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[DJ_Tet]

Man, I'm not one of the japanophiles on this forum but perhaps I should become on. I'll have to see this flick again to truly wrap my mind around it, but I thought it was one of the best movies I've ever seen. Edward Zwick (who debuted with "Glory") is a masterful director, and Tom Cruise once again showed why he is this generation's best actor (possible exception to Tom Hanks of course).

-The cinematography was awesome in this movie, the landscapes and sets in Japan were breathtaking

-The music seemed to be perfect in almost every scene, subtle but reinforcing each shot

-The themes were almost overwhelming in this movie, the layers of the story from the indians to the samuri were really thought-provoking and emotional. Cruise's eyes said everything as you compared his experiences to the samurai with his views of the indians.

-In the ending, it said more with way less than "Bowling for Columbine" ever even thought to say. The social commentary of honor vs. 'the new way' was powerful and moving.

-

Spoiler

Too bad the Emperor was such a douche

I had read some threads here about this movie before I saw it, and I have to agree I was glad there was no full-blown romance (on-screen at least) between Cruise and his house-master. It was a refreshing change of pace for Hollywood.

My ex gf said "eh!" when this flick was over. No wonder I broke up with her Naa just kidding, but I can't believe she didn't 'get the movie' when it was one of the most powerful movies for me since "Braveheart".

 

[karasu]

and Tom Cruise once again showed why he is this generation's best actor

Aw fuck naw!

 

[Eminem]

I loved in the movie how they only have one pan out, show ALL the fighting shot. So many movies overdo those to the point that they become stale and not jaw dropping.

 

[Meier]

Spoiler

The ninja fight scene/town invasion is probably the coolest, best choreographed fight in any film I've ever seen. Fucking incredible.

 

[DJ_Tet]

I loved in the movie how they only have one pan out, show ALL the fighting shot. So many movies overdo those to the point that they become stale and not jaw dropping.

I noticed that as well. The action was so up-close and personal in the fights, it really put you on edge.

And fuck yeah he is. Sure he's short, but he's capable of displaying many emotions with just his eyes. It's all in the eyes man, and it doesn't hurt he gets offered all the best parts in Hollywood as well.

 

[DrForester]

I was lovin the film up untilt eh crappy ending. They wussed out. They tacked on an ending that was meaningless and pointless. His character should have died.

 

[PartlyCloudlike]

One of the best movie badasses in a long time.

I have the DVD and I would rewind and rewatch his entrance in the final battle over and over. The way he falls off his horse and gracefully recovers as he's slashing up enemies with the camera focused only on him is very thrilling.

 

[Matlock]

Don't forget the First Samurai, bitches!

Musashi Miyamoto, rock their nonbelievin' faces!

 

[jett]

I love the movie as well. Edward Zwick is truly a master at directing battle scenes.

I loved in the movie how they only have one pan out, show ALL the fighting shot. So many movies overdo those to the point that they become stale and not jaw dropping.

Good God, I couldn't agree any more with you. It's one of the reasons I thought TTT's and RotK's were boring as hell. I'm getting sick of digital extras/digital doubles as well. Sadly, The Last Samurai is probably one of the last films with "epic" battles that doesn't use CG people.

 

[J2 Cool]

I was lovin the film up untilt eh crappy ending. They wussed out. They tacked on an ending that was meaningless and pointless. His character should have died.

Eh, the ending was already sad and moving with the message of modern war replacing honor. Killing Cruise's character makes sense and it's unrealstic that he was the only one who didnt die but why devestate the audience any more? And I agree, that director is seriously becoming one of the best in the business and a personal favorite of mine

 

[Mugen]

I like Last Samurai but didn't REALLY like it. I thought it was ok... but it's no Braveheart.

 

[DJ_Tet]

I was lovin the film up untilt eh crappy ending. They wussed out. They tacked on an ending that was meaningless and pointless. His character should have died.

I understand your point, but I'll respectively disagree. "It wasn't his time" to paraphrase the movie several times. With all the hell and transformation the character achieves, it was nice to see him "ride into the sunset".

And no, it wasn't Braveheart, but it's the closest thing I've seen since. To me it was very damn close.

 

[belgurdo]

His character should have died.

The movie should have ended with Taka peeing on his corpse and laughing

 

[Malakhov]

It was freaking awesome, I never thought I'd love that movie that much.

 

[Hournda]

Not to start another argument about movies with everyone but I thought this movie was a decent way to kill 2 hours but not much more than that. Tom Cruise goes to Japan to fight the samurai then joins them to show that the old ways are better than the new ways. Ugh. The battle scenes were decent but they had a very Braveheart-esque feel to them which I already saw...in Braveheart 9 years ago. Then there's the arrogance factor that of course the last samurai in Japan has to be an American. It's also historically incorrect as the samurai were the ones who were trying to preserve the old, medieval ways of classism, sexism, they wanted to hold the country back, etc. while the Japanese government was trying to promote ideals of democracy, liberty, equality, etc. (at least they were in the beginning). Then there was also the cop-out ending which was stupid as well.

 

[Malakhov]

Edward Zwick (who debuted with "Glory")

Actually, he debuted with "About last night...".

http://imdb.com/title/tt0090583/

 

[karasu]

Tom Cruise can display emotions, but he does them the exact same way everytime. He polays himself in every movie, the only differences exist in his characters lifestyles, not in how they're portrayed. Well until recently, he's gotten better with that. It's like he's learning to step outside of himself a little, and not rely on his saftey net so much *cue big ass grin*

 

[Alucard]

I really don't see everyone's problem with the ending. If he would have died there probably would have been people saying "Watanabe's character should have died instead." You lose either way.

This was easily one of my favourite movies of last year...and I actually think it smokes Braveheart. That flick just moved along far too quickly for my liking.

 

[DJ_Tet]

Then there's the arrogance factor that of course the last samurai in Japan has to be an American.

Considering some could easily take this movie as an American bash in many scenes, I don't think that the arrogance factor is very valid. I understand your point but the movie goes out of it's way to state Japan's ways>American's ways. And the fact that one of America's war heros goes to the other side only supports that. I don't see the fact that he was American and survived as arrogance, more like circumstance. He was "The Last Samurai" before he was the last alive samurai, it refers to his training more than anything. Besides, it's Japan's fault that he was the last standing samurai.

 

[DJ_Tet]

Tom Cruise can display emotions, but he does them the exact same way everytime. He polays himself in every movie, the only differences exist in his characters lifestyles, not in how they're portrayed. Well until recently, he's gotten better with that. It's like he's learning to step outside of himself a little, and not rely on his saftey net so much *cue big ass grin*

That's fair. I thought to myself during the movie about my father, who hates Tom Cruise. There isn't anything in this movie that would convert a Cruise hater, but to me he once again showed why he is the best actor going. I don't see how anyone could let their Cruise hate override this movie however. There is so much going on besides Cruise that even the most fervent hater would have to give him a pass imo.

 

[karasu]

I didn't like him at all until he stopped making movies like Jerry Maguire and such. He was good in The Last Samurai. It's some of his best work really, if not the best.

 

[Hitman]

The Last Samurai was one of the best movies last year. A fuckin travesty that it did'nt get nominated for best picture. It was better than that bore fest Return of the King. And Tom Cruise kicks ass. Almost every one of his movies are worth watching, as an actor he's adequate but he's awesome at choosing good scripts to star in.

 

[belgurdo]

The Last Samurai was one of the best movies last year. A fuckin travesty that it did'nt get nominated for best picture. It was better than that bore fest Return of the King. And Tom Cruise kicks ass. Almost every one of his movies are worth watching, as an actor he's adequate but he's awesome at choosing good scripts to star in.

$200...$300...and...$400. Good job. I'll call you when I need you again. *slips into shadows*

 

[DJ_Tet]

Almost every one of his movies are worth watching, as an actor he's adequate but he's awesome at choosing good scripts to star in.

I'll agree with that hands-down. It's one thing to get offered every great role in Hollywood, and another entirely to know which ones to chose.

I haven't seen RoTK (waiting for EE version, and just plain apathy on my part), but The Last Samurai was even better than I expected. Glory is a great film (plotwise and artistically) so I expected a LOT from Samurai and it delivered more than I thought possible.

 

[XS+]

Sean Penn is the best actor of our generation.

My love for samurai flicks notwithstanding, I've only watched TLS once and have no plans for a 2nd viewing.

 

[DJ_Tet]

Sean Penn is another one of my favorites, valiant choice and I've yet to see "I am Sam".

I knew he was good in Bad Boys when I was 10.

 

[XS+]

My favorite performances from Penn were in Carlito's Way and 21 Grams. He's the closest our gen has to a young(er) Robert DeNiro imo.

 

[Dice]

and Tom Cruise once again showed why he is this generation's best actor (possible exception to Tom Hanks of course).

 

[DJ_Tet]

To be fair, I've never seen The Usual Suspects *I've had the twist ruined for me*, but that's no excuse, I should have seen that flick by now.

American Beauty is in my top ten flicks. I love Kevin Spacey.

 

[Blackace]

The title The Last Samurai is talking about Watanabe's character... the Last Samurai to hang on to his status during the Meiji's restoration

 

[Dice]

Kevin Spacey is great, I've liked everything I've ever seen him do. He can do just about anything too, from the movies he's been in to just quick examples I've seen him give in interviews, he's really awesome at doing impressions too. It takes a lot of time and a lot of varied roles to show your true colors as an actor, and I'd be hard pressed to think of someone as good as him. I think even Tom Hanks (who has done such a wide range of things) puts a little too much Tom Hanks in his roles if you know what I mean.

 

[XS+]

The title of the movie sounds a helluva lot less pretentious when you look at 'Samurai' as a plural.

 

[Blackace]

The title of the movie sounds a helluva lot less pretentious when you look at 'Samurai' as a plural.

Yeah well there is no such word as Samurais...

 

[Kabuki Waq]

The acting was extremely CHEEESY at the end. Cruise's talk with the emperor at the end made me cringe, Otherwise the movie was really good.

 

[DJ_Tet]

I think even Tom Hanks (who has done such a wide range of things) puts a little too much Tom Hanks in his roles if you know what I mean.

The Greatest Week Ever (VH1, not sure if that's the correct title of the show) had the best line, Tom Hanks doesn't have to try and win the Oscar every time he acts.

 

[Shouta]

You can make an argument that Cruise or Watanabe`s character was TLS. However, I tend to say that the group as a whole were the last Samurai and not just a single person.

Anyhoo, this movie was absolutely amazing. It`s a damn shame it didn`t get nominated for Best Film because it was easily one of the most well-handled films in the last 10 years. Incredible cinematography, incredible action and coreography, incredible attention to detail, and etc. The only strike against it is the minor historical flaws some anal history buffs might draw against it (which to some extent is invalid due to the purpose of the film and the actual premise). Cruise gets insane fucking props for all the work he did practicing Kenjutsu. I think he said he took a year or two of practicing Kenjutsu just for this film.

 

[XS+]

I've dissed TLS in the past, but one part of the movie that gets an absolute A++ from me is the musical score. Powerful stuff.

And the Academy Awards are full of crap.

 

[DJ_Tet]

I've dissed TLS in the past, but one part of the movie that gets an absolute A++ from me is the musical score. Powerful stuff.

And the Academy Awards are full of crap.

The musical score is aces for sure. I can't wait to watch it again just to hear how the score moves each scene along.

 

[XS+]

Yeah well there is no such word as Samurais...

Is 'samurai-dachi' a word?

 

[Blackace]

Is 'samurai-dachi' a word?

Yeah I meant in English really....

 

[DonasaurusRex]

Why do people think that Cruise is the last Samurai? Its called the last samurai because cruise was around *hey look right fucking there* when *gasp* the very last samurai died. He was an outsider experiencing the end of an era , samurai class = gone. This movie is fuggin sweet I want a samurai helmet!

 

[Blackace]

The title The Last Samurai is talking about Watanabe's character... the Last Samurai to hang on to his status during the Meiji's restoration

Preach on preach on