Argo

[Totenkindly]

I'm supposed to see a free prescreening of this tonight, if I manage to get inside. (I'm lining up at 6pm, the doors open at 6:30pm.) I'm not much into jam-packed seating, but the tickets were free if I manage to get in, so.... I don't know if I would have seen it in the theater otherwise.

RT currently had it at 96%, I think. (1 unpositive review out of 21?) We'll see.

But that's gonna definitely take up my evening. Go home at 4pm, go to Inner Harbor by 6pm, movie starts at 7:30pm, I probably won't be home until 10pm.

 

[Totenkindly]

Just got back.

Incredibly good movie -- same kind of vein as Apollo 13, except much cleaner / not melodramatic. (Any strong emotional content to the scenes was relevant to the scenes rather than overblown.) The story was just basically allowed to tell itself. There was also this pragmatic sense of humor undergirding everything; the audience laughed quite a number of times during the movie, there was some really funny bits even among all the tension.

Affleck basically pulled off another directorial success and lets the story tell itself, although he knows how to shape the natural dramatic arc of the movie to result in a real nail-biter at spots. Also, while he plays lead actor and does a solid job, he's probably the least interesting of the cast, which is just packed full of great supporting actors in the business. It's very much an ensemble movie.

I also found it interesting because I was acquainted with this history, but not as much of the detail -- I was 12 or so when the hostages were being held. So the movie gave me a context for what knowledge I did have. The movie was just very well-done, and the characters all seemed to be real people, especially the 6 refugees trying to get out of Iran. Amazingly, since some actual photos and such were shown during the credits next to the film footage, they actually cast people who looked if not passably like the actual historical figures, then incredibly like them.

I won't say it's a movie you need to see in the theater (it's not necessarily a "big screen" experience), but it's definitely worth a watch. I was fortunate enough to get in for free (with a pass for a friend), and I only ended up paying $5 for parking since it was in downtown Baltimore.

 

[Poindexter Arachnid]

Where'd you see it? The Senator?
I'm interested in this movie.

Affleck is one of the top 5 American directors in the business today. Seriously.

 

[Totenkindly]

Harbor East Theater, down in (well) Harbor East.they do a lot of screenings; I think they were screening Sinister tonight as well, in a different room.

I just did a little web snooping around -- it does look the actual escape went a little easier than the movie made it out to be, Affleck did play that part up to make it more tense. But I do like his movies; they tend to be "clean" and natural rather than overdone.

 

[Poindexter Arachnid]

From what I've read, they took plenty of liberties with the actual story and largely neglected the Canadian ambassador's part in the rescue. Huffington Post actually did a recent interview with then ambassador Ken Taylor about it. Affleck forgot to invite him to a screening in Toronto and he felt bad, so he screened it for him in L.A. (I think). Taylor gave his opinion on the piece and was largely responsible for changing the postscript and giving the Canadians more acknowledgement.

Awesome theater, btw. I attended a digital showing of Blade Runner: The Final Cut 5 years ago. A truly awe-inspiring and breathtaking presentation--it was probably the greatest movie-going experience of my life. The staff was really courteous as well. Plus, you could purchase alcoholic beverages at the concession stand.

Bethesda also has a Landmark theater, but the traffic and geography is absolute rubbish. Parking is an absolute nightmare each time I go to see a movie at this theater.

 

[swordpath]

Have been wanting to see this ever since I saw the trailer. Is it relatively clean as far as nudity goes?

 

[Totenkindly]

Have been wanting to see this ever since I saw the trailer. Is it relatively clean as far as nudity goes?

I don't recall any nudity. There are a couple of shots early when they do the cast reading of Argo for the press, and there's one girl in a slave girl outfit and another wearing something that looks like Princess Leia's metal bikini in The Return of the Jedi, but that's as much as I recall.

The violence is also held at a minimum, what I found really unsettling was watching the rioting -- it seemed very real and THREATENED nasty violence without ever showing much of it (except for a dead body hanging in the street, or a guy getting shot but not close up, etc.)

 

[Totenkindly]

From what I've read, they took plenty of liberties with the actual story and largely neglected the Canadian ambassador's part in the rescue. Huffington Post actually did a recent interview with then ambassador Ken Taylor about it. Affleck forgot to invite him to a screening in Toronto and he felt bad, so he screened it for him in L.A. (I think). Taylor gave his opinion on the piece and was largely responsible for changing the postscript and giving the Canadians more acknowledgement.

That's good. Not knowing the actual history, I still felt it was very clear that the Canadian staff was putting their lives on the line and taking a HUGE risk with this, and the character had enough lines and interactions not to be invisible or forgotten in the movie.

Awesome theater, btw. I attended a digital showing of Blade Runner: The Final Cut 5 years ago. A truly awe-inspiring and breathtaking presentation--it was probably the greatest movie-going experience of my life. The staff was really courteous as well. Plus, you could purchase alcoholic beverages at the concession stand.

Yeah, they had a bar next to the soda/popcorn/candy stand. The staff was very courteous. We had our bags inspected and were checked with handheld scanners going in; we also got a perky little speech ahead of time saying that all cell phones and tech equipment had to go OFF and that if anyone was seen using such things during the movie, we would be escorted out .... and they had night vision, so it wasn't like they wouldn't catch us. But it was a black girl with spunk and it made everyone laugh, the way she said it; she actually came up to us after (since we were one of the last ones to leave) and asked how we liked it. I definitely would go back there.

(For those who missed it, the precautions were because it's a screening before actual release, so they didn't want any footage/shots getting out before Friday.)

Bethesda also has a Landmark theater, but the traffic and geography is absolute rubbish. Parking is an absolute nightmare each time I go to see a movie at this theater.

I don't really know Bethesda well, but I was kind of intimidated at driving there just to find the metro station, and I can imagine parking is a total bitch there.

 

[Poindexter Arachnid]

That's good. Not knowing the actual history, I still felt it was very clear that the Canadian staff was putting their lives on the line and taking a HUGE risk with this, and the character had enough lines and interactions not to be invisible or forgotten in the movie.

It wasn't just refuge they provided--the Canadians also put together several rescue scenarios...many of which weren't half as frivolous or complicated as the CIA operation. The Canadian government also manufactured "authentic" documentation for the six hostages. From what I read, the movie was CIA-centric where it was a joint effort, actually.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...-ken-taylor-chance-to-set-the-record-straight

Yeah, they had a bar next to the soda/popcorn/candy stand. The staff was very courteous. We had our bags inspected and were checked with handheld scanners going in; we also got a perky little speech ahead of time saying that all cell phones and tech equipment had to go OFF and that if anyone was seen using such things during the movie, we would be escorted out .... and they had night vision, so it wasn't like they wouldn't catch us. But it was a black girl with spunk and it made everyone laugh, the way she said it; she actually came up to us after (since we were one of the last ones to leave) and asked how we liked it. I definitely would go back there.

(For those who missed it, the precautions were because it's a screening before actual release, so they didn't want any footage/shots getting out before Friday.)

I'd happily go there again as well, but I rarely travel to Baltimore and I hate driving in big cities.
Is this the first screening you've been to?

I don't really know Bethesda well, but I was kind of intimidated at driving there just to find the metro station, and I can imagine parking is a total bitch there.

Every time I go to this theater, something goes wrong. Either the movie is sold out, I purchase tickets in advance and then arrive well after it has started due to heavy traffic (despite leaving very early) and/or the only parking space available is a 2 Hour Max and the movie runs on well beyond that.

So nevermind that one. I'll try the AFI Silver down the street in Silver Spring (which is consistently rated as the best theater in the state).