Sunday, January 19, 2014

Movie reviews; Anchorman 2 and The Book Thief. SPOILER ALERT!

I've been getting to the flicks a bit more recently for some reason. I mean, I spent the last 5 years living in a haze of sleep deprivation and borderline insanity, so I suppose it stands to reason that now that I'm coming out the other side I'm re-engaging with POPULAR CULTURE.

Anyway over Christmas I went to see Anchorman 2 with my Dad and brother.  Then last week I went to see The Book Thief. Herein lies my reviews of the two movies, for your delectation.

WARNING: INCLUDES SPOILERS. ALSO MAY BE UNINTELLIGABLE.

Anchorman 2

From the moment the movie began, with sweeping shots over the mountains and music reverberating through the hillside, I knew it was a winner.  It's been a long time since I felt so emotional about a film, but Anchorman 2 moved me in ways I never thought possible. I laughed, I cried, I reprimanded the young man behind me for kicking my chair.

In the sequel to beloved epic drama "Anchorman", Will Ferrel reprises his role as romantic hero Ron Burgandy, along with his cohorts Steve Carrell, that blonde piece from Married with Children, and some other people too.

I was a bit worried that this movie wouldn't live up to expectations, what with the original Anchorman being my favourite movie an' all, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Who could fail to be moved to tears as Ron and his beloved Veronica struggle through marital woes? What cold hearted monster wouldn't be stirred by the tumultuous storyline, as Ron battles against the thing that he battles against and Veronica, you know, something something? When mentally challenged weather man Brick (Steve Carrel) fought valiantly against technology and lost his legs in the process, I wept with him, great tears of anger and sorrow.

This movie is surely a fable of our times. Not since "Gone with the Wind" has a movie so captured the spirit of an age.

My favourite moments included that part when the guys say "You made Brick cry!" and then Brick cries all emotional and spazzy-like on the couch and that, the part at the beginning when Ron says "I'm laughing like a ventriloquist dummy!", and of course the epic and historical battle of the news teams, which in my mind can be likened to such famous scenes as that bit in Ben Hur when the chariot race happens, and that part when Indiana Jones is totally running for his life from that big rolling ball thing.

I give it eleventy out of ten. And no, I don't care that it isn't a real score.

The Book Thief

How good was this movie?! Talk about upbeat! I laughed til I cried.

It's the story of feisty young orphan Liesel, living in Nazi Germany (wasn't that regime a barrel of laughs!), who is adopted by a warm hearted couple after her younger brother dies on the train journey being made by her mother as she goes to give up her children. HYSTERICAL, RIGHT!? Liesel gets up to all sorts of crazy hijinks including, you guessed it, pinching books! She even nicks one from a burning pile of, um, well, books!

Liesel's adopted family spend the war hiding a young Jewish man (Max), and he and Liesel forge a close bond as he lives in the house's basement. That is, until circumstances force the young man to LEAVE FOREVER. CHEERY RIGHT!?

Even though her beloved Max leaves, Liesel begins to feel at home, and begins to love her new parents, and her new neighbourhood friend Rudy.

THAT IS UNTIL THE WHOLE LOT OF THEM ARE KILLED IN A BOMB BLAST NEAR THE END OF THE MOVIE! I KNOW! FUNNIEST THING EVER!

The movie ends with Liesel DYING! You heard me right!

If you are looking for a lighthearted romp through history, then look no further than this laugh-a-minute comedy. YOU WON'T REGRET IT!

I give it one million out of ten.

THE END

PS. In weird blogging news I seem to be being flooded with new Facebook likers, whom I suspect may be Spambots. LEAVE ME ALONE SPAMBOTS! WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME? I HAVE NOTHING! NOTHING I TELL YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



17 comments:

  1. I've seen The Book Thief all over the interwebs in the last week or so and have wondered if I should buy the book/see the movie. After reading your (very funny) review, I think I will pass. Sounds far too comical for my liking. If by comical we mean depressing, which I'm fairly sure we do. As for the spambots...I had a similar experience last year, which was very strange. I ended up blocking one of them and the whole thing stopped.

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    1. Ok I am going to block the shizz out of them!
      Anyway re: Book Thief, I actually REALLY loved it, but by God it was tragic. TRAGIC I TELL YOU!

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  2. I really want to read and see The Book Thief…I will probably get around to doing both of those things in oh, I don't know, five years time?
    So I will share my thoughts with you in 2019.

    I loved Anchorman and I suspect I would like Anchorman 2 too.
    I really love Zoolander…was there ever a Zoolander 2?
    You can see I am a bit out of touch with pop culture.

    Did you hear there is another heat wave coming?
    Hold on to your hat.
    And get your air con installed now!

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    1. Anchorman 2 was high-larious! Naturally not a patch on the original but I still larfed. Also Book Thief was fantastic too...I had thought I had read the book but I seem to have forgotten the tragedy of it all, leaving me wondering if I just dreamed that I read it. NO! DON'T TELL ME THERE IS ANOTHER HEATWAVE! I only hope it is at its hottest when I am at work in aircon.

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  3. ooh yes !! Anchorman 2 was even better than the first one. I love Brick so much and his panic that he had lost his legs.

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    1. Brick is just like, I don't know, the 21st century's answer to Bogart! Dreamy!

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  4. I loved, loved, loved the Book Thief. Turns out I just needed a good cry!

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    1. I actually really loved it too but the TRAGEDY! GAWWWD!

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  5. I know I need some Ron Burgandy in my life. That is what is missing right now ;-)
    Memo to the ABC: Sack that callow inexperienced pair David and Margaret and give Slapdash a go.

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    1. I know I am STILL wondering when my talents will be discovered!!!!

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  6. Thank you for this! People warned me off The Anchorman 2, saying it was disappointing compared to the original! But that won't stop me any more. I can't bring myself to watch the Book Thief. Am too fragile at present. Sorry I missed you the other night- hope we can make up for it soon x

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    1. I am bummed I missed you guys too. Don't watch the Book Thief if fragile...definitely DO NOT! xxx

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  7. I've not been to the movies for about 10 years but I do want to see The Book Thief. Guess one reason is my hubby and I lived through WW2 (he in the thick of it in England and then 2 years in the army in occupied Germany, and me here in W.A.) I know it will be a sad story but did you really have to say that Liesel dies in the end.....I guess was to be expected as she would probably be a good age but really, you shouldn't give away the end like that. Tch tch!!

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    1. Mimsie! That's why I wrote SPOILER ALERT in the title of the post, in capital letters! Because I was alerting readers to the fact that I was about to SPOIL THE ENDING!. As you do. Anyway I don't think it really ruins it because it isn't the way you might think anyway.

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  8. The Book Thief is on my Top 5 favourite reads. But I couldn't see the movie, nor read the book again. I cried too much. As you say, too tragic. I did like how Zusak had death narrate the novel. Was Death's voice heard in the movie?

    What is it with tragic movies at the moment? There's The Railwayman, and Book Thief. Think I might have to end my holidays with The Anchorman. Go out on a laugh, before hitting the chalk face again.

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    1. Absolutely bleak. And yes, Death narrates the movie too...voice is Roger Allam, he is really good. Definitely go and see Anchorman! So stupid but so enjoyable!

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  9. Mmmm you sure do a good review lovely! I've only seen kid's movies recently :( I want to get my Hobbit on though, love me a good NZ-filmed fantasy movie :)

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Vent your spleen! You know you want to.

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