Rating: 
Summary: I want my Saturday night back!
Review: If you are a pseudo-intellectual, this is your film. You will be wowed by the lack of plot, the paper-thin character development, and the bored, vacant expressions on the characters' faces, which you will no doubt ascribe to their deep understanding of the timeless misery of the human experience.But if you are like me and just want to enjoy a movie without hollow pretense, save your money. At least I rented this one!
Rating: 
Summary: Good movie for subtle reasons
Review: The movie has no over-powering theme. I believe the viewers who gave it bad ratings were put off by this. It is seriously like watching an excerpt from the daily life of two people. But it does so in a way that reveals some things about our own nature as people.
A successful older man and a married-too-soon younger woman meet in Tokyo. Both are at odds with the culture there, but find eachother and spark up a very interesting friendship. They share common interests but are from two totally different generations. The man is going through his mid-life crisis and the girl is just lost and confused in Tokyo. They find a common ground on their cynicism and have a wonderful time together. This is not the meaningful part of the story however.
The great thing about the movie is in observing the subtle sub plots of the movie and observing their behavior. This is definitely an "intellectual" film if you want to call it that because it plays on how your philosophy and perception. That is its draw. If you're expecting a thriller or drama or love story, this isn't it. But if you're looking for a movie that is very well acted and very well written and makes for a thought provoking view, watch Lost in Translation.
Rating: 
Summary: Normally, I hate art-house, but...
Review: My advice: Go to the movie's website and view the various snippets from the film: they are very representitve of waht the movie is like. If you like them, get the film. On with the review: Normally, I hate art-house films. I find them boring. I despised "American Beauty" and "About Schmidt," for example. Hell, I even thought that "The French Connection" was boring. I loved "Lost in Translation." Whether or not you like it depends on what kind of individual you are. The film is intentionally quiet, melancholy, and understated. Some people just don't like that sort of thing. My father (fine man that he is) would deplore it for the same reason that he disliked "The Remains of the Day."
I never felt that the movie lacked substance because, even in the quiet moments, I found myself thinking about it, absorbed in it. If you dislike mood pieces or character studies, I have a strong suspicion you will dislike the movie. Ordinarily, I hate these movies. In this case, I was enchanted by the visuals, the performances, the audio work, and the enduring sense of wonder, melancholy, and longing that it left in me. This is my favorite film.
Rating:
Summary: a very, very good movie
Review: This beautiful masterpiece of understatement, and hope has left an immense impression on me. Vividly honest and fresh with a genuine sentimentality, Sofia Coppola weaves the lives of Murray and Johannsen together in an unforgettable and compelling tale of loneliness, love, and commitment. Two star-crossed lovers, islanded by their strength of character that keeps them apart, nevertheless find a happiness with each other that validates and gives meaning to their world-weary lives.
If you anticipate certain roles to be fulfilled and plot devices to be executed in the movies you watch, do not buy this DVD. It is a crisp and soothing breath of fresh air that effortlessly smashes the boundaries of Hollywood romantic comedies, not to be appreciated by those with overarching optimistic sentimentalities and expectations of their movie-going experiences
Rating:
Summary: terrible, don't buy it
Review: don't waist your time, don't buy it. is the worst ever film movie!!
Rating: 
Summary: Good intentions but it lacks expressive force
Review: This film won the Academy Award as best original script. So there were a lot of reasons to watch it.
The result is disturbing. The first link I found is the huge influence of Michelangelo Antonioni (The eclipse)and Jim Jarmush (Mistery train), the script begins as a promise, and many expectatives; so in the middle of the film it happens nothing; the film falls in a hole: There isn't any brief clue about these strangers in the middle of Tokio; the loneliness and the no sense life is a issue so many times told. But I still hope for a twist in the script; the boring of Murray fills the half of the movie; ok, that{s the point, so what are you going to do? . Scarlett Johanson is the most remarkable point to review, a new promise talented actress so as the homagge to La dolce Vita of Federico Fellini ; remember that in Under the sun of Toscana there's another homagge to the same Fellini's work.
So the film remains between the hopeless, the memories and the huge crowd, the video games that mesmerizes to the young people against the adult clubs.
A overrated film; good locations in Tokyo and Kyoto; a post card movie.
Rating:
Summary: Lost In Translation
Review: Lost in Translation is a heart felt movie about friendship and foriegn things.Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson do a great job in Lost in Translation.The plot has Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson in Tokyo learning about the town and it's people while also learning about each other.The plot is fantastic.The dialogue is unforgetable.The characters are fabulous.The ending is great.(SPOILERS)I was so mad when he didn't say a proper goodbye to her.The movie has a great moral; to always take advantage of things when you have the chance.For example when Bill finally said goodbye or when they traveled through the town together learning about new people and things.If you don't get a little sad at the end then your blood must be like ice.I liked many of the interactions with the Japanesse people and them.The commercial Bill was shooting for example was interesting.This could definetly be one of the best films of 2003.Make sure to watch this fun and sad film. "You'll think. You'll laugh. You'll be marvelously entertained. And you'll be touched."
-- Steve Rhodes, STEVE RHODES' INTERNET REVIEWS
Rating:
Summary: A great movie
Review: I really enjoyed this movie, because of the fact that it is so different from most other movies out there right now. It feels like they took a "day in the life" approach, which contributes to the unstructured feel of the story. It feels like an honest portrayal of unrequited love, something that is very ordinary and not dramatic or schmaltzy. It was refreshing to see that loose ends were not tied up in a pretty bow at the end, much like life. Oddly enough, you would think that a movie without car chases, explosions, or horrifying revelations would be boring as hell. Not so - I didn't once look at the clock thinking, "Are they done yet?", as I have with numerous releases in the past couple of years. The DVD has a good amount of extras, considering the type of movie. The extra scenes were good, but would have screwed with the pacing of the final product. And the behind the scenes featurette was entertaining. All in all, a very worthwhile purchase.
Rating: 
Summary: Scarlett Rocks!
Review: The best aspect of this movie is Scarlett Johanssen. Her beauty just radiates the screen among other parts of her body. Otherwise, this movie is forgettable. Bill Murray as the road weary movie star is well executed. But there isn't anything distinctive about this role or the movie. You just wish there was something more to the movie than an unrealized relationship between two strangers meeting for the first time. Not much of a climax.
Rating:
Summary: "Art" is not a dirty word!
Review: I'm kind of shocked at the level of disgust this film was afforded by almost half of its reviewers here on Amazon. (For those who thought THIS was difficult, try watching a John Cassavetes film like "Husbands" and you'll have a heart attack!) But what I really don't understand about the bulk of the negative reviews is this constant refrain that the movie was "pretentious" or "intellectual". For me, I felt that a lot of the ambiguities placed in the film were completely emotional rather than intellectual. The deepest thing going on here is a growing attraction between a very improbable couple. It's the impossibility of their situation that makes this so innocent and fresh. I thought this was one of the sweetest and most genuine romance stories I've seen in a film (and I love Tracy and Hepburn too!). It succeeds because it so perfectly emulates the yearning and awkwardness of what it feels like to have a crush on someone. Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson play this beautifully. Murray brings his usual charming quick wit along but, at other times, he is remarkably unguarded (watch him mouth the chorus to Johansson as she sings Karaoke). The rest of the cast is also wonderful; from Charlotte's loopy, clueless husband to the ditzy, self absorbed, Hollywood actress they meet at the hotel (her dialogue is priceless!), to the achingly tacky lounge singer. The Japanese cast is also great, particularly the whiskey commercial directors trying to communicate their artistic vision to a completely dumbstruck Bill Murray. What's sad to me about these negative reviews is how mistrustful and resistant (and downright resentful) we've become to anything that doesn't feel comfortably familiar. For those who wrote that a film should be entertaining first, I completely disagree! That's comfort food not art (and I'm not talking about experimental art-films which this is NOT), I'm talking about making anything that challenges the viewer to maybe see the world differently for a few minutes or maybe doesn't spell everything out for them. This film is not that difficult to follow, it's just quieter and less manipulative than most. I don't think it was Coppola's intention to make a "feel-good" romantic comedy but, if that's what you're looking for, there's always "The Prince & Me" and good luck with that...
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