Ben Affleck has made his comeback on the international stage with aplomb, grabbing several awards at the Brit Awards, namely Best Director and Best Movie, for his film “Argo.” What an improbable turn for “Argo,” a vital and thrilling film about a little-known incident which occurred during the Iranian Revolution of 1979 (visit the BAFTA’s tumblr for more on this).

Can this win be a sign of further things to come? With some already declaring “Lincoln” the anticipated winner at the Academy Awards, the ante has definitely be upped.

Quentin Tarantino picked up the award for his western “Django Unchained” and thanked his actors for doing a “bang-up job with my dialogue.” The film has attracted criticism for its liberal use of racial insults and Tarantino thanked his backers for standing by what he described as “a hot potato” film. “Hunger Games” star Jennifer Lawrence handed the award for Best Supporting Actor to Christoph Waltz for “Django Unchained.” With so many great American films in the running, this awards season promises to be full of chills, thrills and bellyaches.

READ: “Argo” seen through the prism of history