Lost in translation

shadowgardener12 said:Honestly, I was pretty blown away myself... her list is absolutely top-tier! Hey, Richard Hernandez13, tell me—are you actually into FM4?
The Clash, Bowie, those old-school Orderovci types... man, what a lineup.

Hey, just checking in on the Graz frequency!

I’ll probably be the last person in the country to finally sit down and watch this movie.🙂

...really.

Doesn't that character played by Anna Faris totally remind you of Cameron Diaz?

Ever since that very first scene where she's hanging out in the hotel lobby, I just couldn't shake the feeling that she was Charlie's angel. Everything from her way of speaking to her body language, right down to those silly little things she says during the press conference—it all felt so familiar.
When she mentioned how she stays so slim despite constantly snacking on junk food, I was absolutely convinced it was her. I remember reading an interview somewhere where Diaz mentioned having that exact same eating habit.

People keep claiming that Giovanni Ribisi is actually Spike Jonze, Sofia Coppola's ex-husband. Of course, she’s denied it, but you know how those rumors go.

....
Just one quick question:
does anyone know the name of that song playing at the beginning when Bob is riding in the taxi?

Richard Hernandez13 said:It’s a total stretch to suggest that Giovanni Ribisi is actually Spike Jonze, who happens to be Sofia Coppola's ex-husband. Of course, she's already gone on record to deny that one.

I honestly don't get this... 😕 I wonder why Sofia Coppola isn't still married to Spike Jonze.

redgull44 said:I'm honestly a little lost here... 😕why isn't Sofia still married to Spike Jonze?

Actually, they aren't together anymore. They split up toward the end of last year.
Apparently, the whole thing fell apart because he was neglecting her.😉.

...
I mean, she's just absolutely stunning, isn't she? 😛

Richard Hernandez13 said:No. They split up at the end of last year.
The reason is simple: he completely neglected his wife. 😉.

What an absolute jerk. 🙂 Ribisi and I were both totally driven crazy by that movie. Look, I get it—he’s got a job to do and needs to make a living—but still... And then he calls her pretentious? Seriously?

I know exactly what Murray said at the end. "Leave that idiot behind." She gave him this wistful little smile, a tear in her eye, and asked, "Meet you at the hotel in half an hour?" He just said, "Sure." They lived happily ever after. Well, his version of ever after, anyway—since the guy's older than the Bible.

Haha, honestly.

Some people always used to say, "The second you walk through the door, tell your husband you love him."

🙂

Richard Hernandez13, I'm with you on that—Sofia is absolutely adorable.
but he didn't actually tell her

The movie's over, let's grab a coffee afterward...

Man, what a massive letdown.
How can anyone call this movie "unpretentious"??? EVERYTHING about this film screams pretension—from that cheap, pseudo-intellectual "find yourself" philosophy to those overly artsy, self-indulgent camera movements.
One minute the shots feel totally random, like some gritty documentary, and the next they’re so tightly controlled they veer into pure pathos; the whole time you just have this nagging sensation that NOTHING feels organic.

My favorite part was when they poked fun at midlife crisis clichés, like "have you bought a sports car yet?"—only to fall headfirst into an even bigger cliché thirty minutes later: "I've decided to start eating Japanese food." Murray delivers it with such a serious, dreamy intensity, almost like Neo in The Matrix Reloaded.🙄

Also, PLEASE, someone give me a heads-up next time a movie features fifteen straight minutes of KARAOKE!!!!
Look, I get it—hanging out with friends at karaoke is great because it's all about having a laugh, but sitting there listening to Bill Murray howl away for fifteen minutes is just asking too much.

The only genuinely funny moment is that opening scene where the translator keeps cutting the director off. It's just a shame that joke is already twenty years old.

Honestly, that movie blew me away.

blueranger12 said:What an absolute idiot. 🙂 I guess both Ribisi and the film itself were a bit much for me. I understand that he has to work and earn a living, but still... and then calling her pretentious on top of everything else.

I suppose I know what Murray said at the end. He told her, "Leave that idiot behind." She just gave him this wistful little smile, maybe with a single tear in her eye, and asked, "Meet you at the hotel in half an hour?" And he simply replied, "Sure." I imagine they lived happily ever after—well, for the remainder of his life, anyway, since the man is practically as old as the Bible.

Well, she's certainly being a bit of a sensitive soul, isn't she? 😍 😬ž

It was a decent enough film, I suppose... quite gentle and sweet. It perhaps leans a bit into those typical American clichés, but I don't mind that much; personally, I found it rather charming that it didn't devolve into some sort of perversion regarding its subject matter, which seems to be how these things usually go.
I suppose I used to find Bill Murray somewhat unappealing, perhaps due to the constant reruns of that film where the day keeps repeating itself, but I must say he has pleasantly surprised me lately. 🙂
The soundtrack in that film was truly exceptional... I suppose I found myself quite moved when My Bloody Valentine began to play. 😍

Richard Hernandez13 said:Quick question:
what was that track playing at the start when Bob is riding around in the taxi?

It's Death in Vegas - "Girls." It wasn't actually written for the movie; you can find it on their previous album, "Scorpio Rising," from last year.

(And then you go off on a tangent complaining about DivX... I mean, honestly, I don't remember the scenes vividly enough to have known that instantly myself!) 😉

Pure brilliance! A total triumph of talent!
The sheer talent of Sofia Coppola, Bill Murray, and Scarlett Johansson...
Such a beautiful film.
Honestly, I couldn't stop smiling from the moment it started until the credits rolled. I felt so good while watching it, and even better afterward. Just pure enjoyment...
So, for me, it’s a perfect five out of five.

For anyone who didn't really vibe with this one, maybe go watch "Boat trip" instead. That might be more their speed...

I've been planning to watch this movie for a solid month now.
Still haven't gotten around to it 😁

Anyway, everyone’s raving about it... must be something special.

I decided to give it another watch today.

😍

Finally, after months of waiting, I actually sat down to watch Lost in Translation. I went in totally blind—I hate reading reviews before seeing a movie—but it was impossible to ignore the hype. Every major magazine and newspaper here in the States was handing out perfect six-star ratings. It’s been nominated for an Oscar, everyone from critics to random people is raving about it, and even my friends were relentless: "When are you finally going to watch Lost in Translation? You're going to love it!"

So, I headed to the theater in a great mood, ready to spend the evening with a masterpiece from my favorite, Sofia Coppola (The Virgin Suicides really stuck with me).

The result? A total letdown. All that anticipation just deflated, and walking out of the theater, I felt completely drained. I honestly wondered if something was wrong with my brain since I was the only one who didn't "get" it. I didn't find anything spectacular or even noteworthy, and I couldn't figure out why the audience around me was giggling at every other scene.

The movie tries to balance drama and comedy. Let's talk about the comedy first. Honestly, I think even Woody Allen's worst flicks are funnier than this. It feels like it was made for kids or maybe a drunk crowd. How is anyone supposed to laugh at the scene where Bill Murray is on that elliptical thing in the gym? And who finds it funny watching someone struggle to translate twenty Japanese phrases into one English sentence? Plus, did we really need to be slapped in the face with three full karaoke songs? I thought I was going to die of boredom. The whole "humor" relies on cultural differences (or basically just making fun of Japan), which just wasn't funny to me.

As for the drama? There isn't any. None of the characters actually grow, and their story goes nowhere. And love? There's no real romance building here; it's just two lonely people finding a connection because they're stuck in a foreign city surrounded by strangers. These people are just so incredibly dull—they can't even entertain themselves in a massive place like Tokyo. You've got Bill, just exhausted by life, his family, and himself, and her, a spoiled brat with no direction. All we get is a bunch of nightlife scenes that are just as tedious.

Look, Bill Murray was great, no arguments there. She was okay too, though after her killer performance in The Man Who Wasn't There, I expected more. She started feeling repetitive and annoying. Just like the movie itself. Giovanni Ribisi looks like he just borrowed his sister's role (or maybe some actors just have one gear?). And Anna Faris, with her three Scary Movie credits, wasn't much better.

It's a mediocre film. Fine for a boring Wednesday night at home with some popcorn, but it doesn't deserve the five-star reviews or the award nominations. Compared to Lost in Translation, The Virgin Suicides is a much stronger contender for any awards. That movie actually hooked me with its unique story, irresistible melancholy, beautiful nostalgia, perfect soundtrack, stunning cinematography, and atmosphere.

I'm just disappointed. I really wish I could be part of the crowd cheering for this, but... nope.

I didn't find anything particularly fantastic about it—nothing really worth noting—and honestly, I couldn't wrap my head around why the audience around me was giggling at every other scene.

It’s the exact same story over here; I went in with way too many expectations and ended up disappointed. I truly don't get why those women near me found it hilarious when the guy answers his phone in Japanese 😕—it felt like they were all just laughing along so they wouldn't look like they missed the joke.

I'm just so disappointed. I really wish I could be as enthusiastic about the movie as everyone else seems to be, but... yeah, I'm just not.

I'm with you on this.

It’s honestly fascinating how things play out... you start with this tiny, semi-indie flick, and then suddenly there's all this massive hype building up, the awards, the nominations... it creates this ripple effect where way more people end up seeing it, though clearly in a completely different headspace than what Sofia Coppola actually intended. This isn't some slapstick comedy, and those cultural or racial tensions aren't just there to provide cheap laughs for the audience... but then again, isn't that exactly why I love movies that leave an "unfinished picture"? I mean, isn't it much better when the viewer has to step in and complete the story based on their own unique sensibilities?

Robert Cooper41 said:It’s fascinating how a small indie flick can suddenly trigger all this hype, the awards, and the nominations. It drives much larger crowds to watch, though clearly not in the way Sofia Coppola intended. This isn't some comedy, and those cultural clashes aren't there for cheap laughs. Personally, I prefer films that leave an unfinished picture, letting the viewer fill in the gaps based on their own sensibility.

It’s actually pretty hard to tell the difference between a massive Hollywood blockbuster and this film. 😁

Robert Cooper41 said:Clearly a totally different vibe from what Sofia had in mind.

She probably pictured him exactly how she wanted, no doubt about it. But man, she absolutely blew it with him. What a waste.