It always puzzles me that people turn to the Food page curious to find out about off-the-beaten-track joints that serve up a savory cassoulet or artisan shōchū or whatever, yet so many come to the film page expecting a review of this week's McBurger. Guess what? Tasted pretty much like the last one. There's a reason why both fast-food chains and superhero films worship the "franchise," and it has to do with formulizing success and bankability, while banishing innovation, individuality and a sense of "taste." So I suppose you could call this a "gourmet" selection.
1. "Argo": Ben Affleck, directing and acting, takes us back to the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in 1979 by Iranian radicals and the covert CIA plot to sneak a few escapee staffers out of the country. Alfred Hitchcock himself could not have wrung more suspense out of the material, but Affleck also finds a rich vein of humor, courtesy of John Goodman and Alan Arkin. Proof positive, like last year's "Black Swan," that Hollywood can make smart box-office hits ... If only they took more chances.
2. "Un Prophete (A Prophet)": Like "Argo," this one is rooted in the cinema of the '70s, with director Jacques Audiard looking to gritty crime flicks such as "Serpico" or "Mean Streets" for inspiration, both in look and tone. This tale of a young Algerian convict who fights to survive and rises through the ranks of a Corsican mafia-controlled prison gang easily stands the comparison with those classics. Don't let the Cannes fest pedigree put you off — this is simply a good, no-bull story, well told.