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It is an exciting day in Monday Movie Meme history...we have our first guest director. Taking over for the Bumbles today would be Susan from Bear Swamp Reflections (a dear blogger friend of mine). Today, it is all about politics!
Unfortunately, however, I'm not sure how much I will be able to contribute to the cause. I can't stand politics. In fact, often they sicken me. There is no better way to turn me off than tell me a movie is about politics. I didn't see Primary Colors, or Swing Vote, or even All the President's Men. I'm sure they are great movies, but I had no interest whatsoever.
That all said, when you think about it, isn't every movie about politics in some vague form or fashion? There is Dave, where some guy off the street poses as the president, when the president himself falls ill. Or The American President, where a single president finds love across party lines? You could find politics in The Last King of Scotland, Reds, Citizen Kane or Hotel Rwanda.
The more I thought about it, the more confused I got. There are documentaries about Watergate, documentaries about various presidents. Heck, we get a taste of politics in Napolean Dynamite (vote for Pedro!). I couldn't get my head around it.
However, I will share with you one movie that came to my mind the first instant I saw the topic. And that is Wag the Dog. To me, this is some very clever political satire. It doesn't hurt that it stars the brilliant Robert DeNiro and Dustin Hoffman (before they found themselves desperate and started accepting anything offered to them). The premise is that in order to divert attention from an embarrassing presidential "dalliance" right before re-election, the powers that be hire a director to fake a war in the Middle East. More than once, I've reflected on this movie when our cherished leaders make fools of themselves. To me, the plot isn't that far off the mark! Anything is possible these days with enough money and enough narcissism.
What are some of your favorite political movies? Please share!
Unfortunately, however, I'm not sure how much I will be able to contribute to the cause. I can't stand politics. In fact, often they sicken me. There is no better way to turn me off than tell me a movie is about politics. I didn't see Primary Colors, or Swing Vote, or even All the President's Men. I'm sure they are great movies, but I had no interest whatsoever.
That all said, when you think about it, isn't every movie about politics in some vague form or fashion? There is Dave, where some guy off the street poses as the president, when the president himself falls ill. Or The American President, where a single president finds love across party lines? You could find politics in The Last King of Scotland, Reds, Citizen Kane or Hotel Rwanda.
The more I thought about it, the more confused I got. There are documentaries about Watergate, documentaries about various presidents. Heck, we get a taste of politics in Napolean Dynamite (vote for Pedro!). I couldn't get my head around it.
However, I will share with you one movie that came to my mind the first instant I saw the topic. And that is Wag the Dog. To me, this is some very clever political satire. It doesn't hurt that it stars the brilliant Robert DeNiro and Dustin Hoffman (before they found themselves desperate and started accepting anything offered to them). The premise is that in order to divert attention from an embarrassing presidential "dalliance" right before re-election, the powers that be hire a director to fake a war in the Middle East. More than once, I've reflected on this movie when our cherished leaders make fools of themselves. To me, the plot isn't that far off the mark! Anything is possible these days with enough money and enough narcissism.
What are some of your favorite political movies? Please share!
10 comments:
I liked Dave and The American President, too.
I'm not a fan of political movies - or books.
Sandy, thank you for your sweet words! I also count you as a dear bloggy friend, and the next time I come to Florida to visit my sister, a meetup with you is definitely on the agenda!
Wow! I guess I shouldn't visit during any election season, eh? I agree with you on 'Wag the Dog' and I almost included it in my list. I also agree about DeNiro and Hoffman. They certainly have done some stinkers in the last few years. They need to hook up with Clint Eastwood as director and make a brilliant movie together again.
I avoid politics like the plague too, but I did enjoy The American President - maybe because it was more about the President's personal life than his political one.
Wag the Dog! YES! See there are just so many reasons to love you Sandy. Do you know how many people have never even heard of Wag the Dog? I keep trying to use it as an example in my courses and in discussions with friends, and for years and years now, no one I know has seen the movie - or at least they don't remember it.
I will never forget watching that movie, I was in high school when it came out, and thinking that the likelihood of the government actually pulling off a stunt like that was probably pretty high. I've always been a bit of a conspiracy theorist when it comes to politics. :)
I don't really do political movies either. Well, political anything, really. I am not a big fan of book that have political leanings, and I don't watch the news very often at all. I do think that Wag the Dog sounds kind of funny though. I might have to relax my attitude and give it a chance!
My husband and I just watched All the President's Men last night for the first time (though we had both read the book before). We liked the movie but were disappointed that it ended so abruptly (and would have been willing to watch a lot longer). The American President has been one of my favorite movies for a long time - I never get tired of it.
All the President's Men is actually a really good movie. If nothing else you get some really great acting from Hoffman and Redford. I'm with you on not liking politics. Blood Diamond is a good one and it is quite political if you think about it.
There's a wonderful Preston Sturges movie about politics but I can't think of the title. It's about this down-and-out schlub who lies his way into politics and then lies his was to the governor's mansion.
Then he starts telling the truth and is immediately kicked out of office.
It's dark, but Sturges is always funny.
I also love, love, love Mr. Smith Goes to Washington with Jimmy Stewart.
Well, JFK was all about a political conspiracy too - that was entertaining.
Guarding Tess with Shirley MacLaine and Nicolas Cage was pretty damn funny - where she played a former First Lady and he was the Secret Service agent assigned to her.
And since I know you are a documentary fan, you might even like Bush's Brain. That was a pretty humorous, albeit frightful, look at the campaign trail.
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