The Artist Touted for Best Picture

Color us confused but reports are that French film “The Artist” is the favorite to win this year’s best picture Oscar.

The French black-and-white silent film, written and directed by Michel Hazanavicius, is being touted as “the favorite” has already won a Golden Globe for best motion picture, comedy or musical. to take home the best picture Oscar.

Its competition includes Alexander Payne’s offering “The Descendants,” starring George Clooney and Shailene Woodley; Martin Scorsese’s 3-D family film “Hugo;” Woody Allen’s romantic comedy “Midnight in Paris” and the baseball drama “Moneyball” (Brad Pitt), the Sept. 11 tale “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”; the Deep South drama “The Help”; the family chronicle “The Tree of Life”; and the World War I epic “War Horse.”

What we don’t understand is why “The Artist” isn’t in the foreign film category. The film stars two French actors Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo. Must be because John Goodman’s in it, or because it’s set in 1927s Hollywood. Or because there are no subtitles — nobody talks at all. Another irony: Some early viewers of the film were unaware it was a silent film and walked out on it. Some theaters refunded their money.

9 foreign films have made the shortlist for the nominees in the foreign film category. ”Bullhead” (Belgium), ”Monsieur Lazhar” (Canada), “SuperClasico” (Denmark), “Pina” (Germany), “Footnote (Israel), “Omar Killed Me” (Morocco), “In Darkness”(Poland) and Iran’s “A Separation,” considered to be the frontrunner.

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