The Artist

Oh The Artist!  What is not to love?  It was full of charm... and it said so much without words.  I thought it would be strange to see a movie without sound, but The Artist captivated me.  George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) was charming and debonair while Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo) was full of spunk.  The comedic timing was excellent.  In one scene, Bejo seems to make Valentin's coat come alive and get very flirtatious.  Both lead roles are very endearing and portrayed with the expressiveness of the old silent films, but are not over done.  The audience is caught between them, because it becomes clear that as Peppy Miller's star is rising, George Valentin's is going out.
I'm sure you would expect sound to be a non-issue in a silent film.  Well, that is where you would be wrong!  The soundtrack emphasized the action and the emotion of the scenes and added yet another level of interest.  (I talked to a friend who said he watched The Artist on an airplane while listening to his own music.  A travesty, I say!)  If you take out the music, you miss a large part of what makes this film work.  It serves it's purpose well, fitting the setting and mood of the plot, without overpowering the action.  Sound effects are used with restraint and are reserved for all the proper moments.  In one incredibly emotional scene, Valentin is bombarded with this new phenomenon- talking pictures, and the sound effects used really add to that scene because they were not over-used anywhere else.
All that being said, one question remains.  Does The Artist deserve its Academy Award for Best Picture?  I believe so.  Will it go down as the best picture of our time?  Probably not.  I also believe it would be foolish for anyone to try to replicate the concept of this film and jump on the silent bandwagon.  This is an amazing achievement that is not likely to be replicated simply because the novelty will have worn off.  I am glad a silent throw-back was done well the first time, because I don't think any followers would have gotten the attention of the powers-that-be like the forerunner would.  Ironically, it amazed the modern viewer in the same way the "talkies" amazed the viewers in the film.

Now it's Victoria's turn!  As to what Katelyn has already said, I have but one word: Ditto!
I adored this film.  I like old films, and I also like modern films that seem like old films.  This one may be the latter, but it feels like the former.  In a silent film, the actors cannot use words and emotional dialogue to bring their characters to life; they are forced to use action and facial expressions.  However, they can easily turn that into something comical and silly if they overdo it or something shallow and unemotional if they under-perform it as well.  Bejo and Dujardin did a fantastic job pulling off their characters and making them into believable people!  As Peppy's career rises, the audience feels happy for her, and as the film progresses, they come to realize that some things mean more to her than fame.  As Valentin's career shatters, the audience suffers and feels the heartbreak and betrayal along with him.
Not only was the acting fabulous, but as Katelyn mentioned above, the music was also phenomenal!  I will certainly be buying the soundtrack!
Overall, this was one fantastic viewing experience.  I agree with Katelyn that it most likely won't make a huge impact on the history of film (after all, it's not like this is something no one has done before), but it was a lovely throwback to the olden days where sound was certainly not taken for granted and where actors had to rely on more than their speech to give a good performance.  I'd suggest it to anyone who thinks they can appreciate the loveliness of this film.  Anyone who thinks a film is no good without sound or color can just go bury their heads as far as I'm concerned.

This is Katelyn again with one last note.  We cannot forget to mention another scene-stealing actor:  Uggie the Jack Russel.  This is one of the very few films where the dog has more lines that the people.  Kudos to his trainers.  They made his actions seem very natural.  He was a performer rather than a trained monkey.  The dog person in me was immediately won over.  So if you hate black and white and silent movies, but love seeing dogs who love their jobs and are treated with dignity, give The Artist a shot.  If there was an Oscar for the best Canine Actor, I am sure Uggie would have won it hands... er... paws down.