the last samurai

good movie. good pacing, editing, story erm.. good film.

Action/Adventure. Rated R. Starring: Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly, Koyuki, Tony Goldwyn. Set in the late 1870s, this epic film depicts the beginnings of the modernization of Japan, as the island nation evolved past a feudal society, as symbolized by the eradication of the samurai way of life. We see all this happen from the point of view of an alcoholic Civil War veteran turned Winchester guns spokesman, Captain Woodrow Algren (Cruise), who arrives in Japan to train the troops of the emperor, Meiji, as part of a break away from the long-held tradition of relying on employed samurai warriors to protect territories, as the emperor`s new army prepares to wipe out the remaining samurai warriors. When Algren is injured in combat and captured by the samurai, he learns about their warrior honor code from their leader, Katsumoto, which forces him to decide which side of the conflict he actually wants to be on. -- synopsis

this movie reminds me of wong fei hong movie. somehow, the setting is the same, both countries(china and japan) was trying to revolutionise to change their tradidtion and learn from the west. in wong fei hong movies, he is trying to unite the chinese and also trying to contribute using his traditional medical knowledge and his kongfu. now the japanese are trying to defend their samurai skills and culture... diff between the two? erm.. little.

but the end results for both countires is obiously different as what we have seen today. Japan is westinised and China is trying to catch up only now. and japan is definitely leading a erm.. higher standard of living.

so, what does it means? westinisation is good? we should really look to the west for improvement? i dun know.. really. i dun know.. maybe if China embrace the west, china will be stronger now> i dun know..

but we have to note, when china is trying hard to catch up with the west, the west are trying to learn bout east. they are interested in our ancestors' knowledge, e.g acupunture, tea making, which we are treasuring presently. and as for Japan, they make efforts to retain their culture. so? conlusion is.. i still dun know.. it is not for me to decide.