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Reviews
Shogun (1980)
It has Toshiro in it, no more need be said.
Any movie with this magnificent actor even showing up in a cameo, I give a 10. Actually, the costumes weren't very good, & a lot of the true historical facts were sometimes a little silly, but Toshiro Mifune makes the movie a classic. He's elemental, a force of nature, fantastic. Watch it just to get a glimpse of this wonderful actor's presence & charisma. The movie is based on the book by Clavell, & he did write the part of Toranaga with Toshiro in mind. The movie does follow the book pretty closely, and the book is based very loosely on an Englishman who was stranded on the Japanese Islands in the early 1600's.All-in-all, the movie on DVD is a lot better than the previous video tape that was out.
The Village (2004)
It was horrible, & not in a good way.
OK.
All I will say is the movie gets an F-, Adrien Brody gets an A+, & I feel terribly sorry for all of the great actors in this movie who had to recite such horribly written drivel.
William Hurt,Sigourney Weaver,Joaquin Phoenix,& Bryce Dallas Howard should all be awarded Oscars for struggling so valiantly to make sense of some of the idiotic lines they were given.
Poor Joaquin looked as if he'd really rather be ANYWHERE else. William just looked hurt, & Sigourney, come on, I won't quote any verse here, but dear lord, it was bad.
The creature costume was rather hilariously awful. I presume it was supposed to be though, since the only 2 kids who were able to get a gander @ it were a blind girl & a mentally handicapped boy.
The basement-hiding-while-looking-frightened & listening-to-things-go bump-in-the-night??!! is really wearing terribly thin.
I did enjoy the suit one character (Brendan Gleeson) wears that doesn't look 1800's, & the use of electric light on the porches of the homes. At least I hope that is what is what was intended because lanterns/flames do not cast light like that.(Natural Gas perhaps?)
The extra "home movie" by M. Night was more entertaining actually. This had more to do w/the fact that it was only 3:06 minutes in length, & he gets attacked by a German shepherd while wearing acid-washed jeans and a cowboy hat. A flexible flyer is also involved. Great stuff.
Don't waste your money on even renting the DVD please.
Kakushi-toride no san-akunin (1958)
I LOVED THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!!!
This is one of the most hilarious movies I have ever seen. There is just too much to write about, so just rent it, or better yet, buy it! Toshiro Mifune's performance as Rokorota alone is worth it. His "duel scene" in which he battles general Hoye is fantastic. I guess George Lucas based Star Wars on this wonderful movie. I've already watched this movie 6 times, Star Wars 3. I just can't recommend it enough. Hidden Fortress & Rashomon are 2 of my favorite Kurasawa/Mifune collaborations. Rent them both & have fun!