Ben Affleck to the Academy: "Argo F Yourself

Argo, by many reliable sources is slated to win “Best Picture” at Sunday's Academy Awards. The story of Hollywood heroism is truly an all-American story, starring an all-American boy, Ben Affleck. Affleck has been on an awards whirlwind that has marketed the movie by itself the last few weeks. Despite being snubbed a nomination for “Best Director,” hopefully that whirlwind will continue through to win the hearts of the Academy. Remember a young Affleck with his bro Matt Damon as they won accolades for their writing of the film Good Will Hunting in 1998. Ben has come a long way since then, but still has the heart of that young awkward man in his film making soul.

Born in Berkeley, California, but Raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts; the Boston sports apparel wearing director has cemented his place amidst Hollywood greats with Argo. Affleck has more than proven his directorial abilities with a film that took a crisis from the 80's and made it not only compelling enough to sit through for two and a half hours, but made you feel proud to be an American.
Produced with some help from George Clooney and Grant Heslov, Argo tells the story of how a CIA operative named Tony Mendez helped put together a fake film to save six American embassy workers being held hostage in Iran in 1980. Argo isn't just a great film; it's truly an American story. Other films nominated like Lincoln and Zero Dark Thirty share the same theme, but Argo has a certain charm that Bigelow and Spielberg missed in their pursuits of telling American stories.
Arguably, any of the other films nominated for “Best Picture” could indeed be better films overall; but Argo has a balance of drama, comedy, patriotism, and suspense that somehow steps beyond the other films. It is an art in itself for an audience to remain in suspense when they ultimately know how the characters' fates, and Affleck executes this wonderfully. While Argo continues to to play it's part in the political race for Oscar, Ben Affleck's history paired with Tony Mendez's unmatched story of heroism makes Affleck the American boy who will take top prize on Sunday evening, if not in the eyes of the Academy, in the eyes of America.

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