While looking for something new to watch on Netflix, I came across Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and then I realized that I had the series on Blu-ray. Mill Creek Entertainment had sent me the 8-disc Blu-ray set earlier this year, which I had forgotten about. So, for the past week, I've been binge-watching all 51 episodes.

If you're not living under a rock, like me, then you were probably already aware of the series. I had no clue what it was about until I began watching the first season. It's a wacky comedy, just without a laugh-track.

About the Book

Sometimes life, as well as death, is about second chances. Luckless Telly Martin doesn't have a clue. An awful gambler trying to scrape by as a professional poker player, he becomes the protégé of world-famous poker champion Clutch Henderson. The only catch…Clutch is a ghost. Telly and Clutch must navigate the seedy gambling underbelly of Las Vegas learning to trust each other in order to win the elusive International Series of Poker, repair their shattered personal relationships and find redemption in this life and the hereafter.

My Review

Pokergeist has one of the coolest covers I have seen in recent years. It reminds of the episode of the '80s Twilight Zone titled "Dealer's Choice" starring Morgan Freeman.

Just under 250 pages, Pokergeist, the fourth book in A Haunting on Long Island Series, was a quick read for me yesterday afternoon. It centers around Telly Martin who wants to be a professional poker player. However, there's one small problem - he's a horrible gambler! Well, that is until he gets Clutch, who happens to be a ghost, to help him become a great poker player. Between the duo, they make their way to the fictional International Series of Poker tournament in Las Vegas.

I like to point out that Pokergeist isn't a horror novel by any means. It's a comedy that just happens to have a ghost character. It's well-written with lively dialogue. I liked all the characters except for Telly's girlfriend, Gretchen. Don't ask me why as I don't have an answer. I just didn't like the character. Besides that small nitpick, I enjoyed reading Pokergeist.

About the Author

Michael Phillip Cash is an award-winning screenwriter and novelist. He's written many books and screenplays in the horror, suspense, thriller and fantasy genres. He resides on the North Shore of Long Island with his wife and children.

AMAZON

Wouldn't you've believed a comedy starring Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson would be funny?

Unfortunately, that's not the case with The Hustle which was just released to Blu-ray and DVD this week from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. It's also available on Digital HD and On Demand.

Directed by Chris Addison, the film is a gender swapping remake of 1988's comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which itself was a remake of the 1964 classic Bedtime Story.

The Hustle centers around Penny (played by Rebel Wilson), a small-time con artist who makes a living by defrauding wealthy men. On a trip to the French Riviera, Penny runs into Josephine Chesterfield (Anne Hathaway) who just happens to also be a con artist. Eventually, the duo make a bet on who can swindle a young tech billionaire (Alex Sharp) out of his money.

The movie was critical failure but it did manage to pull in $95 million at the box office on a $21 million budget.

Blu-ray Special Features include:

• Hitting the Mark – We’ll reveal the plans behind the film: from Anne Hathaway’s initial discussions with Jac Schaeffer and Rebel Wilson about updating the story for a modern era to Chris Addison’s collaboration with the cast to craft the comedy on set.
• Comedy Class – Every actor in the film brings a very different comedic style to their roles. This comic clash helps sell the conflict between Josephine, Penny, and the other characters in the film.
• Con Artists – The artists behind the camera help bring the story to life…in this case costume designer Emmer Fryer and production designer Alice Normington show off their skills.
• Feature Commentary by Director Chris Addison