Book Review: Full Black (Scot Harvath Series #10)

 

Full Black, published in 2011, is the 10th book in the Scot Harvath series of novels written by the series creator, Brad Thor. It is the 11th book if you count The Athena Project, which did include Harvath in a couple of chapters, but the group of female spies was that book's focus, not Harvath. 

Full Black involves the threat of multiple terrorist attacks on the United States, including hitting many "soft" targets simultaneously in multiple waves. The goal of the attacks is the complete disabling and collapse of the United States. There are two storylines that are parallel through most of the book but connect toward the end as the plots play out. One involves a Russian wetwork team sent to take out a Hollywood producer, and the other involves Harvath and his team going after the terrorist network. The second plotline ties back to the events of the 9th novel in the series Foreign Influence.

The hardcover version of the book is about 380 pages long. The pace and tone of the books are very similar to the other books in the series, and it has a good blend of action and suspense. It includes several new characters, and Thor does a good job of developing them enough to get the readers invested in them without slowing down the overall story.  If you are a fan of the prior books in the series, this one is worth the time to read.

DVD/Movie Review: Live Nude Girls

 

Live Nude Girls is a movie from 1995 written and directed by Julianna Lavin and starring Dana Delany, Kim Catrall, Cynthia Stevenson, Laila Robins, Lora Zane, and Olivia d'Abo. Anyone who hears the title of the movie will think it is smutty or something that is on Cinemax overnight, but that is not the case. Yes, there is nudity in it, but it amounts to about 2 scenes (and yes, one does involve Olivia D'Abo), but that is it. Even though there is not much nudity, there is a lot of sexual suggestion and dialogue and a lot of swearing. The movie is basically a slumber party before the wedding day of Kim Cattrall's character, where the group of childhood friends sit around and talk about their lives and about sex. It has a good mix of drama and humor.

There are a few different physical media versions of the movie (the original DVD, a DVD that includes an unrated cut of the movie, and a blu-ray version). I have the original DVD version that just includes the theatrical version of the movie with no extras. 

The movie is really a story about the relationships (good and bad) between the characters. There really is not any kind of overcomplicated plot that you need to follow, so it is one of those movies that can just kind of be on in the background, and you can tune in and out of it. It is a good relationship story that does not drag on too long. This is good because, for the most part, it is set inside the same house (save for a couple scenes) and could have easily ended up going way too long. While the easy comparison is to Sex and the City (especially given Catrall's involvement), while the movie does have some similarities, it is quite different. The movie is definitely not going to appeal to everyone, but if you are not offended by talk of sex and don't mind dialogue-driven movies, this is worth the time to watch.

DVD/Movie Review: The Legend of Zorro

 

The Legend of Zorro is a 2005 sequel to 1998's Mask of Zorro. Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones return to reprise their roles from the first movie, and Rufus Sewell joins the cast as the main antagonist. This movie is set 10 years after the original, just before CA becomes a state. Elena and Alejandro are at odds over his dedication to Zorro at the beginning of the movie, and that theme plays throughout most of the movie. Rufus Sewell is the main bad guy in the movie and, as usual, excels at playing a jackass who you love to hate. Like in the first movie, there is a conspiracy to take down, and this time, Elena is much more involved in thwarting it separately from Zorro.

The movie is okay, but it is definitely not as good as the original. Even though some of the scenes were done to mirror some from the first movie (the opening sequence for example, and Elena facing off with bad guys in a stable), it does not have the same feel as the first. That is good and bad. It is good in that it is not a carbon copy of the first movie, but bad because it also does not have some of the things that worked well in the first. It is really the trap that a lot of sequels fall into. One thing I think the movie misses is the comedic elements between Alejandro and Elena that worked so well in the first one. But because they spend a lot of the movie apart, and fighting when together the movie tries to get the comedy elements in via other ways that just do not work as well.  You can tell that the tone of this movie was meant to be less dark than the first. It is not nearly as violent (although there is still a lot of action and fighting, it is not as graphic as the first movie. The film also misses the presence of Anthony Hopkins and the father/authority figure he played in the first.

As far as extras go, you do get more with this than from the first movie, at least on the DVD version. There are more features, including a few deleted scenes (that can be played with or without the director's commentary), four making-of featurettes, a couple of scene deconstruction featurettes, and the trailer. There is also a commentary track by the director Martin Campbell and the cinematographer on the film, should you choose to listen.

Overall if you accept that like the majority of sequels this one is not as good as the first movie, and is a little more toned down and family friendly, you can enjoy it. If you are not one who collects the physical discs, I think it is fine as a rental or streaming because, while it is worth the time to watch, it is probably not a movie that most people will be compelled to watch again and again.

DVD/Movie Review: The Mask of Zorro (Deluxe Edition)

 

The Mask of Zorro is a 1998 movie starring Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stuart Wilson, Matt Letscher, and Tony Amendola. The movie tells the tale of two Zorros and how they are each out for revenge. Anthony Hopkins is Zorro at the beginning of the movie, but his identity is discovered, and he is imprisoned for 20 years after his wife is killed and his baby is stolen by the main antagonist, Don Rafael Montero. He becomes the mentor to the younger Zorro (played by Antonio Banderas), whose brother is killed by the second main villain of the movie, Captain Love.

It is part origin story, part master/student, part love story, and part revenge tale. There is a lot of action in the form of sword fighting and horse riding. It also has very humorous moments (mainly between Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones) as the film goes along. The movie does not make much use of special effects (although there are some), so it is not really one where if you own the DVD version, an upgrade to Blu-ray is likely going to get you much more. The DVD looks and sounds fine, especially for a late 1990s movie. The disc has little in the way of extras. Just the trailer and a short "making of" feature.

Overall, it is a well-written, well-acted action movie. The plot is not complicated and really only boils down to a few key players. Personally, I think this was Banderas' best role. His character, Alejandro Murrieta is kind of like a less serious version of his character in Desperado. The movie is a bit violent, so it may not be suitable for younger kids, but that aside, it makes for an entertaining couple of hours and is well worth the price.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Day 10

Day 10 was the rest day in Lift 4, so I did the 645 cardio workout in the morning and the Lift 4 recovery routines in the evening. Both went fine. I was again switching up the HIIT moves in the 645 workout, this time incorporating the Heisman and squat jacks from Insanity and mountain climbers and soccer runs. That keeps me from getting bored in the workouts. 

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

 

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is a 2001 movie based on the widely popular video game series. It stars Angelina Jolie, Daniel Craig, Chris Barrie, Iain Glen, and Noah Taylor and was directed by Simon West. Jolie stars as Lara Croft, a British archeologist who gets caught up in a search for an artifact sought by members of The Illuminati. 

If you try to take this movie too seriously, you will probably walk away hating it. If you take it for what it is, an action movie with a little bit of drama and humor sprinkled in, then you can enjoy it. It is definitely not the traditional summer blockbuster with an explosion every two seconds. While there is a lot of action, there is a plot that the action does slow down for. It is not what I would call an overly deep or complicated plot. It is a pretty basic bad guys want to rule the world story, but there are aspects to it that involve more than just fighting or shooting. I think the pace of the movie was just right. Clocking in at basically a little over an hour and a half, it did not try to do too much, and was able to keep the action going, tell the story that they were trying to tell, then got out before dragging on. 

The movie's A/V quality is great. It looks and sounds great in the HD format. There are a lot of special effects, but those do not really detract from the movie at all (unlike, say, Lucas' special effects-laden movies). They used enough sets and location shots that the effects really did enhance things. For those who get the discs and like bonus material, there is a lot here. There are a bunch of behind the scenes features ranging from 5 min to 25 min. Some are general "making of" features, others focus on the special effects, and other show the training regimen Angelina Jolie went through to become the character. The fact that she did many of her own stunts in the movie was impressive given what they had her doing.

Ultimately, if you don't like action movies and/or Jolie, you probably will not like this movie. I have not really played any of the games, so I am not sure how faithful to the character as she is portrayed in the video games the filmmakers stayed, but it does seem like they were trying to. While it is not the best movie ever, on the whole, I think it is worth the time to watch if you are looking for an action movie.

Book Review: Star Wars: The High Republic: Tales of Enlightenment #StarWars

 

Tales of Enlightenment is a collection of six short stories set during Phase II of the High Republic (set about 150 years before the destruction of the Starlight Beacon by the Nihil). All of the stories are set on Jedha (which was first introduced in the movie Rogue One) in a bar called Enlightenment. The stories all involve a group of regular patrons of the bar interacting with people visiting the bar before, during, and after the events of the Battle of Jedha. 

The hardcover version of the book is just under 100 pages. The short stories take up about 2/3 of the book. The last 1/3 includes interview snippets and background information on some of the authors who have contributed to the High Republic stories, short synopses of the Phase I and II novels, and a listing of the chronological order of the Phase II and II books. There are also a lot of illustrations, so even though the book is about 100 pages long, there is much less than 100 pages of text, so it is very easy to read. Most people will likely be able to finish it in a day or less. 

Ultimately, I would not classify this as a must-read. The stories are fine but are very much filler stories that do not advance the main storyline of Phase II much at all. The writer interviews and bios are okay, but nothing to write home about. The chronological listing of the novels is helpful if you are one who gets the physical books and wants to put them on a shelf in chronological order.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Day 9

Day 9 was Back and Biceps 50/50 in Lift 4 and the cardio workout from 645. I again did the 645 workout in the morning and the Lift 4 workout in the evening. The lifting portion of the Lift 4 workout was good, but I was tired during the HIIT portion and had to modify the exercises more than I wanted. But I was able to make it through and am looking forward to tomorrow's recovery workouts. 

DVD/Movie Review: The Last Tango in Paris

 

The Last Tango in Paris is a 1972 film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci and starring Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider. In its day, this movie was extremely controversial, mainly because of the age difference between the past his romantic lead prime, Brando, and barely out of her teens, Maria Schneider. In terms of nudity, it is for the most part tame by today's standards. It has become more controversial over the years because of Schneider's description of the trauma she felt filming the rape scene, which was not originally in the script and sprung upon her. There are a couple points in the uncut version where Maria Schneider is fully nude, but that it is. The film is not really erotic per se. Yes, there is a lot of nudity and sex in it, and certainly, the language is not something you heard in mainstream movies in the 70s. But it really is about two scarred people having an affair that is unhealthy for both, yet one neither can let go of.

The two characters, Paul and Jeanne come together, literally and figuratively while looking at the same apartment. That apartment becomes basically a place to have sex and nothing else. He will only agree to meet her on the condition that they never reveal their names or anything about their lives and never see each other outside of the apartment. For most of the movie, she wants more from him, trying to get him to open up and she keeps coming back despite his cruelty. In the end, it is Brando's character chasing her, which leads to the finale of the movie.

The only bonus feature on the DVD is the theatrical trailer. There is no making-of material or a commentary track on the movie. The movie will definitely not appeal to everyone. I thought the pacing was kind of slow and I think it could have easily had 15 to 20 minutes cut out and still told the same story. I think the acting was good, but not great. I am not an aficionado of Brando as some are, so I can't say I followed all his work, but personally, I thought he was better in The Godfather than in this movie. There is definitely a 1970s-era feel to the movie, so if you are generally not a fan of movies from that time you probably want to skip it. For fans of Brando or generally just dark dramas, it is definitely worth the price.

Book Review: Oath and Honor

 

Oath and Honor is a book written by Liz Cheney, the former conference chair of the Republican party in the House of Representatives and daughter of the former Vice President (and former Secretary of Defense), Dick Cheney. She was one of only a handful who ended up splitting with the orange genital wart after the 2020 election, as he lied about the election being stolen and, at the very least, encouraged the attack on the capital on January 6th, 2021. And, of course, she was one of only two Republicans on the January 6th committee. 

This is a book that, regardless of whether you agree with Cheney's politics, is a must-read. The book is partly a memoir in which Cheney discusses how she got interested in, and then into, politics. The focus of the book, however, is the aftermath of the 2020 election, her work on the January 6th committee, and the threat that t***p poses. She explains that she was trying to find out what the orange dipshit and his lackeys were up to after the election and how she tried to circumvent the fake electors/objections plot once she figured out that part of it. She also warns that the Republican party is essentially gone and has to be defeated until t***p and his anti-democracy ideology are gone. 

The hardcover version of the book is just over 350 pages. There are no endnotes or bibliography, but there is a web address at the end of the book that allows you to view the notes if you want to. I disagree with almost all of Cheney's politics and would normally never purchase one of her books. I think she had a large role in the political division and the stoking of anger in the country that allowed t***p to take over the Republican party. That said, I respect the fact that she stood up to t***p and her party even though she knew she would lose her seat in Congress and likely end her political career. This is a book that everyone should read  

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: The Last Samurai

 

The Last Samurai is a period-piece movie from 2013 starring Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe. Let me start off by saying that if you hate inaccurate movies that depict a time period, run far away from this movie. It is not (nor is it meant to be) historically accurate. It is a dramatization of the conflict between the Imperial Army and the Samurai in Japan in the late 1800s. The fact that the war actually happened was real, but the rest of it is made up and fictionalized. If you can accept that about the movie, then you will likely enjoy it. If you cannot, then you won't. Cruise plays a Captain in the US Army (who is an alcoholic and disillusioned by the treatment of the Native Americans) tasked with training the new Imperial Army in Japan. He ends up being taken prisoner by the Samurai and eventually joins their side against the Army.

The thing that makes this movie work so well is the acting. It is, in my opinion, this is one of Tom Cruise's best acting jobs. Admittedly I have not seen all of his movies, so I cannot say whether it is his best performance ever, but of the movies of his that I have seen, this is his best pure acting performance. His interactions with the Samurai leader played by Ken Watanabe, were wonderful. This is really a film where all the actors from the "main" characters to the supporting actors did their job wonderfully. Yes, the love story was contrived and (SPOILER ALERT) having Tom Cruise's character live through the final battle was unrealistic, but overall I don't think those things detracted from the film as a whole.

The A/V quality on blu ray is very very good. What I loved about the movie is that very little was done via green screen, and the little that was, was blended in seamlessly so it did not look fake. Most of the landscape shots were real and were really brought out on blu ray. For those who like physical discs, there are a ton of extras. Mainly behind-the-scenes features, a couple deleted scenes, a director's video journal, and the theatrical trailer. In all the extras are almost as long as the movie itself.

If you can suspend your disbelief and accept that the movie is not historically accurate, then it is worth the time to watch and/or add to a physical media collection. If not, then you probably want to skip it.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Day 8

Day 8 was the start of week 2 in Lift 4. That meant doing the chest and triceps workout, which, this week, was a circuit-style workout with four exercises in each block done back-to-back. Then there is a burnout block of wide push-ups followed by triceps push-ups. I did the 645 cardio workout in the morning since I was running a bit behind schedule. The Lift 4 workout was challenging but good. I used the same weight as last week, which was a little tougher in the circuit workout than in the 50/50 workout, but I was able to do all of the reps in each block (even though I did have to pause a couple of times to take a mid-set break). 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Baywatch: The Complete Series (Remastered)

 

Baywatch is the massively popular procedural primetime soap opera about a group of lifeguards in Los Angeles that aired from 1989 to 1999 and starred David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson, Donna D'Errico, Alexandra Paul, Yasmine Bleeth, Nicole Eggert, Erika Elaniak, Gena Lee Nolan, Brooke Burns, and Carmen Electra (among others). The show was so popular that it also spun off two series, Baywatch Nights and Baywatch Hawaii, and a TV movie. This set only contains the nine seasons of the original series, not the two spin-off series or the Hawaiian Wedding special.

The set has 36 discs, which are packaged in three sleeve cases inside a large keep case. That packaging is much better than having the discs stacked on top of each other on protrusions. The sleeve cases prevent the discs from coming loose and getting scratched up. The A/V quality of the blu-rays is very good, and the remastered episodes look wonderful in HD. They are a huge step up in A/V quality from the original DVD releases. The video upgrade is so good that it is much easier to tell when the cast members are performing in a pool as opposed to being in the ocean. One thing that I did notice is that some of the episodes on the discs are not in broadcast order, especially in the early seasons. Since, however, the vast majority of the storylines (aside from the occasional multi-part episodes) were self-contained within a single episode, the order of the episodes did not matter as much. Some of the original music did have to be replaced because of licensing issues, but the episodes do have the music montages. The licensing issue only really impacted one episode that had to be cut down to 30 minutes because it featured performances in the show by musical guests singing songs that they no longer had the rights to.

Ultimately, the show was what it was. It was never going to get an Emmy for acting or writing. It was a cheesy soap opera with a ridiculously good-looking cast that never took itself too seriously. In fact, there were a few episodes in which the writers broke the fourth wall by making jokes about the show. The writing and acting were definitely nothing to write home about. In fact, the writing could be downright stupid, and many times, the actors were hamming it up for the camera (especially Hasselhoff). The show did get a ton of very recognizable guest stars, even launching the careers of some), including Bryan Cranston, Danny Trejo, Mila Kunis, David Spade, Mariska Hargitay, Michelle Williams, Carrie Anne Moss, and Charisma Carpenter (to name just a few). The blu-ray set does not have any extras, just the episodes themselves. The episodes do have English captions, and you can play them in a "play all" mode and pick up where you left off. The set does come with a poster and a booklet that has some random facts about the series and the actors that appeared in it. But there are no commentary tracks, behind-the-scenes interviews, or the like. The show is absolutely dated now, and some of the storylines would never be written the same way these days as they were when the show originally aired. But, if you watched the show growing up or were just a fan of the various "babes" on the show (which many people called Babewatch) it is a nostalgic blast from the past.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Day 7

For day 7, I just did the 645 cardio. I did ease back a little bit by removing the bear plank for today and going back to speed skaters. That worked well. I did not do the foam rolling or stretching but did use my trigger point handheld roller on my hamstrings, IT band, and calves.  

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Day 6

Day 6 was basically a repeat of Day 3. I did the 645 cardio workout, followed immediately by the two Lift 4 recovery workouts.  Adding in the bear plank hold as the 5th exercise in the 645 cardio is helpful as I can hold myself in that position for most of the 30 seconds. Once that becomes easy, I will probably start doing triple bear off as opposed to just holding bear plank.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Day 5

Day 5 was the leg workout in Lift 4 and 645 cardio in the evening. The leg workout was a 50-50 workout, and I could make all of the moves unmodified (albeit a bit slower than the people in the workout) during the HIIT portion, except for the triple bear. I have started to add the bear plank hold to the 645 workouts, so I can hopefully get to the point where I can do triple bear modified or unmodified (they are both equally as bad) by the end of the eight weeks.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Day 4

Day 4 was shoulders in Lift 4 (which is an interval workout) and cardio from 645. Both workouts went pretty well. I was pleasantly surprised by how well the cardio exercises in the Lift 4 workouts went, as I did not have to modify much at all.  

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Day 3

For day 3, I did all of the workouts in the morning (since it was the rest day in Lift 4). So I did the 645 cardio, followed immediately by the two Lift 4 recovery workouts. Foam rolling was interesting since it was really the first time I had done it in a few weeks. I had knots in pretty much every muscle, so it felt good to get back to doing the foam rolling.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Day 2

Day 2 was the back and biceps workout from Lift 4 and the 645 cardio workout in the evening. My strategy in Lift 4 was the same as yesterday. Use the heaviest weight I could use and maintain perfect form (and pace) for all 10 reps of the resistance exercises, even if that meant using very light weights for some exercises. This one does not have a HIIT component, but in the evening workout, I could definitely tell my cardio fitness was improving as I did not have to modify any of the exercises I did. 

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Day 1

For the next workout, I decided to go back to Lift 4 but continue the 645 cardio routine with cardio exercises from Lift 4 swapped into the workout. So, on day 1, I did the Lift 4 chest and triceps workout in the morning and the 645 cardio workout in the evening. In the Lift 4 workout I dropped the amount of weight down so I can focus on form (and get me room to increase the amount of weight over the course of the program). I also got some of those magnetic microplates that you can add to the end of non-coated dumbbells to get another 2.5 lbs. That should help me increase the weights on some exercises where a 5lb jump will be too much. In the 645 workout, I added mountain climbers to the mix of exercises so I can get better at them and, hopefully, by the end of the 8 weeks of Lift 4, be able to actually run for the entire 30 or 45 seconds. 

Book Review: Dune: The Duke of Caladan (Dune #11) #Dune

 

The Duke of Caladan, published in 2020, is the 11th book in the Dune Saga (when reading them in chronological order) and the first in the Caladan trilogy. It is one of now four novels (the other two in the Caladan trilogy and the new novel, Princess of Dune) set in the two years immediately before the events of the original 1965 novel Dune. This one was again written by the duo of Brian Herbert, the son of Frank Herbert, and Kevin J. Anderson. Like the other prequel novels, this one has several storylines. The major storyline set on Caladan involves a drug that is being manufactured from one of Caladan's native plants and is killing people throughout the imperium (unbeknownst to Leto). The second storyline is set on Arrakis and involves illegal spice production and smuggling after Emperor Corrino imposes a surcharge on spice. The final storyline involves the Sisterhood and a warning about Jessica and Paul. 

The hardcover version of the book is just under 320 pages long. While the book is centered around the character of Leto Atreides, Paul, Jessica, Gurney Halleck, Duncan Idaho, Baron Harkonnen, Mother Mohiam, and Emperor  Corrino are all featured prominently. The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger that will carry over into the next books in the Caladan trilogy as the authors set up the events of the original novel. If you are a fan of the Dune series, the book is absolutely worth the time to read.

DVD/Movie Review: The Last Days of Disco

 

The Last Days of Disco is a movie from 1998 starring Chloe Sevigny, Kate Beckinsale (in one of her early US roles), Chris Elgeman, Michael Weatherly (in one of his first major roles), Jennifer Beals, Jaid Barrymore (Drew's mother) and Robert Sean Leonard. It is based loosely on the demise of Studio 54. To the extent that there is a larger plot, it revolves around a group of twenty-somethings that work and/or hang out at an exclusive NY club in the early 1980s. Like the real Studio 54, the club is being investigated by the police and is ultimately raided.

Reviews for the movie tend to be all over the place. Some people love it, and some absolutely hate it. I am pretty neutral toward the movie. To me, the problem with the movie is that it tries to base the story too much around the characters that frequent the club and their lives. The problem is that none of the characters do much of anything or are all that interesting or likable. They mainly sit and talk, go to the club, then talk some more, go back to the club, hook up, then talk more. I think the movie would have been better if the focus was on the illegal activity at the club (and had more characters involved in the crime and/or investigation) as opposed to being focused on characters that were going to a club where shady shit was going down. 

The original DVD release is very light on extras (to say the least). The only bonus feature is the movie's trailer. If you get the Criterion Collection release, there are a lot more extras, including a commentary track on the movie and deleted scenes. Ultimately, the movie was okay, but it could have been better. It featured a group of talented actors (most of whom were still relatively young at the time), but it did not give them great material to work with, and as a result, the movie just seemed to lag. To me, it is the kind of movie you can have on in the background while you are doing other things and still know everything about it. It is certainly not the worst movie of all time, but on the other hand, you are not missing much if you skip it.

DVD/Movie Review: A Knight's Tale

 

A Knight's Tale is a movie from 2001 starring Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossamon, Paul Bettany, Rufus Sewell, Mark Addy, Laura Fraser, and Alan Tudyk. In the movie, Ledger plays William Thatcher, a squire to a man named Sir Ector, who dies before competing in a jousting tournament. Willam, along with the other squires, Roland (Addy) and Wat (Tudyk) devise a plan to have William impersonate Sir Ector in order to win the tournament and then devise the identity of a Noble named Sir Ulrich von Liechtenstein for William so that he can continue to participate in other competitions. Paul Bettany, in his breakout role in the US, plays Geoffrey Chaucer, a destitute con man with a gambling problem who agrees to forge a patent of nobility for William (and to be his hype man) in return for his protection (and payment). Fraser plays Kate, a widowed blacksmith who makes and repairs Williams's armor, Shannon Sossamon plays a noble lady named Jocylen and love interest for William, and Rufus Sewell plays a count who is a rival to William both in the competitions and for Jocylen's affection.

This is a movie that does not take itself too seriously. That is evident from the opening scene, where a medieval jousting match is set to Queen's We Will Rock You. In fact, there are rock songs from the 1970s and 1980s throughout the movie. The strength of the movie is the cast. If the Joker in Dark Knight ended up being Heath Ledger's signature role, this is the one that established him as having Hollywood lead potential. His character, William, was a blend of heroic, prideful, stubborn, and naive, and he pulled them off very well. As well as adding an element of humor. 

The supporting cast was also great. Paul Bettany stole nearly every scene he was in, especially when announcing William's matches. Mark Addy, Alan Tudyk, and Laura Fraser all did great in their respective roles as William's crew. I also thought Shannyn Sossamon did a fair job as the love interest, although her performance was nothing to write home about. It was one of her first movie roles, and she was relatively green. The role called more for her to look pretty than it did for an Academy Award-winning acting performance. Looking at the movie now 20-plus years later, it was definitely a breakout movie for Bettany and an establishing movie for Leger (whose breakout was in 10 Things I Hate About You a couple of years before this). It surprises me that Sossamon did not have a bigger career after this movie because, while she was very green when it came out, she certainly had the potential to be a bigger star than she ultimately became. 

The DVD has a decent amount of extras, including a commentary track on the movie with the director, Brian Helgeland, and Paul Bettany, an HBO first-look making-of special, several behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, trailers, cast filmographies, production notes, and more. If you have a computer with a CD drive, the DVD also includes a screen saver (which may or may not be able to be installed on contemporary operating systems).

Ultimately, the movie is not going to appeal to everyone. It does not even really attempt to be a very serious or overly dramatic movie and certainly does not try to be a historically accurate period piece. It was meant to be a fun, even silly at times movie that blended action and comedy and mixed in a little bit of drama. To that end, it pulled it off well. And if you are a fan of those kinds of movies or any of the actors involved, it is a fine way to spend a couple of hours. 

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Killers

 

Killers is a 2010 movie starring Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl, Martin Mull, Catherine O'Hara, and Tom Selleck. In the movie, Kutcher plays a professional assassin named Spencer Aimes. While in France, he meets Heigl's character, Jen, and the two have a whirlwind romance that causes Spencer to quit his job and settle down in suburban life. After three years, Spencer's life unravels when a bounty is put on his head when he refuses to take another assignment.

The A/V quality of the blu-ray is outstanding. While there are not a ton of CGI effects (if any), the location shots in Nice, France, look awesome in HD, especially if you have a large screen. As far as extras, there are some behind-the-scenes features, deleted and extended scenes, and a gag reel. In total, the extras run just under a half hour in length.

Ultimately, if you take this movie too seriously, you will probably hate it. If you take it as a spoof of romantic comedies and spy movies like Mr. & Mrs. Smith and the like and see it as a movie that is very much tongue-in-cheek, it is entertaining. The only real complaint I have about it is the pacing. There is a little back story and set up to Kutcher and Heigl's relationship, then the story fast forwards three years and kind of stalls as they try to transition Kutcher's character from spy life to mundane suburban life. Once the story starts to pick back up, as everyone around Spencer in the mundane suburban life starts trying to kill him, the pace gets better. 

Yes, the premise and plot are totally preposterous. That is partly the point. If you can suspend your disbelief past that, however, I think you can find this enjoyable. Luckily, the movie is not so long that, unless you hate it from the get-go (and there are certainly people who do), it seems never-ending. Heigel and Kutcher are pretty much on the edge of who I would think of for lead roles in a movie, but since it was really not going for a serious blockbuster feel, they still worked as the leads. While it is certainly not the best movie ever, it is a decent combination of action movie and romantic comedy and worth the time to watch as long as you accept the movie for what it is. 

DVD/Movie Review: Kill Bill Volume 2

 

Kill Bill Volume 2 is the 2004 sequel and conclusion to 2003's Volume 1. Like Volume 1, this movie is ultra-violent but in a much different way. Where the first movie was over-the-top, almost campy with the action and violence, this one is not. There are definitely a couple really good fight scenes, but things are more real in this one than the first. There is no spraying, blood, dismembering, or crazy stunts done with wires (save for a couple). While it does take some suspension of disbelief to accept everything that happens, this is far more of a realistic action/drama than the first one was.

This volume lays out the entire back story of what led up to the attack we see bits and pieces of in the first movie. It also puts The Bride (Uma Thurman) in real peril, both physically and emotionally, as the movie goes along. The confrontation with Bill (David Carradine) is almost all dialogue and about 45 seconds of an actual fight scene, but it works perfectly. To the extent that Bill could be made sympathetic in any way for what he did, the writing and David Carradine's performance pulled that off. He balanced an almost easygoing nature with a sinister one perfectly. Daryl Hannah and Michael Madsen get a lot of screen time in this one, much more than Vivica Fox and Lucy Lui got in the first movie. The fight scene between Elle and The Bride was certainly the high point of the movie, action-wise.

The DVD extras are very sparse. Like with the release of Volume 1, there is a short making-of documentary, then a music video, and a deleted scene. What was included was fine, but chances are there is a lot more that could have been included. Ultimately, whether you like this or not will depend on your taste. The movie definitely earns its R rating, but it is a more well-rounded and overall better movie than Volume 1. It is a good mix of action, drama, and dark humor. If you like Tarantino's other movies (especially Volume 1), chances are you will like this one. If bad language and violence are not up your alley, then you probably want to stay away.