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The Monuments Men



I wanted to like this movie that was acted/directed/script written and produced by George Clooney...a 2014 production, telling the real tale of a group of U.S. service men seeking to recover stolen art, gold and valuables taken by the Nazis during WWII.

I should have liked this film. It's a period piece, has great sets and art direction and has an interesting premise based on historical events. To that mix add in, two first class actors George Clooney and Cate Blanchett. This movie should have scored big.

It didn't...it fell short of connecting with me in any emotional way. It neither showed the inner lives of these men, nor did it create excitement with the hunt for priceless stolen art.

Instead it relied on too many vignette sub-stories that might have been interesting had they been fleshed out more. Cate Blanchett's story line was the most intriguing but there wasn't enough of it. As usual Matt Damon was stoic. The movie attempts humor that comes off as forced and silly.

A MoFo'er said this movie had 'strange annoying tonal shifts'. He was right! The interior scenes are nicely lightened with warm gold colors and shadowing. BUT when the scenes go to an exterior shot, they are over bright with a white-blue light that looks like something shot in the 1970s on video tape. I wonder if Clooney intended that look? It's almost like they forgot to post production the color and exposure on the exteriors.