Rating: 
Summary: Flat out not Hilarious
Review: I bought this DVD because I was told by a friend it was "Funny," and with Bill Murray, I did not question it any further. My mistake. The representations of Japan are very interesting, but the movie has little plot and you will have to search very hard to find much humor (at least not Bill Murray style). Later, my friend informed me that she had not seen the movie, but had heard it was funny. I Have seen it, all of it. I found it slow and uneventful.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the best movies of the year 2003
Review: The reason I give this dvd 4 instead of 5 stars is that like many of the best movies, its not something I envision most people watching over and over again - like say a stupid comedy or a throwaway action flick. As a result I view this as a better rental (say once every 3 years) than a purchase. In any case though, its a great film. It captures the feeling of being out of place and living in a foreign country really perfectly. Any one who has ever done it knows that it can be a really traumatic experience. The isolation invariably leads to a lot of introspection and basically that is what this movie is about: introspection. The actors and director really capture the mood and pace of such an experience really well. The shots of Japan are memorable. Furthermore the extras in the dvd are also highly interesting to fans of the film - the documentary is not a piece of cable PR like is often the case and the discussions with bill murray, spike jones, sophia coppalla, et al are really insightful. If you havent seen the movie and think you can handle the slow unwinding pace this movie is a cant miss... Im just not SURE you really need to OWN it.
Rating:
Summary: What is so funny about peace, love and understanding?
Review: Lost in Translation is an experience that we all should have- it is surreal, loving, comfortable, sad and funny. Bill Murray and Scarlett Johannsen give superb performances, but it is Bill who steals the movie. He is at once believable and with just a nuance or sad smile we can feel his emotions. He is so understated at times that one must remember that this is a movie.Bill Murray plays Bob, a middle aged actor in Japan to film a whiskey commercial. He is isolated from his wife emotionally and physically. We can feel his loneliness. He is in the midst of direction from a Japanese crew who understands little or no English. Bob is awakened at times by a decorating fax from his wife, whic is a simile for the distance between them. After the filming we see Bob as he visits the pool, the gym and the bar. It is at this bar that Bob meets Charlotte, Scarlet Johannes. Charlotte is the wife of a trendy photographer. She is trying to find motivation to do more. We see her crying as she talks on the phone to her mother in the States. Charlotte and Bob meet in the bar and their friendship begins. Both are lost in limbo and find comfort and companionship in each other. They visit a karaoke bar with the Japanese crew. Bob sings "What's So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding" written by Nick Lowe and sung by Elvis Costello. He has a surprisingly good voice. In an off key but sad, mournful manner, Bob sings "More Than This" by Roxy. Charlottes sings "Brass in Pocket, by The Pretenders. The karaoke bar is a symbol of what the relationship stands for- alone but together. Sofia Coppola does a credible job as director. She is on her way and bigger and better films are sure to come her way. She won an Oscar for original screenplay for this movie.
"Lost in Translation" is a movie that grows on you- great performances and the story is well about nothing... the meeting of two lost souls for a period in time. prisrob
Rating: 
Summary: Question
Review: If some, as they say, have only watched half the movie, why do they think they have the ability to review it? I usually expect good reviewers to at least read the whole book or listen to the whole piece of music? Is that so unreasonable. I've seen "Lost in Translation" three times now, and it gets better with every viewing. You see more things the more you look at it. Those who did not like it should at least try getting to the end at least once. Then they might have something more worthwhile to say than "So boring I chewed my foot off."
Rating:
Summary: What's in a name?
Review: I keep reading that the Coppola name is all that got this movie made or praised or given awards. If that's the case would anyone like to point out why Francis Ford Coppola himself hasn't been able to make a decent movie in 20 years or get a budget for anything that's not commercial, or win awards lately, or why "One from the Heart" was ripped to shreds by critics, or why he lost his studio? Or why he's never made a movie as sensitive as this one? Could they point out why even Spielberg's duds like "Always" or "1941" didn't get success just on the name? It takes more than a name. For a big movie, marketing will sell it because the studio won't dare to lose money and will pour the advertising bucks in. For a small movie, marketing can't do that. No studio's going to spend 40 million in marketing on a movie that only cost 4. That's how the biz works. "Lost in Translation" got made because it made sound commercial sense to make it as its current popularity and profitability show. Thank God that it also made superb artistic sense!
Rating: 
Summary: So Boring I couldn't watch 50% of the Movie
Review: Watch out for this one folks! I didn't think that I could ever NOT like a Bill Murray movie. I think Mr. Murray may have been nominated for an Oscar because he is totally "out of character" and "unfunny". Let's hope we never have to see the serious side of Bill Murray again. Scarlett Johansson was beautiful and did a better acting job in "Girl with the Pearl Earring". Now we know why movies with NO plot don't work!
Rating:
Summary: Not for everyone, but very good
Review: This movie moves like two travelogues, spliced together for the scenes where the two main characters are not together. It is not a plot driven film. There is nothing to "get" or to guess at. It's more of an observation, leaving conclusions to be made by any and all with a need to make them. It had the decency not to presume to try and convey a neat and tidy message or attempt to speak to universal truths, at least it didn't to me. If you are not one who believes that movies have to "go somewhere", check this out. If you are someone who can sit and let exquisitely filmed imagery stir you in ways you don't feel a need (or an ability) to explain, who enjoys seeing quality actors put in interesting situations delivering terrific dialogue, and who won't sit simply "waiting for something to happen", check this out. No car chases, no nudity, no ass-kicking, no saccharine ending. I'll probably give 5 stars after seeing it another time or two. Phenomenal soundtrack as well.
Rating:
Summary: Tone Poem
Review: Someone compared this movie's last scene to a lyric in a pop song, and not kindly, because it is elusive and allusive enough that the viewer/listener has to fill in the gaps. Do you know what they call spare writing where the reader has to fill in the gaps? They call it poetry. I wonder how many who dislike "Lost in Translation" actually like poetry of any kind. In just a few short lines a poem can move you as powerfully as any novel. The most small-scale work of art, perfectly honed can penetrate deeply. But you do have to make an effort yourself to fill in the spaces. "Lost in Translation" is beautiful for the same reason a haiku by Bashu is beautiful. And has a similar mood. The year's first day
thoughts and loneliness;
the autumn dusk is here.
Rating:
Summary: Technical Issues
Review: I see a couple of comments on boom mikes in this movie. I'd just like to point out that this is a common problem when a movie is shot full screen for later cropping to wide screen. The cinematographer tends to favor the widescreen format, and it's the sound guy's job to get as close as possible. Not only that, when a movie is projected there's a "safe" area that should never show on the screen if a projectionist is doing his job properly. Sound recordists will often put the boom in that safe area for the best sound. I've seen this movie in widescreen format, both in the cinema projected properly and on DVD. I saw no boom. I'll stress. This is projectionist error, particularly when you view the movie in the "wrong" format. Not filmmaker's error. Second, about those DVD previews. I wonder if some of the people complaining actually HAVE the DVD. There is a superimposed caption telling you that you can fast forward through them. Unless your DVD player has some problem, it's just not true that your controls won't work. The DVD producers COULD have made that happen if they wanted to, but at least they didn't go that far. They're not bad previews, and for good movies, but still, I do sympathise with those who give the DVD a bad mark for this. I would be furious if more DVDs were produced that forced me to watch previews. Certain kind of movies - like "Lost in Translation" - are bought by film-lovers anyway, who would DEFINITELY check out the previews voluntarily. All the same, I find the movie itself to be a marvellous, quirky, sentimental, even poetic experience. I'd like the DVD to be better but I'll accept its drawbacks for the chance of seeing this wonderful flick again and again.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful film
Review: I made a review of "Lost in Translation" a few days ago, but it has not appeared here. I saw the film on a plane going from America back to India. Usually I do not watch the films on planes because it is to hard to concentrate but I watched this one all through. I think it is a lovely film. Bill Murray plays a very kind and funny man. It is easy to see why a young lady will feel some closeness. And Scarlet Johnson is a very sensitive actress as a young lady who's husband seems to not love her very much. I enjoyed to see the Japanese city and country. And the experiences they have in Japan were like when you go from a small town to a big city. This film made me cry. And it did not make me feel like it was trying to make me cry like sometimes films do. And it is a very quiet story. Not like I am used to in films, but sometimes in books. It is a very wonderful film.
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