Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Black Snake Moan

 

Black Snake Moan is definitely not the movie you think it is if you just look at the promotional material that has Christina Ricci chained to Samuel L. Jackson with the tagline "Everything is Hotter Down South." The movie is actually about two broken people trying to fix each other. Ricci plays Rae, the town's Nymphomaniac and Jackson plays Lazarus, a blues guitar player whose wife ran off with his brother. One day Lazarus finds Rae beaten and bloodied outside his house, and sets to cure her of her "wickedness". While the movie does have a lot of sex and nudity in it, it is not a movie about sex, but about reformation.

For those who get the Blu-Ray, the movie looks and sounds great in HD, although the audio is not as good as it could have been if Paramount used lossless audio. The extras include a commentary track on the movie by the director, a making-of documentary, a couple of featurettes on the blues music and the inspiration that the blues genre provided for the movie, and then there are a few deleted scenes.

Overall, the movie is very good. Both Jackson and Ricci shine in the lead roles, but the movie also has a strong supporting cast including S. Epatha Merkerson, John Cothran Jr., and Justin Timberlake, who has proven multiple times that he can actually act. It is definitely a bit dark, and not very family-friendly, but it has a great story and is very well acted. It is definitely worth watching.

Product Review: The Step Original Aerobic Platform

 

This is a good option for doing step-up exercises if you do not have a weight bench or are not comfortable with, or cannot do, step-ups onto a higher object like a weight bench or a plyometric box. It is very stable and will not move as long as you position the risers correctly under the platform. The only thing that knocks this down a star for me is that it only comes with 2 risers instead of four. So, the most you can get in terms of step height without shelling out additional money is six inches (the 4-inch thick platform and the 2-inch thick risers). You can purchase an additional set of risers to get an 8-inch step up, but it would have been nice if those were included. Otherwise, it is very safe and stable and a good option if you do workouts that use the step platforms.

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Body of Evidence

 

Body of Evidence was an early 90s murder-mystery/erotic-thriller starring Willem Dafoe and Madonna. This was made at the time when Madonna was in the midst of what was probably her most controversial period when she put out the book "Sex" and her Erotica album. The main draw was the fact that Madonna was nude quite a bit during the movie. The plot is fairly basic and somewhat predictable. A wealthy elderly man dies from erotic asphyxiation while watching a homemade sex tape of himself and a younger woman (Madonna's character Rebecca Carlson). The police suspect that Carlson killed him and arrest her for murder. Willem Dafoe plays Frank Dulaney, a lawyer hired to represent Carlson. Of course, he also begins sleeping with her and the basic is she or isn't she a black widow plot plays out.

The movie is okay, but not great. It does have a strong supporting cast including Julianne Moore, Joe Mantegna, Anne Archer, and Frank Langella, so the fact that the movie was not great had more to do with the writing than the acting. Madonna was definitely the weakest actress of the group, but she did a decent job with what she had to work with. The "problem" with the movie is that it really was just not all that good a script.

For those who get the Blu-Ray, you get both the unrated version of the movie and the theatrical version. They are nearly the same length, it is just that parts of the sex scenes (that would have earned the movie an NC-17 rating) were edited to show less (the unrated version has a full-frontal shot of Madonna) and to be less graphic (heavily editing down the scene where Madonna touches herself). The actual story is not changed at all from one version to the other. Only the unrated version of the movie is in HD, however, and while it is not an outstanding HD transfer, it does look much better than the standard definition theatrical version of the movie. There are a few extras including a short making-of-featurette, a stills gallery, and the theatrical trailer.

Overall, this is really a movie that most people are going to watch to see Madonna, who was in her physical prime at the time it was made (and still looks pretty good at 60), nude. That has always been the appeal of the movie as it was not an award-winning masterpiece by any stretch. In fact, plot-wise it was really just above one of the late-night Cinemax direct-to-video movies, which it probably would have been if not for the fact that they got a decent cast. If you don't particularly care about Madonna it is watchable, but it is easily something you could just have on in the background and pay fleeting attention to.

Product Review: Beachbody P90X Chin-up Max – Pull-up Assist Band

 

While this held together it was fine. That was until one of the bands (there are three bands that hold the upper part that attaches to a pull-up bar to the lower part where you put your foot) snapped and broke. And, unfortunately, you cannot buy just a replacement band, so you have to replace the entire thing. While it held together it worked as advertised, making pull-ups a lot easier, and providing a much easier (and safer) experience than chair-assisted pull-ups. But, if you use it long enough for it to break (which happens with resistance bands of all types eventually), instead of paying a few bucks for a new brand, you have to replace the entire thing. The bands could easily be sold separately, and you have to put the bands in place to assemble the thing, so they are definitely replaceable. That is what knocked this down to two stars for me.

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Clerks II

 

This was the much-longed-for sequel to Kevin Smith's independent masterpiece Clerks. Fans, and even Smith, had wanted a sequel for years, but it was always a long shot due in part because of Jason Mewes' drug problems and Jeff Anderson's hesitancy and at times outright refusal to do a sequel. After overcoming those obstacles, Smith came up with a script after the movie Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, got everyone on board, and this was the result.

This movie starts out with Randal (Anderson) and Dante (Brian O'Halloran) still working in the Quick Stop and adjoining video store, until they end up burning down. Then they end up in a new dead-end job at Mooby's (a fictionalized version of McDonald's) where we have a Wizard of Oz-like transition from black-and-white to color. The plot basically involves Dante trying to figure out what he wants from his life and Randal facing the prospect of losing his best friend.

The movie is centered around Anderson and O'Halloran but includes new cast members Jennifer Schwalbach (Smith's real-life wife), Trevor Fehrman, and Rosario Dawson (who has one of the best lines of the movie at the end). It also includes many of Smith's "regulars" such as Jason Lee, Ben Affleck, and Ethan Suplee. There are also hilarious cameos by Wanda Sykes and Kevin Weisman, the latter of whom sets off a great Star Wars vs. Lord of the Rings rant by Randal.

For those who get the Blu-Ray, there are a ton of extras included. There are three different commentary tracks, all of which include Smith, and then rotates through other participants including cast members (in the first and third) and the production staff in the second (which is more of a "technical" commentary). On the second disc, there is an hour-and-a-half-long making-of documentary, a half-hour long blooper reel, an hour-long series of video diaries, and a special on the movie that aired on VH1 (back before it played nothing but "reality" shows). So, if you like watching the bonus material, there is a lot there for you.

Overall, the movie is very good, if you like Smith's brand of humor, which can be very raunchy. That is not to say the movie is always raunchy and cringe-worthy, but it does have its moments (there is a donkey show). It balances those well with Randal's smart-ass sarcastic comments, Dante's complaining, and the multiple pop-culture arguments. It even has some touching moments involving Dante and Randal's friendship and the changes that all relationships go through as friends get older. There are certainly some who think that a sequel to the original (which is a classic) should have never been made, and there are some that wanted a sequel but just did not think this was good enough to be that sequel. Personally, I liked the vast majority of the movie and thought it was a worthy successor to the first movie. That said, it is not a movie for everyone, especially people who do not like Smith's brand of humor and it is not family-friendly. But, if you liked the first movie, and you generally like Smith's other movies, it is worth watching at least once.

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Dogma

 

Dogma is, in my opinion, one of the best movies by Kevin Smith who, of course, became famous after making the independent film darling Clerks back in the mid-1990s. Dogma is a blockbuster compared to Clerks and includes an A-list cast including Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Alan Rickman, Chris Rock, Salma Hayek, Linda Fiorentino, Jason Lee, and of course, Smith himself and Jason Mewes as Jay and Silent Bob. The basic plot is that the Catholic Church has opened a biblical loophole that has allowed two fallen angels, played by Damon and Affleck, to come to Earth, where they start wreaking havoc. Fiorentino's character, Bethany, who is unknowingly The Last Scion, is tasked with stopping the fallen angels and aided by Metatron (Rickman's character) who is a cynical angel grudgingly standing in as the voice of God, Rufus (Rock's character) who is the thirteenth apostle, Serendipity (Hayek's character) who is a former muse turned stripper, and two prophets, Jay and Silent Bob.

The movie is really unfairly criticized as being anti-religion or anti-Christianity. It is more anti-organized religion, and more specifically the Catholic Church. Smith was raised Catholic and became more and more disillusioned by the church and has often called out what he considers to be its hypocrisy, most publically with this movie. The movie is definitely satirical, but it also has a message that is quite clear if you do not dismiss it out of hand.

For those who get the Blu-Ray, the movie looks very good in the HD format. I think there are different versions of the Blu-Ray floating around, some with better video transfers than others, but if you can find the 2008 version at a reasonable price (it is now out of print, so sellers jack up the price quite a bit), it looks good. The extras all carry over from the DVD release and include two different commentary tracks, an hour and a half worth of deleted and extended scenes, outtakes, and storyboards. A good amount of material for those who like watching the extras.

Overall, the movie is wonderful. It is well-written and well-acted, with everyone nailing their roles. You get a ton of cameos from Smith's "regulars" including Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson (but not as their characters from Clerks). It is definitely, as the vast majority of Smith's movies are, a very adult comedy, and not family-friendly. But, if you are a fan of his other movies you will probably like (or love) this one. It is definitely worth watching.

Workout Update: Chalean Extreme Day 49

Day 49 was Recharge and abs. Nothing major to report about this one. I was a bit sick in the morning so I waited until I felt better in the evening to do the workouts. Thankfully it was basically a rest day because I am not sure I could have done a full, intense workout today.

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Bad Teacher

 

Bad Teacher is a comedy starring Cameron Diaz as Elizabeth Halsey, a middle school teacher with aspirations of marrying rich. She originally quits teaching and is forced to return when her rich boyfriend dumps her. She is forced to return to teaching, which for her amounts to playing movies so she can sleep off hangovers, smoke pot, insult the students, and hit on Justin Timberlake's character. It is a pretty by the numbers comedy/reformation story with Elizabeth correcting the error of her ways by the end.

For those who get the Blu-Ray, both the theatrical version and the slightly longer unrated version are included. The extras include a gag reel, deleted scenes, outtakes, and a few behind-the-scenes featurettes. Probably about 40 minutes worth of extras total. Not a ton, but fine for a non-blockbuster comedy. Overall, the movie is good, but not as strong as some of the other comedies that came out around the same time. Diaz is funny and never shies away from making fun of herself. It has a strong supporting cast including Jason Segel, Phyllis Smith, John Michael Higgins, Molly Shannon, Thomas Lennon, and Eric Stonestreet. I would not call it a must-see, but it is worth checking out if you are looking for a comedy to watch to kill an hour and a half.

Workout Update: Chalean Extreme Day 48

CE day 48 was the Burn it Off workout. This one was definitely tough for me today. I could not do it in the morning because of having to run a bunch of errands and when I finally had a chance to get to it I had a pretty bad headache. So, I definitely half-assed my way through it, but i did get it done.

4KUHD/Movie Review: Dune

 

There are some that have dubbed this the best sci-fi movie of all time. I would not go that far, but it is a very good movie and looks visually stunning. I cannot really compare it to the David Lynch version since I was pretty young when that one came out, and have only seen a few minutes of it on TV, but this version is very good. For those who are not familiar with the story, it is adapted from the famous 1960s novel by Frank Herbert. The story is centered around the members of House Atreides, headed by Leto Atreides (played by Oscar Issac), who is the Duke of the ocean planet Caladan, Leto is tasked by Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV, who is essentially the ruler of a system of planets, to take over the desert planet Arrakis, which is the only planet on which the substance spice, which is critical for interstellar travel, among other things, is produced. House Atreides is replacing House Harkonnen as the rulers of Arrakis which results in the members of House Harkonnen hatching a plot to take out the members of House Atreides, including Leto's son Paul who is fated to become a leader of humanity. This is the first of two movies covering approximately the first half of the book.

The movie has a very strong cast including the aforementioned Oscar Issac and also stars Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica Atreides, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Jason Momoa, Zendaya, and Javier Bardem. Some of the actors, especially Zendaya and Bardem have smaller roles in this movie and will very likely have larger roles in part two.

For those who get the 4k Blu-Ray, the movie looks and sounds great in the UHD format. The UHD disc just has the movie and the regular Blu-Ray disc has all the bonus features. There are great visuals not only of the desert planet but the scenes set in space and the few scenes set on the planet Caladan. The extras include several making-of-and behind-the-scenes featurettes, a feature on the various houses, a feature on creating the sandworms, deleted scenes, and more. All-in-all, over an hour's worth of extras. Some of the bonus material is a bit repetitive, but it is good if you like watching the extras.

Overall, the movie is very good. I cannot say how close it does or does not follow the book, since I have never read the book. But, I can say it is very well acted and it is a good mix of action and drama. The effects are a combination of practical effects and CGI. The CGI looks seamless and does not dominate the movie to the detriment of the overall story, the acting, etc. It is paced fairly well with the action scenes breaking up the slower scenes. If you like Sci-Fi movies this is definitely worth seeing.

Book Review: Perfect Soldiers: The 9/11 Hijackers: Who They Were, Why They Did It

 

This is a book that seeks to figure out who the terrorists were who executed the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and, more importantly, why they did what they did. Specifically, to find an explanation that goes beyond the easy "they were crazy" mantra. While the book does discuss all of the terrorists, the focus is on three of the four pilot hijackers, Mohammed Atta, Ziad Jarrah, and Marwan al-Shehhi, who made up the "Hamburg Cell" of terrorists who were all enrolled in schools in Hamburg Germany and ended up going to the most radical Mosque in the city where they ended up being radicalized and started looking for a fight.

A couple of the more interesting takeaways from the book is that not all of the hijackers (especially Atta and Jarrah) were not overtly religious or political growing up, and did not really become either until they were radicalized in Hamburg. Also, they did not even have fervent hatred of the United States, they were just angry and wanted to join any fight. In fact, their initial idea was to go to Chechnya to fight the Russians but ended up at an Al-Queda training camp in Afghanistan shortly after Khalid Sheik Mohammed pitched the "planes operation" to Osama Bin Laden, and he approved to finance the operation. So, they just happened to be the most educated people willing to volunteer for a martyrdom operation and were essentially assigned to the plot that would become the 9/11 attacks. Overall, there was nothing really different or abnormal about any of them, they were just "normal" guys with varying levels of education, some even coming from upper-middle-class backgrounds, that were young and mad and willing to follow whatever they were told. The author also debunks the notion that Atta really planned much of anything, that everyone who knew him said he could follow orders but had very little in the way of leadership ability (because most everyone hated his attitude) or creativity. In fact, he was probably the most "abnormal" one of the bunch as he hated pretty much everyone (especially women) and was just generally miserable about everything.

The book is divided into three parts. The backgrounds of the hijackers, Bin Laden's rise to power, and the actual plot to hijack the planes and execute the attacks on 9/11. The author gives a pretty good reconstruction (as much as he could put together) of the movements of the various people involved up to 9/11. One big takeaway is, that having made as many stupid decisions and mistakes as the hijackers did, even that day at the airports, the fact that they were able to pull the attacks off with the level of success that they did was frankly amazing. And, it underscores just how unprepared our system was at all levels for an attack like this, such that even a bunch of nitwits like these could pull it off. The only thing the book does not go into great detail about is the actual attacks themselves. It basically sets up what happened up to 9/11, but does not go into great detail about the events of the day itself.

Overall, the book is very good. It provides a very interesting look into the lives of the hijackers, what caused them to become radicalized, and what made them do what they did. It does not in any way glorify them or try to make them seem tragic or sympathetic figures. In many ways, it does just the opposite, both by pointing out how stupid some of their actions were and how hypocritical they were regarding their so-called "beliefs" in the days leading up to the attacks. I definitely recommend it.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Dexter: Seasons 1-5

 

Dexter was a show which aired on Showtime from 2006 to 2013 and was then brought back for a limited series run in 2022. It starred Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan, who, by day, was a blood-spatter analyst for Miami Metro Homicide, and by night was a serial killer, with a twist. The twist being, that he only killed bad people (usually other killers) who got away with their crimes. The main storyline is that Dexter saw his mother murdered and dismembered when he was a child and was adopted by the cop (played by James Remar) for whom his mother was a confidential informant. When Dexter started displaying violent tendencies, his father Harry taught him how to kill without being caught and instilled a code for when it was permissible to kill. Harry (who is dead in "real life") acts as Dexter's conscience throughout the series.

The rest of the cast included Jennifer Carpenter as Debra Morgan, Dexter's adoptive sister and a detective at Miami Metro, David Zayas as Detective Angel Butista, Lauren Vélez as Lieutenant (later Captain) María LaGuerta, C. S. Lee as lab tech Vince Masuka (who was pretty much the comedic relief), Erik King as Seargent James Doakes, and Julie Benz (of Buffy and Angel fame) as Dexter's girlfriend Rita, who tethered Dexter to the real-world.

This set includes the first five seasons of the show, which were the best seasons of the show's original run. The series was in part a story-of-the-week procedural with a larger "big bad" that Dexter had to deal with throughout the season. The first season involved a killer that was dubbed the "Ice Truck Killer" who leaves clues specifically for Dexter. The best season of this set, and maybe the best season of the entire series, is season four, which is the season that involved the "Trinity killer" that leads to one of the best season finales in TV history. Along with the "main" killer Dexter has to worry about each season, he is always trying to keep from getting caught himself, and is every so often on the verge of being discovered.

This set is just the individual season sets bundled together. The extras varied from season to season, but generally included commentary tracks on selected episodes, sometimes with members of the cast, other times with the show's producers or writers, then there were usually behind-the-scenes or making-of featurettes. In some of the seasons, most extras are enabled via BD live so you need a network-connected player to access them.

Overall, the show is very good. That said, not everyone is going to like it. It is very violent, as you would expect, has a lot of swearing, and has some nudity and sexual content. It is very well written and acted. Hall does a great job playing a person with very few real emotions having to fake his way through everyday life to seem normal. Carpenter steals pretty much every scene she is in, especially in the early seasons, and really all the characters get developed well and all the cast members get a chance to shine at some point during the series. The series does go downhill a bit in the later seasons, but this set definitely has the best seasons of the show (not that I would call any of the seasons bad). So, if you are looking for a unique show that is definitely not cookie cutter or a carbon copy of anything, this is definitely worth checking out.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Camelot

 

Camelot was a series that aired on the Starz Network that was a version of the King Arthur mythology. It starred Joseph Fiennes as Merlin, Jamie Campbell Bower as King Arthur, Eva Green as Morgan Pendragon, and Tamsin Egerton as Guinevere. The story is set around the sudden death of King Uther which sends the kingdom into chaos. Merlin installs Arthur as the king but his claim to the throne is challenged by his half-sister Morgan, who uses dark magic to try and take the throne.

For those who get the Blu-Ray, the show looks and sounds great in HD. The 10 episodes are spread across three discs and there are a series of featurettes that range from about a minute long to nearly 15 minutes. The longest is a making-of documentary that features interviews with the cast and crew. There is also a five-minute blooper reel. A good amount of material for those who like watching the bonus features.

Overall, the show was very good but was not around long enough to really establish a foothold. Green is really a stand-out as Morgan, the main antagonist of the series. It definitely has some of the main elements of the Arthurian legend, but definitely puts its own spin on the story. It does have a lot of violence and sex as many of the series on the premium cable stations have. The show was ultimately canceled not because of bad ratings but because of scheduling conflicts for Fiennes and Green. It was a well-written and acted series that should have had a longer run.

DVD/TV Series Review: Covert Affairs Season One

 

Covert Affairs was one of the USA Network original series, that included series like Psych, White Collar, Fairly Legal, In Plain Sight, etc. This one is set around a young CIA field agent named Annie Walker (played by Piper Perabo). The easy comparison is to Alias, but it is a much different series than Alias. The only parallels to that series is that Annie has a cover job (in Acquisitions at the Smithsonian) to give her an excuse for keeping odd hours and always traveling and that she has to keep her "real job" a secret from her sister (played by Anne Dudek). Anne teams up with a blind tech officer named Auggie (played by Sendhil Ramamurthy as Jai Wilcox, a rival CIA officer, and Peter Gallagher as the director of the National Clandestine Service, Arthur Campbell. Oded Fehr plays a recurring Mossad operative, Eyal Lavin, and Gregory Itzin as Henry Wilcox the former director of the National Clandestine Service, and father of Jai Wilcox.

The first season is pretty much a mission-of-the-week show that has a larger plot involving Annie's ex-boyfriend that plays out throughout the season, and an overarching arc that crosses over seasons. The show has a good blend of action and drama with a bit of comedy mixed in. It does, like most of these kinds of shows, take some suspension of disbelief as it is definitely not the most realistic show ever.

For those who get the DVD set, the extras include deleted scenes and commentary tracks for selected episodes, a short gag reel, a making-of featurette that is just under fifteen minutes, a set tour with Sendhil Ramamurthy, and a featurette with Gorham discussing how he plays a blind character. So, there is a lot there if you like watching the bonus features.

Overall, the show is good, but not great. It is not as good as shows like Alias or Chuck in the spy genre, nor is it as good as some of the other USA Network originals like Psych and In Plain Sight. That said, it does have its entertaining moments and the cast is very strong. If you are a stickler for authenticity then this is probably not the show for you, but if you are looking for an action-drama that you can enjoy without thinking about it too deeply, this is a good option.

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Blade Runner (Five-Disc Complete Collector's Edition)

 

This set is really a must for any fan of Ridley Scott's iconic dystopian future movie, Blade Runner. The movie made in 1982 and set in 2019 involves a group of fugitive androids called Replicants, which have escaped from a space colony where they are forced to work. A cop named Rick Deckard (played by Harrison Ford) is tasked with hunting down and "retiring" the fugitive replicants. The rest of the main cast includes Sean Young, Rutger Hauer, Daryl Hannah, Edward James Olmos, and Joanna Cassidy. Chances are most people reading this know what the movie is about and whether they like it or not. For those who do not, if you are familiar with Ridley Scott's other sci-fi movies, it very much has a similar feel, with a very dark and moody tone, but does not try to copy a movie like Alien or some of his other works. It can be a bit slow in pacing in parts of the movie, but even the final director's cut comes in under two hours, so it is not overly long. The set includes all the prior editions of the movie (on disc 3), including the 1982 theatrical edition, the 1982 international theatrical edition, and the 1992 director's cut. Each cut of the film has a similar run time, just under two hours, and the 1982 editions are nearly identical. The 1992 cut does make substantial changes to the movie, some of which are carried over into the new final cut which is on the first disc.

Really, where the set shines, is the bonus features. On the first disc, there are three separate commentary tracks on the final cut of the film, one by Ridley Scott one by the executive producer and some of the writers, and the third by the production designers and effects supervisors. Each of the commentary tracks provides great insight into the making of the movie. The second disc includes a three-and-a-half-hour-long making-of documentary that combines new and archival footage and includes a ton of interviews with cast and crew members. There are also some trailers and promos for other movies on the second disc. The third disc, as I mentioned, has all of the prior versions of the movie, and disc four includes a ton of featurettes including a comparison of the movie to the novel, features on the graphic design, the costumes, deleted and alternate scenes, and a lot more (including original promotional material from 1982). On the fifth disc, there is a workprint version of the movie that was the pre-release/test screening version of the film. It has an introduction by Ridley Scott and a commentary track by a film historian. Then there is a half-hour-long feature called All Our Variant Futures that details the processes to create the final cut of the movie.

Overall, the movie is a classic sci-fi film. It is one that does not have as wide a fan base as say Star Wars, or even the Aliens franchise, but even being more in the cult-classic category, it still holds up well after forty years. This release has every possible cut of the movie, so if you prefer the theatrical release above all others you can watch that one exclusively, or you can watch them all compare the versions. It will definitely take days to watch every version of the movie (which you may get sick of after a while) and all the bonus features, but if you are a fan of the movie, this set has everything you could possibly want, especially if you love watching bonus material.

Workout Update: Chalean Extreme Day 47

Day 47 of CE was the Push 3 workout. This one is mostly chest and back with a couple of squat variations to provide the lower-body exercises. I was able to hit 30lbs on the chest exercises and between 22.5 lbs to 25 lbs in the various rows. I was able to hit the 8 rep max on a couple of exercises, but in the third week of the Push phase, most of my weights were right on to hit 6-7 reps. 

Workout Update: Chalean Extreme Day 46

Day 46 of CE was Burn Intervals. I had to do this one in the evening because of my work schedule. I generally prefer to do it in the morning, on an empty stomach, but that was not to be today. So, I felt a bit off doing the workout, but I managed to make it through and pushed as hard as I could.  

Product Review: Roku Streambar

 

This is a good option if you want to upgrade the sound on your tv without spending a fortune or wiring a room for surround sound. It is pretty much a plug-in-play device that takes minimal setup once you connect it. You can plug it into a regular HDMI port or an HDMI ARC port (assuming your TV has one) to allow sound from other devices like a Blu-Ray player plugged into the TV to be played through the soundbar as well. Pretty much, if you have ever set up another Roku device or an Amazon Firestick, you can set this up.

The sound is good, but not overwhelming. You can get the Roku wireless speakers and/or subwoofer that can connect to this wirelessly and get a better surround sound experience. The only real issue I have had is that when I switch to the Blu-Ray input, the soundbar will turn on the player, and then the inputs will jump between the one the Blu-Ray player is plugged into and the one the soundbar is plugged into, and keep jumping between the disc player and the Roku screen. Turning the TV off and back on stops it, but it is irritating. It is definitely an upgrade over the sound that comes out of the TV speakers, but it is not as good as an expensive home-theater setup with a 7.1 Dolby Atmos setup, but it is also a fraction of the cost even if you shell out for the wireless speakers and subwoofer.

Textbook Review: Calculus - Multivariable: Student Solution Manual

 

Getting a solution manual is always a mixed bag. If you rely on them too much you may not actually learn anything and will not be doing yourself any favors when it comes time to take an exam. However, Calculus III is probably the hardest class in the calculus sequence that anyone who wants to go into engineering or get a physics degree has to take, and the problems can be hard to figure out, especially if your teacher is not all that great. The textbook to which this solution manual is keyed is so useless and has so few examples, the solution manual is almost required to figure out how to do the problems. The book is not going to give you much guidance at all so the only way to quickly figure out how to do the problems without camping out in your professor's office during office hours is to use this.

The problem with this thing is that it only has solutions for some of the odd problems, and it does have some errors in it. And because it is a solution manual, it just shows the steps (although it does not always show every step, and sometimes omits crucial steps) and does not provide any explanation for why you have to do things a certain way. So, if you do not understand why the problems are being solved the way they are, you will still be lost. But, it will give you some worked-out examples to go off of which is better than nothing.

DVD/TV Series Review: Community Season Two

 

The second season of Community keeps the same format, overall, as the first. It has a weekly theme such as a new class, a death of a family member, celebrating a birthday, etc., and then inserts the wacky characters into those scenarios/stories. So, in some ways, it is a show about nothing, much like Seinfeld was, but it always keeps the running gag of Jeff (played by Joel McHale) needing to get a real undergrad degree in order to be reinstated as a lawyer, which to any lawyer makes absolutely no sense. But, ultimately, it works. There is also another paintball episode (that is actually split into two parts this season) which ultimately became one of the hallmarks of the show. The show balanced the large ensemble cast well and expanded role for Ken Jeong, and really took the focus away from it being the Jeff and Britta show, and really focused on all of the characters.

For those who get the DVD set, the extras include commentary tracks on every episode which included the series creator Dan Harmon and members of the cast, directors, writers, etc. Then there were outtakes, deleted scenes, a featurette on the paintball episode, a couple of features on the Christmas episode, season two cast evaluations, and a musical remix of season one. So, a good amount of material for those who like the bonus features.

Overall, the show continues to be great. My only real complaint is that there was John Oliver's role in the show was still very small. He was a great recurring character that was used pretty sparingly (likely because of his Daily Show commitments). The main recurring characters this season were Jim Rash who played Dean Pelton, Malcolm Hamal Warner, Betty White, Andy Dick, and Kevin Corrigan. It also had a great spate of guest stars including LeVar Burton, Drew Carey, Rob Corddry, Hillary Duff, Anthony Michael Hall, Josh Holloway, Patton Oswalt, Stephen Tobolowsky, Paul F. Tompkins, and Matt Walsh. It was a great season for a show that, while it did carry on a lot of sitcom traditions, it was definitely not a carbon copy of anything else on TV, and rarely passed up an opportunity to make fun of itself. I definitely recommend it.

Textbook Review: Calculus Multivariable

 

I was forced to use this book for Calculus 3, and I must say it is the most god-awful waste of paper ever. Having gone through the entire calculus curriculum and earned an electrical engineering degree, I had to use a pretty wide variety of books and this was, by far, the worst of the bunch. The only good thing about it is that the authors were very direct, up front, that the book did not have many worked-out examples. In reality, it had almost no examples and provided very little guidance on how to approach anything but the most basic problems. The "explanatory" material was almost non-existent as well, sometimes amounting to a page and a half (or less) before you get to the problem set. The approach may have worked if the problem sets were limited to basic problems. But, many of the problems were so advanced that my teacher, who granted did not do much vetting of the problems when he chose exam questions, had to turn some of them into bonus questions because his solution when he was working out the answer key ended up taking five pages to work through.

So, if you have to use this book for class, look at it as a problems repository and if you have a good teacher, then just pay attention to the lectures. If you are looking for a book to teach yourself the material, run in the opposite direction far away from this one. If you need additional study aids, there are some good ones out there including the Calculus 3 Tutor DVDs, REA's Calculus III Essentials, the Schaum's outlines, etc. Any of those will provide much-needed context and guidance for how to solve the problems that this will not give you. Or, you can just look for things on YouTube and find a lot there, some of it better than others.

I do get the idea that the hand-holding and spoon-feeding should get reduced the farther you get into the curriculum. However, multivariable calculus is the most difficult class of the entire calculus sequence (even most professors admit that) so to write a book that basically just shows that you know how to work out the proofs is really not helpful to a student trying to learn the subject. So, I suggest avoiding this book at all costs if you can possibly do so. If you do have to use it, find a good study aid, ask lots of questions in class, and try to form a study group. I did all of those and managed to get an A in Calc III, but I gave up trying to read this to learn the material about three weeks into the semester.

Product Review: Slendertone Ab Belt Gel Pads

 

These are the pads that are for use with the slendertone ab-trainer belt that can give you an ab workout without doing crunches or other exercises that may be hard on your back. The pads are to be put over the electrodes to protect your skin, and you have to have them in place to be able to use the belt. They can be a bit pricey, but you can get more use out of them by putting hand sanitizer on the pads after you use them. For some reason that does keep them from wearing down as much. Otherwise, if you use the belt 2-3 times per week, the pads will wear out very quickly.

DVD/Movie Review: The Dreamers

 

The Dreamers is a movie that was made back in 2003 by director Bernardo Bertolucci, who also directed the controversial film starring Marlon Brando, Last Tango in Paris. Like that movie, this movie is pretty hyper-sexualized. It is set in 1968 Paris. A young American played named Matthew by Michael Pitt, goes to Paris to learn French and ends up getting into the movie scene. He meets a brother and sister played by Eva Green and Louis Garrel, who have a very creepy relationship that borders on incestuous. They invite Matthew to their house when their parents are out of town, and engage in all sorts of debauchery.

The film definitely earns an NC-17 rating, as there is a lot of nudity, much of it by Green, and leaves almost nothing to the imagination. It definitely has the feel of a low-budget independent film that is really not "about" any one particular topic. While it does make a lot of references to a lot of movies of the era in which it was set (and older), it is mostly to show off the young cast in various states of undress. Of course, Green is stunningly gorgeous and has never been shy about getting naked on film, and this, really her first big break in movies, is no exception.

For those who get the DVD, the extras include a commentary track on the film by the director, writer, and producer, a making-of documentary, a featurette on the 1968 political climate in France, a music video, and the trailer. A good amount of bonus material, especially for a non-blockbuster movie.

Overall, the movie is not going to appeal to everyone. Some people will get it just to see Eva Green nude, and will not care about the plot (or lack thereof), others will totally hate the plot regardless of the nudity, and others will hate the nudity and sexual content regardless of how much they would otherwise like the plot. If you are a fan of independent films that are kind of period pieces, then you may like this. If you are simply a fan of Eva Green, you will love this, and if you are one that gets turned off by nudity and strong sexual content, you should avoid this like the plague.

Product Review: Omega Paw Self-Cleaning Litter Box

 

This is not really a self-cleaning litterbox. It is not one of those that have something like a motorized rake that goes across the litter once the cat jumps out and puts the lumps of whatever into a separate container. Basically, what you can do is, after the cat has done its business, tip the box to one side and then the lumps can fall into a side compartment that you can dump out. So, the idea is that you can waste less litter and not have to empty the entire thing at once. That really only works if you tip it on a consistent basis before things get a chance to get stuck, at which point you do have to clean out the entire thing. And, of course, the better litter you use the easier the process is.

One thing that I will say for this is that, if you have a larger cat, like a Maine Coon cat, this is a great option because there is little chance that the cat will miss the box because of hanging over the edge. Plus, it gives the cat some privacy. So, while it is not really self-cleaning, it is a decent option if you do not want to spend the money for a real self-cleaning litter box.

Workout Update: Chalean Extreme Day 45

Day 45 of CE was the Push Circuit 2 workout. It was a challenging workout today, but it went well. I maxed out on a few moves, but there were a lot of exercises that I could only get to seven reps.  This is probably the hardest of the push workouts because it is all shoulders, including working the back of the shoulders which are small muscles and easy to fatigue.