Reel Reviews

The Book Thief -- This may be the first movie about Nazi Germany to ever capture so clearly the sense of how medieval the place, time, and frame of mind was. Though the story, and the film's interpretation thereof, are set in the Germany of the '30s and '40s, the feeling that comes through when watching this film is of a place and time--and, perhaps, a culture and an ideology--from at least two centuries before then. Within that context the movie presents a lovely story that manages to avoid being a downer despite the grief and horror that surrounds young Liesl's life. (Big kudos to young Sophie Nélisse, who shines in the role of Liesl.) It can be a little heavy at times, but this picture delivers a moving experience and deserves your attention.