Film 84 in the "1001 Films to See Before You Die" challenge is 2012's "Argo". This was a fantastic film from start to finish. It was tense, you never knew what was coming next and it's all based on a true story, Tony Mendez's book "The Master of Disguise" and Joshuah Bearman's 2007 Wired article "The Great Escape: How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran." While I'm on the subject of books, the script used for the film was based on the 1967 sci-fi novel "Lord By Night" by Roger Zelazny. There was more than one part that had me sat on the edge of my seat and that's when Tony (or Kevin to protect his identity) tries to get the hostages out of Iran through the airport. That was the most tense scene I have ever seen. It does feel a little long winded when I think about it, fake making a movie, fake everyone's identity, then get them out of Iran without being detected. Also, this was my first look at Bryan Cranston in something that isn't "Breaking Bad." And I may have to add him to my list of favourite actors. Don't ask me who's on the list because it's very short! After watching this, I'm not surprised how this won three BAFTAS and was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning three! One of those awards was for "Best Picture". This was not Ben Affleck's first time as a director as he had previously directed 2010's "The Town", 2007's "Gone Baby Gone" and a short film in 1993 called "I Killed My Lesbian Wife..." Affleck has announced his next film he is directing, "Live By Night" which is aimed to be released in 2016 and will feature Ben Affleck, Elle Fanning, Zoe Saldana and Sienna Miller. Even with all this success and praise, Argo has been criticized for its portrayal of events; especially for minimizing the role of the Canadian embassy in the rescue, for falsely showing that the Americans were turned away by the British and New Zealand embassies, and for exaggerating the danger that the group faced during events preceding their escape from the country. Not gonna lie, I got that bit from Wikipedia. If you have seen this film, then let me know what you thought of it in the comments. Here is what I had to say while watching 2012's "Argo"
Film - Argo
Year - 2012
Director - Ben Affleck
Staring - Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman
IMDb Rating - 7.8/10
My Rating - 8.3/10
Length - 115 min (1h 55m)
Genre - Drama, Thriller
Nothing like starting with a history lesson about war in the 1950s
Burning the American flag in a protest
They could easily climb over the wall
And so they start climbing the wall
And now they've broken in!!!
BURN THE EVIDENCE!!!
One person reasoning with an entire rebel army! Consider yourself dead!
You used a photo of our leader for a dart board!
Everyone's in panic moade
"69 days later" - 69!!! That's a sex thing!
Tony looks like a bum in a suit
So... this is what the CIA looks like in the mid 50's
What is Tony's job?
Time to plan our plan to free the six hiding in Iran
Is this what it's like to work in The White House?
Time to sort through all these shreddings to find the faces of the six missing?
So... It's 1980! Not the 1950's
Time to watch "Battle of the Planet of the Apes" - Would have been funny if they had the modern version of the film?
So... we fake being a film crew to rescue everyone
It's only just dawned on me that Heisenberg is in charge of the CIA!!!
That looked like a shit film
Welcome to "llyood" - The sign was a bit battered
John looks more like a scientist than a guy who makes masks
Are they having dinner in TGI Fridays?
Tony is planning to do a $20m Star Wars rip-off in Iran... That isn't actually being made!
Tony and John meet with Lester
I know the entire country is looking for us but do you fancy a game of chess?
Looks like we have our film... "Argo"
It's a space movie in the Middle East
Did Tony change his name to Kevin?
Alan Arkin looks like Christopher Walken with no hair
DIRE STRAITS!!!! "Money for Nothing" none the less
Fancy a Taco Bell?
Time to promote the "film"
VAN HALEN!!! "Dance the Night Away"
The woman reading the Iran statement looks like she's being forced to read it!!!
What's a villain from Doctor Who doing at the cast reading?
Time to take hostages
There's no bullets in the guns!!!
The reading was a success!!! Now to pitch the film to the US Goverment
"They'll kill you before you're in prison"
So... instead of "goodbye" it's "argo fuck yourself"
Flying to Iran on British Airways! I'm guessing they're changing at London Heathrow
And that guy is dead!
Why are we in Istanbul? - They're 36 hours away via car
We flew to Istanbul to meet with Nicholls
So... anyone can just get an Canadian passport?
Wait... Only Tony went to Iran! No one else did!!!
Don't let that distract you from business
Good God the traffic is terrible!
They have KFC in Iran!?!?!
That guy got hung by a crane!
Only 40% of film in Iranian cinemas aired pornos?
Tony heads to the Canadian Embassy to find Ken
I'm just waiting for "I Need a Hero" to start playing
Just stop arguing and go with the plan
Now the American's at war with Russia and pulling out of the Olympics in Moscow
Someone's not wanting to obey with Tony's orders
Meanwhile, sweat shop boys are still sorting through shreddings
We'll make our escape in this VW Bus
Can we just kill Joe already?
Damn protesters have blocked the road
And there's more coming
Just drive straight through the protest
Everyone meets with Reza
This is one busy market
I have the feeling Reza has set them up
Someone's a little angry about taking a photo of a shop
Meanwhile, Sahar gets questioned about the Embassy people
Time to know our Canadian history
"You have a call" - Damn! And I just lit up a cigarette
Tony gets the call that the plan is being abandoned
LED ZEPPELIN!!! "When the Levee Breaks"
It was a set up! The photos are in enemy hands
You're my only friend, wine bottle
Time to leave the country
We need seven tickets on Swissair ASAP!!!
Jack's about to snap!
You hired French guards to watch the Canadian hide out
These checkpoints sound more like nightmares than anything else
It's a race for the tickets!
Everyone made it through checkpoint one safely
Who matches passes to get through immigration
We've found one photo that matches the shreddings
Is that policeman the same dude who was ranting about the photo of the shop
Checkpoint two complete
One more to go
Something hasn't gone right
It's a good thing Joe knows Farsi
"You don't go til we verify"
Now would a bad time to interrupt that shot
The enemies have stormed the base
Keep the storyboards as a gift
The engine had to be stalling now
The tension is killing me!!!
Time to leave here and head to Zurich
How are those cars keeping up to speed with that plane?
They've done it!!!
We've left Iran! We know because WE CAN GET DRUNK!!!
We that had be on the edge of my seat
Even John & Lester are happy
Meanwhile, Sahar is now a Iraqi citizen
I didn't know you could smoke on planes
"Thank you Canada" - Now would be a bad time to play the South Park "Blame Canada" song
Iran has now declared war on Canada!
I'll keep this piece of the storyboard to myself
Tony's getting awarded the The Inteligence Star!
Time for Tony to return home to Virginia to see the wife and kid
Tony's wife looks like a female Jared Leto
More history lessons - I'm more interested in the Star Wars dolls
President Clinton declasified the mission in 1997?
THE END
Film - Argo
Year - 2012
Director - Ben Affleck
Staring - Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman
IMDb Rating - 7.8/10
My Rating - 8.3/10
Length - 115 min (1h 55m)
Genre - Drama, Thriller
Nothing like starting with a history lesson about war in the 1950s
Burning the American flag in a protest
They could easily climb over the wall
And so they start climbing the wall
And now they've broken in!!!
BURN THE EVIDENCE!!!
One person reasoning with an entire rebel army! Consider yourself dead!
You used a photo of our leader for a dart board!
Everyone's in panic moade
"69 days later" - 69!!! That's a sex thing!
Tony looks like a bum in a suit
So... this is what the CIA looks like in the mid 50's
What is Tony's job?
Time to plan our plan to free the six hiding in Iran
Is this what it's like to work in The White House?
Time to sort through all these shreddings to find the faces of the six missing?
So... It's 1980! Not the 1950's
Time to watch "Battle of the Planet of the Apes" - Would have been funny if they had the modern version of the film?
So... we fake being a film crew to rescue everyone
It's only just dawned on me that Heisenberg is in charge of the CIA!!!
That looked like a shit film
Welcome to "llyood" - The sign was a bit battered
John looks more like a scientist than a guy who makes masks
Are they having dinner in TGI Fridays?
Tony is planning to do a $20m Star Wars rip-off in Iran... That isn't actually being made!
Tony and John meet with Lester
I know the entire country is looking for us but do you fancy a game of chess?
Looks like we have our film... "Argo"
It's a space movie in the Middle East
Did Tony change his name to Kevin?
Alan Arkin looks like Christopher Walken with no hair
DIRE STRAITS!!!! "Money for Nothing" none the less
Fancy a Taco Bell?
Time to promote the "film"
VAN HALEN!!! "Dance the Night Away"
The woman reading the Iran statement looks like she's being forced to read it!!!
What's a villain from Doctor Who doing at the cast reading?
Time to take hostages
There's no bullets in the guns!!!
The reading was a success!!! Now to pitch the film to the US Goverment
"They'll kill you before you're in prison"
So... instead of "goodbye" it's "argo fuck yourself"
Flying to Iran on British Airways! I'm guessing they're changing at London Heathrow
And that guy is dead!
Why are we in Istanbul? - They're 36 hours away via car
We flew to Istanbul to meet with Nicholls
So... anyone can just get an Canadian passport?
Wait... Only Tony went to Iran! No one else did!!!
Don't let that distract you from business
Good God the traffic is terrible!
They have KFC in Iran!?!?!
That guy got hung by a crane!
Only 40% of film in Iranian cinemas aired pornos?
Tony heads to the Canadian Embassy to find Ken
I'm just waiting for "I Need a Hero" to start playing
Just stop arguing and go with the plan
Now the American's at war with Russia and pulling out of the Olympics in Moscow
Someone's not wanting to obey with Tony's orders
Meanwhile, sweat shop boys are still sorting through shreddings
We'll make our escape in this VW Bus
Can we just kill Joe already?
Damn protesters have blocked the road
And there's more coming
Just drive straight through the protest
Everyone meets with Reza
This is one busy market
I have the feeling Reza has set them up
Someone's a little angry about taking a photo of a shop
Meanwhile, Sahar gets questioned about the Embassy people
Time to know our Canadian history
"You have a call" - Damn! And I just lit up a cigarette
Tony gets the call that the plan is being abandoned
LED ZEPPELIN!!! "When the Levee Breaks"
It was a set up! The photos are in enemy hands
You're my only friend, wine bottle
Time to leave the country
We need seven tickets on Swissair ASAP!!!
Jack's about to snap!
You hired French guards to watch the Canadian hide out
These checkpoints sound more like nightmares than anything else
It's a race for the tickets!
Everyone made it through checkpoint one safely
Who matches passes to get through immigration
We've found one photo that matches the shreddings
Is that policeman the same dude who was ranting about the photo of the shop
Checkpoint two complete
One more to go
Something hasn't gone right
It's a good thing Joe knows Farsi
"You don't go til we verify"
Now would a bad time to interrupt that shot
The enemies have stormed the base
Keep the storyboards as a gift
The engine had to be stalling now
The tension is killing me!!!
Time to leave here and head to Zurich
How are those cars keeping up to speed with that plane?
They've done it!!!
We've left Iran! We know because WE CAN GET DRUNK!!!
We that had be on the edge of my seat
Even John & Lester are happy
Meanwhile, Sahar is now a Iraqi citizen
I didn't know you could smoke on planes
"Thank you Canada" - Now would be a bad time to play the South Park "Blame Canada" song
Iran has now declared war on Canada!
I'll keep this piece of the storyboard to myself
Tony's getting awarded the The Inteligence Star!
Time for Tony to return home to Virginia to see the wife and kid
Tony's wife looks like a female Jared Leto
More history lessons - I'm more interested in the Star Wars dolls
President Clinton declasified the mission in 1997?
THE END