Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Better Call Saul: Season 5

 

The ten-episode fifth season of Better Call Saul aired in the winter and spring of 2020. All the main cast members returned for the fifth season, and Tony Dalton, introduced as Lalo Salamanca at the end of season four, was promoted to a series regular. This season also continues to include characters from Breaking Bad as the show gets closer to the events of that series. This season, the notable appearances include Dean Norris and Steven Quezada, reprising their roles as Hank and Gomez. Robert Forester also makes an appearance (which would be his final appearance before passing away) in the first episode when Saul's cover as "Gene" is compromised in Nebraska. This season's other notable guest and recurring stars include Javier Grajeda, Steven Bauer, Steven Ogg, Ed Begley Jr., Norbert Weisser, Laura Fraser, and Roy Wood Jr.

The Blu-Ray set is a three-disc set and, like the prior seasons, includes extras on all three discs. There are commentary tracks on each episode, deleted scenes for select episodes, and some episode-specific behind-the-scenes material (all of which are accessed off the individual episode pages from the menu). Then, there is a series of legal ethics training videos (presented as a CLE course) led by Rhea Seehorn in character as Kim, a gag reel, and some making-of material. Since much of the commentaries and behind-the-scenes material was recorded during the pandemic, they were done via web chats. That was fine for the most part, but the commentary tracks did not flow as well as in past seasons since the people recording the commentaries were not in the same room, and the audio quality of the commentaries was not as good as in prior seasons. As with the prior season's commentaries, they are all led by Peter Gould and include various cast and crew members. Vince Gilligan does participate in the commentary for the episode he directed, which is the most pivotal episode of the season, if not the entire series. 

The show continues to be extremely well-written and acted. Without giving too much from this season away, we see all of the main characters continue to evolve, and those who will be around in Breaking Bad get closer to those versions of their characters. Jimmy has fully embraced his Saul Goodman persona but is not yet the person we will see in Breaking Bad. Interestingly, the writers made Hank see right through Jimmy's bullshit, immediately recognizing the name as a take on "s'all good man." The writers also gave Jimmy an out that would have avoided everything that came later had he taken it and a warning of what life would be like if he got involved in the drug business, even tangentially. Of course, those who have watched Breaking Bad know the path Jimmy will take, but this season reveals why he took it. We also see how Mike becomes Gus' fixer despite walking away after killing the construction manager at the end of season four. And we see Kim being influenced even more by Jimmy'Saul's dark side. Ultimately, this is probably the best season of the show so far and is absolutely worth watching.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 47

On Day 47, I did the Lift 4 full-body HIIT workout. It was supposed to be my second workout yesterday, but I waited to do it since I got home later than I intended yesterday.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 46

Day 46 was supposed to be a 645 cardio/Lift 4 combo day, but I did a late Christmas get together in the evening, so I ended up just doing the 645 cardio workout in the morning. I was not feeling like doing a second workout when I got back home, so I just rested. 

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 45

On day 45, I did the 645 cardio routine in the morning and Lift 4's shoulders and arms workout in the evening. The Luft 4 workout was a circuit workout, and even though it did not have a HIIT component, it was tiring because there were almost no breaks in the entire workout (aside from 30 seconds between the blocks and at the end of each set of four exercises within the blocks) and because of the three-exercise burnout block at the end.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 44

Day 44 was the rest day in Lift 4, so I just did the 645 cardio workout in the evening, doing higher-impact exercises since I did not have a second workout in the evening. 

4k-UHD/Movie Review: The Bourne Legacy

 

The Bourne Legacy is a 2012 action thriller set in the "Bourne" universe of movies. It is directed by Tony Gilroy (who also co-wrote the screenplay). It stars Jeremy Renner as Aaron Cross/Number 5, an agent in a covert division of the government code-named Operation Outcome. Also starring in the movie are the nearly ageless Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Stacy Keach, Oscar Issac, and Dennis Boutsikaris. Cory Stoll (probably best known for his role in House of Cards), Zeljko Ivanek, and Elizabeth Marvel have minor roles in the film, and Albert Finny, Joan Allen, Scott Glen, and David Strathairn each reprise their roles from The Bourne Ultimatum. The movie was initially planned to be another Bourne sequel and bring back Matt Damon. Damon bowed out when Paul Greengrass decided not to return to direct, which caused the writers and producers to go in another direction with the story. 

The events of this film are set during the events of The Bourne Ultimatum. In fact, some footage from Ultimatum is used in this movie. In it, Cross is sent on a training exercise in Alaska, where he meets with another operative (Number Three), played by Issac, who may or may not be evaluating him. Because of the actions of Bourne and Landy, Operation Outcome, which is the main program under which all the other programs like Treadstone and Blackbriar are run, is shut down, and the agents (and anyone working on the program) are taken out. Of course, Cross survives and goes on the run with Weisz's character, Marta, a virologist who works for Outcome and also survives an attempt on her life.

The 4k set is a two-disc set with a  UHD disc and a regular Blu-Ray disc. The UHD disc just has the movie, which can be played with or without the commentary track. The commentary track includes Tony Gilroy, co-writer Dan Gilroy, editor John Gilroy, the director of photography, second unit director, and production designer. In the commentary, they do not get into the controversy about Damon and Greengrass not returning and just stick to talking about the film. They give a lot of information about the filming and casting process, including revealing that Issac was up for the lead role, but they felt he was not established enough at that point in his career. The rest of the special features are on the regular Blu-Ray disc. Those include deleted scenes and just under an hour of behind-the-scenes material. The A/V quality of the film in UHD is outstanding. Like the other Bourne movies, this one is upscaled from 2k, but the upscaling is better than the prior films received, so it is a bigger jump in video quality from 1080p. And the audio track is terrific, especially if you have a good surround sound system. 

Legacy is a good movie that gets panned/shit on much more than it should. It definitely uses elements similar to those of other films, such as multiple chases and fight scenes. So, it has a similar feel to the other movies (which is intentional), but it does tell its own story and is not a carbon copy of the Bourne Trilogy. The story in this film flows nicely from the Bourne movies and has the potential to be further tied into that universe, leaving open the possibility of a team-up between Cross and Bourne. Given how much time has passed since this movie was made and that Cross did not appear in the film in which Damon returned to the franchise (not to mention Renner's accident that may not allow him to do a movie this physical again), that is becoming more and more unlikely. Ultimately, it is a much better film than it gets credit for being. On its own, it is a good action-thriller, but it also makes sense within the Bourne universe. It is absolutely worth watching.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Better Call Saul: Season 4

 

The 10-episode fourth season of Better Call Saul aired during the summer and fall of 2018. Most of the series regulars returned for the fourth season, except Michael McKean, whose character, Chuck, was killed at the end of season three. Although, McKean would make a couple of guest appearances during flashbacks. This season, the notable addition to the cast is Tony Dalton, who plays Lalo Salamanca (who, along with Nacho, was first referenced in Breaking Bad when Walt and Jesse kidnap Saul). Dalton is fantastic as Lalo, playing him as almost a combination of Hector and Gus, disguising his true intentions under a charming and almost chipper demeanor. This season has two main storylines that are kept separate. The first is Jimmy's continued transition to Saul as he deals with losing his brother and his suspension from the practice of law while his relationship with Kim becomes increasingly strained. The second is Gus' move to take over the drug business after Hector's stroke, including the start of construction on the Superlab that we see in Breaking Bad. Wrapped up in that storyline is Mike's transition to Gus' fixer, which is somewhat similar to Jimmy's transition to Saul. At the end of the season, Jimmy embraces being Saul Goodman (although he is not quite the character he is when we first see him in Breaking Bad), while Mike does not go all in on working for Gus. We also get another glimpse into just how ruthless Gus can be and how he is not afraid to get his hands dirty, when necessary.

The Blu-Ray set is a three-disc set with a nice collection of extras. Each episode has a commentary track led by Peter Gould and usually includes the writer and director of the particular episode and sometimes a cast member or two. Vince Gilligan does not participate in the episode commentary tracks this season, although he is interviewed in the behind-the-scenes material. The other extras, spread across the three discs, include a gag reel, several behind-the-scenes featurettes, and a series of training videos for Madrigal Electromotive "taught" by Jonathan Banks in character as Mike. They include animations with Breaking Bad easter eggs, similar to the training videos for Los Pollos Hermanos included in the season three set. To access the commentaries and deleted scenes, you must access the individual episode pages under the "episode selection" link on the main menu. The rest are accessed under the "special features" link. Most of the behind-the-scenes material is on disc 3, but are linked at the top of the special features menu (so it seems like all the special features are on disc three). However, the training videos and a short film are on disc 1 even though they are at the bottom of the special features menu. 

Ultimately, the series continues to be extremely well-written and acted. The writers continue to move the storylines closer to Breaking Bad while using flashbacks to flesh out the storylines. And in the first episode of the season, we see the aftermath of "Gene's" collapse at work (which occurred in the first episode of season three) and subsequent hospital visit. If you liked the first three seasons of the show, this season is absolutely worth watching.

Product Review: The HomeFlow Co.’s Milk Frother

 

This is a pretty standard frother. It comes with a whisk/frothing attachment and a paddle attachment. I mostly use the paddle to mix hot chocolate. It is also good for whisking eggs when making scrambled eggs or lighter mixing jobs. I do not make coffee drinks so I cannot say how it does for that, but I imagine it works as well as any frother for those. It takes 2 AA batteries. The battery compartment is a bit of a pain to access, but otherwise, it works as it should. So, if you are looking for an inexpensive mixing tool this is a good option.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 43

 Day 43 was the Lift 4 legs workout. This is a 50/50 workout, but only doing each of the HIIT moves for 30 seconds as opposed to the 60, 45, and 30 split for the HIIT moves during the build phase. The workout was challenging but good. I still used the same weight for each exercise as I have been. I think in week eight, I will try bumping at least some of the exercises up by either 2.5 or 5 lbs.

Book Set Review: Frank Herbert's Dune Saga 3-Book Deluxe Hardcover Boxed Set

 

This is a newly printed (in 2023) hardcover set of the original Dune Trilogy written by Frank Herbert (1965's Dune, 1969's Dune Messiah, and 1976's Children of Dune). The trilogy details the rise and fall of Paul Atreides. The first and longest of the three books, Dune, is the most well-known part of the story as it has been adapted into live-action movies. The stories in the other two books tell Paul's story after he obtained control of Arrakis (Dune). The books include new artwork and are packaged in a decorative outer box. The first book is the best of the three. If you read it first, it can be a bit hard to follow. If you read the vast collection of prequel novels written by Kevin J. Anderson and Frank's son, Brian, you get the backstory alluded to in Dune, which helps to make sense of and give context to the events in Dune. The story gets much weirder in Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. The storylines of those books are not bad; they just get more challenging to follow, especially since time jumps set the events of those books many years after the events in Dune. While the books will not likely appeal to everyone, they are classics in the sci-fi genre and are absolutely worth reading for fans of sci-fi and fantasy books. 

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 42

Day 42 is the start of week 7 in Lift-4 in which the exercise combinations are changed. I did the 645 cardio routine in the morning and Lift 4's chest and back workout in the evening. Chest and back this week is a circuit workout. You do three regular blocks doing the same chest and back moves as in the prior weeks, and then you do a three-set burnout block with regular push-ups, back extensions, and wide push-ups. It is a rough workout that kills you by the time you are done with the burnout.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 41

On Day 41, I again just did the 645 cardio routine in the evening. It was late enough that I did not bother doing either of the Lift 4 recovery workouts. 

Product Review: VASAGLE EKHO Collection - Storage Ottoman Bench

 

This is a storage ottoman/bench. It is not really a great ottoman unless you are going to use it at the end of a bed because, with the legs on, it sits higher than most couches, so it would be uncomfortable to use it as a footrest. It is, however, perfect for a front entryway or mudroom. It is slim (just over 47 inches wide) and is not as deep as some storage benches (just under 16 inches deep). However, it has enough room to store off-season coats, hats, and gloves (for those who live in climates that necessitate different spring/fall/summer and winter outerwear). 

The only required assembly is putting the legs on, which is more difficult than it needs to be. Instead of putting a threaded end on the end of the legs so you can screw them directly into the base, three small screws attach the legs to the base. The screws can be a bit hard to line up with the screw holes unless two people are working together, one person holding the legs in place and another person turning the screws. Once the legs are on, the bench is high enough off the ground that you can vacuum under it, whether using a regular or robotic vacuum. It is also very sturdy as a bench. Two adults can easily sit on it without an issue. Ultimately, it is a good storage option, especially if you have limited storage in a mudroom or front entryway. 

4k-UHD/Movie Review: The Bourne Ultimatum

 

The Bourne Ultimatum is a 2007 action-thriller. It is the third entry in the Bourne Trilogy, including 2002's The Bourne Identity and 2004's The Bourne Supremacy. It stars Matt Damon, Julia Stiles (reprising their roles from the first two movies), and Joan Allen (her role from the second movie). The new cast members of the franchise include David Strathairn, Scott Glenn, Paddy Considine, and Albert Finney. Paul Greengrass returns to direct the movie, and Tony Gilroy again wrote the screenplay.

In the film, we find out that there is a six-week gap between when Bourne leaves Moscow and when he calls Pamela Landy at the end of The Bourne Supremacy when she tells him that his real name is David Webb. Most of this movie fills in that six-week gap and gives more context to the call between Bourne and Landy. We also get Bourne's entire backstory and discover how he was brought into Treadstone. The film also reveals that Treadstone was a small part of a more extensive operation within the CIA. Julia Stiles finally has a larger role in this movie than she did in either of the first two films, and we get a couple of new antagonists.

The 4K set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a regular Blu-Ray disc. The A/V quality of the UHD disc is good. The audio is outstanding, but the video is again upscaled from 2k, so it is not a huge leap in quality over 1080p. The UHD disc contains the movie, which can be played with the director's commentary track. The rest of the bonus material, including deleted scenes, a spy training guide, and about 45 minutes of behind-the-scenes material. You can also watch the movie in a U-control mode that integrates behind-the-scenes material while the movie plays. Ultimately, the movie is good and caps off the trilogy well. It is well-written and acted. Like the prior movies, you must suspend your disbelief and not try to think too hard about how Bourne survives the things he does, but if you can do that, it is enjoyable. If you liked the first two movies, this is absolutely worth watching.

Workout Update: 645 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 40

On Day 40, I did the 645 cardio routine in the evening. I was very active during the day, so I got a lot of steps and almost a second workout in. 

Product Review: Pet Dog Safety Collar Clips

 

This is a pair of collar clips that can be used to attach a dog harness to a collar. There is a shorter one (6.8 inches) and a longer one (7.8 inches). My mom's dog can slip out of every harness she has tried to put on him, and this ensures that if he does, the collar is still attached to the leash so he cannot run free. The clips are well-made, very sturdy, and easy to attach to the collar and harness. I am not sure there is any safety aspect beyond that, but they work well for that purpose. 

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 39

Day 39 was 645 cardio in the morning and Lift 4 shoulders (an interval workout this week) in the evening. Even though this is "easier" in the lifting portion than the circuit workout, I was having to drop the amount of weight I used for the various raises in the second and third sets. The HIIT exercises were challenging but doable (especially since there were no catchers, mountain climbers, or triple bears).  

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 38

Day 38 was the rest day in Lift 4, so I did the 645 Cardio routine, followed by the Lift 4 stretch routine. Both of them went fine, but I have definitely still been slacking on my flexibility work.  

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Better Call Saul: Season 3

 

The ten-episode third season of Better Call Saul aired in the spring and summer of 2017. All the primary cast members returned for season 3, including Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, Patrick Fabian, Jonathan Banks, Michael Mando, and Michael McKean. The show also continues to bring back characters from Breaking Bad as the series gets closer to the events of the parent series. Of course, in season 2, the big addition to the cast from Breaking Bad was Mark Margolis, reprising his role as Hector Salamanca. This season, as was hinted at through multiple Easter eggs, Giancarlo Esposito reprises his role as Gus Fring. Laura Fraser, Lavelle Crawford, and Steven Bauer also reprise their Breaking Bad roles. The show picks up shortly after the events that ended season 2, with Chuck making the tape of Jimmy confessing to altering the Sandpiper documents. One of the main themes this season is Jimmy versus Chuck, and we see what ultimately pushes Jimmy to transform into Saul. In fact, we discover the origin of the Saul Goodman name this season, although Jimmy does not use it constantly yet. The other big storyline of the season is the feud between Gus and Hector and how the various criminals around the two get pulled into it. We also see what led to Mike working for Gus. 

The Blu-Ray set is a three-disc set. Like the season one and two blu-ray releases, this season has a lot of bonus content, including commentary tracks on every episode, several behind-the-scenes featurettes, and a conversation between Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, and Jonathan Banks discussing their characters and the show in general. There is also a gag reel and a series of short "Los Pollos Hermanos" training videos where Gus discusses the employment policies for the restaurant, which include some rather hilarious animations. The show continues to be very good. It is well-written and extremely well-acted. The writers do a great job telling a story different from Breaking Bad but will ultimately set up the characters as we see them in Breaking Bad. This season also includes the first major death on the show. Of course, people who have watched Breaking Bad already know who cannot be killed in the series, but the writers still manage to keep the series suspenseful. They also do a great job of continuing to develop the characters, especially those (like Jimmy) who are not yet in the place where they will be a few years later. I would say that Gus is the most like his Breaking Bad character this season, while characters like Jimmy and Mike are still evolving. Ultimately, if you liked the first two seasons of Better Call Saul and liked Breaking Bad, this season is absolutely worth watching. 

Product Review: Ginsco 2 Pack Mini Car Trash Can

 

This is a two-pack of small trash cans for a vehicle. They are a perfect size for things like facial tissue or gum wrappers. They are not, however, big enough to hold larger items like cans or bottles (even small water bottles are way too big to fit in these) or fast food cups/containers. They come with 8 rolls of bags, which are about the size of dog poop bags, to line the cans. The lids flip open to allow you to insert and remove the bags. The top of the lid is spring-loaded loaded, so you just push it down to put garbage in it. 

Depending on the layout of your center console, one or both may fit in that. If not, they come with clips that you can use to mount them to the pockets on the doors or the back seats. The only frustrating thing about the clips is that you cannot open them wider to get them onto things more easily. If you are mounting them on a fabric pocket, they can be a bit of a pain, but they are easy to mount on a more rigid material, like plastic. They could be a little larger and come with better clips. Otherwise, they work as intended.

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 37

On Day 37, I did the 645 cardio routine in the morning and Lift 4's back and biceps workout in the evening. The Lift 4 workout was a 50/50 workout. The exercises chosen for the lifting portion were not bad, but the HIIT portion was brutal. Joel deviates from having the "easiest" exercise as the 1-minute exercise, so you start with catchers' jumps, then you do 45 seconds of wide mountain climbers and finish with 30 seconds of 180 jump squats. So, I was pretty gassed by the time it got to the core portion of the workout.

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 36

Day 36 was the start of week 6 in Lift 4, which was the chest and triceps workout. Of course, I did the 645 cardio routine in the morning and then the Lift 4 workout in the evening. The chest and triceps workout this week is a circuit workout. Like the other circuit workouts in Lift 4, there is no rest between the four exercises and minimal rest between blocks and the sets within the blocks. So, the workout goes quickly, but it is very challenging. I was definitely struggling with the push-ups during the burnout block, but thankfully the core component did not have plank-based exercises. 

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 35

On Day 35, I again just did the 645 cardio routine in the afternoon/early evening. I was active somewhat during the day as well, so I was able to get a bit more activity in than just the quick workout. 

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 34

Day 34 was just the 645 cardio workout in the afternoon. Like last week I did not do the recovery routines since the day got away from me a bit before I had time to workout.

Workout Update: 654 Cardio/Lift 4 Hybrid: Day 33

Day 33 was 645 Cardio and Lift 4 Legs. The Lift 4 workout this week is a 50/50 workout, and it was very challenging (even when using the same amount of weight as I used two weeks ago). The HIIT portion of the workout is one of the harder ones, so you should definitely be wiped out by the end of the workout.