despite what some critics say about it.. that it's just another tom-cruise-looking-cool movie.. i beg to differ~! i must say i've really enjoyed it and from my point of view.. doing japanese studies while watching this movie has made me feel more towards this show... oh yes and it contains spoilers... once again.. if u've watched this.. scroll down. if u haven't.. and not planning to.. scroll down..
once again..i cried so much.. it just stirs the same emotions that i had while watching LOTR.. the honor of fighting to death what you believed in.. what you think is right.. what you treasure and love.. it was middle-earth then.. it is the samurai spirit this time.. i cried when nobutada and katsumoto died.. when hiken told algren "ikanaide" (i don't want you to go).. when the soldiers went down on their knees, commemorating the honourable spirit of katsumoto... when everyone fought to their last breath...
it would be so hard to imagine.. how do you hold on to the idea of dying for honour and when the emperor wants you to? u serve one person.. u follow him to that extent.. i guess it's hard to imagine.. and it's not just in the movie ... it's real.. and that's where my jap studies material come in and i can feeel stronger ..
the soundtrack is wonderful.. hans zimmer always does his magic.. and this apparently is his 100th score.. haha.. nice way to mark an ending.. i bought it and am listening now.. super nice and affecting..
another nice thing about the movie.. is that the love scenes were pretty subtle.. taka is one of my fav actress (koyuki).. she can do serious and funny roles too.. pretty versatile.. and i like the whole aesthetic feel of the japanese way of life.. perhaps that's really what draws me to them.. why i really like the japanese way of living.. the new and modern part of cuz doesn't really relate to this anymore.. but it still does exist.. one way or another.. and they have the best ideologies about a lot of things...
i guess.. something which really hit a chord in me.. is the idea that.. it isn't about who you are fighting with.. it's about what you are fighting for.. the image of katsumoto and algren riding and fighting side by side... it's so inspiring.. contrasting yet reasonable at the same time..
nice.. and of cuz tom cruise.. i guess he did act pretty well.. bringing out the struggles within algren.. heart-wrenching sometimes.. how people are always left with no choice over what they do..
listening to: the last samurai -- idyll's end
whatever you want here
