A Thousand Miles Behind

4 out of 5 stars

The Artist proves the point that in this day and age of 3D, nudity and violence, it’s really the film with heart that moves the audience. Don’t believe the hype. Just see it for yourself. With a boring season for art films, The Artist just waltzes in and takes away the top prize. 

The Good: Wow, where do we begin? The Artist is, first-and-foremost, a silent movie. Second, it’s also in black-and-white. That’s already two deterrents for us moviegoers who are so used to our loud THX Dolby Surround systems and I-Max screens. But don’t let these stop you from watching this film. For the discerning, this film may seem gimmicky. Frankly, I thought so first. Then one hour into it, I understood. It was love letter to the history of cinema. No spoilers, it was then I understood the lack of sound and color. I also realized how excellent the actors were in this film because they were devoid of a powerful mode of expression: their voices.

The Bad: If you can’t stand a silent film, oh dear, don’t even try. Well, ok, maybe try to reconsider. You might be missing out on a great film.