Should be Oscar's Best Picture of 2011

Rating: 10/10 (6 November 2011)

When witnessing the evolution of film, it's hard to grasp how it went from a seemingly simple concept of silent imagery into a loud, uproarious third dimension experience. Michel Hazanavicius' silent film The Artist plays homage to the origins of our cinema in a general manner while attaining a massive respect that can't be denied. The film tells the story of George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), a silent film actor megastar who withers away into obscurity when the introduction of "talkies" meets monumental popularity. Movie extra Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo) is a star on the rise who's admiration for George's work runs much deeper than the film's they share. Writer/Director Michel Hazanavicius explores the deepest parts of his soul which he calls "a love letter." What a beautiful letter it was. He makes conscious choices to illustrate the medium in the most toxic and potent fashion. A Q & A with Hazanavicius' at the end of the picture placed much into perspective. His funny, mild-tempered personality will carry him extremely far in this year's Oscar race. He could easily be the new director that everyone roots for. His stamp on the film is evident and his adoration and tribute to the genre is clear and ostentatious.
Dujardin and Bejo showing Oscar all they got... The obvious question is how does the silence work and is it done well? Tying in with the prominent theme of silence, the presentation is an absolute marvel. Hazanavicius' respect for film bleeds out the screen into the audience and with so little words, we are transported into a world of unspoken expressions and explosive representation. The narrative is so uniquely relevant and intricately precise, that every scene is as equally important as the one before it. There's no fluff just brilliance. Production design by Laurence Bennett alters the viewer's perception of reality and engages a time travel experience to Hollywood 1927. The sets are so imaginative and exquisite, the film runs like a hybrid of classic films like Rebecca (1940) and Angels with Dirty Faces (1938). Cinematographer Guillaume Schiffman shoots the film with a modern camera but attacks each scene with finesse and diligence like an old pro. He captures some of the best shots seen this year on film. Hazanavicius not only writes and directs this triumphant piece of cinema, he dips his hand into the editing process with Anne-Sophie Bion. The duo know their pace and they know when to give more and pull back. At 100 minutes of pure cinematic magic, it's one of the rare instances in film where it begins and ends perfectly. Bringing to light the gorgeous production design, the gray whirlwind images shoots the costume design by Mark Bridges to the forefront. Bridges captures sharply the essence of time especially with Peppy's wardrobe. An awards magnet indeed. The star of the technical show is Ludovic Bource, a composer that just catapulted himself into the big leagues as composers John Williams and Alexandre Desplat. In a silent film, the music is important and needs to be on queue every second. Bource knows when to play it rough and especially when to retreat and let the film speak for itself. It's not overkill in the slightest. The supporting players, which American audiences will know more than our two polarizing leads, are effective in their respective roles. John Goodman proves to be the strongest of the players, ripping through scenes of comedic brilliance and showing that he still has everything in his armor. Penelope Ann Miller, an underused and undervalued actress during her prime returns to form as the beautiful Doris, a brokenhearted housewife looking for some attention. James Cromwell plays Clifton, the "Alfred-type" driver to Dujardin's "Bruce Wayne," a tantalizing and endearing performer that shakes the hearts of the viewers. Malcolm McDowell shows brief but subtle showmanship. The Artist is the year's finest and most wonderful film. The Academy Awards can stop looking, this is their winner for Best Picture 2011. A fine piece of cinema that will hopefully be clutched by moviegoers for years to come.