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Argo who? Argo what?

 

That’s right, Argo. The film that Roger Ebert picked to win Best Picture at the Oscars stars and was produced and directed by Ben Affleck. The storyline of the film recounts the real life story of the C.I.A.'s cooperation with Canada for a mission to save six American diplomatic personnel from Iran in 1980 during their revolution.

 

CIA operative, Tony Mendez (played by Affleck), is assigned to find a way to extract six Americans in Iran after the American Embassy was attacked. His proposed plan was to pose as a Canadian film crew that travel to Iran in search of a good filming location. This being the best option out there, Mendez sets the plan into motion by finding a real script for the fake movie. The script was called Argo. Although this original screenplay was never actually made, it helped save the lives of six Americans.

 

The film is filled with anticipation and suspense that had me shaking in my combat boots, especially in the epic final scenes of the movie. I had to hold back yelling in the theater for the characters to “hurry up!” and “just get on the plane!”

 

The real-life events may not have been as exciting as the movie dramatized it to be, but nonetheless it got my attention. For example, the bazaar scene in the film didn’t even happen in real life. It may have been a good thing that they didn’t have the same problems in real life as they did in the film. Although the movie may have embellished the truth, the imminent danger was still there as it was portrayed in the film.

 

Probably one of the best movies of 2012, Argo has certainly made a splash in Hollywood and in Affleck’s career. Argo received seven nominations at the Golden Globes this year, winning Best Picture Drama (beating out Lincoln) and Best Director for Affleck. Argo has also won Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the SAG Awards this year, as well as a PGA Awards.

 

Although Affleck was snubbed by the Oscars for Best Director, his film is in a very close race for Best Picture at the Oscars in February! Many still have their money on Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, but all these awards they've been racking up may just be foreshadowing an upset at the Oscars! Find out If Argo takes home Best Picture at the Academy Awards on February 24!

 

 

- Amanda Baltazar, YH Staff