Ben Affleck's new film is getting incredible buzz from critics. It's the third film that he's sat in the director's chair for a major motion picture, and word is there could be an Oscar nomination coming his way. If so, he'd join the ranks of some pretty impressive directors who used a true story to garner a nod from the Academy. Affleck already has a little gold man at home for his work writing the screenplay for "Good Will Hunting" with his good friend Matt Damon.
Based on a true story, the film is set in 1979 during the now infamous hostage crisis in Tehran. The movie also stars John Goodman, "Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston and Alan Arkin. The plot involves a bold and somewhat comical plan to disguise the escaped American hostages as a Canadian film crew. Like "Argo," these films are based on a true story and have had a big impact on both movie goers and the movie industry.
"Schindler's List" (1993) - For the longest time Steven Spielberg was considered the best director who'd never won an Oscar for directing. That all changed after audiences and critics were blown away by this black and white, heart-wrenching true story of Oskar Schindler, a rich businessman who was able to shelter 1,100 Jewish from the death camps that would have awaited them by using them as workers in his factory. Spielberg got his first of three directorial Oscars for this film.
"Ed Wood" (1994) - When a film is based on a true story it doesn't necessarily have to be a drama. Director Tim Burton and Johnny Depp teamed up for this brilliant piece of cinematic comedy that told the story of the man who is widely held as the worst director of all time, Edward D. Wood, Jr. (whose birthday also happens to be today) Wood's films were notoriously bad. He'd use stock footage, grossly under-qualified actors and would cut corners everywhere imaginable.
"Alive" (1993) - in 1972 the national rugby team of Uruguay was traveling by plane over the Andes mountains when they crashed. The story that followed was one of human survival, and what it takes to get through that kind of horrible tragedy. Though famous for depicting the real life eventuality of the survivors having to get sustenance through cannibalism, the film itself was a tribute to the human spirit and didn't glorify or pass judgment on those who did the only thing they could to keep themselves going.
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