Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: The Good Place: Complete Series

 

The Good Place was a comedy series that aired over four seasons on NBC from 2016 to 2020. The primary cast included Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil, D'Arcy Carden, Manny Jacinto, and Ted Danson. The supporting cast included many recognizable actors, including Tiya Sircar, Adam Scott, Marc Evan Jackson, Jason Mantzoukas, and Maya Rudolph. The show was created by Michael Schur, who was a writer on The Office (and also played Dwight's cousin Mose), as well as an executive producer of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation. While this show is totally different from either of those, you do get some cameo appearances by some of the actors from those shows, as well as some SNL alums. The series was relatively short, with 13 episodes per season, and just 4 seasons. 

It was a show about the afterlife that managed to avoid discussing religion or its implications. The premise is that during your time on Earth, you earn or lose points through your actions and that depending on your point total at death you end up in The Good Place, or The Bad Place. Bell stars as Eleanor Shellstrop, a person who was essentially a horrible human being and ended up in The Good Place due to a clerical error. Ted Danson plays Michael, the architect of the neighborhood that Elanor lives in during the afterlife. D'Arcy Carden plays the afterlife version of Alexa or Siri, named Janet. William Jackson Harper plays Chidi, a recently deceased professor of ethics and moral philosophy. Jameela Jamil plays Tahani, a rich British socialite. Manny Jacinto plays Jianyu, a monk who has taken a vow of silence. There are a lot of twists and turns throughout the course of the series, and not everything, and everyone, is as they seem. I will not go into too much detail to keep from spoiling anything, but the show (and the characters) go through a ton of change and development over the course of the series. However, the main themes narrow down to what it means to be family, what it means to be friends, and what it means to be a soulmate. The show also explores what makes a good person good and a bad person bad, and whether a person can improve themselves to become better. And of course, a take on what happens after we die. It is primarily a serial comedy, where events in each episode build upon those in previous episodes, but it also includes some drama, especially in the final season. The series finale was one of the best I have seen for any show. The writers found a way to perfectly end the series and give a great send-off to all the characters. The finale was the one episode of the series with almost no comedy. It was really an hour-long, very sad goodbye to both the fans of the show and the characters and actors who played them.

The Blu-Ray set is a nine-disc set stored in a large keep case that can be stored in a slip cover. The set contains two discs per season, each featuring only the episodes, and a ninth disc with bonus material. The extras were carried over from the individual season DVD releases and include gag reels, special effects reels, a 50-minute long portion of the 2019 Comic-Con panel, and the after-show that ran on NBC after the series finale. Apparently, the extended episodes that are included here are not the same as those that can be streamed on the NBC website or that were included in the UK Blu-Ray releases, nor were there the episodes (which sound like web shorts) that bridged seasons three and four. So, while what was included was good, it is not complete. In the US, the show is only available on Blu-ray as a complete series set; individual season sets are only available on DVD.

The series itself was fantastic. The show was well served by having a shorter run of episodes per season, and it ended before it got stale and repetitive. The acting and writing were top-notch. It was very cleverly written, and the writers did a good job making a series about the afterlife that managed to steer clear of any real discussion of religion and never endorsed or took shots at any particular religion. I think a special shout-out has to go out to D'Arcy Carden, who not only had to play different versions of her own character but, in one season-three episode, had to play most of the other characters on the show as well. I would describe the show as PG-13 plus, as there were definitely sex and drug references, although the show did cleverly find a way to get around swearing. Although, the gag reels had a ton of swearing in them. While I cannot guarantee that everyone will love the show, if you are looking for a good comedy to check out, this one is definitely worth it. And, while getting this Blu-Ray set does require a lot of people to double-dip who likely bought the individual season sets on DVD for seasons 1-3, and the extras are not as good as they should have been, I believe it is still worth picking up on Blu-Ray.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 28

Day 28 was the flexibility and mobility routine from 25-Minute Speed Train. I again feel like I made slight progress from last week. While I am still tight in all the same muscles, I do feel that my range of motion is getting better, little by little.  

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 27

Day 27 was the roll and recover foam rolling routine. This week, I just used the regular foam roller. I may switch to the rumble roller next week, depending on how I feel. I either didn't have as many knots in my muscles, or I wasn't feeling it as much with the regular foam roller. Or, it may have been a bit of both.

CD/Music Review: Christina Aguilera: Bionic

 

Bionic, released in 2010, is the sixth studio album from Christina Aguilera. The album features 18 tracks in total, some of which are brief "intro" tracks lasting under a minute. Like her prior albums, especially Stripped and Back to Basics, it mixes genres. The first half of the album includes upbeat club/dance songs that employ an electronica sound, and the second half has the ballads (which tend to be Aguilera's better songs). As has been the case since Aguilera started taking more control of her music and sound, this album features songs with more adult-oriented themes, particularly those related to sex and feminism.  For example, the song Woohoo is about oral sex, and Desnudate is Spanish for "get naked." The album also features songs about marriage and motherhood. The biggest hit from the album is the song "Not Myself Tonight," which peaked at number 23 on the US Top 100 chart.

The CD liner contains pictures of Aguilera (mostly scantily clad or nude), lyrics, production notes, and a thank-you note on the final page. While the album was not as big a hit as some of her prior albums and did not have as many hit singles, it is still good, especially the second half, which features more of the ballads. The easy comparison to make for the sound and feel of this album is to Madonna's Erotica and Janet Jackson's Janet albums. While I don't think this album is as good as those two, it shares some parallels with them. It is definitely not an album that is kid-friendly, like her first couple of albums, which were more bubblegum pop albums. While some of the songs are okay for younger kids to listen to, along with the sexual content of some songs, she does drop a couple of f-bombs that are not edited out. Ultimately, if you are a fan of Aguilera, this one is worth listening to, and many of the tracks are worthy of inclusion in a playlist.   

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 26

Day 26 was the week 4 legs workout, which is a HIIT-only workout. The four exercises that you do for three blocks are Soccer Runs/Sprints for 60 seconds, Triple Bear for 45 seconds, Sumo Jumps for 30 seconds, and jump lunges for 15 seconds. The amount of rest between exercises decreases as you progress, from 20 seconds between the first and second exercises to 15 seconds between the second and third exercises, and then to 10 seconds between the third and fourth exercises. Then, you get a 30-second rest between blocks. Then, you do two burnout blocks in which you do each exercise for 30 seconds with no rest between them, and finish with core and stretching. The workout was tough, but the only exercise I had to modify significantly was Triple Bear. I could do the hops for about 10 seconds in the first block, but then had to hold the bear position in the rest of them. And, in the burnout rounds, I also had to modify the jump lunges. Otherwise, however, I could do them all unmodified, so I am progressing.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 25

Day 25 was shoulders, which was an interval workout. So, in each block, you do two weighted exercises followed by a 30-second HIIT exercise. I was able to use the increased weight from last week on all the weighted exercises and did not have to drop set. And, I was able to do almost all of the HIIT without modifying. I did have to modify the last 10 seconds of each set of squat jumps, but otherwise I did the HIIT unmodified. And, of course, the workout ends with core and stretching. 

Book Review: The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe

 

The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe is a biography of Marilyn Monroe by celebrity biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli. It was first published in 2009 and details the significant events in Marilyn's life, from her childhood to her death in 1962. He details her chaotic childhood in which she was moved from place to place when her mother was institutionalized (the best guess is that it was due to paranoid schizophrenia), her transformation from Norma Jeane Mortenson to Marilyn Monroe, and her struggles with mental illness and the effect it had on her career and personal life. 

The large print hardcover version of the book is very lengthy, comprising approximately 900 pages of substantive text and several pages of appendices, in which Taraborrelli discusses the research for the book, including interviews he conducted with multiple people in or adjacent to Marilyn's life, and breaks down her filmography. The book is about 950 pages in all. The only thing that this version of the book does not include, which knocks it down a star for me, is the pictures that the "regular" edition had. Given that the book is out of print, it can be difficult to find at a reasonable price, and the large print edition was the only one available when I purchased it that was reasonably priced in hardcover. Otherwise, the substance of the book is great. 

The book is organized into topical chapters corresponding to time frames in Marilyn's life with subtopics within each chapter. There are topics that Taraborrelli does not broach or even address, such as the rumors that Marilyn had been sexually assaulted as a young girl. He did indicate that it was challenging to separate fact from fiction when it came to Marilyn because she would make things up about herself and her childhood as an adult, so he only included what he could prove or, in some cases, disprove (or at least dispute). The biggest being that while Marilyn did spend a weekend with JFK, and almost certainly had sex with him, it was not an ongoing affair, and those who knew her and knew RFK indicated they did not believe that she and RFK were ever romantically involved. He does talk about her drug use, her high-profile failed marriages, and her attempt to take more control of her career, and get out of playing ditzy gold-digger and/or sexpot roles. He also addresses the circumstances of her death and why he believes she committed suicide, and was not killed, including events that happened in the weeks leading up to her death that showed she was not mentally or physically healthy. Ultimately, it is one of the best-researched and written biographies on Marilyn Monroe and is absolutely worth reading.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 24

Day 24 was the mid-week off day, so I did the stretching routine. It went well. I think I am slowly progressing in the amount of flexibility I have in my hamstrings, which is a good sign. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 23

Day 23 was the back and biceps workout for week 4, which was a 50/50 workout. I was able to maintain using the heavier weight that I used in week 3 for all of the exercises, and increased the amount of weight that I used on full curls from last week. Since last week was a circuit format, by the time I got to full curls at the end of the workout I was spent. But this week, since there are fewer lifting exercises and you do get a little rest between the shorter blocks, I could use more weight. The HIIT portion was tough, but I was able to do some of the exercises unmodified for longer.  

4k-UHD/Movie Review: Dark City (Limited Edition)

 

Dark City is a 1998 film starring Rufus Sewell, Jennifer Connelly, Kiefer Sutherland, William Hurt, Ian Richardson, and Richard O'Brien. It also features Colin Friels and Melissa George in supporting roles. It was directed by Proyas and written by Proyas, Lem Dobbs, and David S. Goyer. The movie was actually filmed in 1996, but got stuck in post-production and underwent extensive reshoots before it was finally released. The film is difficult to describe without giving too much away, but the basic plotline revolves around a man named John Murdoch (Sewell), who wakes up in a hotel bathtub with no memory of who he is or why he is there. After receiving a call from a doctor (Sutherland) telling him that someone is coming for him and to get out of the hotel now, he tries to piece his life together and while evading the police inspector (played by Hurt) trying to arrest him, reconnect with a wife he does not remember (Connelly), avoid a weird group of people called "The Strangers" who are after him, and trying to figure out what is going on in a strange city where the sun never comes up. 

The 4k set is a two-disc set released by Arrow Films in 2025, containing two UHD discs: one with the theatrical version of the film and one with the director's cut. The significant difference between the two is that the director's cut eliminates the voice-over that opens the theatrical version and reveals a substantial portion of the plot upfront. It also includes some deleted and extended scenes that add about 10 minutes to the runtime of the theatrical version. Each disc features bonus content, including multiple commentary tracks (five on the director's cut disc and two on the theatrical version disc), behind-the-scenes and making-of material, and the trailer. Most of the bonus content is archival material from the 2008 release, but a couple of commentary tracks and featurettes are new for this 2025 release. For example, the director's cut features a 2008 commentary track by Proyas and a 2025 commentary track. Each is very different. In the 2008 commentary, Proyas primarily focuses on describing the current scene, whereas his 2025 track is more of a retrospective on the movie, including the casting and filming process. In the 2025 commentary, he does not always discuss what is happening in the currently playing scene. The discs are held in a keep case that also includes a postcard from Shell Beach, Dr. Schreber's business card, a couple of art cards, and a poster. It also has a 60-page booklet with facts and commentary about the film. The keep case and booklet are held in a decorative outer box. The bonus material on the discs is very good. It would have been nice if Connelly and Sutherland had been included in the updated content (although one of the new bonus features does include Sewell).

The movie is difficult to categorize, as it blends genres. It combines horror, action, sci-fi, dystopian nightmare, and film noir elements. It is often compared to The Matrix, which was released a year after this one and overshadowed it. While there are definitely many similarities to The Matrix, this film tells a much different story. It is well-written and acted, and the story has some twists in it that are not predictable. It is not perfect, as it was a much lower-budget film than The Matrix, and Proyas had to make concessions with the story to get the movie made, which kept it from being exactly what he wanted. Ultimately, it is a very good and very underrated film that got lost in the shuffle after The Matrix became a huge hit. It is absolutely worth watching. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 22

Day 22 was the chest and triceps workout for week 4. This week, it is a circuit workout. I was able to start with the heavier weights that I used last week, but I did have to drop set some of the exercises in block 2 (in the second and third sets) to finish. It is a tough workout, especially once you get to the burnout block where you alternate wide push-ups and triceps push-ups. Everyone in the cast was doing push-ups on their knees at some point. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 21

On day 21, I again did the flexibility and mobility 1 routine from 25-Minute Speed Train. I again feel that my flexibility is improving, as is my balance, but neither is yet where I want them to be. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 20

Day 20 was the second rest day of the week, and since it was post-leg day, I did the foam rolling routine. The twist is, I did it using the rumble roller for the first time in a long time. Needless to say, that was tough. I definitely could not go for as long as I could with the regular foam roller, but the rumble roller definitely worked a bunch of knots out of my muscles. 

DVD/TV Series Review: The Good Place: Season 4

 

The 13-episode fourth and final season of The Good Place aired during the 2019/2020 TV season. All of the main cast members return for the final season, as do several of the major recurring cast members, including Marc Evan Jackson, Jason Mantzoukas, Maribeth Monroe, Tiya Sircar, Adam Scott, and Mya Rudolph. The guest stars this season included Timothy Olyphant and Nick Offerman playing themselves, Lisa Kudrow, and Mary Steenburgen (Ted Danson's real-life wife). The main plot of the fourth season revolves around the group attempting to prove that the point system, which determines whether someone ends up in The Good Place or The Bad Place, is fundamentally flawed. They are allowed to test their hypothesis through a series of experiments and, as has been the case in prior seasons, things do not always go as expected. 

The DVD set is a two-disc set. The bonus features include a gag reel and extended episodes. The season puts a very nice bow on the series. While it does stick to the comedy that worked for the first three seasons (and there are many laugh-out-loud moments), this season includes a lot more emotional drama, especially in the final episode. The series finale was an absolutely perfect ending to the show and was one of the best final episodes of any series I have watched. Because the show is essentially one long serial arc, you need to watch the prior seasons to fully follow what is happening in this one and get the most out of the experience. Ultimately, if you enjoyed the first three seasons, this is definitely worth watching. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 19

Day 19 was Legs, which is a 50/50 workout this week. I was able to increase the amount of weight I was using on all the weighted exercises. I was able to do unmodified versions of the HIIT exercises longer than I had in the past, but because I had increased the weight in the lifting portion, I did have to modify somewhat in the cardio portion, especially in the second and third blocks. And, of course, the workout ends with core and stretching. Overall, it was a good, but tough, workout. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Cheers: The Complete Series

 

Cheers was the long-running sitcom that aired for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993, starring Ted Danson, Rhea Perlman, George Wendt, John Ratzenberger, Shelly Long, Nicholas Colasanto, Woody Harrelson, Bebe Neuwirth, Kirstie Alley, and Kelsey Grammer. Long left the series after five seasons (in the classic 'trying to move on to greener pastures' move that did not work out as planned), save for a guest-starring role in the series finale. Alley joined the series in the sixth season to essentially replace Long's character. Grammer joined the series as a recurring character in season two and was promoted to a series regular in season five. Harrelson joined the cast in season four after the death of Nicholas Colasanto toward the end of season three. Ratzenberger appeared in every season and most episodes, but was not promoted to a series regular until the second season. Neuwirth joined the series in season four, making a couple of guest appearances, then was a recurring character in seasons five through nine and a main character for the final two seasons (although her role in the final season was significantly scaled back). 

The series also featured many recognizable actors in guest and recurring roles, including Dan Hedaya, Jean Kasem, Fred Dryer, Jay Thomas, Roger Rees, Tom Skerritt, Frances Sternhagen, John Cleese, Emma Thompson, Leah Remi, Tom Berenger, Kate Mulgrew, Christopher Lloyd, Marcia Cross, and Harry Anderson. Many celebrities and politicians also made cameo appearances in the series, including Harry Connick Jr., Bobby Hatfield, Bill Medley, Wade Boggs, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Alex Trebek, Arsenio Hall, Dick Cavett, Robber Urich, Johnny Carson, Gary Hart, Tip O'Neil, John Kerry, and Michael Dukakis.

In the series, Danson played Sam Malone, a skirt-chasing ex-major league pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and recovering alcoholic. Depending on the season, he either owned or was an employee of the Boston bar, Cheers. The series was primarily a story-of-the-week procedural about the goings-on at the bar, the lives of the employees and patrons, and so on. It did, however, include serial storylines and occasionally referred back to prior episodes or had running jokes throughout the series (such as the Bar Wars episodes). During the first five seasons, the prominent serial storyline involved the relationship between Sam and know-it-all waitress Diane Chambers (played by Long). They had one of the original toxic love-hate relationships (at least from the 1980s onward), and the writers constantly teased the tension between them. After Long left, Alley came in to play Rebecca Howe, the manager of the bar, who initially despises, but then eventually warms up to Sam. Perlman plays a snarky waitress named Carla who hates (or is at least annoyed by everyone, and Ratzenberger and Wendt play regulars who seem to almost live at the bar (which becomes a running joke throughout the series). Grammer plays Frasier Crane, who is initially brought in as a rival for Sam and a love interest for Diane, who eventually becomes a regular patron, and Neuwirth (who steals nearly every scene she is in) is brought in as a love interest for Frasier.

The blu-ray set is a 33-disc set. Each season is packaged in its own keep case consisting of three discs, and then the keep cases are packaged in a decorative outer box. As of this writing, the seasons are not available individually on blu-ray, just as a part of this set. The A/V quality of the set is excellent, especially for an older TV series. The HD transfer, although not always perfect, is extremely good, and the difference in quality is noticeable when watching the bonus features, which are in standard definition. The only weakness in the set is the bonus features. All the bonus content from the previously released DVDs is included with this set. Most of the bonus content is located on the discs for seasons 1-3 and features cast interviews, behind-the-scenes material, a trivia game, and featurettes on specific characters. The discs for Season 11 include episode promos for each episode, which would play at the end of the prior week's episode as a "next time on Cheers" promo. What the set does not include, however, are things like the Super Bowl promo or the 30th anniversary reunion special.

Some parts of the show and the writing are very dated. There were some jokes (especially in the early seasons) that would never make it to air today. Other aspects of the show are remarkably timeless. Some cringeworthy moments have not aged well, but there are many laugh-out-loud moments to be found. The writers did a good job of balancing the storylines for the large ensemble cast, and every main character received at least one episode per season centered on them. In a prophetic twist, the writers inserted several jokes about the (unfortunately, the 45th and 47th) president, essentially mocking him as a joke. Alley's character (who was portrayed as a loser) was always saying how she wanted to marry him. In the final season, Fraiser was horrified when he helped get Woody elected to the Boston City Council because of how stupid and unqualified Woody was. Of course, both Alley and Grammer would go on to become t***p supporters. Ultimately, it is an iconic series that, whether you have never seen it before, were very young when it originally aired, or have seen every episode, is worth watching and adding to a physical media collection. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 18

Day 18 was the shoulders interval workout. I was able to increase the amount of weight I used for each exercise by 2.5 lbs, and felt that I had a pretty significant strength increase because none of the exercises were as hard as I expected them to be with the jump up in weight, given that my shoulders tend to be my weak point. I also did not have to modify any of the HIIT exercises in this workout, but I was definitely going slower than the cast members. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 17

Day 17 was the mid-week off day, so I just did the stretching workout. No big changes in my flexibility to report from this one. 

4k-UHD/Movie Review: Ocean's 8

 

Ocean's 8 is a 2018 film starring Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Sarah Paulson, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter, Awkwafina, and Mindy Kaling. It  is partly a continuation and partly a reboot of the modern-day Ocean's movie franchise. The storyline centers on the character of Debbie Ocean (played by Sandra Bullock), the sister of Danny Ocean (George Clooney's character from Ocean's 11, 12, and 13). At the beginning of the film, she is being released from prison, much as he was in Ocean's 11. Of course, upon her release from prison, she ends up planning a heist. Specifically, the robbery of a 150-million-dollar necklace during the Met Gala. She heads an all-female crew, including Cate Blanchett (whose character mirrors Brad Pitt's character), Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna, and Awkwafina. Anne Hathaway plays the actress whose neck the necklace needs to be removed from. James Corden also has a pretty hilarious supporting role.

I will not give away too much of the plot for those who have not seen it. It does have a similar feel to the other movies, especially how the details of the heist are laid out at the end. While Soderberg did not direct the film, he was a producer on it. So, while the style of the movie differed somewhat from the prior films, it retained some of the overall feel. There are a couple of cameos from the Ocean's 11 cast. If more movies are made, it definitely leaves room for other original cast members to appear, but the story was written in such a way that this could be the final film in the franchise.

The 4k set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a standard blu-ray disc. The A/V quality of the 4k disc is outstanding, and the movie looks and sounds great in the UHD format. Like most, the UHD disc has only the movie itself, and then the bonus features are on the regular blu-ray. The extras include a few minutes of deleted scenes, then a few behind-the-scenes and making-of featurettes. Probably about 40 minutes of material. Good for what is there, but not a ton (especially compared to the Ocean's trilogy blu-ray set).

I cannot say that everyone will like this. Given that it is rebooting a popular movie franchise (which itself was a reboot), there are going to be people who hate it because it does not feature the original cast or because it is ripping off the original story. Personally, I think it was well done and paid homage nicely to the prior movies without being a carbon copy of what has come before. Like the previous films, it requires some suspension of disbelief to buy into the story and everything that happens. Ultimately, it effectively updates the franchise and is worth watching.

CD/Music Review: Christina Aguilera: Back to Basics

 

Back to Basics, released in 2006, is a two-disc album by Christina Aguilera. It contains 22 tracks in all, 13 on the first disc and 9 on the second. It also has a bonus video track. It is her fifth studio album and was her first in three years, following 2002's Stripped. On it, Aguilera continued to assert more control over her music, acting as a producer on the album and co-writing all of the tracks, many of which with Linda Perry. 

Most of the songs on the album use samples from other songs. While the album is still a pop album, it is not all bubblegum kid-oriented pop. The songs have more mature, adult themes that reflect her being older and having gotten married. Like her prior albums, this mixes pop, R&B, hip-hop, and soul, and also incorporates swing and jazz elements. It has a mix of dance numbers and ballads that highlight Aguilera's vocal range. Only a few songs from the album were released as singles, of which the songs Ain't No Other Man and Candyman were the biggest hits. 

The CD liner features many pictures of Aguilera with the production notes and lyrics printed over them, and a thank-you note on the final page. Ultimately, the album is good, despite not having as many big hits as her prior albums. It has a good mix of songs, many of which are worthy of inclusion on a pop playlist. If you liked her prior albums, this is worth listening to.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 16

Day 16 was the back and biceps workout for week 3. This week, it is a circuit workout. So, you do three blocks, the first two consisting of four exercises that alternate back-biceps-back-biceps, back-to-back with no rest. Then, you have a burnout block in which you do back extensions and full biceps curls for 30 seconds. I did increase the amount of weight I used for each exercise (except the full biceps curls at the end, because my arms were shot at that point). I did have to drop set on a few of the exercises because the circuit format makes it much harder to maintain the heavier weight. Then, of course, the workout ends with three sets of core and a stretching cooldown.

Blu-Ray/Movie Collection Review: Die Hard 5-Movie Collection

 

This is the five-movie blu-ray set for the Die Hard movie franchise, including the original 1988 film Die Hard, and the four sequels: 1990's Die Hard 2, 1995's Die Hard With a Vengeance, 2007's Live Free or Die Hard, and 2013's A Good Day to Die Hard. There have been a few different iterations of the movies put out on blu-ray, including sets that just had 3, then 4 of the five total (at least to date) movies. I believe there have also been a couple of different versions of the five-movie set as well. Each film starred Bruce Willis as John McClane, an NYPD detective who is thrown into the middle of crazy situations. The supporting cast throughout the franchise included Alan Rickman, Reginald VelJohnson, Bonnie Bedelia, William Sadler, Franco Nero, John Amos, Dennis Franz, Jeremy Irons, Samuel L. Jackson, Justin Long, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Timothy Olyphant, Maggie Q., Kevin Smith, and Jai Courtney.

Chances are most people who are interested in getting the set are fans of the movies and have seen them all at least once. Pretty much everyone agrees that the first movie, put out in 1988 is iconic, not only because it saw Bruce Willis transition from a TV star to an action movie star, but also was a breakout performance for Alan Rickman (who is probably best known for his role as Snape in the Harry Potter franchise) as the great villain, Hans Gruber. The first film was a movie about a NY city cop who ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time in Los Angeles in a building taken over by terrorists. As the franchise went on, the movies took on a larger scale, required more suspension of disbelief, and, at least in my opinion, never really equaled the quality of the first movie.

The sequels were of varying quality. I think there are varying opinions on which is the best and which is the worst of the sequels, but I think everyone agrees that having the 4th movie release with a PG-13 rating for the theatrical version was a big mistake. In all of them, for various reasons, Willis' character is an imperfect hero who ends up in outrageous situations where he has to take down a bunch of bad guys. That part of the storyline never really deviates throughout the franchise, but they manage to pull it off by not having the movies be carbon copies of each other.

The A/V quality varies from film to film. Of course, the A/V quality of the later movies is better than that of the early films; however, each movie received at least a decent HD transfer. There are a lot of extras for each movie. The 4th and 5th movies have the most behind-the-scenes and making-of material, and all of them have deleted and/or extended scenes, at least one commentary track, and other extras (like a gag reel, trailers, and TV spots, etc,) vary from movie-to-movie.

Overall, the Die Hard franchise is meant to be fun, summer-action movies. They do not have award-winning acting and writing, even though there have been many good to great actors appearing (Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Irons, Timothy Olyphant, Alan Rickman, etc.). If you accept that, they are fun movies, and for people who are big fans of the franchise, you get a lot of extras to watch (more than the total running time of all the movies combined). For casual fans, this set may be a bit much, however, and you may just want to get the individual movie(s) you like. Ultimately, the first movie is a must-see for fans of Willis or action movies in general. The others may not appeal to everyone, but they are worth checking out, and this set is definitely worth picking up for fans of the franchise. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 15

Day 15 was the start of week 3, which meant the Chest and Back workout. This one was another 50/50 workout. It was similar in format to the Back and Biceps workout last week: in block 1, you do two chest exercises; in block 2, you do a chest exercise followed by a triceps exercise; and in block 3, you do two triceps exercises. I did have to drop set skull crushers (which are in block 3).  I did 1.5 sets at 17.5 lbs, but because you are also doing triceps push-ups in that block, I had to drop the skull crushers down to 12.5 lbs to keep going. Otherwise, however, I increased the amount of weight I used for each exercise by 2.5 lbs from what I was using the first two weeks. 

The HIIT portion was hard and not set up correctly at all. Joel claims in the 50/50 workouts that the moves get harder as the time gets shorter. That is complete bullshit in this workout. You start by doing 180 squat jumps for 60 seconds, then do soccer runs for 45 seconds, then do jump lunges for 30 seconds. It should have been soccer runs for 60 seconds, jump lunges for 45 seconds, and 180 squat jumps for 30 seconds. But I got through it, and only had to modify the 180 squat jumps. I did a few of them in the first set, but mostly did the modified version. But, I was able to do soccer runs and jump lunges unmodified in all three sets. So, I am improving. And, of course, the workout ends with three sets of core exercises, followed by a stretching cooldown. 

DVD/Movie Review: Sleepy Hollow

 

Sleepy Hollow is a 1999 horror film starring Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, and Christopher Walken. This version is an adaptation of the story written and directed by Tim Burton (post his departure from the Batman movies). Johnny Depp plays Ichabod Crane, and Christina Ricci plays Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter of the richest man in Sleepy Hollow, whose residents are being picked off by The Headless Horesman (played by Christopher Walken and Ray Park performing the stunts). The supporting cast includes Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Ian McDiramand, Christopher Lee (yes, Palpatine, Darth Maul, and Count Dooku in the same non-Star Wars movie), and Michael Gough (among others).

The DVD release had an okay video transfer. The extras included deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes material, and a commentary track by Tim Burton. Overall, a good amount of material for those who like bonus content.

The movie was excellent, with great acting and writing. It was an interesting choice to make Crane as eccentric as he was in the story, but not as goofy looking as he was written in the book (although Depp was willing to wear prosthetics). The love story between Depp and Ricci's characters was a bit creepy given their age difference, but there were no actual love/sex scenes between the two. The movie is very violent and gory (given the beheadings), so it is definitely not appropriate for young kids. Overall, however, it is a great adaptation of the story that is worth watching.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Cheers: Season 11

 

The 28-episode 11th and final season of Cheers aired during the 1992/1993 TV season. In it, the writers both continued to develop the various characters and incorporate new storylines, while also wrapping up existing storylines and bringing many cast members from prior seasons back. All of the primary cast members returned; however, Bebe Neuwirth's role as Lilith was reduced to a recurring role (she was included in the main credits in the episodes she appeared), with her last appearance being in the 17th episode. The guest cast this season included Eddie Jones, John Mahoney, and Peri Gilpin (who would both go on to play different characters in the spin-off series), Dana Delany, Pat Hingle, Peter MacNicol, Tom Berenger, and Spanky McFarland (from the Little Rascals TV Series). They also brought back Dan Hedaya, Jean Kasem, Leah Remi, Roger Rees, and Harry Anderson to reprise their recurring characters. And, of course, Shelly Long made her long-awaited return in the series finale. 

The blu-rays are again, as of this writing, only included in the complete series release and are not available individually. The blu-ray set is a three-disc set. The only bonus features are promos for each episode that play in standard definition. The episodes can also be played with English captions.

The final season wraps up the series very well. There are some very good storylines, such as the bar partially burning down, the group tearing apart the rebuilt bar to look for another one of Robin Colcord's money belts, Lilith cheating on Frasier and running away with a colleague to live in a bio-dome and Woody running for city council, much to Frasier's horror since he considers Woody totally unqualified to hold any political office (which is a bit ironic or at least humorous since Kelsey Grammer is a huge t***p supporter in real life and there is no bigger unqualified buffon in the history of politics than him). Rebecca finally finds love (kind of), Cliff gets promoted, and Norm finally gets a job (and finds out that Woody is not as much of a pushover as he seems). And, the final resolution to Sam and Diane's relationship, where they continue to try to one-up each other, and we learn why Diane did not return after six months as she promised. Ultimately, the writers do a good job of wrapping up the series and sending it out on a good note. While it wasn't a perfect season, if you liked the series up to this point, it is worth watching to see how it ends.