Lost In Translation (Full Screen Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Don't expect to be spoon-fed the theme.
Review: What an excellent movie! If you had any interest in "Garden State" or "Rushmore" then you will really be able to crawl into this movie. And crawl you must. Sorry, no express trolley to the underlying theme, or spoon feeding of plot here.

Bill Murray has always been an interesting choice to star in movies that don't sport a hard-core comedy theme, but he is seemless in this movie.

I wish I had more time to work on this review (my apologies, as the movie truly deserves serious accolades) but again, if you had any interest in either of the two movies above, then you should have no problem grooving to this slow-burn beat. (Oh, and the music is fantastic!! Again think Garden State / Rushmore)

Kudos Bill.

Rating:
Summary: 2 Persons Together can not be Lonely
Review: This movie is about two peaople that meet each other while in Tokyo, Japan. Bob Harris who is a actor that has been going abit downhill lately, both his movie career that used to be better, hence that's why he's making commercials in Japan and not acting full stop anymore, but even his private life is rather boring. With a wife that seems very busy with their children and a love that is almost long gone. The second person is Charlotte (Scralett Johansson) a young girl that has just married to John (Giovanni Ribisi) but doesn't seem too happy by that. He's a photographer and very busy, he rather not have her with him while he works and she's stuck in the hotel room most of the time, doing nothing. Just like Bob, who's there alone and doesn't know anyone in Tokyo.

Eventually they meet up and slowly get to know each other, despite him being a man in his 50's and she a young girl in her early 20's they become soul mates and spend alot of time together, discussing, drinking, going out, having fun. They really undestand each other, like no one else in the world possibly could have done.

This movie is also about life in Tokyo, and Japanese in general. You get to see alot of their culture and the big city life in Tokyo, Perhaps not the always the nicest things but it does give a good picture of the life there.

Sofia Coppola both wrote and directed the movie and it was surely better then the depressing "Virgin Suicides" even if this also was a emotional movie with alot of feelings involved. Scarlett Johansson that I never had seen before was fantastic here aswell, She act so natural and she's was so young. Bill Murray, is alwyas good. Surely a great actor.

Must see. A really pleasant movie for sure.

Rating:
Summary: Lost in Translation? You bet ......
Review: This movie is possibly the most over-hyped two hours of dreary pointless movie one can find anywhere in the world today. Firstly the plot. Old guy meets young woman, have a few nights out in the neon lights of Tokyo, go their separate ways. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is that! Oh yes, the film buffs out there will tell you all about its gentle charm, its understated yet magnificent acting and its heart-warming character development but these are merely the psychological yearnings of the weak-minded. That's what happens when you're bored to tears. You imagine greatness in mediocrity. You long to see Bill Murray return as a major star, but try to forget that what you're watching isn't the best vehicle for that. What happened with Lost in Translation was that a poor script and poor idea for a film made it into production on the basis of the director's daddy. The end result isn't all that interesting, is entirely pointless (and no buffs, the point wasn't the pointlessness, but sure, delude yourselves into believing that if you're happy), has no deep insights and drags on for minute after agonising, painful minute. Buy the DVD, then burn it because the pretty colours will be more exciting.

Rating:
Summary: Never so "Lost"
Review: Loneliness is one of the most basic human emotions; when experiencing it, some people will reach out to others who understand that feeling. That sentiment seems to be at the heart of "Lost in Translation," a film that straddles the line between odd love story and a look at loneliness and isolation.

Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is a middle-aged actor with a faded career. Currently he's alone in Japan, filming a commercial, and feels lonely and alienated despite the luxurious surroundings and royal treatment. He catches glimpses of a pretty young blonde, Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), who intrigues him.

She is equally bored and lonely, and at loose ends since her husband is away working. The two finally meet over drinks, and begin to bond and explore the city of Tokyo. Bob is in a downtempo midlife crisis, while Charlotte is unsure what to do with her life. And they both learn that they have things to teach one another...

A small warning: "Lost in Translation" has very little plot. And yes, it can be pretentious at times, sometimes politically incorrect. Fortunately, Sofia Coppola's second full-length film has qualities to make up for its improvised plot, with the beautiful cinematography, good direction and outstanding acting by its two main leads. It's a movie that requires patience and slow unfolding.

Loneliness is the theme of this movie. Particularly, it's the loneliness of the soul -- Charlotte and Bob are surrounded by people, yet they feel alone. Hanging out together alleviates their loneliness for a little while, even though their problems won't go away. As a result, some parts of it can feel hollow. But at the same time, it gives the film a more realistic feeling -- often people in such situations DON'T deal with it.

In keeping with the theme, Coppola keeps the movie slow and pensive, with plenty of beautiful cinematography and exquisite shots of Tokyo. The entire film has a slightly shadowy, glowing look. And the quiet dialogue has a witty, acerbic edge, such as when dizzy blonde Kelly announces "I'm under Evelyn Waugh," only to have Charlotte inform her that, "Evelyn Waugh was a man."

Bill Murray rules this film, with his understated expressions and world-weary attitude. It's surprising that someone could act so blase, and yet be strangely charming. Scarlett Johansson proves that she is no longer just another child star, with a solid performance that stacks up well beside veteran Murray's.

Strange, slow and pensive, this is a film that takes some getting used to; it may even take multiple viewings to fully "get." Just soak it in, and see how you like it.

Rating:
Summary: The beauty of boredom
Review: If you make a film about bored people, the result is obviously a boring film. And this film is boring, but very beautiful. This film moves you from one side to another. Soon you feel you are going to fall asleep, soon the scene makes your heart tremble.

Well, that is life. In the strange and even unreal atmosphere of Tokyo, karaoke and game machines we have two not so unreal characters (the young wife of a workaholic photographer and a middle-age almost retired actor who is devoted to whisky advertisements). But what is not unreal is what happen to them. We find really hyper-realistic scenes.

Could it happen to you? Of course. To be lost in a strange city in which you have to go for business of any matters is something you (and of course me) can feel. And the only thing you need is human touch, moreover, human presence. It is the necessity of talk about whatever and going anywhere with somebody.

The characters are against all that surrounds them except from themselves. The ambient is hostile, and the global feeling is anti-Japanese, anti-karaoke and anti-neon lights. But they find what they need in themselves and soon the city is the cloak they need to hide in.

Making a film about boredom leads you to unsuccess, even if you treat the story pleasantly and elegantly. So, the final rate must be in the middle. 1 for the story itself. 5 for the development. 3 is the mean...



Rating:
Summary: My definition of "set piece" was Lost in Translation...
Review: I had an opportunity to finally watch Lost in Translation last weekend. The movie came out in 2003, in the fall, and I remember many folks treating it as a big deal at the time. Well, I did enjoy the movie, but not in that "big deal" way. It's an artsy movie that I would best classify as a set piece. You could go with the "often brilliantly executed artistic or literary work characterized by a formal pattern" definition, or the "situation, activity, or speech planned beforehand and carried out according to a prescribed pattern or formula" definition...either way, "set piece" is an accurate description of a movie which is so dependent on character and setting, and not so much on plot. Tokyo acts as a crucible by which Bob and Charlotte get to know each other, and they each experience epiphanies as to the nature of their current relationships, but in the end nothing in either of the lives truly changes. Their time together is sweet, and it is nice to watch their relationship grow, and you are left with the impression that they "will always have Tokyo".

The movie reminded me a bit of the work of James Joyce. I know many are big fans of his work, but others, like myself, consider Joyce to be the "Catastrophe of 20th Century Literature". I would characterize his work the same way I characterize this movie: set pieces, with plot subsumed beneath character and setting, with epiphanies replacing climax and with little in the way of thematic structure and thrust. Don't get me wrong, I'm not equating the movie to Joyce...I'm just trying to illustrate my meaning.

Bill Murray turns in a good performance...a believable portrayal of an aging actor. Scarlett Johannson does a good job as well. However, neither actor has to stretch in their roles...that's not the point of this style of movie. Bill Murray's best work, in my opinion, still has to be Groundhog Day. The movie was shot on location in Tokyo, and I recognized many places I'd passed through on my trips to that city.

So, it's an enjoyable movie, but I guess I'm a bigger fan of more plot-driven movies, with a climax to the story. Likely worth a rental.