Like a lot of Best Picture contenders, Argo has been swallowed up by the hype of Oscar season. The perceived slight of director Ben Affleck turned the former dark horse into the current favorite, prompting all kinds of speculation as to whether the film itself actually deserves its front-runner status. Don’t worry: it does. Amid a very strong field of contenders (at least five of the nine nominated films legitimately deserve to win), it makes a damn strong case. Hit the jump for the full review.

[This is a re-post of my review of from the Toronto International Film Festival.  Argo opens today.]

“That should be a movie,” someone might say if they read the true story behind Ben Affleck‘s Argo. It’s larger-than-life but not beyond the bounds of credibility. But there are plenty of movies “based on true stories”, and plenty of those movies are failures. Affleck avoids the true-story pitfalls by not making the hard-sell or simply tacking on the “based on a true story” title in order to lend much-needed credibility. Despite the necessities of condensing and finessing history in order to suit a dramatic narrative, Argo always feels real. It lives in its setting without feeling corny or overcooked. With Affleck’s confident direction and Chris Terrio‘s sharp script, Argo is a rare thriller that uses brains instead of bullets.

Six clips from director/star Ben Affleck’s thriller Argo have been released.  The film, based on a true story, centers on a CIA agent (Affleck) who attempts to rescue six Americans trapped in the home of the Canadian ambassador during the 1979 Iranian Revolution.  The rescue mission was to go in under the auspices of filming a science fiction movie entitled “Argo”.  The pic screened to a wildly positive response at the Toronto Film Festival (read Matt’s review right here), and earned a spot on our “Most Anticipated” list for the fourth quarter of 2012.

Hit the jump to check out the clips.  The film also stars John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Bryan Cranston, Kyle Chandler, Kerry Bishe, Tate Donovan, Victor Garber, Chris Messina, Titus Welliver, Zeljko Ivanek, and Taylor Schilling.  Argo opens on October 12th.

A large batch of new images from director/star Ben Affleck’s Argo has been released.  The film, based on a true story, centers on a CIA agent (Affleck) who attempts to rescue six Americans trapped in the home of the Canadian ambassador during the 1979 Iranian Revolution.  The rescue mission was to go in under the auspices of filming a science fiction movie entitled “Argo”.  The film’s trailer and TV spots look fantastic and it screened to a highly positive response (read Matt’s review right here) at the Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals, so I’m really looking forward to this one.

Hit the jump to check out the images.  The film stars Affleck, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Bryan Cranston, Kyle Chandler, Kerry Bishe, Tate Donovan, Victor Garber, Chris Messina, Titus Welliver, Zeljko Ivanek, and Taylor Schilling.  Argo opens on October 12th.

“That should be a movie,” someone might say if they read the true story behind Ben Affleck‘s Argo.  It’s larger-than-life but not beyond the bounds of credibility.  But there are plenty of movies “based on true stories”, and plenty of those movies are failures.  Affleck avoids the true-story pitfalls by not making the hard-sell or simply tacking on the “based on a true story” title in order to lend much-needed credibility.  Despite the necessities of condensing and finessing history in order to suit a dramatic narrative, Argo always feels real.  It lives in its setting without feeling corny or overcooked.  With Affleck’s confident direction and Chris Terrio‘s sharp script, Argo is a rare thriller that uses brains instead of bullets.

Some quick casting bits today.  Here they are in brief:

• Gillian Anderson (The X-Files) is set to join Haley Joel Osment (Sixth Sense) in the sci-fi mystery, I’ll Follow You Down.
• Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) will join Shia LaBeouf in the noir romance film, The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman.

Hit the jump for more.

Paramount has released a trailer for James Cameron’s 3D update of his 1997 film Titantic.  I think the verdict is in on this movie, and since the trailer is on my computer, I can’t really comment on the 3D.  However, I was reminded of how much I hate “My Heart Will Go On.”  Click here for what Steve though of the footage he saw last month.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Jonathan Hyde, Victor Garber, Bernard Hill, David Warner, Gloria Stuart, and Bill Paxton.  Titanic opens in 3D on April 6, 2012.  It will also be re-released in 2D.

Ben Affleck’s Argo began shooting today.  The film has a killer cast that includes Affleck, Alan Arkin, Bryan Cranston, and John Goodman, Kyle Chandler, Rory Cochrane, Victor Garber, Richard Kind, and Michael Parks.  I don’t really care about press releases announcing that filming has commenced (what’s newsworthy is when it looks like filming will commence and then it doesn’t), but this press release includes the first official synopsis for the movie.  Check it out:

Based on true events, “Argo” chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis—the truth of which was unknown by the public for decades.  On November 4, 1979, as the Iranian revolution reaches its boiling point, militants storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. But, in the midst of the chaos, six Americans manage to slip away and find refuge in the home of the Canadian ambassador. Knowing it is only a matter of time before the six are found out and likely killed, a CIA “exfiltration” specialist named Tony Mendez (Affleck) comes up with a risky plan to get them safely out of the country. A plan so incredible, it could only happen in the movies.

Okay, so that doesn’t point out that his plan is to use a fake movie as cover for the operation, but that’s the hook.  Affleck co-wrote the script with Good Night and Good Luck. screenwriter Grant Heslov.  Hit the jump for the full press release which includes a rundown of the behind-the-camera talent.

Along with the teaser trailer and poster for Puss in Boots, DreamWorks Animation has released a new trailer and poster for their summer tentpole, Kung Fu Panda 2.  The new trailer for Kung Fu Panda kind of explains the plot, but also shows there really isn’t much of it: Po and the Furious Five go on a road trip to defeat a new villain.  Granted, Po is now a Kung Fu master, but that only seems to improve the movie in terms of the visuals.  As far as the humor and the characters, expect more slapstick and fat jokes.

Hit the jump to check out the new trailer and poster.  Kung Fu Panda 2 features the voices of Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, Gary Oldman, Michelle Yeoh, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Victor Garber.  It opens in 3D on May 26th.

DreamWorks Animation has announced that Jean Claude Van Damme (JCVD), Michelle Yeoh (The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor), and Victor Garber (Alias) are joining the voice cast of Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom.  Last week we reported that Gary Oldman has also joined the cast.  Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, and Dustin Hoffman are set to reprise their roles from the original film.  Oldman is playing Lord Shen, a villainous peacock (that should be a band name but remove the “pea”) while Yeoh is playing a mystical goat named The Soothsayer.  Van Damme will play Master Croc and Garber will play Master Thundering Rhino.

Oldman voices the character of Lord Shen (a peacock), the film’s formidable new villain while Yeoh brings to life the mystical character of The Soothsayer (a goat). Van Damme and Garber round out the cast as Master Croc and Master Thundering Rhino, respectively.  The story will center on Po (Black) trying to find other pandas and his adventures along the way.

Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom is slated to hit theaters on May 27, 2011 and will be in 3D (per DreamWorks Animation’s mandate).

Fans of the new hit show “Glee” can rejoice as Fox announced it has ordered a full season of the musical comedy series about a teacher trying to save the McKinley High glee club from falling into obscurity, while also helping its members realize their true potential as entertainers.  More song and dance if you click the jump.