The Last Samurai reviews start to come in

[Hand of Evil]

What's not to like about Cruise? He's a charismatic guy and a decent actor. If that's the reason you're not seeing the movie, I have to admit, I think that sounds pretty petty.

I don't have an issue with him, really, it is Hollywood, they place a big name in a movie, spend a lot of money, don't think about the story they are telling and the history they are re-writing, only about the money they can make. I do think this one will be a very good movie and is an execption but just wait to The Battle of Britain, when American flyers save the day!

I am getting old.

 

[Enforcer]

Tom Cruise has been in a lot of good movies, including one of my favorites: A Few Good Men. I don't have a problem with him.

I'm definitely seeing The Last Samurai, if only for the costumes! They actually put some of the costumes used in the movie in a store window near my building (at Oak and Rush streets, Chicago) for a while. They were fantastic looking. Besides, there are going to be some really cool sword fights in that movie, which I think appeals to all of us. They did train Cruise in the sword, not that he's a master or anything, but it's something.

 

[takyris]

Personally, I have liked Cruise in several of his movies (A Few Good Men and Minority Report, although the latter is best judged as an entity separate from the original short story). I don't automatically go see a movie because it has him in it, but I don't avoid movies with him in them, either.

Question: clam? "the most famous clam in the world"?

 

[Piratecat]

I loved the movie where Tom Cruise played that young cocky guy.

Actually, I'm looking forward to this.

 

[Desdichado]

You like Cruise and, if I recall correctly, dislike Russell Crowe? Apologies if I'm mistaken. And even if I'm not, different tastes abound as I think Cruise comes off as arrogant in interviews and Crowe quiet down to earth. Plus, it's not like Cruise has ever been nominated for a Best Actor Oscar three years in a row.

I don't like Cruise, but I don't dislike him either. He's done some movies that I quite enjoyed (Minority Report for instance) and others that I did not.

And I do dislike Russell Crowe. I think he's the most over-rated commodity in Hollywood. I'm still excited about getting out and seeing Master and Commander though. I don't really buy into the whole cult of personality thing about Hollywood. A good enough director can usually make even a mediocre actor believable and likable enough, regardless of the real-life persona of the actor in question.

 

[Pants]

You like Cruise and, if I recall correctly, dislike Russell Crowe? Apologies if I'm mistaken. And even if I'm not, different tastes abound as I think Cruise comes off as arrogant in interviews and Crowe quiet down to earth. Plus, it's not like Cruise has ever been nominated for a Best Actor Oscar three years in a row.

Personally, both of them sound kind of arrogant to me, but I won't miss a movie that looks good just because the lead actor is a jackass in real life.

The Last Samurai looks pretty good and so does Master and Commander. I'll most likely see both.

 

[barsoomcore]

I don't know what I think about this. Certainly the reviews are pretty much universally positive.

Cruise is cause for suspicion in my book -- he's made some good movies but for the most part his work has been pretty crappy. Ed Zwick likewise has his high points (Glory) and low points (About Last Night...) and I can't really decide.

When I read a review that says Zwick approaches the ability of Kurosawa, I kind of want to see it just to see if this is yet another critic who knows nothing about cinema throwing around names, or if it's true. I don't mind saying I'm skeptical.

Glory was pretty good, but it was no Seven Samurai.

"the most famous clam in the world"?

 

[Mercule]

And I do dislike Russell Crowe. I think he's the most over-rated commodity in Hollywood.

No, that would be Kevin Costner. Fortunately, he isn't cranking out as much drek as he used to, though.

Kevin Costner _is_ a good reason to avoid seeing a movie. People keep telling me I need to see Field of Dreams because it's so inspirational. But since I don't like Costner and like baseball (not watching, not playing, nothing), I can't quite motivate myself to care.

 

[Corinth]

Question: clam? "the most famous clam in the world"?

"Clam" = "Scientologist", derived from Operation: Clambake.

 

[Dark Jezter]

One thing that worries me is that movie looks like it will be portraying the samurai as the good guys. It probably won't mention things like the Tokugawa shogunate, the excesses of the samurai class, and the near-enslavement of the populace under samurai rule.

Still, it sounds like a good film, and unless I'm watching a documentry, I find entertainment value more important than historical accuracy.