bogdan mihai (neagamb)

I don't even know why I gave it 2 and 1/2 stars...Very poor acting, especially from Anne Hathaway, which was supposed to play a spoiled socialite. Not even one of the actors had a decent amount of credibility...

The storyline and performances (except for Michael C. Hall's maybe) in Gamer are as poor as any computer game narrative, which raises the question as to whether this would have made a better Xbox title than a film.

The Last Samurai overcomes its formulaic story to some degree in its execution. Japanese culture and history clearly fascinate director Edward Zwick. His team created authentic sets and gorgeous costumes and took copious advantage of the beautiful surroundings, especially the small town of Himeji. The attention to detail becomes a bit much, however, as the samurai prepare for their final climactic battle--several of these scenes could have been cut. But Zwick really shines as the battle finally begins: When the outnumbered samurai make their last stand, charging a hillside of Imperial soldiers armed with rudimentary machine guns, it's with the same doomed bravado the director captured in Glory when the black Civil War soldiers fought their last battle. The emotional impact continues when the battle ends and the entire Imperial army--made up mostly of Japanese peasants who have been turned into soldiers but cannot suppress many of their own beliefs--bow down on the battlefield to honor the fallen samurai. It's certainly a memorable moment. All the acting performances in this film are top notch, and I wouldn't be surprised if Watanabe was nominated for an Oscar. Cruise gives a convincing performance of the transformation from a broken man who cares about nothing to someone who cares so much for these foreign people that he's willing to die for them. The only problem with Cruise is his "stardom." He's such a huge mega-star that it's often impossible to forget you are watching Tom Cruise dressed up as a samurai, which is more than a little distracting. The Last Samurai is a breathtakingly beautiful film that is sure to land cinematography nominations. When the Japanese conscripts armed with muskets face down a charge of mounted samurai you will feal their fear. Kurosawa would be proud. While the story is not perfect, and we are forced to endure a few cheesy moments of Algren, it is undeniably powerful and moving. It's definetly a must see...

"Crash" shuns political correctness with an enthusiasm rarely observed in modern cinema: its characters say exactly what they think and feel providing for an uncomfortable but uniquely edgy experience. What Haggis seems to be saying is that we're all prejudiced in some way or another no matter how broadminded we like to think we are and his film takes a look at the aftereffects of that ignorance, of all that bottled-up resentment and intolerance. Bullock's character Jean sums the incendiary situation up best when she says she wakes up angry every morning and doesn't know why. It's because L.A.'s racial boundaries are so clinically defined, so stringent that the city's rich melting pot of inhabitants rarely comes into physical contact with one another on its bustling, dangerous streets. Bottom line, Crash is a masterpiece, thought provoking film that encourages dialogue on racism and ignorance. Given the tumultuous state of our current society this is indeed a positive thing.