Warrior Empire - The Mughals (History Channel) (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)This 90-minute program about India's Mughal (or Mogul) Empire, which lasted from 1526 to 1858, focuses on the battles and weaponry of the Mughals under the emperors Babur, Akbar, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb, with attention also to Mughal architecture, including the Taj Mahal. You'll learn a great deal about the making and use of the composite bow, armor for elephants, swords, matchlock guns, cannons, and rockets, and you'll see demonstrations of many of the weapons.
I was disappointed that virtually nothing was said about religion or government in the Mughal Empire--where Muslims ruled a largely Hindu populace--but if you're particularly interested in the Mughals as warriors, you'll probably find this program quite interesting.
(The documentary "Ancient India" includes about ten minutes near the end about the Mughals.)

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WARRIOR EMPIRE: THE MUGHALS is a sweeping, in-depth portrait of India's most colorful, violent, and majestic era. From 1526 to 1858, this dynasty of nomadic warriors indulged their appetite for territorial expansion, spreading their rule throughout the Indian subcontinent. Though they conquered their kingdom with crushing brutality, the Mughals were also brilliant technological innovators and masters of art and architecture. This program offers lush, detailed images of Mughal accomplishments such as the glorious Taj Mahal, palaces, forts, water systems, elaborate gardens, and richly crafted artwork. Step-by-step scientific recreations of advanced Mughal metallurgy and weaponry show the meticulous production of chain mail armor for a battalion of elephants, lethally flexible composite bows, rocketry, and swordsmith techniques passed down through the generations, and still alive today. Join us for an enthralling history of the inventive warfare, material excess, architectural marvels, and cultural flowering that shaped modern India. DVD Features: Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

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National Geographic - Inside 9/11 (Commemorative Edition) (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the first documentary produced for television that links America's 9/11 event to the burgeoning army that defeated the Soviets in Afghanistan in 1980. That army came to be known as Al Quaeda. After defeating the Soviets this group of multinational mercenaires, led financially and spiritually by Osama bin Laden, decided to take on the other remaining world power, the United States. This is the linchpin for events from Sept. 11, 2001 and everything that has happened since that time.
This is a scintillating documentary told in allegorical detail of events around the world. It pinpoints the assassination of New York Rabbi Meir Kahane as the signature event that launched Al Quaeda's campaign in the United States. Kahane had been a Jewish leader in New York that rallied worldwide support and opinion against Soviet and Middle Eastern mistreatment of Jews with great success. His assassination was a new entry in modern history and a great success for Al Quaeda.
There is so much going on in this four-hour epic that it cannot be adequately described in a review. The first two hours authenticate the historic development of Al Quaeda and its plans to destroy the World Trade Center. The back two hours are a blow-by-blow account of events leading to 9/11. This film moves at a rapid pace and is far more engaging than the movie HBO showed in the middle of the night, "The Hamburg Cell", about the conspirators from 9/11 and their plotting in Germany.
I urge anyone that likes documentaries, American history, or good filmmaking to acquire this CD at the earliest possible moment. Until another production comes along that casts these events together in greater detail, with better production values and a beefier script, this will remain the authoriatative television documentary on this subject.
Kudos to the National Geographic Channel for producing this outstanding program and taking up the gauntlet dropped by The Discovery Channel and The Learning Channel, which formerly did this kind of programming well but now seem more interested in televising "reality" programs about police chases and motorcycle mechanics.
The National Geographic Channel, which is currently airing an equally outstanding documentary on the failures of hurricane Katrina, is now the best option on cable for this kind of ex post facto documentary. This film is its best work to date and should be in everyone's library that enjoys knowing what the hell is going on in the world.

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INSIDE 9/11:COMMEMORATIVE EDITION - DVD Movie

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Bliss (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is an excellent movie based on a book by the same name about a beautiful Turkish girl who is found to be "tainted" (she was actually raped)& is placed in a barn with a noose while people, including her hateful stepmother, expect her to hang herself. The girl refuses, and, instead, is sent to Istanbul with her male cousin who is supposed to "finish the job" there. I can't tell you anything else because it would spoil the movie, but there's an interesting relationship that develops between the cousins and a forward-thinking university professor who is disillusioned with his life. Stunning shots of Turkey included.

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Adapted from internationally acclaimed author Zulfu Livaneli's novel, BLISS is an unconventional road movie in which the executioner of an honor killing and his victim go on a journey of self-discovery.When 17-year-old Meryem (Ozgu Namal) is found disheveled and unconscious by the side of a lake, her family believes the worst - that her chastity has been lost and that she has been a willing accomplice in its disposal. They turn to the ancient principle of "tore," a strict moral code governing the rules of sexual practice, which condemns Meryem to death. The duty of defending the family's honor is given to distant cousin Cemal (Murat Han), who must take Meryem to Istanbul and kill her along the way.The two begin to fall for each other and their journey takes an unexpected turn when they meet Irfan (Talat Bulut), an academic escaping his big city angst, who is also looking for a second chance in life. Set against the impressive backdrop of Turkey's natural wonders, BLISS pits tradition against modernity, urban against rural and East against West, all the while refusing to settle for easy answers.

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The History Channel Presents The Crusades - Crescent & The Cross (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)I received this advanced review copy from the promotional company working for the History Channel. I must admit that they sent me a very nice package and a bonus disk. This is an eight sided box, like a two pound box for candy - lovely print job. The two disks are contained in a book inside the box, along with a CD disk of photos - some from the production, others are historical pictures of either the key players or events/places. A very nice package, though it will not fit on your DVD shelf. Also, one of the pages in my book was stapled in upside down. Still, a nice presentation. Not sure if this product will be the same when released.
Apart from this, the work itself is very interesting. I sat through the entire production and was never bored or antsy. Actually, I found myself marveling at what the History Channel has done here.
The program covers the First Crusade on the first disk. There is an examination of the causes of the initial conflict, examining cultural issues, Religious issues, European social and political unrest, Church influences, financial issues and points of conflict in the Moslem and Byzantine world. While Religion is acknowledged as the primary cause of the conflict, they also do not ignore key issues that lead to these conflicts. There is also discussion of Urban's "selling of the Crusades". Very well put together and an in depth examination of the events leading up to the First Crusade.
Included also are maps of the areas, modern day images of the cities today as well as places that have survived, and those that have not.
There is a lot of information to sift through here. While the story is carefully laid out and well developed in order of events, the program purposefully comes across as a story woven by an expert story teller. Even the added discussions by such noted scholars as Dr. Thomas Asbridge, Tariq Ali, Prof. John France and Dr. Taef el-Azhari, to name a few, comes across as additional parts of the storytelling.
There are the usual added "tidbits" thrown in by the History Channel, like uncovered bits of text to give clarification to some accounts and the discovery of a location of a famous battle that up to now had been unknown.
Emphasis appears to be on key battles, as these are reenacted for the viewer. These are provided by Lion Television, and are nice additions to the material. They keep the viewer interested as this material could get rather dry if not for points of interest like this.
The second disk covers the Second and Third Crusades. Again, social and political climates are discussed and examined. Again, the story is covered in a "timeline" of events from the vantage point of the chroniclers.
We are presented with the fall of Edessa, the calling of the Second Crusade, the rise of Nur-el-Din, the battle for Damascus, Egypt and Sal-al-Din and the arrival of Richard the Lionheart in the Holy Land for the Third Crusade.
Again, key battles are reenacted, strategies discussed, failures noted and by the end of the film we are looking at a very good wrap up of the entire program.
Conflict, social upheaval, cultural differences, battle strategies, religious zealots and the lust for war and violence all comes through as the story of the Crusades unfolds in this production. We see the heroes, and the vile nature of the event itself. Nothing is left glossed over. There is some romanticism here, as the chroniclers tended to be very bias towards their benefactors, but on the other hand, we also see the social and political issues that were key to the events that took place. And while not shown, there is discussion of the atrocities and barbarism that was prevalent during these events.
This is a good overview of the events that took place starting 1099 and which continued for about 200 years. There are some events that are more examined than others, and some key figures that are discussed in some detail. It was, however, very entertaining, factual and well worth, I felt, the time I spent watching it.medievalcrusadesbabe

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THE CRUSADES: CRESCENT & THE CROSS presents the epic battle between two Middle Age superpowers: the Christian Crusaders and the Muslims. Fought over two centuries, the conflict decided the fate of the Holy Land of the Middle East. Only a tiny strip of land, just a few hundred miles long, it contained the ultimate prize, the city of Jerusalem. The documentary is driven by the key personalities of the First, Second and Third Crusades, the popes, kings, sultans and knights who, in the name of God, ruthlessly fought for land and power. Experience the murder, treachery, and bloodshed of this legendary chapter of history throuth the eyes of key historical figures such as Richard the Lionheart and Saladin, King Louis VII and Nur al-Din. With breath-taking CGI-enhanced visuals, heart-pounding reenactments, and stunning footage from rarely-seen locations THE CRUSADES: CRESCENT & THE CROSS brings the first three Crusades alive for a new generation in conflict. DVD Features: Timeline; Behind-the-Scenes Featurette "History in the Making: The Crusades"; Bonus Documentary "The Knights Templar"; 16:9 Widescreen Format; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

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Sleeper Cell (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)In the shell-shocked aftermath of 9/11, Americans sought information about a culture and religion ensconced in an ongoing political dialog of the Middle East that received only sporadic attention in the media. Suddenly, people were asking, why do they hate us? A few years have passed, the war on terrorism settled into a predictable good guys-bad guys debate that yields few answers to a troubling question. Along comes Sleeper Cell to inform the public, a fictitious fanatical terrorist group infiltrating Los Angeles with plans to claim more lives for the Al Qaeda cause. Through the offices of an FBI undercover agent, Darwyn (Michael Ealy), the government monitors his activity within the rapidly evolving plot, the day of destruction more imminent in each new episode. The king of the villains is Farik (Israeli-born Oded Fehr), charged with the overall success of the mission. The other group members are Christian (Alex Nesic), a Frenchman who has found Allah; a bitter Bosnian teacher, Ilija (Peter Lubatti); and blue-eyed all-American boy turned Muslim, Thomas Allen Emerson (Blake Shields): "The history of Islam is written in two lines: One is the black of the scholars' ink, the other the red blood that the martyrs shed."
This series would be successful as non-stop action drama worthy of the accolades of the "24" aficionados, but the writers of Sleeper Cell add another level to this white-knuckle series, the subtleties of extremism contrasted with the true religion of Islam. Darwyn is a committed Muslim, sorely tested in his role as informant, ever on the lookout for an opportunity to spread the true word of Islam as millions practice it in America, without the taint of fundamentalism. Whenever one of his "brothers" blurts a fanatical slogan, Darwyn is ready to clarify in the true words of the Quran. Farik, on the other hand, is firmly entrenched in his hatred of everything American, harboring no mercy for innocents in his pursuit of revenge. Speaking of his mission to a superior, Farik declares, "A man is not a Muslim until his tongue and his heart are submissive. If I fail again, you may take them both."
In one of the most affecting episodes, a soft-spoken sheik approaches a dedicated terrorist in a Yemen jail, armed only with his knowledge of the Quran. The questioning begins, "Brother, what is the greatest jihad?" When he hears the answer, "War with the infidels", this holy man explains the true nature of jihad, the battle within the self to become Allah's holy warrior. He teaches the extremist to go beyond the hatreds he has embraced, to discover the true meaning of his religion, to live his convictions. That such a terrorist can change is a tribute to the power of this religion. When the holy man travels to America to deliver a fatwa against any Al Qaeda operating in this country, Farik is charged with stopping him by any means; this fatwa would render a death blow to the entire endeavor. With his usual canniness, Farik chooses Christian to do the deed, the one man who had sought a private meeting after hearing the sheik speak at the mosque.
In this riveting series, the terrorists move through the streets of LA with impunity, across the border to Mexico to tap financial resources from drug dealers and child purveyors, drive anthrax across the Canadian border into the States, and purchase explosives from White separatists with heroin. Meanwhile, the LAPD blunders into the middle of the FBI surveillance and Darwyn struggles to maintain his cover, until all converges in an explosive ending. Luan Gaines/ 2005.

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Sleeper Cell takes viewers behind the veil of an U.S. home-grown terrorist group, tracking the harrowing challenges faced by a FBI agent determined to learn its secrets. Having posed as a prisoner inside a federal penitentiary, a young agent (Michael Ealy) develops contacts that enable him to infiltrate an Islamic terrorist cell in Los Angeles. The cell is led by an intimidating, charismatic extremist (Oded Fehr), who considers all acts of violence moral when serving the greater good of his cause. But early in the investigation something goes wrong, placing lives – and the integrity of a three-year mission – in serious jeopardy.

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Sleeper Cell - American Terror - The Complete Second Season (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)After reading some initially moderate reviews of the first season of "Sleeper Cell", I tuned into Showtime with minimal expectations. However, I was pleasantly surprised by an efficient, nicely acted, and timely thriller. I became a big supporter of the show, and felt that it was much better than a lot of people gave it credit for--and eventually it was recognized with some accolades (an Emmy nomination for best miniseries among others).
So, I went into "Sleeper Cell - American Terror" with greater expectations. While, ultimately, I don't feel as if was as taut and exciting as the first season--it is still an intriguing and serious minded look at the world of terrorism. The show essentially revolves around Michael Ealy as Darwyn, an African-American Muslim who is also an undercover FBI agent. He thwarted an attack on Dodger Stadium in "Sleeper Cell." The show picks up with months after that incident with Darwyn looking to distance himself from field work and live quietly with his girlfriend. As a horrific fate befalls his previous handler, he is called back into action to help stop a current and impending threat. Using his previous connections, he not only joins a new cell--but eventually becomes its leader. With an inexperienced handler, he often has to go rogue in order to maintain his credibility within the cell. In concurrent storylines, we follow two other members of last season's cast--Farik, the mastermind of the Dodger stadium attack and another "soldier."
Farik, a great and believable villain, is a bit underutilized here--but Oded Fehr makes him a powerful presence. The action is filmed around the globe, and the scope of the show is ambitious and impressive. I actually liked the members of the new cell, and thought the characterizations were surprisingly detailed. Far from stereotypes, you learn about them as individuals. This definitely raises the stakes. I did, however, think the show lacked some of the propulsive narrative drive necessary to make this absolutely unmissable entertainment. The interplay between Darwyn and his new handler is pretty forced and not particularly believable. It's conflict added for the sake of conflict. But once again (as in Season one), the character that threatens to derail the show is Darwyn's girlfriend. She is incorporated into the action unnecessarily and tediously (she does work for the FBI to conveniently thwart a custody action from her son's grandparents). It's not credible, nor interesting or well played.
I do recommend "American Terror," however. I do like that the show doesn't shy away from real consequences and real tragedy. An insightful look, the show is further distinguished by an ethically questionable ending and an ambiguous final shot. I admired that the show wasn't wrapped up in nobility--for to give this a tidy ending would have been a compromise not worthy of the serious and complex topic. KGHarris, 12/06.

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In SLEEPER CELL: AMERICAN TERROR, the Muslim undercover FBI agent, Darwyn (Michael Ealy), discovers that another terrorist cell in Southern California is planning a catastrophic attack that will be more successful than the last attempt. Meanwhile, Farik escapes out of the country and directs another terrorist operation, beginning a parallel storyline between Southern California and the Middle East.

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The Hamburg Cell (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)'The Hamburg Cell' is an excellent film that follows the 9/11 hijackers in the years leading up to the attacks. The film is simple, yet extremely compelling. The acting is superb, and the characters are portrayed not as frothing at the mouth lunatics, but as the rather ordinary-albeit demented-young men that they were. The film succeeds in showing how one can go from a shy, secular, college student, to an angry, brainwashed, religious zealot. From the several books that I have read on the subject, the film seems to be very accurate. Conspiracy theories notwithstanding, this is the true story of the 9/11 hijackers and how they came to be the most infamous men of our generation. I highly recommend this film.

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"If there is a more important, more urgent story to be told than this, I can’t think of it." -The Guardian (U.K.) In this daring dramatization of events leading up to 9/11, director Antonia Bird (Face, Priest) casts her bold, unblinking lens on the roots of extremism. You meet a small band of middle-class students who commit themselves to the unconscionable: Ziad Jarrah (Karim Saleh), the confused and ultimately duplicitous lover and husband; Mohamed Atta (Kamel), the stern, puritanical enforcer, seething with hate; and Ramzi bin al Shibh (Omar Berdouni), the fanatic recruiter for violent martyrdom. Based on exhaustive research, including personal interviews, unpublished correspondence, and the official 9/11 Commission Report, the film offers a coldly detached yet unnervingly intimate study of young men who turned themselves into monsters. What’s more, it reveals the many instances when they might have been stopped.

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