I go out of town for a few days and what do I come home to? A behemoth pile o'movies on m'doorstep!

I'm currently up to m'clockwork-orange-opened peepers in SCREENERS! eeeee!

I'm talking 40 some screeners (THIS IS 40 being one of them) and I have to watch all these bad boys (and girls) before next week so I can nominate the "best-of's" for the SAG Awards. Phew. Well, I may sound like a total bitchface right now but, really, I'm pretty fracking (speaking of fracking...PROMISED LAND is in the mix) stoked!

The films I've seen so far (ARGO, SILVER LININGS, BERNIE, WON'T BACK DOWN, PROMISED LAND, PARANORMAN, THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER, SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS, SMASHED, TO ROME WITH LOVE, ANNA KARENINA, part of MOONRISE KINGDOM, HYDE PARK ON HUDSON, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, and LES MISERABLES) have all been pretty spectacular (with the exception of a few which will remain nameless unless I get *drunk and *send a letter to a european country *winkwink).

Looking forward to watching FLIGHT right now and LINCOLN later and CLOUD ATLAS when I can find 3 hours. Will try to find time for all the ON THE ROAD's and MIDDLE OF NOWHERE's and GINGER&ROSA's out there.

I will definitely be making room for MAGIC MIKE. Giddy. Up. (WILL be making it a drinking game and WILL be feeling like I shimmied myself into my gender role.)

Well, off to my screening room (aka my laptop in my bed)!

This film was great. It tapped into a few of my passions...non-fiction/documentary style story telling, comedy, and great performances. OH and that HOT MAN passion I have. I'm talking of course about BEN AFFLECK. I was blown away by his down-to-earth nature, his humor, his brain, his stature, his beard and his abs (in the film). I haven't been this impressed by a star man in a long time. I'm talking JTT type times. I'm like "buy a copy of Teen Beat, rip out all the posters and cover my walls" obsessed.

OK, enough about that. The film was an impressive mix of drama, suspense, comedy, and real moments. It's based on a true story about the hostage crisis in Iran in 1980. 6 American hostages are forced into hiding at the Canadian embassy. Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) is a CIA agent who is assigned to rescue the 6 in Iran before they are found and killed. The "best bad option" to complete this mission is to produce a fake Hollywood movie (Argo) and go get the hostages posing as a Canadian film crew. See it! And if not for the story for the 1980's telephones! I MISS BUTTONS!

Also at the screening Q & A...Alan Arkin and John Goodman (who play the Hollywood producers/comic relief), Bryan Cranston (CIA guy/also very funny), and Clea DuVall and Rory Cochrane (who play hostages (you know Rory from Dazed and Confused...the uber stoner. And from Empire Records...the turtle neck wearer...he has a tiny piece of my heart as well)).

Best thing I took away from the Q&A: Alan Arkin talking about why he took the job. He's done making films with people he can't have fun with. Without jeopardizing the quality, working with people you can have fun with is what it's all about.

Most impressive part of the Q&A: Ben Affleck. He explained what they shot the film on (3 different cameras/3 different styles) and you could see how passionate he was. Seems like he's taking chances and trying new things which I admire. I also admire his abs. Have I mentioned that part?

Cool actor part: Ben Affleck (director) forced the 6 actors playing the hostages to live in a time warp 70's style house with no connection to outside world. They couldn't leave the house or have cell phones. They just watched 70's movies/tv and read 70's magazines/newspapers. And drank 70's booze. Jealous!

Last thing I'll say...if you ever have the opportunity to be on the SAG Awards Nominating Committee...do it! Not only do you get to see all the new films for free before they are released...you get to sit in on these awesome panels and soak it all in.

Last last thing...Ben Affleck.