Tell us what you thought of 'Argo'
Ben Affleck's Iran hostage thriller opens today
Ben Affleck in "Argo"
Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
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I've been high on Ben Affleck's "Argo" since way back at Telluride over a month ago. It is, I feel, the current Best Picture frontrunner. We've sussed out its zeitgeist potential, talked to Affleck, Alan Arkin and Bryan Cranston and pretty much covered all bases on the way to release, which is finally here. So if you make it out to see the film this weekend (and you should), hustle on back here and tell us what you thought. It's time for a wider audience to chime in. And feel free to rate the film via the tool above.
Kristopher Tapley has covered the film awards landscape for over a decade. He founded In Contention in 2005. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Times of London and Variety. He begs you not to take any of this too seriously.
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2012-2013 OSCAR PREDICTIONS
UPDATED: FEB 25, 2013
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Film Editing
Best Makeup And Hairstyling
Best Original Score
Best Original Song
Best Production Design
Best Sound Editing
Best Sound Mixing
Best Visual Effects
Best Animated Feature Film
Best Documentary Feature
Best Foreign Language Film
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October 12, 2012 at 1:55PM EST Reply to CommentI was very disappointed with the film. I am a big fan of Affleck's previous directorial efforts (Love Gone Baby Gone) and while this one is handsomely produced I don't know how many more accolades I can give it.
I felt none of the film's supposed tension or cared about any of the characters in the slightest because the film spends next to no time letting us get to know them. The film banks on you caring because the story is true and that is lazy film making in my book.
Cranston is the only bright spot and he is rarely used throughout the picture, and that seems to be the running theme with the murders row of great actors here, they are criminally underutilized.
I wrote up more over at my site, http://havingsaidthat.net/2012/10/11/hst-film-review-argo/, but overall the film is surface level storytelling and didn't engage nearly the way it wanted to with me.
P.S. I laughed during the credits where they give us a photo montage of, "Look how closely we recreated these images. MOVIE MAGIC!"
Mr. E Didn't you watch the movie? This entire movie was about cinematic (or, fake-cinematic images?)...just as the characters were trying to pull something off, the filmmakers were trying to pull off a film. You had to believe these actors as their parts. Ultimately, this was "declassified" in the end credits..
October 12, 2012 at 3:06PM ESTd2
October 12, 2012 at 3:08PM EST Reply to CommentThe only things I didn't care for were the first few moments after the opening set piece. After such an exciting and well-paced editing, the film opens to a crashing halt before starting back up again. Also, that moment where the screen faded to black and opened up again 69 days later (such a specific number, but apparently an accurate one)...took me out of the film for a moment again. Luckily, the film was overall an excellent one
Joseph
October 12, 2012 at 3:33PM EST Reply to CommentLOVED it! Still jazzed a few days later.
Me.
October 12, 2012 at 8:40PM EST Reply to CommentI know this is off topic, but why did you guys remove "The Master" from your BP and Best Directing predictions?
Kristopher Tapley You're right. It's off-topic.
October 12, 2012 at 8:43PM ESTMe. Thanks. Love you too Kris. <3
October 12, 2012 at 9:37PM ESTDuncan Houst
October 12, 2012 at 9:41PM EST Reply to Comment"Argo" is the kind of heart-in-mouth thriller that Ben Affleck has become expert at making across his first three films. I felt Bryan Cranston was the earned standout of the ensemble. The film seemed to pivot around the politics a tad too cleanly, but there is a favorable nod towards Iranian civilians at the end of the film. It's a rather intensely cut middle-eastern thriller with some amusing Hollywood farce thrown in for good measure.
JJ1 Seeing it tomorrow, or today if I'm lucky. Why is Cranston the stand-out in so many discussions, and yet Arkin and/or Goodman are getting the buzz. I realize that they're all good, and I know that Arkin is the "bigger Oscar name", but ... headscratch time. I mean, I feel like Cranston got a bit screwed with 'Drive' last year, too. Brooks got all the buzz.
October 14, 2012 at 9:11AM ESTCaptainCanada Arkin and Goodman have the showiest parts. Cranston's very good, but it's lower-key.
October 14, 2012 at 11:52AM ESTforg
October 12, 2012 at 11:59PM EST Reply to CommentTerrific!
Kyle Fuller
October 13, 2012 at 1:45AM EST Reply to CommentReally enjoyed the film, thought the first and third acts were expertly staged/edited. The second act didn't maintain the momentum Affleck creates in the first 45 minutes. The middle portion should have been scripted to showcase the personalities of the 6 hostages and deepened our interest in their wellbeing. Instead, I felt as though the screenplay relied on cheap character 'traits' that stood in place of really allowing us to get to know them. My mind kept drifting back to Goodman and Arkin when I should have been engaged by Duvall and co. Great production values, sly editing, and I enjoyed the use of archival footage implemented throughout, but, even after the terrifically suspenseful last 25 minutes, I felt cold when the film was over. Not one of the ten best of the year, but a solid Hollywood thriller
Gautam
October 13, 2012 at 3:33AM EST Reply to CommentWhile the film does take many cinematic liberties, with the right blend of tension, drama, suspense, artistry, narrative arc and comedic relief, Argo reaches the heights of a near-perfect film. My complete views @ http://cinemaconfessions.blogspot.com/2012/10/movie-review-argo.html
Robert
October 13, 2012 at 10:40AM EST Reply to CommentWhile it is extremely well-made, I thought that the story struggled to rise above a general sense of "been there, done that." I think that's in large part due to the script not really fleshing out the characters of the six stranded Americans. Consequently, while I liked it, I never felt truly engaged in it.
Pete
October 13, 2012 at 2:20PM EST Reply to CommentArgo fell short of my expectations. It probably would have worked better as a procedural. The script lacked focus and for me this diluted the suspense.
Pete
October 13, 2012 at 2:23PM EST Reply to CommentArgo fell short of my expectations. It might have worked better as a procedural. The script lacked focus and for me this diluted the suspense. And Affleck's performance never registered strongly. It is entertaining enough but I doubt that it will have staying power.
ThirdMan
October 13, 2012 at 4:11PM EST Reply to CommentI felt it was a good, workmanlike thriller, just like Affleck's previous two films. It gets the period details right, and intercuts the dramatized scenes with actual news footage effectively, but it doesn't have much flair, IMO, in the visual or script department (terrific actors like Cranston and Arkin make you THINK they're saying something more clever than they actually are), which would elevate it to something truly memorable. There's also too much repetition in seeing the hostages looking worried as they're surrounded by Iranian civilians and/or officials, with many of the third act scenes only registering as surface-level tension, with no deeper character or thematic insight. I'm glad I saw it, but will likely never watch it again. But, hey, go ahead and nominate it for Best Picture, what do I care?
B
CaptainCanada
October 14, 2012 at 11:51AM EST Reply to CommentI thought it was an excellent piece of work. Should definitely be an Oscar contender for editing, especially.
I'd probably put it in the middle of Affleck's filmography, above "The Town" but below "Gone Baby, Gone" (it's too bad, in a way, that he made that one first, because I think it would have had a lot of Oscar potential if he had already been established as a talent).
I enjoyed seeing Affleck sharing scenes with his "father-in-law", Victor Garber.
JLPatt
October 14, 2012 at 4:35PM EST Reply to CommentIt's a fine movie, but am I the only one who was horribly annoyed/distracted by the camerawork? I don't think I've ever seen so many whip pans and tilts in a movie before. Could Affleck not have kept that damn camera still for three seconds?
Also, why oh why is Arkin even getting any buzz? He's extremely funny and a welcome presence, but has so little to do there's no way he's awards worthy. Pretty silly if you ask me.
JLPatt
October 14, 2012 at 4:36PM EST Reply to CommentOh, and better chalk this one up for Best Sound Mixing and Best Original Score.
JJ1
October 14, 2012 at 6:53PM EST Reply to CommentEnjoyed it. I can "understand" buzz for Best Pic, Dir, Writing, Editing, etc.. The production values are quite impressive, as well.
I don't understand buzz for acting, at all. Everyone was fine; did what they had to do, and did it well.
Arkin? For this? Please. What a slight role. What he did was his charming/grumpy Alan Arkin thing.
I loved the first 15-20 minutes. I love the last 30. A lot of the middle felt ... well ... commenter THIRDMAN said it best:
"but it doesn't have much flair, IMO, in the visual or script department (terrific actors like Cranston and Arkin make you THINK they're saying something more clever than they actually are), which would elevate it to something truly memorable. There's also too much repetition in seeing the hostages looking worried".
Still, I think it's a solid movie. The crowd I saw it with seemed into it. I shall pass along to people I know that it is a good film; one to enjoy.
El Rocho
October 14, 2012 at 9:41PM EST Reply to CommentI thought it was excellent. But what interested me the most was that, as a Canadian, there has been a lot of coverage and speculation on Ken Taylor's part in the whole situation. It seems that film suggests that it was the CIA that did all the work and let Canada take the credit because no one was supposed to know the US was involved. But in actuality, Canada's government had a very large part in the extraction and when Affleck found out about this it was too late to change key scenes in the film but asked Taylor to change the information at the end of the film, which Taylor changed to something like "a perfect example of two governemtns working together." So the fact the the film gives the US sole credit, and as fact, is a little upsetting, but argo is an excellent film. I expect many Oscar noms. Not sure about any wins, though.
Marcus Love
October 15, 2012 at 12:51AM EST Reply to CommentI saw it tonight. I enjoyed it but am not feeling euphoric about it like so many others. Some are already predicting it to win best picture but I'm not having those types of feelings. I'm holding out for Les Miserables.
RichardZ
October 15, 2012 at 7:55PM EST Reply to CommentArgo is a best picture contender, a fine craft and an audience pleaser. Nothing complicated on the surface but a lot technical work done with the camera, editing, and sound.
I'm hoping for an acting nod for Mr. Affleck--
Chris138
October 21, 2012 at 11:49PM EST Reply to CommentI liked it. If anything it's a show for Affleck's directorial skills rather than his acting, but it's a well made thriller nonetheless. The audience I was with cheered and clapped at the end, and stayed through the credits. Ebert's right when he called it a crowd pleaser. I'd give it a B+.
I do think I like The Town more, though.