Grade: B++
It has been way too long since I've done a movie review. Shame on me. It's not like there haven't been worthy movies in the past months. There has. Saving Mr Banks, Philomena and About Time come quickly to mind. But since I missed the boat on those, I don't want to miss out on recommending The Monuments Men.
I loved this movie. This is kind of a older style of a movie making. It focuses on telling a great story like movies used to do in the 30's and 40's. There were some elements that maybe missed the mark of great film-making, but sometimes the story is all that matters.
George Clooney plays Frank Stokes who leads a band of unlikely solders…museum curators, art historians, sculptors, architects, into France, Belgium, Germany after D-Day to search out and find the art stolen by the Nazi's during WWII. And for the first time in our warring history…"to the victors go the spoils" did not apply. The goal was to restore the art to the rightful owners. Unheard of at the time.
I thought the actors did good jobs with their characters…George does come off a little too "George" if you know what I mean…BUT it is the beauty of the art that steals this movie. It is unimaginable the vast caverns of paintings and statues that were taken from homes and museums across Europe. Not to mention the art destroyed through ignorance and stupidity.
Go see this movie. I promise you will enjoy and appreciate it.
Have some popcorn for me.
