# Two truly excellent movies out now: AMERICAN SPLENDOR and LOST IN TRANSLATION **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 14, 2003, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605 "2003-09-14T19:49:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2003, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/21 "2003-09-20T17:34:15Z")
Hold on. Lost In Translation has both Bill Murray and My Bloody Valentine? …Where the hell are my theatre listings? Also: American Splendor is fabulous. ---
**Author:** ![CyberPundit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CyberPundit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyberPundit)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/22 "2003-09-22T06:26:55Z")
IMO American Splendor is a good but not great film. I think it lost its momentum towards the end Some of the narrative tricks worked but others didn’t: eg. the long monologue about the multiple Harvey Pekars. The ending was incongruously feel-good . OTOH the early parts of the film were excellent especially when Harvey begins to write his comic-book. “Something like the Matrix sequel, you either had fun or you didn’t (I didn’t), and then you don’t have to think about it ever again because it has no relevance to anyone’s life. That’s the definition of escapism, right?” I didn’t care for the Matrix sequel either but there is nothing wrong with escapist films. One of the functions of film is to create worlds which don’t exist in reality. When it’s done well you can get a film as great as the greatest art-house fare. I have no hesitation in stating that the LOTR films are better than American Splendor for instance. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/23 "2003-09-22T06:57:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CyberPundit \* > **Some of the narrative tricks worked but others didn’t: eg. the long monologue about the multiple Harvey Pekars.** For what it’s worth, this wasn’t invented for the movie; it was taken almost word-for-word from one of Pekar’s comics. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/24 "2003-10-05T06:38:07Z")
Sorry for the bump, but **Lost In Translation** is finally showing at a theatre less than 200 miles from my home. I can’t wait to see it. ---
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/25 "2003-10-05T06:49:12Z")
One more thing to note about **Lost in Translation** is the astonishing cinematography. Simultaneously casual and breathtaking, it manages to capture an overwhelmed tourist’s view of Tokyo perfectly, in all its beauty and bewildering chaos. Sheer camera poetry. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/26 "2003-10-06T05:12:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gadfly \* > \*\*Hold on. Lost In Translation has both Bill Murray and My Bloody Valentine? > > …Where the hell are my theatre listings? > > Also: American Splendor is fabulous. \*\* Kevin Shields of **My Bloody Valentine** does four songs on the LiT soundtrack, plus “Sometimes” from \*\*MBV \*\* is sorta the ‘love theme’ as it were for our protagonists. Or maybe the classic Jesus & Mary Chain ‘Just like honey’ is. Or Bill’s karaoke of ‘More than this’? “Kaze Wo Atsumete” by ‘Happy End’ plays over the credits. Anyone know what that song is about? ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/27 "2003-10-06T12:23:45Z")
I just have to say that Scarlett Johannson is a sexy Goddess. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/28 "2003-10-06T14:36:17Z")
I saw _Lost in Translation_ two weeks ago and while I think it’s worth seeing I wasn’t bowled over by it. Perhaps that had to do with a traumatic experience with a pigeon outside the theater, but I found myself a little less interested in the film than I wanted to be. It was visually stunning and I was entranced by the shots of Tokyo (especially of the building with the dinosaur walking across it) and of Charlotte walking through the temple gardens. I don’t know what more can be said about Bill Murray’s performance. He’s incredible. When he karaokes “More Than This,” I got the most complete picture of a man who is professionally, emotionally, and spiritually miserable. I think _Lost in Translation_ is a film that’s going to benefit from multiple viewings. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/29 "2003-10-07T05:17:56Z")
“More Than This” was an incredible scene. Almos as good as the foot touching moment. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/30 "2003-10-08T04:54:37Z")
It’s the strangest feeling… Seeing _Lost in Translation_ was much more like reliving a memory I’ve never had, than watching a movie. Amazing. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/31 "2003-10-08T15:02:39Z")
I am a big art house fan, and a HUGE Bill Murray fan, but I pretty much agree with **Judith Prietht**. Pretty film. Good capuring of the proper mood and emotion. GREAT acting by Bill Murray (who I will root for come Oscar time). However, the movie was really boring to me. I understand they were SUPPOSE to be miserable. I get that it had to be a slightly mundane plot to convey the theme. But it didn’t make for an interesting film. ---
**Author:** ![Greywolf73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@Greywolf73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greywolf73)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/32 "2003-10-08T18:54:58Z")
Great reviews. Makes me want to see _American Splendor_ even more. Unfortunately, it’s not playing in any theater near me. I’m hoping it will make its way here soon. I did get to see _Lost in Translation_ this past weekend, however. I can safely say that it’s the best movie I’ve seen so far this year. Beautifully filmed and so hauntingly real that I’m still thinking about it almost a week later. Bill Murray’s performance just blew me away. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/33 "2003-10-08T22:34:21Z")
My favorite part of American Splendor was When he collasped during his cancer and had the monologue about the other Harvey Pekar’s in the phonebook. I haven’t read Our Cancer Year, is that monolouge from that? It was brilliantly written whereever it’s from. Also, Lost in Translation IS the best movie this year. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/34 "2003-10-08T23:31:05Z")
**Tars:** The monologue is not from _Our Cancer Year._ It’s from one of the regular _American Splendor_ issues. If you get the new anthology with Giamatti on the cover, it’s the first story in the book. ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/35 "2003-10-09T02:07:07Z")
I saw **Lost in Translation** yesterday. Jeezopete, what a wonderful movie. Bill Murray was just astonishing. I’ve always liked him. He really is able to convey a lot by just a little movements of his face. I felt so strongly toward his character that I kept finding tears running down my face. I caught myself hoping that Bob would be alright when he got home. I just wanted him to be ok. Charlotte I’m not so worried about – she’s young, she’s got time. Bob, not so much. Kinda like me, I guess. I absolutely loved this movie. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/36 "2003-10-09T04:52:52Z")
**Cervaise** , I just had to pop in to read your OP. You know what I think of _Lost in Translation_ from our discussion over at FFF. For the rest of you- I worship it. My parents have a little theater near them, the Lido, that shows mostly smaller, independent fare (recent engagements have included _Lost in Translation_ & _Whale Rider_). They are so lucky. Their friends who live across the street make a point of seeing everything that plays at the Lido, which exposes them to some really amazing stuff that seldom plays at the giga-plex. Did you see this week’s _Newsweek_? They think Bill Murray was great, so let’s give him the Oscar he deserved for _Caddyshack_! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CyberPundit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CyberPundit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyberPundit)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/37 "2003-10-09T16:57:55Z")
I saw Lost in Translation and it was … OK. I agree that the two lead performances were excellent and the the film deserves credit for its restrained ending. The Japanese settings were also wonderful. However the film abounded in cheap laughs at both the Japanese and the American bit players (particularly the actress) which just weren’t very funny. Sometimes the joke seemed to be just that the Japanese don’t speak good English. Both Charlotte’s husband and the actress were one-dimensional characters. The film would have been so much better if it had managed to carry over the restraint and subtlety of the main story to the comedy. Several scenes were also marred by some rather poor electronic music. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/38 "2003-10-09T17:55:14Z")
I think the old “Japanese people say ‘R’ for ‘L’” joke was trotted out on at least four occasions, and didn’t get any funnier with repetition. And one of my favorite jokes ever is: > [@](#): > > What do you call a woman with one leg? > Eileen. > What do you call a Japanese woman with one leg? > Irene. _Lost in Translation_ excelled when it simply showed the disorienting but often bemusing effects of being in a strange country: Charlotte strolling through the arcade, Bob playing golf at the base of Mt. Fuji, the shiny-suited firemen at the hotel, and of course the rent-a-room karaoke place all showed how invigorating and distressing it can be to feel out of place and out of touch. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/39 "2003-10-09T20:12:45Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Judith Prietht \* > \*\* Bob playing golf at the base of Mt. Fuji_\* That would be playing fake golf. There really isn’t much room for golf courses, so that was an indoor range designed to make him feel like he was outside. They also have multistory driving ranges. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605/40 "2003-10-10T00:22:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by EJsGirl \* > \*\*That would be playing fake golf. There really isn’t much room for golf courses, so that was an indoor range designed to make him feel like he was outside. They also have multistory driving ranges. \*\* I believe the golf scene was actually shot outdoors at the Mount Fuji Golf club. The sunlight and shadows were perfect (I freeze-framed the trailer), and the ball really did sail off hundreds of yards. (Bill’s a great golfer). I was expecting, in the context of the movie, that it would be a fake screen golf game. Coppola holds the wide shot with Mt. Fuji in the background and doesn’t pan to show another virtual game. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-truly-excellent-movies-out-now-american-splendor-and-lost-in-translation/201605.md?page=3)