A Student Publication of Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA

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A Student Publication of Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA

SACMedia

A Student Publication of Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA

SACMedia

5 Must-Watch Election Season Films

And not a single one of them is “Vice”

We have officially entered election season, and with today being Super Tuesday, it could be the most pivotal foretelling of whose names will be on that general election ballot come November. After watching about a billion political commercials over the past few days, it’s only right that you deserve a break—after you vote, of course. Here are five political movies to watch this election season for whatever part of the political spectrum you’re on.

Films like Get Out and Parasite have certainly had impactful sociopolitical messages, but for this list, we focused on cold hard politics, messy and scandalous as they are.

Election

Based on the novel of the same name by Tom Perrotta, the 1999 film chronicles the pursuit of the highly coveted student body president position by one overly ambitious and downright devilish Tracy Flick, played by Reese Witherspoon. She plays dirty, and no one would like to see her fail more than teacher Jim McAllister, played by Matthew Broderick. Tracy’s path to the presidency is marked by political scandal and features a third candidate entering the running halfway through the movie, a move inspired by Ross Perot’s 1992 third-party campaign. A hilarious black comedy and cult favorite, “Election” holds the honor of being Barack Obama’s favorite political movie. Nothing but respect for my president, Ms. Reese Witherspoon.

New York State reported its first case of coronavirus, in a woman in her late 30s who had traveled to Iran. The announcement brings the total number of cases in the United States to 76.

Posted by The New York Times on Sunday, March 1, 2020

Dick

An amusing and absurdist take on the infamous Watergate scandal, “Dick” tells the tale of two ditzy teenage girls, Betsy and Arlene, played by Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams, who find themselves at the center of America’s biggest political scandal. Upon meeting Richard Nixon on a field trip to the White House, the girls are hand-picked by the president himself to become his dog-walkers. Through their White House visits, Betsy and Arlene become acquainted with Nixon’s circle and, unbeknownst to them, learn about the corruption occurring behind the scenes. The girls pass on their information to journalist Bob Woodward, becoming the real-life anonymous “Deep Throat” informants behind Watergate in this creative retelling of history. The criminally underrated film ends with a parting shot of the girls holding a poster up to Nixon reading: “You suck, Dick!” 1999 was a good year for teenage political farce—a genre that thankfully made a return in Netflix’s 2019 release “The Politician.”

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

This Frank Capra-directed 1939 classic, an intro to government staple, stars James Stewart as Jefferson Smith, a newly appointed senator whose small-town naiveté is challenged by the corrupt political machine. Upon his arrival in Washington, Smith quickly grasps the crooked deals being made and is soon framed as a participant in the corruption. Originally written off as “communist” propaganda by legislators who called for a ban of the film, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” has since reached masterpiece status for its highly aware story that is just as relevant now as it was then. Preserved by the Library of Congress, “Mr. Smith” is a fascinating look at what American government, and the world, was like in the early 20th century that continues to tell us more about our world today.

The War Room

The sole documentary on this list, “The War Room” is a 1993 documentary following Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign from the primaries to the general election. It features a young George Stephanopoulos as Clinton’s communication director and Clinton’s lead strategist, James Carvile, among other key figures in Clinton’s campaign. “The War Room” documents Clinton’s tumultuous path to eventual victory despite bombshell allegations of an affair with Gennifer Flowers, among other roadblocks. Regardless of your political leanings, this film provides a unique look into the inner-workings of campaign strategy, and though we all know who won the election, every hoop the campaign has to jump through is still thrilling to watch. A viewing of “The War Room” will have you invested in a presidential campaign from nearly 30 years ago, and Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop” stuck in your head for days.

Jackie

In a career high point, Natalie Portman excels in this portrayal of one of the most iconic figures of the 20th century. More of a study in resilience than an outright political film, this biopic shines a light on Onassis when she is thrust into turmoil and left to move on under intense scrutiny from every corner. Though she is far from the spitting image of the former First Lady, Portman manages to capture the complexities and strength of Jackie Kennedy Onassis in the wake of the assassination of JFK. Equally impressive are Portman’s iteration of Onassis’ unique accent—linguistics expert-approved—as well as Caspar Phillipson’s uncanny resemblance to JFK. Beautifully shot, “Jackie” features captivating cinematography with a distinctive 1:66 aspect ratio that can otherwise be commonly found in French New Wave cinema and A24 films. With support from Greta Gerwig and Billy Curdup, “Jackie” depicts the reality of grief and moving on after tragedy.

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About the Contributor
Skye Salamat, Author
Salamat is the pop section editor for SAC.Media.

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