Jean Dujardin, left, and Berenice Bejo star in “The Artist.”

It’s a busy week on home video, with five major theatrical releases making their way to DVD and Blu-ray. Still, one movie – this year’s best picture Oscar winner – is the unquestioned leader of the pack.

The Artist

4 stars (out of 4)
Rated PG-13 for a disturbing image and a crude gesture
Sony
Available on: DVD and Blu-ray

The concept of a silent film winning a best picture Academy Award in the 21st century may seem bizarre, but one look at “The Artist” explains the fuss. The movie, which won not only best picture but four additional Oscars this year, is an artistic masterwork that pays tribute to our cinematic past while telling a great story.

French actor Jean Dujardin stars as George Valentin a charismatic and popular silent film actor living the high life in 1920s Hollywood. Alas, his star begins to fade with the invention of talking pictures. To George’s dismay, audiences are all too willing to abandon their old idols in favor of a new crop of “talking” stars. The sting is especially painful for George because one of the new breed of actors is Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), a beautiful, young talent that he helped discover.

Perhaps the most ingenious thing about “The Artist” is that it is largely presented as a silent, black-and-white movie. There is virtually no dialogue, and director Michel Hazanavicius uses the film’s Oscar-winning score to great effect. He also “cheats” periodically, using sound effects to underscore points that the story is making.

Along with winning best picture and best original score, “The Artist” landed Oscars for costume design, Dujardin’s outstanding lead performance and Haznavicius’ direction. It was also nominated for another five Oscars that it didn’t win, and the widespread acclaim demonstrates just how great the picture is.

DVD and Blu-ray extras include a blooper reel, a Q&A with the filmmakers, and several making-of featurettes.

21 Jump Street

3 stars
Rated R for crude and sexual content, pervasive language, drug material, teen drinking and some violence
Sony
Available on: DVD and Blu-ray

Too often, film updates of classic TV shows rely on name recognition rather than quality storytelling. Since these projects are almost always artistic failures, “21 Jump Street” is a wonderful surprise.

This take on the like-titled 1980s TV show boasts a terrific script, a top-notch cast and an artistic vision that sets it apart from its inspiration. Jonah Hill gets much of the credit because he not only stars in the film, he helped conceive the story, which is only loosely based on the “Jump Street” TV show.

The focus is on Morton Schmidt (Hill) and Greg Jenko (Channing Tatum), former high school classmates who meet while making their way through police academy. In school, they ran in different circles because Schmidt was a nerd and Jenko was a jock. In the academy, they discover that they can help each other by putting their respective talents to work.

After academy, both men are selected – because of their youthful appearances – to go undercover at a high school in hopes of busting a drug ring. But school is much different a second time around.

Rather than trying to match the tone of the original “21 Jump Street,” directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller opted for a full-on R-rated comedy. That means sex gags, dirty language and – most importantly – plenty of laughs. Although Tatum isn’t known as a comedic actor, he has excellent timing and he works beautifully with Hill.

If every Hollywood comedy were as clever as “21 Jump Street,” it would be a lot more fun to go to the movies.

DVD and Blu-ray extras include a making-of feature, deleted scenes and a filmmaker’s commentary.

Wrath of the Titans

2½ stars
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of fantasy violence and action
Warner Brothers
Available on: DVD, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D and digital download

Only rarely do sequels surpass their predecessors in terms of quality, but “Wrath of the Titans” is considerably more entertaining than its 2010 precursor, “Clash of the Titans.” That doesn’t mean “Wrath” is beyond criticism. It’s still an in-your-face action movie, but it’s better crafted than its inspiration.

The story is set 10 years after “Clash,” at a time when the power of the Greek gods is waning because humans have lost faith in them. As a consequence, long-imprisoned monstrosities, known as Titans, are poised to break free and wreak havoc on the humans and gods alike. Perseus (Sam Worthington), the demigod son of Zeus, has settled into a quiet life as a fisherman, and he is reluctant to get involved, despite urging from his father. He is persuaded, however, when Zeus is betrayed and held prisoner in the underworld.

The bulk of “Wrath” follows Perseus as he journeys to the underworld with the human Queen Adromeda (Rosamund Pike) and another demigod named Agenor (Toby Kebbell). Their goal is to set Zeus free and, ultimately, prevent the Titans from destroying mankind. This journey is, of course, ridiculously dangerous, and it pits Perseus and company against a number of frightening beasts, including Cyclopes and a minotaur.

Director Jonathan Liebesman (“Battle Los Angeles”) moves the action at a respectable pace, and the special effects are fantastic. Add in a nice leading performance by Worthington, and you have a movie that works more often than not, despite placing action above substance at every turn.

DVD and Blu-ray extras include storyboard comparisons, deleted scenes and a number of making-of featurettes.

Mirror Mirror

3 stars
Rated PG for some fantasy action and mild rude humor
20th Century Fox
Available on: DVD and Blu-ray

The Snow White fable is enjoying a serious resurgence. Along with “Snow White and the Huntsman,” which is making its way through theaters now, Snow plays a key role in the hit TV show “Once Upon a Time.” Viewers looking for yet another view of the beloved character can check out “Mirror Mirror,” a lighthearted-yet-enjoyable update by director Tarsem Singh.

In Singh’s version, Lily Collins plays Snow as the traditionally cheerful princess that most of us have come to love over the years. She is bubbly, optimistic and, of course, remarkably beautiful. Her stepmother, the evil Queen Gertrude (Julia Roberts), is distressed both by Snow’s beauty and the fact that she is the rightful ruler of their people. So, she sets the princess up for a fall.

Although the movie is different than Disney’s 1937 animated version, there are enough similarities to keep fans of the former satisfied. Most notably, Snow befriends a group of clever dwarves and has more than one encounter with a handsome prince (Armie Hammer).

Singh’s movies are always visual marvels, and he meets his typically high standards here. Most sequences feel as though they are plucked from a storybook, and that adds to the charm of the project. Singh was clearly shooting for a tone akin to that of “The Princess Bride,” and he largely achieves it.

DVD and Blu-ray extras include making-of featurettes.

A Thousand Words

2 stars
Rated PG-13 for sexual situations including dialogue, language and some drug-related humor
Paramount
Available on: DVD and Blu-ray

The third time is not a charm in terms of director Brian Robbins’ collaborations with comedian Eddie Murphy. The two paired previously on 2007’s “Norbit” and 2008’s “Meet Dave,” and neither film is a shining point on their resumes. “A Thousand Words” is a substantial improvement, but it still falls short.

The movie stars Murphy as Jack McCall, a fast-talking literary agent who has achieved wild success by saying whatever it takes to close a deal. Jack’s life takes a drastic turn, however, when he tries to sign a well-known spiritual guru named Sinja (Cliff Curtis). Before anything can be published, a tree sprouts in Jack’s back yard, and starts shedding leaves for every word he speaks. Sinja notes that Jack and the tree are bonded and that Jack had better stop talking. Otherwise, the tree might lose all its leaves, a fate that often leads to death.

For the remainder of the picture, the normally verbose Jack attempts to make it through his days saying as little as possible. On paper, this seems like it might be fun. In practice, it’s not.

Murphy is a fine comedian when presented with good material, but “A Thousand Words” just isn’t funny.

DVD and Blu-ray extras include deleted scenes.

ALSO OUT THIS WEEK

“The 39 Steps”: Criterion Collection release of director Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 thriller about a Canadian tourist who gets swept up in an international conspiracy. Robert Donat and Madeline Carroll star.

“The Samurai Trilogy”: Director Hiroshi Inagaki’s seminal 1950s movies about the life of 17th century samurai Musashi Miyamoto. The set includes “Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto” (1954), “Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple” (1955) and “Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island” (1956). All three films star Toshiro Mifune. Presented in Japanese with English subtitles.

“LEGO Ninjago Masters of Spinjitzu” – Season One: First 13 episodes of the Cartoon Network animated series about ninjas protecting their world from evil forces.

“Sector 7”: Korean science-fiction film about an oil-rig crew attacked by a sea monster. Directed by Kim Ji-hoon. Presented in Korean, with an English-language dub and English subtitles.

“Deliverance” – 40th Anniversary Blu-ray Book: Warner Brothers is delivering a new, high-definition release of its 1979 thriller about adventure seekers who find more than they bargained for while exploring a dangerous Georgia river. Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox star.

“Damages” – The Complete Fourth Season: The fifth and final season of “Damages” will begin airing on DirecTV’s Audience Network July 11. In the meantime fans can enjoy the 10 most recent episodes of the legal drama on this boxed set. Glenn Close and Rose Byrne star.

Christopher Nolan Director’s Collection: With director Christopher Nolan’s latest Batman film – “The Dark Knight Rises” – coming July 20, Warner Brothers decided to deliver a Blu-ray boxed set containing five of his previous features. Included are “Memento,” “Insomnia,” “Batman Begins,” “The Dark Knight” and “Inception.”

“Green Eggs and Ham and Other Stories”: Warner Brothers is bringing a number of Dr. Seuss cartoons to Blu-ray. This set features “Green Eggs and Ham,” “The Sneetches” and “The Zax.”

– Forrest Hartman is an independent film critic whose byline has appeared in some of the nation’s largest publications. For more of his work visit http://www.ForrestHartman.com. E-mail him at forrest@forresthartman.com.

The Artist arrives on DVD and Blu-ray in Australia June 28, 2012.

My mother once told me that if I had nothing nice to say, I shouldn’t say anything at all. It’s advice I ignored in the most flagrant manner possible when I became a professional (if dubiously credentialed) critic. However, I’m reminded of the maxim as I sit down to write my review of this year’s darling of the awards circuit, Michel Hazanavicius‘ almost-silent film The Artist - and not just because its characters keep schtum throughout.

It had the French swooning at Cannes, and has since picked up nearly every Best Picture prize from the incalculable number of ceremonies that annually hand out such awards. The film has arrived at our shores on an unparalleled (in recent memory) wave of hype that any low-budget indie film would dream of. But it is hype that might elevate expectations beyond what this cute yet underwhelming and totally disposable flick can adequately satisfy. It’s not that I have nothing nice to say about The Artist; in fact, there’s plenty about the pic to endorse. But this will be a tempered review, and I feel that might actually be better for the film in the long run. Lowered from its pedestal, it is hard to deny The Artist is sweet and occasionally fun. But Best Picture of the year? I’m left – literally – speechless.

French writer-director Michel Hazanavicius (hah-za-nah-vish-us; it’s the most delectable-to-pronounce European auteur name since Aki Kaurismäki) whisks us to Hollywoodland circa 1927. Jean Dujardin plays silent movie star George Valentin, a slick, Clooney-esque charmer who sees no threat to his livelihood when talkies begin to take the world by storm. When the appropriately named extra Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo) steals a kiss from Valentin outside a movie premiere – snapped by Variety and placed on their front page – she sees her status skyrocket. George, who is somewhat enamoured by the perky ingénue, gives her the big break she needs and casts her opposite him in his latest blockbuster. But as she becomes the talk of the town and begins to enchant as the lead in her own features, he and his precious art form fades into obscurity. Not even the eternal companionship of his canine sidekick (Uggie, who legitimately gives one of the year’s best performances) can cheer him up.

Dujardin and Bejo offer wonderful – and hopefully star-making outside of their native France – turns as George and Peppy respectively. They’re physical performers perfectly suited to the heightened requirements of a silent film; expressively eyed, fast footed and almost comically gorgeous.  But here’s where Hazanavicius lets them, and his audience, down: he doesn’t call upon their physicality nearly enough. If this were to be a true tribute to the silent film era, why didn’t he go all out and embrace the exaggerated and imaginative? Although he doesn’t exactly eschew slapstick and melodrama, Hazanavicius does not convey either in a particularly visually-appealing manner. And though the movie is technically ‘silent’, it is not as if the film favours ‘showing’ over ‘telling’. Much dialogue is still related from character to character, which would still be fine so long as there were still plenty of sequences in which emotion and meaning were relayed without the use of words. And that is so rarely the case.

The appeal of the three leads – yes, we include Uggie – as well as a few novel sequences – one involving an empty tuxedo jacket, and the charming finale – make The Artist a mostly enjoyable watch. However, Hazanavicius’ half-hearted tribute to black-and-white silent films seems more like a gimmick than a particularly unique or refreshing  attempt to share a meaningful story in an entertaining way. If you’re looking for an enchanting film about the early days of cinema, watch Hugo. Should you be in the market for a romance about an up-and-coming movie star in the age of the talkies, revisit Singin’ in the Rain. For those intrigued about the awful after-lives of elderly silent movie stars, see Sunset Boulevard. However, if you want to see some spectacularly adorable if not particularly lasting or memorable dog tricks, The Artist is the film you’ve been waiting for.

3/5

Check out Simon’s other reviews here.

The Artist arrives on DVD and Blu-ray in Australia June 28, 2012.

In Art History, our prof let us watch a movie. It was “The Artist” against “Mona Lisa Smile” and the former, thankfully, won. I knew about the movie and I expected it to be in black and white and to be a silent one. I was a little surprised that my blockmates weren’t familiar with it. They didn’t even know it won an award and that it came out recently. But then some people just aren’t in to movies. Most of them got bored in the middle and though some parts of it were a little dragging, I certainly enjoyed watching it. Though I’ve watched many black and white films, I’ve never watched a silent one. I suppose that’s what the movie is trying to tell us, that even silent movies can be as much fun as ‘talkies’.

It’s the ending that gets to me. For a long time, George Valentin struggles with trying to keep talkies from taking over the cinema but fails due to Peppy Miller’s rise to success. Valentin eventually gives in and allows Miller to have him as the co-actor in the talkie “Sparkle of Love”. Now while Valentin looked pretty happy in the end, I felt a little depressed by what I saw. Valentin was a very passionate artist and a good one, too, but even though his acting skills were great he still had to give in to the new form. The movie tells the truth that all artists have to sell out at some point if you want to be a success. Not just artists, though. Everyone has to sell out. And many people will deny it. Sometimes you might not even be aware that you sold your a part of your soul for a quick buck. But it still happens in  the end.

Now, quite unrelated to the above, here are four drawings of people I didn’t expect to draw.

Cassie from Skins Season One and Two

Another Max from “Where the Wild Things Are”

De Niro as Travis from “Taxi Driver”. Supposed to watercolor him but my paint is missing.

Jarvis Cocker from one of my favorite bands, Pulp

It’s taken me a while to get round to watching it and I just couldn’t get into it. The dog is the best thing in it but for me it wasn’t enough to save what I thought was just a gimmick.

You can pretty much tell what the actors are saying as they exagerate everything and towards the camera. There’s a score, which just irked me, running through the film.

The acting is good though, it’s a silent film so you’d expect it to be really, it would suck if they couldn’t act.

I can see why people like this film but it just wasn’t for me but a nice try.

Of course, the Oscars have come and gone, and The Artist won basically everything. Naturally, the usual backlash against the film occurred before the ceremonies were even over.

Disclosure #2: I wasn’t rooting for The Artist. My personal favorites were Midnight in Paris and Tree of Life, but the French tribute to silent film was a shoo-in. Now having seen the film (finally!), it’s clear to me why it won. Not that I have anything against horses or baseball.

Much has been said about the sound–or lack thereof–in The Artist. As a silent film about silent film, the choice of background music and sound effects shines through each chiaroscuro scene.

Let’s start with the good: I liked the film, genuinely enjoyed it. The story pulled at my heartstrings. Shots were framed beautifully. Director (and newly minted Academy Award winner) Michel Hazanavicius effortlessly managed to convey smoothly fluid, languid scenes, as well as classically jerky, stop-start-stop scenes familiar to any silent film devotee.  César-winning Best Actress Bérénice Bejo was delightful and fresh. Uggie the dog was adorable.

Jean Jujardin won an Oscar for his performance as George Valentin, a silent film leading man who falls from the height of stardom due to the invention of “talkies.” I didn’t dislike his performance. Purely judging on an acting level, the man portrayed his character remarkably well. The maudlin drooping of eyes to ground, the cheesy grins and smooth sashays–he did it all, and believably so.

However, the script worked against him, in so far as it painted his character into both a tribute and a relic of the silent era. Yes, on a meta level, we can see Valentin as not only a literal representative of silent film in the world within the film, but also Jujardin’s portrayal of Valentin as a character representative of silent film for us, the viewers of The Artist. Contrast George Valentin’s overdrawn emotions with the light, sparkly antics of Bejo’s Peppy Miller. The Artist is smart, but sometimes the film’s intelligence gets in the way of entertainment value.

Frankly, I found the protagonist insufferable. Hazanavicius’s screenplay followed the archetypal arc of the tragic hero. A man is vaunted to brilliant heights, and then the audience watches him fall, as a result of his hubris and the laws of nature (well, for the Greeks, the Gods). Modern audiences need more than a morality play, though. We look for heroes that rise and fall, but learn something, and–this is key–change.

After his fall from stardom, Valentin wallows in his own disgrace for an overly lengthy second act that repeats its themes over and over. The man is sad. The man is angry. The man is a depressed, alcoholic failure who hates himself and everyone around him. Jujardin conveys this all, with both the broad strokes necessary for a walking metaphor, and the subtlety of small shifts in pose and glances backwards. But it goes on for far too long.

Again and again, Valentin rejects the help of well-meaning people, and succumbs to that sin that kills so many: pride. It is a classic conflict. The film as a whole is deeply-layered, with facets of not only film archetypes, but narrative norms that we know by heart. However, I emphasize again that sometimes, that’s not enough.

For a film about film, you’d expect entertainment. At the very least, we do get a rushing climax and a somewhat disjointed happy ending. Does it work? On one hand, the critic and scholar in me sniffs disdainfully at the rushed happy ending, the convenient timing of “Bang!”

On the other hand, perhaps sometimes, we–as audience members–think too much as well. If filmmakers must not only provide thought but also entertain, audience members too much not only think, but allow themselves to be entertained. The second act was long (especially the second half). The main character was irritating. But, by the climax of the film, all I could think was, “I don’t even care. Just give me the happy ending. Please.”

Regardless of any external opinions on what I was watching, I was drawn into the moment of the movie. I was pulled in to care about the characters, to root for the hero, to rail against a society that conspired against him. Without meaning to do so, I suspended disbelief.

At the end of the day, isn’t that why we still go to movie theaters? We can watch films at home now, easily. We can watch films on our cell phones, on laptops, in the middle seat of a 757. But nothing beats walking into an air-conditioned room, and gripping the armrests in a theater. When the lights dim, and the chattering stops, all you can see is the movie.

I am reminded often of the iconic scene in Vivre Sa Vie, when Anna Karina (playing a woman who has lost control of her life), sits in a theater, tears streaming down her face, as the silent film Jean d’Arc flashes across the big screen. Films affect us, yes, but they also empty us. The let us clear our minds of the emotions and thoughts we suppress in the day. We go to films to escape reality, for at least 90 minutes or so.

Disclosure #3: As much as I didn’t appreciate certain parts of The Artist, I have to admit that it drew me in. I delighted in the dancing, I pined for the slow-burning love story, I wanted George Valentin to succeed.

Did it work, then? Bien sur.

The End Of The Physical - Welcome to the first Hope Lies Editorial. I’ve been toying with the idea of a regular soap-box for some time now, so lets see how this goes. These will appear every Sunday morning, with the intention being a discussion of one or more of the weeks key occurrences. There’s a veritable wealth of matter to wade through, with a number of key citations linked below, with the idea being that one might sit back and relax for thirty minutes or so with a number of articles and stories deemed worthy by yours truly.  

This week I’d like to take a few moments to discuss the digital revolution.

This week the IHS Screen Digest Cinema Intelligence Service reported (projected?) that 35mm film exhibition will cease to be supported for new theatrical releases by the end of 2013 [I]. While certainly headline grabbing I wanted to look in to just how much of an effect the wholesale removal of bona-fide film from most commercial movie houses will have on the audience at large. 

I’m not against digital solutions, far from it in fact. Every aspect of my life is controlled or catered for by a digital solution. Every magazine subscription that I hold, bar two (Sight & Sound and Cineaste) come courtesy of digital channels – no more waiting three weeks for the latest Film Comment, no more piles of Empire. The same goes for comic books and paperbacks too. While there remains a certain attachment to the physical form of paper in hand, for the most part I’d argue that it’s little more than a form of nostalgia driven preference. And let’s not forget that the digital experience adds something a little bit extra too: in addition to the aforementioned convenience factor of procuring international magazines and journals and the space saving aspect, the structure of the humble magazine itself has adapted to the medium. Embedded videos, instant linkage to sources and citations, and social media connectivity can take the form in fresh and exciting ways too. Twitter integration is especially notable, with the opportunity that one might be able to contact the author of a specific piece of writing with queries, comments or further discourse quite literally at the end of a finger swipe of a touch screen computer device. Of course one mans pro’s may be another mans con’s – one might argue that the magazine/journal form is one that ought remain definitive and free from the modern model of theoretically continuously updated, never-necessary-complete web content, and to an extent I would agree.

But I digress.

The theatrical mode is very different to a magazine reading experience. Or a book reading experience. My gut instinct when it comes to viewing movies in a theatrical environment is to respect the medium on which the work was produced. Where possible. Now obviously this isn’t actually realistic in an age where the average modern multiplex doesn’t actually have the means to play 35mm anymore, so its a difficult rule to keep to. The distinction between film vs. digital has already led to a favourite new sport of mine, a sort of sincere, non-ironic game titled “Chase The Print™”. Both Terrence Malick’s Tree Of Life and Michel Hazanavicius’s The Artist saw this viewer attempt to seek out both digital and 35mm versions of the two films, in an attempt to compare tonal differences in the mediums being used to present the films. The Malick film was said to make for a surprisingly different experience in 35mm [II], while it felt only natural to see The Artist in film (in spite of whatever post-production techniques were utilised for the film to reach its final look). On a similar note, my biggest issue heading in to Martin Scorsese’s Hugo wasn’t that it was a 3D picture, but that it was shot on digital video, and not film, which is actually a point endemic to understanding my stance on the whole subject of film vs. digital: as I explain below I’m open as to the benefits of the digital revolution with regards to film exhibition, but please don’t mistake that as wholehearted support of digital filmmaking replacing film-filmmaking. I maintain that each film ought to be produced on the medium that the director intends for the project. 

Having worked in several real-world film environments I can attest to the challenges of working with 35mm prints. While running the prints for an international film festival a couple of years ago I had several thousand reels of film to look after and a courier fee reaching in to the £20,000′s. Several rooms were required to store the hundreds of prints in the weeks in the run up to the festival, and a fleet of vehicles were on stand-by for transportation from site to site and venue to venue. Digital methods of delivery were on the rise that year. I’m told that 12 months earlier there were 1/3rd more prints and £10,000 extra in shipping costs, so in just one year we’d seen a dramatic drop in costs thanks to digital. The films that arrived on digital formats (hard-drive, digi-beta and Blu-ray disc) were easily filed away in a cabinet, and could be handled with relative ease, with a days worth of programming fitting in to the average tote bag. 

Digital sources aren’t perfect. There was some discourse as to the faithfulness (in colour and framing) of a screening of a digital print of Barry Lyndon just last week at the BFI. It’s apt that Kubrick’s film came under such scrutiny, given the directors hyper-specific demands for the projection of his work [III]. It almost feels disrespectful to take the work of a deceased filmmaker and change the medium so dramatically (I haven’t seen the “print” in question, but do own the controversial Blu-ray edition of the film, that saw a slight shift in aspect ratio – more on that here). Blu-ray is proving to be something of a saviour for a number of independent filmmakers too. Thanks to the technical impressives of the format a director can send a fairly perfect iteration of their work to any place in the world for a relatively low cost. Elsewhere, volunteer run community cinemas and smaller film festivals are free of the stigmatic shackles of the noisy imaging and poor sound quality of DVD, yet with little increase in cost and space.  

In an interesting coincidence legendary science-fiction Ray Bradbury passed away on Tuesday, at the age of 91. While his most immediate cinematic reference point would be Francois Truffaut’s underrated adaptation of the writers best known novel, Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury’s influence on the wider science fiction scene is incalculable. His relevenacy within to the digital debate is whole too: Bradbury was insistant that his work not be made available on digital mediums such as Amazon’s Kindle service, or through Apple’s iTunes iBookstore [IV]. While Bradbury gave up the good fight just a few months ago, his arm forced when the writer signed a new publishing contract, he remained defiant to the end. In a rather classy move HarperCollins waited a whole two days after the authors death to announce that his work would soon be in “print” across digital devices. What better way to end this weeks editorial than with the words of Bradbury himself, who when asked for permission to spin one of his works in to an eBook responded with the following.

“To hell with you. To hell with you and to hell with the Internet. It’s distracting. It’s meaningless; it’s not real. It’s in the air somewhere.”

Adam Batty – Editor-In-Chief

P.S. This month Hope Lies at 24 Frames Per Second climbed to number 12 in eBuzzing’s list of the most influential blogs on cinema. To say we’re ecstatic would be an understatement. The greatest of appreciation to you all. 

The Artist’s Oscar best Actor Jean Dujardin and César Best Actress Berenice Bejo. The Artist is the opening and closing film of the Citi Rustans French Film Fest at the Shang Cineplex Shang Rila Plaza Mall from June 8-17, 2012.

Written by

Jude Thaddeus Bautista

The Citi-Rustans French Film Festival will open with the award winning film “The Artist”, from June 8-17 at the Shang Rila Cineplex, Shang Rila Plaza mall.  The Artist by director Michel Hazanavicius has won a staggering 5 Oscars (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Original Score, Best Costume), 3 Golden Globes and 6 César awards. Starring Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo. It is about a silent film star whose fortunes change with the advent of sound. American actors John Goodman, Penelope Miller round out the cast set in the roaring age of the 1920’s in Hollywood.

Opening the French Film fest 3rd from left: H.E. Amb of France Gilles Garachon, from left Adolf Alix, Shang Plaza GM Lala Fojas, Olivier Assayas, Stephan Rybojad and French Audio Visual Attaché Martin Macalintal. The Citi-Rustans French Film Fest at the Shang Cineplex Shang Rila Plaza Mall will run from June 8-17, 2012. Photo by Jude Bautista

This year is the 17^th edition of the prestigious French Film fest, Martin Macalintal French Audio Visual Attaché explained why they adopted a new name for this year’s fest, “Thanks to Shang Rila of course, thanks to Citibank and Rustans who are giving us generous support to make it happen. With the Oscars the screening rights to ‘The Artist’ have become very expensive. We’re only getting 3 screenings, 2 in Manila the second one for the public and the third in Cebu.”

Dante Mendoza welcomes Olivier Assayas. The Citi-Rustans French Film Fest at the Shang Cineplex Shang Rila Plaza Mall will run from June 8-17, 2012. Mendoza’s “Captive” (starring Isabel Huppert and Angel Aquino) premiered June 9 as part of the fest. He has recently wrapped up “Thy Womb” with Nora Aunor. Photo by Jude Bautista

There will be a total of 17 French films that will be screened. Esteemed director Olivier Assayas will be part of the fest and will feature a retrospective of his work. He will also be meeting with Filipino directors and interacting with students at the Cultural Center of the Phil and the U.P. Film Institute.

Center H.E. French Amb Gilles Garachon w him from left Shang Plaza EVP & GM Lala Fojas and Shang Rila Plaza Mktg. Div. Head Marline Dualan. The Citi-Rustans French Film Fest at the Shang Cineplex Shang Rila Plaza Mall will run from June 8-17, 2012. Photo by Jude Bautista

The Citi-Rustans French Film fest has always been an exchange of films between countries. As June 12 Phil. Independence Day falls on the duration of the fest, selected Filipino films that have been exhibited in fests in France will be screened.

(2nd from right) H.E. French Amb Gilles Garachon w him are directors (from right) Adolf Alix, Raya Martin, French Audio Visual Attaché Martin Macalintal and FDCP Archivist Marty Magsanoc. Alix’s and Raya Martin’s “Manila” starring Piolo Pascual will be screened on June 12 as part of the Citi-Rustans French Film Fest at the Shang Cineplex Shang Rila Plaza Mall which runs from June 8-17, 2012.

“Busong” by Aureus Solito was in (Director’s Fortnight, Cannes 2011), “Manila” by Raya Martin and Adolf Alix Jr. (Official Selection, Cannes 2009), “Bakal Boys” by Ralston Jover (Participant Cinéfondation Atelier 2012).

Brillante Mendoza the first Filipino to win the Best Director award at Cannes for “Kinatay” in 2009 will have the Phil. premiere of his latest film “Captive” on June 9. The screening however, is by invitation only. “Captive” will be released in local theaters by September.

Macalintal adds, “France is very supportive of the priority program of the FDCP (Film Development Council of the Phil) in supporting Phil. cinema. Particularly in saving whatever there is of our film heritage. You may be aware of the A.O. signed by Pres. Aquino obliging all entities govt. agencies, producers to submit their audio visual materials be it on film or digital to the National Film Archives of the FDCP.

(from left): CCP Pres. Raul Sunico, Director Dante Mendoza, Cinemalaya Festival Director Chris Millado. The Citi-Rustans French Film Fest at the Shang Cineplex Shang Rila Plaza Mall will run from June 8-17, 2012. Mendoza’s “Captive” (starring Isabel Huppert and Angel Aquino) premiered June 9 as part of the fest. He has recently wrapped up “Thy Womb” with Nora Aunor. Photo by Jude Bautista

President Aquino has signed Administrative Order (AO) No. 26 last April with the aim of protecting and preserving films and audio-visuals in the possession of various government agencies.

All government agencies are directed to turn over their existing films (in 35mm, 16mm, or Super8) and other audiovisual materials (U-Matic, Betacam, Betamax, VHS etc.) both originals and copies, to the National Film Archive of the Philippines (NFAP) as part of the government’s efforts to preserve the country’s artistic, cultural and historical wealth.

Christian Merer French Embassy’s Counselor for Cooperation and Cultural affairs said, “In France we have the Ministry of Culture. Here in the Phil the problem it’s difficult for us to work with so many separate agencies. You don’t have a ministry of culture or something like it. We don’t need to separate so much. Here you have for cinema you have NCCA, you have FDCP, you have Cinemalaya, Cinemanila and Sineng Pambansa. How to manage this even for young film makers?” According to Merer the NFAP program of collating video and film will help governments or film festivals etc. go to one agency to look for and coordinate in finding Filipino films they need.

Directed by Michel Hazanavicius and starring Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo and John Goodman. The film follows George Valentine as a massive film star of the silent movie era, when a woman called Pepper Miller comes onto the scene and gets invested with talking films it  leaves George behind to wallow in self-pity and pain.

One thing that many people will probably be taken aback by who know me or read this, is that ive never seen a black and white film so for me watching this took some getting used to, however this did not discourage me from it. This is a really charming funny and intelligent film, showing that sometimes the best thing is do go back to basics, no CGI no huge explosions, merely how films were when they started.

Is the plot expansive and full of depth, not really but it feels like how they all used to be. Clearly I cannot talk about the script verbally, but physically its incredible. The dog and Jean work so well together and are the comedic pieces of this film.

Dujardin is easily worth his oscar win, it’s hard to pin point exactly how he does it but his performance is excellent with little touches here and there.

John Goodman seems to be very much enjoying himself in this role, not to say he hasnt for his others as I wouldn’t know not living in his head. You just get a huge feeling of pleasure from him that he is loving being part of this piece.

Berenice Bejo is another excellent actress in this, she is beautiful, charming and knows how to work with these people. It’s a joy to watch a woman taking a dominant stride in a film full of men without having to give in to the stereotype around her.

Without spoiling it there are one or two scenes with some incredibly nice touches which are not shown in the trailer.

The only negative comment I would make about this is that the comedic element goes a little too soon, meaning you are left with Jean Durjardin feeling sad depressed and watching his life go in a down wood spiral. This whole sequence lasts a little too long which takes away some of the charm and energy it starts with.

It is nice to see that no matter how long a time period passes, the old orignal workings of a film , the foundation on which the entirety of cinema is built upon can still come home and take all the Oscars.

OVERALL**** this is simply a charming excellent film for everyone to watch, the only draw back I had with this is that the depression and emptiness that George feels goes on a little too long for my liking. However excellent cast, who deserve all the awards they are given.

It is the 1960s and OSS 117 (Dujardin) is being sent to Rio de Janeiro to retrieve a microfilm from a Nazi war criminal named Professor von Zimmel (Rüdiger Vogler). The microfilm has a list of Nazi collaborators currently occupying positions of power in the French government and, not wanting to be exposed, those officials are sending OSS 117 to give von Zimmel a bunch of money. In Rio, OSS 117 meets a sexy Mossad agent named Dolorès Koulechov (Louise Monot) who wants to bring von Zimmel to Israel to stand trial for war crimes. They track down von Zimmel’s son Heinrich (Alex Lutz), who is a part of the 1960s free love movement. OSS 117 needs to find von Zimmel, retrieve the microfilm, and somehow seduce Dolorès despite her being constantly offended by his less-than-enlightened perspective on Jews. Also there’s LSD use and an orgy.

OSS 117 spends the credits partying with a bunch of sexy women in Gstaad, Switzerland. Some Chinese thugs come by and try to kill OSS 117 (as they will periodically through the film). After a shootout that leaves everyone but OSS 117 and the woman he’s there to protect dead (bystanders included) he says “that almost got bad.” That’s the kind of joke this movie does best. Lost in Rio is definitely a step down from Cairo, Nest of Spies but that just be because the first film caught me off guard as such a delightful surprise. There is still a lot of humor and charm present in this film. Jean Dujardin has one of the most expressive faces in cinema and this kind of role suits him perfectly. Also this movie has a lot of nice-looking women in it. I know that’s not an objective criterion for judging quality cinema, but it sure as hell doesn’t hurt. As a sequel, OSS 117: Lost in Rio is a “more of the same” kind of a deal… but that’s not really a bad thing here. If you liked the first film, check it out.

We’re tempted to declare this week a landmark one for home video releases. Quite simply, there are heaps of fantastic films available, with each of the UK’s specialist labels putting out something of note.

Disc Of The Week

Ruggles Of Red Gap - The Masters Of Cinema return with our most highly anticipated disc of the year thus far, with this dual-format release of Leo McCarey’s Ruggles Of Red Gap. Charles Laughton stars in this tale of an English butler-type gambled away by his master and making his way in the Old West. The traditional fish out of water tale is given an extra dimension of durability thanks to McCarey’s direction and Laughton’s fantastic turn. 

The Island Of Lost Souls - Charles Laughton again, in an early adaptation of H.G. Wells’ ‘The Island of Dr. Moreau’. Age has been kind to The Island Of Lost Souls, with the early-1930′s aesthetics adding to the chilling subject matter. It seems uncouth to declare the film a horror, but the landmark science-fiction work is certainly horrific. 

The Artist – The cinema phenomena of 2012 to date, The Artist swept up both at the box office and at the awards ceremonies that fell in the spring. Unfortunately, and due to the fact that it’s Entertainment In Video behind this release, much remains to be admired. It’s poorly presented for a prestigious title, and while the AV of the film itself is fine, the rest of the package is subpar. 

Chinatown – Speaking of subpar, Paramount ought to be ashamed of themselves over what they’ve done to Chinatown for it’s UK release. A few months ago we gushed over how wonderful a package the studio had produced to mark their own centenary with the US release of Chinatown on Blu-ray, with a wealth of extras backing up the main feature (several hours worth of documentaries led the way, while an audio commentary with David Fincher and Robert Towne the highlight). For whatever reason Paramount have chosen to remove ALL of the extra material for the UK disc. Insanity on a disc.

Bergman Collection – Five of the great Swedish filmmakers film are released in HD by Artificial Eye. Bit of a cheek to roll with the “master of cinema” subtitle though. 

Michael – Markus Schleinzer’s directorial debut is black as midnight on a moonless night, as one might expect from a Haneke collaborator.

Flipside pair – The BFI’s Flipside imprint brings a further two titles to the fore, in the shape of Ian Merrick’s The Black Panther and Andy Milligan’s Nightbirds, the latter of which is presented by Nicolas Winding Refn.

Martha Marcy May Marlene – Sean Durkin’s tale of a woman and her attempts to leave a cult behind was well received on the festival circuit last year, following a well received debut at Sundance. John Hawkes is on typically fantastic form as the enigmatic leader of the cult, while Elizabeth Olsen is no less than a revelation as the girl on the run from her past.

Iron Sky – Shit sandwich.

image form imdb

Cast: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman

Director: Michel Hazanavicius

Time: 100mins

Rating: PG-13

A silent movie star George Valentin is thrown into an era where silent films are quickly fading and talking pictures are all the rave. George finds himself quickly been faded out by rising new stars like Peppy Miller, he finds himself down the road of self-destruction.

This was fantastic. Great use of silence, wardrobe, and music. It had an that old Hollywood vintage touch. Dujardin was charismatic and charming as Bejo was sassy and gorgeous. Then throw in a fabulous dog with great acting skills this movie was a treat.

All I can say is that they don’t make them like they use too~ go see this people. You won’t be disappointed.

Manila — Ten years before garnering international accolades for his performance in The Artist, canine film star Uggie was a rambunctious puppy who was passed off by two different guardians who were unprepared for the Jack Russell terrier’s energy. But dog trainer Omar Von Muller stepped in to prevent Uggie from ending up in an animal shelter and soon fell in love with his fearless, playful attitude—and his star quality. And now, to help other dogs achieve their own rags-to-riches stories, the award-winning pooch is starring in a brand-new PETA campaign that proclaims, “I’m Uggie, and I Was Adopted. Millions of Dogs Are Waiting in Animal Shelters for a Loving Home. Adopt, Don’t Buy.”

“Animal shelters are full to the brim with dogs and cats who are waiting for the opportunity to become the star of a loving family,” says PETA Campaigns Manager Rochelle Regodon. “PETA encourages everyone who is considering bringing a canine companion into their lives to save a life by adopting from an animal shelter—and never patronizing breeders or pet stores.”

Thousands of unwanted dogs are euthanized every year for lack of a loving home, while many more are left languishing in animal shelters. And breeding facilities, pet stores, and kennels continue to make the homeless-animal crisis worse. These profit-driven businesses are notorious for offering little comfort and care to the animals they buy and sell, and they continue to produce animals under these cruel conditions. PETA encourages everyone who has the time, love, and resources for a dog or a cat to visit an animal shelter and adopt a homeless animal in need.

Uggie received the Palm Dog Award at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and a special mention at the Prix Lumière Awards in France.

He joins a long list of celebrities—including Justin Bieber, Booboo Stewart, Kellan Lutz, Yvonne Strahovski, and Patricia Arquette—who have teamed up with PETA to promote animal adoption.

For more information, please visit PETAAsiaPacific.com.

And to get to know more about the movie “The Artist” you could watch the video below, an interview of the writer of the film, Michel Hazanavicius on how he created and makes the approach different from any other movie in our century.

(Note: Please refrain from unauthorized copying or redistribution (partial or complete) of my photos. Kindly inform me or acknowledge me when you use it for other purposes.Source: PETA Media Release)

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George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is one of the biggest stars in 1920’s Hollywood. While his marriage to his wife Doris is not perfect, his vast amount of wealth and fame allows them the ability to fake an amiable relationship. One day, George meets chorus girl Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), who has aspirations of becoming an actress. He is instantly infatuated. Soon thereafter, sound comes to the moving picture industry. These “talking pictures” will sound the death knell for George Valentin’s career. Audiences are no longer satisfied with the older generation of actors who can only “mug at the camera.” Desperate to combat this new era in filmmaking, Valentin sinks all of his money into one last epic silent film. However, things are quite different for the former chorus girl Peppy Miller. Much like Valentin himself, the movie going audiences cannot seem to get enough this “talkie” sweetheart. Will Valentin just be overcome by his deep despair and self-abuse caused by the loss of his career? Or is there still a way for him to get everything back?

The French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius responsible for Mes amis, Le classe Americaine and the OSS 117 films has brought the biggest revival of the silent film genre back to silver screen since it was in its heyday. This movie is not the first time that Hazanavicius and Dujardin have collaborated for a film. Previously, they worked on, OSS 117, a James Bond parody series. Dujardin’s role as the secret agent only required a cocky attitude and a charming smile. For The Artist, he used these resources but also many we had never seen before. Dujardin makes portraying the full spectrum of emotion look as effortless as that mile wide smile. While this movie pays tribute to the silent era, that is not its sole purpose. If this film was made only as homage to the movies of yesteryear, it could be easily brushed off as just another gimmick. But in truth, its execution, direction and the charismatic performances of its key players were so sure handed that it was strong enough to stand on its own. To make sure their roles had the authenticity of an actual silent film, lead actors Bejo and Dujardin patterned their style and mannerisms after actual silent film actors. Bejo emulated the flapper-era Joan Crawford and Dujardin the swashbuckler Douglas Fairbanks. Peppy Miller states, “Out with the old, make way for the new.” The greatest compliment to this film is just how easy it is to forget which category it falls into. Costarring in this chronicle of the advent of talking pictures were John Goodman, James Cromwell, Malcolm MacDowell, Penelope Ann Miller and Ed Lauter.

While The Artist reminds us that this is a flawed business, it also reminds us of the reason why we began watching films in the first place. No special effects, IMAX or migraine inducing 3-D glasses are required to experience the magic of the cinema. That magic is produced by a simple rise-and-fall romantic comedy with storytelling which is better than has been seen all year. People say that silence is golden. In the case of The Artist silence has taken home the Oscar gold.

The Artist follows in the footsteps of Singing in the Rain and shows the life of silent movie star George Valentin (Jean Dujardin). He is at the top of his game, but the invention of the talkies is the start of his impending doom. On the other side of things, there is Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), a young go-getter who starts off as a background dancer and works her way to the stop. A chance encounter near the beginning of the movie shows the chemistry the two have. As the film progresses, the two stars careers rise and fall in opposite directions. You see the slow destruction of one life and the one time starry eyed fan become a star herself.

No one can claim that The Artist came up with an original plot, however you can accuse it of being a gimmick. Before seeing it, I too wasn’t sure if this was worth all of the hype surrounding it. But after proper viewing, I can say that the Artist is a legitimately great film worthy of the awards heaped upon it. It was reminiscent, not corny. Funny, not cheesy. Melodramatic, but in a good way. It takes a very original way of telling its story, and is a once a decade type of movie, just for the originality of the idea. I went to see it with 4 others who couldn’t tell Chaplin apart from Keaton, but they all loved it. No words necessary.

My Rating: A

Il primo, Prologo, è stato diretto da Fred Cavayé: parla di due amici, Fred (Jean Dujardin) e Greg (Gilles Lellouche), entrambi con un matrimonio in crisi i quali tradiscono le rispettive mogli e cercano di coprirsi le spalle a vicenda.

L’episodio seguente si intitola Bernard; diretto da Alex Courtès, vede Bernard (Lellouche) “bloccato” in ospedale a causa di una donna che viene subito scoperto dalla moglie.

Il terzo invece è stato diretto da Michel Hazanavicius, regista pluripremiato di The Artist il quale, anche stavolta, realizza un prodotto cinematografico che vede come indiscusso protagonista Dujardin. La coscienza pulita ci mostra le vicende di un uomo un po’ sfortunato, Laurent, che non riesce più ad attirare a sé le donne come un tempo ed è, per questo motivo, invidioso di un suo collega in sedia a rotelle, Antoine (Lellouche), che invece ne fa “scorta” con la sua evidente sicurezza.

Invece Éric Lartigau ha diretto Lolita. La storia è basata sulla vita di un dentista, Éric (Lellouche), uomo nel pieno di una crisi di mezz’età che frequenta una  fresca diciannovenne – la quale in passato è stata una sua stessa paziente – per sentirsi più giovane.

Il quinto episodio rivede alla regia Courtès e mostra la partecipazione al cast di un altro volto noto. Si intitola Thibault e racconta di un marito (quasi) perfetto (Guillaume Canet) che cerca in tutti i modi di disfarsi degli oggetti lasciati in casa dall’amante di turno, prima del ritorno della sua cara mogliettina.

La domanda è stato diretto da Emmanuelle Bercot, l’unica donna alla regia nel film. Rappresenta il rapporto molto intimo e sincero di una coppia di coniugi (interpretati da due attori che sono innamorati anche nella vita reale, Alexandra Lamy e Jean Dujardin) i quali cercano di chiarirsi sul tema dell’infedeltà dopo una cena con amici.

Il terzultimo e il penultimo episodio, Simon e Gli infedeli anonimi, sono stati entrambi diretti da Courtès. Il primo vede Simon (Manu Payet) colto in flagrante a tradire la moglie con una donna che potrebbe essere sua madre; invece il secondo vede radunati alcuni degli infedeli dei precedenti episodi in un’unica stanza i quali, guidati da una terapeuta (Sandrine Kiberlain), cercano di far luce alla loro dipendenza dal tradimento.

Las Vegas invece è stato diretto dagli stessi Lellouche e Dujardin che rivestono nuovamente i panni di Fred e Greg e stavolta lo scenario non è più Parigi ma, per l’appunto, Las Vegas, e ci regalano un finale sorprendente ed esilarante con un risvolto differente rispetto a quello degli episodi precedenti.

La pellicola francese è un ritratto delle motivazioni mediamente fornite dagli uomini in merito all’adulterio. Mostra la loro continua ricerca di sé stessi e di quel briciolo di giovinezza che non vorrebbero vedere andar via. Tra le ragioni esposte dai protagonisti vi è quella del tradimento come via di fuga da un matrimonio quasi distrutto anche a causa dei problemi economici in tempi di crisi. Il film non è soltanto una rappresentazione del mondo maschile; infatti risulta essere interessante agli occhi delle spettatrici anche il punto di vista dell’unica protagonista femminile posta in rilievo, interpretata da Alexandra Lamy. Quest’ultima, nell’episodio La domanda, mette in ombra Dujardin e assume la figura della moglie desiderosa di un rapporto privo di scheletri nell’armadio con il proprio compagno, mettendosi in gioco per la prima volta nella loro vita di coppia, ricevendo e svelando attimi di intensa sincerità.

Gli infedeli segue la scia delle commedie francesi in circolazione, mirando ad un pubblico internazionale. A tratti esagerato (ricordandoci quanto il cinema americano influisca in quello europeo) e a tratti più realistico, ci guida non solo alla risata ma anche alla riflessione.

Trailer: 

The Weinstein Company announced today the re-release of Academy Award Best Picture winner THE ARTIST nationwide this Friday, May 11, 2012.

This will be the last chance for moviegoers to experience the 5 time Academy Award winning love letter to films in a movie theater – the way it was intended to be experienced, and it is the perfect opportunity for a Mother’s Day outing.

The following Washington, D.C. area theatres will be re-releasing THE ARTIST this Friday, May 11th:

• AMC Hoffman Center 22, Alexandria, VA
• AMC Shirlington 7, Arlington, VA
• Regal Majestic 20, Silver Spring, MD
• Regal Countryside 20 Sterling, VA

THE ARTIST is the winner of five Academy Awards® including Best Picture, Best Actor,Best Director, Best Score and Best Costume Design. It is the recipient of three Golden Globe Awards – more than any other picture – including Best Comedy, Best Actor and Best Score. Jean Dujardin also won the Screen Actors Guild Awardfor Best Actor, and the film won the Directors Guild of America’s pick for Best Feature Film.

THE ARTIST stars JeanDujardin (George Valentin) and Bérénice Bejo (Peppy Miller), and features performances by: John Goodman (Al Zimmer); James Cromwell (Clifton); Penelope Ann Miller (Doris); Malcolm McDowell (the Butler); and Uggie the dog. THE ARTIST alsoincludes an all-star lineup of filmmakers, including: writer/director Michel Hazanavicius; producer Thomas Langmann; director of photography GuillaumeSchiffman; and production designer Laurence Bennett.

THE ARTIST – SYNOPSIS

Hollywood, 1927. George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a silent movie superstar. The advent of the talkies will sound the death knell for his career and see him fall into oblivion. For young extra Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), it seems the sky’s the limit – major movie stardom awaits. THE ARTIST tells the story of their interlinked destinies.

The three worked together on the spy-film satire, OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies (2006). It is a hilarious romp, and worth checking out. Do not let the French subtitles scare you away either. I wish more folks would get over their dislike of subtitles, as they are missing out on many great films.

A quick subtitle-related anecdote: I used to work for a big video store, and when Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon came out, all of the store’s VHS copies were subtitled. The store was flooded with people wanting to exchange the tapes, because they “didn’t want to read.” It got to the point where I had to preface each transaction with “This film is subtitled.” More often than not, folks would change their mind and get a different film (as a result, copies of Nutty Professor II: The Klumps were in high demand).

Back to Cairo, Nest of Spies — like The Artist, it is a period piece. The film takes place in 1950s Cairo, and it is, in a word, gorgeous. The sets, the costumes, the locations, and the cinematography are top notch. The film not only echoes the costumes and locations of 1960s spy films, but also the cinematography and production. Film buffs take note.

Would you do it for. . . Coty? No?

The humor differs from the over-the-top style of Naked Gun or Austin Powers, but there are thematic similarities. OSS 117 is a fool, but he loves his country (he tries to tip people with photos of President René Coty), and he is the definition of confidence. Dujardin also tries to “out-Connery” Sean Connery when it comes to charming the ladies as a spy, which generates plenty of hilarity. The film also features many running jokes (like the Coty photos) and sight gags.

Sure, Dujardin’s OSS 117 is a brash, arrogant fool, but you cannot help but be charmed and amused. Dujardin oozes charm and confidence, and makes OSS 117 quite the lovable character (and there aren’t any jokes about farting submarines).

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Daniel J. Hogan is the geek half of Ginger and the Geek. Follow him on Twitter, @danieljhogan.