DVD Argo: It's an understatement to say that Ben Affleck's acting career has been erratic (Gigli, anyone?), but his directing career is solidly on track: Argo is his third feature, following Gone Baby Gone and The Town, and with every new movie, he seems more assured. Given the Academy Awards' history of honoring actors-turned-directors (Robert Redford, Warren Beatty, Kevin Costner, Clint Eastwood), Affleck could be an early favorite in the Best Director race. But while those other actors' films had a heaviness to them, Argo works as crowd-pleasing entertainment with a serious side. With Affleck's continued growth as a director, it makes you want to see what he will deliver next. Based (loosely) on a true story, this tale of how a group of Americans hiding in the Canadian embassy in 1979 Iran were rescued with a bizarre plan involving a fake Hollywood movie makes for compelling history. On DVD and Blu-ray.
-- Robert Philpot
Also new: Game of Thrones: The Complete Second Season; Anna Karenina; Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike; Sinister; Undefeated; Fun Size; North Sea Texas
