Gus van Sant directs this romantic drama based on a play by Jason Lew. Teenagers Marcus (Henry Hopper) and Annabel (Mia Wasikowska) meet at a memorial service under unusual circumstances. After losing both his parents, Marcus has become a compulsive funeral-goer who goes through life accompanied by the ghost of a young Japanese kamikaze pilot from World War Two (Ryo Kase). Meanwhile, Annabel has been given only six months to live after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. United by their suffering and their offbeat outlook on life, the two form a deep and lasting bond.

Clint Eastwood's completion of the Iwo Jima saga. Here the action is seen from the Japanese point of view and the film is based on the book 'Picture Letters from Commander in Chief' by Tadamichi Kuribayashi. The island of Iwo Jima stands between the American military force and the home islands of Japan. Therefore the Imperial Japanese Army is desperate to prevent it from falling into American hands and providing a launching point for an invasion of Japan. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe) is given command of the forces on the island and sets out to prepare for the imminent attack. General Kuribayashi, however, does not favour the rigid traditional approach recommended by his subordinates, and resentment and resistance fester among his staff.