Lost In Translation- Bill Murray in Japan

I liked it. The atmosphere of the movie did capture that isolation aspect of it.

Wasn't this the movie where the opening shot was Scarlett Johansson's ass?

Yes. I love the karaoke scene, the way there's obviously something growing inside Bill while he is signing.

Actually one scene at the Kyoto temple I think, as a score cue by Air that is almost a rip off Joe Hisaishi's (Myazaki and Kitano composer) music.

Some will nod their head but this little movie is one of the best in recent years and is brilliant by its simplicity (just like Japanese calligraphy can be)

One of my favourite films,

Absolute joy to watch and it perfectly captures loneliness and isolation.

I hate it when people watch this then complain that nothing happens - which is depressingly often.

Living in Korea this past year has made me appreciate this film a lot more. Initially, when I first watched it, I WAS one of those people that dismissed it as overrated. But being stationed in a foreign land with little means of communication with must of the society here is frustrating. I'll definitely have a change of heart when I get back to the states. Even as much as I've cherished my time in Korea.

But back to the film, it does take a little of bit life experience going in to fully appreciate what's going on.

I agree. And about capturing loneliness and isolation and the so called "nothing happening" is what is so great about it because it made it simply and brilliantly!

Agree with the sentiments, this is one of my favourite films and it's the role which makes me frustrated everytime Murray does a cash in. The guy can be SO good when he wants to be. Coppolla is one of my favourite modern american directors and she's currently three for three with me as I adore Virgin Suicides and Marie Antoinette as well.

She's really good at evoking feelings whilst maintaining a consistent sense of detachment and that's what is so great about Lost In Translation. It's a beautifully shot film, but it's also a film that is kind of uncomfortable to watch. You feel almost as trapped and suffocated as the main characters do and as such you almost follow them on their emotional journey.

"You are Lisa Simpson."

That's funny people seem to care so much about it. I was never curious to know, didn't need to, I like things to keep unsaid and mysterious.

A fine movie, but I still consider Virgin Suicides to be Sofia Coppola's best. I feel like I'm probably alone on this.

I love Virgin Suicides too but I would it on the same level as Lost In Translation. Marie-Antoinette on the other hand, was disappointing, as if Sofia Coppola got swallowed by the ambition/size of the period piece project and lost her spontaneity...

Yeah, I'd have to say that Lost in Translation is better than Marie Antoinette. Though I haven't seen Virgin Suicides. Sounds like it's being recommended.

The Virgin Suicides is just a gorgeous piece of film making, not quite as grand as LiT or Marie Antoinette but she captures the dreamlike nostalgia of the past and makes it really quite special. I don't think I've ever seen a film that felt quite like the Virgin Suicides.

Marie Antoinette really is a fantastic, fantastic piece of work. You could accuse Coppolla of sticking to her themes of isolation, which admittedly she does, but I honestly don't think there's a historical drama which captures the mood quite like Marie Antoinette. It is anachronistic, but those anachronisms serve to bring us closer to Marie herself.

I have nothing against that on the contrary, I just think she wasn't as inspired, she wasn't really close to her characters who where harder to connect with. The isolation seemed depicted only from an external, physical perspective, I wish there was a more emotional, melancholic sensibility as there was in her other films.

I adore everything about Marie save most of Dunst's performance, its hard to pinpoint why she does not work, yet indeed Schwartzman particularly and everybody else just clicks in with what Sofia is portraying, Which is odd because Dunst was her best ever under her in Virgin Suicides.

Lost in Translation - a film that people discard because they think the key is what it says about japan, when they should be paying attention to just how accurate and reasoned its view of ourselves is. And a big milestone on the Bill Murray American legend scorecard.

Like quite a few others here, this is a personal favourite. It's the restraint of the whole thing that nails it for me.

That could be one of the weirdest scenes in the history of cinema and the only one I could live without (especially how they fall it's like WTF) in this perfect little film.

What a great review! Thoughtful, intelligent, and sidesteps the always-dangerous pretentiousness that plagues many essays. Just someone writing about why they love this movie.

For me, one of the greatest things about this film is the soundtrack. My Bloody Valentine, Jesus and Mary Chain, with bonus Kevin Shields tracks written just for the movie! In fact the only reason I watched this the first time was because Shields had written music for it, and I ended up falling in love with the characters, and then the setting, then the cinematography, etc.

That's why I'm rushing to see SOMEWHERE next week when it comes out here. This could be a LIT rehash but this is what Sofia Coppola know and does best (I think despite her closeness to the material she was overwhelmed by the ambition of MARIE-ANTOINETTE and lost herself and her inspiration which wasn't used was well).