The Monuments Men (2014)

Is it the greatest movie? No. But a movie about the passion to save priceless items strikes a spot in my heart. Watch it because you want to be the one who would preserve human history :)

I was very surprised by the low ratings (6.1 at the time of writing this review). Also the user reviews were mostly negative or neutral at best. Is it because most viewers were expecting yet another action movie, something similar to the mindless Inglourious Basterds? The Basterds were rated 8.3, yet they contained hardly any thought other than "kill those bastards". The Monuments Men are very different. The movie goes much deeper. It is much more authentic. It is much more fun to watch. If your are really into action movies, you may want to skip The Monuments Men. For this movie was not made to brainwash you with visual effects and senseless violence. It was made to give you a food for thought, and a fresh perspective.

A few selected men, picked for their knowledge in different areas of art, form a special unit that will try to rescue the art presently being looted by the Nazis all over Germany.As I said in the title, I found the movie both funny and depressing. But I could add to that, that it is interesting. It is based on real events. Although I get that many scenes and events had to be altered for dramatic effect, it doesn't change that the fact that many of the described pieces were in fact stolen and recovered. Not by a handful men as in the movie, but by a designated unit.The depressing part is that, as the movie shows, many pieces of art were lost and are still missing, their fates sometimes unknown. For example the Amber Room, which is still searched for. But perhaps the most depressing was a scene were the men find a barrel full of teeth gold. However depressing, this needs to be remembered.But with a cast that contain known actors with a comedian flair like Clooney, Murray and Goodman. And supported by accomplished actors like Damon, Balaban and Blanchett there is not much to want for in the acting department. And there are a few gems, a few scenes with a distinct comic touch to lighten up the mood.In all it was a very likable movie. A very different war movie. Some, but not much action, so if you expect grand battles, explosions and heroism under enemy fire, you will get disappointed. However, if you expect heroism of another kind, and a Little food for thought as well as Entertainment, this might be for you.7/10

I read IMDb reviews all the time and have never created a log in or written a review until I felt that this movie needed some input.Yes, I know that this movie was the short, short version of the much more amazing true story of the people who brought their expertise to bear to save our history and put their lives on the line for it. But if it takes George Clooney and Matt Damon to shine a light on this deserving story for the younger generation, so be it.I am an educator and a history buff, but have you spoken to a local middle school or high school student recently? Have you asked them what they know about World War II? They know very little and they have a hard time figuring out why events that happened 70-80 years ago have anything to do with them or their world. Yes, I am reading the book, and I want all the historical detail I can get my hands on. I loved the documentary "The Rape of Europa" which is also a more in depth story. But I will show this short, funny version to young students if that's what to takes to get them to think about it, even a little. It is a great starting point for many of the difficult topics like the Holocaust and military occupation without being too intense or distressing. For educators and students, there is a lot of swearing in the movie, but the language is very PG rated, especially compared to many other war movies out there.