DVD Review: M*A*S*H: Martinis and Medicine Collection

 

MASH was a long-running series set during the Korean war. It was based on a book and adapted from a movie and starred Alan Alda as Hawkeye Pierce, and a very strong ensemble cast that changed over the years and included Mike Farrell, Larry Linville, David Ogden Stiers, Harry Morgan, Loretta Switt, Wayne Rogers, McLean Stevenson, William Christopher, Jamie Farr, and Gary Burghoff (who was the only cast member that appeared in the movie). It started out as a pretty standard sitcom, and then over the course of time as it became even more of an anti-Vietnam war show than it started out as, became a dramedy. It was mainly a procedural story-of-the-week type show but did occasionally have multi-part episodes or refer back to prior episodes. As most know, it started off as a show that was on the brink of cancellation in its first couple of seasons (saved only because the wife of the President of the network liked it) to having its series finale be the highest-rated television show in history, rivaled only in ratings by the Superbowl.

The DVD set contains the entire series on DVD and then bonus discs that include the movie and a ton of behind the scenes and making-of features, as well as the TV specials that were made after the show had been off the air. So, if you like going through bonus material this has a lot of it.

The big drawback to this set, as others have noted, is the god-awful packaging. Each disc is inserted in a very tight slot/notch that is very hard to get discs out without tearing the slot and/or scratching the disc. So, unless you are extremely lucky, one or more of the discs is going to get scratched up, and it is just a matter of will the scratch be bad enough to make at least a portion of the disc unplayable. That is why I give it three stars. If the packaging was better it would easily be a five-star set.

Overall, the show was very good (even if it got a bit preachy in the later seasons). It was well-written and acted. It is getting harder and harder to find the show in syndication now that it has been off the air for getting close to forty years, and even when you can find it in syndication, it is impossible to watch it from the first episode to the last in broadcast order. So, for those of us who were too young to see most of the episodes when they originally ran on TV, and only watched it in syndication, getting the DVDs or streaming the show is really the only way to see all of the episodes in order. The DVDs are the only place (as far as I know) to find all of the bonus material (although some of it may be on YouTube). I would really only recommend this set for die-hard fans of the show, and make sure to test the discs right away in case you get some unplayable discs.

Book Review: Path of Destruction: A Novel of the Old Republic (Star Wars: Darth Bane)

 

This is the first book in a trilogy of novels by the same author detailing Darth Bane's rise to power and the institution of the "rule of two" that is still canon (although often violated) based on the Star Wars movies, video games, and animated series. Bane starts out as a coal miner named Dessel in what is essentially a forced labor colony on a planet called Apatros. After a deadly encounter, he is on the run from Republic authorities and winds up at a Sith academy where he is a standout student. He quickly realizes that the Sith as they are currently constituted will end up destroying themselves and he manipulates events that allow him to institute the rule of two, one master to have power and one apprentice to crave power.

The story is very well-paced, intertwining action sequences with drama and intrigue. It is set well before the events of the prequel series (about 1000 years), so there are no "recognizable" characters in the novel, but it really does not suffer from that like some of the newer canon novels do. Even though this book has been relegated to Legends status after the takeover of Lucasfilm by Disney, the character of Darth Bane is canon from the Clone Wars series, and of course, the rule of two was mentioned in The Phantom Menace. And, because it is set so far in the past, it does not impact the stories that are currently canon, and at least parts of it could be brought into canon via new movies or tv series.

Overall, it is a very good book, telling a good story. And, it is one of the better stories outside of the Skywalker saga that there is. Hopefully, the book will be brought back into canon sometime down the line (or a new book that incorporates some of what is in this novel, such as has been the case with the new canon novels set around the character Grand Admiral Thrawn). It is definitely worth the read.

Workout Update: P90X Day 64

Day 64 was the phase 3 return to the Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps workout. My feelings about the workout have not changed. It is my least favorite of the resistance workouts, but I managed to get through it and did hit the 10 rep max on a few exercises. I also did ab-ripper as the warm-up and hit 23 reps for each of the exercises. So, overall it was fine, but I was glad to be done with this one. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 63

Day 63 was yoga-x again. I again went up through the balance poses. I am getting better at the moving asana portion, especially the last handful of moves with warrior three, and half-moon. Although I still have to use a chair for that portion, I do not have to rely on it as much. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 62

Day 62 was the Legs and Back workout with ab-ripper x as the warmup. Overall, both went well. On the ab-ripper workout, I was able to hit 22 reps for each, and then in Legs and Back, I used 105 lbs of resistance for the pull-down moves and hit at least 10 reps on each of those (although that was hard). 

DVD Review: Animal Kingdom Season 5

 

+++Warning: This contains spoilers from Season 4, but no major giveaways from Season 5+++

The fifth season of Animal Kingdom starts out a bit slow and then ramps up in the final few episodes. This season, the storylines jump back and forth between the present day and flashbacks to young Smurf (played by Leila George). While there were flashbacks in season four, they are even more prominent now that present-day Smurf was killed off at the end of the fourth season. The beginning of the fifth season sees all of the Cody boys struggling to get their footing in a world without Smurf calling the shots. Pope and Craig spin out of control in their own ways, and Deran and J engage in a power struggle for leadership. For about the first two-thirds of the season, it seems like the show is trying to figure out how to tell the story without Ellen Barkin and then it really ramps up to a very good ending and sets up a major storyline (that loops back to the early seasons) that is definitely going to play a big role in the final season. 

For those who get the DVD, it is basically a MOD plus set. It does have captions and a few extras, including a featurette on Smurf's end, and a couple of short behind-the-scenes features on the fifth season. Nothing extensive, but what is there is good. But, if you are one of those who only get the physical discs when there are a lot of extras, you may just want to stream it. 

Overall, I liked the season, mostly because of the final few episodes. I do think the present-day storylines suffered without Barkin, but I thought Leila George does a great job as young Smurf. She does not try to copy what Barkin did outright, but sprinkled in things from her performance that showed how she evolved into the person we see in the first season of the show. And Shawn Hatosy deserves all the kudos for his portrayal of Pope and the range of performances he has to give to play that character. I would say if you liked the prior seasons, while this one is definitely going to feel different, it is worth sticking with.  

Workout Update: P90X Day 61

Day 61 was Kenpo-x. I did not have a ton of energy going into this one (I think because of the overall long week I have had), so I took longer rests during the active break (basically skipped the jumping jacks and the x-jumps), but otherwise pushed through the workout hard. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 60

Day 60 was the Shoulders and Arms workout (and ab-ripper for the warm-up). Overall, the workout went well. On the moves that were not included in the Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps or Back and Biceps workouts in phase 2, I could definitely tell that I had not done them in a few weeks. Thankfully, I am not too sore today (I think because of the post-workout supplement and getting a good night's sleep). I am glad that I switched things around and did x-stretch on Wednesday because there is no way I could have done this workout without risking hurting myself because of how sore my back was the day after I moved my mom to her new place. So, it is a good reminder that you do not always have to stick to a rigid schedule. Do what feels right that day. 

Supplement Review: Osteo Bi-Flex

 

I have issues with my knees, and this definitely makes them feel better when I am using it on a regular basis. It is a much better value on the subscribe and save subscription than getting them at one of the warehouse clubs, and they are much easier to swallow than some of the generic options with a similar formula as some of those are "horse-sized" and are not easy to get down if you are a person that has an issue swallowing pills.

Workout Update: P90X Day 59

Day 59 was supposed to be shoulders and arms, but I was so sore, including my back, that I opted to do x-stretch instead so I could recover from Monday and Tuesday, getting my mom moved into her new place. It worked wonders as I felt better after the stretching workout, and feel a lot better today. So, tonight will be the shoulders and arms workout.

Workout Update: P90X Day 58

Day 58 was tough. In the morning involved moving my mom into her new assisted living facility, then I was unpacking her for a couple of hours. So, I was very sore by the time I got home and did a very modified version of the plyometrics workout. I barely did any jumping at all and did not go all out. Between the workout and moving, I did get 15000 steps in yesterday, which is (I think) the second most I have ever done in one day. I think tonight I am going to do the x-stretch workout because my back is very sore and I do not want to make it worse by lifting weights. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 57

Day 57 was the first day of phase three, which was a return to the Chest and Back workout. It went pretty well, and I was able to do the pull-down moves with the 100 lb weight and hit at least ten reps on each of the exercises. I also did ab-ripper as the warmup and hit 22 reps on all the moves. I also got a lot of extra exercise in moving boxes to my mom's new place. So, it was a long day, but I got the workout in. 

DVD/Movie Review: Havoc

 

Havoc was the movie that really broke Anne Hathaway out of the Disney mode. In it, she plays a rich Los Angeles high-school girl who hangs out with a bunch of kids who pretend to be a part of the hip-hop gangsta culture. When she ends up going to a party in East LA to hang out with actual gang members, she discovers that the life she thought it was and reality are two very different things. Part of the plot involves one of Allison's classmates making a documentary about the wannabe gangsta lifestyle of her and her friends. While I do not think it was all that integral to the plot, it did not distract from it.

Overall, I would say the movie is good but somewhat predictable and formulaic. It did show that Hathaway had real acting chops as she went from playing the wannabe gangsta chick to a "normal" acting rich suburban teenager to a very vulnerable kid when she was called out for the act she put on, with ease. And, of course, it was the first time she appeared topless on-screen diverging greatly from her Princess Diaries role. The movie also touts a strong supporting cast including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Freddy Rodriguez, Bijou Phillips, and Channing Tatum.

For those who get the DVD, there are no extras included. It is closed captioned, but that is it. I am not sure if the movie streams on any of the popular streaming platforms, so this may still be one that you want to pick up on disc even with the lack of extras. While it is not Hathaway's best movie, it is definitely worth checking out, especially if you are a fan of hers.  

Book Review: Journey to Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Leia Princess of Alderaan

 

This is one of the young-adult novels put out after Disney's takeover of Lucasfilm. So, it is included in the Star Wars canon, but like the other young-adult novels it is ancillary to the main storyline. It details Leia's life on Alderaan as she was a young teenager (between the events of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series and A New Hope), including her Day of Demand, which was essentially a trial that allowed her to claim the right to the throne of Alderaan (and details the first clue that she was force sensitive), her time in the imperial senate, and the "mercy missions" that Darth Vader refers to in A New Hope. It also details how she got involved in the rebellion, details how she met Amilyn Holdo (Laura Dern's character from The Last Jedi), and even an encounter with Tarkin on Alderaan. We also get some insight into her relationship with Bail Organa and her adoptive mother Breha.

While it is a young-adult novel, the story is very well-written and very enjoyable for adults. It gives the backstory to the character that was never fleshed out in the movies, and the author does a good job of portraying Leia as different from the person she is when she is first introduced in A New Hope but hints at how she would grow into that person. If you are a person that only gets some, but not all, of the novels, this is definitely one that is a good pickup.

Workout Update: P90X Day 56

Day 56 was going to be back-to-back yoga days, but I opted to do x-stretch instead. It went well even though I was pretty tired by the time I was able to do it because of packing up my mom's stuff to move her into assisted living. So, I have been super busy the past few days and got in "extra" workouts by having to move a bunch of stuff around.  

Workout Update: P90X Day 55

 Day 55 was yoga-x again. Because I also have a very busy weekend, and I hate the second half of the workout, I again did the first 53 minutes or so and called it a day. I am definitely getting better at the first half of the workout, although it is still very challenging.

Workout Update: P90X Day 54

 Day 54 was the second day of core synergistics. Nothing more to say about it. I am still not a huge fan of it, and I struggle with most of the moves, but I pushed through and got it done. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 53

Day 53 was the middle of the recovery week, which meant x-stretch. This is actually the second x-stretch of the week since I did the workout normally scheduled for Sunday on Monday. Weirdly, I was not as flexible this time as I have been the past couple of times I did this one. Especially in my hamstrings.  But, I made it through and felt better after I was done. 

Book Review: Fantastic Beasts and the Crimes of Grindelwald

 

This is the second of what will be at least a trilogy of books/movies in the Fantastic Beasts prequel to Harry Potter. It is set in the late 1920s. Grindelwald, having been captured at the end of the first book, escapes in the process of being transferred for trial. Then the story jumps ahead in time a few months, and the rest of the story plays out.

The title is a little misleading as the story is as much about Leta Lestrange and Creedence as it is about Grindelwald. In fact, Grindelwald is in the movie very sporadically, and mostly toward the end. The story also picks up on the Newt-Tina and Queenie-Jacob relationships, and, as you would expect, throws a wrench into things. We also get the first real introduction to young Dumbledore, played in the movie by Jude Law. He, like Grindelwald, is not in the book a ton but is being set up for a larger role in the next book/movie.

Like Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, this is not a novelization, but a screenplay. So, it basically tracks the movie word-for-word. Nothing more gets fleshed out in the book, but unlike the Harry Potter novels, nothing from the book is missing from the movie. Also, it is fairly short, about 275 pages, and because the book has a lot of illustrations throughout, the pages are not full of text, so it is a much quicker read than a traditional novel. 

Overall, if you liked the first book/movie then you will probably like this one. While I still prefer the Harry Potter series to Fantastic Beasts, this is still a good story within that world and is definitely setting up the Dumbledore backstory we were all hoping for in the last few Harry Potter novels.

Workout Update: P90X Day 52

Day 52 was the Kenpo-x workout. It, like yoga, is the only "regular" workout that appears in the recovery week (and stretch if you do it as an optional Sunday workout). It was a bit harder to get motivated to do the workout because I was kind of tired, but once I got started, it went well.  

Workout Update: P90x Day 51

Day 51 was a return to core synergistics. It is, along with yoga-x, my least favorite workout in the P90X series. I hate the majority of the moves and am always tempted to just swap it out with cardio-x. But, I made it through the workout. It went about the same as the last time I did it. Some of the push-up moves I do on my knees, and others I can do some on my toes, some on my knees. The only moves that I cannot do very well at all are the Dreya rolls and bow-to-boat.  The others, I can at least struggle through the modified versions. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 50

 Day 50 was the start of the second recovery week. I did the x-stretch workout to save a bit of time. I plan to do both Yoga workouts back to back on Saturday and Sunday. So, I have basically done three straight days of stretching/yoga, which has helped my flexibility. Tonight is the core synergistics workout again. I am not really looking forward to it, but will get it done.

DVD/TV Series Review: ER - The Complete Series

 

At the time ER debuted it was the "It" show, meaning it was the show that, the day after it aired, people would talk about at work or school and even on talk radio. It instantly became the hot show of the season and a ratings giant for NBC. It told the story of a Chicago hospital, just known as County, and told the story of the doctors, nurses, and staff who worked there. It started out somewhat being told through the experience of a third-year medical student named John Carter (played by Noah Wyle) as he began the "hands-on" portion of his medical school training. The show had a true ensemble cast made up mostly of (at the time) lesser-known character actors. The most recognizable member of the cast at the time the show debuted was Anthony Edwards (who had been in Top Gun and had just come off a stint on Northern Exposure). Of course, cast members like Noah Wyle, George Clooney, and Juliana Margulies would go on to have huge careers after their run on ER, as would actors like Ving Rhames, and William H. Macy, while other actors like Laura Innes, Paul McCraine, and Eriq La Salle would transition from actors to directors after their time on the show.

The show can really be seen as two series. The first eight seasons and the final seven seasons. By season 15 there was an entirely different cast as new cast members were brought in to replace those who left. A few members of the supporting cast (mainly those who played nurses) did stick around for the entire series run, but pretty much all of the actors who played the doctors had turned over by the time the series ended. The show focused on all sorts of issues over the course of its run including drugs, AIDS, abortion, crime, racism, mental illness, and more. Sometimes there were cases of the week that took up most of the hour, other times it was just chaotic turnover in the ER with a show involving multiple storylines. The show took a lot of risks, including airing a live episode, killing off main characters, and generally putting characters through the wringer. An argument can be made that it did start to get stale by the end of its run, but overall it was a very well-written and well-acted show. And, the final season did manage to bring back some of the original characters to give those of us who watched at the beginning a boost of nostalgia. It also boasted a ton of guest stars who would become A or B list actors, including Mariska Hargitay, Ewan McGregor, Ron Eldard, Kristin Davis, Stana Katic, Kirsten Dunst, Lucy Liu, Thandie Newton, and Kat Dennings, to name just a few. And, some of the guest stars were already well-known, such as Rosemary Clooney, and Michael Ironside, Ron Rifkin, and Alan Alda.

There are a few different versions of the complete series set, but they all seem to just repackage the individual season releases. So, you get all of the bonus material that was originally released with the individual season sets. The bonus features varied from season to season, tailing off toward the end of the series as TV series on physical media were just starting to get cut back in favor of just streaming them. But, there were commentary tracks on some episodes, cast interviews, blooper reels, and the like, over the years. The series has not been released on Blu-Ray, and it would be a surprise if it ever gets one. Some older shows are getting Blu-Ray releases so it is not totally outside the realm of possibility that ER will get one someday, but it is unlikely. It is on multiple streaming services including Hulu and Peacock, so really, the decision of whether to shell out for this will depend on if you want to watch the DVD extras. It is definitely one of the best medical dramas that have ever been made and still holds up nearly thirty years after it originally aired and thirteen years after it ended

Workout Update: P90X Day 49

Day 49 was yoga-x. Again, because I did x-stretch the day before, I did just the first 55 minutes of this, up to the point where they end the moving asanas and the balance poses. Thankfully, I am getting to the point where the first portion of the workout does not seem as long, nor is it as hard to get through. So, I am improving. This upcoming week is the second recovery week, so I will have to do yoga two times this week. 

TV Series Review: Ringer

 

Ringer was the post-Buffy return to a starring role in a TV series for Sarah Michelle Gellar. It was a very uneven series that started out strong, got very silly in the middle, and ended strong, but bittersweet because it was canceled before it could really have any big payoff. Gellar plays twin sisters, one named Bridget who is a drug addict and stripper in Wyoming. The other is named Siobhan, a wealthy New York socialite married to a wall street investor named Andrew Martin (played by Ioan Gruffudd). Bridget, who is on the run from a mobster who she is supposed to testify against and believing her sister committed suicide, decides to take over her life. 

The show starts off very strong but gets very silly as the writers seemed to be going for a "Sixth Sense" like "twist" ending in every episode. Some of the twists were okay, but some were just dumb and after a while probably got to be too much for a lot of viewers, and the ratings pretty much tanked. The series was canceled after the first season, but likely sometime after the season finale was finished because it clearly was set up for a second season that never materialized. As a result, fans of the show were left with a very incomplete, and disappointing ending.

The show had a strong cast that included Mike Colter, pre-Luke Cage when he was still relatively unknown, Kristopher Polaha, who played Henry Butler, a friend of the Martin family, Nestor Campbell as FBI agent Victor Machado who was trying to take down the mobster Bodaway Macawi (played by Zahn McClarnon), and Zoey Deutch (who is the spitting image of her mother Lea Thompson). There were also very recognizable recurring cast members including Jonathan Banks, Sean Patrick Thomas, Madchen Amik, and Jamie Murray.

Like I said, the show started out very strong and does get pretty silly about halfway through the season. It takes a lot of suspension of disbelief to get through it, even moreso when the twists start getting totally ridiculous. Even people who really like the show will probably do some eye-rolling at some of it. Just know, that if you do watch it, it ends pretty abruptly with a shift in the storyline that never gets a chance to play out. It is not available on DVD. It has streamed on Amazon Prime and I think the Vudu streaming service, but as of now, it appears to be only available on the CW app (although they remove it from the app from time to time, so if you want to watch it make sure you do so when you see it available, otherwise it may be months before you get a chance to again).