Patriot Act: A Jeffrey Ross Home Film

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When standup comedian Jeffrey Ross joined Drew Carey's U.S.O. show that toured through Iraq during the first year of the American occupation, he took along a video camera and made a clumsy but strikingly intimate portrait of the armed forces. Performing in venues as different as the Baghdad Civic Center and a camouflaged camp in the middle of the desert, seven comedians (Ross, Carey, Kathy Kinney, Blake Clark, Kyle Dunnigan, Andres Fernandez, and Rocky LaPorte) did what they could to entertain soldiers who suffered sand, heat, and being shot at--but the brief snippets of rough comedy are little more than a sidelight. The most intriguing aspects of Patriot Act (which, despite its title, is largely apolitical) are the simple conversations with G.I.s, bellhops, translators, and others, who endure a difficult situation with a weary smile and a little glimpse of hope. It's the ordinary effort of life that comes through, even when surrounded by bombed buildings and armored vehicles. Ross has no great insights, but he proves an affable and earnest tour guide. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Patriot Act is a feature-length "home video" that captures a rare and intimate look into the early days of the American occupation of Iraq through the eyes of stand-up comedian, Jeffrey Ross.

Customer Reviews:

I was there!!!.......2007-05-06

I was in Tikrit, Iraq when Jeffrey Ross, Drew Carey, Kathy Kinney and others came to entertain us. It was awesome, and a much needed laugh! Jeff even mooned us when the song, "I like big butts and I can not lie..." was played, I never laughed so hard in my life! Our company was at a diffrent base from where they performed and because it was a night show we had to stay at that base and truck some gear there to stay over for this show, but it was well worth it!!!

loved it.......2007-04-29

I saw Jeffrey Ross perform in Osan, Korea during a USO tour. He briefly mentioned the release of this DVD, so when I saw it on the shelves, I had to get it. This movie makes ME want to entertain the troops.

We Need More Like "Patriot Act".......2007-02-07

So often stories come to us from Iraq, whether it be from CNN or FOX, with opinions presented as facts. This leaves us uninformed and unconscious to the actual story.
This is not the case with Patriot Act. Jeffrey Ross provides us with a unique look at the troops when their real characters shine. Not on the battlefield, but behind the lens and in the company of appreciative Americans who know who the real heroes are. Ross borrows from Bob Hope the ability to inspire the troops and give them the slightest, yet so important glimpse of the world they left behind. Patriot Act represents a documentary film about Iraq without any previous agenda in the mind of a filmmaker - something rare today. It doesn't take a one-sided approach to Iraq as a social issue, it merely gives a better understanding of the people we have over there.

Saw him in Baghdad, great show.......2006-08-09

Just ordered the DVD, so I can't comment on the film. However, Jeffrey's performance in Baghdad was tremendous. He was by far the funniest comedian to perform that evening, with Kathy Kinney a close second, who simply read the newspaper and provided an hilarious, unscripted commentary. His "poetry" was inspired. The theater was packed with troops (and a few Iraqis who seemed confused -- stand-up doesn't translate too well). Everybody had a great time forgetting about the war for an hour or so. I'm sure this DVD will bring back a good memory from a time and place that had relatively few.

Kudos to Jeffrey, his fellow comedians, and to all those who make the trek to entertain troops at war. Your sacrifice, and the risk you take, is greatly appreciated by those of us in uniform. I'm sure Bob Hope is smiling appreciatively.

der beste.......2006-07-21

Just received this moving DVD in Germany and I think we should have this on a wide screen in Munich for all to see.

We Germans well recognize these brave soldiers - they saved us and Europe twice and many lie forever in graveyards around, for what was for them, a strange continent - and they are at it again. We Europeans sit back in our coffee shops and criticize. We forget, too soon, the modest unrecognized greatness of these Americans and Ross lays this out for us to be reminded - and not a moment too soon.

Dressed in humor, their sacrifice is made all the more pointed, and this talented new director creates a beautiful balance that captures and draws the most critical, anti- american into this - the selfless and thankless effort for the greater good, that is the American Story..... Ross is non political and tells it as he sees it. I look forward to his next movie and hope more international critics get to see this creative work of some quiet greatness. Danke Herr Ross we salute your country and you!

Average customer rating:

Little known film on the Falklands War
Great Film!!!!
About 24 hours depicted in the history of the 1992 Falkland Islands war
I'd give it 6 stars if I could.
It helps to be British

An Ungentlemanly Act
Starring: Ungentlemanly Act
Manufacturer: Bfs Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006Z2NHM
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Description

In the tiny Falkland Islands, April 1, 1982 started normally enough, but before midnight, an old conflict had exploded and enemy soldiers were creeping ashore.

This award winning drama takes a wry look at the first hours of the Falklands War. Ian Richardson (From Hell, House of Cards) is Sir Rex Hunt, unflappable governor of the islands, determined to defend his office - and send his flustered wife (Rosemary Leach - A Room with a View) off to safety (with a bottle). Bob Peck (Jurassic Park, Edge of Darkness) is Major Mike Norman, who faces the Argentinean invaders with a handful of gutsy Royal Marines.

Filmed in the Falklands, this extraordinary drama captures the courage (and absurd black humour) that occurs when a small corner of the world suddenly becomes a battlefield.

Customer Reviews:

Little known film on the Falklands War.......2006-11-11

Decent little flick about the residents of the Falkland Islands just prior to the invasion by Argintine forces. Good British dialog (some very hard to understand) but filmed on location and interesting stuff. Good attention to detail and illustrates the stubborn pride of the Brits and the Royal Marines. Not an epic but interesting to watch.

Great Film!!!!.......2006-03-08

"An Ungentlemanly Act" is a gem of a film. The movie recounts the events leading to the Argentine capture of the Falklands in early April 1982. Without background music or typically staged settings, the story allows the viewer to almost act as a witness to the actions of Governor Rex Hunt and the Royal Marine Garrison as they prepare for an invasion they cannot hope to halt by themselves.

If the portrayals are true, as the opening pre-credit text indicates, one cannot come away with anything but admiration for Governor Hunt and Major Mike Norman, the newly minted commander of the garrison, as they prepare the colony and its modest military contingent for the inevitable. Both the Governor and Major Norman act pragmatically, yet temper themselves and their compatriots with a great sense of national pride and patriotism as they steadfastly work to repel the invaders and up hold sovereignty until the absolute end. The films credits both men with the calm leadership that gives an example of people performing at their best when their circumstances are very dire.

About 24 hours depicted in the history of the 1992 Falkland Islands war.......2005-09-27

This is a very good, made-for-TV 1992 movie that apparently fairly accurately depicts the opening salvos of the Falkland-Islands war between Argentina and Great Britain. The events shown take place over an approximately 24-hour period on 1-2 April 1982. Surprisingly, only one person died on that first day, although subsequent hostilities claimed 255 British and some 645 Argentine lives. The always watchable Ian Richardson gives an excellent performance as the beleaguered governor. There is a fair amount of humor--some of it black humor, which testifies to the absurdity of war in general and this little war in particular.

Bonus materials include cast biographies, a detailed (26 frames!) timeline describing events from 2 Feb. to 12 Oct. 1982, and a brief fact file for the Falkland Islands. The DVD is only in standard (4:3) aspect ratio and, especially in the first third or half, focus is very soft and colors are off (on the reddish side). Nevertheless, the movie is quite viewable and has some good scenery shots and superb performances.

I'd give it 6 stars if I could........2005-03-13

I will begin by saying that I have not actually bought this DVD, I first saw this film when it was shown on the BBC for the tenth aniversary of the outbreak of the war. It has the taste of an Ealing comedy, laced with delicious black humour.

The previous reviewer seems to have completely missed the point with the regard to chauvanism or nationalism. This film is devoid of either. The news footage at the end of the fim serves to illustrate the cost in lives of this pointless war, a contest between two vastly unpopular governments, redeemed only by the courage of the men who fought in it.

I will admit, if you are american the first few minutes of this film wont make much sense. Mention of Scrap Metal merchants on South Georgia will have no meaning. Those of us who were living in the UK at the time will have no problem recalling the newspaper headlines and the TV coverage.

The film itself offers an accurate depiction of the comic-opera start to Britain's last great Imperial adventure. The Falkland Islanders were none to pleased by the way they were depicted in the movie and some of the British military personnel's low opinion of them was shown as well.

The acting was uniformly excellent, Ian Richardson and Bob Peck never do a bad turn. The script was terrific too, there are some great one-liners. For anyone thinking of buying this I would say go ahead and give yourself a treat.

It helps to be British.......2005-02-16

This is an account of the Falkland Island invasion of April 1, 1982 by Argentine troops. It's mildly interesting, in large part because of the ever-arresting presence of Richardson and the convincing acting by old pro Rosemary Leach. But the film has major flaws. The opening ten minutes are puzzling, as the plot is not at all clear and some of the characters cannot be understood. The invasion scenes show several thousand rounds of bullets being fired with only one person killed. Several of the minor characters in the story, such as the two people manning a radio station, never quite come to life.

The larger point of the film is British chauvinism. After the fall of the town, the whole point of the film, news clips appear for a minute or two at the end showing live footage of the British reconquest of the tiny islands. There's Margaret Thatcher and the flag and the music... It helps to be British to enjoy this minor television film.

60 Minutes - Dissension in the Ranks (February 25, 2007)

Average customer rating:

60 Minutes - Dissension in the Ranks (February 25, 2007)

Manufacturer: CBS
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

60 Minutes - The Other Iraq (February 18, 2007)

ASIN: B000NO1CSM
Release Date: 2007-03-02

Amazon.com

Airdate: 2/25/07 Soldiers opposed to the war Iraq are taking their case to Congress. More than one thousand active duty and reserve service members have signed a petition stating that "it is time for U.S. troops to come home" because "staying in Iraq will not work." They say they're not anti-war and they're not pacifists, but that this war is not worth the price. Lara Logan talks to some of these protestors, as well as to other soldiers in Iraq who say this war is worth fighting.

Average customer rating:

GOOD!
An OK action movie,pathetic DVD transfer!

Act of War
Starring: Jack Scalia , Douglas Arthurs , Ingrid Torrance , Jan Nemejovsky , and Milan Gargula
Director: Robert Lee (III)
Manufacturer: York Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00000JGJV
Release Date: 2000-02-22

Customer Reviews:

GOOD!.......2006-11-03

VERY INTERESTING STORY ABOUT THE WAR. IT HELPS US TO UNDERASTAND SOME BEHAVIOR OF THE HUMAN BEING.

An OK action movie,pathetic DVD transfer!.......2001-05-29

This movie is OK action movie. It deals with a FBI agent or some government agent trying to stop a government coup.Jack Scalia plays the agent who is enjoying a social function when it's taken over by miltary terrorists. Of course Jack Scalia saves the day, gets the girl and saves the day/world!

This DVD is rated R for violence,murder,death ,partial nudity and swearing. The DVD transfer is pathetic.The only extras are a trailer, a actor bio and a very bad scene selection!!

Description

Charlie Rose talks to National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley about the US's strategy in Iraq and stamping out terrorism in the Middle East. Then, Philip Caputo, on his novel Acts of Faith, which tells the story of several aid workers at the height of the Sudanese civil war.

Average customer rating:

Emancipation Revelation/Revolution

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

90 minute historical documentary. Featuring historical footage shot in the 30s and 40s.
Gives the history of the battle Civil Rights, which is left out of the history books
Interviews with Rev. Martin Luther King's neice Alveda King, Booker T Washington's great granddaughter Gloria Jackson
and many other prominent black americans who are being persecuted for their political beliefs.
Historians interviewed, David Barton, Rev Peter Marshall, Micheal zak

ASIN: B000VWYUFS

Product Description

Emancipation Revelation/Revolution is an award winning documentary that looks at the battle over civil rights and the roles that both major political parties played in it. The battle has always been about freedom . . . and still is. Visit ERRVideo.com to learn more.

Act of War - The Overthrow of the Hawaiian Nation

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Act of War - The Overthrow of the Hawaiian Nation

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000CSPUMI

Product Description

This hour-long documentary is a provocative look at a historical event of which few Americans are aware. In mid-January, 1893, armed troops from the U.S.S. Boston landed at Honolulu in support of a treasonous coup d'etat against the constitutional sovereign of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Queen Lili'uokalani. The event was described by U.S. President Grover Cleveland as "an act of war." Stylized re-enactments, archival photos and film, political cartoons, historic quotes and presentations by Hawaiian scholars tell Hawaiian history through Hawaiian eyes. Produced in association with the Center for Hawaiian Studies, University of Hawai'i. Featuring historians and scholars Haunani-Kay Trask, Lilikala Kame'eleihiwa, Kekuni Blaisdell and Jonathan Osorio. Act of War - The Overthrow of the Hawaiian Nation was one of the first productions funded by the fledgling Independent Television Service in late 1991. With supplemental funding from Native American Public Telecommunications, then called the Native American Public Broadcasting Consortium, the production was completed in 1993. It was broadcast on Hawai'i Public Television during the centennial year of the overthrow of Queen Lili'uokalani, a landmark year in the Hawaiian movement for sovereignty and independence. In that same year, the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution admitting the illegal taking of Hawai'i and formally apologizing to the Hawaiian people. President Clinton signed the resolution in November of 1993. The program has since been aired on 93 public television stations.

Average customer rating:

GOOD!
An OK action movie,pathetic DVD transfer!

Act of War [Region 2]
Starring: Jack Scalia , Douglas Arthurs , Ingrid Torrance , Jan Nemejovsky , and Milan Gargula
Director: Robert Lee (III)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00008MJ1Q

Customer Reviews:

GOOD!.......2006-11-03

VERY INTERESTING STORY ABOUT THE WAR. IT HELPS US TO UNDERASTAND SOME BEHAVIOR OF THE HUMAN BEING.

An OK action movie,pathetic DVD transfer!.......2001-05-29

This DVD is rated R for violence,murder,death ,partial nudity and swearing. The DVD transfer is pathetic.The only extras are a trailer, a actor bio and a very bad scene selection!!

DVD:

DVD

DVD