Hi Oceanz, while not a big Tom Hanks fan myself, I do respect  his work,  and preferr his more comedic roles, but as for Charlie Wilson's War, it is well worth a look, I enjoyed it and would rate it as a 7 out of 10.
Definitely one of the better films of recent years.

Philip Seymour Hoffman steals the show, as usual, he is an exceptional talent.

If you have not seen Gone Baby Gone, directed by Ben Affleck, and starring his younger brother Casey, then check that out, it should have won the Oscar for best movie last year, but didn't even get nominated, far better than either, No Country For Old Men, or There Will Be Blood.

The Great Debaters, about young black kids facing racism in the '30's, with Denzel Washington is also a solid film, worth your time.

Another film which I found joyous and entertaining was Across The Universe, which is pretty much told by the cast singing Beatles songs for 90% of the movie, and it also has brilliant choreography if you like great dance scenes, it is very much a love it or loathe it film, but as an old Beatles fan, I loved it.

My tastes are obviously not the same as everyone elses, I thought I am Legend should have been called, I am rubbish, but lots of people loved it, so movies are a very personal taste thing, but I try and watch most new movies, but ones I know I won't like, like Sex and the City, I give a miss.

If you like something a little offbeat, then Wristcutters; A Love Story, and Rocket Science, were a couple of slightly weird independent movies I really enjoyed also.

I've never seen Cast Away, but like you, others have praised it, so I will check it out.

The thing I liked about Charlie Wilson was his drinking, womanising etc. were not downplayed, as we would expect in an american tale, he was portrayed as a flawed man of conscience, which was refreshing, and that it was based loosely on the facts is always a plus for me.

ggrr..i hate it when that happens...dyslexic fingers..ha ha

Napolean reminds me of someone I used to know in Cracker..wait it was Beowulf. lol

I thought that it was a good movie. Phillip Seymor Hoffman stole the show.

The problem with one-sided movies of historical events, such as Charlie Wilson’s War, is that they permanently emblazon in the public’s mind simple ideas about complex events that may be in dispute among historians.

Charlie Wilson was quoted to have said that the movie was true to the book. Although the book version of Charlie Wilson’s War at one point acknowledges that the causes of the Soviet Union’s fall are still debated among historians, the movie enshrine the overall message that the reason the Soviet Union expired was that Wilson and Reagan gave the Soviets a costly, Vietnam-like quagmire in Afghanistan. Wilson argued that he had hastened its demise by five or ten years.

Hollywood had to use almost none of their usual poetic license to embellish reality to make the film interesting, because the raucous Wilson was more entertaining than fiction. For example, on a trip to conservative Islamic countries, he took along his own belly dancer, whose uniquely risqué American adaptation of the traditional art form raised eyebrows. And this was one of the tamer stunts the boozing, womanizing, and alleged drug-taking congressman pulled off. But entertaining exploits masked disastrous policy failure.

The Republican interventionist policy of the day was mainly in Latin America. However, Wilson (a Democrat) steered, annoyed, cajoled the Reagan administration towards Afghanistan. He was quoted to have said "I hate bullies" - ironic considering that the interventionist policies of the US (of which his was one) sides with rich ruling dictators who bullies their own citizens.

Wilson now works as a lobbyist for several weapons companies and the US defence dept. He once represented Pakistan in acquiring weapons from the US (the fee was rumoured to be US$ 30,000/month).

Mozza, I have not seen Gone Baby Gone but the fact that you say it was better than No Country for Old Men says a lot. I thought NCFOM was a fantastic movie. Very much a Cohen Brothers fan. I will check out Gone Baby Gone.

I Am Legend could certainly been a lot better. It was still fun for the most part but flaws you could drive a GT40 through become grating.

Tom Hanks is a pretty good actor and has a good body of work beyond the light hearted, Saving Private Ryan, Philedelphia, and Road to Perdition are all excellent.

Fantastic political movie though is Wag the Dog, I have to warn you though that this movie has nothing to do with the deployment of the B3 bomber.

The Big Lebowski is hilarious, it's been too long. I'll have to drag it out of the cupboard.

I also meant to comment on 'There Will Be Blood', beautifully shot and acted movie. A masterpiece of cinematography. But funny that I was still left unsatisfied at the end of it.

Very much looking forward to 'The Watchmen' and 'Captain America'
and have not had the chance to see 'Tropic Thunder' or the latest 'Hellboy' yet. Maybe drive-in this weekend.

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Yes it was a good movie Oceanz.  This was a decision thousands had to make at the time.  How do people survive this sort of ordeal?

I prefer comedies.