ShareThis"Stop-Loss" is the latest in a slew of war-on-terror-themed films. Most have been documentaries, but a number of Hollywood luminaries have appeared in fiction work. A look at the quickly growing genre:"Control Room" (2004)Jehane Noujaim examines the perception of the invasion of Iraq, incorporating coverage from Al Jazeera."Gunner Palace" (2004)Michael Tucker, who directed the film with his wife, Petra Epperlein, lived with the "gunners" -- the Army's 2/3 Field Artillery unit -- in 2003 and 2004 to make this documentary. The men spent time holed up in an elaborate palace."Occupation: Dreamland" (2005)Documentarians Garrett Scott and Ian Olds filmed the Army's 82nd Airborne Division in 2004, using close-quarters access to talk to troops on their downtime and even follow along on some missions."Home of the Brave" (2006)Jessica Biel and 50 Cent play soldiers who have a tough time readjusting to life at home after emotionally wrenching tours in Iraq."The War Tapes" (2006)Deborah Scranton patched together an illuminating documentary from the perspective of troops, who actually shot the footage themselves with digital cameras."In the Valley of Elah" (2007)Tommy Lee Jones plays the father of an Iraq War vet who is found dead after he's returned from combat and gone AWOL. Jones' character seeks to cut his way through red tape and unsupportive military handlers to discover his son's true fate."Lions for Lambs" (2007)Robert Redford directs and stars in a drama about college students who decide to join the fight in Afghanistan. Tom Cruise plays a senator who gives a bombshell, war-related story to a journalist."Redacted" (2007)Brian De Palma directs a divisive dramatization of an alleged rape and murder of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl by American soldiers."Taxi to the Dark Side" (2007)The Oscar-winning Alex Gibney documentary examines American torture practices in Afghanistan and Iraq and at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.(Phil Villarreal is the author of the novel "Stormin' Mormon" (Publish America, $19.95). Contact him at pvillarreal(at)azstarnet.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
A look at some recent films pegged to the war on terror
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