Bläeckfisk is the Swedish translation for the word octopus. I am not Swedish, but I do own a lot of furniture from Sweden and I like octopuses while admiring their multi-tasking ability. I would like to travel to Sweden at some point, plus I think it is a pretty cool looking word. Anyhow, speaking of words, I guess you could say that is why we are here. Words are the foundation for way we try to wrap our thoughts around everything in the galaxy. The tendrils that lead to emotions and curiosity. I am not here to solve the mysteries of the universe, just to discuss words in general. Specifically words written by other people and have been printed off and slapped between two slices of thin card stock. Many of these sandwiches go on to bigger and better things, some bigger and better than others. So, I guess we will be talking about those as well. If you share an interest in words or enjoi seeing what they can look like in action....välkommen! (Swedish for welcome.)

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

F31: Monuments Men-Directed by George Clooney

"Let's get outta here."

I really wanted to love this movie, but it stunk. With a sterling cast including Matt Damon, John Goodman, George Clooney and Bill Murray, I had really high expectations for this film and it was a major disappointment. Historical drama is just about my favorite genre of film and this one plotted around the Nazi ransacking of Europe's most famous art treasures had the promise of being memorable. Memorable it was not. It had the feel of watching a M*A*S*H marathon, complete with a score that was abhorrently annoying. This biggest problem with Monuments of Men was that it lacked the gravity of what a picture on such a topic should have embraced. It was too fatuous, too disjointed and poorly edited.  It was a collection of scenes loosely stitched together, set in entirely in different keys. Drama? Comedy? Thriller? Character study? Bollocks. 

Frank Stokes (Clooney) assembles a team of art enthusiasts to tromp around Nazi Germany in an attempt to reclaim over 1,000 years of high jacked culture. The biggest prize being the Madonna and Child statue of Bruges sculpted by Michelangelo. Our team of heroes bumble around unearthing caches of paintings and do everything they can to restore rightful ownership. With the war coming to a close and news of Hitler's Nero Decree to burn everything looming, the treasure hunt becomes a race against time. About the only positive thing that I can say about this film was how it made you think of how demonically unstable Hitler really must have been. Here is someone who loved painting and truly enjoyed an affinity for art, only to become hell bent on eradicating many of the world's greatest artistic treasures. Outside of that thought, stay away from this movie. Don't even bother renting it.  Enjoy the trailer posted below and the unfulfilled promise of what could have been a great movie. C'mon Clooney, you are better than that. 

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CreneTs7sGs

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