Spike Lee’s ‘Miracle’ focuses on black soldiers in WWII

Movie: "Miracle at St. Anna"

When: Opening Friday at local theaters

Cast: Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, John Turturro, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, John Leguizamo, Kerry Washington, D.B. Sweeney

Director: Spike Lee

The story: In 1944 Italy, four American soldiers stationed in Tuscany -- members of the Army's all-black 92nd "Buffalo Soldier" Division -- are separated from their unit and trapped behind enemy lines.

The buzz: At this year's Cannes film festival, Spike Lee targeted Clint Eastwood, criticizing the Oscar-winning director's World War II-themed "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters From Iwo Jima" for not depicting black soldiers. Now Lee (who has two Oscar nominations of his own) fires back with a World War II movie of his own; it debuted earlier this month at the Toronto film festival.