Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 14

Day 14 is another flexibility and mobility day in the 25 Minute Speed Train workout. This one has a good selection of stretches that, by the end of the 25 minutes, work your entire body, with a huge focus on hip, glute, hamstring, and lower-back mobility.  

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Cheers: Season 7

 

The 22-episode seventh season of Cheers aired during the 1988/1989 TV season. The beginning of the season was delayed by the 1988 writers' strike, which also resulted in a lower overall number of episodes. All of the main cast members returned as series regulars. Bebe Neuwirth was still a recurring cast member, but she had a larger role and more appearances this season, and continued to steal most of the scenes she appeared in. Jay Thomas also recurred this season as Carla's husband, Eddie, but only made a couple of appearances during the season. There are not as many notable guest stars this season, but the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, William Crowe, appeared in episode 17, and Marcia Cross (probably best known for her role on Desperate Housewives in the early 2000s) appeared in episode 21 playing Rebecca's sister, Susan.

The blu-ray set is a three-disc set. As of this writing, the individual seasons have only been released on DVD. The blu-ray set is only available as a complete series set. As with the previous few seasons, this one does not have any bonus content; however, the episodes can be played with English captions. The show continues to be funny, but some of the comedy is very dated. If it were made today, the character of Sam would probably be written much differently than he was back then, since he is basically a "lovable" pervert who sexually harasses every hot woman he meets. The writers do a good job of balancing the storylines for the large ensemble cast, giving each character at least one episode devoted to them. This season, both Cliff and Woody get love interests, Frasier and Lilith have a significant storyline, and Norm finally finds his calling career-wise. Ultimately, if you liked the prior seasons, you will probably like this one, as long as you are not easily offended by non-politically correct humor. 

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 13

Day 13 was the total-body workout for the week. It is a bit of a misnomer, since nearly every workout is a total-body workout, as you are always using your core in every routine. But this one does chest, back, arms, and legs (and some core). As Joel explains, the total-body workout is an endurance workout designed to exhaust your body at the end of the week. This accomplishes that. You do not do any of the tempo lifting that you do in the other workouts during the week. It is just time under tension, minute-long sets. There are four blocks in the workout, with each block containing two exercises, and each is a compound exercise that will work multiple body parts at once (e.g., biceps and shoulders). 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: The Big Bang Theory: Season 12

 

The 24-episode 12th and final season of The Big Bang Theory aired during the 2018/2019 TV season.  It does a good job tying up storylines for most of the characters in a way that gives a "life will go on" feel to it. The major storyline of the season revolves around Sheldon and Amy's research on Super-Asymmetry and the possibility of winning the Nobel Prize in physics. That leads to a few great appearances by Kal Penn and Sean Austin as rivals to Sheldon and Amy. Raj also gets a major love interest story, while the other characters receive mostly one-off story arcs.

The show continues to get a great slate of guest stars. There are some old favorites (Will Wheaton, Christine Baranski, Bob Newhart, etc.) and some new faces, like Kevin Smith and a great cameo by Sarah Michelle Gellar in the series finale. They also figured out a clever way to do a crossover with Young Sheldon via the magic of VHS.

The Blu-ray set is a two-disc set that is almost identical to the prior releases. The 24 episodes are spread out across the two discs, as are the extras.  This season, the bonus content includes a feature on the scholarship fund the show set up for STEM students in the UC system of colleges, a portion of the Comic-Con panel, and several behind-the-scenes features and retrospectives on the show's impact. Much more extras than you get from most shows DVDs or blu-ray releases these days.

By now, pretty much everyone knows what the show is and is not. If you are a fan of the show, then you will likely enjoy this season. If you hated it, then there is nothing about this season that is going to change your mind. The writers do a good job of continuing to develop the characters, even after 12 years, and manage to balance the large ensemble cast well. Yes, the show uses a laugh track as well as genuine reactions from a studio audience, which will turn some people off, but it is pretty standard sitcom fare. It was, after 12 years, definitely getting "long in the tooth" as a show, and I think it was a good time to end it, even though it could have likely gone on for as long as the main actors wanted to return. However, when Jim Parsons indicated, going into the 12th season, that this one would be his last on the show, it was right to end it instead of trying to keep it going without the most popular character, especially with the spinoff series going strong. Ultimately, it is worth the pick-up, especially if you have the prior season releases on the physical discs and worth watching to see how the series wraps up.

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 12

Day 12 was the second upper-body workout of the week, which is a burnout workout. So, you do four blocks, each with one weighted exercise (chest presses in block 1, lateral raises in block 2, rotating rows in block 3, and biceps curls in block 4) that you do for the 2x2 tempo for three sets, with 15 seconds of rest between the sets.  Then, after the third set in each block, you do a band exercise that works the same muscle group.

It is another very challenging workout. I had to do drop sets on a couple of the exercises, as even light weights were getting heavy by the third set in each block. The heaviest weight I used for this workout was 17.5 lbs (on the chest presses), and the lightest was 3 lbs on the third set of lateral raises. 

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 11

Day 11 was the second lower-body workout of the week. This workout consists mainly of lunges and calf raises, but it also includes a deadlift exercise. It is another super-burnout workout, consisting of three blocks, each containing two exercises, one of which utilizes the 2x2 tempo. Then, the fourth block is the burnout block. You use bands for front-loaded lunge pulses and then do bodyweight pigeon and duck calf raises. Like the other workouts, there are very minimal breaks so you do get some cardio effect even though you are not doing traditional cardio. 

DVD.Movie Review: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny

 

Sword of Destiny is a sequel to the 2000 movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It stars Michelle Yeoh (who was the only cast member from the original film to return for the sequel), Donnie Yen, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Jason Scott Lee, Harry Shum Jr., Eugenia Yuan, Roger Yuan, JuJu Chan, Chris Pang, Woo Young Park, and Darryl Quon. The movie is set 18 years after the events of the first film. In the movie, we learn a bit more about Shu Lien's (Yeoh's character) past and the man to whom she was betrothed. There is another fight for, and an attempt to steal, the Green Destiny, which is still at the home of the recently deceased Ser Te, and then there are some weird side plots.

The DVD is clearly not an official release. It can be played in a variety of languages (defaulting to Chinese), with an English audio track also available. The movie was actually filmed in English, even though it was released in Hong Kong and China before being released in the US. Therefore, if you watch it with the English audio track, you won't have to sit through bad overdubbing. It is also captioned in a few different languages, including English, but the English captions do not even slightly match what the characters are saying in the English audio track. Even though the DVD menu indicates there are bonus features, there is no way to select "bonus" from the menu; you can only play the movie, navigate the scene selection, or choose the audio and captions. The A/V quality is only okay, and there are some really bad (and cheesy) CGI effects in a couple of scenes.

The movie is okay, but nowhere near as good as the original film. It appears that the script was written with the hope that Zhang Ziyi would reprise her character from the first movie, and then the script was slightly altered when she did not. It features some good action sequences, some of which pay homage to scenes from the first film. I think it would have been better as a straight sequel to the first movie, telling what happened to Jen after she jumped from the mountain, and what Shu Lien did after Li Mu Bai's death. Ultimately, it is not a must-watch, but if you liked the first movie, it is interesting to check out. 

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 10

Day 10 was the second core-cardio workout of the program. It was another challenging workout, but I would say it is more focused on core than it is on cardio. Because the breaks are extremely short, you will experience a cardio effect, but it is not comparable to a traditional cardio workout (such as those in Lift 4). This workout has three regular blocks in which you do two exercises, then a burnout block in which you do four exercises, back-to-back with no rest for 45 seconds each.  

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 9

Day 9 was the first upper-body workout of week 2. It was a super burnout workout, meaning all the band exercises are in the fourth block at the end of the workout, and for one of the two exercises in each of the three regular blocks, you use the 2x2 tempo. This workout includes exercises for the chest, back, shoulders, biceps, and triceps. I did have to drop weight between sets for a couple of the exercises, but I actually did increase the amount of weight on one of the shoulder exercises between the first and second sets. It is another challenging, yet doable workout, and there are modifications for every exercise if needed.

CD/Music Review: Paula Abdul: Head over Heels

 

Head Over Heels, released in 1995, is the third studio album from Paula Abdul. The album comprises 14 tracks, primarily falling within the dance-pop genre. This album was not as successful as Abdul's first two albums, but two of the three singles released from it, "Crazy Cool" and "My Love Is for Real," reached the Top 100. Only My Love Is for Real reached the Top 40, peaking at number 28. The CD liner includes the lyrics, writing, and production credits for each track, as well as a thank-you message from Abdul. Ultimately, the album is okay, but none of the tracks are as good as the biggest hits from the albums Forever Your Girl and Spellbound. That said, if you are a fan of Abdul or the dance-pop genre generally, this is worth listening to. 

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 8

Day 8 is the first workout of week 2, and the first lower-body workout of the week. This is a burnout workout. So each block has one weighted exercise that you do three times for one minute each, and then one band exercise that you do for 45 seconds. This workout also introduces tempo training into the program. In two of the four blocks, you perform the weighted exercise for two counts going down and two counts coming back up, or a "two and two" tempo. In this workout, the weighted exercises are deadlifts, front-loaded squats, front-loaded lunges, and bridges. The band exercises include band deadlifts, pulse squats, leg pulses, and bridges, where you lift one leg up after entering the bridge position.

Like the week one workouts, it is challenging even though it is short. I still think this is a perfect program to transition into Joel's other programs, Lift 4 and Lift More. I haven't done Lift More yet, but I have completed Lift 4 multiple times. Almost every exercise we have done so far, especially those that use weights, is included in Lift 4.

Book Review: Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear

 

The Mask of Fear, published in 2025, is the first in a new trilogy of canon novels by Alexander Freed, detailing the early years of the Empire and the Rebellion. This novel is set in the year after the creation of the Empire (its events begin weeks after the Battle of Coruscant/ The Revenge of the Sith), and follows Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and Saw Gerrera's early efforts to resist Palpatine. Their storylines are mostly separate, but do intersect at different points in the book. We learn that Mon and Bail did not see eye-to-eye on their approaches, and did not particularly like one another or agree with the other's approach to resistance or overall agenda. And, as was detailed in Andor and Rogue One, Saw was always an outsider on the fringes of the Rebellion.

The hardcover version of the book is moderately long, at just over 460 pages. Since most of the primary characters are likely well-known to the book's target audience, it reads fairly quickly. There are a handful of new characters, but not so many that it is hard to keep track of them. Palpatine is mentioned, but does not actually appear, and Darth Vader neither appears nor is mentioned. Hopefully, they will in the later novels. Ultimately, the book tells a compelling story that expands on the storylines from the live-action and animated movies and series, filling in details that have not been explored to this point. I wouldn't say it is a must-read, but if you enjoy the expanded stories in the novels, this one is worth your time.

4k-UHD/Movie Review: The Crow (1994): Limited Edition Steelbook

 

The Crow is the cult classic 1994 movie starring Brandon Lee, Ernie Hudson, Rochelle Davis, Michael Wincott, Michael Massee, David Patrick Kelly, Tony Todd, Bai Ling, Anna Thompson, Angel David, Jon Polito, Laurence Mason, and Sofia Shinas. It was directed by Alex Proyas and adapted from the comic book series by James O'Barr. In it, Brandon Lee plays Eric Draven, a guitarist in a band in Detroit who, along with his fiancée, Shelly (played by Shinas), is killed on the night before their wedding by a gang of criminals who terrorize the city, especially on Devil's Night (the night before Halloween). A year later, he is brought back from the dead and guided by a crow to get revenge on the gang members. 

The 4k Steelbook contains just a single UHD disc, which has the movies and all the extras. There is also a non-steelbook release that has the same content. This release corresponded to the 30th Anniversary of the movie, and includes most of the bonus content from the original physical media release and some updated bonus features. The A/V quality is outstanding and is absolutely an upgrade from the original DVD release. The bonus content includes two audio commentaries, one by the director and one by the producer, Jeff Most, and the screenwriter, John Shirley. Then there is a new three-part featurette featuring an interview with the production designer, Alex McDowell, in which he discusses everything from the music selection to the sets. The other new featurette includes an interview with another one of the film's producers, Edward R. Pressman, in which he discusses one of the popular figurines. Then there is the original behind-the-scenes featurette that includes interviews with members of the cast and crew, an interview with James O'Barr in which he discusses his life and the tragic personal event in his life that led him to create the comics, extended scenes, a montage of deleted footage, and the trailer. In all, the bonus material (excluding the commentary tracks), comes in at just under two hours.

The film is definitely a low-budget B-movie, but it is an above-average B-movie in terms of story and acting quality. Of course, the film was almost never finished after Brandon Lee was killed in an on-set gun accident after he had shot about 3/4 of his scenes. When Lee's fiancée gave her blessing to finish the movie, during reshoots, a body double was used as a stand-in for Lee, and CGI was used to replace Lee's face on the body double. Some scenes were also changed to complete the film without using as much of Lee's character as originally intended. While all the actors did a fine job in their respective roles, Lee's performance carried the film, and he would have absolutely become a bigger star and gotten better roles than he had had up to that point based on his performance in the movie had he lived. The movie has a good message, but it does earn its R-rating as it is very violent, features drug use, and has some sexual content and nudity. Ultimately, it is a very good movie that is absolutely worth watching.

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 7

Day 7 is the first "rest" day of the program, which is a flexibility and mobility routine. It incorporates some yoga poses, such as downward dog and pigeon, along with more dynamic hip and shoulder mobility exercises. You do not use any weight or bands in this one, and if you have done any of the other Bodi workouts that have a stretching routine, you will recognize all of the exercises in this workout.

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 6

Day 6 was the first full-body workout day in 25-Minute Speed Train. Like the other workouts, especially the core-cardio workout, this one has some exercises that use weight and others that rely solely on your bodyweight. This one has four blocks of work. You work chest, back, legs, core, biceps, and shoulders. Some of the exercises are compound moves that work two body parts in the same rep, like hammer curls into narrow shoulder presses, and lunges into single arm rows. It is another very challenging workout, and even though it is short, you will be tired by the end, even if you modify the exercises that have modifications. 

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 5

Day 5 was the second upper-body workout of the program. This had the same burnout format as the first workout, consisting of four blocks of work, each with two exercises. Then, after the fourth block, you have a burnout round in which you only use bands, and you do four exercises (actually three exercises, but one is a single-arm exercise that you do on one arm and then switch to the other) for 45 seconds with no rest. In this workout, you work your chest, back, shoulders, and triceps. Again, because you are going for time and not reps, you will probably have to use very light weight. The heaviest weight Joel used was 30 lbs on the one-arm rows. But, on the shoulder exercises, he was down to 10 and even 7.5 lbs. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: The Big Bang Theory: Season 11

 

+++Warning, this will spoil the cliffhanger from the end of season 10, but no major giveaways from season 11++++

The 24-episode 11th season of The Big Bang Theory aired during the 2017/2018 TV season. It would be the second-to-last season of the show. It was announced over the summer, after the 11th season aired, that season 12 would be the final season when Jim Parsons decided he would not return to the show.  Ultimately, I think it was a good decision, as the show was getting long in the tooth.

The main theme of this season is the build-up to Sheldon and Amy's wedding. As most know, the 10th season ended on the cliffhanger of Sheldon proposing. To the shock of no one, she says yes. The rest of the season is much the same as it has been for the first 11 seasons, where a story-of-the-week is meshed with ongoing story arcs. The other main storyline involves Howard and Bernadette having another child, incorporating Melissa Rauch's real-life pregnancy into the show and allowing her to be on bed rest. For much of the season, she was filmed in bed, and then, eventually, you just heard her voice, much like Howard's mother was. Of the main cast, I would say Raj took more of a back seat this year, only really having one episode centered around him (which guest-starred Beth Behrs and Walton Goggins. Other notable guest stars this year (aside from Wil Wheaton) were Bob Newhart, Kathy Bates, Teller (of Penn and Teller fame), Laurie Metcalf, Jerry O'Connell, and Mark Hamill. The writers also found a way to honor Stephen Hawking after his death.

The Blu-Ray set is a two-disc set. The A/V quality is excellent, and the episodes look and sound very good, much like the prior seasons. The set includes about an hour of bonus features, including part of the Comic-Con panel discussion, a couple of behind-the-scenes features, and a gag reel. Ultimately, the season was good, but the show was getting stale at this point. While there were some funny moments during the season, it wasn't as funny overall as it was in the beginning. That said, the season was still enjoyable, was worth watching, and provided a good setup for what will now be the final season.

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 4

Day 4 was the second lower-body workout of the week. This one was a burnout workout, similar in format to the upper-body workout. There are four blocks of work, each with a "main" exercise that you use a dumbbell for, for two or three sets (depending on the exercise), then there is a burnout exercise that you use a resistance loop for. 

Again, the workout is challenging, but not impossible. The hardest exercise in the workout is the negative lunge, in which you start in a lunge position with your knee on the floor and then raise up to what is a starting position for a traditional lunge. You can do the exercise with or without weight (and if you use weight, it will be very light; Joel was only using 15 lbs). You can also do what are essentially pulsing lunges if it is too hard on your knees. 

Even though these workouts are short, you absolutely feel them the next day. So, they pack a lot into 25 minutes, and because the breaks are very short, you are getting a cardio effect as well. 

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 3

Day 3 of 25-Minute Speed Train is the first core-cardio workout of the program. It again has four blocks of work (after a short warm-up), each block consisting of two exercises. One that has a cardio (and core) component, and the second, which is mostly core-focused. You do each exercise for 45 seconds, with 15 seconds between exercises for the transition. 

If you have done Joel's Lift 4 program, you will recognize many of the exercises from the cardio and core portions of that program. There are exercises like twisted mountain climbers, knee to elbow, and flutter kicks, among others. A couple of the moves require a light dumbbell. In the workout, Joel used 7.5 lbs. I used 5 lbs.  After you do the four blocks, there is a burnout round in which you do one exercise from each block for 45 seconds, back-to-back without rest. 

This workout had a lot of plank work, which I personally don't enjoy. It was not as exhausting as the cardio workouts in Lift 4, but it is a challenge, especially if you are working yourself back into shape. But, if you are in better shape, you can go faster for longer, so you will be working. Joel was dripping with sweat by the last block, and he is in excellent shape, so you know it works. 

CD/Music Review: Paula Abdul: Spellbound

 

Spellbound, released in 1991, was the second studio album by Paula Abdul, and the follow-up to her massively successful debut album, Forever Your Girl. The album includes 11 tracks in all. Many are still very much in the dance-pop genre of her first album; however, Abdul branched out into ballads on this one. The most successful ballad on the album (and the most popular track in general) was Rush Rush, which was one of two number one hits the album produced (the other being Promise of a New Day). Blowing Kisses in the Wind (another ballad on the album) cracked the top ten on the Billboard Top 100, and Vibeology (one of the dance tracks) was a minor hit. The CD liner includes the lyrics for all the songs, then the traditional artist thank you, writing, and production credits, etc. Ultimately, the album is enjoyable, especially if you like 80s and 90s pop.

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 2

Day 2 was the first upper-body workout of the week (and the program). Whereas yesterday's workout had a super burnout format, this one had a burnout at the end of each block. The format for this workout consists of four blocks, each block having one exercise that you do for three one-minute sets, with 15 seconds between the sets. In the first block, you do bent over rows, in the second block you do chest presses, in the third block you do shoulder raises, and in the fourth block you do biceps curls. After you finish the third set in each block, you do a band exercise for 45 seconds that works (i.e., burns out) the same body part as the weighted exercise. 

During the workout, Joel encourages you to do drop sets, meaning reduce the amount of weight you are using, if you need to. He dropped the weight he was using in the shoulder and biceps set. I reduced the weight I used in all blocks except the first, never exceeding 17.5 lbs throughout the workout. The heaviest weight Joel used was 25 lbs. If you have completed Lift 4, you are aware that Joel can use very heavy weights for exercises like biceps curls and rows. However, he did not use weights close to the amounts he provided as examples for the exercises in Lift 4. 

Even though you are lifting lighter weights during this program, I can confirm you will feel it in your muscles the next day, especially if you have taken time off from working out or are just starting a workout program. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Black Sails: Season 1

 

Black Sails was an action-adventure series that blended a fictional pirate story with real-life historical figures. It was written as a prequel to the novel Treasure Island. It aired on Starz for four seasons, from 2014 to 2017. The eight-episode first season aired in the winter and spring of 2017. It starred Toby Stephens, Hannah New, Luke Arnold, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Tom Hopper, Zach McGowan, Toby Schmitz, Clara Paget, Mark Ryan, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Sean Cameron Michael, and Louise Barnes. The story is set in the 1700s on New Providence Island, in what is now the Bahamas, where pirates threaten trade in the region. The plot of the first season involves several pirates hunting for the treasure from the shipwreck of the Spanish ship Urca de Lima, which was a part of the Spanish treasure galleon. 

The blu-ray set is a three-disc set. The A/V quality is terrific, with the episodes looking and sounding great in the HD format. All the bonus features, which consist of several making-of and behind-the-scenes featurettes. The longest is a nine-minute inside look at the series. The rest are shorter (ranging from a minute and a half to about three minutes). All totaled, the bonus content runs a little less than half an hour.

The series has an excellent mix of action and drama. There are a lot of characters and several storylines going on, and it can be hard to keep everything straight, especially if you have it on in the background. It is absolutely not a family-friendly show, as it has a lot of violence, sexual content, nudity, and adult language. The series does not have wall-to-wall action; indeed, in many episodes, there is minimal action and almost all political maneuvering. However, when it does include action, the action sequences are exceptionally well done. Ultimately, if you are a fan of pirate stories and/or the real-life history of the region, it is worth watching.

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train: Day 1

Day one of the 25-Minute Speed Train is a lower-body workout. It consists of three blocks. In the first, you do a front-loaded goblet sumo followed by squat pulses, wearing a resistance loop for both exercises. In the second block, you do two variations of deadlifts. First, you do traditional deadlifts, holding two dumbbells, starting standing up and then bending over (high to low). Then, you use a resistance band and go from low to high. In the third block, you do front-loaded single-leg lunges with a single dumbbell, followed by single-leg floating deadlifts with a band. Each block has the same timing, in which you do each exercise for a minute, with fifteen seconds between exercises. You get a one-minute rest period between blocks. At the end of the workout, you have a burnout round in which you wear a band and do leg lifts (one leg then the other), followed by pigeon calf raises, and ending with duck calf raises, all for 45 seconds with no rest between them. 

Even though this is only 25 minutes, the workout is challenging. I wouldn't say it is as tough as Lift 4, but I was using lighter weights than I should have, as I wasn't sure what my strength level would be after a month and a half of not working out. Even so, I could feel the workout, and I was getting winded at times, so it was not easy.  

4k-UHD/Movie Review: American Pie 2 (Deluxe Collector's Edition) [UK Import]

 

American Pie 2 is the 2001 follow-up to 1999's unexpected hit comedy, American Pie. All the primary cast members (Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Chris Klein, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Tara Reid, Alyson Hannigan, Shannon Elizabeth, Eugene Levy, Mena Suvari, Natasha Lyonne, and Thomas Ian Nicholas) return for the sequel, as do many of the supporting cast, including Chris Owen, John Cho, Casey Affleck, Molly Cheeks, Jennifer Coolidge, and Eli Marienthal. The new cast members in this film include Denise Faye, Lisa Arturo, JoAnna Garcia, and Joelle Carter. 

The story is set a year after the events of the first movie, as the characters' first year of college is ending, and they go back home for the summer. In an attempt to rekindle the post-high school weirdness, the friends decide to rent a house on Lake Michigan for the summer, with the plan to throw a massive blowout party at the end of the summer. Of course, hijinks ensue, and the group ultimately learn something by the end of the film. 

The 4K set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a regular Blu-ray disc. This is an import set from the UK, so while the UHD disc is region-free and can be played on a Region 1 4K player, the Blu-Ray disc is region-locked, so you will need a Region 2 player to watch it (which is really only an issue if you want to watch the bonus content, aside from the commentary tracks). The UHD disc includes both the theatrical and unrated versions of the movie and all four commentary tracks (one by the director J.B. Rogers, one by the writer Adam Herz, one by cast members Jason Biggs, Thomas Ian Nicholas, and Mena Suvari, and one by cast member Eddie Kaye Thomas) on the theatrical version. Both Rodgers and Herz's commentary tracks provide a lot of insight into the film and the process of getting it made, changes that were made, etc. The commentary with Biggs, Suvari, and Ian Nicholas is the most entertaining as they spend most of the time joking with each other. Thomas provides some insight into the movie, but he is a bit dry, and there are long stretches when he does not say anything (probably because he is by himself when it was recorded). The unrated version of the film adds about five minutes to the runtime and essentially extends a few scenes, but does not add anything significant to the storyline.

The rest of the bonus features are on the regular Blu-Ray. Some (like the deleted scenes, music video, trailer, etc.) were carried over from the original DVD release, but not everything from the original release is included on this release, so if you have the original DVD, you may want to keep it. Other bonus content includes featurettes on the changed Oz and Heather storyline, and the storyline with Stifler's dad that was ultimately cut from the movie.

The movie is a good follow-up to the original. While the tone (and many of the jokes) echo those of the first movie (especially in the beginning), it is not a carbon copy of the original film. There are some very funny moments and some dramatic moments in the film. The roles of the various characters underwent significant changes as the movie shifted its focus to Jim and Michelle's relationship. As a result, characters like Vicky and Kevin received much less screen time, while Hannigan's role expanded considerably in this movie compared to the first. Oz and Heather's story was supposed to be quite different, but it got changed during reshoots, as did Stifler's storyline, which changed the amount of screen time those characters received. Eugene Levy received similar screen time and served a similar function to his role in the first film. Shannon Elizabeth had a bit more screen time than she did in the first film (unfortunately, she does not get naked in this one), but she is mostly seen talking on the phone until the movie's third act. 

The movie does earn its R-rating, as it does have a lot of raunchy comedy, swearing, sexual dialogue, and nudity. Ultimately, it is a good movie about how life and relationships change after high school, whether you want them to or not. If you liked or loved the first movie, this one (while probably not quite as good as the first film) is worth watching.

Workout Update: 25 Minute Speed Train (Sample Workout)

It's been a while since I wrote one of these updates, and not quite as long since I last worked out. I stopped the updates at the end of May, but I continued working out for a few more weeks; then life went crazy. My mom was in and out of the hospital, then in hospice care, and then passed away all within a month and a half. During all that, I also moved into a new place. So, needless to say, working out was not high on the list of priorities.

Now that life has started getting back to normal, I've decided to try the 25-minute Speed Train program for my next workout. It is one of the newest workouts by BODI. Joel Freeman is the trainer for this one. The workout was filmed in his very nice home gym. Like Lift 4, this has blocks of exercises, but you are not focused on reps. Instead, you focus on tempo and duration. You do two exercises in a block for sixty seconds, with only fifteen seconds of rest between them. You complete each exercise two or three times, then proceed to the next block.

Today I tried the sample workout, which is a full-body workout. The workout is an eight-week program, with workouts each day. The structure is upper body, lower body, core cardio mid week, upper body, lower body, full body, and then a flexibility and mobility/recovery workout on day 7. For equipment, you will need dumbbells and rubber resistance loops. Since you will be doing each exercise for sixty seconds, when using weights (as opposed to bodyweight exercises), you will probably use a lighter weight than you would in a program like Lift 4, Chalean Extreme, or P90x. However, you will still want light, medium, and heavy dumbbells. This is not, however, a program where you can substitute resistance bands for the dumbbells. That said, Joel does show you how to modify moves if the regular versions are too difficult when you are starting out.

Thankfully, despite not working out in a long time, I haven't gained a lot of weight; in fact, I am finally below 200 lbs. I hope to lose about 10 pounds in the next eight weeks by following this program. After that, I plan to do Lift 4 again, followed by Lift More, and then try another round of the OG, P090x. I will probably not, however, do two workouts per day, at least for a while. For now, I plan to do just one workout per day.