Monday, July 10, 2006

The War Tapes

I am looking forward to seeing The War Tapes. It is the winner of the Tribeca Film Festival Best Documentary Award (one of the best film fests) and was recently profiled on NPR.

From the interviews, clips and previews I have been exposed to, I believe this is one films that will similarly effect both the Michael Moore and Sean Hannity crowds. The filmmakers put the cameras in the hands of 3 National Guardsmen in Iraq and let them shoot most of the footage. What we see is unflinching, raw and heartbreaking.

The caricatures of soldiers as pawns, numbers, robots, heroic archetypes (but not flesh and blood) or evil collaborators with the Empire are held by both sides. However, this film should challenge such simplistic thinking, reminding we that are against this war that many soldiers are not happy with their orders or the war, but feel a strong sense of duty to their fellow soldiers. It will also remind those for the war of the terrible price all people play in combat, not just the enemies or the innocent, but also those soldiers losing their innocence and dealing with pain for the rest of their days (to say nothing of their families)

watch the trailer

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