Argo - starring & directed by Ben Affleck
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It's a shame that Argo - starring and directed by Ben Affleck - has been released so close to that of a certain British spy film, as it certainly deserves more attention that it's getting.
Affleck has shown a lot of promise with the previous films he's directed (2007's Gone Bay Gone and 2010's The Town), and he continues in that vein with his most ambitious feature yet.
Political thrillers can easily turn a lot of people off, but Affleck's story has a great little twist that involves the making of a Hollywood film. What gives it even more of an edge is the fact that it's based on true events.
The story (which revolves around the storming of the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979) is really engaging and Affleck directs it with great intelligence and a nippy pace.
Definitely worth a look.
Review here.
Affleck has shown a lot of promise with the previous films he's directed (2007's Gone Bay Gone and 2010's The Town), and he continues in that vein with his most ambitious feature yet.
Political thrillers can easily turn a lot of people off, but Affleck's story has a great little twist that involves the making of a Hollywood film. What gives it even more of an edge is the fact that it's based on true events.
The story (which revolves around the storming of the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979) is really engaging and Affleck directs it with great intelligence and a nippy pace.
Definitely worth a look.
Review here.
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Thought it was very good....Period detail spot on, cast just right and the tension by the end, will I was on the edge of my seat.
But were glasses {Deirdre like} really that bad, back then.:eek:
Apparently so - the section at the end showed photos of the real people and the specs really were that huge.
Really enjoyed this and as you say the tension nearing the end had me watching from between my fingers.
John Goodman, Alan Arkin and Bryan Cranston delivered some great one liners and I did enjoy the way the tension was ratcheted up, although the finale was a bit too Hollywood for my liking.
Tony Mendez, clandestine CIA hero of Ben Affleck’s 'Argo' reveals the real story behind film smash - Washington Times
Overall it gets 8/10 from me, one of the most entertaining movies I've seen up cinema in 2012.
It's really quite understated but that works in it's favour because the pay off, when it comes, actually generates a natural sort of warmth (this is the, film wise pretty much the opposite end of the scale to something War Horse).
I also think whats important here as well is that there is just enough humour in the mix to stop it being a bit too poe faced. The catchphrase of the movie is a real gem and i think will be remembered as a classic quote for years to come.
The supporting cast are excellent, though I do think Affleck doesn't quite pull off the lead role. He isn't bad, but try's a little too hard at times to be the stoic guy. I tend to feel his talents really are on the other side of the camera.
I think it has a good shot of picking up some awards this award season, especially in terms of direction, editing, and, possibly, screenplay.
9/10 for me.
I'd go as far as to say I enjoyed it more than Skyfall.
I don't know about anyone else but it put me off going anywhere near the Middle East!
Agree, nice touch
Please tell me you are joking.
Some strange reason** the cinema I saw it at played an English Soundtrack and English Subtitles. Very distracting :mad:
** the hard of hearing maybe
The "Directed by.." bit at the end was still a surprise even when you knew already he was director.. to see his name at the end was still an eye opener.
I liked the comparison shots at the end too. Makes you realise how much attention to detail there was in certain scenes.
That would be my only criticism really, couldn't really fault his direction but there was something lacking in the performance for me.
Other than that, brilliant movie. Really enjoyed it and I think it deserves all the awards it's getting
The story certainly kept my interest throughout and maintained a cracking pace. It didn't feel like a 2hr movie and I could have easily have watched another 30 mins.
Really enjoyed John Goodman. Just a shame he didn't get more screentime.
well that turned out to be a pretty accurate predication, oscars aside it did sweep most of the other major awards for direction
Very happy to see it take best picture, screenplay and editing last night
A slight shame that the British assistance for the US Embassy staff was completely written out of the movie though, perhaps Martin Williams' bravery might get a mention in the DVD extras...
Argo plot insult to Brit hero | The Sun | News
I find it easier to accept his lack of a nomination due to Ang Lee's win in the category, because Lee did achieve something special visually with Pi. Had Speilberg won I would have been more peeved.
In fairness, Affleck has never been anything less than upfront about this issue, which is more than can be said about Zero Dark Thirty.
In any film that is based on a true story, things will be presented differently for dramatic purposes. In Lincoln, for example, a number of points were changed for dramatic effect also.
I think what important is to be honest and upfront about it as Affleck has been.
Ben Affleck desrved a nod more than the film deserved to win.
I think it was on Film 2013 last week when a guy previewing the Oscars said about Ben's snub - it's like Argo's best picture nomination is saying "this film is great in every way but the direction"
Weird!
well clearly there was a chance or it wouldn't have won
So pleased it won Best Picture
Probably their way of apologising to Ben for the director snub.
It certainly wasn't last years best picture...... It was last years "surprisngly good and more successful than we anticipated picture"
Thats a matter of opinion, not fact. For myself, it was my favourite film of last year.
And all the awards that Affleck and Argo won at the start of awards season and shortly after the oscar noms came out were voted on before the oscar noms were announced, so your theory does not stand up to scrutiny. Argo was also actually the front runner to win from it's release through to late december, when Lincoln took over for a while. It's hardly as though it was an outsider that all of a sudden came from nowhere to win...
Voted "Film of the Year" in our house without any reservation.