Tom Cruise's latest "movie"

[cstaylor]

The Last Samurai trailer has been released
From the trailer I get the impression of Dances with Wolves meets Yojimbo, but maybe it will be better than I'm anticipating...

[tidbits]

Any Tom Cruise's fan here? The news is he is coming to Tokyo in August.

[Taro Toporific]

Any Tom Cruise's fan here? The news is he is coming to Tokyo in August.

He was in Roppongi last night for the "Tokyo premier" of RELOADED. At the finish of the premier (Tues 12:01am), today's NTV Morning News showed hanging with KONISHIKI and ignoring David Spector.

Picture via the fan site reevesdrive.com

[Taro Toporific]

Picture via the fan site reevesdrive.com

Check here too . . .http://www.upsaid.com/keanuette/index.php?action=viewcom&id=576

...this pic from this Japanese site. It was taken at the Japanese Matrix Reloaded Premiere. There's also some video footage [if you can download it, coz I can't...].

[cstaylor]

Wonder if they worked Yasukuni into the movie?

[tidbits]

that is Keanue Reeves, anyway both are cute

[Taro Toporific]

that is Keanue Reeves, anyway both are cute

Dang. all those white guys look the same to me. :P

[Taro Toporific]

that is Keanue Reeves, anyway both are cute

Actually, they ought to call the film the LAST MAORI.
From what I can remember of the filming of the Last Samurai here in Japan, the film company only spent 2 weeks here before moving on to NZ, South Island to film 95% of the film. Odd.
Of course how Cruise ends up DEFENDING the samurai in a matter of months is rather droll.

[ramchop]

The digitally enhanced Mt Fuji is in the North Island.

[cstaylor]

that is Keanue Reeves, anyway both are cute

Actually, they ought to call the film the LAST MAORI.
From what I can remember of the filming of the Last Samurai here in Japan, the film company only spent 2 weeks here before moving on to NZ, South Island to film 95% of the film. Odd.
Of course how Cruise ends up DEFENDING the samurai in a matter of months is rather droll.

Whitey saves the day again.

[jingai]

It's not odd that they filmed in New Zealand. They're probably less restrictive than Japan in where you can film, and you can find fields without vending machines, utility poles, and apartment buildings spoiling the view.

[ramchop]

It's not odd that they filmed in New Zealand. They're probably less restrictive than Japan in where you can film, and you can find fields without vending machines, utility poles, and apartment buildings spoiling the view.

Yup, aint got none of that ugly electric stuff in Taranaki.

[Taro Toporific]

It's not odd that they filmed in New Zealand. They're probably less restrictive than Japan in where you can film, and you can find fields without vending machines, utility poles, and apartment buildings spoiling the view.

Yup, aint got none of that ugly electric stuff in Taranaki.

SHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEit. Only one telegraphic wire on the poles.

Boys be ambitious!

[Taro Toporific]

The REAL Last Samurai?

Modern-day samurai rob post office
Japan Times, Nov 26
UTSUNOMIYA, Tochigi Pref. (Kyodo) Three men armed with samurai swords burst into a post office Tuesday afternoon ... They forced the postmaster to open the safe, grabbed a cash box containing some 9 million yen and took roughly 600,000 yen from the counters before fleeing, the police said.There were no customers in the post office at the time and no one was injured...

[Taro Toporific]

Here's a fun review....

'The Last Samurai' distorts Japan's transition to modernity
Daily News December 12, 2003
...The three greatest distortions are that it was the force of evil global capital that destroyed the samurai, that the Japanese were naturally deferential to the authority of the samurai and, finally, that the end of the samurai class is to be regretted. ....

[mr. sparkle]

Rented the movie last night on DVD. Good times. The battle scenes are pretty cool. The final battle is quite a lot like Braveheart (due to Toll, no doubt). I also like the Ninja attack scene and also the first time we see the Samurai through the smoke.

A bit hokey in the story line (Tom needed to get some lovin' a bit earlier on!), but I enjoyed it overall. I give it a B.

Well shot by John Toll (Braveheart, Thin Red Line) and decently directed by Ed Zwick (Glory, Legends of the Fall). Ngila Dickson (Rings Trilogy) did a helluva job on the costumes too!

I never liked Tom Cruise, but Ken Watanabe rocks (Oscar nom.)!