1. Argo - Ben Affleck
Argo stands tall as a refreshing reminder that while there are now numerous superheroes out there in the world of film, it's the real life heroes that make the difference. The ones that make sacrifices for those who need it desperately. Ben Affleck's film dealt with such a main character, assisting people and a scenario - telling the "Declassified" events and true story of the Iranian Hostage Crisis of 1979 - which saw six U.S. diplomats flee their embassy in Tehran, during a political revolution among the natives. It was tautly handled by Affleck with a nice mix of comedy that never distracted from the seriousness of the plot at hand. For me, Argo is the serious contender for the Oscar for Best Picture and is by far the most tensely well handled film I have seen this year.