In Which I Review Argo

You know, maybe I should just call this blog, In Which I Do Stuff, because that's all my posts seem to be titled with. It's not even a conscious decision, it just sort of happens.
Anyway, on to the point at hand: Argo.
Well, let's see here.
So I saw the movie, and in short, I really really liked it. A lot. This is some quality cinema.
Ben Affleck, who stars in the movie as well as taking on directing duties, takes a subject that some might find boring or pretentious and makes a genuinely interesting and intense movie.
The film takes place during the Iranian hostage crisis, something most people under the age of 20 or 25 know next to nothing about. I myself had little knowledge of the actual event when I went to the theater, but luckily, the film does a great job telling the story from the beginning. Everyone starts the movie on the same page.
The basic plot is that there are six refugees who escaped the American embassy in Iran when the protestors broke in. These six refugees are currently staying in the Canadian ambassadors house. The CIA has to find a way to get them out. One bad idea after another, and then one man comes up with the best bad idea: Sneak into Iran on the pretense that we're filming a sci-fi movie. What follows is a tense race against time, with a surprising amount of laughs, and wonderful catharsis.
The coolest thing about Argo is that it doesn't resort to loud pounding music or lots of blood and guts to make the movie feel intense and thrilling. The score, composed by the brilliant Alexandre Desplat, is quiet and intense, with lots of Middle Eastern influences, which greatly adds to the atmosphere and makes the movie. It's interesting, because in all technicality, this is a very quiet movie, but I was consistently on the edge of my seat.
The acting is all fantastic. John Goodman, Bryan Cranston, and the always fantastic Alan Arkin are some highlights, although Affleck does well here too. All the actors portraying the six refugees are very good as well (I don't really feel like listing off six more names, but please check them out, their pretty sweet).
Oh, and a very small side note, since most of the people who are reading this are probably my freind's mothers, this is another one of those R-rated movies that would've been PG-13 had it not been for the language. Take that into consideration if you go. There is very little violence, and it's not bloody at that, but it's pretty intense.
Anyway, really good stuff here, one of my favorite movies of the year, easily. Don't miss it.