Everybody says, "Departed is Best film of the year", but I haven't seen it yet, so I can't say so. "Letters From Iwo Jima" is Best film of the year to me. And this is the best of all of Eastwood's films. Hollywood film maker made a Japanese movie. All characters are Japanese actors, and all dialogues are Japanese (US soldiers speak English, of course). For a long time, I've seen all Eastwood's movies, but this is very special movie. If you saw this movie without a preliminary knowledge, I'm sure you'll misunderstand that it was made by Japanese film maker. But definitely this is Eastwood movie.
Ken Watanabe played General Tadamichi Kuribayashi. Ken Watanabe is well known by "The Last Samurai". So you know about him, don't you? His acting deserve Oscar nomination by this movie.
"Flags of our fathers" were about battle with Japanese army, truth about flags, story of three soldiers. "Letters from Iwo Jima" were about defense battle, friendship, and letters to their families.
So......I saw both of movies, "Flags of our fathers" and "Letters from Iwo Jima". Both movie's theme was "father and son". In "Flags of our fathers", the son interviewed to war veteran about his father. In "Letters from Iwo Jima", fathers wrote letters to son (and wife). They knew those letters won't go to son and wife. Nevertheless they wrote letters. That was very sad and I couldn't stop tears....
I don't know if Eastwood see this board or not. But I want to say thanks to Eastwood. Thank you Mr. Eastwood. This is your best movie!