Politics with a Smart and Funny Edge

List creator: ZenBones Created on: August 5, 2004 - 1:36 AM PDT Description: Here's lots of intelligent laughs for liberals, as well as for conservatives with self-effacing humor. This list is the bookend to my "Mock the Vote" list, so if it seems like there are some important titles missing, check that list.

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	movie title	related list	average rating	MPAA rating	watch	rent	buy
	The West Wing: Season 2 (Disc 1 of 4) (1999)			Not Rated
This show is so great I just had to list it on both lists! Long live the big block of cheese!
	Dick (1999)
Who was responsible for revealing Watergate? Who were the president's official dog walkers? Who taught Nixon the peace sign? Those who remember this era will find this movie hilarious in its satire and in its depiction of 70s kitsch.
	Wag the Dog (1997)
Did the president (ahem) screw up again? Well then... create a patriotic diversion complete with anthem, slogan and hero. This foreboding tale of political and media manipulation keeps getting funnier and scarier.
	Bowling for Columbine (2002)
Not an antigun movie, but an investigation on why our country is so angry, frightened and violent (other than it all being Marilyn Manson's fault of course). Moore's gift is his ability to balance humor and tragedy.
	Being There (1979)
A retarded gardener by sheer chance (pun!) gets the ear of one of the most powerful businessmen in America, and then becomes the mouthpiece for the President. "Mm-hmm, all you gotta be is white in America!"
	Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Excellent cast including Peter Sellers (times 3!) as the Straussian scientist with the neurotic accent, Sterling Hayden as the fluoride obsessed General Jack D. Ripper, and George C. Scott as Spiro Agnew (!)
	Primary Colors (1998)
John Travolta channels Bill Clinton, Billy Bob Thornton channels James Carville, and Kathy Bates, well she's just terrific as an idealist who can't survive in the jungle of politics. A quietly charming and human film.
	Citizen Cohn (1992)
James Woods does what he does best in portraying the self-hating Jewish homosexual who venomously persecuted liberals (many of whom were Jewish) for the HUAC. The film's humor comes from its awesome irony.
	Citizen Kane (1941)
It's too bad that Welles didn't live long enough to remake this film as Citizen Murdoch but then, one can't top "Kane" cinematically, and it's probably not a good idea to give Murdoch any ideas.
	Canadian Bacon (1994)
Maybe its just that my expectations were low, but I found this movie funny and endearing. After the USSR collapsed, I bet there WAS a scramble to find a new enemy. Why not the land of moose, ice hockey and Anne Murray?
	South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)
A good companion piece to "Canadian Bacon". War is declared on Canada when American parents decide they've had enough of their kids being influenced by foul-mouthed Canadian stars. Hilarious and audacious!
	The Last Supper (1995)
A group of liberals decide to give it to conservatives in the way of a nice glass of after-dinner poison. It's a very black comedy that gives us chance to vent some of our hostilities toward conservatives without actually doing them any harm.
	The Atomic Cafe (1982)			Not Rated
An exhaustive amount of newsreel footage is brilliantly set to music to create a collage of the postwar 'atomic' hysteria. From the ridiculous (duck and cover ads) to the sublime (the Rosenburgs' execution), this film is as powerful as it is funny.
	The Awful Truth: Season 1 (Disc 1 of 2) (1999)			Not Rated
Michael Moore takes on a few politicians, including a hilarious opening show where 17th century puritans raid the Capitol building to ferret out 'sinners'. Join Moore's relentless pursuit of exposing those who hide in ivory towers.
	The Day Reagan Was Shot (2001)
Remember when Reagan was shot in the spring of '81? Bush was in incommunicado and the entire Cabinet was grappling for a little leverage while a crisis raged. The film mocks the administration but is appropriately gentle with Reagan and Brady.
	Winter Kills (1979)
Those who enjoy conspiracy theories will love this black comedy that links the assassination of a president to the extremely powerful businessman who was his father. The Kennedy parallels are audacious, and there are lots of great cameos.
	I, Claudius (Disc 1 of 5) (1975)
Meet the FIRST first family: the Caesars, with their grave misfortune in succumbing to an almost epidemic number of poisonings over the years (not to mention some pretty wild perversions!). Low BBC production values but EXCELLENT performances!
	Dave (1993)
This is a gentle comedy with a fairy tale feel (like "The American President", another nice film). Kline is very amiable as the president's unwitting double, and Charles Grodin is hilarious as the small town banker who balances the national budget.
	Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)			Not Rated
The granddaddy of 'em all celebrates 'the little guy' that this country's government was founded for. It dares to remind us of our role as Americans: to always demand the truth, and to never let 'special interests' get the upper hand.