Author Topic: Top 5 Political Films  (Read 5047 times)

bb6634

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 532
Top 5 Political Films
« on: October 13, 2008, 11:33:59 PM »
Well, in honor of the upcoming US election and my country's current election (I'm writing from Canada), how about the Top 5 Political Films?  Restrictions?  Just to narrow down the field, no documentaries...  The definition of political is open, but for me, doesn't necessarily have to be about a politician so much as politics in general...

My Top 5:

5. The Candidate (1972)  An obvious choice, but I think it still holds up.  Heard Redford was reprising the role for a sequel.... 

4. Nashville.  I don't think any other film encapsulates the seventies political climate better. 

3. Tanner '88/ Tanner on Tanner.  Altman again.  Kind of a cheat since it was made for HBO, but still... I think it is one of the sharpest political satires ever. 

2. Reds.  An epic romance about the birth of  American Communism.  Who would have thunk?

1. All the Presidents Men.  Yes, it is really a detective story when you get down to it, but a detective story where all the suspects are politicians.
« Last Edit: October 13, 2008, 11:35:58 PM by bb6634 »

FroHam X

  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 17792
  • “By any seeds necessary.”
    • justAtad
Re: Top 5 Political Films
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2008, 11:45:22 PM »
I just saw Stephen Frears' The Deal. Great movie, and great movie about politics.
"We didn't clean the hamster's cage, the hamster's cage cleaned us!"

Can't get enough FroHam? Read more of my musings at justAtad

bb6634

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 532
Re: Top 5 Political Films
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2008, 12:09:54 AM »
I just saw Stephen Frears' The Deal. Great movie, and great movie about politics.

Cool.  I'll check it out!

The Mighty Celestial

  • Member
  • **
  • Posts: 235
  • Wtf?
Re: Top 5 Political Films
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2008, 02:48:09 AM »
This is one of those genres that, of the ones that I've seen, more have been good than bad.
Off the top of my pimp-ass noggin though, these are the ones that spring to mind as my fave:

5. 13 Days - I refrained from seeing this movie in theatres because I know the story of the Cuban Missle Crisis from my high school American history class. However, upon hearing mostly positive reviews after the fact, I decided to give it a view when I came across it the DVD rental store. And I have to say that movie does an excellent job of depicting the build-up of sophisticated international political tension that must've filled the White House during this period of history. As cliche as it sounds, despite knowing how this story ends, this film still managed to keep me at the edge of my seat.

4. JFK - It's funny, cuz, when I first viewed this flick, all those years anon, it almost made me believe that there was a conspiracy.
Almost.
 However, as the years go on &  I have come to be more knowledgeable about this particular event in history, Stone's creative liberties & licensing seems to become more glaring & blaring.
But as a "fictional" political-drama that seems to build & build up to an accumulative effect, it still works for me.

3. Primary Colors -  This film is just so full of good acting from good actors ( John Travolta, B.B. Thornton, Cathy Bates, Pauls Thompson & Larry Hagman), that, performance-wise, it has a feel that seems like could be  thicker than Travolta's  tummy.
Oh,
and he doesn't dance in this movie, either.

2. All The President's Men - Yeah, I'm sure that if I pointed out why I liked this movie, I probably would just end up repeating what has often been said about this film hundreds o' times already, yo.
Therefor, lemme just say that this was the first "grown-up" film that I actually understood all the way thru, back in the day when my pubes were still just thick plush peach fuzz that tended to tickle whenever I scrubbed down there.

1. The Contender - Joan Allen totally pwns this movie.
« Last Edit: October 14, 2008, 08:17:13 AM by The Mighty Celestial »
"Criticism is the laziest form of expression ."

- some deep dude.

The Mighty Celestial

  • Member
  • **
  • Posts: 235
  • Wtf?
Re: Top 5 Political Films
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2008, 02:54:06 AM »
I just saw Stephen Frears' The Deal. Great movie, and great movie about politics.

Cool.  I'll check it out!
Me too.
"Criticism is the laziest form of expression ."

- some deep dude.

sdedalus

  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 16585
  • I have a prestigious blog, sir!
    • The End of Cinema
Re: Top 5 Political Films
« Reply #5 on: October 14, 2008, 03:30:34 AM »
Top of my head:

1. I Am Cuba
2. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington
3. The Manchurian Candidate
4. Bob Roberts
5. Advise & Consent
The End of Cinema

Seattle Screen Scene

"He was some kind of a man. What does it matter what you say about people?"

mañana

  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 20862
  • Check your public library
Re: Top 5 Political Films
« Reply #6 on: October 14, 2008, 10:09:49 AM »
Some docs

Primary (1960)
Roger and Me (1989)
War Room (1993)
The Perfect Candidate (1996)
The Yes Men (2004)
Street Fight (2005)

There's no deceit in the cauliflower.

¡Keith!

  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 26774
  • Bitch, I been around since LimeWire.
Re: Top 5 Political Films
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2008, 11:02:23 AM »
Wag the Dog came to mind as not being highlighted yet, Sorkin's dialogue makes The American President & Charlie Wilson's War great fun to watch.

pixote

  • Administrator
  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 34237
  • Up with generosity!
    • yet more inanities!
Re: Top 5 Political Films
« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2009, 03:20:01 AM »
Some docs

Primary (1960)
Roger and Me (1989)
War Room (1993)
The Perfect Candidate (1996)
The Yes Men (2004)
Street Fight (2005)
Last Man Standing would fit well here, too. (No, not the Bruce Willis Yojimbo thingy.)

pixote
Great  |  Near Great  |  Very Good  |  Good  |  Fair  |  Mixed  |  Middling  |  Bad

flieger

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 0
Re: Top 5 Political Films
« Reply #9 on: December 12, 2009, 04:04:10 AM »
5. The Battle of Algiers
4. The Battle of Chile
3. Weekend
2. Land and Freedom
1. The Conformist

 

love