Speaking in the honeyed, insinuating tone of the Wolf
cajoling Little Red Riding Hood to do his bidding, the narrator of “The Book
Thief” is none other than Death himself (Roger Allam), although he coyly
refuses to disclose his identity. This irritating know-it-all regularly
interrupts the story of Liesel (Sophie Nélisse), a bright-eyed girl living with
foster parents in a fictional German town during World War II, to comment
obliquely on human nature and mortality.
Allusion of Little Red Riding Hood
and the Big Bad Wolf. Metaphorical introduction comparing Death and the
narrator. The thesis is clear-cut by stating that the narrator was interrupting
the movie and softening Liesel’s
story.
Except for the Nazi flags hanging from every building, the
town, under a glistening blanket of snow, could be the cozy setting for a
holiday greeting card. The pieces of the story, which begins in 1938, are so
neatly arranged that the movie has the narrative flow and comforting familiarity
of a beloved fairy tale.
Entertaining and humorous,
ironically uses cozy and Nazi flags in the same sentence. Love it.
Introduces the setting and point of
view. Compares the movie to a fairytale-like structure.
A contradiction between a veneer of innocence and the
realities of Nazism and the Holocaust is a signature characteristic of “The
Book Thief,” Markus Zusak’s immensely popular young-adult novel, from which the
movie, directed by Brian Percival (“Downton Abbey”), was adapted, with a
screenplay by Michael Petroni (“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the
Dawn Treader”).
Correlating “veneer of innocence”
with a “wolf in a sheep’s clothing”.
Connecting the previous works of the
director and screenplay writer to give a sense of what to expect in this movie.
The years-spanning film, which observes traumatic historical
events through Liesel’s eyes, looks and tastes like a giant sugar cake whose
saccharinity largely camouflages the horrors of the war. Like a caring dentist
reassuring a frightened child, it purveys a message: “Don’t be afraid. I’ll try
not hurt you, although you might feel a little pinch.”
Entertaining use of analogy: “looks
and tastes like a giant sugar cake whose saccharinity largely camouflages the
horrors of the war” and “Don’t be afraid. I’ll try not hurt you, although you
might feel a little pinch.”
Foreshadows a dramatic twist in the
plot?
There’s one scene of Jews wearing yellow stars and being
herded grimly out of the town. There’s another of Nazi officers searching
houses for Jews concealed in cellars. And late in the movie, the town is
leveled by bombs. Although the damage is catastrophic, the bodies laid out on
the street seem untouched, as if the victims were fast asleep and ready for instant
transport to heaven.
Strong example, though unnecessary use
of spoiler. Hinting about a dramatic experience in the previous paragraph, but
then revealing the plot twist ruins the experience and anticipation of the
movie. Instead, the reviewer should have
left it on a climax or compare a different scene (possibly an earlier scene in
the film to foreshadow a dramatic event) to support his statement.
Liesel’s foster father, Hans Hubermann (Geoffrey Rush), is
an impoverished, kindhearted house painter and “good German,” suffering from
deprivation because he never joined the Nazi Party. He plays the accordion, and
even in the darkest moments, its lilt conveys a spirit of bonhomie. His wife,
Rosa (Emily Watson), is a fearful scold when Liesel meets her for the first
time. But a soft heart beats under the surface.
Backstory on the various characters.
Very nicely done, uses analogies and inner motives to emotionally attach the
readers to the characters portrayed in the movie.
The actors play their characters like storybook figures
imagined by a smart, curious child. From character to character, their accents
vary from heavily Germanic to British; the language spoken is English seasoned
with German exclamations.
Inconsistent character accents: good
or bad? Lack of opinion and context.
This paragraph feels awfully out of
place.
Liesel is a little princess whose foster father teaches her
to read after her schoolmates taunt her for illiteracy. After witnessing a
book-burning rally, she borrows, then steals, volumes from the home of the
local burgermeister, whose wife (Barbara Auer) lets her visit her late son’s
personal library. Memorizing what she reads, she distracts fearful Germans huddled
in a bomb shelter with her recitations.
Good use of metaphor “little
princess” pertaining to her innocence.
A short plot summary. Nicely done.
Not too revealing and not too lacking, a perfect middle ground.
Liesel’s best friend and next-door neighbor, Rudy (Nico
Liersch), is a towheaded angel who idolizes Jesse Owens, the track star of the
1936 Berlin Olympics, and is taunted for painting his face black in imitation. When
he is selected by the Nazis for elite military training, he rebels and runs off
with Liesel to a secluded location, where they both shout, “I hate Hitler!”
Liesel’s friend should be introduced
before Liesel’s character description to give the readers a rising suspense
throughout the review.
Highlights an important and
hilarious event in the movie, my attention just jumped.
The Hubermanns risk their lives when they shelter Max (Ben
Schnetzer), the impossibly noble son of a Jewish army buddy who saved Hans’s
life during World War I. There are hints of a possible romantic competition
between Rudy and the older Max for Liesel, whose portrayal by Ms. Nélisse is
appealing but bland.
Suspenseful and emotional event.
The last statement seems random and obtrusive. Why should I care about the romantic competition? Does it have anything to do with your thesis/argument? If so, provide some context.
I can’t imagine that the creators of “The Book Thief” were
aware of their movie’s underlying message that it really wasn’t that bad. John
Williams’s score — a quieter, more somber echo of his music for “Schindler’s
List” — lends the film an unearned patina of solemnity, for “The Book Thief” is
a shameless piece of Oscar-seeking Holocaust kitsch.
Allusion of similar themed
soundtrack compared to Schindler’s List.
Strong and straight to the point concluding
sentence.
Very fluid use of metaphors and
words in the last sentence.
Pros:
Engaging introduction keeps the
readers wanting more.
Effective usage of analogies and
allusions.
Emotional appeals and suspenseful statements
are prevalent.
Cons:
Random and sporadic statements that does not correlate to the thesis statement.
Lacking statements and context to back up arguments.http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/08/movies/the-book-thief-world-war-ii-tale-with-geoffrey-rush.html
