Stop whatever you're doing and go see this film.

Rating: 10/10 (5 October 2003)

With so many heavily-hyped blockbusters due to be released in the coming weeks, "Lost In Translation" might get overlooked. Combined with the news that the MPAA will no longer distribute screeners to Academy voters, I'm concerned that LiT won't get the exposure it deserves. That would be a shame: it's fantastic.
To be sure, there will be a lot of people who don't "get" this film: if your ideal movie is one where Something Must Explode/Someone Must Be Killed/Will Smith Must Say Something Cute every five or ten minutes, then stay home and watch your copy of "Charlie's Angels" for the fifteenth time. Otherwise, stop whatever you're doing, cancel your plans for the day, and drive yourself down to your local CineMegaGooglePlex RIGHT NOW!
This film is absolutely inspiring, and I'm hoping that it will receive enough buzz to warrant attention at Oscar time, specifically:
Bill Murray: Was he really Carl Spackler 23 years ago? Murray's work in LiT is confident, nuanced, and controlled, despite reports that many of his scenes were fueled by large quantities of sake. Sure, he deserves some Lifetime Achievement recognition, but his work here stands on its own as well. It's his best performance, ever.

Scarlett Johansson: She was excellent as Thora Birch's sidekick in "Ghost World," and she's even better here. In "World," she gravitated between obnoxious sarcasm and sarcastic obnoxiousness, and while there's some of that here in LiT, this is a fully realized performance. It sure doesn't hurt that she's heartbreakingly beautiful also. And that voice! I love her voice.

Sofia Coppola: From now on, I will go see every movie she ever writes or directs. This is a smart script that still left room for improvisation. Her direction conveyed what it feels like to be claustrophobic, even with the sprawl of a city like Tokyo spread out in front of you. Every shot is perfect, every angle well-constructed. She also shares her dad's talent for using reflected images.
We saw this movie two days ago(in different cities, separated by three time zones), and my wife and I haven't stopped talking about it since. "Lost In Translation" will stay with me for a long time.