Letters From Iwo Jima

[swerb]

Wow. What a film.

Still have yet to see The Queen (quickly rising my Netflix list, Im back on the movie kick) ...but this years batch of best picture contenders may be the best lot I've seen in many years.

Babel, The Departed, Letters From Iwo Jima ... all classics IMO. Little Miss Sunshine was a good film, The Queen has gotten rave reviews from all the people I read.

At this point, I still slightly lean to the Departed, but damn ... Babel and Letters from Iwo Jima are both good enough films to win the honor in almost any other year IMO.

The companion film to Flags of our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima is clearly superior, and incredibly well done by Eastwood. Think about what this guy has done as a director as of late. Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, and now these two films on the American siege on the Japanese island during WWII. Talk about knocking three out of the park. And don't forget about Unforgiven. This man was a legend as an actor, and has also become one as a director. He will go down as one of the most significant figures in the history of motion pictures.

The horrors of war are as evident in this film as any war movie I've seen since Private Ryan, one of my all time favorites. The way these Japanese soliders embraced impending and certain death by an American fleet large enough to ensure their undoing was fascinating. The acting? Amazing.

If you haven't seen this yet, it is a must see. And an incredible film.

[Guest]

I definitely need to catch it again on NetFlix.

Completely awesome film. Ken Watanabe was great as the commander, really providing insight into a culture we too quickly dismiss to old "bansai" level jingoistic movies about the era.

What really impressed me was the young man who played Saigo, the reluctant soldier who was a baker in real life. The guy playing him is actually a pop music star in Japan, and this was his first acting job in a motion picture. Incredible. I hope he can speak English, as I'd love to see him in something else.