its-a-clock 0 Posted December 24, 2003 Share Posted December 24, 2003 Anyone seen this movie? Another one set in Japan, but actually supposed to be quite good. Link to post Share on other sites
enderzero 0 Posted December 24, 2003 Share Posted December 24, 2003 This is a beautiful movie. I am really surprised it isn't playing in Japan yet as the entire film revolves around living (or staying) in Japan. Sofia Coppola wonderfully directs the superb Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. This is a real movie about real relationships. Not at all a big hollywood love story. The interactions are perfectly subtle. Some of the Japanese stereotypes are a bit exaggerated, but it is well handled none the less. See this one when you get a chance for sure...especially gaijin living in Tokyo. Link to post Share on other sites
scouser 4 Posted December 25, 2003 Share Posted December 25, 2003 Thanks for that enderzero - I was wondering if it would be Mr Baseball 2 or a decent movie. Will have to see it. Link to post Share on other sites
Willasprink 0 Posted December 28, 2003 Share Posted December 28, 2003 Good movie. I saw it in the US the other week. Especially interesting for people living here. Its not Mr Baseball 2 thank the lord. Link to post Share on other sites
r45 4 Posted January 1, 2004 Share Posted January 1, 2004 I've heard only good things about this one. Link to post Share on other sites
2pints-mate 0 Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 This is a really good flick. Very well made. It makes me want to go to Japan all the more - not long now. Link to post Share on other sites
Plucky 0 Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 Old topic, but I had to drag this up. I just finished watching this movie and I must say I loved it. One of the best movies I have seen in a long, long time. I learned recently that my time left in Japan is probably pretty short (maybe 6 more months). For some reason, watching this movie just got me thinking about how much I'll miss this place. I'm not sure if it was the way it was shot or the melodramatic tone or just the story sort of reflecting on my life right now or what. Anyway, in my opinion, a must see. This is one I'll be buying. Oh, and now I'll have to drag up the 'Thirteen' post in a couple of hours because that is on the slate next Link to post Share on other sites
MistaSparkle 0 Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 Ive heard its scheduled to be released in Japan this spring.... will be interesting to see what the japanese reaction is to the characterization of japanese people in the film. Theres been alot of talk in US media about it pandering to cliched stereotypes, but despite that, I saw it overseas and thought it was great. The japanese couple sitting next to me, on the other hand, didnt seem so amused. I want to see it again here just to see the audience reaction... Link to post Share on other sites
snowboard_freak 0 Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 I saw most of it while in Niseko. I missed some of the start of the movie but still thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd like to sit down and have another watch of it when it is released over here. Link to post Share on other sites
Plucky 0 Posted February 13, 2004 Share Posted February 13, 2004 I agree, there was a lot of stereotyping in the movie. To tell you the truth though, I didn't see much that was off. From a gaijin's, especially an American's point of view (for the purposes of the movie), that is what a lot of us see when we go to Tokyo or get away from our familiar surroundings from where we live in the country (at least for me). I found a lot of the stuff to be spot on, especially the hotel lobby scenes with the workers. With the ski club I'm in, we visit the Royal Hachimantai Hotel all the time during the snow season. The staff there caters to our every need and from my perspective, take it way beyond the limit many times. It's appreciated, but not something I'm used to. I'll film when we arrive and leave the hotel this weekend and we can do a comparison The pantyhose thing cracked me up too. Okay, if you've ever stayed in a capsule hotel and watched the free porn they serve up in there (come on, admit it) you are more in awe than anything. What is with the fetish of the ripping of the pantyhose?? The beginning scene where Murray is doing his first shoot and is going between the director and the interpreter goes a bit far, but it is damn funny! I didn't realize the movie hadn't been released here yet. I doubt it will go over all that great. Maybe not so much because of the stereotypes, but because of the story and it's foreign concept of life crisis. I don't know too much about married Japanese culture, but I doubt it is much like a western style relationship. I could be way off though. I just can't see the Japanese filming this type of movie in say, New York City. Just doesn't seem something they'd go for. Link to post Share on other sites
frannyo 2 Posted February 14, 2004 Share Posted February 14, 2004 Great movie, like you I'd be interested to see what the response is in japan Link to post Share on other sites
enderzero 0 Posted February 14, 2004 Share Posted February 14, 2004 "Lip my stockings!" A Japanese friend recently saw it in America and while she wasn't offended by the exaggerated stereotypes (she actually said it made her miss home more than anything) she also didn't find them funny. She said the movie was slow and boring. I think it is perfectly subtle and beautiful. It will be really interesting to see how the Japanese public responds. I doubt it will be a blockbuster. Good to see it was recognized by the academy though. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 I can't see it being a big success here, not least because it is the characters' despair at being in the alien environment of Tokyo that initially brings them together. A lot of the cultural stuff like being presented with a menu with six virtually identical photos of sliced beef or being constantly referred to as "Mister Bob Harris" will not register with the Japanese viewer. Bill Murray is a very subtle comedian, so a lot of that will also be lost. It's possible that many people will just think "What a nice hotel! Aren't they lucky!" One of the biggest Japanese films of recent years, "Shall We Dance?", also features mid-life crisis, so I don't think that is a problem in itself. It's going back a bit, but Kurosawa's "Ikiru" is a masterpiece about searching for meaning in your life. I think Japanese critics regard it higher than Seven Samurai or Rashomon. Link to post Share on other sites
lin 0 Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 Like the people said, I don't think it will be popular in Japan - or not for the right reasons anyway - but I really enjoyed it. I thought it was very well made. Link to post Share on other sites
KlingKlang 1 Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 Saw it yesterday and really enjoyed it. It reminded me of a lot of my experiences. I like Mr Murray. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted February 21, 2004 Share Posted February 21, 2004 I was reading an issue of Total Film last night (UK mag). Their review of this flick was pretty average, but they said that the "almost racist depiction of the Japanese left a bad taste in the mouth". Hmm, that seems to differ from what people here are saying (and I know who I'd believe more... ) So what's your thoughts on hearing that, people who've seen it? Link to post Share on other sites
MistaSparkle 0 Posted February 21, 2004 Share Posted February 21, 2004 hmmm.... I would say the review, aside from the stereotyping stuff, didn't really pick up on the subtlety of what makes the film so good... The setting in tokyo is just complementary to the main story about the characters. Link to post Share on other sites
LARD 0 Posted February 22, 2004 Share Posted February 22, 2004 I haven't seen the review, but like MS said, they probably just took a quick look and didn'(t give the film the time it deserves. I didn't find it to be even slightly racist Link to post Share on other sites
veronica 2 Posted February 24, 2004 Share Posted February 24, 2004 I thought it was a really well made film, especially probably for us living here. And we're probably more sensitive to any hints of racism if there was any than people not living here. Definitely worth a view. Link to post Share on other sites
bobby12 0 Posted February 24, 2004 Share Posted February 24, 2004 I downloaded it but it turned out to be a japanese porno flick. BONUS! Link to post Share on other sites
xxx 2 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Read a Japanese review of the movie (its out here soon?) yesterday - it wasn't impressed and "disappointed" with racial stereotypes and the portrayal of some of the Japanese characters. What the reviewer said. Link to post Share on other sites
sunrise 0 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 I played in the New York Bar for 2 years, so from that perspective I'll find it interesting..... Link to post Share on other sites
Markie 0 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Quote: Originally posted by sunrise: I played in the New York Bar for 2 years, I didn't know you were a lawyer in N.Y.! Link to post Share on other sites
sunrise 0 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 I guess it slipped my mind to tell you. Link to post Share on other sites
green 0 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Got some J friends who saw it and were not happy with the portrayal of Japanese in it. Link to post Share on other sites
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