We Need to Talk About Argo

Argo opens a little unexpectedly: a torrent of images and footage tells the story of Iran in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Ben Affleck is trying to educate us! I gleefully thought. The narrative begins with the 1953 CIA-led coup of Mohammad Mosaddegh, Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister, and clips along to the 1979 Revolution. Finally, we're talking about how the United States' intervention in the Middle East led to feelings of distrust! Finally, we're talking about mistakes and shortfalls on both sides! Finally, we're talking... Oh, wait. That was it. After that brief-- admittedly reductive-- history lesson, the movie gets going: the US Embassy in Tehran is under siege, and we forget everything that we just learned. The opening sequence, though important in its attempt to create context, is misleading: the film isn't about creating an understanding about America and Iran; it's really about how America outfoxed those crazy, dangerous Iranians. And that's a problem.

Quickly, Ben Affleck divides a line: there are the good guys-- the rational Americans, huddling in their offices, clutching their phones, glancing nervously out the window-- and there are the bad guys-- the unforgiving, animalistic, irrational mob of Iranians breaking down the doors. At this point, my heart sank. No, this was not going to be an honest portrayal of the Iranian people; this was going to be a typical, sensationalized, and highly one-dimensional soap opera about the evils of Iran. Affleck certainly plays at history; but he only plays at it. I can forgive Argo for its weak writing and its flat characters. I can even forgive its uninspired acting and serviceable (though competent) directing. But I cannot ethically, intellectually, or artistically forgive its overly simple, tragically narrow portrayal of the Iranian people.

In a recent interview with NPR, Ben Affleck remarked that he had been a Middle Eastern Studies major in college (though he never graduated) and that he wanted to infuse Argo with a sense of historical authenticity. Concerned that his audience would see Iranians as "bearded meanies who didn't like the United States," he wanted to combat such an impression since it "neglected the decades, even centuries, of interplay between our nations [...] that led to this moment." Context, he claimed, was crucial. As evidenced by his refusal to complicate the narrative and accurately portray the Iranian people, Ben Affleck's didacticism, no matter how good intentioned it might have been, ultimately miscarried-- and that's the problem.

The only Iranians we meet (with the insignificant exception of the housemaid, who, absurdly, is supposed to stand in for the millions of "normal" Iranians that Affleck otherwise ignores) are angry, grow beards, spit words of hate, and burn American flags. Hate towards America, it seems, comes naturally to these thugs. This representation of Iranian revolutionaries is a serious problem. Not only did liberals, feminists, and intellectuals initially fuel the revolution alongside the fanatics (who, like radicals in many revolutions, hijacked the revolution to the surprise of rational thinkers everywhere), but **shocker** not all Iranians hated America. In fact, most probably didn't care one way or the other about America. Is America defined by the Tea Party movement today? Should we judge all Iranians in 1979 by the fanatics? Unfortunately, Ben Affleck seemingly does not follow this logic.

And let's not forget the chest-thumping. Granted, a little chest-thumping is good every now and then-- Spielberg does it majestically in the far superior Lincoln. But Affleck's chest-thumping is done in spite of Iran, in a Cold War-esque "we've beaten you and didn't let you win" kind of way. It's inappropriate and disturbing.

The problem isn't just an issue of nit-picky historical inaccuracy; on the contrary, it has serious global-political implications. In case you haven't heard, Iran and America are kind of annoyed with each other right now. Relations between the two haven't been good since 1979, but times have been especially rough over the last few years. By making a movie that transforms Iran into a nation of villains, a movie that advocates an "us versus them" mentality, a movie that constructs a world as black and white as the early talkies, and a movie that creates a worldview as narrow as the camera lens that filmed it, Ben Affleck has committed a serious injustice to the global community. He has antagonized Iranians everywhere and blatantly turned them into the enemies of Americans everywhere. The more Americans see Iranians as enemies in films, the more we will believe them to be our enemies; and the more desensitized to their humanity we become, the more willing we will be to see Iranians as belligerents. Affleck's act of political insensitivity and contextual shortsightedness is not only troubling; it's downright dangerous.

What's equally troubling is the fact that the mainstream media seems to be ignoring these blatant misrepresentations and historical misfires. The fact that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association awarded this movie its highest honor speaks to how self-centered and insular Hollywood is, even though it touts itself as being progressive and forward thinking. How can the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, only a year after it proudly (a little too proudly, I might add) gave an Oscar to a powerful, complex, and humanistic film about Iranian society, nominate a relatively forgettable film that dismantles everything A Separation accomplished?

The only thing powerful about Argo is the level of disgust I felt by the end credits. Shame on you, Hollywood, for rewarding a mediocre film that does more harm than good.

- Yankee Belle

The Golden Globes Roundup, Part III: The Gentlemen

The ladies have had their time in the spotlight, now it’s time to look at the gentlemen.  A disclaimer: We find men with accents extremely attractive, and thus will probably talk about them a lot on this blog.  But enough with the chit chat, let’s get this roundup started.  Hit it, boys. 

THE GOOD

 Leonardo DiCaprio

• The man knows how to dress... and our hearts sink like the Titanic when, yet again, critics don't shower him with the laurels a god such as he deserves.  They say that being nominated is the real honor.  Whatever.  Everyone wants a trophy, even Leonardo DiCaprio.  He’s always the bridesmaid, never the bride.

Benedict Cumberbatch

• We’d be sleuthy with him any night.  Sherlock may be a miniseries, but you just wait until the new Star Trek movie comes out.  There will be an entire blog post dedicated solely to this gloriously named man.

          Honorable Mentions:

Ewan McGregor's Hair

• This needs no explanation.  Just sit back and enjoy the majestic view.

Christoph Waltz's glasses

• How do you say, "Hey, good lookin'" in German?

THE BAD

Christian Bale

• We love you, but get a haircut. If he doesn't get that hair under control, Bruce Wayne will start looking like his trashy cousin who does a public access television show with a sidekick named Garth. We trust that Alfred won't let that happen.

Tommy Lee Jones's Attitude

• The first person to get Tommy Lee Jones to smile should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.  He is not amused. Why so serious?

THE UGLY

Tim Burton

• Our favorite kook.  We only wish he owned a brush.

Al Roker

• Al, the 1950s called and they want that jacket back. He has lost so much weight that his meanness can no longer hide behind his folds of fat.  We watched his coverage of the red carpet for all of five seconds, but he provided us with a week’s worth of awkwardness.  Stick to the morning shows, Al.

Well, that's a wrap on our coverage of The Golden Globes.  In parting, we’re going to leave you with this picture of Damian Lewis doing Gangnam Style at an after party:

The Golden Globes Roundup, Part II: The Dresses

We’ve talked about the talent, now it’s time to talk about the fashion.  Hollywood’s elite (and the people who wish they were) showed up trying to impress.  With all the glitz and glamour, it can be hard to choose the Oh-Yes and Oh-God-No-Please-Make-It-Stop looks.  But, never fear, dear reader, we’ve got you covered.

THE GOOD

Lucy Liu

• This is either a dress that you love or hate.  Personally, we find it to be striking and different.  In a sea of red, black, and nudes, she at least took a risk.  Plus, it’s Lucy Liu.  We’re afraid she could break us with her pinky finger.

Amy Poehler

• Yes, we know, this is not a dress.  But you can’t deny the woman looks fantastic.  So, four for you Amy Poehler, you go Amy Poehler (because life is better with a Mean Girls reference).

Taylor Swift

• T-Swift, you should never ever ever get back together with the princess dresses you’re used to wearing.  Rock that eggplant gown, girl!

THE BAD

Jessica Chastain

• This is a case of “Love the color, hate the cut.”  Sorry, Jessica, we love you.  We really do.  But you can do so much better.  Also, her hair looks like she was in the middle of putting it up in a ponytail but changed her mind.

Jennifer Lopez

• We get it, JLo.  You have a rockin’ body and want to show it off.  What we don’t get is why you’re at the Golden Globes. 

Kerry Washington

• She comes from Downton Abbey's skanky sister citadel.  The Dowager Countess would not approve.

Rachel Weisz

• This is the kind of dress that happens when a designer can’t choose.  Should the dress be short?  Should the dress be sheer?  Wait!  I know!  Let’s make it both.  Wrong.  You should have chosen option C.  None of the above.

THE UGLY

Sienna Miller

• Of all the British designers, in all the British fashion, in all the world, she picks this dress.  Here’s to not looking at you, Sienna.

Eva Longoria

• **Insert obligatory Angelina Jolie comparison/joke here**

Halle Berry

• And so Cinderella sewed together the rags, and pretended she was going to the ball.  Sorry, Halle, but we’re rolling the clocks ahead.  It’s midnight, honey.  Time to take that dress home.

We hope you enjoyed our rundown of the Golden Globes fashion!  Stayed tuned for Part III!

The Golden Globes Roundup, Part I: The Winners

Well, folks, we've just witnessed Hollywood's biggest cocktail party first self-congratulatory awards show of the season! If you missed or wanted additional insight into the booze-fueled celeb fest known as the Golden Globes, you're in luck: the Belles have rounded up the good, the bad, and the ugly from the winners of last night's show.


THE GOOD

• Jennifer Lawrence winning Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for Silver Linings Playbook. She stalks Meryl Streep like a fangirl, shoots arrows like an Olympian, skins squirrels like a badass, laughs at herself like a real human, and always looks fab-u-lous. Girl crush: confirmed.
• Hugh Jackman winning Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for Les Misérables. Let's be real: Hugh has been a winner in our book for a looooong time. (I mean, have you heard the man sing?? And that smile?! Swoon.) We're so glad the Hollywood Foreign Press Association rewarded his undeniable charm and mad acting skillz!
• Abraham Lincoln playing himself Daniel Day-Lewis winning Best Actor in a Drama for his so-good-it's-scary portrayal of the 16th prez in Lincoln. The man is just classy.
• We have one thing to say to the graceful Jessica Chastain: "Brava!"

THE BAD

• Argo beating Lincoln as the Best Drama of the year. Ummm.... whaaaaaat??? HFPA, we all know you're unabashed populists and love a good underdog movie, but COME ON. Argo was forgettable, while Lincoln was a masterpiece. Argo was neither engaging nor moving; the characters were flat, the writing was merely serviceable, and the only memorable scenes-- featuring John Goodman and Alan Arkin-- were concentrated at the beginning of the film. And don't even get me started on why Argo is a troubling, disturbing, and politically insensitive piece of chest-thumping propaganda-- that discussion is for another day.
• The Life of Pi won Best Original Score over Anna Karenina.  HFPA: do you have ears?!?!?! Dario Marianelli is a *hunky* genius. The man channeled Tchaikovsky in his opulent score AND THAT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU???
• It was bad enough that Claire Danes stole our man, Hugh Dancy, as her lawfully wedded husband. But then she didn't even thank him in her acceptance speech! Plus, the girl was just all over the place. (Maybe she took one of Carrie's crazy pills by accident??) Her category was one of the strongest of the night, and I would've liked the HFPA to show a little creativity and reward someone new (read: Connie Britton).

THE UGLY

• Lena Dunham's tatz. Honey, show some respect and cover those up. You're not in Greenpoint anymore.

• What the heck is going on here? Are Anne and Amanda so drunk that they thought they were finally elected to prom court after Cady Herron knocked them out of the running all those years ago? 

In conclusion, we love the crazy Globes!!

Premiere

Welcome to The Reel Belles-- we're delighted to have you! We're two belles-- one Yankee Belle and one Southern Belle-- who love, love, love movies. Happy movies, sad movies, funny movies, dorky movies, trendy movies, thinking movies, drinking movies-- they're all fab.

Our mission is to bring you insightful, enjoyable, and funny discussions regarding the world of cinema. Thank you for joining us. Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

~ The Belles