them disappear after shooting an arrow and starting to run without actually dropping the bow. And all the ninjas that it looks like Cole is killing during his test are magically okay despite being run through with a sword or having throwing stars stuck in their forehead.  

Of course, nothing in the movie is all that realistic, and it presents a very over-the-top and exaggerated representation of ninjutsu (which is a real style of martial arts). But it is not really a movie that you watch because you are looking for it to make sense, have great acting, or for the continuity. For many people who were kids in the 80s and into martial arts, this will absolutely be a blast from the past (even if you notice the flaws you did not notice then). Ultimately, if you can accept it for what it is, it is entertaining, even if it is in a Mystery Science Theater 3000  "so bad it's good" way and worth checking out in 4k. 

4k-UHD/Movie Review: The Fall Guy

 

The Fall Guy is the 2024 movie adaptation of the 1980s TV series. It was written by Drew Pearce and directed by David Leitch. It stars Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Hannah Waddingham, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the leading roles. The supporting cast includes Winston Duke and Stephanie Hsu, and there are cameos by Jason Momoa and the stars of the TV series, Lee Majors and Heather Thomas. Gosling plays Colt Seavers, the stunt double of the world's most famous action star, Tom Ryder (played by Taylor-Johnson), and is dating camera operator Jody Moreno (played by Blunt). After he is injured performing a stunt, Colt shuts out everyone and works as a valet at a restaurant. He is convinced to return to stunt work to work on a major production directed by Jody and starring Ryder, arranged by the film's producer, Gail Meyer (played by Waddingham). He is led to believe that Jody asked for him, but when he arrives on set, he finds out there is a lot more to the story, as Jody has no idea he was hired, and Ryder has disappeared. 

The 4k set is a three-disc set, containing two UHD discs and a standard Blu-Ray.  One of the UHD discs (and the standard Blu-Ray) contains the theatrical version of the film and the bonus content. The second UHD disc contains the extended version of the movie (which adds about 20 minutes to the runtime). The only extra on that disc is a commentary track by the director and one of the producers. The A/V quality of the UHD discs is excellent, especially if you have a large screen and a Dolby Atmos surround system.  The bonus content includes commentary tracks on both versions of the film. It is actually the same commentary track on both versions of the movie, just with the discussions during the scenes added to the extended edition removed for the theatrical version's track. The commentary tracks provide a lot of good information on the movie's production, how some of the stunts were done, etc. The other bonus features (which total about an hour) include a gag reel, alternate takes, and several making-of and behind-the-scenes featurettes that vary in length from a few minutes to about 20 minutes. 

The movie is very good. It is a great blend of comedy and action, and it seems like everyone had fun making it. It is a movie about a movie as well as an ode to all the people who work behind-the-scenes on films. In fact, the "important" people are made to look the worst in the movie. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is awesome playing an awful character, who was basically written as a stereotypical Hollywood brat/prick, and Waddingham was great as the producer who enabled him. Gosling again proves that he can do comedy, especially deadpan comedy, and Blunt continued to show her range, incorporating action, drama, and comedy into her performance. It can definitely be a little cheesy and goofy (by design), and almost everything about the movie is over-the-top, but it works. Ultimately, if you are a fan of action-comedies, this is absolutely worth checking out.  

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 47

Day 47 was the final workout of week three of Phase 2 in Dig Deeper: bis and tris. This is still a very challenging workout. I had to use the same weight I used last week for almost all of the exercises, but I did increase the weight for the last 3-minute burnout block, alternating the 90-degree rotations and triceps kickbacks. Going from 8 lbs (which was not exactly easy) to 10 felt like a huge jump, especially in the last minute. At the end of the night, I did the upper body foam rolling routine from 645, which helped loosen me up a bit.  

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 46

Day 46 was the shoulders, glutes, and abs workout. This is a harder workout for me, but I challenged myself to increase the weight I used where I could and took advantage of "getting stuck" and not doing lateral raises through the full range of motion, which allowed me to use 15 lbs instead of 12. That burnout at the end is still killer, even with 3 lb weights, but the burn did not hit until I got to the very end, so I am going to try it using 5 lbs next week. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 45

Day 45 was the legs workout. This is actually my favorite workout of the program so far. It is short, but challenging. I was able to increase the amount of weight I used for a couple of the exercises and will be able to increase the weight for others next week.  

Book Review: Dragonlance: Barbarians Vol 1: Children of the Plains

 

Children of the Plains is set during the early Dragonlance era, about 4000 years prior to the Cataclysm. It was first published in 2000 as a mass-market paperback and co-authored by Paul Thompson and Tonya Cook. It tells the story of the early barbarians/plainsman, specifically a group of nomads and a group of settlers. It begins with a nomadic family being attacked by a group of predators. Only two of the family members survive, although neither is aware that the other lives. One becomes a leader of a nomadic tribe, and the other, through a friendship with a dragon who saved him from the predators, becomes a leader of a group of settlers. Years later, the brother and sister discover the other is alive. Within that story, there is a conflict between humans and elves, humans and elves and dragons, and dragons versus each other. 

The paperback version of the book is just over 300 pages and reads fairly quickly. While it does provide a backstory for some of the conflict between humans and elves that exists in the books set during the War of the Lance, especially the Chronicles and Legends trilogies, it is a self-contained story that does not require reading any of the other books to follow. The story is not nearly as good as in the Chronicles and Legends trilogies, but it has enough action to make it enjoyable. Ultimately, it is not one of my must-reads in the series, but if you are a fan of the Dragonlance series and want stories that add context to the more well-known novels, this is worth checking out. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 44

Day 44 was the chest and back workout again. I was able to increase the amount of weight from last week for some of the exercises. For those that I had to use the same weight as last week, I will be able to increase the weight next week. So, I am progressing and am getting appreciably stronger and leaner during this phase.  

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 43

Day 43 marked the start of the third week of the second phase of Dig Deeper, which meant doing the total-body workout again. I was able to increase the amount of weight I used from last week for some of the exercises, but I had to keep all of the weight in the final burnout block the same. Even bumping the weight up a little changes the workout quite a bit, especially when you are doing the 1-3 tempo lifts 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Days 41 and 42

Days 41 and 42 were mostly rest days. I did, however, do my morning walk each day, and yesterday did the P90x stretch routine in the evening. My range of motion continued to improve, but was not extremely different from last week.

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 40

Day 40 was the end of week 2 of the second Phase in Dig Deeper, which was the bis and tris workout again. It was again challenging, especially since I increased the amount of weight I used for most of the exercises. I will have to hold them (at least during the first sets) next week, since I was reaching failure in pretty much every set. 

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Desperately Seeking Susan

 

Desperately Seeking Susan is a 1985 comedy starring Madonna, Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn, and Mark Blum in the lead roles, and John Turturro, Laurie Metcalf, Robert Joy, Will Patton, and Steven Wright in supporting roles. Giancarlo Esposito also had a very minor speaking role. It was directed by Susan Seidelman and was filmed in New York and New Jersey. In it, Arquette plays an unfulfilled upper-middle-class housewife named Roberta who reads the personal ads and becomes fascinated by communications between Susan (played by Madonna) and her boyfriend, Jim (played by Joy) that often begin with the line Desperately Seeking Susan. When one of the ads proposes they meet in Battery Park, Roberta goes to spy on the meeting and becomes fascinated by Susan's freewheeling lifestyle. Roberta ends up getting hit on the head, losing her memory, and believes herself to be Susan, and finds herself in danger when she is mistaken for Susan.

This is a single-disc release. It has a decent, but not great, A/V transfer. For the audio-nerds out there, the audio tracks are 2.0 digital tracks, which may not easily play on a 5.1 or 7.1 surround system without messing with the audio settings on your blu-ray player. The bonus content includes the film's trailer and alternate/extended ending. There is also a commentary track on the film by the director and the two main producers. The most interesting part of the commentary was hearing about the decision to cast Madonna, how her mega-stardom really hit as the movie was filming, and how they had to hire more security toward the end of filming because she was getting mobbed every time she was in public. When she was originally cast, she was still mostly popular in the NY dance club scene where she would perform. However, she released the Like a Virgin album while the movie was filming, and that, along with the release of this film really moved her from a star that had a couple of songs with radio play and videos on MTV into the superstar she became. One funny item from the commentary was one of the producers saying Madonna wanted to get into acting because she did not think she would be able to do the kind of performances she did in the clubs when she was 40, but she would be able to act. Of course, she was playing stadium shows well into her 50s and has only been in a handful of movies after making this one. 

The movie is a good comedy, but it is a bit dated. It very much has the feel of a 1980s romantic comedy, but it had a good enough script that it is enjoyable even years later. It is rated PG-13, but it could have easily earned an R-rating. Rosanna Arquette is topless in a couple of scenes, but in shadow and obscured so you do not see much; Madonna is in a see-through bra in a couple of scenes, and there is a lot of swearing and smoking. It is also interesting to see Laurie Metcalf, John Turturro, and Giancarlo Esposito early in their careers. Madonna was okay, despite never having acted before. But she was almost playing a fictionalized version of herself, so she did not have to do a lot. Arquette did most of the heavy acting work, even though she became overshadowed by Madonna's growing popularity. Ultimately, while it is not the best comedy of the 1980s, it is still worth checking out.

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 39

Day 39 was shoulders, glutes, and abs again. This one was challenging, both because of the 7-7-7 format for the shoulder exercises and because the 60-second ab exercises were no picnic either. The glute-focused exercises were not too bad, though one of them requires decent balance, which can be challenging, especially since it is toward the end of the workout when you are already tired. I was able to increase the weight I used for some exercises from last week and will be able to increase some next week.  

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 38

Day 38 was the Phase 2 legs workout, and it is one of the shortest workouts of Dig Deeper, at least so far. Even though it is short, it is challenging. I was able to increase the amount of weight I used for most of the exercises, and I will be able to increase a bit more next week. I also notice my range of motion for the squats and lunges continues to get better.  

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 37

Day 37 was the second Chest and Back workout of Phase 2. I was again able to increase the amount of weight that I used from last week for some of the exercises and kept others the same. The burnout block of weighted push-up rows is still killer, and the hardest exericse in the bunch for me to get through.

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 36

Day 36 was my second go at the total body workout from the Sculpt and Define Phase of Dig Deeper. I was able to increase the amount of weight that I used for a couple of the exercises from last week, however, I kept the weight in the final block (the burnout block) the same. I also noticed that I was able to hold the ab/core exercises longer in all three sets than I could last week. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Days 34 and 35

The weekend days were the two off days for Dig Deeper. I again did the two-mile walks I have been doing daily for a few months. I also did the P90x stretch routine on day 35. One thing that I noticed is that I was able to get into the low squat and hold it for 30 of the 45 seconds. That was the best I have been able to do in that move for years. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 33

Day 33 was the final workout of the week and the fifth of Phase 2. It is Biceps and Triceps (and it also incorporates ab exercises in the final three sets). This one has four sets in all. The first block just has a biceps exercise followed by a triceps exercise. In this one, the ab exercises are performed for 60 seconds (once) at the beginning of blocks 2-4, followed by a biceps exercise and then a triceps exercise.   You go back to the 1-3 time-under-tension format for the exercises, so your arms will pretty much feel like cooked spaghetti noodles by the end of it. The final block is the burnout block in which you do 90-degree rotations followed right into triceps kickbacks. You do each for 30 seconds, alternating them for the final three minutes of the workout.

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 32

Day 32 was the Shoulders, Glutes, and Abs workout from Phase 2 of Dig Deeper. This one follows a slightly different format than the first three workouts. This has three blocks and a burnout exercise. In each of the blocks, you do a shoulder exercise, then a glute-focused exercise, and then an abdominal-focused exercise. The difference is that in the shoulder exercises, you lift using a 7-7-7 format: seven reps on one arm, then seven reps on the other, then seven reps with both arms. You do not use the 1-3 tempo, but you are doing two more reps. The glute exercises are performed for 12 reps and do use the 1-3 lifting tempo. The burnout exercise is holding a light weight at 10 and 2  and then doing raises (think the Y-raises if you have done Lift 4), but alternate arms, seven reps with the right arm, seven reps with the left arm, followed immediately by six reps on the right arm, and you pyramid down until you do one rep on the right and one rep on the left. 

It is a tough workout, especially toward the end. The abdominal exercises are all performed for 60 seconds. They are all bodyweight exercises, but they are challenging, especially as you start getting tired. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 31

Day 31 was the Sculpt and Define phase leg workout in Dig Deeper. It has a similar format to yesterday's workout. This one has three "regular" blocks of work that alternate a quad-focused exercise with a hamstring-focused exercise. You again lift with the 1-3 tempo, going one count up and three counts down. Then, the burnout exercise is squats around the bench for 45 seconds, repeated for 3 sets. In the first set, you use the heaviest weight you used in blocks 1-3; in the second set, you drop down (I used 30 lbs in the first set and dropped to 20 in the second); and in the third set, you just use your bodyweight. It is another tough workout and definitely works your legs well.

DVD/Movie Review: Fair Game

 

Fair Game is an extremely cheesy 1995 action-romance film starring Cindy Crawford and William Baldwin. The supporting cast includes Salma Hayek and several recognizable character actors, including Christopher McDonald, Jenette Goldstein, Miguel Sandoval, Steven Berkoff, Marc MaCaulay, and Dan Hedaya (in an uncredited role). In it, Crawford plays a civil attorney in Miami named Kate McQuean who threatens to have a ship sized to pay for alimony. Unknown to her, the ship is actually owned by a criminal who is in league with ex-KGB members who then target and attempt to kill Kate. Baldwin plays Max Kirkpatrick, a Miami detective assigned to a case in which Kate was hit by a stray bullet during a drive-by shooting, and interrupts the attempt on her life when he goes to her house to follow up on that case. From there, the movie becomes a cat-and-mouse chase in which Kate and Max have to try to avoid the Russians.

The DVD is very bare bones. The movie plays as soon as the disc loads. There are no bonus features on the disc. It does not even have a menu screen, but the movie does play with English captions whether you want them on or not.

The movie was not particularly well-written or acted. It was a low-budget action film that served as a vehicle to help Crawford parlay her extremely successful modeling career into an acting career. She was not a horrible actress, but she was not really given great material to work with. This was also one of Hayek's first roles in a Hollywood film, but her part was very small; she was in just a couple of scenes. You pretty much know what the film is going into it; an action film with two good-looking leads, that plays on the fact that Crawford was one of the biggest (if not the biggest) supermodels in the world at the time. It is hard to expect much when one of the leads is very pretty but with no acting experience, and the other is one of the "other" Baldwins, not named Alec. As I said above, it is very cheesy, and almost nothing in it is realistic or makes a lot of sense. It is basically a movie in which you turn your brain off and just go with it. There is a lot of violence and some sexual content and brief nudity (Crawford is topless a couple of times and you see "notalec" Baldwin's ass), so it earns an R-rating. Ultimately, it is absolutely not a must-see film, but if you want to watch an action movie, you can accept it for what it is, and do not expect it to be something it's not, it is worth checking out. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 30

Day 30 was the second workout of the Sculpt and Define phase, which was Chest and Back. It features 4 main blocks, each with a chest-focused exercise followed by a back-focused exercise. You are again lifting with the 1-3 tempo, lowering the weights for a count of three, and lifting them for a count of one. Some of the exercises are the same as those in the Phase One workouts, and others are new or variations of exercises previously done. The burnout exercise at the end, which is its own block, is push-up rows. You do three sets that each last 45 seconds, doing as many reps in each set as you can in the allotted time. It is a tough workout, but I definitely felt like I had gained strength during Phase One. 

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Excalibur

 

Excalibur is a 1981 film telling a variation of the legend of King Arthur, co-written, co-produced, and directed by John Boorman. It stars Nigel Terry, Nicol Williamson, Helen Mirren, Liam Neeson (in his first film role), Patrick Stewart (in one of his early film roles), Cherie Lunghi, Robert Addie, and Nicholas Clay. The supporting cast includes, Gabriel Byrne, Boorman's children, Katrine and Charles, and Clive Swift. Over the years, there have been many variations of the Arthurian legend. This is definitely one of the darker ones. Merlin (played by Williamson) was not the noble, wise wizard that he is in other variations, and this version of Arthur (played by Terry) grew up as a commoner only to discover who he was when he pulled Excalibur from the stone. It is very violent and there is some sexual content and nudity in the film. 

The blu-ray release is very substandard. It did not receive a good HD transfer at all, and as a result, the A/V quality is quite bad. The video quality is barely better than a DVD, and the audio is out of sync at times. Also, the menu pages are very hard to navigate and barely respond when you push buttons on the remote. I initially thought the batteries in my remote were dying, but I confirmed they were fine, and the issue was with the disc itself. As a result, depending on what blu-ray player you have, it may be hard to turn on captions or change the audio setting. The only bonus feature is a director's commentary by Boorman. It is also hard to access, given the issue with the menu pages, but once you do, Boorman provides a lot of good information about the film and behind-the-scenes information. 

The movie is okay, but not great. It is actually better to watch it while listening to Boorman's commentary track, because you get a better idea of what he was going for. Without that context, it just seems like the movie never really figures out how it wants to tell the story and does not present a cohesive one. There are time jumps in the movie that make it hard to follow at times. But they had to be used because Boorman wanted to tell the entire story of Arthur's life in a two-hour-and-twenty-minute film. The dialogue was not particularly well written, so despite featuring many great actors, they did not have much good material to work with. It is interesting to see Liam Neeson in his first film, Patrick Stewart early in his film career, and Helen Mirren relatively early in hers. However, there are many other versions of the story that are much better than this one out there. Ultimately, you are not missing much if you skip this, but if you are a big fan of any of the actors or are really into the story of King Arthur, then it is worth checking out.

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 29

Day 29 was the start of Week 5 in Dig Deeper, which meant the transition to Phase 2 of the program, the Sculpt and Define Phase. In this phase the workout splits are different, and the number of reps you do in each set is different. It also incorporates some new exercises into the mix, but also uses some of the exercises from Phase 1. The first workout of the week is a Total Body Workout. It has four total blocks, each with three exercises. Most of the exercises in this workout use a 1-3 tempo to create time-under-tension, so you do 1 second in the lifting portion of the exercise and 3 seconds in the lowering or negative portion of the exercise, performing 12 reps for each exercise. The third block is a burnout block that repeats three of the exercises from the workout (incline chest press, reverse lunges, and hammer curls), which you do back-to-back performing each exercise for 45 seconds instead of doing 12 reps. I started the workout trying to use the same weights that I used for the exercises in last week's upper body 2 and lower body 2. I could use the same for some of them, but went up or down for sets 2 and 3 as needed.

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Days 27 and 28

Days 27 and 28 were the weekend off days. I just rested and relaxed on Saturday, and did the P90X stretching routine on Sunday. I could tell that my flexibility and range of motion have improved, despite not doing yoga or stretching for a couple of months. So, I am definitely going to work that into the rotation. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 26

Day 26 was Lower-Body 2, and the last workout of Phase 1. It was a good way to end the week and the first phase. I definitely know that I am getting stronger, and since I have been walking daily, including a two-mile outdoor workout to start every day, my stamina is getting better despite not doing high-intensity cardio. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 25

Day 25 was Upper-Body 2, and the second-to-last Phase 1 workout. I was again able to increase my weights for some of the exercises, but had to keep some of them the same as last week. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 24

Day 24 was the final total body workout of Phase 1. It went well again, and I was able to increase the amount of weight I used for some exercises. And, like every time I do this workout, I was sweating like crazy at the end of it.  

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 23

Day 23 was Lower Body 1 in the final week of the Dynamic Circuits phase of Dig Deeper. I was able to increase the amount of weight that I used for every exercise in the workout, and my range of motion continued to improve even with the heavier weights. So, while still very challenging, it was a good workout.

Book Review: Star Wars: The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown

 

The Crystal Crown is a young-adult novel set at the end of the High Republic era of the Star Wars universe, written by Tessa Graton. It is centered on the characters Yord and Jecki (played by Charlie Barnett and Dafne Keen in the live-action Acolyte series) when they were both padawans. It is the second (as of this writing) prequel novel to the Actolyte series (which was canceled after the usual bitching and whining by the Star Wars "fanbase"), set an unspecified amount of time before the events in the TV series. In it, Jecki and Yord accompany their masters to a planet called Siline, whose inhabitants emphasize honor and duels to clean up a political mess caused by another Jedi who refused to duel during negotiations to bring the planet into the Republic. Jecki and Yord do not particularly like each other, but are forced to work together when they are enlisted to participate in a coming-of-age series of competitions that draw easy comparisons to the Hunger Games series. 

The hardcover version of the book is just under 440 pages. It reads fairly quickly and has a good mix of action and non-action material. The only other character from the series who appears in the book is Master Sol, although Osha and Vernestra are also mentioned in passing. It does not really hint at the Sith threat (which, at that point, was still unknown) and is very much a self-contained story. Ultimately, the story is okay but not great. It is not one of the novels that I would call a must-read, but if you liked the series and want more stories from that time frame, it is worth checking out. However, you are not missing anything critical if you do not read it. Hopefully, down the line, they will continue the story that the show would have told if it had not been canceled, as that would be much more interesting and critical to the overall universe of stories than this one.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Bates Motel: Season 2

 

The 10-episode second season of Bates Motel aired during the spring of 2014. Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, Max Thieriot, Olivia Cooke, and Nestor Carbonell all returned as series regulars. Nicola Peltz did appear in the first few episodes but was absent thereafter. The recurring cast in the second season included Michael O'Neill, Michael Eklund, Paloma Kwiatkowski, Michael Vartan, Kenny Johnson, and Kathleen Robertson. 

The season begins with the fallout of Blaire Watson's murder, and ambiguity over whether Norman committed it or not. We also learn more about Norma's backstory when her brother (played by Kenny Johnson) shows up. We also learn more about the drug operation that is the backbone of the town's economy, which has reverberations throughout the season. And, of course, Norman gets ever closer to the character from the movies. 

The blu-ray set is a two-disc set. The A/V quality continues to be outstanding. There are extras on both discs, including deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes material, and the "Bates Motel After Hours" episodes that aired on A&E after the season premiere and finale, featuring interviews with cast members and the showrunners. 

The show continues to be well written and very well acted. While it stays true to the overall story established in the original movie, it is very much its own show, and only Norman and Norma's fates are known, so it can still be suspenseful and surprising. All of the cast members do a wonderful job in their respective roles, and the writers balance the ensemble cast well. Ultimately, if you liked the first season, this one is absolutely worth watching.

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 22

Day 22 was the start of the last week of the dynamic circuit portion of Dig Deeper. Today was Upper Body 1. I mostly stuck with the same weight I used last week; however, I was able to increase the weight for the J-rows and the lat raises a bit. The workout does get easier each week (relative to week 1), but even in week 4, it is still challenging and never gets easy. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Days 20 and 21

Days 20 and 21 were rest days. I still haven't done the optional steady-state cardio, mostly because I have been walking a couple of miles each day to get my cardio in and supplement the lifting workouts.

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 19

Day 19 marked the end of week 3, and was the second lower-body workout of the week. It went well, and I was able to bump up the amount of weight I was using for some of the exercises from last week. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 18

Day 18 was the second upper body circuit of the week. I definitely like it better than Monday's workout, but it is still very challenging, even just doing 12 reps. I was again able to increase the amount of weight I used for some of the exercises from what I used last week, and was definitely feeling it by the last few reps, especially in the third set of each exercise.

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 17

Day 17 was the total body circuit workout. I like making it to Wednesday, since the number of reps you do in each set is lower than in Monday and Tuesday's workouts. Even so, there are 16 reps in each set in this workout, so you are still doing high volume. Even after doing so many reps, I was able to increase the weight I used for some exercises and can definitely feel myself getting stronger and my range of motion for the various exercises getting better. 

4K-UHD/Movie Review: Everything Everywhere All At Once

 

Everything Everywhere All At Once is a 2022 film written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. It stars Michelle Yeo, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, and Jamie Lee Curtis. The supporting cast includes James Hong and Jenny Slate. It is a very strange film that wraps a family drama into a sci-fi multiverse, comedy (both absurdist and raunchy), and an old Hong Kong Kung Fu action movie. Almost nothing about the movie makes sense, yet by the end, you kind of get it. Honestly, I could describe every scene from the film in detail, and I still could not spoil it for anyone watching the movie for the first time. In it, Yeoh's character, Evelyn Wang, a Chinese immigrant living in California who runs a laundromat with her husband, Waymond (played by Quan). She has a contentious relationship with her daughter, Joy (played by Hsu), and is being audited by a hard-nosed auditor, played by Jamie Lee Curtis. That is where all normalcy in the movie stops. Evelyn discovers a multiverse and that people can use technology to jump into versions of themselves in other universes, accessing the knowledge and abilities of their other selves. Evelyn also discovers that the multiverse is being threatened by a being named Jobu, who can experience all the different universes at once and manipulate matter (and people) at will, and that she is the only one who can stop Jobu.

The 4k set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a standard blu-ray disc. The content is identical on each disc. The A/V quality of the UHD disc is outstanding. It looks and sounds excellent, especially on a large screen with an Atmos surround sound setup. The bonus content includes a making-of documentary that runs about 40 minutes, some behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes, outtakes, the theatrical trailer, and previews for other films released by A24 Studios. There is also a commentary track on the film by the two directors. It also comes with a digital code. 

The movie is good, but it is definitely odd. Once the film gets started, characters jump from universe to universe, and it can be hard to follow the first time you see it. You absolutely have to suspend your disbelief, just go with it, and enjoy the wackiness. There is a fight scene where the primary weapon is a fanny pack, another where a Pomeranian is used as a weapon, and a fight scene with sex toys. There are multiple pairs of googly eyes, a black hole in the shape of a bagel, a raccoon as a play on the rat in the movie Ratatouille, and hot dog fingers. The movie also has not-so-subtle nods to The Matrix, Kill Bill, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It is a very unique and chaotic movie. It is extremely well-acted, and you can tell that all of the actors were having a lot of fun in their roles and just going with the absurdity. It definitely earns an R-rating as there is a lot of violence, some sexual humor (but no nudity), and a lot of swearing. Ultimately, I cannot say that everyone will enjoy the movie, but if you do not mind offbeat, multi-genre films, this is worth checking out.

Book Review: Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis: A Comprehensive Photographic Journey and Visual Biography of a Hollywood Icon

 

Metamorphosis is primarily a picture book containing pictures from throughout Marilyn Monroe's adult life, spanning from before she began modeling to shortly before her death. It contains many of her well-known and famous pictures, along with some that had not been published before the book was released. There is a mix of color and black-and-white photographs, some of which, even if you are someone who gets a calendar featuring her every year, you probably have not seen. The book has some text. The longest is at the beginning, an introduction that gives a short biography of her life, and at the end, which reprints an interview she gave toward the end of her life. Throughout the book, there are quotes from people who knew and worked with her (and a few from Marilyn herself) that give some insight into her life and who she was behind the scenes. To the extent that you can draw conclusions about her from those, she was a very shy and self-conscious person, and was very much a perfectionist, which often made her difficult to work with because if she did not think she was not doing something right, she would stop, regardless of what the director said. You also get the impression that Marilyn was a character that she slipped into. Many people said that she absolutely lit up in front of the camera (especially when she was getting her picture taken), and that when she was not performing, she was almost unrecognizable.

The hardcover version of the book is just under 300 pages, but since it is mostly pictures, you can easily read the text in a short amount of time. If you want to display it as a coffee-table book, be aware that it includes one of the topless photos from the photoshoot she did before she became ultra-famous. Ultimately, this is one of the best books out there for anyone who is a fan of Marilyn Monroe and is absolutely worth the pickup.  

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 16

Day 16 was Lower Body Circuit 1 for week 3. I can definitely tell I am getting stronger and the workouts are not as much of a bear as they were in week 1. I was able to increase the weight I used for almost every exercise in the workout, and my range of motion is getting better. I will be glad to be done with the 20 rep sets, however, as those can get to be a bit much, depending on what exercise I am doing.

Book Review: Take Me to Your Leader: Perspectives on Your First Alien Encounter

 

Take Me To Your Leader is a book by Neil DeGrasse Tyson published in 2026. It is a book about the possibility of alien life and provides humorous takes on what an actual alien encounter (which Tyson makes clear he does not believe has ever happened) might entail. Like most of Tyson's books, this one mixes humor and science to make the concepts clear and easy to understand. 

The hardcover version of the book has just under 200 pages of substantive content. Then, there are a few pages of notes and an index. The book is well-written, funny, and easy to follow. If you listen to Tyson's podcast or watch or read some of his interviews, you'll find some of the content very familiar. You absolutely do not need a science or engineering background to understand the science content (which is probably lighter in this book than in Tyson's other books). Ultimately, if you are a fan of Tyson or just science (especially Astronomy) in general, this is absolutely worth reading.

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Everly

 

Everly is a 2014 genre-mixing film that combines action, drama, horror, and suspense.  It was directed by Joe Lynch and adapted from a story that Lynch wrote with the screenwriter, Yale Hannon. It stars Salma Hayek, Akie Kotabe, Laura Cepeda, Jennifer Blanc, Hiroyuki Wanatabe, Togo Igawa, Gabriella Wright, Masashi Fujimoto, and Aisha Ayamah. In it, Hayek's character, Everly, who has been forced into working as a prostitute for a Yakuza overlord named Taiko (played by Wanatabe), is attacked in the high-end apartment where she is kept prisoner in a building owned by Taiko, when Taiko discovers that she has been working with the police to take him down. Everly manages to kill her attackers with a gun she had hidden, and resolves to try to get to her mother and daughter to get them the money she has stolen from Taiko so they can disappear. She discovers she is trapped in the building as more people come to try to collect a bounty on her head.

The blu-ray is a single-disc release. The movie looks and sounds good in HD, but since it was a low-budget film, it did not get an extremely high-quality transfer. The bonus content includes two commentary tracks. The first is a feature commentary by Lynch, producer Brett Hedblom, and editor Evan Schiff. The second is a technical commentary featuring Lynch and the cinematographer, Steve Gainer. Also included is a music video for the version of Silent Night by Raya Yarborough and Bear McCreary featured in the film. 

The first thing to note is that the film is extremely violent (in a very over-the-top way), with a lot of blood and guts. So if that is not your thing, you should absolutely skip it. There is also a lot of swearing and very brief nudity.  There are easy comparisons to films like Kill Bill and Die Hard, but it is not nearly as good as either of those movies. Hayek does a good job in the role. She is the only person in the movie with any real name recognition, and she absolutely carries it. If you listen to the commentary, you will discover that Kate Hudson originally signed on to play Everly but eventually had to drop out and was replaced by Hayek. It would have been interesting to see what she would have done with the role, as her performance would probably have been quite different from Hayek's. 

Ultimately, it is not a film that will appeal to everyone. The movie is a bit unique in that it is an action film set almost exclusively in a single location, Everly's apartment. Nothing in the film is remotely realistic, so you definitely have to suspend your disbelief and just go with it. If you can do that, it is worth watching, but it is not a must-see.

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 15

Day 15 was the beginning of week 3, which meant doing the first upper-body circuit workout again. It went well,l and I was able to increase the amount of weight I used for most of the exercises. I kept the weight the same for a couple of the exercises as I used last week. I was also able to get deeper into tricep dips, but I still had to bend my knees, especially in the first set, because 20 reps after you have already done 48 reps of overhead extensions is a lot. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Days 13 & 14

Days 13 and 14 were rest days (with optional steady-state cardio). I did not work out either day, but I did walk a couple of miles around my neighborhood each day to get in some non-impact exercise.  

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Eurotrip

 

Eurotrip is a 2004 teen comedy written by Jeff Schaffer (who also directed), Alec Berg, and David Mandel, starring Scott Mechlowicz, Jacob Pitts, Michelle Trachtenberg, Jessica Boehrs, and Travis Webster. The supporting cast includes Vinnie Jones and Nial Iskhakov. The film also features cameo appearances by Lucy Lawless, Fred Armisen, Kristen Kreuk, Jeffrey Tambor, Diedrich Bader, and Matt Damon. All of the actors making cameos were great, but Lawless and Damon's cameos were particularly notable. 

The basic story is that a guy named Scott (played by Mechlowicz) gets dumped at his high school graduation by his girlfriend (played by Kreuk), and finds out she has been cheating on him constantly. He confides in his German pen pal, Mike (Mieke; played by Boehrs), whom he believes to be a guy. When Mieke suggests that she come visit him, Scott writes an angry email and gets blocked, only to hilariously find out Mieke is a hot girl. He is then convinced by his friend, Cooper (played by Pitts), to go to Berlin to find Mieke. In Europe, they meet up with their friends, twins Jenny and Jamie (played by Trachtenberg and Webster). While there, typical teen comedy hijinks ensue.

The blu-ray is a single-disc release containing the unrated version of the film. It does not include the theatrical version. The A/V quality is good, but it did not get what I would describe as a reference-quality HD transfer. But for an early-2000s comedy, it looks and sounds perfectly fine. There are several extras, including deleted scenes, a hilarious bit about who would get the directing credit since Schaffer, Berg, and Mendel could not share directing credit, a featurette on the nude beach scene, and outtakes. There are two different commentary tracks on the film, each featuring Schaffer, Berg, and Mendel. In the first, they provide a pretty typical director commentary talking about the casting process, the shooting locations, etc. In the second, they basically drink through the entire film, drinking whenever anyone swears, there is nudity, or there is underage drinking shown (and take shots when someone screams). 

The movie is a pretty typical early-2000s raunchy teen comedy. There is a lot of nudity and sex, several drug references, and swearing. There are definitely parts that some people will find offensive, so it is definitely not family-friendly or for those who are easily offended. Ultimately, I would say this is a middle-of-the-road early 2000s comedy. It was not the best of the comedies released at the time, but it was not the worst. It is a movie better known for its cameo appearances than its main storyline, but the main story was still enjoyable. If you are a fan of raunchy comedy, this is worth watching.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Frasier: Season 8

 

The 24-episode 8th season of Frasier aired during the 2000/2001 TV season. All the main cast members returned. The only notable omission from the cast was Dan Butler, who had been moved from a series regular to a recurring character and did not appear at all this season. The guest and recurring stars this season included Saul Rubinek, Jean Smart, Anthony LaPaglia, Alan Tudyk, Teri Polo, Victor Garber, Gary Cole, Kim Coles, Rene Auberjonois, Fisher Stevens, John Glenn, John Michael Higgins, and Jennifer Coolidge. Bebe Neuwirth also reprised her role as Lilith. The show did have some celebrity voice cameos this season, including Stephen King, Wolfgang Puck, Melissa Etheridge, and Bernadette Peters.

The season picks up right where season 7 left off, with Niles and Daphne driving away from her wedding. We discover they only reach the end of the driveway before deciding to go back and face everyone. The first handful of episodes involve the repercussions of ending their respective relationships and provide a way for the writers to present hurdles to them being together. Jane Leeves also took time off due to her real-life pregnancy (which was not written into the show, although her weight gain was), and missed four episodes about 2/3 of the way through the season. As with prior seasons, the show remains primarily a story-of-the-week procedural, with longer arcs and callbacks to earlier episodes mixed in. The big arc this season is Niles and Daphne's relationship. Both David Hyde Pierce and Jane Leeves are hilarious at points this season, and continue to be the highlights of the show. 

As of this writing, the individual seasons are not available on Blu-Ray, only as part of a complete series set. In that set, season 8 is on three discs that are in their own keep case. There are no bonus features included in the season 8 discs, but the episodes can be played with English captions. The individual seasons are available on DVD as a four-disc set. The A/V quality of the blu-rays remained good, though at times the picture quality is not as good, likely due to the condition of the source material (presumably film).

While the show was getting a bit long in the tooth by season 8, it remained good and had very funny moments. The writers did a good job keeping the storylines interesting, especially the main relationship between Niles and Daphne. There were probably not as many laugh-out-loud moments as in the earlier seasons, but it remained well-written and acted. Ultimately, if you have been a fan of the series up to this point, this one is worth watching.

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 12

Day 12 was the final workout of the week, and was lower body circuit 2. It has the same format as yesterday's workout; two blocks with three sets. Each set has 12 reps (aside from the final set of the very last exercise, which has 24 reps). It is still a challenging workout, but easier to get through the second time you do it. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 11

Day 11 was upper body workout 2. It was the second time doing the workout, and as with the other workouts this week, it was easier to get through it the second time when you know what is coming. Also, having only 12 reps in each set and only two blocks makes it seems like it goes faster, even though the length of the workout is pretty similar to the other workouts. I was able to increase the amount of weight I used for some exercises, but held a few of them at the same weight I used last week. 

Book Review: World Book Encyclopedia of Science: Plants

This is another volume of the World Book Encyclopedia of Science set, first published in 2014 and updated in 2019. This volume is devoted to plants. It covers many common plant types, including where they grow, how they spread, and their various traits. It also provides information on broader scientific processes, such as photosynthesis and evolution (and how plants were used to study evolution), and bios of some of the scientists (such as Darwin) who used plants in their research. 

The plant volume is a bit longer than the volume on space (which as of this writing is the only other volume I have read). This one is just under 300 pages, excluding the index. Like that volume, this one lists the content in alphabetical order and includes instructions for experiments that can be performed at home to study some of the concepts listed in the book. While the set is geared more for school-aged kids (middle school on up), it has enough detail that adults can learn from and enjoy the content without getting bored or lost. If you are interested in plant life, biology, or just science in general, it is absolutely worth reading if you can track down the set or the individual volume. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 10

Day 10 was the total body circuit workout. Like the first two workouts, this one is a bit easier to follow after doing it the first time. However, I did find myself struggling to keep up with Shaun and the two cast members in the second block/circuit during the bench sit-down squats and transitioning to the ab exercise. In the second and third sets, I was finishing the sit-down squats as they were starting the ab exercise. I was able to raise the amount of weight I used for all the exercises from last week, however. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 9

Day 9 was lower body circuit 1 again. As with yesterday's workout, I found this much easier to follow (not necessarily easier to do) the second time around. I was able to increase the amount of weight I used for all of the exercises, and my range of motion in the squats and lunges continues to improve. The workout is still tough and very fast-paced, but it is easier when you know what to expect. 

CD/Music Review: Anastacia: Evolution

 

Evolution, released in 2017, is Anastacia's seventh studio album. Like most of her prior albums, this one blends elements of pop, dance, rock, R&B, and soul, mixing slower ballads with faster, more upbeat tracks. There are 13 tracks in all. The only single released for the album was "Caught in the Middle". The album charted modestly overseas in Europe, but did not really get much traction in the US. If you want the physical CD, you will likely have to pay for an import, but it is available digitally. The CD liner contains the lyrics for each track, production notes, a handful of pictures of Anastacia, and a couple of pages of thank-you notes. 

Those who have followed her career know it has been interesting. Although Anastacia hit the music scene around the time people like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera were dominating the US Top 40, she never achieved the same level of popularity in the States as they did. I think her sound was similar enough to younger pop stars that people who had outgrown pop were probably not interested in it, but different enough that the teenagers and college kids who were listening to pop at the time never got behind her. Even though she is much more popular in Europe, she does have a solid fanbase in the US. Even though the album was not a massive hit, it is still good and absolutely worth listening to. Ultimately, if you liked her prior albums, you will probably enjoy this one. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 8

Day 8 was the start of week 2, which was the first upper-body circuit again.  It is much easier to follow after you have done it once. That is not to say the workout itself gets easier, but once you know what to expect, you can flow from one exercise to the next more smoothly. I was able to slightly increase the weight I used for some of the exercises. However, since you are still doing 20, 16, and 12 reps in the three sets in each circuit, you will probably not be able to significantly increase the weight unless you went way too light on the weights in week one. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Days 6 & 7

Days 6 and 7 in Dig Deeper are rest days; alternatively, there is a steady-state cardio workout. I just took both days off; however, I walked about 2 miles each morning and did quite a bit of yard work each day, so I was still quite active. It was definitely nice to get a break, given how many reps of weighted exercises you do during the week in each workout. 

Product Review: Zulay Rechargeable Frother

 

This is a rechargeable frother with three interchangeable heads: a single frother, a double frother, and a traditional whisk, which can be used for tasks like beating eggs. The frothing heads are perfect for mixing coffee and hot chocolate, especially if you are adding creamer or protein powder. It also comes with a USB-C charging cable. It has three different speeds. The only negative is that there is only one button, so you have to cycle through all three speeds after it is turned on in order to turn it off. It would be better if it had a separate power button so you can just turn it off and remove it from what you are mixing without having to speed it up, even for a second. That said, it still works well and is absolutely worth the price.

Product Review: ENJOYBASICS 3 Tier Expandable Shoe Rack

 

This is a shoe rack that can expand from just under 18 inches wide to just under 33 inches wide. It is an all-metal rack that is extremely easy to put together. There are six expandable rails that are secured to the end pieces with screws that have a knob end. It does not require any tools to put together. One person can put it together in under ten minutes. They say it can hold up to 12 pairs of shoes. I think it depends on how wide the shoes are, but realistically, it can probably hold six pairs if it is collapsed, and nine to twelve when fully extended. A couple of caveats. It is probably not something that would hold high heels well. It is best for flats or small-heeled shoes. Also, if you have something with a higher top, those will only be able to go on the top rack, and very large boots will not fit on it. It also probably would not hold really small children's shoes because they would probably fall through the rails. However, for a single person, or even a two-adult household, it is perfect and will easily fit in a mudroom, front entry, or front closet. It is absolutely worth the price if you are looking for an inexpensive way to keep a handful of shoes organized. 

Magazine Review: FHM July/Aug 2000 (Issue #3)

 

FHM is a magazine that debuted in 2000 (the July/Aug edition was actually the third edition of the magazine to be printed). It was much in the vein of Maxim, in that it was tailored to late-teen to mid-twentysomething males, both in terms of the articles' content and the pictorials and interviews with models and actresses. The featured interview and pictorial in this issue is with Alicia Silverstone, who is also on the cover. The interview covered her acting career up to that point (including the notorious Batman and Robin film), her animal rights stance, and lame attempts by guys to pick her up. Ali Landry was also interviewed about her rise to fame after being featured in a Doritos Super Bowl commercial. This issue also included interviews with Cheech Marin, David Blaine, Jack Black, and Stan Lee. 

The articles are mostly tailored to topics such as sex, great vacation destinations, men's fashion, and things that were big in pop culture at the time. The most serious article involves the rise of piracy in different waterways.  The advertisements were pretty interesting as well. There are a lot of ads for DVDs (which were gaining in popularity at the time) and the requisite cigarette ads that were still prevalent in magazines. Ultimately, FHM was a good fluff magazine with lots of pictures of hot women and articles geared toward young men. And unlike the few remaining print magazines still around today that are razor-thin and barely have 50 pages, this actually had quite a bit of content and was nearly 200 pages long. It is worth reading if you can track down a copy, as long as you do not expect award-winning journalism. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 5

 Day 5 is the end of the first week of Dig Deeper (unless you do the optional steady-state cardio routine on one of the two off days). It is the second lower-body circuit of the week. It follows a very similar format to yesterday's workout, with two blocks/circuits with weighted exercises and a core exercise. Each block has three rounds/set, and you perform 12 reps of each exercise in every set. Also, like yesterday's workout, it goes quickly and has a bit of a cardio effect, even though you are not doing any traditional cardio. 

CD/Music Review: Anastacia: Resurrection

 

Resurrection is the 2014 studio album by Anastacia. It was her sixth studio album, and, when it was released, her first album with original material in over five years. Like most of her albums, this one did not gain much traction in the US but was a hit in several European countries. Also, like her prior albums, the songs are a mix of pop, rock, soul, and R&B. It contains more slow, ballad-like tracks than the upbeat dance tracks featured on her earlier albums. Although there are a couple that fall in the latter category.

It contains 10 tracks in all, some of which were written and recorded during her second cancer diagnosis, so some of them are absolutely inspired by her personal experiences. The CD liner includes lyrics and production notes for each track, a few pictures of Anastacia, and the usual thank-you notes on the final page. Overall, the album is very similar in style and tone to her prior albums. I would not say that there is one or two standout tracks on the album, but there are no bad songs. Ultimately, if you have liked or loved her previous albums, you will likely enjoy this one. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 4

Day 4 is the second upper-body circuit workout of Phase 1. This one has two blocks/circuits, each with 4-5 resistance exercises (mostly using dumbbells, with a couple of bodyweight-only exercises) and an ab/core-focused exercise. As with the other workouts in this phase, each circuit is performed three times, but in this workout, each set has 12 reps. The total workout time, including the warm-up and cooldown, is just under 50 minutes. The "main" portion of the workout goes by quickly, however, since you are almost constantly moving, and the rest periods are short. I was not sweating as much as I was in yesterday's total body circuit workout, but my heart rate did get over 130 a few times.