I have to agree with you that this sounds like a great documentary, but we must also remember that the filmmaker's subject is a big part of any documentary. Here, the subject is one specific group of American soldiers, and this filmmaker has been able to show good, bad, funny, sad, and the survival tactics (emotional and physical) that these young Americans display.

I am not sure what you really mean by the comment: "Gunner Palace is how a documentary is supposed to look". I assume it is a hit on Michael Moore's recently released work. I have yet to see Moore's film and am not sure what his subject is other than to guess it may be the Bush Administration and its response to the 911 terrorist attack.

I hope to be able to see Gunner Palace. I would like more information on why this filmmaker did not leave in at least a small portion of his work with the soldier's families, but I also respect his decision.

I am not sure what the standard definition of "documentary" is or is thought to be, but I see documentaries as a mix of the objective (fact) and subjective (opinion of the filmmaker).

I have to wonder, however, if many people who believe this war in Iraq is a good and/or necessary action will appreciate Gunner Palace. I get the idea this filmmaker is doing a very good job of showing us the reality of this war --- as seen by the young Americans fighting it.

I also believe I can be patriotic AND still want to "get our young Americans home ASAP, alive and in one piece, and not in a bloody body bag!"
Three months ago or longer, I would often be condemned as being anti-American and/or anti-Bush when I voiced this opinion.

The funny thing is, however, that this is also how I felt as a child and, later, as a teen-ager watching our country fight in Vietnam.

The difference between a documentary and propaganda is that the director let's the subject(s) tell the story rather than making things up and then editing the tape to match his narrative. Of course, this isn't black and white since even a documentarian will have a certain vision that he intends to project. The description of this film seems to match the definition of "documentary". Although the producer of it describes himself as left of center I still think it would be a good film b/c it seems to let the subjects tell the story.

You should've stopped after the first paragraph. I don't know who has accused you of being un-patriotic or un-American but it wasn't me and I think you've gotten enough mileage out of that one.

Being for the war doesn't entail unconditional acceptance of how it's waged or the horrible losses that have occured. Liberals seem to want to view only the losses that have occured on the US side of the equation while ignoring the mass graves filled with innocent victims. A realistic view includes the fact that enormous sacrifices have occured to save many more innocent victims.

-jdm

I was stationed the whole time Michael Tucker documented us on life in the Baghdad 51W....I strongly believe everyone with an anti war mentality should watch this...please support and thanks in adavance.....

My brother was stationed at Gunner Palace, and can be seen in the documentary. As a family member of a soldier, the documentary is a great film that gives us a view of day to day life in Iraq that we simply couldn't see elsewhere. It's not all fighting and killing like when you turn on CNN, it also shows how the troops learned to deal with the situation they are in. This film was praised at the Toronto Film Festival, where I was lucky enough to be there for its viewings.

I would love to get this film. It sounds great.
-Jim.