Sands of Oblivion (2007)
Nomination Year: 2014
SYNOPSIS: This much is true: In 1923, Cecil B. DeMille filmed "The Ten Commandments" in California's Guadalupe Desert on a massive set that featured a re-creation of an ancient Egyptian city complete with 21 sphinxes. When filming was complete, for reasons that have never been adequately explained, this massive set was dynamited and buried in the desert sand.
This much is not: To add authenticity, DeMille imported a bunch of Egyptian artifacts, one of which carried a powerful curse, which caused the deaths of many members of the curse. When the movie was complete, DeMille buried everything to contain the curse.
Flashforward to the present day. Excavation for a new harbor is about to inundate that area of the coast, forever burying the DeMille set if an archeologist (Morena Baccarin) and even-more-famous archeologist ex-husband (Adam Baldwin) can't find it and rescue it first. Meanwhile, a hunky Iraq vet (some guy who wasn't in Firefly) is helping his elderly grandfather, who worked on "The Ten Commandments" set as a child, try to find a time capsule he buried during filming.
After the obligatory bickering with the archeologists, Hunky Guy and Granddad find the set, while the archeologists are still searching hopelessly in the wrong place. Score one for Hunky Guy! Unfortunately, in addition to finding the set, they unleash the curse. Alas, poor Granddad!
A monster who looks like Anubis and is referred to as Ra stalks the set, killing grad students. Jayne gets possessed by the spirit of the curse. Hunky Guy gets to show off his awesome military skillz. There's a dune buggy chase. And, in the end, a bunch of Freemasons in black SUVs show up to save the day while Inara makes out with Hunky Guy.
Definitely one of the Sci Fi Channel's more enjoyable efforts.
Greg Pearson
"Alas, Poor Yorick"
