Film Preview: The Book Thief (2013)

Poster

Trailer Link

Release Date:

November 15, 2013

Synopsis:

From IMDb: “While subjected to the horrors of WWII Germany, young Liesel finds solace by stealing books and sharing them with others. Under the stairs in her home, a Jewish refuge is being sheltered by her adoptive parents.”

Poster: C / B+

Review: Both designs are relatively similar in terms of palette. However, the first design focuses on the film’s central character and her bookish nature. It also establishes an era of history that might be picked up on by those familiar with it. The second design uses better imagery to convey the film’s themes and significantly improves the potential that audiences will be intrigued by the film’s potential.

Trailer: B+

Review: Geoffrey Rush has had an uneven track record with quality films and as good as this film looks, there’s a nagging at the back of my mind that suggests it’s probably too good to be true. Still, a strong performance by a young actress seems certain from this trailer.

Oscar Prospects:

(Old: The Academy loves its Nazi Germany-related features, specifically those which document the struggles Jews went through escaping persecution. Whether the film is any good or not, a strong marketing campaign could easily propel it into contention, especially with Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush and Oscar nominee Emily Watson on board.)

New: As popular as the Holocaust subgenre of war films is with the Academy, nothing can overcome a film that no one is talking about. Could the lack of conversation mean the film isn’t very good or is that the people marketing the film didn’t know what they had? Either way, the film seems to have arrived at theaters with no prospects of Oscar success. Things could change in the next couple of months, but I wouldn’t count on it.