Michel Hazanvicius' Best Picture-winning movie felt like a breath of fresh air when it arrived in 2011, a frothy silent film amid all of these Oscar-baiting movies and effects-heavy blockbusters. Following fading silent movie star George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) as he sees himself phased out by the advent of sound and gorgeous new starlet Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), The Artist is wonderfully self-referential to Hollywood itself while still being a goofy, silly treat all the same. The Academy went totally gaga for the film, not just awarding it Best Picture but also Best Director, Best Actor for Dujardin (the first for a French actor), Best Costume Design and Best Original Score, as well as nods for Best Supporting Actress (Bejo), Best Original Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, and Best Film Editing. Though not likely to be one of the better-remembered Best Picture winners, The Artist is still wonderful, nostalgic comfort food for film buffs.
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
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