Thursday Movie Picks: Politics
1) Milk
This was one of my favorites movies of that year. Despite not really caring for Sean Penn, he was excellent as Harvey Milk and the supporting cast was fantastic.
2) All The President's Men
You all know how much I love journalism movies and this one about the Watergate scandal is still one of my favorite films I've seen on my Blind Spot journey.
3) Recount
With Jay Roach's Bombshell out soon, maybe more people will go back and find this TV movie he did about the 2000 presidential election. I really enjoyed it. It got a lot of Emmy and Globe love, but I still feel like it doesn't get talked about that much. Denis Leary and Laura Dern were the standouts for me.
Love, love, LOVE all your picks!!! Especially All the President's Men which is just flat out brilliant across the board.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge Sean Penn fan either but he is extraordinary in Milk. Since you're a fan of this film I'd recommend tracking down the documentary The Times of Harvey Milk. It's quite compelling.
Recount was a nice surprise. I was expecting something pleasant but ordinary but it was much richer than that.
We're in a pretty pickle these days to be sure. More distressing than that orange criminal's obvious guilt (there really is no surprise there) is the dereliction of duty of all those senators who are placing their own interests above their sworn oath to put the country's security and constitution first.
And with that dispiriting fact all three of mine have a corruption factor in their storylines.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)-Upon the death of one of his state’s senators the idealistic young Jefferson Smith (James Stewart) is appointed by the cynical governor to the U.S. Senate because of his naivety. Once there he is taken under the wing of his idol, the esteemed senior Senator Joseph Paine (Claude Rains). However Paine isn't as noble nor as honest as his reputation would indicate, and he becomes involved in a scheme to discredit the youthful rube, who wants to build a boys' campsite where a more lucrative project could go. Determined to stand up against Paine and his corrupt peers, Smith takes his case to the Senate floor for a showpiece filibuster. One of director Frank Capra’s most successful films is loaded with familiar faces in every role and a memorable performance by Jimmy Stewart.
All the King’s Men (1949)-The rise and fall of everyman politician Willie Stark (Broderick Crawford) is chronicled. Initially getting into politics hoping to help the working man once in he becomes so corrupt that he no longer knows the difference between right and wrong. A very thinly veiled retelling of the life of the infamously ruthless Louisiana governor and senator Huey Long. Winner of the 1949 Best Picture Oscar as well as Best Actor for Crawford and Best Supporting Actress for Mercedes McCambridge also garnered nominations for director, screenplay, supporting actor and editing.
Advise & Consent (1962)-Controversial candidate Robert Leffingwell (Henry Fonda) is nominated as U.S. Secretary of State setting the stage for a Senate investigation of Leffingwell's qualifications and igniting a firestorm of backroom machinations. Senator Brig Anderson (Don Murray), the head of the committee, soon finds the proceedings descending into heated arguments with various politicians trying to further their own agendas by any means necessary ultimately leading to tragedy. Blessed with an insanely talented ensemble including Charles Laughton, Gene Tierney, Walter Pidgeon and Peter Lawford among many others plus a surprise appearance by Betty White as a Kansas senator!
I haven't seen any of your picks this week, but I'm glad you were fan of the ones I chose. I share your dislike of Sean Penn, but he was good in milk.
DeleteI hang my head low as I have not seen any of your picks! I shock myself since Milk is supposed to be excellent even though I want to smack Sean Penn (but he would thump me but good, the intense prick) and All The President's men is one I have wanted to see for decades. I have not heard of recount but now I want to see it. Oh, I watch The Late Show with Trevor Noah(well i tape it as i am in bed by then) and he had shown a spot where a billionaire started crying because Elizabeth warren is going after the billionaires to tax them more and he felt unjustly accused. You have to see it
ReplyDeletelol I need to look up that Daily Show clip. I cannot stand Sean Penn but he's so good in Milk that I can look past it.
DeleteI definitely don't know Recount but this is such a deep well to choose from it must have been hard!
ReplyDeleteYou should check out Recount if you ever get the chance. I'm sure it's on HBO Go. I think they initially aired it.
DeleteI went with a different take for my picks as Milk and All the President's Men are great films while I don't remember if I've seen Recount though I can't turn down a great performance from Laura Dern.
ReplyDeleteShe's wonderful!
DeleteUgh, I'm going to assume that these are all great picks...but I've only seen Milk (which was very good).
ReplyDeleteThe world is most definitely on fire, good God. I'm not even sure I want to think about politics currently, let alone watch something overtly political.
That said, great post as always, Brittani.
thank you!
DeleteThe only one I've seen is All The President's Men and it is definitely one of my favourite journalism/politics movies too.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you also enjoy that one!
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