I love this scene from the 2011 Best Picture winner The Artist because, to me, it perfectly captures both the wonder of film and the beauty of dance. If watching Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo dance doesn’t make you happy, then there is no hope for you.
Through the Shattered Lens 
Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo also starred together in “OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies”, which, just like “The Artist”, was directed by Michel Hazanavicius, Bérénice Bejo’s husband (they met during production of “OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies”).
By the way, if you haven’t seen “OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies” and its sequel, “OSS 117: Lost In Rio”, then you really should do so–they’re basically retro spy comedy films, with Dujardin playing the culturally insensitive, grinning idiot secret agent from France. I saw these two films at the cinema and laughed myself silly. Who says the French aren’t funny?
Given the demise of comedy in American cinema, one must look elsewhere for laughter. Honestly, what does it say about America, when even the French are managing to be funnier than the Yanks?
I really enjoyed “The Artist”. I don’t believe that there is anything wrong with black-and-white silents being made in the 21st century. To me, silent cinema is simply another art form, and just as you can still experience 2D cinema in this age of 3D, as well as black-and-white films instead of colour, I don’t believe that people should stop making silent films simply because talkies have long been entrenched in the cinematic culture.
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