The Last Samurai

Laguna

Check out this film on dvd if you missed it at the cinema, as it is without doubt in my mind Tom Cruise's finest film. The cinematography/camerwork, beautiful, the acting is superb (especially Ken Watanabe - robbed by Tim Robbins (rob/robbins.. ah never mind) at the oscars for best supporting actor). The fight scenes are majectic and devoid of the CG ****e that dominates every other film nowadays... There's nothing else i can say than it is THE film of the decade for me

Kai

Yea its good alright i bought the DVD and it should be arriving soon. It was a decent film and as you said the cinematography was superb. I loved the film all the way along up until

after the Final battle Scene the last 10 minutes were just painful and ruined the film a bit for me. Just my opinion but he should have died on the battle field and it would have been a much better ending.

But thats just hollywood i suppose.

Ive read a few reviews of it and some say it was boring in parts with longish periods between battle/action scenes but i dont agree.

Fuhrio

I saw it twice in the cinema and bought it on dvd yesterday. In my opinion its a masterpiece of filmmaking and deserved more at the oscars. I think its almost as good as gladiator (my favourite film). And it is definately tom cruises finest film.

goo

Haven't seen it, not sure why, I'd really like to. A friend just bought the DVD, I'll see it soon enough.

Just wondering, about this: "robbed by Tim Robbins (rob/robbins.. ah never mind) at the oscars for best supporting actor". I know that's a very popular opinion, and you very well could feel that way, but have you actually seen "Mystic River" (the film for which Tim Robbins got that oscar)?

IDM

Yeah, I also think Ken Watanabe was brilliant in The Last Samurai ...

but ...

Mystic River was an acting powerhouse. The two leading actors (Penn & Robbins) definitely deserved to be recognized.

quank

Twoulda been better if he did die on the battlefield as Frugu mentioned.
That would of beena much much better ending.

Some parts of film were slightly melting with cheese though

ixoy

And I was very disappointed with this movie and I say: don't see it! Cruise is pretty woeful with his constant look of frustration that, amazingly, looks the same as his face for anger, for intensity, etc. Ken Wantanbe was, at least, decent beside him but Mystic River's Tim Robbins put in a finer performance. This movie was not even remotely stolen from.
Oh the script? Uninvolving. The direction was okay, and there was some decent cinematography - I'll give it that - but for a finer movie about samurais, check out Zatoichi instead and let this DVD find its way to the bargain basement.

Superman

I think its just another instance of Americans trying to add a bit of depth to their shallow "culture"!

i'm not sayin the films cinematography is crap

IDM

Originally posted by Superman
I think its just another instance of Americans trying to add a bit of depth to their shallow "culture"!

What do you mean by that ?

I don't think the producers were trying to do anything other than making a film that would appeal to the general public. That's how they make money, isn't it ? The fact that it did well in the states shows that not all americans want to see homegrown crap.

D-Generate

Woah, quickly spoiler text a bit of your post Quank.

I thought it was a pretty darn good film. A little slow in parts but still moved along at a pace that kept my attention fully. The battle scenes were also fantastic to watch. Cruise's best film in my opinion. Although Top Gun comes close because it has planes in it hehe

Superman

Originally posted by IDM
What do you mean by that ?.....

.....homegrown crap.

What I mean is:

American culture is home grown crap and that if they want to actually see a good story they have to search abroad and make up some contrived story about an american samurai.

remember any half ass story line and a good director can produce some decent cinematography.

Want a good film go rent "on the waterfront" deadly Brando film

Laguna

Granted it's a bit twee, but it's not a COMPLETELY contrived story. The film is based on an English merchant who went to Japan in the 14th century to help the Emperor build a more sophisticated navy, and as much as i dislike Americans, I have to say the civil war/cavalry background for the Nathan Algren character is not only well written but completely believable and the performance of Tom Cruise lent the role gravitas. I did indeed see Mystic River, and yes Tim Robbins was good but not as convincing as Ken Watanabe in my opinion. I firmly believe that the academy is still suffering from an inherent bigotry as the members of said academy are people like the Weinsteins / Rockefellers - rich white fat bastards - who've only seemed to have recently discovered talented black artists in Hollywood - it'll be another 20 years before they recognise asian artists.

quank

Originally posted by D-Generate
Woah, quickly spoiler text a bit of your post Quank.

Oops. Sorry if someone read that. My bad