This film was great. It really was.
Now, before the story begins, there is a brief history of Iran before the 1979 crisis, which I found to be incredibly helpful. Here, until 1979, Iran was ruled by a man who was Western and cared little about the people. He was also lavish, as it was said that his wife bathed in milk, which is just weird if you ask me.
In 1979, power had switched hands, which made the people of Iran happy, but the old president, sick and dying of cancer was granted sanctuary in the US, making the Iranians unhappy. They begin to storm the US Embassy, while the people rush to burn and shred very single document in the building. The six people granting visas simply run out into the streets which the rest of the people are immediately taken hostage. These six are given asylum by the Canadian Ambassador (Victor Garber). The six are: Bob Anders, Lee Schatz, Mark and Cora Lijek, and Joe and Kathy Stafford (portrayed by Tate Donovan, Rory Cochrane, Christopher Denham, Clea Duvall, Scoot McNairy and Kerry Bishe). Each have a history and a personality, and they look like real people, not overly attractive actors.
Back in the US, the CIA is trying to get the people out of there, and their plans are awful, including providing the people with bikes so they can bike the 300 miles to the Turkish border and not get caught while trying that. Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck, in his best role that I've seen) is to come up with an idea of getting them out. That evening, while talking to his son via telephone and watching the same movie as him, he comes up with an idea; the six are a film crew searching for locations to film their next movie. The CIA is skeptical, but they can't come up with anything better.
Mendez recruits John Chambers who won an Academy Award for Planet of the Apes (1968); the CIA also has him under contract. Mendez proposes to him the idea of making a fake film and Chambers (John Goodman) rolls with the idea. He and Mendez, now called Kevin Harkins, bring the idea to an old-time producer, Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin, great, even better here than in Little Miss Sunshine) who also jumps on board, though after some reluctance. But this fake film is going to be a fake hit. And so it is. They sort through old scripts and eventually settle on Argo, a science-fiction film with an exotic location, just what they need. After some negotiating, the script is purchased and Mendez begins his mission.
The remainder of the film deals with Mendez trying to get the people out without anyone getting killed, much easier said than done. There are twists and turns along the way, constantly leaving the viewer on the edge of their seat.
Affleck is a great director and this film shows why. The film is gritty and realistic, with authentic props and everything, utilizing tons of actual footage. The performances are great and the dialogue is made real with real emotion behind it. Everyone in this film, including the TV actors Chris Messina and Kyle Chandler, is fantastic, with kudos going to both Bryan Cranston, as one of the CIA directors and Alan Arkin.
Often times the characters aren't admirable, but that is how the events actually happened. Certainly, the film is about cooperation between countries but also a simple story about a man just wanting to get home to his son, as in Inception. This film deserves a second viewing because that's how great it is. So far, this film is the best of 2012; everyone should go see this film. Grade: A
Friday, October 26, 2012
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Nashville: Pilot
This show is crazy. So much stuff happened; there are tons of characters and this was only the first episode.
Rayna Jaymes (Connie Britton) is a famous country singer. She has won nine Grammys, four CMAs and has stayed with the same record company since before they were anything, for twenty-one years. But her new record is failing, her tour is losing money at an increasing fast speed. Rayna is no longer on top.
Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panittere) is the next best thing. Though her voice is sometimes auto-tuned, she is famous and popular. Everyone loves her, even Rayna's young daughters, but Rayna herself.
Juliette and Rayna do not get off to a good start when the two are introduced. But because of Rayna's failing tour ticket sales, her record company has ordered her to team up with Juliette or else they will stop supporting her new but failing record. At a meeting with the new head of the company, as Rayna tries to explain her loyalty, reason and a compromise are not reached. Rayna walks out the door. She is no longer supported by the company.
In addition to her failing career, Rayna's personal life is not that great. Sure her husband may appear to be supportive, and he is, but also, Rayna is his meal ticket. His own career has been sidelined by the recession and as the episode progressed, Rayna's father chose his only son-in-law, Teddy (Eric Close) to run for mayor of Nashville for the sole reason of allowing him to build a ballpark in the city. That's a great reason to decide to make your son-in-law your puppet. Now, you should also know that Rayna does not get along with her father (Powers Boothe) at all, even though, as he admitted late in the episode that he was the one who paid for her first record, not that little pissant record company, almost a direct quote from that scene. Rayna's sister is his handler.
Now back to Juliette. She has a crack head for a mother, so the audience can understand why she's a witch, but so far I feel more sympathy for Rayna.
Also, Juliette has recruited Deacon, Rayna's longtime guitarist to play on her tour, if he chooses, and then she also wants to record one of the songs he wrote. Rayna has never done that because she knows that all his songs are about her, and he admits that they are. Needless to say, Juliette and Deacon are soon sleeping together, though Rayna warns him to stop getting married and start dating again. So who knows how many ex-wives he has.
In yet another plot line, you have Scarlett, Deacon's young waitress niece who writes poetry. There is also her boyfriend (nice to see you Jonathan Jackson, finally in something after Tuck Everlasting) and another waiter, all of whom are trying to make it to the big time. The episode ends with Rayna hearing one of Scarlett's poems being put to music. Who knows what the rest of the series will bring, but I will be there watching every second. Grade: B+
Rayna Jaymes (Connie Britton) is a famous country singer. She has won nine Grammys, four CMAs and has stayed with the same record company since before they were anything, for twenty-one years. But her new record is failing, her tour is losing money at an increasing fast speed. Rayna is no longer on top.
Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panittere) is the next best thing. Though her voice is sometimes auto-tuned, she is famous and popular. Everyone loves her, even Rayna's young daughters, but Rayna herself.
Juliette and Rayna do not get off to a good start when the two are introduced. But because of Rayna's failing tour ticket sales, her record company has ordered her to team up with Juliette or else they will stop supporting her new but failing record. At a meeting with the new head of the company, as Rayna tries to explain her loyalty, reason and a compromise are not reached. Rayna walks out the door. She is no longer supported by the company.
In addition to her failing career, Rayna's personal life is not that great. Sure her husband may appear to be supportive, and he is, but also, Rayna is his meal ticket. His own career has been sidelined by the recession and as the episode progressed, Rayna's father chose his only son-in-law, Teddy (Eric Close) to run for mayor of Nashville for the sole reason of allowing him to build a ballpark in the city. That's a great reason to decide to make your son-in-law your puppet. Now, you should also know that Rayna does not get along with her father (Powers Boothe) at all, even though, as he admitted late in the episode that he was the one who paid for her first record, not that little pissant record company, almost a direct quote from that scene. Rayna's sister is his handler.
Now back to Juliette. She has a crack head for a mother, so the audience can understand why she's a witch, but so far I feel more sympathy for Rayna.
Also, Juliette has recruited Deacon, Rayna's longtime guitarist to play on her tour, if he chooses, and then she also wants to record one of the songs he wrote. Rayna has never done that because she knows that all his songs are about her, and he admits that they are. Needless to say, Juliette and Deacon are soon sleeping together, though Rayna warns him to stop getting married and start dating again. So who knows how many ex-wives he has.
In yet another plot line, you have Scarlett, Deacon's young waitress niece who writes poetry. There is also her boyfriend (nice to see you Jonathan Jackson, finally in something after Tuck Everlasting) and another waiter, all of whom are trying to make it to the big time. The episode ends with Rayna hearing one of Scarlett's poems being put to music. Who knows what the rest of the series will bring, but I will be there watching every second. Grade: B+
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Pitch Perfect
I don't really know where to go with this film. I could choose to criticize the ridiculous and predictable plot or how much I did like the film.
Beca (the always lovely Anna Kendrick) is a freshman at Barden University. She doesn't really want to go to college, instead she wants to journey to LA and become a famous DJ. Her father, who is a professor at Bardem, finally makes a deal with her, if she joins one club and makes an effort at college, then he will support and even fund her trip to LA. She takes him up on this deal, and tries out for the a cappella groups on campus. But lets back up, at the end of the previous year's competitive season, the Bardem Bellas made it to the finals but one of the leads puked during her solo. Therefore, when it comes to forming a team, they get the last picks. By the end of the auditions, they have this one girl, Lilly (Hana May Lee) who barely talks in anything but a whisper, Fat Amy ("You call yourself Fat Amy?" "Yes, so thin twigs like you can't do that behind my back."), and Stacie, who has big boobs. Beca also makes the cut. Aubrey, aka the girl who spilled her guts at Nationals, (Anna Camp) is a senior and one of the leaders of Barden Bellas who runs the club with an iron fist and won't let the others talk or even voice there opinions. Beca doesn't like her.
Now, like any good film, there is an enemy. The enemy in this case is the Tremble Makers, the guy a cappella group. The hatred is so deep that if a member of the Bardem Bellas has sex with a member of the Tremble Makers, she will be kicked off her team; the Bardem Bellas lose two members before the first practice can even begin. A new member of the Tremble Makers, Jesse (Skyler Astin), works at the radio station with Beca and really likes her. She doesn't even look his way, while she does but not in the same way. In her mind, they are merely platonic friends.
Needless to say, the competition season moves on. The Bardem Bellas come in second in their first competition, but all they sing are old songs (from the 1980s) and have unimaginative choreography. At their second competition, Beca adds in her own mix which causes Aubrey to kick her out of the club and no one can help her though they try to plea her case. But it doesn't matter, they come in third and their seasons is over. Then, in what everyone thought would be a crazy plot twist, one of the teams is disqualified because one the students is still in high school. So the Bardem Bellas are back together, but without Beca, who is seriously missed. But after a heart to heart with her father, where she realizes that she always pushes away the people that care about her.
So with Beca back on board, and after Aubrey is usurped, Beca takes over and finally brings the club into the 21st century and they perform a kick-ass performance at Nationals. This time they win.
Jesse and Beca also end up together. Life will move on, but for just one moment life is perfect.
Now, though the plot may not be much to work with, and the songs aren't the greatest, the dialogue is priceless. John Michael Hickey and Elizabeth Banks, who are the commentators for the competitions, are also hilarious. Rumor Wilson, as Fat Amy, can actually sing and is easily the funniest person in the whole cast. Brittany Snow (as Chloe) also does well as the other lead singer who has vocal nodes and thus singing is literally painful for her. The dialogue is snappy and hilarious. I will watch the film again but only because it is funny. Grade: B (but it is more enjoyable than most)
Beca (the always lovely Anna Kendrick) is a freshman at Barden University. She doesn't really want to go to college, instead she wants to journey to LA and become a famous DJ. Her father, who is a professor at Bardem, finally makes a deal with her, if she joins one club and makes an effort at college, then he will support and even fund her trip to LA. She takes him up on this deal, and tries out for the a cappella groups on campus. But lets back up, at the end of the previous year's competitive season, the Bardem Bellas made it to the finals but one of the leads puked during her solo. Therefore, when it comes to forming a team, they get the last picks. By the end of the auditions, they have this one girl, Lilly (Hana May Lee) who barely talks in anything but a whisper, Fat Amy ("You call yourself Fat Amy?" "Yes, so thin twigs like you can't do that behind my back."), and Stacie, who has big boobs. Beca also makes the cut. Aubrey, aka the girl who spilled her guts at Nationals, (Anna Camp) is a senior and one of the leaders of Barden Bellas who runs the club with an iron fist and won't let the others talk or even voice there opinions. Beca doesn't like her.
Now, like any good film, there is an enemy. The enemy in this case is the Tremble Makers, the guy a cappella group. The hatred is so deep that if a member of the Bardem Bellas has sex with a member of the Tremble Makers, she will be kicked off her team; the Bardem Bellas lose two members before the first practice can even begin. A new member of the Tremble Makers, Jesse (Skyler Astin), works at the radio station with Beca and really likes her. She doesn't even look his way, while she does but not in the same way. In her mind, they are merely platonic friends.
Needless to say, the competition season moves on. The Bardem Bellas come in second in their first competition, but all they sing are old songs (from the 1980s) and have unimaginative choreography. At their second competition, Beca adds in her own mix which causes Aubrey to kick her out of the club and no one can help her though they try to plea her case. But it doesn't matter, they come in third and their seasons is over. Then, in what everyone thought would be a crazy plot twist, one of the teams is disqualified because one the students is still in high school. So the Bardem Bellas are back together, but without Beca, who is seriously missed. But after a heart to heart with her father, where she realizes that she always pushes away the people that care about her.
So with Beca back on board, and after Aubrey is usurped, Beca takes over and finally brings the club into the 21st century and they perform a kick-ass performance at Nationals. This time they win.
Jesse and Beca also end up together. Life will move on, but for just one moment life is perfect.
Now, though the plot may not be much to work with, and the songs aren't the greatest, the dialogue is priceless. John Michael Hickey and Elizabeth Banks, who are the commentators for the competitions, are also hilarious. Rumor Wilson, as Fat Amy, can actually sing and is easily the funniest person in the whole cast. Brittany Snow (as Chloe) also does well as the other lead singer who has vocal nodes and thus singing is literally painful for her. The dialogue is snappy and hilarious. I will watch the film again but only because it is funny. Grade: B (but it is more enjoyable than most)
Friday, October 5, 2012
Glee: The Break-Up
Though critics may have loved this episode, I did not. It was only slightly better than last week's and that was because of the good songs.
First, Finn is back. Apparently, while cleaning his rifle (which he calls Rachel, because you're supposed to name it), it went off and thus he shot himself in the leg, though injuries were only minor, but that ended his career in the military. Now, he's been wandering around, lonely and lost. He's ashamed of himself. Rachel, despite her moment with Brody, is glad to see him and even insists that he come to all her classes with him. But that only makes him feel more lost and unsure of his future.
Kurt and Blaine are, likewise, having tons of relationship issues. Kurt just doesn't have the time to Blaine (also at McKinley, it's perfectly acceptable to talk on your cell phone in the hallway) and Blaine really misses Kurt, even though he basically forced him to journey to New York. So he simply hops on a plane and surprise visits Kurt, two weeks early. Then, the four of them go to a local karaoke bar and sing. Finn doesn't feel like singing so she sings a duet with Brody. The song is Demi Lovato's "Give Your Heart a Break" which I like, though I thought this duet was missing something. Then Blaine sang an acoustic version of "Teenage Dream" the first song he ever sang to Kurt two years ago. This was the worst scene of the episode. Blaine was trying to evoke tons of emotion but I thought he was trying too hard and the scene totally fell apart. It was completely overblown.
Afterwards, Rachel admits to Finn that she kissed Brody but that was all. Blaine, then, dropped the biggest bombshell yet, he had cheated on Kurt and Kurt was rightfully furious. Then, the four of them sang No Doubt's "Don't Speak", and performed it well. That next morning, Finn just disappeared and journeyed back to Lima. Rachel, who somehow managed to have the money to just jump on a flight and return to Lima, but she can't afford a better apartment, found Finn. She was less than pleased with him. Then came the best scene of the episode and one of Rachel's best scenes in the series. She told Finn that at first she was furious at him for forcing her to go to New York but then realized that only a real man would have done that, but now, slinking away in fame, he was no longer a man. He was also the first person that made her feel sexy. And no matter what happened, no matter where her career took her, she would always want him. He was also the first man that she had ever loved and she prayed he would be the last, but she couldn't do it anymore. After one last kiss, Rachel left. They joined Kurt and Blaine as one of the couples who called it quits.
Another couple did this as well. Santana always comes home to do her laundry so she will always have an excuse to see Brittany. Brittany really misses Santana and, though Santana feels the same way, they have to be in different places right now. After the second Taylor Swift song of the series, "Mine", Santana ends it with Brittany, though it appears to be temporary.
Will got the position he wanted as a role on the review board for art programs but it's in Washington D.C. and he wants Emma to join him, even though that means giving up her job for awhile. "But that's what ten-year's for," Will tries to justify his request. Emma is rightfully mad; she can't just gives up her life and follow him around like a puppy dog. Who knows where there relationship will take them.
Also at McKinley, the new couple, Kitty (who is borderline insane, as she fakes a rapture scene at a local restaurant to prove her point) and Jake break up. Jake tries to justify the reasons that he is with her to Marley, because he doesn't feel that he fits in with everyone else, he always feels that he belongs with her. Then, he breaks up with her, right in front of Marley. Kitty doesn't take it well, because she is like a bad Carrie Underwood song once she gets going. Though Marley immediately asks him out, he does shoot her down, which is good. I was yelling at her to do the same.
In other areas of interest, Finn returns to McKinley and advices Mr. Schuster that the musical should be Grease, and so it is. Finn will be directing in once Glee returns, in five weeks.
Though the episode was interesting and the songs were so much better than last week, I felt that this show focused too much on all the old characters without giving the new ones time to shine. I also hated what they did with Blaine's and Mr. Schuster's characters; the decisions seemed out of place. I really do have to have a serious talk with Ryan Murphy; he and I have some issues to work out. Still, the Grade is a B+.
First, Finn is back. Apparently, while cleaning his rifle (which he calls Rachel, because you're supposed to name it), it went off and thus he shot himself in the leg, though injuries were only minor, but that ended his career in the military. Now, he's been wandering around, lonely and lost. He's ashamed of himself. Rachel, despite her moment with Brody, is glad to see him and even insists that he come to all her classes with him. But that only makes him feel more lost and unsure of his future.
Kurt and Blaine are, likewise, having tons of relationship issues. Kurt just doesn't have the time to Blaine (also at McKinley, it's perfectly acceptable to talk on your cell phone in the hallway) and Blaine really misses Kurt, even though he basically forced him to journey to New York. So he simply hops on a plane and surprise visits Kurt, two weeks early. Then, the four of them go to a local karaoke bar and sing. Finn doesn't feel like singing so she sings a duet with Brody. The song is Demi Lovato's "Give Your Heart a Break" which I like, though I thought this duet was missing something. Then Blaine sang an acoustic version of "Teenage Dream" the first song he ever sang to Kurt two years ago. This was the worst scene of the episode. Blaine was trying to evoke tons of emotion but I thought he was trying too hard and the scene totally fell apart. It was completely overblown.
Afterwards, Rachel admits to Finn that she kissed Brody but that was all. Blaine, then, dropped the biggest bombshell yet, he had cheated on Kurt and Kurt was rightfully furious. Then, the four of them sang No Doubt's "Don't Speak", and performed it well. That next morning, Finn just disappeared and journeyed back to Lima. Rachel, who somehow managed to have the money to just jump on a flight and return to Lima, but she can't afford a better apartment, found Finn. She was less than pleased with him. Then came the best scene of the episode and one of Rachel's best scenes in the series. She told Finn that at first she was furious at him for forcing her to go to New York but then realized that only a real man would have done that, but now, slinking away in fame, he was no longer a man. He was also the first person that made her feel sexy. And no matter what happened, no matter where her career took her, she would always want him. He was also the first man that she had ever loved and she prayed he would be the last, but she couldn't do it anymore. After one last kiss, Rachel left. They joined Kurt and Blaine as one of the couples who called it quits.
Another couple did this as well. Santana always comes home to do her laundry so she will always have an excuse to see Brittany. Brittany really misses Santana and, though Santana feels the same way, they have to be in different places right now. After the second Taylor Swift song of the series, "Mine", Santana ends it with Brittany, though it appears to be temporary.
Will got the position he wanted as a role on the review board for art programs but it's in Washington D.C. and he wants Emma to join him, even though that means giving up her job for awhile. "But that's what ten-year's for," Will tries to justify his request. Emma is rightfully mad; she can't just gives up her life and follow him around like a puppy dog. Who knows where there relationship will take them.
Also at McKinley, the new couple, Kitty (who is borderline insane, as she fakes a rapture scene at a local restaurant to prove her point) and Jake break up. Jake tries to justify the reasons that he is with her to Marley, because he doesn't feel that he fits in with everyone else, he always feels that he belongs with her. Then, he breaks up with her, right in front of Marley. Kitty doesn't take it well, because she is like a bad Carrie Underwood song once she gets going. Though Marley immediately asks him out, he does shoot her down, which is good. I was yelling at her to do the same.
In other areas of interest, Finn returns to McKinley and advices Mr. Schuster that the musical should be Grease, and so it is. Finn will be directing in once Glee returns, in five weeks.
Though the episode was interesting and the songs were so much better than last week, I felt that this show focused too much on all the old characters without giving the new ones time to shine. I also hated what they did with Blaine's and Mr. Schuster's characters; the decisions seemed out of place. I really do have to have a serious talk with Ryan Murphy; he and I have some issues to work out. Still, the Grade is a B+.
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