Trumpets Fade for 'Flags'

Slow but powerful. That's how audiences felt about Flags of our Fathers, as it brought in just over $10 million when it opened in theaters this weekend. This film centers around three of the six survivors, who raised the flag in the famous photo at the Battle of Iwo Jima during WWII and the controversy over who raised it. The three surviving men, John "Doc" Bradley, Rene Gagnon, and Ira Hayes, were hand-picked to set off on a war bonds tour. During the film's duration, it jumps between three different stories: the war bonds drive, the Battle of Iwo Jima, and the interviewing of one of the narrators. It would have made more sense to show the entire battle first, with a tie-in to the narration, and then the war bonds drive. With that aside, the acting and the action were superb. Bullets, bombs, and granades fly and explode, as limbs are blown off, vehicles explode, blood splatters, and men scream out in pain. I only recommend the film for the acting and the action, not the entire story. Stars of the film include: Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford, Adam Beach, Barry Pepper, Paul Walker, Neal McDonough, and Robert Patrick. The Beef: We could do without Adam Beach and Barry Pepper in their second WWII films. Beach starred in Windtalkers, and Pepper starred in Saving Private Ryan. Some movie-goers might look at these two stars and confuse them with the characters they played in their other WWII films. The Second Beef: There are too many flashbacks, flashforwards, and "flashsideways" that would make nearly every audience member check themselves into the closest mental institution. Ten Factor: 8.5

'The Departed' Leaves Astonishment

Martin Scorsese has directed a masterpiece! Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, and Anthony Anderson star in this thriller about two men from opposite sides of the law going undercover within the Irish Mafia and the Boston State Police. This film will hold your attention throughout its entire duration. It's filled with shootouts (which are extemely intense), blood, sex, drama, cell phones, and a lot of cursing. The characters obsessively use the word "fuck." For example, they tell each other to "go fuck yourself," or "fuck you." A couple of these various forms of the word "fuck" are quite humorous. Throughout the film, it may prove difficult, at least for some audiences, figure out or know who is on which side of the corruption...so stay in your seat and duck and take cover, 'cause bullets will fly and men will die. If you don't understand Dignam's (Mark Wahlberg's character) final action, then you didn't pay attention to the beginning of the movie. Dignam knew every cop and every undercover cop. For the women out there, a love story weasels its way into the film. But that doesn't matter, because there is too much blood and too many bullets whizzing around for the women to enjoy it. Unless, of course, your a woman who likes action films. The performances were awsome! Ten Factor: 10