The Artist

Playful and in love with film. If it hadn't forcefully slid into the existential realm and screamed so boldly about "silent" emotions in the last act, The Artist would have been the daredevil of the year and now rightfully collecting its laurels. As it is, I can't escape the feeling of a slightly desired gradation that works a bit less in this form than it could, but in the end, I still have to praise it. The main couple shines in every smile or dance, period films force me into nostalgia, and the retro soundtrack works so perfectly that I devoured the transformation into the twenties to the last frame. As a whole, however, due to the aforementioned, only 75%. (27/01/2012)

When I found out which film won the main awards at the Oscars, I was very surprised. The best director was a Frenchman that nobody had really heard of before, and the same was true for the best actor category, where I was disappointed that Brad Pitt didn't win the award, as he deserved it a lot. Perhaps he should have danced in "Moneyball." However, the biggest shock was that the award for the best film went to a movie that was neither American nor co-produced, it was a French-Belgian film. "The Artist" was personally like a bolt from the blue for me. The presence of several film stars in it still doesn't make it an American film, but on the other hand, a film was created that is incredibly American in the sense that it takes place in the USA, from 1927 to 1932, which were not only the years of the crisis but also the years when the transition from silent film to talkies was happening and the stars of silent film were forgotten. This is exactly the case of George Valentin, who can't come to terms with the fact that people want to see talking actors. "The Artist" is a film that showcases the era in its beauty, it is a tribute to American silent film and silent film in general, it is a beautiful film, a film for the viewer. Yes, it is possible to watch a silent film and enjoy it even in the 21st century. It is good that the film made it to cinemas and that people know about it. Perhaps there will be increased interest in other silent films of the modern era. Michel Hazanavicius created a work that is not stunning in terms of the script, but it is stunning in its presentation, form, and cinematic beauty. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/05/9-umelec-diktator-nacho-libre-rise.html (19/02/2013)

Perhaps, with its trivial plot, it relies too much on the nostalgic mood of the target audience and on its own formal uniqueness in the flood of Hollywood mainstream, but The Artist is such a beautiful piece of filmmaking. It isn’t thought-provoking or groundbreaking, but wonderfully fresh, witty and authentic, nicely removed from the postmodern plagiarist guise. Emotionally mature, emotionally gripping. 80% (11/11/2015)

Incredibly sweet, playful, a delight for the eye, the ear and the spirit of all old people, among whom I also count myself. The dance number at the end was so terribly cute that I was grinning from ear to ear. And if I were a woman, I'd kill for Jean Dujardin's irresistible smile. Since I'm a man, at least my platonic love for Berenice Bejo will have to suffice :o) (02/04/2012)

I wasn't particularly impressed with the previous effort of the director and the two main actors, Agent 117, but I couldn't deny one thing - it really looked like something from the (roughly) 1960s. In The Artist, the filmmakers have managed to repeat this and to enhance it with a classic, but really nice story full of humor and nostalgia. The illusion that one is really watching a film from 192? is almost perfect (although anyone who has seen the Argentine The Aerial will probably not be impressed). The cinematography, the music, all the details, the central couple (Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford) acting and dancing like a dream, John Goodman, who I liked the most, James Cromwell... Everything's perfect. The Artist is an incredibly clever film. If I wanted to reproach it for anything, I would have to reproach all the old films it is dealing with... Which would be useless. (29/02/2012)