Catch Two New Series About the 2016 Presidential Election This Month
Catch Two New Series About the 2016 Presidential Election This Month
The 2020 presidential election—which will take place on November 3—is nearing closer and voters are reflecting on the state of the union ahead of casting their ballots. Political podcasts and articles about the candidates's policies are certainly keeping us informed. But as the race builds, we can think of just one thing: This is all playing out like a movie.
In fact, it's already become a movie. The new Showtime miniseries The Comey Rule, out September 27, adapts former FBI Director James Comey's memoir into a star-studded show. Brandon Gleeson plays President Trump in the days leading up to the 2016 election; Jeff Daniels is Comey, and Kingsley Ben-Adir is former President Barack Obama. The two-part HBO documentary Agents of Chaos, out September 23, casts another lens on the 2016 election, specifically looking into potential Russian interference.
We know how the story of the 2016 election ends—but 2020's is still unwritten. Ahead of this important moment in U.S. history, here are our favorite political movies that celebrate (and sometimes criticize) American politics.
The Comey Rule
Recent history becomes the fodder for a miniseries in this adaptation of James Comey's memoir A Higher Loyalty, about his time as FBI director. Brandon Gleeson attempts the first-ever dramatic interpretation of President Donald Trump–no, Alec Baldwin on Saturday Night Live doesn't count. Jeff Daniels goes head-to-head with him as Comey, with more stars—like Holly Hunter and Kingsley Ben-Adir—rounding out the cast. Catch the two-episode political drama starting on September 27 on Showtime.
Agents of Chaos
Alex Gibney's two-part HBO documentary, out September 23, will look into the events leading up to the 2016 presidential election, especially focusing on potential Russian interference in the proceedings, and other ways influence may have manifested.
Hillary
"I provoke strong opinions," former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says in the trailer for Hulu's forth coming docuseries, Hillary. The revealing four-part series follows Clinton during her 2016 campaign for president with interviews by President Bill Clinton and her daughter, Chelsea.
Wag the Dog , 1997
Controlling the media narrative is more important than the truth. At least, that’s the case in Barry Levinson’s dark absurdist comedy about a political fixer (Robert De Niro) in cahoots with a Hollywood producer (Dustin Hoffman) to cover up a presidential sex scandal.
The Manchurian Candidate , 1962
A thriller that fuses McCarthy communism with Cold War paranoia, this Frank Sinatra, Angela Lansbury, and Janet Leigh classic unravels the mystery of why a brainwashed Army hero is plotting to assassinate the president. Should you prefer your politics red, white, and contemporary, revel in the respectable 2004 remake starring Denzel Washington and Meryl Streep.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington , 1939
Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart strengthen their love-love relationship with this lighthearted drama about the pitch-black politics eroding our nation’s capital. Stewart stars as a naive Boy Scout-type appointed by a corrupt governor to the Senate. And his legendary civic speech, seen here, is a clip for the annals of cinematic history.
Lee Daniels’ The Butler , 2013
Though political matters take a backseat in Lee Daniels’ award-winning biopic, Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker), the White House butler who served eight presidents over a triple-decade tenure, gets a front-row view to history in the making. Also: Oprah is unforgettable as Cecil’s wife, Gloria.
Primary Colors , 1998
John Travolta turns on the sinful Southern charm to play Jack Stanton, a presidential candidate whose road to the White House becomes muddied with sex, lies, and sweet tea. Unfolding through the eyes of a hesitant campaign worker, Mike Nichols’ drama, adapted from Joe Klein’s novel, echoes the scandals myriad of Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential run.
All the President’s Men , 1976
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Once upon a time, two Washington Post reporters made a great discovery. As Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the investigative journalists who exposed the details of Watergate, Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman reenact what led to President Nixon’s unhappily ever after.
The American President , 1995
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A glorious pairing, Rob Reiner’s direction and Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay meander through matters of the heart and state with seasoned leads Michael Douglas and Annette Bening driving the drama. Posh, novel, charming, it’s exactly the thing to make you nostalgic for yesterday’s democracy.
The Ides of March , 2011
Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Evan Rachel Wood converge on the campaign trail for a quick-and-dirty suspense film that pulls back the patriotic bunting to reveal a presidential campaign muddied with malevolence. Trust: No one comes out clean.
In the Loop , 2009
Now that Veep has officially exited the West Wing and, in turn, revealed your addictive need for biting wit and acerbic satire, get your fix with the Capitol Hill infighting on display in Armando Iannucci’s side-splitting comedy that skewers both American and British politics.
The Contender , 2000
Joan Allen stars in Rod Lurie’s film as the vice president contender under vicious attack and opposition from a GOP representative hoping to derail her confirmation. Infuriating yet inspiring, Lurie’s film hinges on optimism.
Malcolm X , 1992
Spike Lee’s visionary homage Malcolm X stars Denzel Washington in a role that earned him an Oscar nomination. Spanning decades, the biopic follows Malcolm Little from incarcerated gangster to his transformation into a civil rights activist.
Dave , 1993
The president can’t be just any Tom, Dick or Harry, but he can be a Dave. Kevin Klein stars as the titular character in Ivan Reitman’s screwball comedy about an administration that plucks a man with an uncanny resemblance to the president from society to stand in for the MIA world leader.
Election , 1999
Reese Witherspoon is Tracy Enid Flick, the overachiever running for school president. Her archrival, however, is not another student, but ethics teacher Mr. McAllister (Matthew Broderick). Now, sure, Alexander Payne’s politicking is limited to the campus of G.W. Carver High School, but there’s just as much political savvy flooding these hallways as the corridors of the West Wing.
Charlie Wilson’s War , 2007
True story: A Texas congressman and CIA pal arm mujahideen in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union. But it’s Charlie Wilson’s moral ambiguity that dominates the lens of Mike Nichols, who directs a lofty screenplay from who else, Aaron Sorkin. Tom Hanks and Philip Seymour Hoffman star.
Zero Dark Thirty , 2012
In post-9/11 cinema, Kathryn Bigelow’s Oscar-winning terrorism thriller pulls top rank. A dramatic recount of the decade-long hunt for one of the world’s most wanted, al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, this film is propelled by Jessica Chastain. A nice companion piece? Check out Miss Sloane next.
The Conversation , 1974
Though interpreted as such, Francis Ford Coppola’s Conversation is not about Watergate—its screenplay was conceived before the incident. But it does tap into the fears and anxieties of the Nixon era. It stars a craggy Gene Hackman as a surveillance expert who grows a conscience, and culminates in a twisted climax.
Selma , 2014
Teetering on the tipping point of the civil rights movement, Ava DuVernay directs a portrait of the literal, critical steps and brave stand made in the Alabama city of Selma. David Oyelowo stars brilliantly as Martin Luther King, portraying the depth and conviction of the leader.
Citizen Kane , 1941
A magnum opus from director Orson Welles, Citizen Kane follows a man from impoverished youth to magazine magnate. A film that’s harbored permanent real estate in many a critic’s top-ten list, it’s a comment on wealth, power, and corruption.
We're living through history.