Affleck scores again with Argo

By Eric Wilkins,
Staff Writer

f anyone was still

harbouring any doubts
about Ben Affleck’s abili-
ties as a director, then
be advised that those
doubts can now be laid
to rest. Argo (released
October 12), the third
feature directed by
Affleck, is based on the

events of 1979, when

six Americans were

rescued from Tehran after

Iranians had stormed

the American Embassy

and taken 52 hostages.

The escape plan was

to create a fake movie

(Argo: a second-rate sci-fi)

and have the six pose as

members of the film crew

to fool Iranian security.
Thanks primarily to

memorable performances

from John Goodman

and Alan Arkin as John

Chambers (the John

Chambers) and Lester
Siegel (a fictional pro-
ducer), Affleck manages
to space out the rising
tension of the movie with
some genuinely humor-
ous moments. And as
this powerful plot nears
its end, it’s difficult to sit
still; you'll be gripping
the edge of your seat.
The only issue I
have with the movie is
the downplaying of the
Canadian involvement
in the operation. In
classic Hollywood style,

 

the American is made
out to be the true hero
while everyone else (in
this case, Canadians)
are merely supporting

cast, both literally and
figuratively. All the same,
it’s a great movie and
well worth a watch!

 

JK. Rowlings latest is
not her greatest

By Livia Turnbull,
Humour Editor

or many of us, J.K

Rowling’s Harry
Potter series was a huge
part of our childhoods.
However, five years after
the release of the last
Potter book, Rowling
has decided to write
something completely
different: a book tailored
towards adults, about
a small, mundane

 

 

British town and the
eople living in it.
‘ There's Pothing
magical in the small
town of Pagford and
its stummy outskirts,
the Fields. The Casual
Vacancy (released
September 27) is just a
look into the lives of a
town full of unlikeable,
yet human people;
it’s a surprisingly
straightforward social
commentary.

When popular
parish councilor Barry
Fairbrother suddenly
dies of a cerebral
hemorrhage, his seat is
left vacant on the city
council. Two opposing
men rush to be elected

No ‘Vacancy for this writer

for his position, and
this sudden election
causes the town to be at
odds with each other.
Meanwhile, there is a
big debate surrounding
Pagford on what is
to be done with the
Fields, where all the
impoverished people
live. All it seems the
towns’ patrons can
agree on is that Barry
Fairbrother was the glue
holding the two sections
of a ford together.

is is not a plot-
ee story; instead,
The Casual Vacancy is
more of a character
study. Rowling does a
good job of making you
reconsider your opinions

on certain characters,
but every character’s
morality is grey, and by
the end of the book
you don’t know
who to cheer for.
Rowling tries
her hardest to
make a memorable
novel, but the
characters are not
likely to leave an
impression on you
by the time you
close the back cover.
The Casual Vacancy,
despite all the
hype, is forgettable.
Although well
written and
with nothing
outstandingly awful
about it, the book does

Nothing | left behind on Converge's latest -

 

_— 2 October 9). The group has
By Keating Smith,

maintained their pace of
Contributor releasing a studio album
every three years since
_ their 2001 breakthrough
album, Jane Doe.
All We Love is not only
ustin time forautumn _ packed with ear drum-
and Halloween, the damaging tracks that will

egends of metalcore
are back again with the
release of their eighth
studio album All We Love
We Leave Behind (released

have you contemplating
punching holes in your
bedroom walls, they also
play on long drawn out
stoner-rock riffs that seem

to be more apparent in
this and similar other
hard music genres
recently. Front man
Jacob Bannon has also
distinctively refined his
vocals this time around
by taking less of an
approach to sounding like
a tortured velociraptor
while singing, focusing
more on his monotone
voice, which I have come
to absolutely adore.

Although this album
is not everything I had
anticipated, All We Love
defeats any similar
sounding album I have
heard this year. The
album also proves to the
audience that Converge
likes to take the path less
traveled when creating
quality jams. Notable
tracks include first
single “Aimless Arrow,”
“Glacial Pace,” “Coral

suffer from being too
dull.

   

Wan a bye fi

VEVerNAY, 5

Blue/Shame in the Way,”
and last but not least, the
track that the album takes
its name from.

Certain editions are
available as a 17-song
deluxe double album,
packaged in a ‘reverse
board gatefold jacket’ that
comes in both a standard
multi-coloured vinyl and
a black 180-gram record
for all you collector nerds
out there.

7