Hi Mara,
I broke down and watched "Kill Bill Vol. 1" because it is spoken of so much, especially with Vol. 2 recently out, that I like to be apprised of society's tastes. I knew going in, that it was going to be stylized violence, without a well developed plot, and a lot of martial arts. I do find martial arts fascinating. I think this has come from my further education in the culture of Japan.
"The Last Samurai" is a good treatment of the conflicts of war. Tom Cruise is first a guilt ridden U.S. Calvary soldier, drinking himself to oblivion. He is assigned to update the war strategies in Japan at a time that many still live by the honor of the old codes of war, and face-to-face, hand-to-hand combat, rather than the distance of bullets and cannons. As the plot twists, he finds himself educated in the traditional warrior ways of Japan (Samurai). His new education, values, and heart cause him to go to the other side.
The realities of this world are that men must go to battle at times, to protect their own way of civilization, home, family, women, and children. I think the men of any nation in the world will fight to protect their homeland and their way of life.
Quentin Tarantino is an odd guy who hit the film world by storm (shrewd). He won a Palm D'or at the Cannes Film Festival for "Pulp Fiction". The highest honor awarded at Cannes. "Pulp Fiction" is also replete with stylized violence...go figure...
Thus, Tarantino is positioned to give us more...
"Pulp Fiction" also resurrected John Travolta's languishing film career.
It was a chore for me to watch "Kill Bill" all the way through with any kind of focused attention.
Not my favorite film.
My review is this:
that's all I'll say...
I was shocked to hear Star Jones say on "The View" that Tom Cruise in "Collateral" is the sexiest killer she's ever seen. What is our collective mentality coming to?
No doubt, Denzel Washington was somewhat chagrined to have received the Academy Award for "Training Day", rather than all the famous (Malcolm X) and courageous (Hurricane) people he played in starring roles, previously.
I still reserve the right to keep tabs on society's mores and follow my un
information gathering.
It doesn't mean I like everything I see, sometimes I dislike it intensely.
Nancy Un