Lost in translation

Richard Hernandez13 said:"Movies are about so much more than just what they're actually about."

little film wisdom Vol. 2 by Richard Hernandez13

😁😁😁

You're a writer. 🙏

blueranger12 said:Haha 😁 I just love being condescended to in one-sentence bursts 😁 Especially when it’s underlined in italics, Jose Miller17, you can't do that to me..

I guess the way people are split on this movie isn't really about whether they know how to watch a film or not, but maybe it's just down to their individual personalities. I mean, I've seen plenty of usernames in this thread whose opinions I actually respect, even though they didn't like the movie. And personally, I thought it was great. I don't know how else to put it. It doesn't feel right to say someone just doesn't know how to WATCH a movie.

blueranger12, I honestly don't know how to tell you how much I admire that post: it's like you're reading my mind...🙏

p.s. you have a pretty good signature

dustyscout53 said:I liked the movie, but I can't quite put my finger on why. Honestly, I could probably just write something about Pirates of the Caribbean and call it a day. 😛
Jose Miller17, you can definitely do better than that. 😛
Man, you're lazy!

If you weren't so obsessed with her nose, maybe you'd actually put some effort in.😛

dustyscout53 said:She’d probably go for those long shots where you can see the microphone peeking into the frame...

Hold on a second now... didn't you catch the mic popping up in some of the shots over on your end too?

...unless I'm totally missing some deep, artistic metaphor here. 🤔

dustyscout53 said:I liked the movie, but I can't quite put my finger on why. I could probably write something just as good about a pirate from the Caribbean.

If you had actually paid attention while watching the film, you might've noticed that you and Scarlett share some serious similarities. It would help you wrap your head around the characters' motivations that are clearly eating you alive... though maybe you were too busy swooning over Johnny Depp's eyeliner. She actually mentions in one scene how she was drawn to Bill Murray for the exact same reason. So, instead of being bitter, maybe just embrace your inner romantic.😁

blueranger12 said:A ton of people I know saw this movie primarily as a critique of Japanese society. A total failure. Like, sure, the movie is fine, and I dig how she depicted the despair of Tokyo—I’d never actually go there, it looks like a disaster.

Give me a break. That wasn't even the point. The setting was just supposed to be the backdrop for a love story. But no, they missed the romance entirely because they probably thought it was too slow or too subtle or just plain boring. Instead, all they saw was a giant dinosaur on a building, naked women in a bar, some karaoke, and a moody, silent society.

It looks like I might actually be the weird one here. I just finished the movie, and now I have this intense, sudden urge to visit that place...

And as for those people who thought the karaoke scene was stupid... you just don't get it. 🙄

blueranger12 said:With her, he doesn't even need sex, a kiss, or deep conversations. Just one look from her while they're at karaoke is enough. More than enough, actually. Man, it feels good to feel that again.

Sure, looking at it this way might seem a bit superficial, but when I'm watching a movie and can't see past a masterfully executed kiss, 🙂 Damn it, I won't write about this film anymore; I'll just ruin the experience 🙂

Regarding the first part, 🙏 🙏

Oh, how wonderful it is to feel that again...

As for the second part, honestly, I just read ten pages of this thread and yours are the only posts that are 👍

Daniel Lopez said:And those people who think the karaoke scene was stupid... you just don't get it... 🙄

👍
.. (except for one guy who actually gets it but is playing dumb)

dustyscout53 said:Man, talk about first-world problems. The guy’s got a wife and kids who actually give a damn about him, he pulls in two million bucks for a few days of shooting a commercial, but his life is just tragic because he can't wrap his head around the Japanese man, or he's annoyed by some jazz singer, or girls are hitting on him, or—heaven forbid—he's actually famous.

Come on, dustyscout53, don't ruin my epiphany that even the wealthy suffer through their own little dramas. 😁 You know how it goes: "The rich cry, too." 😁 😁 😁

Guys, seriously, stop making our romantic act like some cynical jerk!😉

Daniel Lopez said:I guess I’m actually not normal. Just watched this movie and now I have this insane urge to just pack up and go there...

And for those calling the karaoke scene stupid... you just don't get it. 🙄

That scene wasn't STUPID to me. It was just dumb how they sang several whole songs—wasting at least 10 minutes of screen time. I didn't fall asleep, if that's what you mean.

Henry Anderson47 said:Has this self-proclaimed critic, Srđan, even watched any other movies lately? 🙂

I’m honestly at a loss as to who here is actually out of the loop... 😁

If you aren't familiar with S. Dragojević, then I truly have no words for you.

blueranger12 said:LOL 😁 nothing beats those one-sentence condescending remarks 😁—especially when they’re wrapped up in italics, Jose Miller17, you can't do that to me...

I honestly think the split we're seeing with this movie isn't about whether people actually "get" cinema or not—it's more about who they are as individuals. I've seen plenty of users in this thread whose takes I really respect, even if they ended up hating the film.

Maybe it's actually the other way around. 😈

David Edwards83 said:Maybe it's actually the other way around.😈

You were basically trying to say nobody cares what I think and that the movie sucks. Well, now I know! Even my nitpicking couldn't have predicted this outcome.

Look, David, buddy, listen. This movie is good. How do I know? Just look at it. Who are you? This movie slipped through hundreds of legal loopholes. It’s like when an inspector shows up and says, "this safety net has too many holes!" Every kind of fish is going to get caught in those holes. But some fish still managed to slip through. And I'm just a small fish.

So, THAT proves the movie is good. 😁 THAT is it! As they say... 😍
I'll give a more sensible response to this provocation tomorrow.

steelscout19 said:I have no idea who here is actually out of the loop... 😁

If you haven't heard of S. Dragojević, then I really don't know what to say.

He and I used to run around together back in the old days in America.

The point isn't really about him, though. It’s more about what he didn't see... maybe I should lend you my glasses so you can read better, since I'm such a sweetheart.

David Edwards83 said:You were basically implying that nobody respects my take and that the movie is garbage! Well, now I see the light! Even my constant nitpicking couldn't have predicted an outcome like this.

David, my friend, listen. This movie is solid. How do I know? Just look at the facts. Who are you to judge? This film has dodged a few hundred legal loopholes—like when an OSHA inspector walks onto a job site and says, "Hey, this safety net has too many gaps!" You could catch all sorts of things in those holes, yet some things still slip right through. And me? I'm just a small fish in a big pond.

So, THAT proves the movie is good 😁 THAT is the bottom line! As they say 😍
I’ll give a more coherent response to this provocation tomorrow.

Sorry, I couldn't help myself—hope you aren't taking it personally—I just wanted to point out that the people (not here on the forum, mind you) whose opinions I actually respect are the ones who actually know about cinema. For instance, my film theory professor—everyone in his class absolutely tore this movie apart. I was one of the first to see it, and when I started ranting about how bad it was, nobody believed me until they saw it for themselves.
Of course, I also know plenty of people who loved it, but most of them are just the types who get defensive about the idea that you need to be sensitive or a bit of a dreamer to really "get" this film... People who, when you point out objective flaws, just snap back with, "Well, I LIKED it."
Now, I'm not saying you have to watch it with the cold, clinical eye of a Hollywood cinematographer or worry about the complete lack of significance in shot duration, for example—I love movies that are objectively 🙄 but mean a lot to me for personal reasons. It’s just... that doesn't really factor into the actual discussion.

Alright, I finally sat down and watched it!

Man, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a movie this good. Everything just felt so... I don't know, grounded? Like, it actually feels like stuff that could happen in real life! It wasn't over-the-top or anything, just super authentic.

Honestly, this flick is a total home run!

Djuro_Pucar said:Look, I couldn't help you out there. Hope there are no hard feelings...

Honestly, I just hope you don't hold my previous nonsense against me. 😳 😁

I can enjoy certain movies even when I spot a dozen flaws that drive me crazy. Some people love rom-coms, some love action flicks, others go for dramas. They know the movie is mediocre, but they'll watch it anyway. I respect that.

But this movie wasn't like that. There are some films that just sweep you away so completely that you don't even notice the flaws. You don't see the dragging shots, the awkward angles, or the terrible lighting. You just surrender and believe in the story. It’s like you aren't watching the movie—the movie is consuming you. I don't know how to put it. It’s like being a baby. You don't care about anything else; you just take it all in.

That feeling requires more than just fixing a bunch of small, sloppy production errors.

I know I'm being sentimental now. You can't really argue against a description that mushy. 😁 But whatever. Let a sentimental guy watch a sentimental movie. 😁

I can't believe I got so sucked into the movie that I didn't even catch those microphones

I guess I'll have to watch it again just to hunt for those little details. Maybe I'll spot some abandoned toilet paper somewhere too. 😁 I mean, wouldn't that be kind of romantic?

Henry Anderson47 said:I honestly can't believe I got so swept up in the movie that I didn't even notice those microphones Richard Hernandez13 was talking about.

Look, if the projectionist at the theater actually knows what they're doing, you should never catch a glimpse of a microphone.
The whole trick is that the projected image has to be framed slightly wider to cover the edges of the screen, which is why you never see any gear when you're watching a DVD or a Blu-ray at home. 😉

In my experience, though, our local theater guy clearly hasn't mastered his craft, because we almost always get treated to a stray microphone popping into the shot—it was at its absolute worst during Goodbye Lenin 🙄.