2) Argo
For that matter, let’s get over our collective irritation with Argo. Let’s fast forward to a time when we’ve forgotten that it won an Oscar because people felt sorry for Ben Affleck, because darn it he’s just been through so dang much! Can you imagine what it would be like to not get good movie parts anymore? It’s desperate times like these where a community needs to band together and help a brother out. And so we got to see him cry on stage. It was genuinely sweet I guess and I’m sure Matt Damon was giving him the thumbs up from wherever he now exists.
As a movie, Argo is just really good, and really fun. It’s a mostly light romp (I say this because now I can only see it in comparison to the decidedly grimmer Zero Dark Thirty) about the CIA’s oddball solution to a dire situation involving Americans in Iran consisting of creative writing and the chance for failed actor Tony Mendez to finally apply his true craft to his new super spy job. I think I have that right.
Really though, one reason it was deemed a good choice to vote for by the Academy was surely just how universal its appeal is (well, maybe not to Iranians so much, and maybe even not necessarily to Canadians, but you know…to everyone else). It’s got that rhythm and pacing that everyone loves so much and a sleek look and everything. It sounds like I’m denigrating it but I sincerely enjoy this movie. I think I’ll watch it again this weekend.
