However, I thought it was interesting that it seems the only way to get people chatting is to not like a film. Just look at the fun we are having with this one as well as the response I got for my Juno and Blade Runner pieces. The one thing I will admit is that whether I like the films or not, it is a lot of fun discussing them with other movie lovers.

As for Ran, I will go watch the last 30 minutes right now. I still have the DVD and I will report back. I don't think it will change my opinion on the whole film since my problem isn't with the story as much as it is with how long it is and how long it takes for everything to play out.

We'll see what happens, but you understand this is preventing me from playing Uncharted on my brand new PS3 right?

Now, if only I could figure out how we got so amazingly off topic maybe I'd actually have something truly interesting to talk about. :)

(Side point: David is right, you do at least have to go back and watch the final thirty or so minutes just to see that final battle – one of the greatest ever filmed – as well as discover what happens to a certain evil sister-in-law. You might change your mind about the rest of the picture. I'm just sayin…)

I may try and revisit it some time down the line, but for now I just couldn't get into it, which is really the problem. I never got into it actually.

Now David, as for The Namesake and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead…

The Namesake is a total bore, both Kal Penn and Jacinda Barrett were wrong for that movie. The entire thing was way too heavy handed. As for BTDKYD, that was an exercise in seeing just how long we could string out the smallest of stories. However, with BTDKYD I can at least see where some people enjoy it, if you haven't read The Namesake I am at a loss as to how someone could enjoy that film.

SaraMichelle said: What?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? You didn't like Ran? Them there are fightin' words!! *laugh*

Seriously, though, like No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood I think you should give it another chance. Ran is, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest films I have ever seen in my entire life. Every time I watch it the thing completely blows me away. The drama. The passion. The horror. The pure cinematic bliss of Kurosawa at the very top of his game. Like Shakespeare's "King Lear" on which it is based, the film is admittedly tough and uncompromising, but it is also highly lyrical and, just from a visual level, absolute poetry for the eyes. This is the movie (along with Star Wars and Citizen Kane – is that a cliche or what?) that made me want to become a critic. I've seen it two dozen times at least and it's never grown old.

But hey, what do I know. I still think you're smoking crack for putting The Namesake on your worst-of-the-year list. ;)

Brad, I have to agree with her 100%–well I differ on whether you were smoking crack for hating The Namesake, I thought you were smoking it while watching Before the Devil Knows You're Dead:). Anyways, did you get to the bigass battle at the end, hard find that Not entertaining? Yojimbo has always been my favorite Kurasawa flick, but Ran I believe is his best.

Seriously, though, like No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood I think you should give it another chance. Ran is, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest films I have ever seen in my entire life. Every time I watch it the thing completely blows me away. The drama. The passion. The horror. The pure cinematic bliss of Kurosawa at the very top of his game. Like Shakespeare's "King Lear" on which it is based, the film is admittedly tough and uncompromising, but it is also highly lyrical and, just from a visual level, absolute poetry for the eyes. This is the movie (along with Star Wars and Citizen Kane – is that a cliche or what?) that made me want to become a critic. I've seen it two dozen times at least and it's never grown old.

But hey, what do I know. I still think you're smoking crack for putting The Namesake on your worst-of-the-year list. ;)

Oh well, I still have more of his on the way from Netflix, never give up on finding more gems.

I have to admit to feeling pretty much the same way about his last film, Dreams. I've tried watching it five different times and I still can't seem to make it all the way through. There is something about the director's style and cinematic language on that one that just keeps escaping me. I mentioned that once to another critic and he said it was impossible for any real film lover to be "turned off" by Kurosawa. I tried to explain to him I wasn't turned off by the director, not in the slightest, I just had trouble with the way he chose to narratively and visually tell his story.

Maybe that's how you felt about this one.

Reading your essay, I almost went to Amazon and purchased the film just so I could examine it again. Instead I bought an HD copy of Pan's Labyrinth.

Oh well. Maybe next time! You can never have too much Kurosawa in your home library, after all. :popcorn: