Political "message" movies you've seen or haven't seen

[quinnox]

There have been a lot of what I call political message movies lately. "The Constant Gardener" "Syriana" "Brokeback Mountain" "Good Night and Good luck" "V for Vendetta"

Of those, I have seen two - "Syriana" and "Constant Gardener" .I thought both were good, but that Constant Gardener was superior. It had a really good ending and was an imaginative combo of thriller, love story, and political message all in one.

I wasn't interested in Brokeback Mountain and I just never got around to seeing Good Night and Good Luck.

V for Vendetta doesn't interest me either, it looks silly and well, too comic bookish/juvenile for my taste.

Have you seen these political message movies and which one did you think was the best and most effective?

[liberal N proud]

1. I would like to call attention to a TV show as well

ABC's Boston Legal has many political statements in it. Last Tuesday 3/14 episode had a client who did not pay taxes because she was protesting the bu$h doctrine. Very good episode.

[tulsakatz]

17. Boston Legal is a kind of spin off of The Practice

I don't normally watch Boston Legal but I watched The Practice for years!

And David E Kelley does use contemporary legal situations in his shows.

I remember one show of The Practice where the US govt was holding a person from the middle east under the suspicion of terrorist connections.

Back to the original question..........of those films, the only one I've seen so far is Good Night and Good Luck. It was very good! I plan on seeing Syriana next............as soon as it comes out on video.

[IsItJustMe]

2. For a Progressive, the greatest movie of all time 'THE GRAPES OF WRATH'

[Joe Fields]

10. The Grapes of Wrath and To Kill a Mockingbird are my two

favorite movies. But I think you are stretching a bit to call them political movies. They really have nothing in common with movies such as All The President's men. Instead they call attention to the social issues of their day.

[IsItJustMe]

13. I don't know about that, but it caused a lot of trouble in the day. And

true conservatives absolutely hate it. Also, it was extensively used by FDR's wife (Eleanor Roosevelt) in her campaign for the New Deal. It may not have been created for political purposes, but I consider it a book that has shaped the progresive movement of today. Much more history there than meets the eye.

[EC]

15. I recall reading from an interview of one of **'s college professors

that he was showing the class "The Grapes of Wrath" and ** asked why they had to watch that Communist drivel....so yes it was political...just as many books in that day were, Tobacco Road, anything Salinger, or even Harold Robbins and Pearl S. Buck....

[libbygurl]

3. V for Vendetta is worth seeing. nt

[Ufomammut]

4. There's been a slew of obvious "post 9/11" movies

My favorite is still "Network." It rang true then (75/76?) but is more relevent today.

[MissWaverly]

5. Good Night and Good Luck *****

This is because it deals with the issue of National Security, how far do we go, and is
the trampling of people's rights in the best interest of our democracy. I think it
moves National Security out of jingoist jargon of the right wing pundits into the spotlight.
Too often anyone criticizing Bush is demonized as "unpatriotic." We are able to look at the
issue through the prism of time and it's not a pretty picture. Also I think the movie
is very eye pleasing, black and white imagery and a tribute to decency of the journalists
who do investigative journalism.

[Sydnie]

9. I found it very interesting that the focus groups of screeners said

that the "McCarthy character was a bit over the top and unbelieveable"! That just amazed me. They were seeing the actual tapes of McCarthy and couldn't imagine that anyone like that had ever exisited in real life. Imagine their surprise when the movies are made about blivet** years from now? I can't wait to see that focus group's responses.

I also only saw this movie at the theater of all the ones that have been mentioned so far. I bought the dvd last Tuesday when it was released as well. I have watched it twice since then.

[MissWaverly]

18. Sydnie, nobody is going to believe blivet**

especially when he says things like:

"It is in our country's interests to find those who would do harm to us and get them out of
harm's way." - Quote from my "Are we there yet-2008" calendar by CafePress

:-)

[MissWaverly]

19. look at the tapes of Cheney when he is talking about terror

talk about over the top!

:-)

[Radical Activist]

6. I also loved the Constant Gardner.

Good Night and Good Luck is an excellent movie as well. Its a little more direct and "in your face" about its political message than the Constant Gardner.

Lord of War surprised me. I thought it was going to be just another shoot-em-up action movie, but it turned out to have an extremely powerful message and a great storyline. I think it was one of the best films of the year.

[ClintonTyree]

24. It was just the opposite for me.........

after about 30 minutes or so of, "The Constant Gardener" I fell asleep. I thought it was boring as all heck. Different tastes for different folks I guess. The others you mentioned were great though. "Lord Of War" was more political that I first thought it would be as well.

[Psst_Im_Not_Here]

7. Why We Fight

is the next documentary I want to see. From what I've read, it makes Michael Moore look like a hawk. It delves into the depths of the corporatization of the American War Machine. Complete with interviews with McCain and Perle. Here's the trailer link:


Why We Fight Trailer

[Gabi Hayes]

8. Love and Anarchy

Lina Wertmuller

[Ufomammut]

11. MANUFACTURING CONSENT

Movies or documentaries? There have been scores of good docs made in the past five years. "Orwell Rolls In His Grave" is quite exceptional.

[TheWraith]

12. The Constant Gardner, & Good Night and Good Luck

Just saw Good Night and Good Luck last night, as a matter of fact. Damn good movie. It's very solid and to the point.

I think V for Vendetta will probably be better than you think. I've been hearing nothing but raves about it, as well as the fact that it's not the all-action thing you would think from seeing the promos.

[liveoaktx]

14. Lord of War with Nicholas Cage, said to be based on Victor Bout

[Beelzebud]

16. Watch Network.

[KittyWampus]

20. El Norte:beautiful, magical, funny, tragic. It expands our view of immigra

immigrants and immigration.

[reichstag911]

21. I've seen them all...

...V for Vendetta just yesterday in IMAX. Very deliberate political analogies posited between the current US administration and the regime in the picture. Also, a wonderful instance of life imitating art: as my nephew and I walked to the subway, we saw lingering packs of jackbooted, riot-geared Chicago Sturmpolizei who'd apparently been out in force yesterday for the antiwar rally. I pointed to them and told my nephew that "that was what the movie was about."

You must see Good Night, and Good Luck for the reasons cited by another poster here. It can happen here; it has happened here.

[KittyWampus]

22. Oh, almost forgot. Elmer Gantry. Upton Sinclair Nailed Snake Oil

salesmen as the elf serving manipulators they really are... and touches quite closely to the bone of politics that supports them.

[genie_weenie]

23. Breaker Morant

and The Battle of Algeris should be bookended to see the consequences of guerilla war.