Lost in translation

Richard Hernandez13 said:Here's one from Sofia... Playlists...In case anyone's interested...

Thanks... 😁

But you're not bitter, eh?

This is starting to feel like actual harassment. Honestly... if you don't have anything constructive to say, whether you're arguing against something or defending a point... just move on. Leave me alone. 🙄 😕

Richard Hernandez13 said:Here it is, that Sofia Coppola piece! Playlists? Seriously? You're really going to open a thread just to drop that one word and nothing else? Is this some kind of minimalist art statement I'm supposed to be interpreting, or did you just forget to actually type out your thoughts before hitting send? Honestly, it’s a bit much. Are we talking about the curated, soul-searching collections that define a decade, or are we talking about those mindless, algorithm-generated loops that feel like they were composed by a toaster in a Silicon Valley basement? Because there is a massive, gaping chasm between a playlist that actually captures the lightning-in-a-bottle essence of a specific moment in time—something that feels alive, messy, and deeply human—and those sterile, "chill vibes only" lists that offer nothing but sonic wallpaper. Where is the passion? Where is the curation? If we aren't discussing how music can shape our entire perception of reality, then what are we even doing here?In case anyone actually gives a damn about this...

Well, that is certainly an interesting playlist... it’s quite obvious she’s actually picking artists she genuinely enjoys. There aren't any of those pretentious, "trendy" names you’d expect to see from someone who constantly haunts the high-end art galleries and fashion shows in New York, wouldn't you agree? 😁

I have to admit, though—to me, the whole movie felt more like a stylistic exercise exploring a theme we’ve already seen a dozen times before. Honestly, I found myself far more captivated by the sheer form of the film—the cinematography, that incredible soundtrack, the vibe of Tokyo... those elements pulled me in, while the actual plot left me cold. I was completely indifferent to whatever happened to Bob and Charlotte.
Honestly, I would have enjoyed this film infinitely more if they hadn't dragged us through those two completely unnecessary scenes—you know, the one where Charlotte heads off to Kyoto all by herself, and that bit where she's busy arranging flowers? It felt less like storytelling and more like a cheap tourist postcard shoved into the middle of a movie.
Look, I’ll be honest—as a massive, die-hard fan of My Bloody Valentine, I can almost forgive her for the questionable choices she made regarding the soundtrack... because the second those opening notes of Just Like Honey by Jesus and Mary Chain started playing toward the end of the film, everything else just evaporated. How could I even stay mad at the flaws when that music hit? It was an instant reset. 😁

That scene with the woman in the hotel room wasn't particularly essential to the story...

Robert Cooper41 said:Whatever. As a huge fan of My Bloody Valentine, I can forgive her choice of soundtrack artists... once those first few notes of Just Like Honey by Jesus and Mary Chain kicked in near the end of the film, all the flaws just melted away... 😁

Exactly.

Look, the movie was good—not enough to make me obsessed (honestly, I preferred Scarlett Johansson in Ghost World), but definitely one of the better ones lately. Now... whether that’s because of the soundtrack or just the feeling that the more you lose touch with them as characters, the more you actually feel what they're feeling... it doesn't really matter. Once everything clicks, you end up with a very watchable film...

Boredom. It deals with trivial or semi-trivial life situations, and that sense of being "lost" is really there because the dialogue is occasionally nonsensical. In the kind of situation they find themselves in, the conversations don't necessarily have to be interesting; no matter how hard they try, nothing really inspires them... except maybe themselves (though... that’s a conversation for another time...)🙂 ).

The movie was fine...

Jessica Nguyen85 said:Look, man... if you don't actually have a counterargument or even a defense for your stance...

I’d argue it’s actually the other way around: Jose Miller3 said she loved that final scene between them. I agreed and went into detail about why it worked so well. Then you just waltz in with a comment like, "Oh, look at me, I'm writing my own screenplay, a whole new book by Sofia Coppola! HAHAHA, I'm so hilarious!!!!111"

As for explaining my reasoning: save your breath. Like I said before, I could spend all day listing everything I enjoyed about this film, whereas you probably wouldn't be able to admit a single thing was remotely good.

Robert Cooper41 said:I have to admit, I was completely indifferent to what happened to Bob and Charlotte.

Maybe you'll actually change your mind once you hit that midlife crisis phase. 😁

...unless you've already been through it yourself. Honestly, why do I always get this nagging feeling that everyone on these forums was born around the exact same time as me?!?

Richard Hernandez13 said:...unless you've already been through it. Man, why do I always get the feeling that everyone on these forums was born around the exact same time as me?!?...

I mean, aren't they? (not like you—more like me...)

Actually, I’d argue it’s quite the opposite:

You're taking my observations way too personally. You're getting defensive over something that isn't even about you—so who's actually being 'bitter' here? 😉 Try engaging with the actual discussion instead of turning it into a personal spat or assuming everyone is specifically targeting your views.

As for the comments regarding the screenplay—I mean, who else noticed how the two leads just whisper to each other in that scene, leaving it up to the audience to imagine what was actually said? That's how I can picture the whole movie. My point on this thread is simply that the film is overrated due to those Oscar nods (Directing and Screenplay), and that’s really it. From what I can see, most people agree the film isn't anything special; it's okay, sure, but it lacks that certain something.

EOD

The movie is at least very good, if not excellent.
I don't take people who trash a film like this—or Amélie—too seriously (though it’s obvious both will appeal more to the "dreamers").
The only thing I can think of is a desperate craving for uniqueness—as if to say, "We're too cool for this," unlike all you mediocrities.
Besides, most of those critics follow film theory far more closely than I do; I just enjoy a good movie and lack the ability to dissect my experience into profound, technical 🙂sentences.
I have no patience for people who feel the need to insult something that is so clearly well-made within its genre.
Usually, they do it out of pure selfishness.
There is no way this film deserves a low rating.

Sure, there are better movies out there—I'm sure the "connoisseurs" will be happy to tell us mere mortals about them.
That is what they are here for.😉

The film touches on a vital life question—being in a failed marriage or being with the wrong person—in a very subtle way.
Without being preachy.
Everything else is just scenery to me.
The boredom and the foreign setting only heighten that sense of loneliness, being misunderstood, or not belonging—feelings that exist constantly in such marriages, usually just blurred by the grind of daily life.
A life where one doesn't have the time to truly confront their own existence—to strip it bare and see it in its true light.

Bill Murray is brilliant; in my opinion, he deserves an Oscar much more than Sean Penn in Mystic River, who everyone seems to be whispering about as the favorite.

Jessica Nguyen85 said:You take my observations far too personally and manage to take offense at things that have absolutely nothing to do with you. Who exactly is being "bitter" here? 😉

It’s funny, I feel like I could say the exact same thing about you. I throw one single sarcastic remark your way and I immediately get a response like this:

This is bordering on harassment. Honestly... if you don't have anything constructive to say in opposition or even a defense for certain views, just walk away. Leave me alone.

Or later.

Try to participate in the discussion without resorting to personal attacks or assuming that everyone is intentionally targeting you and your specific viewpoint.

Well, redgull44, there might be some truth to that critique. I generally have a distaste for getting dragged into long-winded debates, so I tend to condense my thoughts into as few sentences as possible. Naturally, this carries the risk of my posts being misread as mere insults. Let me clarify.

My take is that you didn't enjoy the film simply because it was too long and tedious. That’s a perfectly valid opinion, and I can certainly see why you’d feel that way. However, what I struggle to grasp is why you seem to be intentionally refusing to acknowledge—or perhaps even attempting to find—a single redeeming quality within the work. In my experience, truly terrible films where absolutely nothing works are incredibly rare, much like the films that I consider perfect. I believe there is almost always at least one moment in any movie worth recounting to friends later, even if only to mock it. Generally speaking, I find it quite difficult to view any film, book, or comic exclusively through a binary lens of good or bad.

Whenever I encounter people who write about film with such blatant contempt—refusing to budge even an inch during a debate and simply repeating their initial vitriol—I can't help but wonder how much of their "critique" is actually rooted in experience, reason, and taste, rather than just raw, unexamined likes or dislikes.

You could tell me that I’m overreacting now; that I took this whole debate far too seriously; that I completely misread you and that you aren't even being that subjective. But before we go there, let me offer one example that I believe confirms my position. You said:

As for the commentary regarding the screenplay—honestly, who else noticed how they just whisper during that scene between the two leads? It’s clearly intended as a stylistic choice, leaving the audience to imagine exactly what was said. Personally, I could probably fill in the blanks for the entire movie that way.

But that doesn't actually happen throughout the entire film, does it? It’s isolated to just that one scene. Besides, you were the one who previously argued that the movie lacks any dialogue or actions from the actors that aren't "heavy-handed clichés." Now, suddenly, here is an element that certainly isn't a cliché, yet you're blaming it for being far too unconventional.

Fine, if you’re truly as objective as you claim, name just one single thing in all of Lost in Translation that wasn't absolutely—ueber—terrible, banal, or cliché.

My point on this thread is simply that the film is overrated due to its Oscar nominations (for direction and screenplay), and that’s all. From what I can see, most people agree it isn't anything exceptional; there might be a little something there, but it's certainly not enough to justify the hype.

I honestly can't say whether the film deserves an Oscar or not, mostly because I haven't kept up with the nominees or even seen half of the films in question. Furthermore, you can't really claim you were merely arguing that it was "overrated with its Oscar nominations." If I recall correctly, you actually used the phrase, "Oh Jesus, what a pile of senseless scenes and cuts," which strikes me as being a bit more extreme.

Jose Miller3 said:Well, why wouldn't they? (I mean, not like you, but people like me)

No way... everyone on this forum is basically my age 😎

we all remember the New Wave era

Richard Hernandez13 said:Maybe you'll actually change your mind once you hit your midlife crisis, won't you? 😁

...unless you’ve already had your fill of it. Dammit, why does it always feel like every single person on these forums was born in the exact same year as me?!

Hmm... I’ve come to realize that when you look at it through a wider lens, the film is really driving home the idea that feeling empty "on the inside" has absolutely nothing to do with how old you are... which, honestly, only serves to intensify that bizarre, unsettling environment our "heroes" find themselves trapped in.

p.s. When it comes to the passage of time and how certain things just seem to age better than others... honestly, that last Darkwood Dub album is absolutely superb. 😉

Spot on.

And honestly, I don't think it's making fun of Japan at all. It’s just showing it exactly how it is. The vibe of the people there comes across so damn real... totally authentic. Those scenes with the video games? That's it right there—it captures the whole chaotic energy perfectly. The karaoke bars, that dive bar with the strippers, the hooker at the hotel, the neon signs everywhere...
Sofia Coppola proved once again she's an incredible director.

She said it herself—she wanted to capture that specific feeling of landing in a massive, neon-soaked city where everything feels alien, all while you're absolutely wrecked from jet lag. Under those circumstances, things aren't supposed to look "normal." That’s the whole point. She did such an incredible job isolating those two characters; even though they had a great time hanging out with the locals, they were still just strangers in a foreign land, leaning on each other to get through it. If she had portrayed the locals as just ordinary, everyday people, the movie would have lost its entire sense of magic. So what if it made us laugh a little? As long as it isn't making us laugh at our own expense, I'm fine with it. 👍

When I first caught this movie at a film festival in Chicago, I have to admit, it just didn't click with me at all.
It felt like some sort of upper-class indulgence, and I honestly thought it was just people with zero responsibilities complaining about insomnia—which, I guess, can be pretty grating if you aren't in that headspace.🙂But even then, I had this nagging feeling that I really needed to give it another shot.
And wow, I mean, truly... when I watched it the second time, everything just fell into place. It was such a lovely experience.
Honestly, it’s an absolute gem of a film.🙂

Mark Hughes36 - Look, anything goes, but please—for the love of God—do not go comparing Lost in Translation to Amélie. Amélie is a freaking masterpiece; Jeunet basically crafted perfection there, and it’s easily one of the best films ever made in its genre. Lost in Translation? It’s a total wash. If you actually want to know why that movie misses the mark so badly, just go back and read my previous post.

Noah Murphy46 said:Mark Hughes36 - everything works fine, just please don't compare Lost in Translation to Amélie. Amélie is a genius film made flawlessly by Jeunet; it's one of the best in its genre. Lost in Translation is garbage. If you want an explanation of why it fails, check my previous post.

I mentioned I'm a layman, so don't take my word as gospel.
I wasn't comparing Amélie and Lost in Translation at all.
It's more accurate to say I was comparing the feelings I had while watching them.
Feelings that are likely similar to anyone else prone to daydreaming.

Noah Murphy46 said:The plot is terrible; if I were Japanese, I’d sue them. I have no idea what the writer was aiming for—what the point was, where the plot went... and don't even get me started on the characters. They are awful, amateurishly developed, and shallow (typical simplification found in American films and writers—Hemingway, for example). Beyond the weak plot and poor characters, the movie is agonizingly slow. This might be excusable if the story, dialogue, and characters were actually interesting, but they aren't.
The dialogue is atrocious, and the director clearly lacked a vision or any sense of direction throughout the entire film. About 80-90% of the scenes are completely superfluous and contribute nothing to the plot, which is itself a total waste of time. The remaining 10-20% could have been handled much better. I can't stand it when unproven directors try to experiment; she seemed to be experimenting because she lacked a real idea—trying to make a film about "boredom" (an incredibly difficult theme to tackle) and lost people (whose reasons for being lost are just plain stupid) who find nothing interesting about Japanese culture. That sense of American cultural superiority really grates on me, along with the mockery of the Japanese... typical Hollywood nonsense. It's bad. Just bad. Between those phone calls to his wife back in the States, the way they meet, their communication and relationship development, her husband or whoever, the driving scenes through Tokyo, the cultural clashes, and the blatant American arrogance and ignorance... not to mention the terrible humor...

I disagree with everything you've stated.
And without repeating myself, you have my previous post.😉
In which I describe how I experienced the film,
which was my interpretation of what the director intended to convey.

You people are absolute idiots if you think this is bad. Honestly, this is the best thing hitting theaters right now if you're looking for a solid date night. It’s not some cinematic masterpiece, but it definitely demands your attention... You can tell me I'm wrong and that I didn't enjoy it, but I'm a total sci-fi and horror freak, though I'll watch just about anything. I know what I'm talking about.

Richard Hernandez13 said:Here's one of Sofia's... playlists...In case anyone's interested...

I’m honestly stunned... her list is top-tier. Richard Hernandez13, are you actually listening to FM4?
The Clash, Bowie, those Orderovci guys...