The Artist

Just saw The Artist with kitsune_iii (and despite my issues with the movie, I had a lovely time :)). We went to the Windsor, an old Art Deco movie theatre my grandma used to take me to, and there were a lot of old people in the audience. And, well...my grandma would have loved it. (It's her birthday, so she's on my mind. Anyway, I mean no insult to grandmothers in general , but mine had a soft spot for this sort of artistic 30s nostalgia)

I, on the other hand, thought it was ok. It is a really well made and entertaining example of what it is, but what it is is an old fashioned silent movie which plays around a little with the stylistic conventions and plays the genre and story totally straight. Also, I spent the whole movie wanting to punch the main character in the face and wondering what any of the people who liked him saw in him. Such a self obsessed narcissist, blah.

I understand the appeal of these sorts of movies but personally I would have enjoyed things more if they'd subverted things at least a little. Or at least not happily replicated 30s portrayals of black people: non existent except as faceless savages. The female characters do slightly better.

Or maybe if it had aliens or explosions. If I'm going to watch shallow entertainment, I like there to be explosions.

I feel like rewatching Mel Brooks' Silent Movie now. I remember it being much more interesting, if not as slickly made.