4/19    I really really really don't get Lost in Translation. Sure some
        parts are funny but what is the whole damn point? It's obvious that
        those lazy Americans feel lonely and lost-- because they don't
        **initiate**. They don't want to learn Japananese and hence they
        don't assimilate well. *********************************************
        ******************************************              -nissei
        \_ Most issei and nihonjin I've spoken too understood
           perfectly well that the movie was about the two people with downtown
           Tokyo as a backdrop. The matter of taking the three of four odd
           years time it takes to learn Japanese before visiting Tokyo for
           a mere week on an incidental business trip is another issue. It
           sounds to me like you interpreted the movie as poking fun at Japan.
           Consider that the movie was using the wierd experience of suddenly
           being in Japan as a way of showing in contrast the two characters'
           alienation. The fact that that alienation was basically entirely
           their own fault is another issue. The movie was simply about being
           in that state of alienation, however one got there. If that doesn't
           resonate with you at all, so be it. -- ulysses
        \_ editted for those who have not seen the movie
           \_ It's been out for almost a year.  Spoilers at this point are OK.
              And I wouldn't have expected the thing that did not happen, so
              I'm not sure it even is a spoiler.
                \_ If the old man Murrey had seduced and slept with the
                   cute girl it would have been a much better movie.
                   \_ This is exactly the kind of attitude that will
                      destabilize the Middle East for years to come.
        \_ I haven't seen the movie, but from the review I read that about
           sums it up.  It's supposed to feel like there is no point to
           any of it.  I don't know if it comes out in the movie (probably
           not) but it should polint out that their lives suck, but it's
           all their fault.  (Your marriage sucks?  Your fault.  You can't
           get around in Japan? Your fault. etc.)  Usually this can only
           be done with some well placed foil characters.  A lost art
           these days.
                \_ yeah, lazy Americans like the blame game.
        \_ Most...overrated...movie...ever!  Only thing good about it is
           Bill Murray, who probably got cheated out of his last chance to
           win an Oscar.  Oh well.
        \_ Actually, the point of the movie is the sense of alienation. Tokyo
           lends itself to this sort of thing because so much of it is
           alienating even to Japanese people. Add a touch of severe jet-lag,
           and you get surreality coming out of your pores.
                \_ yes, and the sense of alienation is their fault. They
                   didn't take the initiative to get used to Japan.
                   \_ This is a valid charge, but it's also overly simplistic.
                      Scarlett Johanson does try to "get used" to Japan by
                      visiting Kyoto and hanging out with her Tokyo Boys, but
                      she's really not there long enough for any of it to
                      really sink in. Bill Murray is feeling alienated from
                      life in general and only begins to feel some sort of
                      connection midway through the film-- it's short-lived,
                      though. In the midst of all this alienation, they find
                      a connection with each other, tenuous and alien as it
                      may be. --erikred
                      \_ And it needed more sock puppets.