The Artist - Review

Having just won 'Best Motion Picture', 'Best Original Score' and 'Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture' at the Golden Globes and receiving four awards at the Critics Choice Movie Awards, The Artist is proving to be incredibly popular. So if you ever thought the classic movies were dull, then you will undoubtedly feel dubious about the story of silent movie star George Valentin. Be prepared for your skepticism to be erased by this wonderfully crafted piece of work. Marrying the old and new elements of film and entertainment, Michel Hazanavicius successfully unites an otherwise divided audience.

Beautifully shot and magnificently capturing 1920s Hollywood, Hazanavicius transports his audience into a world of glamour, fame, humour and heartache; without an actor uttering a single word. And yet this film is not entirely silent, there are two moments where Hazanavicius uses sound. I will not tell, but both are carried out with such elegance that the flow of the film is never broken, but merely enhanced.

Hazanavicius carries the theme of old vs. new throughout the film, with it being the major conflict faced by the protagonist (Valentin). Jean Dujardin does well as the lead male; without his comic timing and impeccable facial expressions the film would not be nearly as lovable as it is. The chemistry between Dujardin and leading lady Bérénice Bejo (Peppy Miller) is faultless, giving this film a charm and energy not to be missed. So if you are looking for a film that will make your eyes tear up with pity, make you laugh out loud and make you hide behind your hands, then make sure that this is the film you go and see this month.

Pigeon English - Review

For those who read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Stephen Kelman's writing style will be familiar to you. Written from the point of view of 11 year old Harrison Opoku (known to his friends as Harri), Kelman's debut novel is honest, fresh and at times, amusing. It is fair to say that Kelman has taken major risks with his first book; a talking pigeon, a child detective and London gangs to name a few. But despite its weaker moments, the book works. Based on the real life story of Damilola Taylor, it is essentially a murder mystery, told through the eyes of an innocent boy, recently moved to England from Ghana. At times the narrative is clunky and this may be down to the infusion of Ghana slang throughout, "Asweh" (I swear) and "hutious" (frightening) feature often. There is nothing new by way of Kelman's literary style, but what he may lack in originality he makes up for with a realistic representation of life in many criminal 'hotspots' around the globe. This lends itself to the innocence and tragic naiveté of the story, which will have you thinking about the book long after you've turned the final page.