Welcome back Movie Hivers and it's an exciting weekend for movies with the 85th annual Academy Awards just a few days away.  Who will take home the big awards Sunday night?  I've got a pretty good idea and if you haven't done so be sure to pick who you think is going to win by clicking here and you could win an NCG Trillium Cinema's prize pack.  It's rather appropriate that the front runner to win Best Picture, Argo, came out on Blu-ray/DVD this week and it just so happens to be my pick of the week and you can read my review below.  Check it out and more.   

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Megan Fox Cast as April O'Neal in the Ninja Turtles Reboot

Those of us who grew up in the 80s remember a time when the "heroes in a half-shell" ruled the airwaves and it looks as if their return to the big screen has just been cemented.  Although Michael Bay (The Tranformers Trilogy) and director Jonathan Liebesman (Battle L.A.) have been working on the return of the Ninja Turtles for awhile now, the script went into the rewrite stage last year and the release date was pushed from this year to May 16 of 2014.  Today, however, Bay posted on his blog that Megan Fox (Transformers) would be playing the role of intrepid reporter and ally to the Ninja Turtles April O'Neal.  So it looks as though the movie is moving forward and while I hate to say it I don't think I like the direction it is headed.  I've never gotten the appeal of Megan Fox, but my problem is that I don't think she's a very good actress.  For better or worse Leonardo, Donatello, Michaelangelo and Rapheal will be kicking butt and (hopefully) spouting cowabunga!  

New Movies Opening

Snitch - Rated PG-13 - Starring Dwayne Johnson, Jon Bernthal, Susan Sarandon, Barry Pepper and Benjamin Bratt

A father goes undercover for the DEA in order to free his son who was imprisoned after being set up in a drug deal.  

Dark Skies - Rated PG-13 - Starring Kerri Russell, Josh Hamilton and J.K. Simmons

As the Barret family's peaceful suburban life is rocked by an escalating series of disturbing events, they come to learn a terrifying and deadly force is after them.  

Blu-ray/DVD Pick of the Week - Argo

Argo is a story so unbelievable it's amazing that no one in Hollywood ever tried to make this into a movie before now.  We learn why that never happened becuase the events that transpire were considered top secret for 18 years after the incident occured.  If you would of had access to the file containing the information on the extraction of 6 Americans hiding at the Canadian Ambassador's house in Iran the first thought that would have popped up in your mind is "this needs to be turned into a movie."  Thankfully this story was not only brought to the silver screen but it was done so in the great Hollywood tradition of fantastic storytelling.

Ben Affleck stars as Tony Mendez, an ex-filtration expert for the CIA, who comes up with "the best bad idea" they have to get 6 Americans who are trapped in Iran after the American Embassy is overthrown by the Iranian people.  They are hiding out in the Canadian Ambassador's house, and they must remain a secret in order for Canada to keep their diplomatic status.  The Americans cannot walk out the door for fear of being taken by the militants or worse being shot dead in the street.  Mendez's plan involves the wildest cover story you will ever hear of.  Mendez will pose as a producer for a science fiction film called "Argo", fly into Iran and prep the 6 American hostages to pose as members of a film crew who are there scouting for locations and then fly them out.  In order for the story to work it has to look like the movie is actually going to be made so Mendez flies to Hollywood to lay the groundwork.  He brings on make up artist John Chambers (John Goodman) and producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin) and forms a production company.  They have story boards made, they take out a major add in Variety and even throw together a lavish script reading event at one of the luxury hotels.  

In a film as serious as Argo it has a remarkable amount of humor.  Most of the comedy comes from the Hollywood scenes with Goodman, Arkin and Affleck and their as good as the Three Stooges just minus the slapstick.  Affleck, who also directs, has the uncanny ability to do one of the trickiest things when it comes to this type of story.  He's able to balance the tension that continues to build while also allowing the comedic moments of the script to come to life and give us moments of levity.  Argo is the rare thriller that is told so exquisetly that by the time it ends you have to catch your breath and shake off the adrenaline pumping through your veins.  I've said it before, but I will say it again and that is Ben Affleck is one of the most exciting directors working in Hollywood.  Argo is the frontrunner to pick up the Best Picture award at this Sunday's Oscar ceremony and it truly deserves it.  It is a great triumph not only for the CIA and Mendez who were successfully able to get the Americans out alive, but to Hollywood as well.  I mean who would have thought a story this crazy would actually work and portray Hollywood in a favorable light?