The Artist...Revisited...

So, I went to watch The Artist again and, unfortunately, my qualms with the film the first time around reared their ugly heads again and my current "A-" grade has to be shifted downward a bit.  [In my original review, I actually gave the film a B+ which is where it stands in my mind now.  I was hemming and hawing about whether it would be a A- or B+ and I eventually changed it to an A- which landed it in my Top Ten films of the year where it will no longer remain.]  While the film still is wonderfully whimsical and charming, it unfortunately lulls terribly in its second half going on for about fifteen minutes too long.  Some condensing of the Peppy Miller growing famous/George Valentin sinking into depression stuff would've worked wonders on the film.  Still, it's a very good film that will be a fine winner of the Best Picture Oscar which it will inevitably win this Sunday evening.