We went to see The Artist last night. What a delight. It takes a bit of getting used to the film, but in the end we thought it was completely worth the effort.
The plotline of the film (which is reminiscent of both "A Star is Born" and "Singing in the Rain") is the downfall of a movie star who cannot make the transition from silent films to talkies. He falls into despair and is rescued, in the end, by the love of a woman and, oddly enough, the love of a dog and a chauffeur. It's a heart warming story, though, honestly, one we've probably all seen before.
What makes this movie special is its format. The conceit of the film is that it is actually made as a silent film -- filled with music and the old cue cards conveying words. One favorite of that genre was the simple word "Bang!" to evoke a loud sound.
The score to the movie is wonderful and luscious. It sounds and feels like a love story to old silent movies. There's a wonderful homage to "Citizen Kane" as well. In short, this movie was clearly made by someone who loves movies for viewers who love them as well. It's novel and innovative and well worth the effort.
