Lost in Translation

Eh. I liked the movie, but it was an okay performance for me. He didn't dazzle me. I thought Freeman was much better. I think that's the heart of the problem for me with most of Pitt's career-he's serviceable, nothing more.
 
Ought2bCommitted said:
I think that's the heart of the problem for me with most of Pitt's career-he's serviceable, nothing more.
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I'm won't disagree with that. I think a LOT of actors fit in that category for me including but not limited to:
Tom Cruise
Sylvester Stallone
Matt Damon and
Val Kilmer (with the notable exception of his portrayal of Doc Holliday)
 
Blaine said:
I'm won't disagree with that. I think a LOT of actors fit in that category for me including but not limited to:
Tom Cruise
Sylvester Stallone
Matt Damon and
Val Kilmer (with the notable exception of his portrayal of Doc Holliday)
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And interestingly some have risen to the occassion on occassion.
Stallone-original Rocky, all down hill from there except maybe Rocky 2
Kilmer-DEFINITELY Doc Holiday and Jim Morrison for me. (I did like him in Real Genius too)

Cruise and Damon I'm iffy on in general. I just don't like Cruise and Damon I think is a really smart guy, but I'm not in love with his acting work.
 
John_Hudson said:
Of course I respect your opinion on the matter I think you haven't a clue what you are talking about.

I dont mean that in anyway way but to be blunt. I think you are taking one scene from one film out of context and generalizing it.

Unfortunately it is the same thought pattern brought up in the negative reation to the film (small percentage)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_in_Translation

I find this train of thought to be tired.

I worked on a film once whereas the AD was a total prick. To say all AD's are total pricks would be generalizing. To say that Japanese Filmmakers are not like they are portrayed in this film is obvious. This was one scene, one director, one event in a movie.


To say it was racist was more than harsh but unfdounded. One could say it was stereotypical perhaps but not racist.

You know; generally speaking I can run down to Wal-Mart and come to the conclusion that everyone is an idiot. Although the perentage climbs while at Wal-Mart I know this not to be true.

-

I find the film to be a wonderful story about 2 people literally lost. In their own personal lives, in the country they are visiting, in the hotel they are staying.

-

But as mentioned; thank god we do not all think the same.
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John, sorry to bring this up so late in the game (out working in the Weekend- EXAUSTED!), but I have to clarify this:

Yes, it was one scene from one movie, but I'm not taking it out of context. I think it was unnecessary and pretencious in that particular scene to make that "sketch". Like you said, it is a movie about two people lost in many ways. There are many ways to portray this. I thought the way she did it was mediocre- and she had an incredible setting to do it, too.

I liked the framing and the camerawork of the movie. I just tought it was pretencious. A let down, since I really liked the Virgin Suicides..

Oughtobecommited, we have very similar tastes! Except for LOTR. I just tought the whole trilogy was average, and that story, while based on the pioneer book of the genre, as already been explored in many ways, including the Star Wars trilogy (ok, six films in Star Wars, what do you call it? :) ) who was ironically inspired by the Tolkien book.

Moving forward

My top 2003 movies:

City of God (someone selected this one and it really was unbelievable!)

when was AI released? I really liked it (the ending was a bit of a let down, I would've ended it on the bottom of the sea, but, well...Its Spielberg...)

In the mood for Love from Wong Kar Wai (hope I'm right on the dates here- probably it was 2002 or 2001!

Big Fish- Simple, nice movie with "Heart and Magic"- Few filmmakers do these type of movies this days- Burton did once with Edward Scizorhands, and did it again with this one. Loved it.

What M. Night. Shyamalan did that year? Signs was his poorer effort, but still a fun movie to watch. His movies have that certain " magic" Spielberg movies used to have...

Damn its hard to remember what came out that year!

I also tought American Beauty was not the movie it was hyped to be. Short Cuts, Lars Von Trier Movies and even classics like Ordet from Dreyer portraiyed these type of stories better. American Beautty felt like an update.

Oh, and conserning the Brad Pitt debate, as much as I despise his incredible good looks that makes all man look like mere creatures bellow his presence (good looking bastard!), I believe he comes up with good performances. Seven was one, but Snatch (playing the Gipsy- just hilarious) and even playing Achiles in that average movie ( survived in acting alongside an incredible actor like Bana)...

I think he's neglected by his good looks. He's not that credible aesthetically in the most interesting roles. I think he'll be an actor not unlike Sean Connery or Michael Kaine- he'll gain more interesting roles as he gets older..
 
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Ought2bCommitted said:
And interestingly some have risen to the occassion on occassion.
Stallone-original Rocky, all down hill from there except maybe Rocky 2
Kilmer-DEFINITELY Doc Holiday and Jim Morrison for me. (I did like him in Real Genius too)

Cruise and Damon I'm iffy on in general. I just don't like Cruise and Damon I think is a really smart guy, but I'm not in love with his acting work.
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Stallone was great in Paradise Alley with Armand Savante i liked his acting in this one of all his flicks
 
SPZ said:
I think he's neglected by his good looks. He's not that credible aesthetically in the most interesting roles. I think he'll be an actor not unlike Sean Connery or Michael Kaine- he'll gain more interesting roles as he gets older..
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Possibly...except I don't think he has half the talent of either Caine or Connery.
 
SPZ said:
Yes, it was one scene from one movie, but I'm not taking it out of context. I think it was unnecessary and pretencious in that particular scene to make that "sketch". Like you said, it is a movie about two people lost in many ways. There are many ways to portray this. I thought the way she did it was mediocre- and she had an incredible setting to do it, too.

...trilogy (ok, six films in Star Wars, what do you call it? :) )
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Brad Pitt
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1,I still not agree with you about that scene. I think It gives the base feeling of the Lost in a country/culture.

2, hexalogy? :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)

3, how does this Brad Pitt thing relate to LIT? I have lost the point.
 
surf said:
1,I still not agree with you about that scene. I think It gives the base feeling of the Lost in a country/culture.

2, hexalogy? :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)

3, how does this Brad Pitt thing relate to LIT? I have lost the point.
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Frankly if you're talking about the commercial filming scene...it was the only scene in the movie I liked. I didn't find it racist or a bad portrayal of Japanese working professionals. Even if it did, it's a freaking movie. You don't have to show everyone in their best light all the time, if we did we wouldn't have Crash, Silence of the Lambs, Halloween, Psycho, etc. If you think there was a better way to do that scene, I'm all ears.
 
I think LiT suffered most from not having Brad Pitt in the Bill Murray role. It would have been such a better movie for me. Actually, I think Stallone in the Bill Murray role would have been even better. :beer:
 
Ought2bCommitted said:
Oh, I thought the point was Brad Pitt is really Sofia Copolla.

Damn it. I missed it.
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I have to admit that I've never seen them in the same place at the same time...:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
 
Seriously, though, Brad Pitt is a respectable actor in his own right...and almost NO ONE does 'sad' today as effectively as him. His gut-wrenching expressions of loss/heartbreak (as he utilized in Interview With The Vampire, Legends of the Fall, Se7en, etc.) really pull on the old heart strings. If you cast him, be sure you have found a script that has an element of love & loss built in.
 
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