Lost in Translation
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Movie Reviews of Lost in Translation
Movie Review: It's a great film but not a comedy
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great film! A lot of the reviewers here don't like it for two main reasons: they thought it was a comedy and it's NOT, and/or they didn't like the way it depicted Japanese culture.First, I'm going to address those two things. It was marketed as a comedy-- big mistake. Although I laughed at times, this movie is a subtle exploration of two people out of there norms, lonely, and -- well, "lost" is the right word. It is absolutely not a comedy and it's too bad that the guys who market these things tried to make it out as one. Now about all you people who think it's all racist or whatever-- I think it's quite obvious that it's not trying to put Japanese in a bad light, and I also don't think it does. It simply portrays them in the way that most Americans would relate to if they were there. The main characters are American and the sotry is about them and how they view things. Like in the elevator, Bill Murray is the tallest guy there and he's not a tall guy by our standards. Two of my firends who have been to Japan said "oh my God I know exaclty how that feels." When the Japanese try to speak English and get some of the L's and R's wrong--well, they do get it wrong. The movie didn't make you laugh about that, it just said that they do that. A lot of people just happened to think it's funny. It's not necessarily funny, but it is necessarily accurate. I know if I was trying to talk Japanese a lot of people would be laughing at me! Also, I thought it did many things to portray Japanese positively. I can't name specific things off hand, but I did think all the Japanese characters were very fun and interesting and the movie made me want to visit Japan, which I previously had absolutely no desire to do.
Now then, back to the movie. It's a wonderful movie! The part of Bob must have been written specificly for Bill Murray because he is absolutely amazing. I don't know how to describe it any better than that. The girl, whose name I know but know I will mispell it, also did a fantastic job in her role. So basically, good casting. It was also a very fun movie for just identifying with loneliness and hoping to connect. And although there's that romantic aspect of meeting a stranger in an exotic place and there is some sexual tension because they are different sexes, the movie is about friendship. I really liked that fact. It has been a long damn time since a movie had two characters that weren't the same sex and didn't get it on. The only thing that kind of pissed me off was the fact that, without ruining it for somebody who hasn't seen it, sex was the thing Sofia chose to be the event that it was (no the characters didn't do it) rather than having something else serve that purpose, since the relationship between the two main characters was about friendship and not necessarily romantic. But it was forgiven when they also came to that conclusion during the fire alarm, and it also brought up the question about if guys and girls really be just friends.
I hope I have cleared a few things up and given a decent review of the movie as a movie, unlike many reviewers. I also hope that this helps those of you who don't knwo whether or not to see it. Obviously it's not for everbody but I think it's a damn good movie and highly recommended. (And it's certainly much better than the god aweful Virgin Suicides!)
Movie Review: A Movie for Our Times
Summary: 5 Stars
First of all, I found the movie to be very entertaining. I love the cinematography, dialogue, acting, characters, and especially the scenes of Tokyo. By just seeing this film I now have a strong desire to visit Japan. And of course I thought the soundtrack was absolute perfection...My Bloody Valentine, Phoenix, Jesus and Mary Chain...awesome stuff.
I found the central theme of the movie to be a very truthful representation of many people living in our time. I believe that the main characters being in a foreign country with a foreign language was a way of showing that they felt like foreigners in general. They didn't understand why they were alive. They were looking for answers but not really doing a great job of finding the answers. They are not heroes. They are regular people struggling to understand their place in the world. The fact that they are trying at all to find the answers is encouraging to me. Most films do not even bring up the question of our purpose in living. "Lost in Translation" asks the big questions. In that way I would compare it to "Magnolia", "The Thin Red Line" and "Adaptation".
Of course the film also takes a close look at marriage and romance. We see the obvious mistakes that they both make (especially Bill Murray's character). Because the movie does not present them as examples I am not bothered by this. When he sleeps with the singer the casual sex is in no way presented as a positive. The movie both shows him as feeling ashamed and just plain stupid. The innocence of Scarlett Johansen's character only brings this feeling out even more strongly in him.
The fact that the two never actually have any sexual encounter also shows that their relationship is not about romance. This makes the movie totally outside of the norm in most Hollywood films. Usually sexual desire is something you automatically follow. "Lost in Translation" shows the negative effects of adultery. Murray and Johansen never have sex though. They are both seeking answers. They find some encouragement from each other. It seems clear to me that Johansen's character is especially encouraged to love her husband more than ever once he returns. I think she understands that neither of them are perfect and that's ok. Even Bill Murray's character seems inspired to go on with life through his experiences in Tokyo.
I could go on even further with this movie. I could talk about Scarlett Johansen's longing to be loved and admired for her beauty (her karaoke song is just one example of this). I don't think that is a wrong desire either. Bill Murray has the desire to teach, to share, and to laugh. The key to the movie is both are seekers, not examples. If you look at the movie that way there is a power just because they are seeking and don't look for the answers in having sex with each other or some superficial answer like that. "Lost in Translation" asks the big question about why we are alive. What is our purpose? The movie doesn't completely answer the question but it gets the viewer going in the right direction.
There you go. There is no clear cut answer at the end of the film. But that is because people in general don't know the answer to the question. The movie is about seeking the truth. And I love it!
Movie Review: Unusual, honest and interesting.
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this movie immediately after seeing it on cable, as I thought it was superb. It has nothing to do with the hype, I had never heard of the movie before I watched it. I figured it would be seen as simple and boring, because most people would not get it. I was pleasantly surprised that so many people did. Not all though.
Some people like to complain about racism and other nonsense like that, because they do not understand it. If it was racist, it was against the human race. Everyone outside of those two were portrayed badly, not just the Japanese. There is the American actress who is superficial and phoney beyond belief, the husband who is also part of that superficial crowd that has nothing important to say, the wife that really cares nothing about her lonely husband in Japan and just wants to get off the phone, and the Japanese who are a mixture of bizarre, stupid, and annoying. This has nothing to do with being misanthropic or racist, it makes the movie work better. They are more alone in that they are sensible, if flawed, but everyone else is not. This moves them closer, no one else can reach them.
The interesting thing about this movie is that it is so realistic, while at the same time being entirely unrealistic. Bob (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) are very real, and their interactions are very witty and insightful, but everyone else is more surrealistic and part of the environment, rather than real people. When real people are in totally unrealistic situations, the results can either be horrible or wonderful. In this case, they are wonderful because they are handled so honestly by the actors in the bizarre situation. There is a scene where a woman is translating Japanese to English, for example, and the Japanese version is much, much longer than what is said in English. It is totally absurd and unrealistic the difference is so great, but Bill Murray's handling of it is so perfect and honest, it works beautifully. There are several scenes just like this, with the scenery actors doing their jobs as totally unrealistic people, and Bob and Charlotte reacting to them.
This movie is not about romantic love at all, but about companionship. Having someone you can relate to. This is one of the reasons it had to happen somewhere foreign (boosts the we versus they aspect of a relationship like this) and the necessity of bizarre people around them. The age difference does not matter, it is not about that type of relationship. What it is about is done very well, and never seems forced, fake or obtuse. It really works well.
I really like this movie a lot, but it is a bit esoteric and may not appeal to everyone. Well, obviously it does not. It is a funny movie, but in a subtle way, and not everyone goes for that. Also, it is not exactly an action packed movie, and the plot is not as clear as it is in some movies where things are linear and the purpose of each scene becomes immediately obvious. This is just about the developing relationship between two lonely people stuck in a foreign country who meet. If it seems impossible for this to be entertaining to you, it probably will not be. However, if you think you could be interested in it, I think you will enjoy it tremendously. It is done so well.
Movie Review: Not A Film For Dumb People
Summary: 5 Stars
When I went to see this film I was expecting, based on the preview, some crazy caper movie, like Bill Murray's previous duck-out-of-water movie "The Man Who Knew Too Little." I love that kind of film so I was quite looking forward to a little simple-minded fun. What I got instead was far from what I expected, but considerably more than I could have hoped for.
What I got was a film that truly moved me - for reasons inexplicable to me at the time. What I got was a beautiful visual experience, that left me feeling as if I was actually in the film (a feeling I've never had before with a film). What I got was a story about two characters that I felt I could really relate to and understand on a much closer level than I have seen in other films. What I got was a sense of having seen something truly magical, and when I left the cinema, I felt that I had to see it again. And I did.
I've always liked Bill Murray in almost any role he has been in, but he outshone himself this time. Not since "The Razor's Edge" have I seen him display so well that he is not just a comedian but an ACTOR of quite considerable talent. There was one scene at the end of the film that particularly demonstrated this. The look on his character's face as he watched his friend Charlotte walking away conveyed so much emotional meaning that I could have sworn I was feeling it too. That part of the film alone was worth seeing and it was only one brilliant scene among many.
A lot of reviewers have complained that the film lacked a plot and was "boring." I think they missed the point. The plot was in the emotions and the experiences. This was a film about two people lost in a strange place and lost in their own lives. It was a film about developing a special bond with another person that was far more important than any romance could produce. The plot was in the characters. There are no disasters to avert, treasures to find, bombs to defuse or crooks to catch. It was a story that could happen to anyone. Maybe that's one of the reasons why it is so easy to connect with.
I would remind people that there are plenty of stories out there that are classics in which the plot is not so obvious. Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises" is the perfect example of a story in which there is virtually no overt plot, yet a considerable amount of action is occurring at levels other than those of action. The same could be said for "Lost In Translation."
Yes, sad to say there are no epic gun battles, sword fights, vampires, computer generated effects or fart jokes in this film. There are no cute little Hobbits to root for. Too bad. If you want fart jokes, catch something by Adam Sandler and such. If you want sword fights and Hobbits, watch the "Lord of the Rings" and other such dreck. "Lost In Translation" is not a film for everyone. But if you are interested in films where the characters are more important than the effects (e.g., "Sideways") then "Lost In Translation" will be perfect for you.
And one last point. I agree fully with Clint Eastwood when he said that the Oscars were "Hobbitised" that year. I cannot understand how films such as "Lost In Translation" or "Mystic River" could be beaten by an overblown and ultimately empty effects display like "Return of the King."
Movie Review: A Masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
Sofia Coppola has created a remarkably human work that touches on the very connections of the human soul. Every time I've viewed this film I've found different things to appreciate, and different perspectives in which to view it. It is an incredibly deep, but easily enjoyable and relatable film.The entire movie focuses on the relationship between a washed up old actor(Bill Murray) and a college graduate with a workaholic husband(Scarlett Johansson). The actor, Bob Harris, is in Tokyo shooting commercials for a brand of whiskey. Charlotte(Johansson), is there with her husband because she "had nothing better to do." The two get to know each other over chance encounters at the hotel bar, and then find themselves spending much of their time together. They develop a close relationship, but Bob knows eventually he must leave. Much of the beauty of this film lies in its exploration of the bond between Bob and Charlotte. The film succeeds due in part to its focus solely on this relationship over a brief period of time. Coppola doesn't try to take on too much, which allows her to explore the beauty of these two lives intertwined much more effectively.
The film is also effective because of the superb performances of its two main actors. Bill Murray was nominated for an Oscar for his performance, and deserves to win. He puts on a stunning performance that is both sardonically funny, and touching. The young Scarlett Johansson is shockingly talented, as shown in this world. Upon my repeated viewings, I came to realize each time that her performance was a larger part of my enjoyment of the film than I had previously thought. Both Murray and Johansson surprised me: Murray because I did not know he could take on a serious role with such brilliance, and Johansson because of her youth, and no previous work of note aside from her good performance in Ghost World, which still was nothing compared to this. The film is not really a comedy, though it has been billed as such at the Golden Globes. That is alright, however, as it allowed it to win best picture there. At heart though, Lost In Translation is a drama. It is a drama that will make you laugh a little, but it is still a drama. It is certainly one of the top films this year, and in fact one of the best movies I have ever seen. It is truly original, and I cannot think of any real comparison for it.
I have attempted not to give too much away, but I will say that Bob and Charlotte's relationship stems not only from their loneliness, but from their attempts to deal with problems associated with different stages in life. Charlotte is attempting to find herself, saying, "I don't know what I'm supposed to be." Bob is having a sort of mid-life crisis, admitting, "I was thinking of buying a Porsche." Charlotte and Bob help each other through their unique crises and while they are with each other even seem happy. It is this connection that the film explores so brilliantly. It shows us the weakness of these characters, and their need for something to help them through it. And they find what they need in each other, even if it is for a short period of time. I will not spoil the ending, but only say that the ambiguity of the final scenes only adds to the brilliance of this film. Sofia Coppola has created a masterpiece.