Sometimes When You Sleep I'm Touched

(review of Lost in Translation, the film and soundtrack)

For months, people have been telling me to go and see "Lost in Translation." I kept meaning to do it, but I didn't. Now, it's out on DVD, so I just went and bought it. Just watched it. Bill Murray's character is the culmination of every role he's ever played. He has NEVER been so dry and witty as he is in this film. Scarlett Johansson is no longer the cute restless girl she played in "Ghost World," she's very good at playing a troubled young woman. She's become a seriously talented actress.

In our modern times of fast-paced action and distraction, many people have tired of films that are heavy on dialogue. Fuck them. A film shouldn't need to rely on computer animations and martial arts to be entertaining and worthwhile. "Lost in Translation" brings to mind Richard Linklater's film "Before Sunrise." A man and a woman are caught in a situation where they don't know anyone, they keep finding themselves in the company of each other, and through much dialogue, they grow on each other.

Like any other film heavy on dialogue, this film also features many scenes of quiet contemplation and scenery. This is where the soundtrack comes in. First of all, I'd like to say it's about time a film-maker decided to use music from Kevin Shields and My Bloody Valentine so prominently in a soundtrack. It couldn't be any more appropriate. The rest of the soundtrack features AIR, Squarepusher, and Roxy Music, and oddly most of this music reminds one of My Bloody Valentine. I think a soundtrack is just as important to a film as everything else involved. You could have the best script and actors ever, but it wouldn't matter if the music was wrong. Example: "Trainspotting" would not be "Trainspotting" without the techno. "High Fidelity" would not be "High Fidelity" without the obscure pop, rock, and garage. "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "The Pink Panther" would not be what they are without Henry Mancini (and "Moon River").

In conclusion, go to Netflix, put "Lost in Translation" at the top of your queue. Stop by Media Play on the way home from work, steal it from Blockbuster, I don't care what you have to do, see this film.