Silence is Golden

A couple of weeks ago, I saw "The Artist" at my local theater.  I had high expectations due to the accolades the filmmakers already received, and one of my friends liked it so much that she'd already seen it twice, so that made me look forward to it even more.

• There's a dog.  He's cute.  He's like Lassie.  Ya gotta love him!
• Jean Dujardin does a superb job as George Valentin, displaying all of his emotions without speaking.  
• Berenice Bejo is wonderful as well, playing Peppy Miller.  She radiates from the screen.
• I cried when George sold all of his belongings at auction, but I knew what was up.  I don't remember exactly what the marquee said when he walked by the theater at that point, but it was quite fitting.
• That dream/nightmare that George had was jarring, as it should have been.  It's so funny that although he normally hears sound anyway in his life, he is bothered by those ordinary sounds due to his anxiety about the talkies.
• I really liked all of Peppy's hats. I also liked her dresses.
• So, all those different pearl necklaces that the wife was wearing: did he mess up that often that she has so many?
• Ah, James Cromwell.  I had a moment where I thought he'd say "Good Pig" to Uggie.
• One of the women in my row said "Silence is Golden" as the film was about to start.  Then she proceeded to quietly make comments during the film.  Irritating,
• Bernard Hermann's "Vertigo" was just perfect in its setting.  Bravo to Ludovic Bource for including it here.
• I think that I want to see some old silent movies one of these days.  I should have gone to those Academy screenings last year.  That would have been cool.

The accolades that the film has been receiving are well-deserved.  I think that this is my friend's new favorite movie because there's a dog that plays an instrumental part in the film, but she'll say it's because it made her laugh, and it was well-written, and all of that.  I agree, but that dog is darn cute.