Posted on 11/08/2013 3:08:30 AM PST by afraidfortherepublic
It was movie night for President George H.W. and Barbara Bush recently when they packed the Edwards Marq*E Stadium 23 & IMAX with 300 friends and family members for a special screening of “The Book Thief.”
“The Book Thief,”which opens in theaters Friday, is based on a best-selling novel by Markus Zusak and tells the story of Liesel (played by Sophie Nelisse), a young girl who is sent to live with a foster family in Germany during World War II. Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson play the foster parents, Hans and Rosa Huberman. As Liesel learns to read, she also learns to adapt to a new family, school and environment. In time, words and books both empower Liesel and help her to cope with the ravages of war, especially when the family hides a Jewish refugee in their home.
“I would have loved this incredible film under any circumstance, but the fact that one of the key plot lines involved a caring adult teaching a precious child to read — well, that was the icing on the cake,” said Barbara Bush. “What a painful, tender and ultimately rewarding story so very well told by all involved.”
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.chron.com ...
“but the fact that one of the key plot lines involved a caring adult teaching a precious child to read”
People taking credit and being applauded for something they
should be doing anyway. Well whopty do. Leave it to the
mother of the New World order to try and vindicate herself
by fainting compassion.
Michael Huffington was probably invited because of his dad.
A powerful book. I’m thrilled they have turned it into a movie.
I had never heard of the book, but the previews I’ve recently seen on TV look really good. Hopefully a FReeper who has seen the movie will post a review here...
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/entertainment2/57180452-223/book-movie-thief-hans.html.csp
Trying to soft-pedal the Third Reich for a young-adult audience is a fool’s errand, and the drama "The Book Thief" only intermittently finds moments of hope in a dark period of human history.
http://www.ny1.com/content/lifestyles/movie_reviews/199117/ny1-movie-review-—the-book-thief-
Neil Rosen's Big Apple Rating: 3.5 Apples
http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/movies/2013/11/21/film-adaptation-the-book-thief-tasteful-dull-wwii-tale/ZU7hMZhEBnOV1p2SPGIeYN/story.html
‘Book Thief’ is tasteful but dull
I saw The Book Thief last night, and I cannot get it out of my mind. Especially the young actress in the lead role — Sophie Nelisse. She is remarkable and reminds me of a young Judy Garland in many ways. She has that wide-eyed, innocent stare that Judy displayed in the Wizard of Oz.
The story is sad and uplifting at the same time. I do believe that it is the first movie I have ever seen that chronicled the lives of the ordinary German people during WWII, besides Schindler’s List. In some ways, I thought it was too soft on them.
But, the tender interactions between Liesel’s foster parents and Liesel during the strife of WWII was charming and made the terror of the bombing raids and German patrols bearable.
It is VERY WELL DONE and worth seeing. In fact, I’ll see it again when it comes to our local “bargain” cinema.
I should add that I noticed a glimmer of Obama worship during the Nazi rally scenes and the devotion of the townspeople to “Der Fuhrer”. That was unsettling.
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