Done and Done. . .

Rating: Null/10 (4 February 2004)

Why I'm posting this, I have no idea. I know I'll probably be blasted for whatever I'm about to say, so trust me it's not premeditated. I just walked away with mixed feelings about "Lost in Translation."

Ever read a book or an essay and by the end, you think you understood it to it's full potential, and it seems so incomplete. Yet, you have this gut instinct there's so much more to it than what you thought and it turns out you did know everything there was to know about the piece? In a somewhat difficult way of putting it, that's how I felt. I blame the minimalist undertones of the whole movie.

This was a movie that effectively made use of "what are they thinking" shots, and forced you to believe that they're human, as opposed to the traditional character. That's why (as I've seen in another post) Charlotte's childish and intelligent personas play so well. Not because she is contradicting in character; but that she can be, and so can anyone else. Not to mention the fact that is flatly emphasizes her youth and need for direction in life.

I thought there was going to be so much more in terms of Buddhism and Japanese culture. A little disappointed there, but I got over it. Although the clashes and acceptances helped toward character development, I still found the hospital scene to be somewhat uneccessary; outside from establishing Bob as they 'wise man' to Charlotte.

I just didn't care for the scenes in the restaurant toward the end when Bob picked up the singer from the bar.

Perhaps I need time to warm up to it, but I did walk away with a good feeling on the movie. However, I still have this notion it doesn't deserve some of the accolades it received. Perhaps because lately, two I've seen many stories and movies based on the menial events in life, as they occur to a slightly older gentleman character; in addition to dialogue that tends to focus on the sweet sounds of silence. At first, I compared it to "About Schmit," but thought this was much better. I just felt there were far superior performances.

Roundabout way of ending it, I know. So there.