| Lost in Translation | |
| Alone together. | |
The reactions to this film are very odd. It appears, and I'm not making this up, that people that saw this movie in the theatre loved it. Those that waited and watched it at home, thought it was stupid. Somehow the feeling of being lost in this world is harder to achieve when you're sitting in your own home, but doesn't it seem contradictory that you'd feel more alone in a theatre full of people that in the privacy of your own home?
I saw this film in the theatre and, thus, I loved it. Being one that has had to travel for work and spend up to 5 weeks in countries that barely speak English, I related to this film better than I wish I had... well, except for the younger woman craving to spend time with me, but I'll pretend that happened, too. It all came back to me as this film unfolded. One example is when I was in a remote town in northern Italy and "the city" shut down completely on Sundays. There was nothing to do but stay in the hotel and flip back and forth between the two English speaking channels all day long. I watched Formula 1 racing and curling. You want to know what boredom is, take a day and watch those for five or six hours...
It's always funny to give a film a positive review when it makes you feel so awful. But, if you've read any of my previous reviews, you'll notice that I tend to like films that do that to me. I want a movie to make me feel something, good or bad (usually bad), happy or sad (usually sad), hopeful or mad (bet you've caught the pattern by now) and this film did that.
What can I recommend, then? Go out and get yourself one of them gigantic flat screens, invite over 100 or so complete strangers, and enjoy.