Link: Argo
Summary: The true (but obviously exaggerated) story of a CIA operative who pretends to be a Hollywood producer creating a film to rescue American hostages stuck in Iran.
Thoughts: This was a fun film. I’m not sure how it’s Academy Award Best Picture material, but that probably had more to do with Academy politics. But as far as political thrillers go, this was very good. They kept the story tight and easy to understand; a lesser writer or director may have tried to over-develop the characters or the plot. But they kept it lean, so that the focus was on the suspense, the close calls, a few of them literal. It would be almost Hitchcockian if it wasn’t for the greater emphasis on action. Of course, the close calls are exaggerations of the true story, but they make for an exciting film. Definitely a good film to study for its pacing, for creating suspense without having to over-develop backstories.