lost in translation

posts about #lostintranslation more →
About Those Best of the Decade Lists...
Culture Clash: What If Calling Someone Fat Wasn't An Insult?
What's In A Name? Quite A Lot, Says Science
"Quarterlife" Vs. The "Return Of Saturn": Which Existential Crisis Is More Stupid?
Scarlett Johansson Is Finally Putting Out That Indie Rock Album
Lost In Translation Review? Or Sports Report?
What Did Bill Murray Whisper To Scarlett Johansson At The End Of Lost In Translation? Now We Know!

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redheadedcomment
12/05/09

In reply to About Those Best of the Decade Lists...
A few more woman-directed films of excellent calibre this decade:

Away From Her (Sarah Polley)

You and Me and Everyone We Know (Miranda July)

Thirteen (Catherine Hardewick)

Also, anything directed this decade by Catherine Breillat (Fat Girl, Anatomy of Hell or The Last Mistress). Not Hollywood but still astounding.

...I'd agree that there needs to be more women directing, but it's nice to see so many great suggestions to watch as well.
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Irin
12/05/09

@redheadedcomment: So glad you mentioned "Away from Her." I'd forgotten about that one.
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RockyMay
12/04/09

In reply to About Those Best of the Decade Lists...
Pardon my ignorance....who the hell are these people?
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jcb820
12/04/09

@RockyMay: This is Kathryn Bigelow (the director and producer of The Hurt Locker) with one of its stars, Anthony Mackie (who was also in Half Nelson).
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RockyMay
12/04/09

@jcb820: Thank you for the clarification.....not recognizing these two made me realize I'm not as hep as I think I am...which made me Baby Cranky.
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jcb820
12/05/09

@RockyMay: No problem! :)
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Irin
12/05/09

@jcb820: Sorry to make you guys work -- I just think they're both amazing.
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jcb820
12/05/09

@Irin: Hey, no big, and yes, they are both fantastic. I can't wait to see THL again when it comes out on DVD in like a month! Hooray!
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LBB
12/04/09

In reply to About Those Best of the Decade Lists...
Across the Universe
Lost in Translation
Marie Antoinette
Lovely and Amazing
Friends With Money
Love & Sex
The Holiday
Bridget Jones's Diary
Bride and Prejudice
Bend it Like Beckham

Of course, most of those movies would never make it onto any official best-of lists because they're comedies, but...
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plothole
12/04/09

In reply to About Those Best of the Decade Lists...
Here's where I disagree with some of the feminism gauntlets being thrown down. Equal doesn't mean equal accolades it means fair assessment of work.

I don't think for a minute that women's films were left out because of sexism. I don't think that list is particularly good because it leaves a lot off I would have put on there but sometimes (in this case because more men direct movies hence there are more great movies directed by men) a woman isn't nominated because it didn't warrant it (yes yes I know a decade is a long time but there were a LOT of movies and most of them were by men).

Pointing out that women should be represented on every list is somewhat akin to giving them special treatment - their gender, race, orientation should have nothing to do with the evaluation of their art. I don't honestly think it did here -- do you really?
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mipsy6
12/04/09

@plothole: Would you agree then that what this list (and others with no or very few female directors) tells us is that there need to be WAY more women directing movies? And that opportunities need to be given to women to move up the ranks and become top directors? Because that's my reaction.
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ytuhermanotambien
12/04/09

@plothole: I think you're right if what you mean is that the lack of opportunities for women as film directors, not the lack of placements on these lists, is the bigger problem. But I still think there's some sexism in what critics consider to be worthy movie subjects and styles.
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amazoncowgirl
12/04/09

In reply to About Those Best of the Decade Lists...
Morvern Caller?

The Black Balloon?
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TransFat
12/04/09

@amazoncowgirl: Morvern Caller by Lynn Ramsey would absolutely be on my list for the soundtrack alone. The Onion put it on its list actually. But, then again,the 25th hour is number 2 so the credibility is iffy.
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amazoncowgirl
12/04/09

@TransFat: I was a bit puzzled by some of the films on the AV Club list also. But I guess like all art, film is subjective.

Morvern Callar definitely deserved to be on that list. Soundtrack, filmwork and an amazing performance by Samantha Morton.
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rodmanstreet
12/04/09

In reply to About Those Best of the Decade Lists...
TOP TEN:
(in no particular order)
American Psycho - Mary Harron
Bridget Jones' Diary - Sharon Maguire
Julie & Julia - Nora Ephron
Lost in Translation... AND
Marie Antoinette - Sofia Coppola
The Ballad of Jack and Rose - Rebecca Miller
Something's Gotta Give - Nancy Meyers
Wendy and Lucy - Kelly Reichardt
Bend it Like Beckham - Gurinder Chadha
and my fave:
WAITRESS by Adrienne Shelly

Special mention to Monster, the one with Charlize Theron, which was apparently excellent, but I didn't see it, so I can't rank it.
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Casquivana
12/04/09

In reply to About Those Best of the Decade Lists...
The Hurt Locker is fantastic. I loved it.
And I love Bill Murray, madly. So I have no idea what to say when people talk about Sofia Coppola being such a great director in Lost In Translation. I think that film relies a lot -a LOT- on Bill Murray's performance and pathos. I don't think there was much directing there. But that's just my opinion, though.
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MyNameIsChris
12/04/09

@Casquivana: I love Murray as well but I think that movie is almost entirely about the pacing, which Coppola totally nailed. Especially since you don't see movies with that languid pacing coming out of Hollywood all too regularly anymore.

I wanted to like The Hurt Locker a lot more than I actually did. Part of the problem is just doesn't strike me as very rewatchable and I don't know that there's really that much to get out of it.
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Ailatan
12/04/09

@Casquivana: I always say that Lost in Translation is about silences and how we the viewers make those silences into whataver we want.

I sound pretentious, but I don't mean it. Also Bill Murray singing "More than this" is better than ice cream and chocolate.
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Casquivana
12/04/09

@MyNameIsChris: I actually think Coppola is really good at creating a very subtle air of ennui that pervades throughout her films, and gives them a very melancholic quality and pace. Which is why I still like her movies, even though I really don't think she is that gifted with actors. The fact that apparently Murray improvised many of his scenes speaks volumes, I think.
I agree with you about The Hurt Locker. I actually liked it a lot, but it is true that is not rewatchable. I think part of the problem is that the plot seems to lead you nowhere.
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MyNameIsChris
12/04/09

@Casquivana: Yeah. What you said with the fancy words.
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winner
12/04/09

@Ailatan: You don't sound pretentious.

That was the last movie I enjoyed with Bill Murray (Team Chevy!) and mostly for the reason you mention.

Those silences are like invitations to fill in the blanks.

"The amount of noise which anyone can bear undisturbed stands in inverse proportion to his mental capacity." - Arthur Schopenhauer
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Ailatan
12/04/09

@winner: what about Broken Flowers? It's Bill Murray doing his best Bill Murray.

Thank you, my darling!

P.S: Congratulations on your bestie JPEG, it's very funny!
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Casquivana
12/04/09

@Ailatan: Oh, no. I agree. And I know it sounds like the opposite, but I actually loved that movie, and not just because of Murray (who is indeed better than ice cream, chocolate and even cake) but because of the general sense of isolation and fear disguised as boredom and in the characters. I loved that. I just think Coppola is overrated. She's evidently a good filmmaker, I just don't think she knows how to deal with her actors.
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winner
12/04/09

@Ailatan: Ha! I didn't even know I got a bestie for that nonsense!
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MyNameIsChris
12/04/09

In reply to About Those Best of the Decade Lists...
Yeah, this is sad as usual... it did make me just notice that Jane Campion really didn't do much this decade.
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Ailatan
12/04/09

@MyNameIsChris: I haven't seen Bright Star yet, but it seems to be very good.
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MyNameIsChris
12/04/09

@Ailatan: Seen it... in my opinion it's solid but nothing all so memorable or amazing. Great cinematography, wardrobe and pacing though... as you would expect from her.
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LBB
12/04/09

@Ailatan: Bright Star was good but SAD.
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winner
12/04/09

In reply to About Those Best of the Decade Lists...
Um. That list blows.
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MyNameIsChris
12/04/09

@winner: Ha! Good point... there's really only one film on there that I would probably certainly take on my top ten of the decade.
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winner
12/04/09

@MyNameIsChris: Which one is that?

Honestly, none of the movies in my top ten have female directors.

Have you seen Koreeda's Nobody Knows by chance?
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MyNameIsChris
12/04/09

@winner: Nope, but since we have an ongoing film dialogue happening today I might rent it on the way home or at least I'll add it to netflix.

Uhh... yeah, there's no way a female directed film would be in my top ten from this decade. I don't even have a top ten and I'm sure of that. The only film on that list that would probably end up on a top ten for me is Fog Of War. But I'm a huge Errol Morris fan AND a history nerd... plus I just think it's impeccably crafted.
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winner
12/04/09

@MyNameIsChris: Well, Nobody Knows is beautiful. That's all I will say. It is not a perfect movie but it is beautiful and quiet. Highly recommend.

I just made my top ten in no particular order:

The Professional
The Road
Nobody Knows
Dancer in the Dark
25th Hour
Control
The Color of Paradise
City of God
All That Jazz
Underground (Kusturica)

(I know All That Jazz is not from the 90s but I love it and add it to all of my top 10 lists).
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MyNameIsChris
12/04/09

@winner: On a related note... I originally saw City Of God at a very late showing shortly after it opened. I was with a friend and the theatre was completely empty until shortly before it began, at which point Kirsten Dunst and a friend walked in and sat literally directly to my right. Then she proceeded to talk back to the screen and act virtually like a twelve year old. Whenever I've seen it since (it IS a fucking fantastic film), I can still hear her saying to herself, "OOOH I HATE THAT BENNY!"
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winner
12/04/09

@MyNameIsChris: That is so annoying!!! I sat next to Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon during the Science of Sleep. I hated that movie...
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MalinaMango
12/04/09

@winner: What was Yoko's reaction to that movie? I feel like sitting next to Yoko Ono would make any film a million times weirder. (I didn't really like it either.)
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winner
12/04/09

@MalinaMango: You know, I have no idea what was going through her head. She nodded a lot but didn't ever really smile or laugh or anything. Maybe I should try watching it again - I was pretty distracted, I guess.
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MalinaMango
12/04/09

In reply to About Those Best of the Decade Lists...
The only other film that immediately springs to mind is Wendy and Lucy.
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shorty63136
08/31/09

In reply to Culture Clash: What If Calling Someone Fat Wasn't An Insult?
An Asian American friend of mine (her parents are from China, she's grown up culturally American) says that her dad loves that he's considered "slim" or "average" over here where he gets called a "fatass" in China.
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Sputnik_Sweetheart
08/31/09

In reply to Culture Clash: What If Calling Someone Fat Wasn't An Insult?
When I lived in Japan, I would often get comments about my appearance from my co-workers. They would often comment on how thin I was, how pretty I was, or my hair and eyes, etc. One of my teachers even once said I looked sexy (it was a little weird actually). Thankfully, I never got any comments on my breast size, but I have had (western) friends who had. I don't know know if they would treat their Japanese co-workers the same way though. The Japanese, are in general, pretty private-- it is not unheard of for someone to come into the office on Monday and announce he got married over the weekend, without his co-workers knowing that he was engaged or even had a girlfriend. In my experience, the Japanese are curious about the lives of foreigners around them, which sometimes cause them to break the normal social barriers.

That being said, there is still a lot of sexism in Japan, especially in the workplace. So, I don't think a woman gaining weight would be treated with the same levity.
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NotChoinski
08/31/09

In reply to Culture Clash: What If Calling Someone Fat Wasn't An Insult?
I went to Japan two years ago and noticed the Japanese are beginning to gain the same weight as Americans - mostly I think because the typical seaweed and fish diets are rapidly being replaced with the same corn-syrup crap were eating. All the subway ads were for McGriddles.
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Little Time Bomb
08/31/09

In reply to Culture Clash: What If Calling Someone Fat Wasn't An Insult?
I know this is a serious article about weight issues but all I can think is "Delicious Kit-Kat!"
Japan is home to a myriad of insane kit-kat flavors like Pickled Plum, bubblegum (made with blue chocolate), mango, rose, lemon vinegar, tea, red bean, sweet potato, and my favorite cherry blossom!
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ritualtheory
08/31/09

@Little Time Bomb: Can these be purchased anywhere in Canada? I'd get a little shiawase butori for that.
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dummyfakeroller
08/31/09

In reply to Culture Clash: What If Calling Someone Fat Wasn't An Insult?
In the book "Out" by Natsuro Kirino, there's a character who is described as chubby and plump and it is not a good thing. I have a friend who works in Tokyo right now and she is always talking about the difficulty of finding clothes in her size (of which she is a 6) so I think there is a definite double standard. However, there are not many chubby Japanese males and I read somewhere (possibly here) that they too have the need to adhere to the skinny body type.
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wrapped in plastic
08/31/09

@dummyfakeroller: "the difficulty of finding clothes in her size (of which she is a 6) "

Oy, so true. I am a small in American sizes, and clothes shopping in Japan was a massive chore. It was completely impossible to find skirts or jeans to fit me.
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smirkette
08/31/09

@dummyfakeroller: One of my best friends lived in Japan for a couple of years, and as an athletic US size 8 was too big to shop in regular clothes stores. She said once you get above a certain size, you have to go to the SUPERMARKET.

And yes, it is a double-standard--there is no, "oh, how cute that you're chubby" for women in Japan; that's men only. /caveat: anecdotal evidence
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