Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Lost in Translation

This is a movie that I will probably own some day (Anybody wanna buy it for me?). It's hilarious, it's thought-provoking, it keys in on human nature and culture. I watched it last night and have been chuckling about one scene all day (I watched the scene about 4x after the movie was over because I thought it was so funny ... if I had been the actress in the corner of the room that I kept watching, I would have had tears of laughter rolling down my cheeks, too).

To tell you the truth, I think what made the movie so funny and so insightful is that I've been relatively immersed in Asian culture for the past few years. Having come to love and appreciate Asian culture through the privilege of living with, studying with, and serving with a number of dear Asian friends, I feel like the jokes make more sense and I see the brilliance of Sofia Coppola's movie.

Thanks particularly to JYP, TL, JB, GLo, & PSJ for making this a special movie for me, even though none of you are Japanese!

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Stills Photographer: You know double-O-7?
Bob: He drinks martinis, but all right.

4 comments:

goodnight moon said...

I love this movie too...which scene were you playing over and over? Have you ever seen The Virgin Suicides? It's also really well done, even if a bit disturbing...but in some really far-fetched way, it reminds me of the Machen ladies! Not because we are suicidal and snobby...but because others seem to think we are locked up here with some sort of mystique about us that has to be figured out...

Anyway, Sofia kind of reminds me of you, actually!

Amanda said...

cool, now I want to see this movie...finally! After hearing it wasn't that great I had lost interest in it, but I think I'm more inclined to go with your opinion. ;)

Molly said...

D ~

I actually thought of you as I watched that movie and thought, "If Denise hasn't seen this, I bet she'd love it." Especially since you've spent so much time in other cultures and have probably been "lost in translation" many times.

No, I haven't seen "Virgin Suicides" ... but I'll put it on my Netflix list!

The movie I watched over and over is a really minor one - he's in the waiting room of the hospital while she's getting x-rayed, etc. A sort of crazy old person (I couldn't tell if it were a man or a woman) starts talking to him, and he basically repeats back what he/she says. That's funny in itself, but what I thought was so funny was the two ladies in the corner of the room who are watching and laughing at the whole "conversation."

goodnight moon said...

that is a funny scene! and yeah, there was something very real about this film...it truly evoked the feeling of being in a cross-cultural environment, as well as the somewhat odd relationships that develop when you feel estranged from those around you...even those who speak the same language