Advantages: Great series, good art, and great action
Disadvantages: Nothing yet,

...This is one of my favourite anime series, this is based on the original & Seven samurai, where 7 samurai are hired by peasents to protect them from bandits. In this its the same story, but adapted to bring a more sci fi feel to it. Instead of war with just samurai, Japan is now in a age where samurai can be turned into robots, by transferring their souls into gaint mechanised robots. Th samurai hired are gathered from the city where the merchant have risen from the samurai's downfall.and has complete control over the land.The peasents still in the original peasent way, with no technology are anually robbed by the bandits, womena dn rice taken from them, those who try to rebel are wiped off the face of the earth, never to be heard of again. Seven samurai are gathered, and destroys the merchants, and the bandits. freeing the Peasents... Read review

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Advantages: Easy to understand foreign film
Disadvantages: Needs to be digitally re-mastered

...Seven Samurai is a Japanese film made by Akira Kurosawa in the year 1954. Now, before you click on the 'back' button on your browser, hear me out! Yes, it is made in black in white, and the film quality isn't Lucasfilm standard. But the great thing about this movie is that it is a simple story, yet so complex. So much of the traditions of the Japanese and Samurai are blended into the film, without ever obstructing the actual story. The story is of a village which is plundered by a group of bandits every year at harvest time. They decide that enough is enough, and go out to look for some Samurai who can assist them in repelling these attacks. The Samurai were very well respected and held high esteem in Japanese society wheras farmers were lower in the system. The caste system was still very much in use in Japan until not so long ago... Read review

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Advantages: great cinematography, good action, good special features, well acted by tom cruise.
Disadvantages: story line a bit wobbly, surely he should of died!

...I have for a long time been a big fan oriental cinema. As South Korea and Japan produce some of the best movies (action and horror in particular) in the world. Being a big fan of these types of movies I was slightly skeptical about seeing the last samurai. I found the movie to be highly enjoyable, and respectful to the samurai culture but it didn't manage to avoid certain pitfalls, letting the movie down. The plot Tom cruise stars as Capt. Nathan Algren a hero of the civil war who has failed to settle back into normal society after the American civil war. He is sought out to help fight the samurai in Japan, by training the army and leading them. When taking the new Japanese army into battle he is captured by Katsumoto, played by Ken Watanabe, the leader of the samurai. During his capture he learns the manner of the samurai... Read review

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Advantages: Great choreography and acting
Disadvantages: Too Americanised

...The Last Samurai is the 2003 film telling a tale of Civil War in Japan in the late 19th Century. It is loosely based on true stories and accounts of civil war battles and politics around that era, and deals with issues such as westernisation and heritage, but ultimately it is an action film with some very good sequencing and acting. The Plot In the late 19th Century, the Japanese government is embroiled in a civil war with its sanurai, the age-old personal guard to the king. The government believes the samurai to be of the past and rebellious. They draft in the American Captain Nathan Algren to train their troops in the modern Western ways of fighting in order to defeat the samurai. Captured by the samurai, Algram meets their leader, Katsumoto, and their destinies become intertwined. As the Japanese government prepares to attack... Read review

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Advantages: The Greatest film you will ever see
Disadvantages: Too long for some, old, subtitled

...The Seven Samurai is set in 16th century Japan ata time when rival Daimyo battled it out on the battle field for supremacy of japan. The story itself centres around 2 key players...thes being Kambei (Takasha Shimura) and Kikuchiro (played with wonderful gutso by Toshiro Mifune). kambei is a ronin samurai who is enlisted by a group of desperate and at times comic peasent village farmers who are constantly being raided by local bandits. Kambei then recruits other ronin samurai to help in his mission to rif the farmers of their troubles. This now where the film comes into itself...character development is key her to the film...we feel for the heroes while having no sympathy for the stupid peasents. Kikuchiro is a wannabee samurai...gifted in his vision and his madness...he is on the edge and follows the samurai knowing he is not wanted... Read review

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Advantages: Epic, entertaining, moving drama
Disadvantages: Scottish Billy Connolly's irish accent

...The film tells the story of disillusioned American civil war soldier Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) who is wracked with guilt for the brutal attacks on Native Americans. He is hired by the Japanese government to train an army to defeat the rebellious Samurai. But once he meets his opponents he begins to understand their ancient codes of honour and combat and grows to like and respect their leader. I don’t really like Tom Cruise and dreaded the thought of a film with him in. But it was the only film showing when we turned up to the cinema, so I had no choice but to go and see the Last Samurai. Tom has beefed up for the role and seemingly learnt some seriously cool fighting moves. I don’t usually enjoy films with big battle scenes, but these were almost beautiful to watch as the Samurai prove their strength and skills... Read review

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Advantages: To intellectuals: Black-and-White, Japanese
Disadvantages: To Muppets: Black-and-white, Japanese

...What I love most about this film is the moron filter. Those who see a black and white piece of Japanese cinema and immediately think they’re not going to like this, so pick up ‘Hard Target’ instead. It means we don’t get bogged down by people who go into ‘Traffic’ expecting a popcorn movie and coming out saying, “That were rubbish.” For anyone who would like to expand their horizons then this is the film for you as it mixes American frenetic editing and fast paced visuals with Japanese physiological characters, the transient quality of life, and is an ultimately more soulful experience than Western cinema. The story is simple. There’s a rubbishy village they finds samurais in order to protect it from bandits. It’s told in three parts: The excellent opening where... Read review

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Advantages: : No digital armies. Real blokes in real armour on real horseback, the results are thrilling.
Disadvantages: Tried to hard to be an epically epic film.

...‘Last Samurai’ if only it had been named ‘Last Of the Samurai’ and not featured Tom Cruise so heavily in the trailer I might have been convinced to watch it on cinema release. This is one of those films that is plugged by the appearance of its lead actor, assuming that women will want to see it because he’s apparently good looking, although a little on the short side, and men because they still relate to the ‘Top Gun’ in Cruise. The producers were obviously hoping no one saw ‘Mission impossible 1 or 2’, or even in my opinion, ‘Minority Report’ in which the camera was stuck so closely to Tom Cruise that by half way through you wish he’d die, move out of the way, and let you enjoy the rest of the action. Though occasionally I hope I will be proved wrong, and for those... Read review

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Advantages: Tom Cruise at his brilliant best, 'real' action as opposed to CGI SF, strong plot, supporting cast, billy Connolly, ...EVERYTHING
Disadvantages: Shame it wasn't a three and half hour beast like Return of the King

...Tom Cruise stars as Captain Nathan Algren, who after beign captured by seemingly 'savage' Samurai warriors, learns their way of life, customs and code of honour. With an imminent battle brewing between Japanese imperial forces and the Samurai clan, Algren must overcome personal adversity and reluctant Westernisation, in a bid to fight for what he believes to be honourous and just. My expectations for this film were high. Reviews from America have been suggesting that Tom Cruise may well be in line for an Oscar nod for his role whilst the supporting cast, mainly Japanese, have also been highly praised. Being a history student, the prospect of a historical epic, set in a previously untouched age for Hollywood, was tremendous. I was not disappointed. Tom Cruise delivers his best performance since his role as a Vietnam veteran... Read review

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Advantages: New Officers | Story | Original Extras | Skills | Action | Strategy
Disadvantages: Not Good Without Orginal Samurai Warriors | Graphics

...This is a review on the expansion pack to one of Koei's newest saga's called Samurai Warriors Xtreme Legends, though the name is quite deceiving as in fact there are no Xtreme or Legends mode in this game unlike the Dynasty Warriors Xtreme Legends, but the enhancements they have made with the expansion pack is still good enough to have a play. Produced by W-Force and created by Koei, this is one game that you do not want to miss out on if you are a fan of the Sengoku Muso era. So, some of you now are probably wandering what is Samurai Warriors? Well it is set in ancient Japan, where clan's have formed to try and gain control of the land and become the sole ruler of it for either peace or to cause more chaos. Unlike in Dynasty Warriors, there are loads of clan's in this, many of them are small clan's that rise up to be known as hero... Read review

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