On this Memorial Day, I'm recommending one of Clint Eastwood's very best films, made as a companion piece with 2006's Flags of Our Fathers, but this was by far the superior movie. One looked at the toll WWII took on the returning U.S. veterans at the time, while this one was a tribute to the fallen Japanese soldiers at Iwo Jima in 1944. A somber, respectful look at the men who did bravely fight for their country on the other side, this is one of the few films to take the approach that tries to understand our enemies as fellow human beings who gave their lives for their country the same way we did for ours. Ken Watanabe leads a strong ensemble that sensitively renders the experience these men went through as the war in the Pacific was winding down and they knew their fate was doomed. Celebrate the American heroes who serve us on this holiday of course, but don't forget to try and empathize with our fellow humans all over the world who also sacrificed themselves in many tragic ways throughout history.
Original 2006 Trailer:
