DVD/TV Series Review: Chicago Fire Season One

 

Chicago Fire was at the time it premiered, in 2012, the newest entry into the massive Wolf production machine which includes the various installments of the Law and Order Franchise. This involved a Firehouse in Chicago, Firehouse 51, and revolved around the members of the truck crew, headed by Jesse Spencer's character Lieutenant Matthew Casey, the rescue squad crew, headed by Taylor Kinney's character as Lieutenant Kelly Severide, and the Ambulance unit, headed by Monica Raymund's Gabriella Dawson. The show was mostly an episodic case/accident of the week kind of show intertwined with the lives of the various characters in the firehouse. In many episodes, there were several minor accidents the crew had to deal with and then one major accident. The show starts out with an accident that kills a member of the firehouse and causes tension between Casey and Severide that lasts for part of the season. The show does a great job with character development and does more than just make the show about the accidents/action and nothing else. It really makes the audience care about the characters, which definitely helps when they are put into life and death situations, which happens often (as you can imagine). The show has a strong main and recurring cast including Lauren German, Charlie Barnett, Eamonn Walker, and David Eigenberg. The show also introduces characters played by Jon Seda, Jason Beghe, and LaRoyce Hawkins, who would later become a part of the spin-off show Chicago PD, in a story arc that runs throughout a good chunk of the season.

For those who get the DVD set, the extras include several behind-the-scenes featurettes of varying length, but mostly in the 3-4 minute range, and then a series of in-character podcasts by Otis (played by Yuri Sardarov). So, if you like going through the bonus material, there is quite a bit there.

Overall, the show is a good mix of action and drama with a little bit of humor mixed in. It juggles the large ensemble cast well and really does a good job developing the characters which is crucial for a procedural drama. It is well-written and very well acted, so if you are a fan of story-of-the-week procedural shows, this is definitely worth checking out.

Textbook Review: Differential Equations (Blanchard) Fourth Edition

 

This was the required book for my calculus 4 class which was a combination of linear algebra and differential equations. My professor did not actually use the book all that much so I honestly did not use it as much as I used other books in other classes. This is definitely a different kind of textbook. It does not really jump right into the theory and then problem sets like most books do. Instead, it almost reads like a novel, then starts getting into theory and examples, then has the problem sets after that. I am not exactly sure how I would have felt about that style had I needed to use the book more. In the differential equations portion of the class my professor basically taught from his own notes and made up his own problem sets (although he did use some problems from the book), so this was more ancillary to the class than the books I used in some of my other math. I remember thinking that it was kind of an odd way to set up a math book when I did read it until I discovered I could follow along with what my teacher was saying without having to consult the book. If you are in a class and your teacher does rely on the book heavily you may need to get some kind of study guide to go along with this, depending on how well you can understand how it presents the material.

DVD/TV Series Review: Fairly Legal Season 2

 

+++Warning, this contains a spoiler from the end of season one, but no major season two giveaways.+++

This is the second, and unfortunately the last, season of Fairly Legal, a USA Network original series that ran from 2011 to 2012. It starts off shortly after the events of the season one finale (enough time for Leo to get a haircut). Kate decides that she is not going to be fired and just shows back up to work and ends up weaseling her way back into her job (but charmingly). She continues her hookups with Justin and spends the entire season deciding if she wants to really get back together with him, a decision that is complicated by a new partner for Reed and Reed (who had to be brought in to save the firm), Ben Grogan, played by Ryan Johnson, who is a stereotypical smarmy lawyer. Like season one, the show mainly takes on the case-of-the-week format, with the larger story arcs being the soap operaish relationship and potential love triangle between Kate, Justin, and Ben, and Justin deciding to run for District Attorney against his boss (played by Esai Morales). The supporting and guest cast this year included Gerald McRaney, Meatloaf, and Lindy Booth (from the Librarians) as the most notable and recognizable guest stars.

For those who get the DVD set, the extras are much lighter than they were for season one. There are no commentary tracks. Just deleted scenes on discs 2 and 3 and a gag reel (which is pretty hilarious) on disc 3. What was included was decent, but not anywhere near as much or as good as what was put out for the season one set, which was interesting because it seems like the season one commentaries were recorded either while season two was being filmed or had wrapped.

Overall, the season is good, but will probably leave you feeling a bit unsatisfied. The writers were clearly setting up a larger story arc going into season three involving Lauren and did leave the Kate, Justin, and Ben relationship somewhat unresolved. Unfortunately, the show was canceled after the finale had been shot, although there may have been some heads up given that the final episode of the season was titled finale. If the writers did know the show was going to be canceled going into the final episodes they could have come up with a much better conclusion to everyone's story. That is what knocks it down a star for me.

Product Review: Ten Fitness Exercise Sport Yoga Ball Air Stopper | Replacement Plug Stem

 

These are replacement plugs for inflatable exercise balls, yoga balls, or the like. They fit perfectly, and you get a removal tool that makes removing the plug much easier than trying to get them out with your fingers. So, if you have exercise balls and have lost the plugs, this is definitely a good pickup.

Blu_ray/Movie Review: Jurassic Park: Ultimate Trilogy

 

This is a three-disc set with the first three Jurassic Park movies that starred Sam Neil, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum. The first movie, which of course, is the iconic movie that started it all and was directed by Steven Speilberg starred all of them, the second movie, The Lost World starred Goldblum, and Jurassic Park III brought back Neil and had Laura Dern in what amounted to an extended cameo. I will not spend a ton of time reviewing each movie because chances are, anyone reading this by now has seen them all more than once. I think most people will agree with the notion that the original film is the best of the group, by far, and that the other two, while good, were not great. Jurassic Park III gets dumped on, I think unfairly, did have some good moments, but was a bit cookie-cutter. The CGI quality gets better (obviously) with each movie as the first was made in 1993 before CGI was really revolutionized by movies like The Matrix, Harry Potter, and the Star Wars Prequels. The third installment was made in 2001, so there was a big leap in special effects technology by that point.

Really, the big reason to get this set is the bonus material. There is a ton of bonus content for each movie. The big one is a "Return to Jurassic Park" documentary that has at least one installment for each movie (the first movie has three chapters of it, the second movie has two, and the third movie has just one chapter). There are also deleted scenes, and a lot of behind-the-scenes material for each movie, including archival footage for the original film, the theatrical trailers, and a commentary track on the third movie with the special effects team. So, if you like watching the bonus material, you get hours worth in this set.

Overall, the movies range from good to great. They are definitely not always historically accurate (the thing about a T-Rex not being able to see you if you stand still has been totally debunked, but it makes for good drama) but the movies are not trying to be a nature documentary about dinosaurs. They are well-acted and mostly well-written. The set that I have packages the movies in a folding case with each disc in its own holder. The movies look and sound great in HD. Of course, now they are being released in 4K so if you do not already own them, you may want to opt for that. But, if you have not upgraded to 4k, this is a great way to see the movies. I definitely recommend it.

Workout Update: Chalean Extreme Day 55

 Day 55 of CE was the Burn it Off workout. Honestly, it was a pretty crappy workout. I was tired and for some reason, my left knee decided to be sore again after being fine for a couple of weeks. So, I did what I could, but it was definitely not one of my better workouts.

DVD/TV Series Review: Dawson's Creek: The Complete Series

 

Dawson's Creek was a late 1990s coming-of-age teen drama set in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts. It starred James Van Der Beek, Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, and Joshua Jackson, as the main case members throughout the series, and pretty much launched all of their careers, and also included Mary-Margaret Humes, Mary-Margaret Humes, Mary Beth Peil, Nina Repeta, Kerr Smith, Meredith Monroe, and Busy Philipps as series regulars at different points in the run of the series. While it could be a bit cheesy with the teen drama and angst, especially with the will-they-or-wont they get together storyline between Dawson (Van Der Beek) and Joey (Holmes), or would Joey choose Dawson or Pacey (Jackson), it also tackled difficult and sometimes controversial subjects. For example, there were storylines that involved divorce and the effect on kids, a teacher sleeping with a student, the death of a parent, and a character dealing with their sexuality. The series finale was unique in that it did a time jump to show where the characters ultimately ended up and had a very emotional wrap-up to the series.

For those who get the complete series, the discs seem to be the same as those included in the individual seasons. The packaging is weird as all of the discs are stacked on top of each other in two large spindles. So, you should definitely check to see if you have any scratched discs. The extras include commentary tracks on selected episodes as well as a few featurettes and/or interactive items in seasons 1-4, and then a commentary track on the series finale. There are no extras on the season five discs. Then, there is a separate disc just with bonus features like deleted scenes and an interview with series creator Kevin Williamson. The extras vary in quality, but there is a decent amount of you who like watching them.

Chances are, most people are going to get this because they watched the show when they were growing up (or as a young adult). For anyone who has never seen the show before, as I said above, it can be a bit cheesy, but it does kind of suck you in, whether you want it to or not. Even if it was not always well written, it was well-acted and the issues that the characters faced were really many of the timeless issues that everyone faces to some extent growing up. I cannot say that everyone will love the show. If you have not seen it you probably want to check out a few episodes before buying the DVD set, but if you are a fan of the show this is a way to always have access to it and not risk it disappearing from the streaming services.

DVD/TV Series Review: Castle Season 4

 

+++Warning, this contains spoilers from the prior season, but no major season four giveaways+++

The fourth season picks up after Beckett is shot and Montgomery is killed. We see that Beckett has undergone extensive surgery, and then takes a three-month leave to recover from her injuries. Much of the season's larger arc deals with Beckett trying to find out who shot her, as well as Castle and Beckett dealing with their feelings for each other. The big addition to the main cast this season is Penny Johnson Jerald (probably best known for the series 24) who plays Captain Victoria Gates. She is not a fan of Castle's "assistance" and generally makes life miserable for everyone. The season ends on another cliffhanger (although not the same as the season three cliffhanger) with the future of Beckett and Castle in the balance.

The season has a strong supporting and guest cast including Michael Dorn, Geoff Pierson, Jennifer Beals, Meghan Markle, and Tahmoh Penikett. There is also a mini Firefly reunion as well. For those who get the DVD set, the extras include commentary tracks on selected episodes, bloopers and outtakes, deleted scenes, a feature on the stunts, and a couple of other behind-the-scenes features. A good amount of material for those who like the extras.

Overall, the series continues to be strong. The show has a good balance of stand-alone case-of-the-week stories and does a good job stretching out the larger storylines. It continues to be well written and acted, and all of the actors do a great job with their roles. Fillion and Katic continue to either have or fake good chemistry. Most fans of the show probably know the rumors that the two could not stand each other by the time the series ended, so if any of that animosity had started at this point, it was not apparent when watching the episodes. If you are a fan of the prior seasons then you will probably like this one. On the other hand, if the prior seasons did not do much for you, this is probably not going to change your mind about the show.

DVD/Study Aid Review: The Calculus Differential Equations Tutor: Volume 2 - Higher Order Equations

 

This is the second volume of Jason's differential equations tutor. Like the first volume, Jason introduces the concept of higher-order differential equations, discusses how to identify them, and then goes through solving the basic/elementary problems. That material takes up most of disc one, then on discs two and three, Jason goes through Homogeneous and Non-homogeneous ordinary differential equations, and goes through several examples of the various ways to solve them (depending on the types of problems). I heartily disagree with the one-star reviewer on Amazon who says Jason talks too much and takes too long to get to the point. If you already understand the material, then yes, it can be a bit long. But, if you are just learning the material, or do not have a good grasp of the material, then Jason gives you as much background as you need to understand the concepts and talks through the process of how to solve them, explaining each step along the way. It would not work very well for Jason to just be silently going through the problems on the board and expect most people to follow what he is doing. That said, you do have to take your learning style into account, and decide whether watching what amounts to a modified college lecture will work for you and hold your attention.

Between this set and the first volume of the differential equations tutor, you will see much of what you will see in a basic differential equations class (which is usually the version of the class people in engineering programs take). Of course, it depends on your school and how it sets up the curriculum, but in many schools, there is a class that either combines linear algebra and differential equations (in my school it was called Calculus 4), or there will be two separate classes called basic linear algebra and basic differential equations. And, in some schools, the differential equations material gets split up so that some of it is taught in Calc 2 and the rest in Calc 4). So, if you are currently in school, you need to figure out how the classes are set up to know what class corresponds to this material.

The only large subject that a differential equations class includes that this, and the first set, do not, is Laplace Transforms. However, Jason did create a Laplace Transforms Tutor that can really be thought of as the third volume of this set. Differential equations do pop up to varying degrees in more advanced classes down the line, so you really do need to understand this material if you are going on to take engineering classes, which, chances are, the vast majority of people looking at this are going to do. Jason makes the concepts very understandable and gives you the tools necessary to understand how to tackle solving differential equations problems.

Product Review: Unjumbly Over The Door Hook- 4 Pack Sturdy Metal Over Door Hook

 

This is a set of four metal over the door hangers. They are fairly small, but they are durable and can easily hold a shirt, bathrobe, towel, or the like. They are slim so you should have no problem shutting whatever door you hang them on (I have definitely had issues with not being able to shut a door using some plastic hangers). Also, the size of the "hook" is different on each side to accommodate the thickness of the door you are hanging it on. If your door is thicker you use one side, and if it is thinner, you just turn it around and use the other side, that way it will stay secure and not slide around as you open and close the door. They are definitely a good pick up and perfect for use on a bathroom or closet door.

DVD/Study Aid Review: The Matrix Algebra Tutor: Linear Algebra

 

The title on Amazon tying this to Linear Algebra is a bit misleading. The cover of the DVD set saying it is a Matrix Algebra tutor is far more accurate. This material is what college students are often taught during a College Algebra class, usually about halfway to two-thirds of the way through the semester. It is the material that is often reviewed during the first couple of class sessions of a linear algebra course (which is often taken after calculus and in some schools in a class that combines linear algebra and differential equations into a single class) but is what students are mostly expected to already know by the time they get to that class.

This course introduces the concepts of Matrices, discusses adding and subtracting matrices, and then the various techniques used to "solve" the matrices, which are used throughout the higher-level science and engineering classes to solve systems of equations. It also discusses calculating the inverse of a Matrix and determinants of a Matrix, each of which is used over and over in engineering classes (at least in electrical engineering classes) when solving problems. So, getting a good handle on this material is critical if you plan on taking higher-level classes.

Jason teaches this material in the same style as his other tutor sets. He provides enough of the "explanatory" material that you need to understand the concept, and then goes through several problems, step-by-step, and explains each step of the process in detail. It is, however, just Jason standing in front of a whiteboard working out problems. It is not exciting or flashy, and obviously, you cannot interact with Jason during the lessons. So, you have to figure out if this fits your learning style. If you are a visual learner, then Jasson's material is some of the best out there.

Workout Update: Chalean Extreme Day 54

Day 54 of CE was the last regular lifting day of the push phase, which means it was the final Push Circuit 3 workout of this round. I was able to max out on a few of the exercises and on others hit just 6 or 7 reps. So, it was a mix for this workout. This is my second favorite of the Push workouts, with Push 1 being my favorite. By the end of the four weeks, I was using 30-40 lbs for most of the exercises in this workout, aside from the reverse grip rows, in which I used 22.5 lbs.  Next week will be the start of the Lean Circuit, which means three new workouts, which I am looking forward to.

Product Review: GreenPan San Francisco Frypan, 8-Inch

 

I got this after seeing the commercial for it showing food pretty much sliding around on it like glass. The pan definitely does not perform like that in the real world. I have two overall complaints about this pan. First is that you do not get a lot of size for the money. For the price, it should have been larger. Second, while it is nonstick, and that seems to get better after a few uses, I have yet to get it to be as nonstick as you see on TV. I have never had things be they eggs or pancakes just sliding around and right out. It does make good scrambled eggs, and yes they come out easier than on some pans, but they do not just fall right out. You do have to scrape them out a little bit and do have to wipe the pan down to get the remnants off. I mainly just use it for eggs and pancakes and it works fairly well for that. I have not tried other things in it, mainly due to the size.

It is more non-stick than a cast iron pan and does a good job on chicken breasts and things of that ilk, but in the 8" frying pan you do not have much room to cook enough for more than one or two people. And, things like eggs, for example, will definitely stick even if you use butter. That said, if you have reasonable expectations for it, it is a good option although I would be more inclined to look for a set where you can get a little better deal and get the full-size frying pan.

DVD/TV Series Review: The Incredible Hulk Season Four

 

Season four of The Incredible Hulk follows the same format that the prior seasons have. Mostly, one-shot and done stories of the week, with really the only arc running through the series is the fact that the reporter Jack McGree is following David/The Hulk around trying to find out who he is. As is the case with the other seasons, the quality of the episodes runs the gamut from kind of dumb to very good. The standout episodes this season include the two-part season premiere titled "Prometheus" involving a meteor that crashes to Earth and affects David's transformation into the Hulk, "King of the Beach", in which Lou Ferrigno has an actual speaking role, playing a bodybuilder and wannabe restaurant owner, the two-part episode "The First" in which David discovers another person who has undergone the metamorphosis, and "The Interview" in which David tells his story to a reporter who manages to track him down.

For those who get the DVDs, the extras include commentary tracks on both episodes of Prometheus by Kenneth Johnson, the series creator and executive producer, a feature called "Inside the Hulk" in which Johnson and some of the show's writers discuss how the show created the character of the Hulk and the process Bixby and Ferrigno had to go through to bring the character to life, and a photo gallery for the Prometheus episode. Johnson's commentaries are always informative, and the guy either has a photographic memory or uses copious notes when he does the commentaries because he knows the dates (and day of the week) scenes were filmed and can rattle off the filmography of nearly every member of the cast and crew. And, he gives a lot of insight into what the working relationship between himself, Bixby, and Ferrigno was like.

Overall, the show is mostly good but definitely has some "clunker" episodes. The writing and acting were both sometimes very cheesy, and there are definitely some episodes that do not hold up extremely well with the passage of time. Others, however, are very much timeless and tackle issues that are still very much relevant over forty years later. The show is much different from the superhero shows of today as the Hulk was not battling super villains, David always just found himself in the worst situation possible in whatever town he happened to end up in, and usually had to help someone being threatened by bad guys. And, the show was rarely ever concerned about continuity as it often recycled guest stars to play different roles/characters than they played before. Although Gerald McRaney did not have a guest-starring role this season as he did in the first three seasons, so, there is that. The show is definitely a "blast from the past" for those of us who grew up either watching it as it originally aired, or watching the re-runs when it aired in syndication. I cannot say that everyone who likes the superhero shows of today like the Arrowverse shows or the various Marvel series like Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist will like this, but for those who are in their mid-forties and up, it is a pretty nice nostalgic trip down memory lane.

DVD/TV Series Review: Community Season Three

 

The third season of Community was a turning point for the show. The series was plagued by low ratings and the on-set behavior of Chevy Chase, which would lead to series creator Dan Harmon being pushed out for a time. I think because the show was in danger of cancelation, they decided to kind of say screw it, we are going to pack in as many weird "novelty" episodes as possible, that really steer away from the actual concept of the study group at school and explored the quirkiness of the show's characters. So, there are episodes that have alternate timelines, a Law and Order spoof episode, an episode where the characters are inside a video game, and an episode in which the Subway sandwich shop takes human form. There is a plot that runs through multiple episodes in which Chang tries to get control of Greendale, and the season finale really feels like a series finale because it was definitely not clear that the show would be picked up for a fourth season (which it ultimately was).

For those who get the DVD set, the extras include commentary tracks on every episode, most of which include Harmon and various members of the cast and crew. Then there are three different gag reels, one on each disc, deleted scenes, a making-of feature on the Christmas episode, and a documentary about the documentary-themed episode, "This is War: Pillows vs. Blankets". So, a good amount of material, but we do not get the entertaining cast evaluations (because of the Harmon-Chase fallout most likely) and the Dj Porter remix of the season.

Overall, the show is still very good this season. The most notable cast moves are that Rim Rash was promoted to a series regular, and John Goodman was brought in for a major recurring role. Sadly, John Oliver did not reprise his role, but the show did bring in actors such as Michael K. Williams, Luis Guzmán, Rob Corddry, Michael Ironside, Giancarlo Esposito, French Stewart, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner. The writing was clever, if not a bit weird, and the acting was very good. So, if you are a fan of the series, you will probably enjoy this season.

Workout Update: Chalean Extreme Day 53

Day 53 of CE was the Burn Intervals workout. This was not much different than last week. I again had to do it in the evening because of work, which is not my preferred time of day to do the workouts, but I made it through okay.

DVD/TV Series Review: Fairly Legal Season One

 

Fairly Legal was one of the USA Network's original shows that ran from 2011 to 2012. It was a dramedy centered around the character of Kate Reed, played by Sarah Shahi (probably best known at that point for her roles on Alias and The L. Word) who is a former lawyer turned mediator. She works for a law firm that she was a partner in with her recently deceased father and is now run by her young stepmother (played by Virginia Williams). She lives on her father's boat and has an on-again-off-again relationship with her (almost ex) husband who is also an Assitant District Attorney (played by Michael Trucco). The show is mostly a procedural case of the week type of show with plots that do not really connect from episode to episode. Shahi is great in the lead role really doing a great job with the scattered kinetic energy of the character of Kate. The show also has a strong supporting and recurring cast including Baron Vaughn who plays Kate's assistant Leo, whom she constantly runs ragged, and Gerald McRaney as a judge who is easily irritated by Kate, but keeps assigning her cases (with the threat of holding her in contempt if she does not get the cases resolved).

For those who get the DVD set, the extras include commentary tracks on selected episodes that includes the series creator Michael Sardo, Shahi, Trucco, Williams, and Vaughn, then there are deleted scenes a gag reel, and alternate scenes from the pilot with commentary from Sardo and other producers. A good amount for those who like watching the bonus material.

Overall, the show is very good. It is well written and acted. It has a good blend of drama and comedy and the cast members seem to have good chemistry. The commentary tracks are actually pretty insightful and Shahi is funny as hell on all of them. It is definitely one of the lesser-known USA Network shows, but it is definitely worth a look.

DVD/TV Series Review: Burn Notice Season Five

 

+++Warning, this contains spoilers from the previous season, but no major season five giveaways+++

The fifth season of Burn Notice starts out with a brief time jump from the events of the season four finale. Michael is working for the CIA and is basically on a revenge tour to take out the members of the organization that burned him in season one. Of course, the organization fights back, trying to frame Michael for murder, and the season ends up being a game of cat and mouse through the rest of the season as Michael tries to take down the last members of the organization. The season ends on yet another cliffhanger, this time with Fiona's fate hanging in the balance as the season ends.

For those who get the DVD set, the extras include a commentary track on the season finale "Fail-Safe" that includes Jeffrey Donovan, Bruce Campbell, and the show's creator Matt Nix, deleted scenes, a gag reel, an extended version of the episode "Army of One", and a featurette on the villains that have appeared on the show. So, there are a decent amount of extras if you like going through the bonus material.

Overall, the series continues to be good, but as the major "mystery" is resolved, answering the question "who burned Michael" the series does start to slow down. It does a good job introducing other story arcs to try and get viewers invested, which shows like "Twin Peaks" were not able to do effectively so that when the main mystery of the show was solved, Burn Notice had more staying power and did not end up fizzling out right away. While I do not think the show is as good as it was in the first couple of seasons, it is still strong in the fifth season and it sets up an interesting plot going into season six.

Workout Update: Chalean Extreme Day 52

Day 52 was the Push 2 workout. It went really well and was very challenging. I was only able to hit the 8 rep max on one of the nine exercises and was struggling to hit 6 or 7 reps on the other exercises. So, it was a very hard workout, but I managed to get through it. Shoulders tend to be the hardest muscles for me to work, especially the side and back, and doing the very slow reps really blast them. 

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: American History X

 

American History-X is a 1998 film about an ex-neo Nazi member played by Edward Norton named Derek Vinyard who joins a group of white supremacists led by Stacey Keach's character Cameron Alexander after his father is shot and killed by gang members. He becomes more and more violent under Alexander's tutelage and ends up killing a man and being thrown in prison. While in prison he befriends a black man and ends up reforming himself, and when he gets out he attempts to free his younger brother Danny (played by Edward Furlong) from Alexander's influence.

The movie is very well written and well-acted. Norton, who has a track record of great performances, gives one of his best in this movie. The movie has a strong supporting cast including Beverly D'Angelo, Avery Brooks, Elliott Gould, Ethan Suplee, and Fairuza Balk. It is in part a story of indoctrination into domestic terrorism (which is as relevant today as it was back then, if not moreso), reformation, and redemption. Norton plays a conflicted character very well, feeling sad about letting go of really the only friends that he has in order to save his brother, and prevent his brother from making the same mistakes he made.

For those who get the Blu-Ray, the movie looks and sounds good in HD. Of course, the movie is not special effects-laden so it is not necessarily a must-get in the HD format, but it does have a nice video transfer that is a big upgrade over the DVD version. The extras are very minimal, just deleted scenes and the trailer for the movie. Hopefully, sometime down the line a version will be put out with a commentary track and/or making-of documentary, but given how far we are removed from the movie's release and the physical media release the chances of that are probably small.

Overall, this is a grim and gritty film that tackles a very tough subject head-on. It does not try to glorify Noton's character at all, making clear that even the reformed version of Derek is a flawed person. It is very well written and acted, and if you are a fan of dramas this is really a must-see.

Workout Update: Chalean Extreme Day 51

Day 51 of CE was Recharge and Ab Burner. Both of them went fine today. I could tell that my hamstring flexibility is getting better since I can get deeper into the crouches at the beginning of the Recharge routine. Now that I am transitioning into the next phase of the CE workouts next week I decided I am going to do the P90X ab routine and x-stretch on one of the rest days and recharge and ab burner on the other. Just to mix it up a bit and get used to the ab-ripper routine again. I also think during the next round of P90x I am going to swap out yoga-x for Chalene's Recharge workout, which I much prefer to the 90 minutes of yoga. 

Workout Update: Chalean Extreme Day 50

Day 50 of CE was Push 1 again. It was a very challenging workout today, but I was able to reach a new max on almost all nine exercises in the circuit. I could only do six of the push-ups at the end on my toes and had to do the last two and the three breakdown push-ups on my knees. Not bad for the last of week of the Push workouts.

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.