The Artist

The Artist

While Mel Brooks' 1976 "Silent Movie" was strictly played for laughs, this modern, nearly completely silent black-and-white film garners laughter and tears from appreciative audiences sharing the emotional experience on the big screen. The virtually unknown leads, Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo, help viewers suspend disbelief as they watch the well-told tale of the rise and fall of silent movie actors, although both are upstaged by a dog. While "Avatar" took moviemaking techniques to the future, "The Artist" shows how the old ways can still be effective when put in the right hands, such as actors who can convey emotion with a simple glance instead of CGI.