Persepolis review

 Number 301 on the top 1000 films of all time is the French 2007 adult-animated, coming-of-age, biographical drama Persepolis.

Persepolis was directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud. Satrapi also wrote the film adapting it from her autobiographical graphic novel of the same name. It tells the story of Marjane (Chiara Mastroianni) a young woman growing up in the midst of the Iranian revolution. To escape the horrors, her family reluctantly send her to a French lycee in Austria, but after struggling to fit in and going through much trouble and strife, Marjane grows homesick and returns to her parents in Iran.

Ever since I started doing the challenge of watching the top 1000 films of all time, I've had the opportunity to watch some of the most amazing films that I never would have had the chance to have done otherwise. If it wasn't for this list, then I never would have heard of Persepolis, but thank God I did, because it was a great film.

Firstly, it looked beautiful on-screen. The animation was gorgeous. Granted, it was only simple two-dimensional drawings, but this was completely intentional. Satrapi requested that the animations were kept as simple and as traditional as possible, so as not to date the film. To that end, she also deliberately chose to have the film rendered in black-and-white. This all had the effect of giving the visuals a gentle beauty. Everything was subtle and understated. There was nothing to distract you from the story.

Just like the animation, the story was simple, but no less masterful. If you strip away the horrors of the Iranian revolution, we have a basic coming-of-age story. One where Marjane, who like everybody else, is looking for acceptance and meaning. In this sense Persepolis was a microcosm of real life. In a case of the grass being greener, Marjane reluctantly leaves her home for a new life in Europe, only to realise that her fantasies don't match up to reality.

On a more macro level, Persepolis also showcased the horrors of the Iranian revolution in stark and brutal detail. The horrors that the regime committed were laid bare for everybody to see. Nothing was dressed-up or exaggerated. Everything was real. The voice performances and the animation all added to this powerful presentation.

I thoroughly enjoyed Persepolis. It was a relatable story told and presented with basic, but gorgeous animation. Yes, it was simplistic, but simplicity is not always a bad thing, as Persepolis proved in spades.

Argo review

 Number 445 on the top 1000 films of all time is the historical, dramatic-thriller, Argo, produced, directed and starring Ben Affleck.

Based on the true story of the Canadian Caper, Argo follows CIA agent Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) as he launched a daring scheme to rescue six escapees of the 1979-1981 Iran hostage crisis. He is aided by his boss Jack O'Donnell (Bryan Cranston,) Oscar-winning make-up artist John Chambers (John Goodman) and movie bigwig Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin.)

Right from the start, we knew this was going to be an intense film. Argo opens with supposed archival footage of the real storming of the US embassy in Iran. The footage wasn't real, but it didn't make it any less scary. The fear was palpable as the employees desperately shred paperwork and wait for the police who we know aren't coming. When the Iranians eventually storm the embassy, I was wondering whether they would just shoot everybody. Obviously, I know that this didn't happen in real life, but that fear was always at the back of my mind. In the chaos, six of the diplomats escape.

Enter Tony Mendez who suggests extracting the diplomats under the guise of filming a science-fiction movie called Argo and having the escapees pose as crew members. To help him, he enlists Chambers and Siegel. Goodman and Arkin played well off each other and provided a lot of much-needed comic relief. While Argo was intense, Goodman and Siegel stopped it from becoming too dark.

Everything culminates in an extremely dramatic if over-exaggerated ending. At the airport, Mendez and the others are pulled aside and interrogated by security. The Iranians call to verify their story and Chambers does so, right at the last minute. They allow the Mendez and co to board the plan, but then realise their mistake and they send the army chasing after them. Just when it looks like they could be caught, they escape just in time. Interestingly, none of this happened in real life. The employees boarded the plane at 5.30am without much incident. But I guess this wouldn't make as much of a thrilling ending.

I may argue that Affleck was better at direction than acting. Mendez wasn't a character with a lot of depth. He's your run-of-the-mill dark, brooding hero with a drinking habit, a divorced wife and a kid he sees once a year. beyond that, there isn't a lot more to him and Affleck added little else to the part.

Yes, the ending with the medal ceremony and deafening ending was pretty cheesy, but this was an enjoyable view. Just wear your seatbelts as it's a hell of a ride.