This is going to be “Catch-up on Movies” week on this blog. ARGO came out months ago, but we just found time to see it last week. ARGO tells the story of a CIA operation to rescue six U.S. Embassy employees in Tehran, Iran who managed to escape the take-over of the Embassy by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards back in 1979. The six employees found refuge at the home of the Canadian Ambassador. But time was running out, discovery was imminent. So CIA extraction specialist, Tony Mendez, came up with an unlikely solution: pretend the six employees were Canadians who are part of a film crew looking for locales for a science fiction movie called ARGO. Ben Affleck both directs and stars in this gripping thriller. GRADE: A-

I’ve admired the grit of the Seattle Seahwaks all season long. And I’m proud of Pete Carroll for making the QB switch to Russell Wilson (who the Bills could have drafted in the Third Round, but didn’t). The Atlanta Falcons defense is suspect. And a heavy dose of Marshawn Lynch should wear them down. I’m going with the Seahawks in the early game which kicks off at 1 P.M. ET on FOX. Bill Crider says the Texans will get blown out in Foxboro. Tom Brady and the Patriots have had two weeks to prepare for this game. I’m going with the Patriots. Kickoff is at 4:30 P.M. ET on CBS. Who do you like in these games?

Peyton Manning gets my vote for MVP for his miraculous come-back after a devastating neck injury. The Ravens are a good team, but the Broncos are a better team. This game kicks off at 4:30 P.M. ET on CBS. The second game, Packers vs. Niners should be a great game. Although Art Scott says the Niners are DOOMED, I’m not so sure. I’m picking Green Bay in a very close game. The late game kicks off at 8:00 P.M. ET on FOX. What do you think will happen today?

Back in 1991, TOR Books published an omnibus volume containing Fritz Leiber’s Conjure Wife and Our Lady of Darkness. Leiber’s premise is that all women are witches with magic powers. Reading these two novels about dark forces and secret occult warfare that permeates our contemporary world is an astonishing experience. Leiber work always contains surprises and originality. This wonderful volume proves this on every page. Conjure Wife was first published in 1943, but reads like it was written yesterday. Our Lady of Darkness was first published in 1978. You can find copies of this bargain TOR edition online at reasonable prices, but you can also find Conjure Wife and Our Lady of Darkness published separately in a variety of editions depending on your tastes and the size of your wallet. Don’t miss these Leiber classics!

If you check out Katie Roiphe’s photo, you’ll get the sense of what these essays offer: some brashness, some irreverence, and some prose calculated to piss the reader off. Katie comes off as a woman with Attitude and Attitude she delivers! Katie starts off with her own messy life: failed relationships, her two children by two different men, and her prickly personality (check out that photo again!). Katie writes about how she had sex with her college roommate’s boyfriend and is surprised when her apology doesn’t heal the hurt she inflicted on a needy girl. Katie also goes after Joan Didion (a much better writer than Katie) because she senses Didion holds her personality back from her work. Katie also trashes Maureen Dowd (another better writer). I liked Katie’s opinions on Susan Sontag and Jane Austen. Katie is bright, but she’s definitely High Maintainence. GRADE: B+

If you’re a fan of spy novels, run–don’t walk–and pick up a copy of Dan Fesperman’s incredible The Double Game. Fesperman’s title, The Double Game, refers to the puzzle of whether a CIA operative who retired to become a best-selling novelist of spy novels was a double agent or not. But The Double Game is indeed a double game. Fesperman borrows from classic spy novels (and supplies the references!) and creates a wonderful twisty plot. The bonus is a list of 222 classic spy novels included as an appendix. This is the best spy novel I’ve read in years! The Double Game is a tour-de-force! GRADE: A

Most Wednesdays, I’m going to feature a book, CD, or movie someone has recommended to me. In the case of Still Life by Louise Penny, it was Rick and Carl who praised Penny’s series. Still Life is the first book in the series featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec and his team of investigators. Still Life centers around the murder of an elderly artist. The residents claim it’s just a hunting accident, but Gamache knows better. He and his team investigate the tangled connections of small town life. I detected more than a little Maigret in Gamache. If you’re a fan of Simenon’s work, you’ll enjoy Louise Penny’s work. A film version of Still Life is being filmed in Canada as you read this. GRADE: B+

This box set of 7 DVDs once cost $59.99 on AMAZON. But now you can buy these terrific movies for a mere $17.99! The box set of The Complete Thin Man Collection includes: The Thin Man / After the Thin Man / Another Thin Man / Shadow of the Thin Man / The Thin Man Goes Home / Song of the Thin Man / Alias Nick and Nora). DVD extras include 2 radio dramas, vintage cartoons, and the TV series pilot with Peter Lawford and Phyllis Kirk. Don’t miss this one!

I was concerned when 2013 started off with this blog vanishing and the cryptic messsage “It Works!” appearing in its place. Immediately, I sent an urgent email to my IT specialist, my son Patrick (who was partying in Peru), and a day later my blog mysteriously reappeared. But only in Internet Explorer and on Apple devices. Weird. The explanation is that my blog had been hosted on an old, slow Server. On New Year’s Day 2013, my blog (and thousands of others) were transferred to a new, fast Server. I’m sure you’ve noticed the difference.

In a couple of weeks, I’ll be posting my 1500th daily blog post. I couldn’t have done all these postings without your energy and interest and excellent comments. I want to thank Patti, Jeff, Deb, Rick, Bill, Drongo, Beth, Bob, Carl, Steve, Stan, Dan, Sergio, Todd, Lauren, Randy, Art, Scott, Jerry, Evan, John, Ed, Max, and all the rest of you for your involvement and support!

The Colts vs. Ravens game kicks off at 1 P.M. on CBS. As much as I like Andrew Luck and his plucky team (who would have picked rebuilding Colts to make the Playoffs?) I think the Ravens are a better team. The 4:30 P.M. FOX game features another QB phenom, RG3. But once again, I have to go with the tougher, more complete team: the Seahawks. What are your Playoff picks?