This is NOT about Sherman's march during the Civil War. Rather, it is a kind of documentary-romantic-comedy--with the filmmaker himself as the protagonist. In the film, he meets a series of different women in an attempt to find love. What is remarkable is how real and natural these people during these interactions. It is funny, and never mean-spirited (trust me, some of the people can be easily made fun of).

Great documentary that crystallized McElwee's cinematic style and that has served him well ever since.

It's hard to know quite whether the film works because the director knew exactly what he was doing (making it wonderfully meta) or because he had no idea what he was doing (making it ones of flukiest flukes that ever fluked). Intentions aside, it's a (mostly) fascinating film partly from a historical perspective, partly in terms of the characters presented and partly as this strange amalgamation of fear of nuclear war, Sherman's rampage and a man grappling with his history with women.

"McElwee asks us to reconnect not only with each other but with our human spirit." - Ed Gonzalez

Ross McElwee aims to make a documentary about Sherman's March but instead delves deep into his own navel. The specter of nuclear war is apparently so strong that the all-too-real and harrowing fashion sense of mid-'80s women goes unremarked.

Yeah, I "get" this, but goddamn is it boring.

Thoroughly unique. McElwee's uncomfortable attempts to woo are painful but sympathetic. I could relate to it, and also to his nuclear nightmares. Is there a connection between loneliness, fear of annihilation, and General Sherman? Probably not, but that's the great fun of this film. It goes where it wants to. There's not a single dull scene. It's a wonderful portrait of humanity as McElwee comes across one interesting character after another. A funny, original, fascinating film.

That one woman who tried to set him up with the Mormon...I had some homicidal thoughts about her.

Satisfying in the weirdest way. The film is indeed about Sherman's March, but it's also rich with the prevailing culture of the (then) contemporary South. Also along for the ride is all of Ross McElwee's baggage about women, not to mention the bizarre paranoia emanating from the late stages of the Cold War that permeates everyone's words. All in all it's a brilliant and oft-amusing time capsule of America that uses its past and its present to show life as it is.

McElwee knows exactly the foolish mistake he is making as he engages in one horrific romantic interlude after another, and yet he is powerless to help himself. More riveting and humorous than you would ever expect a 137-minute amateur documentary to be.

Wonderful in the most painful way possible. Ross is unlucky in love, we're lucky in viewing.

It's hard to know quite whether the film works because the director knew exactly what he was doing (making it wonderfully meta) or because he had no idea what he was doing (making it ones of flukiest flukes that ever fluked). Intentions aside, it's a (mostly) fascinating film partly from a historical perspective, partly in terms of the characters presented and partly as this strange amalgamation of fear of nuclear war, Sherman's rampage and a man grappling with his history with women.

Superbly odd. Sherman, to me the most interesting man in the Civil War is a backdrop at times to McElwee's own neurotic existence. You will never see another doc quite like this.

This film is probably the most fascinating thing I've ever watched

A film of simple corruscating moments all but obfuscated by the story of a nebbish single-mindedly driven by the conviction that procreation, and all its concomitant obligations, should dictate all decision making.

# 855

comprehension failure >_<