Argo / The Town

The Town (2010)

Ben Affleck co-wrote, directed, and stars in this crime thriller about Doug MacRay, a Boston bank robber who falls for Claire Keesey, a hostage (Rebecca Hall) he took while wearing a mask during a recent heist. As he tries to ensure Claire never finds out who he really is, MacRay reluctantly agrees to plan a dangerous caper, clashes with his reckless partner (Jeremy Renner), and attempts to stay one step ahead of an FBI agent (Jon Hamm) determined to take him down. With Blake Lively, Chris Cooper. 125 min. C/Rtg: R

Argo (2012)

Winner of three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, director/star Ben Affleck's fact-based thriller casts him as CIA officer Tony Mendez, tasked with getting six Americans hidden in Canada's Tehran embassy out of Iran during the 1979 hostage crisis. The "best bad idea" Mendez pitches involves everyone posing as the crew of a cheesy Hollywood sci-fi film, a daring ruse he sets up with help from an acerbic producer (Alan Arkin) and a veteran makeup man (John Goodman). With Bryan Cranston, Clea DuVall, Victor Garber. 120 min. C/Rtg: R