Weep not for the embedded trailer I was going to use to discuss Monuments Men which vanished moments before I hit "publish". Trailers are not works of art we must protect from the Nazis so it's okay if they regularly get yanked or are seen in non-embeddable ways. They are but commercials for movies that we hope are works of art themselves. If you'd like to see the trailer to George Clooney's latest Oscar missile, click here.
I keep meaning to read the bestseller this film is based on but it basically about a group of older men on a special war time mission. They make like thieving soldiers to steal art from the Nazis before its destroyed.
YES
- Run, Jean Dujardin, run!
- Shoot Nazis, Bob Balaban, shoot 'em! [more...]
- Any movie that finds fun things for those two to do and still has room for John Goodman, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray AND two of the most famous movie stars on the planet might be worth being curious about.
- George Clooney has great taste as a director/producer/actor/writer so his films are usually safe bets for your entertainment dollar.
- It's an unusual angle for a tire overworked genre (The War Film, WW II division) that needs unusual angles in the worst way.
- "he really wanted it all" is a nice stickie moment with the lights going on in cavernous warehouse
NO
- That set-up at trailer's opening feels a little pandering, no? 'I shall tell you of this thing called plot'
- In one minute and 37 seconds it seems only kind of okay. Is it because that last joke about the landmine isn't particularly funny?
- When I saw Cate Blanchett in this setting I immediately thought The Good German, and that is not a Happy Thought Place! (not Cate's fault since she was good in that, I quickly add to prevent the wrath of Rabid Blanchettites from descending again)
Matty: How many men?
George: Six
Matty: Jesus
George: Well, with you it's seven. OCEANS SEVEN."
MAYBE SO
- I'm only counting six men (MD, GC, JD, JG, BM, BB) not seven. Who is number seven? Is that the Earl of Grantham himself?
- The plot might be a distant cousin to Inglorious Basterds but with paintings and sculpture instead of the cinema as its ignitable artistic spark. Though I doubt Clooney will really make use of the art in the thrilling way that Tarantino made use of the cinema. My guess is this is a nobler altruistic version of Oceans 11 in which people are trying to preserve culture instead of get rich at an enemy's expense.
- John Goodman can really lay the ham down if director's don't reign him in. And Matt Damon and George Clooney can overdue the 'aren't we charming?' cockiness if they're not careful.
- Does Cate really just play the Supportive Girl who Inspires Her Man. In trailer form this is the Freida Pinto to Henry Cavill role in Immortals (oh god. let us never speak of that again). It's hard for women to find good roles in WW II films unless the writer is as clever as Quentin Tarantino.
- Clooney has directed four movies and they're all pretty good but only one of them flirts with greatness (Good Night, and Good Luck.)
- Why does Bill Murray never speak in the trailer? omg does this mean he's playing a mute! If so, we must become vocal about him on the Supporting Actor Chart asap.
I'm a Maybe So for now. You?