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deanix
Reviews
The Alamo (2004)
Shame about the timing
I thought this was a very well-made movie. The characters were believable and the action was historically viable. Lovely camera work too. I had avoided seeing it on account of the negative reaction on its release, but when I read some of the reviews here I decided to seek it out. Didn't have to wait long - it was on our local cable channel in the wee small hours. I was enthralled from start to finish. Maybe it got poor reviews in 2004 because it was about Texas (GW Bush's state) or maybe because it was a Disney movie. Watched it tonight on VHS. I will watch it again several times and eventually buy the DVD. John Wayne's 1960 version is a good show too(though not historically accurate), but but the Director's Cut is not available on DVD. The short version is poor in comparison, IMHO.
Otoko-tachi no Yamato (2005)
Saikou!
On Dec 29 2005, I took my father-in-law (73 years old) to see this film--he is a bit of a military 'otaku' type and I expected a typical apologetic, war-glorifying TOEI effort. Wrong! -- this movie is _very_ good, hits you in the heart early on and never lets go. The battleship Yamato is the backdrop--what the film focuses on is the 17-18 year-old group of young sailors who did the dirty work on board the ship. Their interpersonal relationships, their girlfriends back home, their mothers--it is heart-rending. The battle scenes are unforgettable. The whole of the audience stayed till the last credits had rolled & left dewy-eyed. I myself went to see it again on Jan 2nd -- just to confirm I hadn't missed anything from the Japanese dialogue. See it! The West deserves an English sub-titled uncut version-- really... The best Japan-made movie I have ever seen!