Flawless. That’s the reaction I had last year, when I saw Argo. Although it would be up against “big” films like Lincoln, I felt it should get the Academy Award for Best Picture…and I was right. As good as the other contenders were, they all had flaws.
Today, I saw The Book Thief and I had the same
reaction. Director Brian Percival’s work
is flawless, with an excellent screenplay by Writer Michael Petroni, based on
Markus Zusak’s wonderful novel, Michael Ballhaus’s superb Cinematography, Simon
Elliot’s extraordinary Production Design, John Wilson’s perfect Editing and
amazing acting by Sophie Nélisse in the lead role as Liesel, Geoffrey Rush and
Emily Watson as her foster parents Hans and Rosa, Nico Liersch as her young
boyfriend Rudy Steiner and Ben Schnetzer as the Jewish refugee, Max.
I’m sure there will be other fabulous films opening over
the Holidays, but this is the one they will have to beat for the major Awards.
The story is about Hitler’s horrendously repressive regime
that tried to destroy words through the burning of books and the young girl,
who, not only literally stole them back, but created her own words that
outlived the fundamentalist vermin.
It’s a noble, heartwarming and uplifting film on the nobility
of the human spirit and should be seen by young and old alike.
I give The Book Thief a well-deserved 5 out
of 5.
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