'ARGO'

'ARGO' (R) (4 STARS) (HIGHEST RATING)

Written by Chris Terrio based on a selection from "The Master of Disguise" by Antonio Mendez and the Wired magazine article "The Great Escape by Joshua Bearman

Directed by Ben Affleck
Actors: Ben Affleck, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Victor Garber, Clea Duvall, Tate Donovan, Bryan Cranston

I knew there was a reason I love movies and it is proven how powerful and wonderful movies are in Ben Affleck's masterful "Argo". It is a throwback to my favorite period of movie making, 1967-1979. It is a fascinating and suspenseful political thriller with a flawless recreation of a certain time and place. It is also a story of courage and bravery and how a far out plan to make a fake movie saved many lives. Who knew that the movies were so powerful?! It is one of my favorite movies of this or any other year because like the great films of the 70's it keeps us enthralled from the first frame to the last.

"Argo" is as great as the best political movies of my favorite era including "All the President's Men", "Z" and thrillers like "The China Syndrome". Director Ben Affleck has become one of our best directors and I did not see that coming! "Argo" tells the true story of how CIA Agent Tony Mendez rescued six Americans taking refuge in the Canadian Embassy during the Iran hostage crisis. The CIA had many bad ideals to rescue these men and women but Tony came up with the best bad ideal he could think of. Pretend to make a science fiction movie named "Argo", recruit a Hollywood Producer and makeup artist to help with the ruse and go to Iran to put the plan in motion. Tony will train the six Americans on how to successfully act as a film crew and drill them with learning their fake jobs and backgrounds.

The story sounds so improbable and the mission so impossible but of course it is based on a true story. The power of "Argo" comes from how the movie plays with this goofy plot and makes us laugh at it. Though by the end the movie has us on the edge of our seats and choking up in the end. This is a suspenseful, well written and flawlessly directed, emotional ride. It takes us to a certain time and place and recreates it wonderfully. Ben Affleck directed one of the best crime films and mysteries of the past decade in "Gone Baby Gone", slipped a little with "The Town" and now has made his best movie and one of the best movies of this or any other year.

Affleck keeps us entertained throughout and this is a throw back to when movies had everything. "Argo" has a great sense of humor, suspense, great human drama and political intrigue that does not come off as boring. It has some wonderful performances including Affeck who doesn't over play his character and shows he is now ranked with the best actors who can direct and act in the same movie without missing a beat. John Goodman as the makeup artist John Chambers is wonderful and Alan Arkin as the producer is excellent and very funny. The actors playing the hostages flesh out their characters and make us care for each one as individuals.

"Argo" is an old fashioned, entertaining movie that made me tear up in the end. I expected a cracking good, effective thriller but I did not expect to get so emotionally involved. It is a stirring story of bravery, courage, love of movies and love of our country. There is not a wasted shot, emotion or scene and we are always invested in the story and in the last 45 minutes we are breathless and on the edge of our seats. I haven't seen many movies in the past decade and a half that capture a time and place and tell such a captivating story as "Argo" does. There are the masterpieces of the 70's which "Argo" resembles and David Fincher's masterpiece "Zodiac" and that is it. "Argo" teaches us that movies can be mindless entertainment but also a powerful tool to save lives. "Argo" is the best movie of the year so far and might become one of my all time favorites.

P.S. I can not wait to see "Argo" again and I highly recommend you see it in theaters and when it comes out on DVD rent "Zodiac" and watch both back to back. Those two movies are the best period movies in the past two decades.