Baghdad ER - An HBO Documentary Film (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am a physician in the Army and have worked in this facility during OIF. This film is graphic but nowhere near as graphic as it could be. It is quite uplifting and moving. It is also very tastefully done and not in the least exploitative considering the subject matter. It made me very proud of the job we do. It should be seen by everyone.

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Produced and directed by 11-time Emmy? Award-winner Jon Alpert, this 64-minute verite documentary takes an unforgettable look inside the 86th Combat Support Hospital (CSH), the U.S. Army?s premier medical facility in Iraq and former site of one of Saddam Hussein?s elite medical facilities. Shot over two months in the summer of 2005, the film puts a human face on the war?s cold casualty statistics, as doctors and nurses fight to save the lives of wounded soldiers who are Medevaced (helicoptered) in a numbingly routine basis.

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Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)As the wife of a veteran who has served our country for more than 20 years I have seen and lived with the consequences of this war. My husband is about to leave his family again for another 18 month deployment. Whether you support the war or not you should support the soldiers that help to provide you with your every day freedom. This war is real and it has affected many people in many defferent ways. This movies helps to show that-it brought tears to my eyes. But it also made me proud to be an American and proud to be a part of a United States military family. Tastefully done but real. It makes you think twice about not sweating the small stuff......

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Three-time Emmy winning actor James Gandolfini serves as Executive Producer of Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq, a documentary which looks at the physical and emotional cost of war through soldiers' memories of their "alive day," the day they narrowly escaped death in Iraq. In a war that has left more than 25,000 wounded, Alive Day Memories looks at this new generation of veterans. For the first time in history, 90% of the wounded survive their injuries, but a greater percentage of these men and women are returning with amputations, traumatic brain injuries and severe post-traumatic stress. In Alive Day Memories, Gandolfini interviews ten soldiers who reveal their feelings on their future, their severe disabilities and their devotion to America.

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The History Channel Presents Shootout - Seasons 1 and 2 (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)This was a great series!! However, buyer beware. My copy is missing Episode 3 on disk three(episode - WW2: Storming france). Although it is listed on the CD package, it is not on the CD itself, or the menu. I've encountered this type of thing before (not necessarily on "History Channel" items). We should expect the same problem will occur on other sets in the same run. Be sure to check your CDs immediately after purchase (I do as a general rule). I intend to return mine and wait a while for this problem to be worked out of the system. Highly recommended series apart from this "technical glitch". UPDATE JUNE 15, 2007. I PURCHASED A SECOND COPY OF THIS SET AND THE SAMR ISSUE WAS MISSING. DEFINITELY SOMETHING WRONG HERE!!!

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With stunning clarity, veterans of the world’s most memorable conflicts tell never-before-heard stories of rescues, sniper attacks, ambushes, and hand-to-hand combat. Through such state-of-the-art technology as aerial terrain mapping and 3-D animation sequences, legendary battles are recreated shot by shot in vivid, crisp detail. Coupled with eyewitness reports from military experts and soldiers from World War II to Iraq, these blow-by-blow re-creations of history’s bloodiest confrontations take viewers to the front lines of historic military operations from the perspectives of both sides of the fight, making SHOOTOUT! the most accurate gun battle series ever created.

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Generation Kill (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)As an Iraq veteran I was skeptical about watching this at first, thinking that it would be a "Hollywoodized" version of the war. Then a buddy of mine told me it was by far one of the greatest shows he's ever seen, so I gave it a go. Halfway through the first episode I was awestruck. Like the title of my review states, this show is brutal, relentless, and above all AUTHENTIC. Though I was with the Army, our job was very similar to these Marines in that we rode around in Humvees searching for the bad guys.
Anyone who has served in Iraq in a combat role will relate to these Marines all-too-easily. Well talk the same, have the same frustrations with the chain-of-command and understanding our mission some days (though thankfully my unit did not have anyone like "Captain America"), and deal with the same issues regarding supplies, lack of sleep, and fighting an enemy who the day previously may have been begging you for food.
Some viewers may be turned off by the extreme vulgarity and profanity, but fact is that is the way most "grunts" talk. And I think every Platoon or Squad in theater has its own "CPL Pearson." Fact of the matter is, none of us are saints and war does bring out mankind at both its best and its worst. "Generation Kill" shows both sides to the Marines in the rawest sense. One thing I like is that it does not attempt to take a political stance one way or the other on the war. Some may view the series as anti-war, given the way some of the Marines question their mission and why they are there. But again that is another reality of this war.
I never thought I would ever want to watch a movie or series about Iraq, however this is by far one of the best series I have ever seen, period! For anyone who is a veteran, knows a veteran, or just wants to know what the war over in Iraq is really like, "Generation Kill" is a must see!
SFC James Mace, U.S. Army
OIF III, 2004-2005

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Based on the national best-selling book by Evan Wright, Generation Kill is an authentic and vividly detailed 7 part HBO mini-series event that presents a uniquely epic and intimate portrait of the first 40 days of the Iraq war from the perspective of the Marines of the First Recon Battalion – a new breed of American soldiers.
The mini-series tells the story of these young Marines physical and emotional journey into the heart of Baghdad in those initial weeks, and how the war reveals to be much more complicated, problematic and tragic than anyone had contemplated. Many of the complications and problems that arise are due to the unwieldy military bureaucracy which the Marines confront in the midst of the war, the challenges of over-zealous and incompetent commanding officers, ever-changing rules of engagement, a non-existent strategy, severe deficiencies in necessary armor and supplies, and an enemy they don’t understand.
Generation Kill is a humorous and frightening first hand account of these remarkable men, of the personal toll of victory, and of the brutality, camaraderie and bureaucracy of a new American war. It is a profoundly insightful and realistic look at the risk, costs and ultimately, the failures of the war.
Written and produced by Emmy-award winner David Simon (the Wire), and also produced by the award-winning George Faber (Elizabeth I).

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Taking Chance (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I viewed this film at a pre-screening, and I left the theater deeply moved. It's a simple story made into a heartfelt film -- Marine Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl (perfectly played by Kevin Bacon) accompanies the remains of Private First Class Chance Phelps from the mortuary at Dover AFB in Delaware to his home in Wyoming.
The Marine's death in Iraq occurs in the tense first minute of the film, with viewers only hearing the radio chatter and the explosion on a black screen. The screen comes to light with PFC Phelps' remains being sent to the U.S. The care of the remains and the personal effects makes visible and gives dignity to the anonymous work at Dover AFB.
The story takes the viewer into some seldom-seen corners of America -- from airport cargo facilities to the mountain highways of Wyoming -- and shows everywhere the reverence for the fallen. When the escort gives Phelps' watch, dog tags, and wooden cross to his parents, eight days after his death, even men will feel the tears coming. Finally, as LtCol Strobl (who had not yet been to Operation Iraqi Freedom when he accompanied Phelps' remains home) thinks over the experience, there's a meditation on where duty lies for a Marine Corps officer.
Director Ross Katz, Kevin Bacon, and HBO have given us a profound film that grants us a rare look not at America's prosperity, or freedoms, or politics -- but rather America's soul.
-30-

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Based on the true experiences of Lt. Colonel Michael Strobl, who wrote eloquently of them in a widely circulated 2004 article, Taking Chance is a profoundly emotional look at the military rituals taken to honor its war dead, as represented by a fallen Marine killed in Iraq, Lance Corporal Chance Phelps. Working as a strategic analyst at Marine Corps Base Quantico in VA, Lt. Col. Strobl (Kevin Bacon) learns that Phelps had once lived in his hometown, and volunteers to escort the body to its final resting place in Wyoming. As Strobl journeys across America, he discovers the great diligence and dignity in how the military, and all those involved with preparing and transporting the body, handle their duties. Equally important, he encounters hundreds of people affected by Chances death, a vast majority of whom never knew him. This collective grieving eventually causes Lt. Col. Strobl, a veteran of Desert Storm now assigned to office duty, to probe his own guilt about not re-deploying to Iraq for the current conflict. Arriving in Wyoming, Lt. Col. Strobl completes his catharsis when he encounters Chances gracious family and friends, and discovers an extraordinary outpouring of community support.

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Combat Zone (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)CZ does a great job of giving you a good look at various firefights throughout modern history. Fights are recreated and intermixed with actual combat footage, and interviews with the guys who were actually on the ground doing the fighting. This is not your grandfathers war documentary. The show moves at a fast pace and is really focused more on the combat action itself. Similar to Battlefield 360, computer generated graphics supplement the narration and gives the viewer a good 360 degree view of the battlespace, which really offers a unique and clear perspective of how things unfold during a particular engagement. You get the entire series in single boxed set, so it's really a nice DVD series to own for any modern military history buff.

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From the streets of an American city under siege, to the far-flung jungles of Vietnam or the deadly desert towns of Iraq, modern warfare is all about cutting-edge strategy, the latest weaponry and soldiers laying their lives on the line to overcome the enemy. Combat Zone takes you behind the lines of engagement of thirteen hard-fought armed conflicts and tells the true stories of the tactics, the firepower and the heroes who risked everything. Historical footage combined with gripping first-hand accounts from soldiers and analysis from military experts puts you right in the action.

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House of Saddam (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)(NOTE:This review is in response to the original HBO presentation/airing and not of it's future home DVD release)
Presented and watched as one four hour block (with each of it's four parts averaging around 58 minutes each) this was one well cast and performed HBO/BBC production on the reign of Saddam Hussein. Showcasing the years between his take-over of the Presidency of Iraq in 1979 up thru his execution in 2006, this mini-series was well informative and even at it's length, not very dragging in parts. And don't think this is all about Saddam either, his family and fellow soldier/followers are in full force here too. And each part is extremely well-played, even reaching the point where recreated news-footage makes you think you're seeing the real thing. If there was any fault of this mini-series it lied in the final fourth act, basically showcasing Saddam's hiding exile, going from Iraq's largest leader to a pauper hiding in a hole (just like it was in real life). But not being a Hussein historian by any means (who'd want to?), I truly felt that this script followed the insane leader and those around him to a tee. Quite disturbing in parts without being too graphic (Saddam had a thing about his relatives getting to close to greatness...he didn't like it) and showing a side of the madman you may not expect (he loved film-making, especially if the star was playing him), this is one mini-series highly suggested to anyone who doubts taking him out of power wasn't the right thing to do or a neccesary evil. Would love to see some interviews with the cast on how each of them channeled these characters so well, will probably purchase this on DVD and sit through the dark-subject four hours even again.
(RedSabbath Rating:9.0/10)

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Revealing the private world of Saddam Hussein and his inner circle, this gripping 4-part, 4-hour miniseries charts the rise and fall of one of the most significant political figures in recent history. Over the course of 27 years, Saddam (Igal Naor) rose from peasant origins to the highest office in Iraq, consolidating his power by executing those who posed real or imagined threats, and surrounding himself with family members, ultimately his notorious sons Uday and Qusay. Along the way, Saddam pushed aside his wife Sajida (Oscar® nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo) for a young mistress, orchestrated the death of Sajidas brother Adnan (his closest confidante), and forced two cousins of high rank who had married his daughters to divorce their wives before meeting a grisly end. In the end, House of Saddam reveals its title character as a man of undeniable vision ultimately brought down by his own flaws especially an unquenchable thirst for power, attained at all costs, including the sacrifice of those who were closest to him.

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Over There - The Battle Begins (Pilot Episode) (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Well i am in the army and just returned from over there where i spent 16 months fighting on the streets of iraq. This movie is extremly accurate. It shows the way things really were, and it shows what we really went through over there. So take it from me an operation iraqi freedom veteran who was there and have some storys of my own, watch this show and support YOUR troops.
SPC. HEBERT
U.S. ARMY

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From producer Steven Bochco ("NYPD Blue," "L.A. Law," "Hill Street Blues") comes the first scripted television series set in a current, ongoing war involving the United States. Gritty, intense, evocative and emotional, "Over There" takes you to the front lines of battle and explores the effects of war on a U.S. Army unit sent to Iraq on their first tour of duty, as well as the equally powerful effects felt at home by their families and loved ones.A must-see show for all Americans, "Over There" is not about politics or policies. It's a true-to-life depiction of our courageous soldiers-the everyday heroes who fight for freedom under extraordinary conditions.Includes an exclusive behind the scenes featurette!

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Over There (13 Episodes) (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was very excited for the premier of Over There. I love how FX really takes risks with their programs and Rescue Me, The Shield, and Nip/Tuck are three of television's finest shows. I knew Over There was going to raise a few eyebrows and it dealt with a very sensitive topic but the show was very respectful of the troops in Iraq.
Over There was the first show to depict the U.S. in a current war. That was enough to get the conservatives on their case but if you watch the show you will get a feeling of how hard it is to be "over there". The cast were very believable characters and the writing was very good. Obviously the show couldn't really be in Iraq but the set looked a lot like Iraq. Over There dealt with humanizing topics and it was a treat to watch.
Here's why I don't think Over There was right for television. Its ratings were not that bad for a rookie cable show but FX was under a lot of fire so they crossed it off their list of problems. Despite critical praise I don't think enough people were ready to handle the war fictionalized but it's a shame. I'm glad that we can relive the thirteen adventures through this DVD and it is a steal for the price Amazon lists. If you missed it when it first aired, then this is a great way to see the entire series.


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In this ground-breaking new series from Steven Bochco (NYPD Blue, Hill Street Blues) "Over There" takes you to the front lines of battle and explores the effects of war on a U.S. Army unit sent to Iraq on their first tour of duty, as well as the equally powerful effects felt at home by their families and loved ones.

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