Movie Adaptations: The Book Thief

**LEAVE IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK THIEF AND SEEN THE MOVIE

So, I just watched this movie.

So, I made a little pre-watching-movie review: http://bookahooligans.blogspot.com/2014/06/before-viewing-book-thief-movie.html
In the review, I talked about some things I wanted to see in the movie, and my general expectations for the film. I wasn't expecting much. I was let down.

The movie definitely changed some parts of the book. Some of the changes were good. Like Death didn't spoil you that Rudy was going to die halfway through in the movie. There was more closure, but I live by the books, so any of the added closure in the movies, I just regard as fantasies.
But let's just talk about what they changed, because I can come up with infinitely many things:

• Max didn't write any books for Liesel. He only gave her a book with blank pages. None of his cute little stories like the one with the bird or The Word Shaker. I wanted a cute little animation of his books on the screen, just like they did in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and there was nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. I was immensely, IMMENSELY let down.
• Also, the movie didn't go into too much detail about Rudy's experience as a soldier or Hans's life. That was fine. I let that one slide, because I imagine that if I were helping to produce this movie, that would be one of the first things I cut. Those chapters bored me the most as well, so it wasn't much of a loss. I just think it would make it harder for people who have only seen the movie to understand everything, but the movie was still comprehensible without it.
• This one bugs me: the part where Liesel found Max in the "parade" was modified. She was searching for Max in the parade, but she never found him and they never exchanged their little words to each other.
• The Nazi that came into their house to inspect the basement felt like a really nice guy in the book. He acted nice, he was kind and caring towards Liesel, and I feel like this movie really antagonized him.
• When Rudy died, I was a million times more infuriated than sad. I didn't like this book much, but I still think that it's important for a movie to stay true to it. But Rudy got to say his last words to Liesel, which RUINED MY ENTIRE MOVIE WATCHING EXPERIENCE. NO!!! He was dead before, and in this alternate reality he gets to tell Liesel that he loves her? NO!!! I OBJECT!!!! I OBJECT!!!!
• And . . . . mmmmm. Right now I am punching the keyboard as I type and I'm seething. Because WOW. This . . .. .....   ,. . . ,.hbsdfyum70. Ahem . . ..In the book, Liesel only stole a few books. But in this movie, she only stole 3. In fact, she only received The Grave Digger's Handbook, a diary, The Dream Carrier, and The Invisible Man. Most of her complex relationship with the mayor's wife was excluded. That annoyed me eme eemmhsdhfs7 9yfe79mf y7s
• And Max never boxed Hitler.
• And Rudy's lemon hair was only added near the end. "Ah crap, guys. I just picked up this book and it turns out that Rudy has lemon hair. We should probably edit that in."

This movie didn't completely fail, though.

• Rosa was spot on, maybe better. I loved her character, she was the best part of the movie.
• The scene where Liesel punched someone in the face: fantastic.
• The Christmas scene: loved it.
• The scene where Mama stormed into Liesel's classroom: perfection.
• Jesse Owens scene: I'm just glad that was included.

The movie made me so mad after I finished watching it. The first 2/3 was good. The ending completely ruined everything for me. Nope. Hated HATED the movie.