"Artist" was awful; why I'm not watching Oscars

Since first seeing "The Artist," I believed it was going to win Best Picture. It's "different" without being challenging or difficult or worrying. "The Artist" could have been designed by a computer to appeal to anyone who has a sense of nostalgia for movie history. (And 54 percent of Academy voters are over sixty). It is also a light, entertaining picture in which froth passes for energy, and pat ironies are made to seem intelligent. I enjoyed it, until the moment I guessed how close it was to getting Best Picture. It is not a Best Picture -- but the Academy has voted for such polite duds time and again.

Special Section: Oscars 2012
Jean Dujardin "sleeps" around with the stars
"The Artist" star Uggie named top dog

Some of the other contestants in that category are lucky to be there. They should be ashamed to occupy places that might have been filled by two of the best movies of the year: the Iranian film "A Separation" and "Margin Call," the debut feature film by writer-director J.C. Chandor. It is the best movie -- fact or fiction -- we have seen yet about the links between our ongoing financial crisis and human nature and the vacuum of politics in America, but it was clearly handicapped in Oscar terms by being both challenging and a serious source of anxiety. In many years I would have given it Best Picture, but for 2011 that nod has to go to "A Separation," which is so compelling it justifies the hope that extraordinary, gripping and entertaining movies can be made for small change.

44 Photos

Oscars 2012: "The Artist"

View the Full Gallery »

It's my instinct that the sentiment for "The Artist" will extend to its director Michel Hazanavicius, and its lead actor Jean Dujardin. So be it. A moment of glory will thus fall on two men who, I suspect, are unlikely to make a good film again. George Clooney is Dujardin's closest rival, because he is so popular and powerful in Hollywood, and because the strenuous advertising for his film The Descendants has lately concentrated on soulful head-shots that make him look full of feeling and minus his normal smirk. It's crazy that Michael Fassbender was not nominated for something (preferably "Jane Eyre"), and Brad Pitt should be nominated for "The Tree of Life," not "Moneyball." Meanwhile Kevin Spacey was as good as he has ever been in "Margin Call" -- but he is not nominated.

Video: "Person to Person" with George Clooney
Why Viola Davis won't go skydiving with George Clooney
George Clooney on his longest practical joke

In the best actress category, I fear that the habit of respect and orthodoxy may elect Meryl Streep for her Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady," even though she is hopelessly off in her bravura attempt at impersonation in this feeble and spineless film. Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe is the deserving winner, and a far subtler piece of celebrity reinvention. The category as a whole should have included Mia Wasikowska in "Jane Eyre" and Keira Knightley in "A Dangerous Method" (the latter in defiance of many hostile reviews).

"60 Minutes" | The many faces of Meryl Streep
Video: Watch the full "60 Minutes" segment
Meryl's men: How does she feel about her co-stars?

As supporting actor, Christopher Plummer seems to be a certainty in "Beginners," and the Academy surely feels that this smooth veteran should have his day. I would give the prize to Kenneth Branagh's Laurence Olivier in "My Week with Marilyn," and I regret the omission of several fine performances -- Patton Oswalt in "Young Adult," Paul Bettany in "Margin Call," all the men in "A Separation," Eddie Redmayne as the "me" in "My Week with Marilyn," Bryan Cranston in "Drive," and the kids in "The Tree of Life."

37 Photos

Oscars 2012: "The Tree of Life"

View the Full Gallery »

There is a severe injustice at work in the supporting actress category: It shows no understanding of acting that Shailene Woodley is omitted as the teenage daughter in "The Descendants." She is the heart and turning point of that overrated film, and she will be heard from again. Equally, Carey Mulligan should have been there for "Drive" and Christine Bottomley for "The Arbor" (a film seen by far too few people). Of those who are nominated, I suspect the prize will go to either Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids" or Octavia Spencer in "The Help" -- I'll bet on the latter because I suspect the Academy wants to honor that weirdly complacent film with something for "noble intentions."

"A Separation" will win for best foreign picture, though I have already written about the folly and arrogance of a best "foreign" picture attitude in this world and the forlorn implication that America still does these things best. I hope that the same film will win an Oscar for its writer-director, Asghar Farhadi, in the best original screenplay category. No picture from last year advanced with the same force, clarity and necessity, and those virtues began in the script. The nominees for adapted screenplay are all in the area of insanity to my mind: The script for "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" exists not as a plausible or appealing mystery -- it is willfully obscure and empty at its core. The process of adaptation in "My Week with Marilyn" (by Adrian Hodges) was far more intricate and ambitious, while the adaptation of the plays of Andrea Dunbar in "The Arbor" (by Clio Barnard) came from a different scheme of intelligence. In addition, Christopher Hampton's screen adaptation of his own play was vital to "A Dangerous Method." Alas, none of the three were nominated.

• 1
• 2
• Next Page »

[servorum]

David Thomson, you certainly have the freedom to like or dislike any film you choose, but in regard to your opinion about "The Artist" you are flat-out wrong, and I'm not afraid to say that.
Thomson, you are wrong.

For any writer/director to even imagine making a black and white, wide release silent movie in our time is madness. To then carry out that dream as perfectly as Hazanavicius did with "The Artist" is not only genius but visionary.

The plot is fascinating, the characters are invariably interesting, and the resolution is pure classic Hollywood wonder, happiness and joy.
We need more of this kind of entertainment during these difficult times we are living in, not less.

Sorry, but you're going to have to sit watching your television tonight and groan to yourself as this movie and its director walk off with Academy Awards.
And how deserving of these honors they will be.

[jaykay3141]

CBS Sunday Morning broadcast an interview with some of the production people who made a huge deal about how much effort went into ensuring the film's 1920s setting was historically accurate. Then they showed a clip accompanied by the song "Sing, Sing, Sing" which was written in the mid-1930s. Sorta like the opening of the film Wind Talkers with a 50-star flag waving over a WWII Army camp.

[bixxdixx]

I really liked The Artist but i agree...Best Pic? not really. I thoguht Streep was amazing as Thatcher and I usually think she's is sooo overrated. Who know is IS overrated??? Michelle Williams! ugh! what is up with all the worship of her?? The Oscars are a joke really. Helena Bonham Carter being nominated for The Kings Speech?? Come on! And this year Gary Oldman's sleep inducing turn in Tinker Tailor....jeez louise! Let's face it, the onky reasn we watch the awards is to see the actors and/or the clothes. Acting is a pretty dumb job in the vast scheme of things.

[antiglobal5]

This type of thing is why less people including myself are inot the Oscars.
The committee pick films to try and reenforce their view that they are experts and understand cinematography more then others which is a bunch of crap. I took film in college and it was about as useless as basket weaving.
It is always these artsy films most people hate or films with social themes.
Here is an idea. movies are supposed to be fun. Pick movies the majority like and are fun. Stop trying to make a social statement with everything and let each individual decide their stance on social issues. PC is killing everything including entertainment.

[TEC4_cleveland]

I respectfully submit that the author didn't really watch the Artist. He sure saw a different movie than I did. Go Artist! And the author may go fly a kite while he's at it - if that's not too simple and low tech for him.

[Aceduece]

We left after 30 minutes of nonsense. I think it is the most boring piece of crap I've ever seen. And pantomine is NOT acting.

[javila2]

It was awful...it would have been much worse if I hadn't fallen asleep halfway through it.

[Rafterman11]

Well, that was a pretty arrogant article. I'm not saying Thomson wasn't right about (some of) his observations, but with the tone of his writing, you'd swear those opinions came from Mount Olympus itself.

[Montana5]

What is the saying? "Opinions are like ********....everybody has one".

[MelvinFinkelstein]

Thinks The Artist is awful. Probably also thinks Transformers 3 was Oscar-worthy.

[KPeters_from_UK]

I do believe Mr Thomson has a much higher bar than you have implied.
For him Transformers is fluff, The Artist is entertaining and then A Separation is an art film of high caliber. Have you seen the film? Probably not because it is Iranian and requires thought.