Rating: 
Summary: Alone
Review: First of all, I will admit that this film is not for everyone. And people have questioned the "lack of no plot" (as some would say), and the "weird sexual relationship" between the two protagonists. But this film, is like having one of those sernedity moments, of just exploring you mind on your life, as you stare up into space.But I think that people will get disappointed, that with all the "critics" hype, they expect a clear beginning,middle, and end. And, I think that if you never felt like you never had a connection with a person you just met, than perhaps you wont understand the relationship between Bob and Charlotte. There relationship is nothing sexual, but you can tell that, they were made for each other. There soul-mates that share a connection. And Tokyo acts as a background to all these, giving the feeling of loss, and isolation from their home(America). But there relationship contents full of unqiue honest moments, in which they use each other to understand themselves better. Its kinda like one of those close intimate friendships, where you find a instant bond with each other, as well as learning from each other, and than parting. Is not sad, its bittersweet and leaves the sense of moving forward in time.
I must say that this film, is gorgeous in showing the beauty of the city, and Sofia Coppola, has done it again!! I love the Virgin Suicides, and I must say that Lost in Translation shows more of the depth, and brillance that is contended in Sofia.
I dont recommend this movie to others, but I must say that I (a 16 year old) loved the feeling of the film. And in particualr, I must give thanks for Sofia, for writting/directing this poigant little gem ! Keep up the brilliant work !!
Rating: 
Summary: Painful Experience
Review: I have seen a lot of movies. This one is BORING....long and drawn out without a convincing conclusion...I rented this travisty at my local video store and feel I paid too much.Best part was it put me to sleep. Read a book and search for something more entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: Not your typical Bill Murray vehicle.
Review: People exited the theaters en masse when they went to see Jack Lemmon in "Days of Wine and Roses" because it wasn't the sort of film he'd made before. More serious, not slapstick with broad humor. I think the same thing applies to "Lost In Translation." People go in thinking it's going to be another "What About Bob" or "Groundhog Day", and while both are great comedies, they're nothing like this film. It's peaceful and poetic, to make you think, not just eke guffaws from the audience. So keep that in mind if you choose to buy this.
Rating:
Summary: Not your typical American movie
Review: This production reminds me of the French cinema and the movies by the Swedish director Ingmar Bergman, the action is slow and you get time to really look at the expressions of the characters and ponder what their thoughts are. I like "typical" American movies, but I also enjoy other types of creations when they are of good quality. At first I was a little weary about watching this movie because I thought there was a lot of hype created by the fact that the director, Sophia Coppola, is the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola. This is not the first time the legendary director shows his fatherly support either; Francis Ford Coppola was thrown into the spotlight of critics when he selected his daughter for a role in "The Godfather III". Luckily, I can say that the hype was right! This movie is everything it promises to be and more.Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is a famous actor in the decline of his career; he ends up in Tokyo filming a commercial for Suntory whisky in exchange for the enticing sum of two million dollars. Right from his arrival in Japan the clash of cultures is apparent. Bob feels out of place, is too tall, does not understand the language, is confused by the different cultural uses, feels lonely, is having a midlife crisis, is unsure about his relationship with his wife; Bob is...Lost in Translation. Until he finds Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), who is in Tokyo with her husband and having a hard time dealing with staying alone in the hotel while her husband goes to work as a photographer. After getting acquainted in the bar of the hotel on a sleepless night, Bob and Charlotte begin a very interesting and complex friendship. The mood of the movie may be depressing at times, and Coppola tried to alleviate this in certain way by inserting humorous situations. I do not think this is a comedy though, as it has been categorized in some award shows. The performances of both Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson are extraordinary and they deserve each and every one of the nominations and awards won. I was especially awed by the discovery of this young actress, who can portray with extreme ability and versatility two very different roles: this one and the one in "Girl with a Pearl Earring". Overall, this is a movie that I would recommend to all those people that would not be bothered by a slow development of the story. If you belong in this category it is better to stay away, if not...go for it!
Rating:
Summary: Lost in Translation Rocks!
Review: i am surprised to see that Lost in Translation has such low review on Amazon while School of Rock has such high review. In my own opinion, Lost in Translation has a lot of silent wisdom in it, while School of Rock is just "form over matter"... [warning: movie spoiler ahead....] Just lying to a bunch of kids to fulfill his dream of forming a rock band because nobody else wanted him... how ungraceful is that... and the school principal, at times posing as silly kind of authoratative figure, and at time posing as "admiring" your rock band kind of silly figure. Lost in Translation is more for you if you can stand to be with someone you like for a few hours like sitting next to each other and reading books. School of Rock is for you if you like noisy and meaningless conversation. on the IMDBwebsite, the score for these two movies are more just: Lost in Translation is above School of Rock, and is one of the top 250 movies ever made.
Rating:
Summary: A slap in the face to anyone who paid to see the DVD
Review: Shameless. And yet, the cynic in me KNEW it was gonna happen SOMETIME. I'm talking about a DVD that FORCES us to watch previews before the main menu or movie begin. You've probably noticed that all DVDs force you to look at the "piracy warning" before the main menu comes up. Some DVDs force you to sit through some short commercial for the movie company / TV network that spawned the film. Hitting the "MENU" button during these opening moments produces no effect. It's force-feeding, and we all know what force-feeders should do with their product. We PAID for the thing. We are the customers, the source of the money. It's not appropriate for these people to waste OUR time, and abuse the source of THEIR income. Vote with your dollars, people. Don't buy this DVD. "Lost In Translation" is the first DVD I've had the mispleasure to see, which pushes previews down our throats & treats us like a captive audience of sheep. Send a message back to the people who assembled this DVD. Tell them "No. Not now, not EVER."
Rating:
Summary: Dislocation
Review: It's easy to feel out of joint in a modern city. Even easier if the city is not your own. Easier still if you're jet-lagged and on the other side of the world, and if your domestic life "back home" isn't going so well. In most parts of the world you at least have Western looking signs to look at and guess the meaning of. In Japan and China, you don't. "Lost in Translation" captures that feeling of adriftness perfectly. It's as if you're freefalling in space, and suddenly you find a little solid ground to hold on to. In the movie the solid ground for Charlotte is over-the-hill actor Bob (Bill Murray), and the solid ground for him is relatively new bride Charlotte (Scarlett Johannson). Sofia Coppola shows perfectly the feeling of being in a place where nothing quite seems to fit, except that maybe you have found someone who speaks to your heart. And then, there's the poignancy of being the right soul, born in the wrong time. Coppola's script completely deserves the Academy Award for its minimalist elegance. The photography is beautiful and moody. The soundtrack fits the mood perfectly. For those who find the movie slow, consider this. It takes time to show dislocation. A movie in which people are moving fast and purposefully is a movie about people NOT drifting, not aimless, NOT lost, which is entirely not the point of "Lost in Translation". Not everything in this world has to happen fast enough for the shake-your-foot gum-chewing impatient. And Bill Murray IS allowed - thankfully - to do movies befitting his maturity and the subtlety of which he's capable. For the more perceptive, watch the scenes closely. Get the mood. You'll be supremely rewarded. For the others, rent "Dude Where's My Car" or "American Wedding". And there are still the Farrelly brothers for those who want that kind of thing. Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller are - in their movies - fantastically funny by the way. But that's not what this was meant to be. It's immature to throw a hissy fit because of that.
Rating:
Summary: Rip my finger nails off please
Review: I have watched 100's of movies in the theaters. This is the first and only movie I have ever walked out on. I put up with 1 hour and 15 minutes and I couldn't take anymore. I have never, EVER seen a movie so dragged out. Every scene in the movie could have been accomplished in about 30 seconds and instead they chose to make it 5 minutes. It was amazing. One scene shows Bill Murray walking around a golf tee and then hitting the ball. It literally took 2 minutes for this segment that meant absolutely nothing. I have never seen such a poorly made movie. You would have to see the movie to know what i am talking about. Unfortunately, I wouldn't let my worst enemy watch this because I think it would be cruel and unusual punishment. Save your time and money on this film.
Rating:
Summary: Great follow-up to Virgin Suicides: among the best of 2003
Review: Continuing to be entrenched in an existentialist stronghold, Sofia Coppola presents us with a great script coupled with impeccable acting by Bill Murray, splendid photography and an enviable soundtrack to go with it all: a perfect combination, if you ask me! The story deservedly earned Ms. Coppola (who was also the first American woman ever nominated for the Academy Award as a Director) an Oscar for best original script in 2004. The story takes place in Tokyo, a strange culture that results almost extraterrestrial at first to the legendary actor Bob Harris (played by Murray), now reduced to touring exotic locations and venues and doing luxury drink commercials, and young and beautiful Charlotte (played by Scarlett Johansson). Both are stranded in this faraway land: he (over 50), being away from his family in the US, and undergoing a middle age crisis; and she (just over 20, fresh out of school and not being married for too long), also "distant" (yet physically close) from her husband who she's accompanying in Tokyo on a business trip, while she tries to figure out what to make of her life, after four years of Philosophy in college. The two, in the midst of their own particular crises, connect and a unique chemistry builds up between them that will capture you and leave you thinking, regardless of which of their ages you're closer to. Murray's acting, with a very subtle sense of humor, takes the story to a level that not many other actors could, balancing his internal conflicts with the ability to laugh at himself and life at large, when things don't turn out as he'd like them to. A hilarious moment for history in this movie is his struggle when dealing with his wife's suggestion that they pick burgundy for the color of a new carpet back home, while in front of a whole group of red-looking samples, not having a clue which one she means as THE burgundy sample. Impossible not to crack up, since most men will not be able to tell tones of red appart from each other (and even if we did, most of the time we don't really care what color things are, anyway). Photography and music bring an added art element to the movie that is impossible to overlook. The lights and visual elements in Tokyo help capture some breathtaking moments that transport the user to places remote for most of us, in a very surreal way. The music helps build atmospheres in ways that approach perfection: it's a great continuation of the effect Ms. Coppola accomplished in Virgin Suicides, a movie that French duo Air masterfully scored. In 'Lost in Translation', Air participates once again, this time alongside Kevin Shields (My Bloddy Valentine), Death in Vegas, Jesus & Mary Chain and a handful of others to assemble a powerful and eclectic soundtrack that provides an unforgettable musical frame to the rest of the art of the movie. Without a doubt, among the best movies of 2003.
Rating:
Summary: Compelling, deeply emotional, and beautiful
Review: I'm so sad that there's such apathy and ignorance directed at this absolutely gorgeous cinematic gem. I rarely care for characters as I did for Charlotte and Bob Harris. Bill Murray was almost always on the verge of tears during his solitary moments or moments with Japanese PR people, but his soul glowed with life when Charlotte was with him. I couldn't believe I was watching such a subtly beautiful performance from Bill Murray--even though I do think he's a damn good actor and I've always loved him and most of his movies. Two "soulmates" found each other in a strange sea of people they cannot relate to whether it's the people of Tokyo, their spouses, or their life, they found something magical in each other. If you've ever encountered someone special in your life, you'll most likely relate to the bond you feel with someone in the face of adversity or loneliness. That's why I can't believe the absolutely dopey reviews to this movie about boredom. Can't people watch a movie without the couple jumping into bed immediately or the bangs of explosions? I enjoy those types of movies too, but this movie is about relating to each other, intimacy (real intimacy, not sex), and some damn funny humor thanks to aforementioned Bill. Perhaps the views expressed here are indicative of the sad state of our society and I find *that* depressing. I also find the negative, non-constructive reviews boring. The movie, however, I find exhilirating and life-affirming. Thank you Sophia Coppola, Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson and the whole crew (and Japan!) for this AMAZING movie!!!
|
