Rating: 
Summary: And your point would be?
Review: The problem with this movie is not the acting, or the location, it's the story. It's just too shallow, which makes the statue they threw at Sophia such an outrageous gift. While a number of intriguing situations are presented, from forays into the nightlife of Tokyo to one-night stands with lounge singers, nothing is ever really examined. This plays like a first-year film school project, and a "C" effort at that. Others have also pointed out the near-racist stereotyping of the Japanese culture. I lived in Japan for almost five years and, while you can see everything Sophia shows in this movie, what is the point? Why am I watching Scarlett take Bill to a strip joint and spend two minutes there doing nothing? What does she make of her husband's intensity in his work or the company he keeps, given how rudderless she is in her life? The lounge singer episode is seen through the eyes of a child, and the director quickly dissipates any tension almost as if in denial. So, she had a good cast and an interesting location to create the bonding situation for her characters. But she fails to successfully explore the complexities and the internal conflicts of these two ridiculously blessed people who have no idea what to do with their affluent lives. Coppola cops out. Frankly, I just came away thinking she's not old enough yet to really confront the issues she is becoming aware of. She should have tried making this movie in her forties. Maybe she'll get a chance to do that. In the meantime, I gave away my copy of the DVD.
Rating: 
Summary: Can't stop thinking about this film
Review: I also saw this film without knowing anything about it. And I experienced it differently from my husband. He felt that the trailer conveyed a slap-stick comedy. I, on the other hand, sensed something melancholy. I also connected with it on the level of having myself been an American in a ultra-modern, chaotic Asian city, namely Hong Kong. When I was there, I couldn't wait to leave, but once I left, I couldn't stop reminiscing about it. That's the feeling of this movie. The environment is an assault on every sense -- from the 24-hour blazing neon, bustling traffic, constant crowds to the over-the-top entertainment spectacles. In the film, as in real life, the experience is overwhelming and exhausting. And the jet-lag doesn't help. Bill and Charlotte never do quite fit in. The effect is a sort of loneliness that hurts while they're experiencing it, but a feeling that connects them, and that they won't soon forget. We know that back home these two would have never had any kind of connection. In a way it's like a war story that unites people through their common tragic experience, but who would otherwise never have connected. My sense is that people who truly get this film don't ponder what Bill whispered in Charlotte's ear. You just know. You can't articulate the words, but you just know.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting reaction, but what does it mean?
Review: I've only read the latest two reviews before feeling the urge to put finger to key. Some aspects of this film have been covered to death so I'll try to avoid them, and just stick in the stuff that people seem to miss or misinterpret.The last reviewer suggested that the film suffers from being directionless, which is exactly the same reaction I got from a friend of mine. The film isn't plot-driven, and isn't meant to be. The approach is almost documentary-style. What you see is a series of choice scenes, probably edited from three times as much footage (I read in an interview that the script was only 75 pages long and much of the film was improvised). It seems that Coppola gave the characters to the actors and let them explore the themes of the film. Which brings me to the second point. Two reviews down someone says there's nothing to think about, quite an astonishing criticism given on how many levels the film explores the themes of it's title. Many cliches are turned on their heads in this film, not least the mid-life crisis theme. The title alone cuts the cliche down to size, exploring how in Bob's (Murray) life things have literally been 'lost in translation'. Even with his (now dwindling) success over the decades, his expectations of life have not been met. Something has been lost. These themes are much explored in Ozu's masterpiece Tokyo Story too, a film that Lost In Translation's detractor's would no doubt abhor, as adored as it is. Bob is also the end-result of a character at the other end of life, Charlotte (Johannson), who having just married a workaholic photographer, is beginning to see exactly how life will turn out. These themes of what so many of us lose out on in life are the main crux of the film, and the most compelling and profound. But the title has other meanings. We see Charlotte exploring Japanese history alone, and is left cold by the beautiful temples and feels distant from the traditional Japanese weddings. Not only is this because she has no-one to share these moments with, but it's also the oh-so familiar tourist feeling of going all the way to see something that you know you should be excited about, only to have the reality let you down for no apparent reason. The idea of these attractions often are the attraction, but the reality often loses something in translation. On another level, the film explores the translation (as in change of co-ordinates) of people from one culture to another, and here the film has been accused of racism or stereotyping. Stereotypes are indeed invoked, but along with the mixed up 'r's and 'l's there's an American actress thanking someone for thinking she was aneorexic. The kneejerk reactions to these rely on double standards and are not to be taken seriously. Coppola obviously has great fondness for Tokyo, but is as willing to criticise and indeed poke fun as she is to make ode to. As well as people being translated between cultures, the translation of cultural phenomena between cultures is explored. An insane talk show shows how the Graham Norton formula doesn't work everywhere, and that's a real show! So there is plenty to think about (and talk about judging the length of this review), it's not racist and it doesn't rely in the slightest on narrative drive or character arcs (what would McKee think?). It is a beautiful, beautifully judged film about realising the limitations of most lives, and getting through one week of it with someone who is a stranger but you still recognise. There is a definite duality here, a contradiction of how disappointing and yet how exciting life is, evoked most explicitly when the wonderful Bill Murray turns another cliche on its head by giving the obligatory speech about how wonderful it is to have children and at the same time inferring that this is also a loss.
Rating: 
Summary: I enjoyed and am not sure why
Review: In describing Lost in Translation, I can say that Bill Murray is a funny actor regardless of the setting. I don't think many if any actors could have pulled off this role as well as he does. The movie presents glimpses of two people's lives as they befriend each other during their ennui in Japan. The development of the relationship between Bill Murray's character Bob Harris and the character played by Scareltt Johansson is enjoyable and is really lovely. I enjoyed the scenes of the Tokyo nightlife. The movie just seems to fade away in ending. There is no defined plot or climax and the audience must decide how it ended, what the lessons are, and what the point is. The movie is relaxing to watch, not too stimulating or exciting but enjoyable. The bar for it was set high by the many praises in the media so it did not meet those expectations for me but I was not disappointed. I liked the characters and that made the movie.
Rating:
Summary: very bad film
Review: seems like only yesterday we were enjoying the Puerto Viarta sun.
Rating:
Summary: There was no "Zero Star" Rating
Review: Sophia has proven herself as dismal a writer as she was an actress (and who can forget her abysmal performance in "Godfather 3"?) It is an outrage that she was nominated for best director, particularly since Barbra Streisand had been ignored for "Prince of Tides". Bill Murray did an excellent job in what was basically a mocumentary of Tokyo night life. Our family tried to watch this thing on three separate occasions, hoping to find what critics saw. Eventually, we gave up.
Rating:
Summary: beautiful
Review: After watching this film, i felt completely enlightened. It was a beautiful film. Coppola is a great writer. See it!
Rating:
Summary: Watch more than once
Review: I find it interesting to find that 709 people have reviewed this film. That says something about the film. Whether you like the film or not it has generated a lot of comment. I saw the film without knowing a thing about it other than Bill Murray was in it and another Coppola was involved. If you have read the reviews you know that Bill Murray is lost in Tokyo and connects with a much younger woman. At first I thought this was going to be another younger person - older person romance but it is not. It is about two people in a foriegn land finding a common need in each other. And thats about it. Nothing much happens other than a romp through Tokyo. But I watched it knowing I would be watching it again and if you are purchasing a DVD that is important. To me, anyway. I found the ending to be very satisfying, leaving me wondering how a woman as young a Sophia Coppola could get inside the head of a 50 year old male. In the hands of most it would have been a straight romance. I am interested to see where she is going next.
Rating: 
Summary: Dreary Days and Starry Nights
Review: This is a documentary about Japanese night life contrasted by some day-light tourist scenes. The photographic work should have been nominated for the award, not the screenplay. It show-cased a has-been and a might-be. Other than that, I wished I had by-passed the purchase of the DVD. E-bay to the rescue!
Rating:
Summary: GOod movie
Review: This is definately one of the greatest movie last year. If you are the type of person that does not like all the computer graphic (like "lord of the ring") and wanna see something that touches human inner side , then this is the movie to watch. I never knew bill murry can act something serious, but I like this role in this movie. If maybe confusing at the beginning of the movie, but as you watch toward the end, you will fall in love with it too.
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