What Are Your Favorite Political Movies?

[Brigid]

Mine:

1. Syriana
2. Lord of War
3. Good Night and Good Luck
4. Roger & Me
5. Fahrenheit 911

[cynatnite]

1. All The President's Men...

Followed by Good Night and Good Luck.

[huskerlaw]

2. The American President

because Aaron Sorkin is a god.

[Lyric]

8. Enthusiastically seconded. Especially this part:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWRVbWMvi7c

For the last couple of months, Senator Rumson has suggested that being President of this country was, to a certain extent, about character. And although I've not been willing to engage in his attacks on me, I have been here three years and three days, and I can tell you without hesitation: being President of this country is entirely about character.

For the record, yes--I am a card-carrying member of the ACLU. But the more important question is "Why aren't you, Bob?" Now this is an organization whose sole purpose is to defend the Bill of Rights, so it naturally begs the question, why would a senator, his party's most powerful spokesman and a candidate for President, choose to reject upholding the constitution? Now if you can answer that question, folks, then you're smarter than I am, because I didn't understand it until a few hours ago.

America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You've gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say, "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours." You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Now show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then you can stand up and sing about the land of the free.

I've known Bob Rumson for years. And I've been operating under the assumption that the reason Bob devotes so much time and energy to shouting at the rain was that he simply didn't get it. Well, I was wrong. Bob's problem isn't that he doesn't get it. Bob's problem is that he can't sell it!

We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you Bob Rumson is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things, and two things only--making you afraid of it, and telling you who's to blame for it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections. You gather a group of middle age, middle class, middle income voters who remember with longing an easier time, and you talk to them about family, and American values, and character, and you wave an old photo of the President's girlfriend and you scream about patriotism. You tell them she's to blame for their lot in life. And you go on television and you call her a whore.

Sydney Ellen Wade has done nothing to you, Bob. She has done nothing but put herself through school, represent the interests of public school teachers, and lobby for the safety of our natural resources. You want a character debate, Bob? You better stick with me, 'cause Sydney Ellen Wade is way out of your league.

I've loved two women in my life. I lost one to cancer. And I lost the other 'cause I was so busy keeping my job, I forgot to do my job. Well, that ends right now.

Tomorrow morning the White House is sending a bill to Congress for its consideration. It's White House Resolution 455, an energy bill requiring a twenty percent reduction of the emission of fossil fuels over the next ten years. It is by far the most aggressive stride ever taken in the fight to reverse the effects of global warming. The other piece of legislation is the crime bill. As of today, it no longer exists. I'm throwing it out. I'm throwing it out and writing a law that makes sense. You cannot address crime prevention without getting rid of assault weapons and hand guns. I consider them a threat to national security, and I will go door to door if I have to, but I'm gonna convince Americans that I'm right, and I'm gonna get the guns.

We've got serious problems, and we need serious people. And if you want to talk about character, Bob, you'd better come at me with more than a burning flag and a membership card. If you want to talk about character and American values, fine. Just tell me where and when, and I'll show up. This a time for serious people, Bob, and your fifteen minutes are up.

My name is Andrew Shepherd, and I AM the President.

I would do damned near anything to hear a REAL President give this speech.

[SallyMander]

Sigh... that scene makes me tear up

:thumbsup:

[huskerlaw]

21. I'd do damned near anything to hear a REAL President

give any number of President Bartlet's speeches as well. Like this one:

BARTLET
Forgive me, Dr. Jacobs. Are you an M.D.?

JENNA JACOBS
Ph.D.

BARTLET
A Ph.D.?

JENNA JACOBS
Yes, sir.

BARTLET
In Psychology?

JENNA JACOBS
No sir.

BARTLET
Theology?

JENNA JACOBS
No.

BARTLET
Social work?

JENNA JACOBS
I have a Ph.D. in English Literature.

BARTLET
I'm asking, 'cause on your show, people call in for advice and you go by the name of Dr. Jacobs on your show. And I didn't know if maybe your listeners were confused by that, and assumed you had advanced training in Psychology, Theology, or health care.

JENNA JACOBS
I don't believe they are confused, no sir.

BARTLET
Good. I like your show. I like how you call homosexuality an abomination.

JENNA JACOBS
I don't say homosexuality is an abomination, Mr. President. The Bible does.

BARTLET
Yes, it does. Leviticus.

JENNA JACOBS
18:22

BARTLET
Chapter and verse. I wanted to ask you a couple of questions while I had you here. I'm interested in selling my youngest daughter into slavery as sanctioned in Exodus 21: 7. She's a Georgetown sophomore, speaks fluent Italian, and always clears the table when it was her turn. What would a good price for her be? While thinking about that, can I ask another? My Chief of Staff, Leo McGarry, insists on working on the Sabbath, Exodus 35: 2, clearly says he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself or is it okay to call the police? Here's one that's really important, 'cause we've got a lot of sports fans in this town. Touching the skin of a dead pig makes us unclean, Leviticus 11: 7. If they promise to wear gloves, can the Washington Redskins still play football? Can Notre Dame? Can West Point? Does the whole town really have to be together to stone my brother, John, for planting different crops side by side? Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads?
Think about those questions, would you? One last thing, while you may be mistaking this for your monthly meeting of the Ignorant Tightass Club, in this building, when the President stands, nobody sits.

[CreekDog]

38. I remember that episode, I love West Wing dialogue

it's snappy, smart, biting and funny.

[Jade Fox]

35. "making you afraid of it, and telling you who's to blame for it."

That sums up the Bush era right there.

The amazing thing is "American President" came out before 9/11, and before Bush.

[TZ]

3. Wag the dog..

Funny stuff, and in some ways more relevant today than when originally filmed

[Va Lefty]

4. "Bob Roberts"

also "Mr. Smith goes to Washington" and "The American President"

[The Straight Story]

5. Forest Gump

:)

[terrya]

6. "The Best Man"

Based on the Gore Vidal play. With Henry Fonda and Cliff Robertson.

Also, "Advise and Consent" with Henry Fonda, Walter Pidgeon and Charles Laughton.

[calico1]

7. All the President's Men,

Manchurian Candidate (original)
Good Night & Good Luck

[SeattleGirl]

9. Good Night and Good Luck

Fahrenheit 9/11
The Manchurian Candidate (original)
All the President's Men
V for Vendetta

Not necessarily in that order.

[BOSSHOG]

10. The Way We Were

Redford and Streisand in a tour de force "Political Movie" with an awesome soundtrack. A love story between two folks with conflicting points of view.

[CTyankee]

11. The original "Manchurian Candidate" and "Seven Days in May"

Some great stuff in each of them.

[Wetzelbill]

12. In no order: 1. The War Room. 2. A Perfect Candidate

3. Our Brand Is Crisis (just watched it today.)

4. Roger & Me, Fahrenheit 911, Bowling For Columbine (All Michael Moore)

5. The Manchurian Candidate (original)

6. Primary

7. Street Fight

8. The Contender

9. JFK, Nixon (Both directed by Oliver Stone)

10. All The President's Men

[tchunter]

13. two recent ones

children of men and three kings

[pokerfan]

14. Dr. Strangelove

Hello?... Uh... Hello D- uh hello Dmitri? Listen uh uh I can't hear too well. Do you suppose you could turn the music down just a little?... Oh-ho, that's much better... yeah... huh... yes... Fine, I can hear you now, Dmitri... Clear and plain and coming through fine... I'm coming through fine, too, eh?... Good, then... well, then, as you say, we're both coming through fine... Good... Well, it's good that you're fine and... and I'm fine... I agree with you, it's great to be fine... a-ha-ha-ha-ha... Now then, Dmitri, you know how we've always talked about the possibility of something going wrong with the Bomb... The *Bomb*, Dmitri... The *hydrogen* bomb!... Well now, what happened is... ahm... one of our base commanders, he had a sort of... well, he went a little funny in the head... you know... just a little... funny. And, ah... he went and did a silly thing... Well, I'll tell you what he did. He ordered his planes... to attack your country... Ah... Well, let me finish, Dmitri... Let me finish, Dmitri... Well listen, how do you think I feel about it?... Can you *imagine* how I feel about it, Dmitri?... Why do you think I'm calling you? Just to say hello?... *Of course* I like to speak to you!... *Of course* I like to say hello!... Not now, but anytime, Dmitri. I'm just calling up to tell you something terrible has happened... It's a *friendly* call. Of course it's a friendly call... Listen, if it wasn't friendly... you probably wouldn't have even got it... They will *not* reach their targets for at least another hour... I am... I am positive, Dmitri... Listen, I've been all over this with your ambassador. It is not a trick... Well, I'll tell you. We'd like to give your air staff a complete run-down on the targets, the flight plans, and the defensive systems of the planes... Yes! I mean i-i-i-if we're unable to recall the planes, then... I'd say that, ah... well, ah... we're just gonna have to help you destroy them, Dmitri... I know they're our boys... All right, well listen now. Who should we call?... *Who* should we call, Dmitri? The... wha-whe, the People... you, sorry, you faded away there... The People's Central Air Defense Headquarters... Where is that, Dmitri?... In Omsk... Right... Yes... Oh, you'll call them first, will you?... Uh-huh... Listen, do you happen to have the phone number on you, Dmitri?... Whe-ah, what? I see, just ask for Omsk information... Ah-ah-eh-uhm-hm... I'm sorry, too, Dmitri... I'm very sorry... *All right*, you're sorrier than I am, but I am as sorry as well... I am as sorry as you are, Dmitri! Don't say that you're more sorry than I am, because I'm capable of being just as sorry as you are... So we're both sorry, all right?... All right.

[Frank Cannon]

15. "Z"

I always resisted seeing that movie even though I heard it was a classic. Well, I finally saw it, and I can honestly say it's one of my favorite movies of all time.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065234/

[east texas lib]

16. The Contender

With Gary Oldman,Joan Allen,Jeff Bridges,Christian Slater,William Petersen and Sam
Elliot. Pretty cool!

[Starbucks Anarchist]

20. Excellent choice.

[east texas lib]

22. It's a good one!

The portrayal of modern politics in America was very realistic IMHO.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

And Gary Oldman is excellent as usual.

[east texas lib]

25. He's top notch!

[BeachBaby]

17. Okay....

1. Primary Colors
2. Manchurian Candidate (Original version)
3. Fahrenheit 911
4. JFK
5. Thirteen Days

[SeattleGirl]

18. Oooh, I forgot about Primary Colors

Kathy Bates broke my heart in that one.

[Lex]

19. "The War Room" & recently "Body of War"

[Squatch]

23. Good call on "Lord of War"

Nicolas Cage is brilliant in that movie.

[soleft]

24. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

[Stuart G]

26. I saw this 50 years ago, the last 15 minutes...are

some of the most dramatic political moments on the screen, Jefferson Smith, in a broken voice asking Senator Payne about fighting those hopeless causes...those that seem cannot be won,......
......... won me over to this film,,,,,,,,forever........

IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THIS ONE...PLEASE DO...YOU WILL NEVER FORGET IT..

[momophile]

28. one of my all-time favorite movies nt

[CBHagman]

27. John Sayles movies.

I'm thinking of Silver City, Matewan, and Lone Star.

[ellisonz]

29. Bulworth

Bulworth: What is it exactly you're concerned about, Murphy?
Dennis Murphy: I'm concerned that you stood up in front of three hundred people in a black church and told them that they were not a factor and never would be as long as we remain in the pocket of the insurance lobby! I'm concerned that you went to a fundraiser in Beverly Hills and told various leaders of the entertainment industry that they make a lousy product, and since many of them also happen to be Jewish, you decided the PRUDENT thing to do would be to MOCK their Jewish paranoia! I'm concerned that we are in an after-hours club in Compton on the eve of the most important event of the campaign swing, where God knows how much illegal activity is taking place and YOU are SMOKING MARIJUANA! Now, Senator - I work for you. You call the shots. But I will be able to do my job so much better if you will just simply tell me ... what is this new strategy? Just tell me a little bit!

[peekaloo]

31. the rap at the fundraiser was hilarious.

:thumbsup:

[peacefreak]

30. Dave

Dick
Wag the Dog
American President
Primary Colors

and I finally watched
Shut Up & Sing. made me cry.

[peekaloo]

32. The Parallax View nt

[jakefrep]

33. "The Candidate" with Robert Redford.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

34. Primary Colors....

I think Travolta did a pretty good Clinton.

[Jade Fox]

36. Syriana, All the President's Men, and the as-yet-unmade....

great movie about the fight for women's suffrage in this country. "Iron-Jawed Angels" was pretty good, but with a subject as profound as the 100 year battle to get women the rights of full citizenship, it's shocking how few films have tackled the subject.

[CreekDog]

37. Primary Colors and The Candidate

I can watch those over and over and over...

The Manchurian Candidate however is a masterpiece and Sinatra's performance in it is incredible.

[Bennyboy]

39. Network..........

Rings truer every day.

[LeftinOH]

40. Manchurian Candidate (1962); Bob Roberts (1992); Primary Colors (1998)

[WinkyDink]

41. "All the President's Men". Good times, good times.