The Last Samurai

moved me so heavily...

Just everything about it made me feel emotion, and it was exactly the right emotion at exactly the right time.  I want to be able to do that. I wonder how long until I get that kind of good. The exact point of every scene was spot on, the director knew exactly what the story was, and communicated it to everyone so clearly that there was no mistranslating it

John Toll, ASC, is such a great Cinematograher. Other than The Last Samurai, his movies include Braveheart, Legends of the Fall, Tropic Thunder, and Wanted. He is well known as being an outdoor DP, and his work on The Last Samurai really is the perfect example of why.  He told the story elegantly, and showed us some of the beauty of Japan at the same time. Every shot was breathtaking.  There was no impatient jonesing for the next cut, just full and happy satisfaction with each landscape. I've found that he photographs sunsets very well. I wonder what kind of technical process he goes through to get those results like the ones in The Last Samurai.

All shit aside from Tom Cruise, he a fucking amazing actor. His talent is so huge, he is often underestimated due to his good looks. I really gained a lot of respect for him after I saw Collateral. All the things he had to do to prep for that role...He was, for all intents and purposes, Vincent. Every single thing that Vincent said was motivated by a moment in his life. Even if it wasn't on the screen or in the script, Tom Cruise had to know every bit of backstory and incorporate it into that character.  Not many actors can do that so entirely.

So yea, The Last Samurai is done. I can move on to watching something else now. lol

I think either Touch of Evil or The Man in the Iron Mask is up next for me. Theres so many I have to watch...