Saw 'Argo'......

[FAST FRED]

....and thought it was a really well-made film which may win some of the movie making Oscars it's up for.

And it surprises me that Ben Affleck didn't receive a nomination for Best Director, since he was the dude in charge of making it.

The Link

Even though "Argo" is also about a covert CIA operation, this movie is pretty much the antithesis of "Zero Dark Thirty" in the way that it tells the story that it tells about the story that it's telling.

I thought it was a better realized and a more entertaining flick than "ZDT."

JMO.

Spoilers ahead!!!!!







"Argo" is pulled off in broad daylight by one spook (Affleck) who goes to Iran with a cover story in a commercial jet rather than at night by a whole seal team in stealth helicopters.

The "Argo" mission's target is precisely known and already located, not hidden for years and found out by surveillance.

The object of the bin Laden raid was to bring him back dead.

"Argo" had to bring back 6 American citizens alive.

There's humor in the "Argo" story along with very real danger and much tension, while "ZDT" was all deadly serious.

I especially enjoyed this movie, which proved there's more than one way to covertly skin a cat or that different cats must be covertly skinned in different ways.

This CIA operation and the movie called "Argo" had more in common with "The Men Who Stare At Goats" both in actuality and the film story than it did with "Zero Dark Thirty."

Your thoughts?

 

[l00p]

Quick note to Fast Fred. Thanks again for your love of movies and ability to translate it to all of us in your reviews. I also thank you for your polite use of SPOILERS looming ahead. Just now on this review I got to that point and stopped so I can see the film without having anything ruined.

It's appreciated as much as the reviews, thanks. I'm pretty sure I am not alone in this.

 

[RomaVicta]

I think the movie is solid but not great. I heard that there was grumbling because Affleck wasn't nominated, but I didn't see anything noteworthy about the direction. Like the movie, it's solid but not particularly distinguished.

I recommend the movie although I felt some of the elements that add tension to the climax seemed manipulative. If they're historically accurate, I'll back off of that quibble.

 

[bedhead]

I liked "Argo" too, but felt "The Town" and even "Gone Baby Gone" were much better films and highlighted his directing talent in a better light.

And yes, thank you FastFred, you are a great critic who isn't caught up in going with the crowd, you always present a well-balanced review.

 

[Texanne]

I watched Argo on PPV yesterday and liked it a lot. I don't know a lot about directing, but I am surprised that Ben Affleck got snubbed. I suppose Hollywood cannot forgive him for Gigli.

And I feel I must comment on the bravery of the operative who pulled it off, the imagination of the group that planned the rescue, and the courage of the six who got out. Truly a remarkable story.

 

[Basketball Jones]

I really liked it. My favorite exchange:

Tony Mendez: I need you to help me make a fake movie.
John Chambers: Well, you came to the right place.
Tony Mendez: I wanna set up a production company and build a cover around making a movie.
John Chambers: That we're not gonna make?
Tony Mendez: No.
John Chambers: So you wanna come to Hollywood and act like a big shot...?
Tony Mendez: Yeah.
John Chambers: Without actually doing anything?
Tony Mendez: No.
John Chambers: You'll fit right in.

 

[gecko]

Good movie....would have been great if they hadn't gone all Hollywood and had a bunch of Iranian keystone mullahs chasing the Swissair jet down the runway at the end. That insulted my intelligence.