You're celebrating Magnus' opinion on something?

I'll take what I can get.

lol, it was a bit of an odd decision, but she's being an epic drama queen.

I'm not quite as upset, but I do think it's bizarre that people are praising the film for its 'original' score when the entire climax is scored to someone else's music.

That letter is just impossibly stupid, a new low in manufactured frontrunner "controversies"

Her flippant use of the word "rape" to describe her plight is also obnoxious.

A bold experiment in 2011 that overstays it's welcome yet is carried by the skill of it's actors and visual designers.


7 out of 5.

So did Valentin, and the movie, sell out? This is bugging me. I feel like this would have been better going the Aronofsky route and having him blow his brains out.

On the other hand, you could call that character progression. Choosing love over pride. That kinda stuff. Just a weird swerve after 75% of the movie was a tragedy.

I really liked the movie up until then. If I can get past this it will be an easy A. Not at all what I expected.

Hmm. I thought the first act until George getting thrown out, was brilliant. George and Peppy's introductary scenes, the repeated dancing filming, the mole, the dream, the staircase Valentin Peppy bit, etc. All borderline classic scenes. Really thought it was on its way to best of the year status

But then it carries that momentum into the depressed George sequence and basically stays in one place for the entirety of the 2/3s remaining and essentially its energy dies to me as that sequence just stretches on. It doesn't surprise me that the struggle for Haz was not making the day to day of a movie star in his prime fit the orchastral, "big" style of a silent film, but rather how to carry it over to Valentin's life when it is empty and dead. How do you inject the same amount of energy and movement that made the first third of the film and many lighthearted silent films so full of life, into a plot involving an empty man who doesn't want to move? How do make morose a blast? As a screenwriter he bites off more than he can chew trying to fit depressed George work into his musically/visually huge silent format and only gets half of it down without a Valentin to dance on screen. I would certainly call this script undercooked in the last 2/3s. If I had to guess a way to improve it, you make him depressed for act 2 and then Peppy helps Valentin slowly work their way up the dancing musical circuit in act 3, instead of 2 acts of depressed Valentin and 1 minute of he's a dancer now. But I'm no screenwriter.

But nevertheless it's easily one of the year's most well executed. Haz is on top of every shot, every atmosphere, every facial expression. It's remarkable how you feel for these 2 as people and not musical stick figures. The mood of the film takes over and hits a great emotional place. And you can't say enough about Dujardin and Bejo. Particularly the latter. She does such remarkable work with her eyes here. Basically all the Oscars this will win except for screenplay, are well deserved

Like the Descendants and Midnight in Paris, it's a film that I enjoyed immensely while watching and one which from a filmmaking perspective I appreciate, but overall, I'm already starting to pick at it without the atmosphere and mood of the film as fresh in my mind. Like those films and other previous Oscar films like Slumdog Millionaire and The King's Speech I believe I will remember it as "Yeah that was pretty good. I enjoyed it. Solid Oscar material" and not think about it much other than that

Two minor quibbles about the movie, which I otherwise, to nobody's surprise, loved:

1. The history is goofy. There is no such thing as a studio reflexively throwing out the old guard in favor of fresh faces at the advent of talkies. People wanted to see their favorite stars talk. If the actor couldn't cut it with dialogue, that's one thing, but a studio would at least try. That was a weird scene.

2. Yeah, the use of the Vertigo music. It's not a rape, it's not offensive, it's just a poor choice because it takes your brain elsewhere during the climax. It's particularly unfortunate because the score is otherwise so goddamn perfect.

Kim Novak should be educated on everyone's accepted definition of rape.

And I don't mean it that way.

I liked the movie a lot. Call me simple, but it worked for me. It won't go down as the greatest Best Picture winner, but it won't go down as the worst either. And I can see why some won't like it, besides the really simple people who were duped into buying a ticket for a silent B/W movie.

Also, if the film picked up a bit more buzz, I could see Dujardin beating Clooney for Best Actor. They seem to like going for the unconventional winner on occasion. Unfortunately Bejo has no chance on Octavia's stranglehold on Supporting Actress.

***1/2 / ****

I think Bejo actually has a stronger shot upsetting in Supporting Actress than Dujardin does in Actor.

Which would be great.

I should reiterate I have nothing against Octavia Spencer. Unlike some, I think she's great in The Help. Loved the movie, loved her. I just don't think she's THE Best Supporting Actress.

It's obtrusive and direct, even more so than I was expecting. The absolute obsession and almost painfully blunt devotion to it's theme (um, silence! obviously,) almost felt ridiculous, but it didn't. The thing certainly leaves subtly at the door, but in something as stunningly gorgeous, slick, and engaging as this, it totally works.

The score is magnificent, fucking brilliant, as is Bejo. I was less impressed with Dujardin, considering he's competing to steel Clooney's oscar, he's the one vote I wouldn't cast. But the whole goddamn thing, aww! I mean, I knew it was right up my alley but the points many people made here had me concerned, and were very valid, but it doesn't matter. Flaws and all, this may be my favorite film this year.

I agree about Dujardin. He's great and all, but my vote would go to Clooney.

I think they're hellbent on giving someone from The Artist another big award if it wins BP, and they're not sacrificing Spencer's Oscar for Bejo, so Dujardin is the next best thing.

Yep. I haven't seen the help but I can't possibly imagine I would prefer Spencer's performance to Bejo's captivating and charming performance, or Woodley's stark realism. Anyhow, there's no justice in the world, that's how it will be in a few weeks now.

I liked The Help a lot, but I'm also easily entertained. I don't deny that.

But Bejo and Woodley > Spencer.

The internet backlash is predictable and, as usual, wrong

This is horrible.

Seriously ask yourself

If ford released a Model T with leather seats and a CD player would you says its awesome? No you bloody would not! you would point out the shitty glass and engine and lack of safety. The Artist uses old props that are in essence crap without nostalgia. And hence this film is awful.

Indeed I'll go full nerd.

Lotus 79
HRT F112

We all know the HRT is faster. But everyone will go for the Lotus even though it is slower. I would also. this is nostalgia and bias, look beyond this and the artist is utter crap.

You have to look up what "in the defense of..." means.

Mm, maybe. Still not a great defense. If you were a lawyer defending the film, it would get the electric chair.

The Artist definitely wouldn't hold up in 1920s silent film era. But that's not the point. Not to me anyway.

I think you see The Artist as complete shit and not meh.

For the record, I really liked it, but I don't think it will hold up so well. Especially not as a BP winner. It'll be viewed as a product of its time. Right place, right time kind of thing.

Same can be said for most of the nominees this year. Bit of a rough year.

The Artist won because Hollywood loves congratulating itself. Simple as that.

Pfft, way to end the conversation, trix.