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Rating: 
Summary: Affective minimalist documentary.
Review: Actors read real letters against a backdrop of authentic images. That's all, and yet it moved me to tears. At this writing, George Bush II just swept the mid-term elections and American rheoric is moving to a second war against Iraq. I just watched this on public television. I wished I had taped it to send my young teen nephews, as an effective essay against war - all wars. Then I read here a 5-Star opinion from one who comes from another perspective on war, and I realize. Letters and images, nothing more. See it for yourself. WARNING: Beware some graphic pictures of the dead. Also, one scene details a soldier smoking opium after a battle he expected to die. It confirms the anguish. P.S. And when it is available, see Naqoyqatsi (Hopi, "Life as War") with minimalist orchestral music by Philip Glass. Again, sounds and images. A haunting, artsy complement to this documentary here reviewed.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing... touching...
Review: This is 60 minutes that will leave a lump in your throat. It will make you sick to your stomach, feel patriotic, and humbled all at the same time. In a nutshell, various actors read real letters written during war time. These letters span many years, from many different conflicts... from the Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, up to the Gulf War... these are letters written from GI's to parents, brothers, wives, and girlfriends back home. More often than not, there is a grim footnote attached to some of the readings about how this or that particular GI died a day or two after writing the letter just read. Shocking. Touching. The only drawback is that some of the actors (such as Bill Paxton, Eric Stoltz, and Kevin Spacey) are used repeatedly for multiple readings. It would have been nice if each letter received individual treatment. Other than that, this is a class act production.
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