Lost in Translation

This sublimely personal, remarkably fine-tuned second feature from writer-director Sofia Coppola (The Virgin Suicides) is an esoteric yet emotionally intimate portrayal of a bond that blossoms between two reluctant tourists--disparate Americans who are spiritually adrift and surrounded by the unfamiliar culture and capricious chaos of Tokyo. Comprised of a series of evocative connections and captured moments in their transitory but treasured friendship, the film is driven by exceptional performances and unique chemistry between the pensive, sadly beautiful Scarlett Johansson (Ghost World) as an unhappy young newlywed, and the unexpectedly vulnerable, empathetic middle-aged Bill Murray as a weary, fading Hollywood star. Mutual ennui and insomnia (they first meet late at night in their swanky hotel's lounge) lead to a platonic romance of wonderfully, strangely life-affirming melancholy as Coppola taps into her characters so deeply that at times it feels as if they're whispering in our ears. Extraordinary in its lovely and lyrical simplicity, Coppola's seemingly effortless, flawlessly fluid command of the film's moods and unspoken emotions is pure cinematic bliss. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. [Note: Available in either a widescreen or full screen version, DVD extras include the 30-minute “Lost on Location” behind-the-scenes featurette, five deleted scenes, an October 2003 “Conversation with Bill Murray and Sofia Coppola,” the five-minute “Matthew's Best TV” Japanese show segment, the music video “City Girl” by Kevin Shields, and a trailer. Bottom line: no director's commentary from the Golden Globe-winning Coppola? Still, a decent extras package for one of 2003's most highly acclaimed films.](R. Blackwelder)[Blu-ray Review—Jan 18, 2011—Focus, 102 min., R, $26.98—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 2003's Lost in Translation sports a great transfer and a 5.1 DTS-HD soundtrack. Blu-ray extras are almost identical to the previous DVD release, including the “Lost on Location” behind-the-scenes featurette (30 min.), deleted scenes (11 min.), an October 2003 “Conversation with Bill Murray and Sofia Coppola” (10 min.), the “Matthew's Best TV” Japanese show segment (5 min.), the music video “City Girl” by Kevin Shields, and a trailer. New to this release is “On the Set of Sofia Coppola's Somewhere” (4 min.), a trailer for “Somewhere,” and the BD-Live function. Bottom line: Coppola's breakthrough film makes a winning Blu-ray debut.]