Just back from Letters From Iwo Jima, enjoyed it but I still left the theatre with the impression of seeing a Hollywood film which was a little dissapointing. 

The constant crossing of paths between Kuribayashi and Saigo just felt too manufactured but at least the film has shown a human side to the Japanese troops rather than the one dimensional banzai sreaming suicidal image usually depicted in American films covering this era and theatre of war. 

I'm also glad that it didn't descend into a tear-jerking melodrama as Taegukgi turned out to be.

I must say it's the best I've seen from Clint Eastwood as a director and the scenes of the aerial bombing and naval barrages were truly traumatising. 

I'll catch Flags of our Fathers on its imminent dvd release. 

Cheers Trev.