Skip to main content

The Artist Review

In 1929, the world of movies was about to change forever thanks to a man that couldn't sing and couldn't act in a movie called The Jazz Singer.  This film ushered in the era of the talkie, the voice, and movies haven't been the same since.  But there were those who felt it would fail, and that silent films still would rule the silver screen. And so enters our story of The Artist, a man who came at the wrong place at the wrong time, with pride that would have shamed Barry Bonds at his most steroided self.  The film follows George Valentin, a silent movie star is at the top of his game, but one meeting with a girl changes everything.  In life this is true, and as The Artist entails, it never really is good.  Her name is Peppy Miller, and she dazzles with her beauty and acting.  She gets noticed through a picture taken  with Valentin after the opening of his film. She stumbles forward to pick up her wallet, and stumbles into him.  As they say, there is no coincidence, and this was exactly the case.  They meet in a film, and we can see the changing of the guard is about to enfold.  Then the talkies arrive. Valentin begins to disappear, but  Peppy begins her road to being  a major success, the world loving her every move, while Valentin sits in the background, refusing to believe silent films are dead.  As Peppy's career begins to build, he falls so far as to commit suicide, and fails thanks to his dog who saves the day.  In the end, Peppy saves him from himself, and gives him one more chance where they both shine.  The film resembles Singin' in the Rain, or All About Eve, but does it in a way that modern audiences don't expect it, the way the movies were before the talkies. Silent. You may be thinking the silence would detract from the overall presence of the film , but in fact, it draws us in, the music leading us through the lives of these characters.   Michel Hazanavicius creates one of the most magical films in this decade, creating a story that is charming, beautiful, and heart warming.  The Artist is a triumph in modern film, creating a beautiful and memorable story without vulgarity recklessness. It has my vote for Best Picture. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Skyfall Review

Daniel Craig. Javier Bardem.  Judi Dench.  Ralph Fiennes. Sam Mendes.  Roger Deakins.  Thomas Newman. All modern legends in their own right in the filmmaking industry.  You would think their new film, yeah not any film, a Bond film, would blow you away, wouldn't you?  Not today, not today. Skyfall was a film that had so much promise. So much.  And yet, it took a step back following in the footsteps of Quantum of Solace. Skyfall follows Bond as he is to retrieve a drive that contains all agents hidden in terrorist organizations across the world.  He can't find it and the chase pursues.  It ends on a train, where M orders an agent to shoot a man Bond is fighting.  She shoots, and hits Bond.  The rest of the film follows M16 and M, limping out with out Bond, hoping to stay afloat.  But things get worse and worse, and low and behold, Bond comes back to save the day, and does, with a story that well, isn't Bond like at all really ( even less enticing than Q

The Tree of Life

Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life is a hugely ambitious picture that not only deals with a family’s life here on earth, but the creation of our own and the beiiefs, religious or secular,   we grasp as the clear and definite truth.   The scope of Malick’s film is transcendental to our culture. ·       The film begins a child’s death and a family’s struggle to grasp this grievous concept.   We see them look back at life and how their relationships with one another has grown or decreased over the years.   The family is upheld by two parents.   The mother represents Grace, the kind and loving side of life, while the father represents Nature, the mentality that you must get ahead and do whatever you can to survive in this dog eat dog world of ours.   We see the children having to decide what side of life they want.   The main character, Jack, struggles with these natures.   He does not know which one to take hold of.   The film jumps from his childhood to present times, where

The Hobbit Review

"True courage is not knowing when to take a life, but when to spare one", Gandalf quietly says to Bilbo Baggins as he hands him Bilbo's first sword in Peter Jackson's return to Middle Earth. The movie is The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.    I really had no expectation for the film or any real vigor to go and see it, but as a fan and student of films why not go see the latest from arguably one of the best directors in the modern era.    After all the hype, the changing of directors, and extensive waiting period, Peter Jackson delivers a fun, thrilling, beautiful, and CGI happy return to New Zealand, I mean, Middle Earth.   The story is previous to the LOTR trilogy, so if you want to go see this movie and haven't seen any of those, you in all probability will be lost.    It begins explaining how the dwarf city of Erebor was lost to a dragon, and how the dwarves have been looking for a home since. We then go and follow Bilbo Baggins writing his book of adventure