First off, Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas to all the CO’s and their families out there!
This month Netflix has swung for the fences to bring some quality entertainment.
1. Frontera (2014)
Ever since I saw Ed Harris in Appaloosa, I have made it a point to watch any Western he makes, be it classic or modern. Basically, this is a Border drama of two unique stories: one of an illegal Mexican laborer trying to cross the border without incident and the other of a retired Sheriff, trying to live a peaceful life. Of course it would not be a drama if these two stories did not intersect, or better yet, collide, at some point…
2. Marco Polo (2014)
Netflix has been making a name for themselves lately with their Original mini-series, but this is the first time they have ventured into the uber-competitive Historical Drama genre. Set in 13th Century, the story of Marco Polo begins in Venice, Italy and takes you along the famed “Silk Road” which stretched from then Constantinople to Afghanistan, and on into China and Mongolia. The bulk of the story revolves around Polo’s relationship to the Historical behemoth Kublai Khan, as Marco was left by his father as “human collateral” as it were to Khan, until the Polo’s could establish very lucrative trade routes with Italy. Worthwhile historical Dramas are in short supply these days, so let’s hope this one has the saying power for a Season 2 in 2015. Parents be warned: this one is not for the kiddies, like other mini-series of this type, such as Game of Thrones, naked women and sexual scenes abound periodically.
3. Black-Ops (2012)
True story documentaries on some of the most amazing, important and yet relatively unknown military “Black” operations in recent history. Broken down into 8 episodes, this one will not disappoint the hard core military history buff!
4.World War II: The Last Heroes (2011)
I have been a World War II history buff since my teenage years, so anytime I see a new documentary I go giggly. This one is broken down into 6 episodes, each one chronicling the life and experiences of one soldier’s viewpoint of War. It does not get any better than this. The greatest generation at their finest, killing nazi’s and saving the world from tyranny! Hoooh-aahhhh!
5. The Wipers Times (2012)
The amazing true story of a British unit in World War I in Belgium that decides to publish a newspaper to help raise troop morale. It is good to see some WWI stories like this finally getting told.
6. Korengal (2014)
War correspondent, author and journalist Sebastian Junger’s follow-up documentary to the award-winning Restrepo. Korengal is the story of a company of soldiers from the Army’s 173rd Airborne and their fight to hold a small patch of dirt on top of a mountain (OP Restrepo) in the Korengal Valley in Afghanistan in 2010. The reality, humanity and honesty of this movie is truly moving. You get to see War from the perspective that only really matters: From the guys fighting and dying there, day in and day out. This is War, in all of its brutal honesty.
Stay Dangerous!