Lost in Translation (First Post)

Wandering

Last night, in order to sleep (and cure my haphazard sleeping habits) I decided to watch a movie that I could possibly fall asleep to. Sofia Coppla's Lost in Translation had been a perfect option, considering it was slow-paced and didn't require my full attention. Sofia Coppla is actually one of my favourite directors, that being said, I've seen every production she's involved in to date (even her minor role in the Godfather). Sofia's style of directing is rather unique; she touches on difficult, sensitive subjects and themes which can be unsettling to the viewers. In her movies, Coppla has a tendency to showcase characters that feel slightly or immensely disjointed from the world around them, hence they are faced with inner-demons and are often battling it out to have a right state of mind. Coppla's characters eventually resolve their issues in their own way, i.e. suicide (The Virgin Suicides 1999), or letting go of something sentimental (Somewhere 2010).

Lost in Translation centres two characters: an aging, famous, American actor, Bob Harris and a young college student graduate, Charlotte, who find themselves stuck in the colourful and lively Tokyo, Japan. The instant cultural shock of Japan sends the two characters in awkward situations that adds to their own inner turmoil; a notable scene where Bob Harris is filming a commercial in a Japanese studio: In this scene the director provides lengthy directions to Bob Harris in Japanese, which are briefly followed by inept translations by the English translator. The two character eventually encounter each other and develop a strong friendship, since sharing the same predicament of being culturally shocked and isolated. Through their adventures around Tokyo, they both begin to fill the empty void in their lives, along with finding a purpose to continue on living and hopeful for the future.

University to me, is similarly like 'Tokyo' in Lost in Translation; in the sense that I have entered uncharted territory, surrounded by a sea of people and constantly encountering different individuals. Because of the unfamiliarity of University, I'm finding it difficult to mingle and socialise with other people, hence I'm always feeling incredibly out of place. New Communication Technology, unlike my other courses, seems like an interesting class, very up my alley, since blogging is something I truly enjoy! Needless to say, I can finally whine down and relax.

Note: My writing is incredibly rusty (due to the holidays), so I apologise if there are a few grammatical errors.