Sherman's March

You really have to give it to filmmakers for willing to show a documentary about a period during the civil war and confront much of the government’s attempts to recruit black men into service. Many of them refused to serve, while others felt obligated. “Sherman’s March” makes no excuses about that fact, nor does it ever gloss over that point.

Instead it’s an interesting glimpse at William Sherman and his efforts to invade much of the land in an effort to win the Civil War. Controversial and rather fascinating, Civil War buffs will eat this examination of the military figure, with a spoon, and it’s a worthy two hours in history.

 

Premiering April 22nd on the History Channel.

The Dark Ages

It’s hard to look at “The Dark Ages” without noting the sheer sense of irony engrained within the documentary. It was a time of sheer ignorance and disease, a time where the poor were drawn into war, where wars of faith were fought for years, while tyrannical rulers fought wars based on their faith. It was a time of great violence and poverty… and that’s just been in the last seven years. I had to take that joke, because it’s just too true to deny. “The Dark Ages” is a fascinating documentary chronicling the dark ages. It was a time where slaves revolted against their masters, and the Roman Empire fell to the grasp of warriors who began to dominate the land with bloodshed.

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King of Cars: Season Two

Gearheads will utterly adore what surprises “King of Cars” holds in its grandiose arena of selling cars to unlikely buyers. In the two episodes viewed, the king of cars holds a bid on potential buyer, hosting a big war in a selling room trying to hook in potential buyers pumped up hip hop soundtrack and all. You have to appreciate the showmanship behind “King of Cars” turning a car dealership into somewhat of a spectacle. Fans of the series will find this doesn’t stray from what made the first season such an entertaining watch and it’s an interesting series.

Dracula – Masterpiece Theatre (2007)

It’s a requirement that anyone playing Lucy Westenra should possess a great deal of sexual allure, for the simple fact that it gives logic to Dracula’s hunt on her before going after Mina. And Sophia Myles hands the requirement like a pro. Myles is utterly ravishing in “Dracula” and she’s lusted after, for good reason, throughout much of the film, possessing her usual charm and likable charisma that makes her such a memorable actress. Myles also has a palpable chemistry with Leonidas, who manages to portray the charming innocence with Myles as the blonde siren that eventually gets bitey.

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Masters of Horror: Right to Die

I’ll buy that Superman can not be recognized as Clark Kent once he flips his S Curl, I’ll buy that Peter Parker can reveal himself to a crowded train and not be sold out by someone interested in making money, and hell, I’ll even buy that there’s some appeal in MTV, but I admittedly had a hard time buying that our character would trade his utterly gorgeous wife in for a run of the mill redheaded nurse who only sought out to cash in on him. But alas, “Right to Die” is a very good episode in spite of that lapse in logic. Martin Donovan (who you may remember from “Weeds”), is a man who has just witnessed his wife be burned alive after a horrible car accident and now is forced to face the consequences of such an incident. Burned from head toe, and comatose, Cliff struggles to fight off his mother in law who is attempting to keep him from pulling the plug on his wife, and after horrible dreams of her burned body coming to wreak havoc on him, he’s beginning to think his in-laws are not the only people he’ll have to battle.

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Aquaman: The Pilot You’ve (Probably) Never Seen!

It’s very rare that cult classics become cult classics on one episode only. Surely, shows have become cult favorites with one season; there was “Firefly”, “Freaks and Geeks”, and “Brisco County”, but on one episode? I can’t think of too many series like that. “Aquaman” has become a cult classic not because of its quality, but because of curiosity. Curiosity not from comic book fans only, but from fans of “Smallville”, and the public whom enjoy kitschy entertainment. And sure, some people have managed to enjoy it. Okay a lot of people. But is it for the right reasons? First called “Mercy Reef” (taking off on the “Smallville” formula), then called “Aqua” and now called simply “Aquaman”, this series was an attempt to spin off from the popular guest stint of Aquaman on the “Smallville” series. The CW changed the series from “Mercy Reef” to the blunt “Aquaman” mainly because Aquaman just doesn’t hold the clout Superman does, and many people consider the character quite lame.

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Masters of Horror: Valerie on the Stairs

Being an aspiring writer, knowing aspiring writers, and being apart of a world filled with aspiring writers, “Valerie on the Stairs” was really an interesting installment that spoke about how ideas and imagination can tend to die with a horrible writer, and on how some ideas can be housed somewhere. In “Valerie on the Stairs,” we visit a home for aspiring writers whose own abode has become the breeding ground for a monster who perhaps may be a figment of imagination taken shape. Garris’ installment is a provoking little humdinger, with slight shades of subtlety, explore the condition of being a writer and the suffering that becomes apart of it. What happens when unfulfilled imagination manifests and rebels violently against its creators?

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