National Geographic - World's Most Dangerous Gang (2006) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)You've probably heard about high profile gangs that make up some of the American landscape and those would include some like the Crips, Bloods, Hell's Angels, Mexican Mafia, The Latin Kings, Chinese Triads, Japanese Yakuza, and Skinheads. These are just a few and they are all notorious in their own right but there is an even more insidious gang that is growing at a frightful rate on a global scale.
In the 1980's in Los Angeles, the gang MS -13 came from humble beginnings but now spreads across 33 different states in America and 6 different countries around the world. The estimated numbers are ten thousand members in the United States and up to one hundred thousand worldwide. It seems like virtually no communities are left untouched by their presence as they expand like a plague through urban and rural settings.
MS -13 is touted as the fastest growing and most violent gang in America at the present time. They have their own culture and abide by a set of rules and rituals that they follow to the letter. Enforcing these measures, protecting their turf, and conducting day to day business oftentimes means using murder, maiming, and other brutalities to accomplish whatever they need to. They are made up of individual cliques inside distinct territories that govern themselves but there is evidence of a top hierarchy that has influences down through the ranks. Organization in criminal activities appears to be well structured also and money is made from drug smuggling and dealing, extorting protection money, gun running, and other illicit affairs.
National Geographic has put together a detailed, informative, and scary documentary that is well supported with interviews from law enforcement officials and past and present members of the MS -13 gang. This program does contain graphic video footage and some disturbing images but it is not excessive in my opinion and I see it as a necessary element in supporting the overall messages here.


Click Here to see more reviews about: National Geographic - World's Most Dangerous Gang (2006)

You've spotted the graffiti and seen their tattoos. And you've read the shocking headlines documenting their brutality. But what is driving the rapid spread of the ultra violent gang MS-13, which has infected big cities and small towns across the country. Lisa Ling takes you deep inside a merciless world hidden in plain view. Through revealing interviews with active members, National Geographic reveals the extreme culture and rituals of the MS-13 gang.

Click here for more information about National Geographic - World's Most Dangerous Gang (2006)

PABLO ESCOBAR: KING OF COKE (2007) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This work shows the rise and fall of the biggest cocaine's trafficker. Sensitive viewers should not watch this as it shows myriad shot and mangled corpses. Escobar killed 3 Colombian presidential candidates, 11 of the country's 21 justices, and thousands more. These facts are Machiavellian: the more crimes he committed, the more people and groups were willing to fight him no matter what. The work ends with comparisons of Escobar to bin Laden. For years, I have heard that Colombia is a very violent and troubled country. This work touches upon why that is.
This has diverse interviewees: American and Colombian nationals, native English speakers, those using English as a second language, and those whose Spanish must be translated. I do think all the interviewees were male, however. This work interviews many important people, including ambassadors, presidents, vice-presidents, and DEA agents.
I was told that this work was 60 minutes, but it's actually 90. Now maybe I didn't see a high-quality copy, but this sure didn't seem to have chapters. So don't think you can skip around without doing a lot of fast-forwarding.

Click Here to see more reviews about: PABLO ESCOBAR: KING OF COKE (2007)

Pablo Escobar was the biggest cocaine druglord, in the history of Colombia and the United States. He ruled the Colombian Medellin Cartel with an iron fist, by murdering police officers, judges, and presidential candidates. He even blew up a commercial plane out of the sky. Eventually Colombia would have to get assistance from America to track down and assassinate Pablo.

Click here for more information about PABLO ESCOBAR: KING OF COKE (2007)

In Search of History - Hell's Angels (History Channel) (2005) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I saw this documentary on TV, and have two criticisms.
First, the growth and transformation of the Hells Angels from a local motorcycle club to a multi-national organization that spans at least five continents (North America, Europe, (South) Africa, South America and Australia) has an interesting history.
This growth was caused in large part by interest in the group overseas sparked by lwo budget films such as "Wild Angels" and the whole slew of drive-in quality "biker flicks" that lasted from the mid-60s to the mid-70s. (Members of the Hells Angels appeared, usually as extras, in several of these including "Wild Angels," "Hells Angels on Wheels," and "Hells Angels '69."
It was an odd merging of myth, movies and reality with an increase in one giving a boost to the other two aspects of the group.
Second, as someone who collects these (odd) films, I was astonished to see how much of the footage shown in this documentary came from various drive-in biker films.
Again we have the odd melding of myth, movie and reality merging in this documentary.
Much of the other footage, including interviews, came from the documentary "Hells Angels Forever," a film that was produced by the Angels themselves as a public relations effort.
Therefore I felt this documentary gave about half the story and tried to exaggerate what it had in the way of information.
Still, it was interesting. I enjoyed it, but I think people who really enjoyed it might enjoy digging deeper as most of the footage came from sources that are already available to the public.

Click Here to see more reviews about: In Search of History - Hell's Angels (History Channel) (2005)

Are they romantic figures of rebellion, or traveling, rowdy misfits? Jump on you "hog" and ride along as we reveal the history of this motorcycle club with a punch! From inception by a former pilot from the "Hell's Angels" squadron, to the true incident on which "The Wild One" is based, to today, it's a ride you won't want to miss.

Get 52% OFF

Click here for more information about In Search of History - Hell's Angels (History Channel) (2005)