1.22.2012

The Artist (2011)


Most of you are probably aware that 'The Artist' is the favorite to win the Oscar for Best Picture this year. It has become the critics' darling much like 'The King's Speech' was last year. It's a much better movie than 'The King's Speech', but I guess that's a topic for another entry.
After seeing 'The Artist' I understood the reasoning behind all the praises, and I will be very surprised if it does not win the Best Picture. 'The Artist' is the very antithesis of today's big budget Hollywood movies. If you could make a movie that is the complete opposite movies like the Transformers movies, I think you'll end up with something very close to 'The Artist'.
It tells the story of the demise of a famous silent film star, George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), whose vanity and pride prevents him from adapting to the introduction of talking pictures in the film business. Peppy Miller (Bernice Bejo) is a young, up and coming star whose fresh look and youth is exactly what the audience dying to see. The introduction of talking in movies changes the very foundation of the film industry and sets the two actors into two very different paths. It was hard not to be captivated by the facial expressions and body language of the actors. It is still amazing to see how a simple smile, a simple hop in the steps, or even a wink can express so much more than any amount of words ever can. Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo both delivery a very genuine and memorable performances. 'The Artist' is an experience that requires your complete attention and if you allow yourself to be captivated by the silent, black and white screen for an hour and forty minutes, you will walk away amazed knowing that you can have a delightful cinematic experience without having your eardrums blown away and your eyes spinning from 3-D objects flying all over the place. Do yourself a favor and go check out 'The Artist' with an open mind.


IMDB-8.5/10
Metascore- 89/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 97%, Audience- 91%
Yong's Rating- 5/5 Stars

1.15.2012

Bridesmaids (2011)


'Bridesmaids' is an all women cast comedy that shows girls can be just as raunchy as the guys. And every bit as funny. When Lillian (Maya Rudolph) gets engaged, she asks her childhood friend, Annie (Kristen Wiig) to be her maid of honor. This does not go well with Lillian's new friend, Helen (Rose Byrne) who is determined to steal the position of best friend. Wiig and Byrne's lives are the complete opposite. Wiig's life is in a mess. She has a failed business, financial problems and relationship troubles.  On the other hand, Bryne seems to have everything in her life in order. And she always looks pretty. When Bryne uses her power to manipulate her friends to get what she wants a fun, hilarious adventure ensues.
'Bridesmaids' isn't just a raunchy rated-R comedy, it also has a heart warming story that's very enjoyable. The cast is very funny and work very well with each other. Melissa McCarthy definitely steals the show with her portrayal of Megan. She made me laugh in every one of her scenes. 'Bridesmaids' is a good balance of comedy and drama that I highly recommend. Most importantly, it teaches us that girls do poop. A lot.

IMDB-7/10
Metascore- 75/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 90%, Audience- 76%
Yong's Rating- 4/5 stars