I liked this one. It's a complicated love story about people disconnected with life. Bill Murray is a great, great actor. I thought it was shot beautifully. great use of Japan's minimalist architechture and design contrasting the bustle of urban tokyo's clubs, arcades, talk shows, etc to show the isolation of the two main charachters. Copola jr did good again.

What did you think?

I don't know about it being shot beautifully. The lighting was so good it looked like it was composed entirely of natural light, making it feel kind of bland. There were some nice shots of Japan, but it would've been great if she had been able to get a shot of Fuji that wasn't so covered with clouds.
As far as the story, pacing, feel of this movie goes: it felt like About Schmidt 2. The story felt so true to life, every movement felt so natural. It almost felt more like a documentary than an actual movie. Much in the same vain of About Schmidt, only this was better.
Murray may be a great actor, I just got to wonder how hard this role was. It was almost like the only direction he had was "be depressed ninety percent of the time and you'll do great." I hope it was great acting though, I'd hate to think that he'd really act that depressed while being in a beautiful country like Japan.
It was a good movie, but more than likely not something I feel the need to watch a second time.

-Elliott

I went out to see Last in Translation friday before checking moviefone, foolishly thinking, "it's new york city. I'm bound to walk by a theatre that has it"

No, of course I couldn't find a theatre with it. That would be too simple. So I went back to my dorm and watched Wet Hot American Summer again.

So all in all, I did watch an excellent movie that night, just not the one that I planned on.

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http://www.alandenton.com
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alan, go to times square 42 street...AMC theater on one side with 25 cinemas, LOEWS on the other

practically every movie is running in one of them. Some small indie movies as well..whale rider and step into liquid as an example

Everyone...

I just came back from seeing LOST IN TRANSLATION...


BEST DAMN MOVIE OF THE YEAR!!! THAT SIMPLE!!

Seriously... I have not seen a movie this good in a long time. Bill Murray did an EXCELLENT job... best work i've seen him ever do.

The way sofia coppala used tokyo was superb... This movie is just so great... words can't express...

I urge EVERYONE to go and see it... again.... best movie of the year.... though... i have not yet seen American SPlendor...

Upon First viewing:

I rather liked it.
I loved how the whole film felt like one continous jet-lag bout, days moved but you don't notice. The lack of story was a bit of a turn off and due to the jet-lag, the pace was frustratingly sluggish, but Bill Murray was extraodinary, as an actor, he has ascended in Buster Keaton territory; with one slight movement of his face he can induce laughter, and with anothe subtle change, tears. It would be offensive to call him a sad clown as an allegory because he brings more poigancy and depth to the stereotype. Scarlett Johansenn also had a great vulnerability she brought to her character which really brought it to life. And, of course, the visuals compliment the lack of story nicely as well as the music adding even further to the alienation and lonliness in this culture that the main protagonist struggled and soon gave up to understand.
The more I think about it, the more I love it.
Something else really interesting is how the whole film was like a dream, no real story, just events that look pretty and touch you in a sort of subconscious way.

Upon second viewing:
I found something else that made me like the film more than the first time, and something that made me dislike it more than the first time, so they balanced each other out to maintain the same rating.
What I liked was the attention to the visuals and technique Coppola incorporated. I noticed it the first time, but I appreciated it the second. The out of focus and shaky handheld shots are beautifully done and add another layer to the surreal feeling the film incorporates. It also has one of the most beautiful scenes I've seen this year; the scene in which Charlotte ties a piece of paper to the branch of the tree. Absolutely gorgeous, along with her entire outting that surrounded the scene.
What I didn't like, however, was the lack of cohesion between scenes. Yes, they went though a mudane time sequence, but it seemed most of the scenes juxtaposed to each other were poorly correlated. This can all go into the notion of how this film was dream because of the surrealness, no real story, and pretty visuals, but for some reason (since I got past the shock of the visuals the first time) it just seemed like nagging problem to me, and I often found it distracting.
So alas my rating is unchanged, maybe I'll see it again...

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Brown Egg Productions
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A review in italics. classy.

I need to see this movie now. I don't like when people have conversations about movies and I don't know what they hell they're talking about because I haven't seen it.

--alan

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http://www.alandenton.com
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Yeah, you definitely need to see it, but as of now (as well as "American Splendor") it's slightly overrated, in my opinion.

Out of ****/ I gave it ***.6

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Brown Egg Productions
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I've found myself becoming a HUGE fan of these smaller and lower budget films that are only released in select theaters... Like One Hour Photo, Raising Victor Vargas, Lost In translation....

I think having a lower budget makes films better... honestly... Think about it.

does anyone agree?

I think I'll start a new thread about this.

You mean independent films?
They're not all "low-budget", but generally they are a nice escape from the mainstream with interesting, and usually personal stories.
Half of my favourite films this year are "independent films" (American Splendor, Spellbound, Winged Migration, A Mighty Wind, etc.)

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Brown Egg Productions
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How long do you guys think it will be until the dvd? I just can't wait. haha