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My theory is you either love it or you hate it. I saw it this weekend with some friends and almost everyone loved the film. There was one lady who grabbed her popcorn and angrily left the theater near the end and I'm sure it wasn't the end of her scorn.

This is just an excellent dramatic film that dives deep inside the human spirit and keeps probing until the tears begin to flow. We live in such a mean-spirited society that it was so refreshing to see this film touch the lost civilization we've become.

Don't get me wrong, this is a serious faith-based, Christian film and it gets more and more about God and Jesus Christ as the movie progresses and this makes people uncomfortable. But this is an essential watch for any movie fan. Like the character said, just give me one other movie that probes so deeply into a discussion of God. Most other attempts are just fluffy chit-chat or light-weight attempts at the 'meaning of life'. I can name several films that do that.

I loved the film despite not being religious. There is someone for everyone in the group that people can relate to or have met. And what person hasn't done something in their past that comes back to haunt them years later? This is not a film for the 'angry people'. And, like the previous poster, you shouldn't see the film if discussions on God make you furious. Or discussions on life make you furious. Or people make you furious.

This is a beautiful film for those who quietly yearn for a society of tranquility, peaceful people (I'm not one to bash Christians despite not fully understanding their religion), and a society where peace and joy reign. I'm glad I invited my friends to watch it.

I don't agree with bashing a movie for the sake of bashing. Our society is becoming too quick to judge and less quick to forgive.

Good points of 'The Benchwarmers':

1) Lack of profanity

I'm truly getting weary and tired of the overt profanity in comedies (anyone see '40-Year Old Virgin' uncut?). NO ONE who is mature swears as much as the characters in these 'R' rated comedies. It's as if the writer thought he would make the film 'edgier' with the 'F' word and less with creativity. The Benchwarmers was REFRESHING in that it didn't resort to these idiotic curse words.

Bad points of 'The Benchwarmers'

1) The idea of 3 guys against a bunch of kids didn't sell at all - if only Spade, Heder, and Rob had coached a bunch of geeks, that would have brought everything back to reality and you have had a much better movie;

2) More set up was needed about Rob being a bully - I would have made this film less of a stupid comedy and more of a romantic comedy in the vein of Jerry Maguire - you would have had a much, much better result.

3) The best Happy Madison movies came from guys who are not part of this camp - Anger Management and 50 First Dates were all terrific movies that were bought on spec. Sometimes friendship must take a backstage to the feelings of a million movie-goers who want something more.

Last Samurai is one of those underrated films that truly is not another Hollywood concoction or cliché. Kudos to Ed Zwick for not getting into stereotypes and doing research.

It manages to exist on a number of levels, as a superbly competent action thriller, and as a cultural study into the relationship between the U.S. and Japan. It manages to exist on these multiple levels without sacrificing any for the good of another. It has at its center a complex spherical character in Tom Cruises' character.

There are also strong supporting characters in Ken and the other Japanese characters.

Ken's character is a man who stresses honor and propriety, who is at first repelled by Cruise's character and his ways. As the film progresses, he comes to a greater understanding of Cruise's character and comes to respect him as a shogun, as a man of honor, and as a friend.

On top of all these elements, the film also delves into cross-cultural issues, namely how Japan and the U.S. are different in terms of honor code, civility and customs. It spends some time on the mutual exclusivity of these two cultures, how one cannot exist without the other, and how the have helped shape and form one another over many years without favoring one or the other.

All these things combined the film still manages to maintain itself as a highly competent action thriller, with taught suspenseful pacing, and an intelligent storyline. It also contains one of the best and most memorable endings in recent years, which alone makes the film worth watching.

Overall, I highly recommend this film to anyone who might enjoy this unconventional type of shogun-type film, a film with depth and intelligence. If you do, chances are this surprisingly excellent film will become one of your favorites as well.