Argo!

Affleck's direction and combined acting was exquisite. He pulled it off well.  

His character came across as understated yet skillful and confident, as it should have been. Affleck nailed it as an unassuming intelligence officer who threw his weight around with subltety and engaging sensitivity. It could be likened to an airliner having reached cruising altitude after terribly rocky turbulence. You feel the heaviness and bulk of the plane only when it's negotiating a crisis in flight. 

The build up throughout the film was well paced and the scene contiguity in harmony with the exceptional ensemble acting deserves recognition by peers and public. The details were notable,and, because of it, were paid attention from the brief history lesson at the movies intro to enraged Iranians putting the pieces of shredded documents and photographs back together during the height of the tension of the hostage rescue from the Canadian Ambassadors home. 

President Jimmy Carter's brief explanatory monologue as well as the updates on all the hostages during the running of the credits at the film's conclusion was paced well.  All, examples of painstakingly good editing. That segue into his monologue from the frightening stall and questioning at the airport just before boarding up to the  climactic airplane take off seemed well placed, wholistic and a significant part of the movie--not just credit fringe typical of credit runs at the end of a film.

 It provided a solid review on the power and enduring nature of international cooperation and what can be accomplished when nations work together. Pure Zen--the manner in which it is made reference to in the cultural breakthrough novel of 1974, "Pure Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"* by Robert Pirsig. As in you just know quality when you see it. 

The movie gets a four out of four star rating from me.


Hope you enjoyed it!

Cynthia



  See trailer at Imdb
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Footnote

*Robert Pirsig made a number of quotes regarding quality which was a topic running through philosophical discussions throughout the book,which really had nothing much to do with Zen Buddhism from a religious context. One such quote "What I mean (and everybody else means) by the word ‘quality’ cannot be broken down into subjects and predicates. This is not because quality is so mysterious but because quality is so simple, immediate and direct.

Flight: Very Much Worth Watching "Whip's" Sober and Free

If you have not already seen this movie, it is definitely worth a trip to the theater.

I found it rich in texture as far as the storytelling goes. Denzel's character Whip Whittaker,demonstrates magician like dexterity in bringing a nose-diving jet liner with in excess of 200 passengers on board to a skillful but turbulent landing with more lives saved than lost. Landing in an open field ironically adjacent to a church with a steeple which is torn off in part during the topsy-turvy landing,literally. However, it is later discovered that his blood alcohol levels were well above legal limits. Despite his celebrated heroism for the feat that fact alone if exposed to the public could considerably alter the public's opinion of his piloting skills and also subject him to years in prison for criminally negligent homicide, ending his career as a passenger pilot.

 It is this complex play of issues brought to life by solid acting which keeps the viewer substantively engaged. Seeing him play a vulnerable drunk and rehab bound airline pilot,was a departure from his usual roles. The movie was also filled with subtle redemption undertones concerning prayer,church,addiction,etc. One of the stewardess's was church bound as soon as the plan arrived to its destination. John Goodman was a sure scene stealer as Whip's street pharmacist. Therere were scenes that really pull you in and get your attention while providing a window into the degrees of denial that are evident in an alcoholic's or any drug dependent's personality--Whip's alcohol issues are complimented, compounded and ultimately salvaged by his new female friend's intervention. She is grappling with her own addiction challenges. 

 There were several scenes which stood out. The crash scene in the beginning had me on the edge of my seat. It was awesome how Whittaker was portrayed behind the pilots wheel and his command of the instruments despite the fact he had been out all night. The scene at the end where he has a heart to heart with his son while in prison and touches on the importance of truthfulness is icing on the cake. He admits to his son that he is finally sober and for the first time in his life he feels free. I was expecting a flight disaster movie after viewing the trailers,but there was so much more to the movie. And, that extra something was a pleasant surprise.

I give this movie a 4 out of 4 stars.

Cynthia

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