Nanaimo

No wonder why it won Best Picture! It was so good!

Certainly nostalgic, a nice homage to the silent movie era. Wonderful cast including both leads who were great. Bérénice Bejo is delightfully dazzling while Jean Dujardin has great timing and the silent star moves down pat. If you like the charm of the old silent flicks (or black & white), you will like this one as well. The only weakness (also one of its strongest points) is the cliche silent movie plot. For what it is, it is done very well.

I believe in being honest in my reviews. And honestly, I simply do not enjoy silent films as much as those with talking. It's harder to get immersed in the story when all you've got to work with are some extremely expressive faces. However, I could not in good conscience skip this one and continue to call myself a cinephile, for it did win 5 Oscars including best picture so I kinda had to see it. Surprisingly, it wasn't as hard to sit through as I thought and actually is very charming and entertaining if you let it work it's magic on you. Half about the death of silent films and the rise of talkies, half about a blossoming love story, the plot is simple enough. The acting, considering the constraints, is excellent. Best actor winner and star Jean Dujardin has the hardest task but he absolutely delivers and Berenice Bejo may have the most beautifully photogenic face I've seen on screen in quite some time. Would I watch it again? Sadly no. Would I have voted it best picture? Again no. But in an age of super-hero movies, sequels and remakes, it is something of a miracle that a black and white silent film was made at all. Credit to Harvey Weinstein and the film's Oscar winning director Michel Hazanavicius for their guts and wisdom to make something a little different.

God, what a contrite, poorly-acted, predictable, horrid film. I wanted to like it, but, the main actors faces were so huge on the screen, I had to look away several times from the horse teeth. It made no sense, supposed to be about love was about shallow self-centered fools who were impossible to care about. Waste of time. Aggravated me and my three friends.

Won 5 Oscars! Really? What a piece of... Most boring movie ever.

When it’s over, French Director Michel Hazanayicius has done something very wonderful and unique by breathing new life to silent films. In the absence of words, Hazanayicius used music, captions, montages, and a brilliant cast to tell the story of a silent movie star named George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) who fears the emergence of the “talkies” will be the end of his career. Contrary to the film’s storyline, I think Dujardin’s excellent performance consisting of eye twitching, frowns, smiles, and body gestures will be the emergence of greater Hollywood roles to come. Berenice Bejo as Peppy Miller delivered what her name implies. She was exciting to watch and knew just how to flirt with the camera. John Goodman, James Cromwell, and Penelope Ann Miller all added to the sparkle of this gem. There was so much nostalgia about this film that watching it reminded me of other silent greats that I’ve long forgotten such as The Birth of a Nation (1915), Battleship Potemkin (1925) from the Soviet Union, and the creepy Nosferatu (1922) from Germany. There was nothing I didn’t like about The Artist. The details were spot on from the sets, to the costumes, to the look of the film stocks of a bygone era known as vintage Hollywood. Lastly, I couldn’t end this blog without mentioning George’s dog (Uggie), who definitely deserves a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame alongside Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, and Strongheart.

Very innovative filming. Humor with bitterness. Change is the only truth.

Pleasure, relaxation, magic... really? This has to be the worst film I have ever watched. Boring to no end, I just cannot see why it won the Oscar for 2011. There were other films that were 100% better than this one. We were duped!

This an excellent movie! At first, I must say I was a bit doubtful, because I saw it was a silent movie, but I still decided to go and watch it. And I must say I don't regret my decision! I laughed so much! Jean Dujardin is an incredible actor, and I must say this: to be able to communicate, not through words but through facial gestures is a rare talent. Nowadays, when an actor has to express something, he just says : you're pretty, without any emotion. And that's it! I was really impressed to see that Dujardin didn't even had to say something cause you could barely read the words in his eyes, his smile, etc. Of course, there was sometimes when it was necessary to write the words on the screen or we wouldn't understand what was happening but otherwise, it was all very clear. Now, I have to say that it was the first silent movie that I ever saw in my entire life but let me tell you this: this movie makes me want to see plenty of other silent movies! And also, I don't watch a lot of black and white movies but after, when I watched another film, in color this time, it was so weird! It practically hurt my eyes! So, I bravely recommend you this movie. It is really relaxing with the music, popcorn in yours hands, coca... You'll definitely have a good time!

I will admit I went to this movie unwillingly, with friends who wanted to see it. I thought maybe I would fall asleep. Wrong! It had everything - great acting, captivating characters, wonderful plot. The two words he finally speaks were thriling! One of the best movies I've seen in a long time - so glad it won its awards!

It is a good movie to see and very interesting concerning the era of the silent movies. However, I do not believe that it deserved the award for best picture...

Good artistic movement, went back to old times... but become quite boring after a while.

This movie is so boring, not worth to see at the theatre really, I guess was made for very old people to remember the old days with black and white movies and no sound on them so as boring films... For those who say it's good I think hollywood has got inside your head making you think this is good, well it isn't.

A brilliantly layered and thoughtful, sexy performance by Best Actor Jean Dujardin and classic heroine Berenice Bejo is a joy. This movie is for actors, lovers, thinkers and poets. Beautiful score, editing, costumes and sets. A true masterpiece by Michel Hazanavicius is as good as anything you'll ever see in the silent genre and stands with the best Hollywood has ever done. It's the lovely little film that could and did!

Overall so far worst movie of this year!

I definitely wasn't sure about seeing this one, I like silent films but I wasn't sure I was in the mood for it when I saw this one with my family, but I will say that I enjoyed it! Maybe not one that I would watch over and over again but worth seeing for sure!

I have to admit that I originally went to watch it because there was nothing else at the theatre. I was very reluctant, a silent movie simply didn't interest me. I was very pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end! Once I saw the movie I quickly understand that it had to be filmed this way in order to get its message across loud and clear. Truly worth seeing.

A good gimmick that works. One of he best B&W movies ever. Nostalgic without being sentimental. Filled with charm and uplifting to the human spirit.

I would be very surprised if this movie doesn't become a true classic. Good art no matter in what form transcends time and space. That is why during the time of Vincent Van Gogh he was not considered great in his time. Nor was he invited to show his work as far as I am aware. The only paintings he sold was to his brother Theo. Very few of the artists that were showing when he was alive are known to us today. Yet his work is worth mega-millions. That is how I feel about "The Artist."

Highly over-rated. Boring, had a good nap, however.

Very well done. I found the leads to be charismatic.

I'm going to give this a masterpiece vote... It really was good... Based on pure acting and genius plot this movie had movement... It started a little slow, but by movement I mean it kept picking up as it went along in the interest level... If you like human interest type films this is for you...

It was fun to watch, very unique.

This movie had many sweet moments, although overall, it wasn't as striking as I expected. The play with sound (it's not actually a silent movie!) was interesting.

Talk about the emperors new cloths - how could this possibly be the best picture of the year? If it was trimmed by at least 40 minutes, I would give it a 5 instead of 3. The plot was thin and shop-worn, the lead character was cardboard and unsympathetic. The leading lady had her charms, but not enough to carry the whole load.

Fantastic movie! The depth of emotion conveyed is astounding; you barely realize that it is a silent movie. Great acting throughout and the music in the background is wonderful. You can definitely see why it won so many awards: the editing was superb, the plot was amazing, the acting and cinematography were phenomenal, and the directing was spot on. As John Goodman's character said,"Perfect"!

I simply do not understand--it is a movie which didn't engage me: emotionally it is a cartoon, the plot is at even a lower level, and worst of all, it is a charmless movie built on a scaffold of supposed charm. I simply do not understand what is wrong with you people--is it me?

Boring I don't get how this crap won best picture, honestly it was a terrible story!!!

Went into the movie not knowing anything about it. I was pleasantly surprised.

You need to get off the computer and watch this!!!

The Artist is a very enjoyable and well made film. It has however one major weakness. In the middle of the film when our hero is down on his luck the director pinches music used in Hitchcock's 1958 masterpiece Vertigo. It leaves you wondering what on earth is this music doing here and you start thinking about Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak. Finally at the end of the film I did not see any mention of indebtedness to Hitch or Vertigo. Not a good sign.

It is an excellent movie and I can see why it won for Best movie. The actors are very good too.

I had heard that this movie was going to win Best Picture. My reaction was "you have got to be kidding." When I walked out of the theatre I thought, "Well, Ok, I saw it. I don't want to see it again". In fact, I don't ever want to see another black/white film. This was boring and silly. I have no idea why anyone bothered to make it, but I am certainly in the minority on this one.

This movie was just a regular movie done without sound or colour. Quite boring. If this had been playing on television, I would have turned it off and found something else. Not saying that all silent movies are boring, just this one.

For me, watching The Artist was a movie experience like no other I have had. The first half hour of the film was a little awkward for me, in that it was stark. No dialogue, or sound effects, and it forced me to pay even more attention to the subtleties of body gestures, and especially their faces. And because of this, you are emotionally engaged and committed to the story. If you have a very low attention span, this film may be a challenge for you. A great timely and timeless plot to this film. Much, much better than Act of Valor.

Yeah The Artist is silent, and black and white is, why would you see it? Because it's a very well acted entertaining funny fun movie. John the lead actor is pretty great and also has a good smile. In the end you wil enjoy The Artist.

True masterpiece. Definitely a must watch.

Very disappointing. I can't believe Jean Dujardin won an Oscar for best actor. Not because Mr. Dujardin is not a good actor, but the part he plays in this movie does not merit an award. It's definitely not a complicated role to play. The film is long and at times, very boring.

Excellent movie. Juan Dujardian and Berenice Bejo's ability to act is a masterpiece!

This movie deserves all the accolades it has been getting and certainly was destined to lay claim to the Oscar for Best Picture of the year. I thoroughly enjoyed all of it. What a wonderful afternoon I had at the theatre! Kudos!!