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<DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=6 face=Impact><STRONG><EM>AVON EXTRA!
EXTRA!</EM></STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Century Gothic"><STRONG><EM>Like we do sometimes when we are particularly
excited about a movie, we show you what Avon Theater supporter and
nationally-known film critic Leonard Maltin has to say about it. Take it away,
Leonard....</EM></STRONG></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><IMG border=2 hspace=0 alt="" align=baseline
src="cid:70679B1FB72F44F9AEB7B5A0E685A7AE@DELLGX280"><STRONG><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma><BR>John Goodman, Alan Arkin & Ben Affleck</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Century Gothic"><STRONG><EM></EM></STRONG></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT size=4 face="Century Gothic"><U>ARGO</U> reviewed by
Leonard Maltin</FONT></EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Century Gothic"><STRONG><FONT size=4><EM>Argo</EM> is one terrific movie,
the best I’ve seen all year.</FONT></STRONG> The fact that it’s an original (and
difficult to encapsulate) may make it a tough sell, but I hope good reviews and
word of mouth will bring it the success it deserves. The screenplay by Chris
Terrio dramatizes events of late 1979, when six Americans hid out in the
Canadian ambassador’s residence in Tehran, and counterbalances it with absurdly
funny—and unexpectedly relevant—goings-on in Hollywood. No one would have dared
to invent such an odd combination of ingredients. </FONT></FONT></DIV>
<P></P>
<P><FONT size=3 face="Century Gothic">Director and star Ben Affleck brings
credence to each environment he depicts: the tumultuous world of revolution-torn
Iran, the political give-and-take of Washington bureaucracy, and the casually
crass atmosphere of Hollywood. Affleck also plays the CIA agent who takes on the
task of spiriting the Americans out of Tehran, using a bogus Hollywood movie
production as his cover story. John Goodman plays real-life makeup artist John
Chambers who, it turns out, was an undercover operative for the CIA; he is
perfectly matched by Alan Arkin as a cynical, past-his-prime producer who helps
create the subterfuge of a movie being made.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Century Gothic"><FONT size=3><EM>Argo</EM> plays beautifully
because it never seems phony. The tension in Tehran is palpably real from the
moment the film begins, with violence an ever-present threat. The six Americans
aren’t noble or one-dimensional: they are all too human, and we share their
well-founded fear.</FONT></FONT></P>
<P></P>
<P><FONT size=3 face="Century Gothic">In sharp contrast, the scenes involving
Goodman and Arkin are ribald and laugh-out-loud funny. You couldn’t ask for two
more expert actors to play these jaded movie veterans.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3 face="Century Gothic">Circumstances lead to a nail-biting climax
in which every minute counts. This is movie storytelling at its best, and if it
didn’t play out quite this way in real life, it should have. The finale of
<EM>Argo</EM> is exhilarating and enormously satisfying. It’s followed, under
the closing credits, by revealing archival footage and information that you
don’t want to miss.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Century Gothic"><STRONG><FONT size=4><EM>Argo</EM> is proof that
Hollywood can still make a crowd-pleasing movie that’s smart, funny, and
relevant all at once. To which I can only add, Bravo!</FONT></STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=3 face="Century Gothic">by Leonard Maltin (used with
permission)</FONT></STRONG></P>
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