I don'r really have much to say about Tom Cruise per se (well, yes I do but maybe another time) but I have to say that I had a completely different take on 'The Last Samurai'.

I always have a problem with movies where Americans go in to a foreign culture and wind up saving the day because they've managed to become say, better zen masters or samurai warriors then the people who have studied the tradition for two hundred years... and only after ten easy lessons.

I really liked Ken Watanabe in the film but that final scene where the Emperor says to TC, "Tell me how he died", and TC, with all the acting gusto he possesses, breathes heavily, "I will tell you how he LIVED!" Who talks like that, even to the Emperor of Japan?

Anyway MB, sorry. I know you really like that movie but I'm on everybody else's shit list anyway so figured, 'what the hey" ...