Author Topic: Last Samurai and Returner  (Read 1094 times)

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Last Samurai and Returner
Saw Last Samurai again tonight; like most films of its type it loses its effect on subsequent viewings. Still, it's fair entertainment, and you can never go wrong with New Zealand.

Returner was fairly entertaining. I liked how Milly wasn't some pop-idol bombshell like the movy industry is wont to do, and also how the English actors were the worst ever.
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Offline Knight Templar

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Just Saw Samurai For The First Time...
... and wow. I thought it was pretty good for hardcore Hollywood milkage. The beggining seemed rather cliche' (and so did the movie to a good extent) but it turned out strong I think torward the end. Lousy gattling cannons...
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Offline Turnsky

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Last Samurai and Returner
Quote
Originally posted by jdjtcagle
Matrix Revolutions


whoever designed the DVD/VHS covers for that, should be shot..:nod:
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Offline Knight Templar

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Last Samurai and Returner
Can we all just agree that the second two Matrix movies didn't happen?
Copyright ©1976, 2003, KT Enterprises. All rights reserved

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Offline Rictor

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Last Samurai and Returner
KT: aw, come on. Its just so cliched, especially the end.

usually, when I'm watching movies with my family, its my job to make dramatic sound effects and noises at appropriate times, but with The Last Samurai, I didn't even need to do that, it was already in the movie.

___________________________________

*cue dramtic music and slow-mo of Tom Cruise riding into battle*

"No, we have to make a useless stand against all odds...because we are Samurai. Its what we have to do. Lets show those cannons how to die with honour, like Samurai, by charging into certain death. Bravery and honour are the code of the Samurai.

..

oh, it would appear that we, the two heros of the movie, are miraculously the last two men to have survived the onslaught. Now, it is time to die with honour, like a Samurai. I will commit harikiri now, because I am brave and honourable, because I am a Samurai"

*cue more dramtic music and slow-mo of Ket Watanbe implaing himself in a ritual fashion*

"hello Emperor. Despite the fact that you have killed all those Samurai who were my friends, and that you very nearly got me killed, I don't hold a grudge. In fact, here I am, all dressed up in military uniform, because its supposed to be a statement of some kind. Here is Katsumoto's sword, which I'm sure he would have wanted you to have. He died an honourable death, like a true Samuria."

*cue dramatic music and the handing over of the sword*

and now, for the final kicker. The one-liner. The "hasta la vista baby". The "I'll be back".

"No, I will tell you how he lived."

 

Offline Stealth

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Last Samurai and Returner
anyone seen The Breakfast Club and/or Lost in Translation?

i just 'acquired' these two... and i'm about to watch them.

 

Offline Rictor

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Last Samurai and Returner
Lost in Translation is excellent. I loved it, it kind of has a mellow quality to it that made watching the movie really relaxing, but emotionally deep as well. Given the fact that so many movie have bad acting or cliched plots *winkwink*, the acting in Lost in Translation was very genuine I though.
« Last Edit: June 27, 2004, 02:43:36 am by 644 »

 

Offline Knight Templar

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Last Samurai and Returner
Quote
Originally posted by Rictor
KT: aw, come on. Its just so cliched, especially the end.

Yes, but it's hard not to do that these days, unless you enter a completely new genre (i.e. Fightclub)

usually, when I'm watching movies with my family, its my job to make dramatic sound effects and noises at appropriate times, but with The Last Samurai, I didn't even need to do that, it was already in the movie.

___________________________________

*cue dramtic music and slow-mo of Tom Cruise riding into battle*

"No, we have to make a useless stand against all odds...because we are Samurai. Its what we have to do. Lets show those cannons how to die with honour, like Samurai, by charging into certain death. Bravery and honour are the code of the Samurai.

You'd prefer they run away, into the hills, like cowards? Would that really make a better movie? Would it make it more historically accurate for you if the Samurai ran away? Honestly, what do you expect? In the end, they accomplished their goal anyway.

..

oh, it would appear that we, the two heros of the movie, are miraculously the last two men to have survived the onslaught. Now, it is time to die with honour, like a Samurai. I will commit harikiri now, because I am brave and honourable, because I am a Samurai"

Yes, them being the only ones alive was cliche, but it was really the only way the movie plot could go. It wasn't that bad anyway. I'd like to think all the guys at the end were bowing to Katsumoto's honourable death, realising that they more or less just saw the end of old skool japan and were acknowledging it that or something...

Again, I ask you, would it have been better if Katsumoto grabbed the sword, and croaked, with Tom Cruise crying afterward? Without music?


*cue more dramtic music and slow-mo of Ket Watanbe implaing himself in a ritual fashion*

"hello Emperor. Despite the fact that you have killed all those Samurai who were my friends, and that you very nearly got me killed, I don't hold a grudge. In fact, here I am, all dressed up in military uniform, because its supposed to be a statement of some kind. Here is Katsumoto's sword, which I'm sure he would have wanted you to have. He died an honourable death, like a true Samuria."

The Emperor didn't kill the Samurai. He was Katsumoto's friend. Did you miss that whole sequence? "Progress" killed the Samurai. The Emperor was young, and inexperianced, had no idea what to do with his country. He had people like the Japanese Railroad Tycoon making all these deals for the benefit of Japanese progress with the Western World, and the Samurai's 'ancient' lifestyle stood in the way of this, socially (and probably geographically, but I wasn't paying enough attention in the beggining to be sure.) The Emperor couldn't stop the Tycoon because the Tycoon wanted the Samurai to be wiped out so Japan could 'progress'.  It's not that hard of a concept.

He was in military form because he was going to see the Emperor.... did you also miss the part where the Emperor was acknowledged as divine?

Then there was also the part about the Sword of the Samurai protecting the Emperor for a thousand years...


*cue dramatic music and the handing over of the sword*

and now, for the final kicker. The one-liner. The "hasta la vista baby". The "I'll be back".

"No, I will tell you how he lived."

Can't it just be an optimistic ending?
Copyright ©1976, 2003, KT Enterprises. All rights reserved

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Offline Stunaep

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Last Samurai and Returner
Lost In Tranlsation was indeed excellent. Shows quite well that Sophia Coppola has great talents hidden inside her, since only a great director can make a great movie out of nothing. Because, ultimately, nothing really happens in that movie. And yet it's great.
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Offline Stunaep

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Last Samurai and Returner
Quote
Originally posted by Knight Templar
Can't it just be an optimistic ending?


No, because it negates the point of the film, which you yourself said was that progress killed the samuraid. Also look at the movie again. How exactly is it any different from the other 800 (better, mind ya) samurai movies out there, bar the happy ending (which was tugged onto it anyway). Why was this movie made? Was it made to say something new that hasn't been said in every samurai movie to date? Was it made to look at the life of samurai from an original angle? Or was it made to cash in from a popular book and the charisma of Tom Cruise by making a by-the-numbers epic.

The movie had absolutely NOTHING new. Not in the writing department, nor in the directorial department. That's why it was bo-o-o-oring.
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Offline Singh

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Last Samurai and Returner
Quote
Originally posted by Maeglamor
[color=66ff00]The Last Samurai:
A.K.A. The BraveGladiatorLastHeartSamurai

What I mean is that the three films are effectively the same, just change the country and the leading character.
It was good to watch but uninspiring.

I just watched Fight Club, now there's a movie.
[/color]


Watch Forrest Gump or AI, even better :p
At least the former has big explosions...if nothing else :p
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