Oscar-down #3: Argo

(Will ranks his favorite Best Picture noms! #9, #8, #7, #6, #5, #4)

#3: Argo

   The CIA is forced to create a fake movie in order to smuggle six Americans out of a hostile Iran.

Why this should be higher:
   Go back a decade and tell people that Ben Affleck would become a top-shelf director and you'd be laughed out of the room. And yet here we are, with Argo being the former critical punching bag's third acclaimed film (and first taking place outside of Boston!). It helps that the story he's working from is fascinating; the way Canada and the CIA used an elaborate fake movie as a cover is one of those great "so crazy, it must be true" tales. The outlandish nature of the operation lets the film get in some excellent jokes about both the plan's ridiculousness and the bizarre way in which the Hollywood operates, making Argo not only suspenseful but surprisingly funny.
   But if the film's basis is sound, its direction is what manages to elevate it above the pack. Affleck wonderfully recreates the 1970s setting, establishing a realistic world while mostly avoiding reverting to the decade's stock cliches. While lacking the action scenes of Gone Baby Gone or the Town, Argo  keeps the tension high with its tight plotting and relentless forward momentum. It's suspenseful and gripping, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats even when they know he everything will ultimately turn out.

Why it isn't:
   Its third act morphs a bit too heavily into a typical Hollywood thriller. Obviously every film takes some liberties with true stories in order to adapt them for the screen. But Mendez and the embassy staffers can't just walk onto the plane, they have to be stopped for extra screenings AND the CIA has to race to get their tickets approved AND the Hollywood office almost misses a key phone call AND there's a chase on the tarmac. The sheer number of last-minute obstacles screams of fabricated tension and breaks one's suspension of disbelief.
   Of course being reminded of a film's "movieness" isn't a deal-breaker (as another nominated film will show). No, the main reason Argo isn't higher is that for whatever reason it just doesn't stick with me as much as the remaining two nominees did. It's a solid and highly entertaining caper flick, but in the end it's also a bit forgettable.

Ocean's Three