by Jason Korsner BBC News Online

The film went straight to number one at the US box office

The Last Samurai and Lost in Translation are both about Americans working in Japan and their struggle with cultural differences.

But the two films could not be more different.

One is a big budget period epic, with one of the world's most bankable stars leading a cast of hundreds. The other, set more than a century later, is a quaint personal film from one of the hottest young directors around.

The Last Samurai begins in 1876. Tom Cruise is Captain Nathan Algren, a cantankerous, alcoholic civil war veteran, sent to Japan to train the emperor's army how to use guns.

Battle

The emperor wants to cast off centuries of culture to join the international fast lane, adopting western dress, western technology and western weapons.

One stubborn group of samurai, led by the noble Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) is staging a violent rebellion against the modernisation. Determined to crush them, the emperor arms his soldiers with guns, but they have no idea how to use them.

Algren (Cruise) turns his back on western culture

Algren is taken captive in the ensuing battle, but Katsumoto spares his life, so that he can learn about his enemy. Paradoxically, Katsumoto appears to share the emperor's fascination with the West. He even speaks perfect English.

Another notable contradiction is that Algren, sent to Japan to teach the locals western ways, ends up learning how to be Japanese.

Taken in by the samurai's honourable lifestyle, Algren rejects the corrupt forces of capitalism in favour of the "savage" way of life.

Stunning

But this tale of the natives as the good guys against the evil white men falls slightly short of becoming Tom Cruise's Dances With Wolves.

Director Edward Zwick delivers a beautifully shot and acted portrayal of the samurai.

But the thoughtful script suddenly gives in to Hollywood's primal urges towards the film's conclusion.

Tokyo leaves Bill Murray's character bewildered

It looks spectacular. But a few too many false endings blur the final message, despite tugging at the heart-strings.

It is ironic that more than a century after the emperor's ostensibly successful efforts to westernise, the cultural chasm between East and West appears as wide ever.

Replacing the honour of the 19th-Century samurai with the polite reserve and respect of 21st-Century Japan, even the title of Sofia Coppola's excellent bitter-sweet comic drama Lost in Translation suggests as much.

Bill Murray is middle-aged, middle-ranking actor, Bob Harris. The spark has gone out of his life. Just the thought of his wife seems to leave him drained.

Bond

The offers of work are not flowing like they used to, and they are certainly not flowing like the whisky he has been paid to advertise in Japan.

Alone in a Tokyo hotel, he is baffled by everything around him, from the automatic curtains-cum-alarm-clock to the peculiar notion that Japanese seems to need two minutes to say what English can say in two seconds.

No romance for Bob and Charlotte

Bob Harris, like Nathan Algren, eventually finds solace in the bosom of the enemy. His trip to Japan is a convenient excuse to escape his nagging wife, yet it is someone else's wife who rescues him.

The remarkable newcomer Scarlett Johansson is newly-wed Charlotte, whose husband is travelling around Japan, photographing celebrities.

Another American, alone in the same hotel. The beauty of this film is that unlike others involving middle-aged men, a mid-life crisis and a woman young enough to be his daughter, theirs is a purely platonic relationship.

When they are together, it does not matter that they do not understand the world around them. They understand each other.

Although Johansson is a refreshing surprise and a tremendous discovery, the film is carried by a particularly outstanding and complex performance from the always dependable Murray.

Unsurprisingly, it has earned him a nomination at the Golden Globes for best actor in a musical or comedy - Scarlett Johansson and Tom Cruise has also been nominated for best dramatic actress and actor.

It could be a big night for US-Japanese relations.

Lost in Translation and the Last Samurai are now showing in the UK.

Please see a selection of your views on the films below..

Been a great afficianado and a student of Japanese history and culture, I was concerned about how the emotional aspect of the samurai culture would be depicted in the Last Samurai. I was overjoyed that the casting of Watanabe and Sanada very much translated that emotional aspect beautifully without too many words and that these two fantastic actors were able to talk more with their body language (a feat achievable by only the truly gifted actors) than with their vocal chords. Glad they are getting the recognition they deserve. This was one of the best movies I saw last year!
Olayemi, Rockville, USA

As a Japanese British, I would like every English speaker who is interested in Japan to see Lost in Translation because the story told is beautifully filmed with a gentle and subtle direction. To our surprise, our local cinema Tricycle was packed for the first time since Harry Potter with many among the audience who used to live or work in Japan looking back the good (or baffling) old days....
Kay, London, UK

The Last Samurai,for me, was Tom Cruise at his very best!! The other supporting actors gave an outstanding performance also. (Timothy Spall and Billy Connolly gave it just a touch of "Britishness"). I thought it was well filmed and very entertaining.
Mrs Hetty Charlet, Newmarket, Suffolk

I saw the Last Samurai last month. Before I saw the film, I was a bit cynical about the Japanese samurai spirit described by a western director and filmed in the western surroundings. But I was moved and amazed to see the film! And Kem Watanabe's performance was really worth an oscar!!!
Aya, Tokyo, Japan

The Last Samurai, excellent film, one problem is that it's set in 1866/7 yet the Meiji Restoration didn't happen until 1868. Maybe it's anal but when directors harp on about attention to detail you'd at least think they'd check the history books to get the dates right!
Phillip Jackson, Kyoto, Japan

The Last Samurai deserves an Oscar nomination for best film, as it a highly exceptional and unique film and one that leads you on an emotional rollercoaster. In my opinion this is one of the best surprises that the film industry has had this year. This film should be honored with equal credits for Best Film alongside the latest and last of the Lord of the Rings films.

Jacqueline Sharp, Edinburgh, UK

In response to Keith Cheshire, San Antonio, Texas, USA: Bill Murray's style is a rarity amongst current day actors, he blends a brand of comedy that we do not see too much now a days. A little research into the words irony, sarcasm and satire Keith and I think you'll find lost in Translation an excellent film.

And in response to Gabriel Asseily, UK - while I'm glad you enjoyed the Last Samurai i'd like to point out that hardly any CGI was used in the film, especially not in the final scenes. This brings up the worrying issue of CGI, in how we now come to expect it and can't even tell the difference when it is and isn't used.
Nick Howard, Brighton, England

Lost in Translation, I liked it but I�m not sure why. Nobody died, nothing blew up, in fact nothing really happened at all. However after epic film after epic film Lost in Translation was a subtle and quietly engaging film. Maybe not to everyone�s taste but a blessed relief for me after sitting through another three hours Lord of the Rings extravaganza.
James, Macclesfield, UK

I thought the Last Samurai was good on the whole. However it was too cheesy in places, especially with the typical Tom Cruise sprint, which he seems to do in every film he acts in. It did also at one point edge to a finish about 40 minutes in. Most of the cinema audience where about to get up and leave and then the film continued! A generous 6 out of 10.
Alex Hatch, Bethersden, Kent

The joy of Lost in Translation is that nothing much has to happen. Having seen Sophia Coppola's disastrous Virgin Suicides I was not holding out much hope but I put my faith in the reviews and was rewarded. Both central characters are thoroughly engaging and it beautifully demonstrates how intense and odd friendships can be developed in a short space of time when the circumstances are right. I am also now in the process of buying flights to Tokyo!
Fiona, Nottingham, England

What DO you mean claiming that these two hollywood films "put Japan on the map"?!! Japan has been making hundreds of fantastic films since the early days of cinema. These films have very little indeed to do with what is really going on in Japan. They are packed full of modern and old-fashioned stereotypes of a cruel and evil nation which SIMPLY DOES NOT EXIST. For the benefit of anyone who is genuinely interested in Japanese culture and cinema may I suggest the following list?

Akira Kurosawa - most well known in the west for The Seven Samurai, later remade as The Magnificant Seven but some of his more interesting work includes Drunken Angel, Ikiru, Stray Dog, Ran and Yojimbo.

Kenji Mizoguchi - less well known outside of Japan but considered domestically to be the godfather of cinema. My personal favourite is Ugetsu Monogatari (tales of the pale and silvery moon), also Tales of the Taira Clan and Sansho the Baliff.

Widely recognised as a classic and not a bad introduction to Japanese cinema is Yasujiro Ozu's Tokyo Story. More recently: Beat Takeshi Kitano: Hana-bi (fireworks), Violent Cop, Boiling point, Brother and (again my personal choice) Kids Return.

Also recent and a bit more weird and wonderful: Kore-eda Hirokazu's very dark Afterlife and Maborosi.

And there are hundreds more to investigate so please don't waste your time watching formulaic hollywood drivel that doesn't represent Japan or the Japanese in any genuine way. IT WILL MELT YOUR BRAIN!!
Kate, London

I found The Last Samurai cliched, self-contradictory and Hollywood-esque. I agree the sets, costumes and scenery were beautiful, but the dialogue was predictable, and leaned heavily on stereotypes. Also, Cruise forcing a draw with a sword master and defeating a bunch of Ninja after one winter in the mountains? A bit too much, even for Tom, I feel. The one redeeming feature was Watanabe, who is well worthy of an Oscar nomination.
Stuart , Japan

Thoroughly enjoyed Lost In Translation - the mood and ambiance was perfect - the performances of the two protaganists were impressive especially that of Bill Murray - a master of wistfulness and self-irony. It's pleasing that US can produce films like this to serve an audience not waiting for the next special effect.
Charles Hinton, Lille France

I saw Lost in Translation. Not quite what I expected and I have to agree it was tedious at times. It had good intentions, was very pretty (whether it was intentional or unintentional), gave the sushi industry in London the boost it has been waiting for! Don't watch it if you want a good laugh...
R, Tooting, UK

I saw Lost in Translation a few days ago and.. well to be honest, I didn't enjoy it at all. I've never walked out of a movie before, but this brought me close to doing so. Ok, the acting was quite good as well as the culture involved, but what was the actual storyline or plot?

I don't understand why people are saying it's so good, as a few others have admitted, the film is slow, but actually I found it almost slower and excruciatingly tiresome than the 0900 Newcastle-Middlesbrough Arriva Trains Northern Service.
Alex Marshall, Whitley Bay, England

Saw Last Samurai and thought it was a fantastic film - the final battle scene was really memorable and generally the sword fight scene choreography was superb.
Lun Choos, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

The Last Samurai had beautiful scenery but that was it. The whole film was filled with its own self-importance. But then what did I expect from Tom Cruise who clearly made this film to try and get an Oscar now his ex-wife has one. Not worthy of any Oscar at all.
Emma, Southport

Saw The Last Samurai on Friday night. Thought it was absolutely terrible. Tom Cruise desperately attempting to get an Oscar through a combination of over acting and barely cracking a smile once. Unfortunately, he is completely overshadowed by Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) everytime they appear on screen together. The sentiment was way off, the script was poor and contrived. This is a clear example of Hollywood trying to cash in on the popularity of Samurai and Eastern culture, but considering the politics of the Oscars, the film is bound to walk away with something.

Tom's 'uber-serious' performance appears forced and is not a patch on his 'Magnolia' performance. If you want real Samurai movies, leave this and go back to where it all started (i.e Seven Samurai etc...)
Corrina, Cheltenham

After spending a considerable amount of time immersing myself in the Japanese genre of writing, i.e. Memoirs of a Geisha, etc, I found myself once again empassioned and enchanted by the sublime and enchanting 'old' Japan after watching this movie. Fantastic direction with a powerful story lends to an extremely enjoyable film. I shall be watching it again!
Brett, Torquay UK

Enjoyed The Last Samurai, you certainly got your money's worth (especially when your partner pays). Subtly handled throughout, apart from the two concluding scenes. I can only presume the director shot something subtle originally and it bombed with the test audiences. What is left in the movie looks like it was written by committee, a textbook, Hollywood, hurried tying up of loose threads completely at odds with the tempo and spirit of the preceeding two hours. It made me leave the auditorium feeling a little cheated. That said, Tom Cruise is always fascinating being Tom Cruise. Worth a look (but rewrite the ending in your own head afterwards).
Mike Bennion, London

I saw the Last Samurai and was very disappointed. The storyline is wonderful and the scene is set when the main character is captured. The film shows tremendous promise up until the final battle where it neatly sidesteps reality and starts mouthing Hollywood mantras. Suddenly the strong Samurai leader becomes the weak side-kick. The only person left alive on the battlefield is ... ta-da, the American captain. And you have a neatly packaged bad-guy who, at the last hurdle, is revealed as the coward he is.

A bad-guy who is obviously a coward, a victim who needs saving, a hero who won't die with a sidekick who does. Sounds like a hollywood "blockbuster" to me.
Dean, Guildford, UK

The Last Samurai is a poor film, full of one-dimensional characters and contrived plotting. It wants to pick and choose which aspects of bushido are "right". It could have been merely mediocre if it had ended 45 minutes sooner, but it has to draw out the cliches for the Big Hollywood Fight Scene. Quite nicely shot, but that's not enough.

Lost in Translation is a very pleasant film, but definitely over-rated and curiously under-written; the chemistry between the two leads consists mostly of awkward silences.
Paul Reeve, London, UK

I found Lost In Translation a bit slow at times (don't expect a typical Bill Murray comedy), but the two central characters were interesting enough to carry it.

The Tokyo culture and lifestyle is always portrayed through the visitors eyes (we never see subtitles of the Japanese dialogue), and it's suitably different enough to my own to convince me that the characters could indeed be utterly baffled by it.

Bill Murray can be funny without even speaking. His expressions say it all. And Scarlett Johannson is absolutely stunning, so I was perfectly content to wait out some of the slower moments.
Nick, London

Last Samurai is a beautiful film; understated, and well performed, yet felt familiar (Dances of Wolves came to mind). Lost in Translation felt more of a character piece, allowing the film to focus on getting to know characters as the drive for the film, rather than have a "goal" which pushes the film along. Performances by the two leads Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson are subtle, powerful and endearing. A must-see.
Peter Midgley, Cambridge, UK

I saw Lost in Translation last month in the US and it is the best film I have seen for a long time.

The isolation and awkwardness of the two Americans in an incomprehensible Japanese environment is perfectly portrayed by Murray and Johansson. It is a refreshing change that the plot is subtle enough to let the audience think and have their own interpretations of various scenes.

Highlights for me are the Japanese TV interview and the ad for Santori Smooth. I guarantee you will be mimicking Murray's multitudinous methods of drinking whisky for years...
Joe Taylor, London, UK

I saw the Last Samurai the other night and I thought it was amazing. I am not a fan of Tom Cruise but I feel he acted this part very well and deserves credit for it. The story line excellently combined good fighting scenes, an insight to Japanese culture, humour and very mild romance to create a film that I thoroughly recommend to anyone who has any taste.
Holly Rennox, Brentwood, England