Political movies have always held significant importance for audiences worldwide. There isn’t a classical definition of what political movies are, but it’s evident – films with political themes that often pick a side.
Some of them are merged with one or more other genres. However, the essence of the film must be connected to political themes of any kind. Also, they can be directly political or metaphorical.
Without further ado, let’s see the best political movies of all time, according to my tastes.
Malcolm X
Full title: Malcolm X
Length: 3 hours, 21 minutes
Main genres: Political Drama, Biography, Tragedy, Epic, Period Drama, History
Year: 1992
Director: Spike Lee
Writers: Alex Haley, Arnold Perl, Spike Lee
Leading cast: Denzel Washington, Delroy Lindo, Angela Bassett
Major nominations: Berlin International Film Festival, Oscars, Golden Globes
Dr. Strangelove
Full title: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Length: 1 hour, 35 minutes
Main genres: Political Drama, Satire,
Year: 1964
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Writers: Peter George, Terry Southern, Stanley Kubrick
Leading cast: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden
Major nominations: BAFTAs, Oscars, Writers Guild of America
Milk
Full title: Milk
Length: 2 hours, 8 minutes
Main genres: Political Drama, Biography, Docudrama, Period Drama
Year: 2008
Director: Gus Van Sant
Writers: Dustin Lance Black
Leading cast: Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin
Major nominations: Oscars, BAFTAs, Berlin
V For Vendetta
Full title: V for Vendetta
Length: 2 hours, 12 minutes
Main genres: Political Thriller, Action, Dystopian Sci-Fi
Year: 2005
Director: James McTeigue
Writers: The Wachowskis, David Lloyd
Leading cast: Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman
Major nominations: Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, Satellite Awards, Manaki Brothers Film Festival
In the Name of the Father
Full title: In the Name of the Father
Length: 2 hours, 13 minutes
Main genres: Biography, Legal Drama, Political Drama, Political Thriller, True Crime
Year: 1993
Director: Jim Sheridan
Writers: Jim Sheridan, Gerry Conlon, Terry George
Leading cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Emma Thompson, Pete Postlethwaite
Major nominations: Oscars, Berlin, European Film Awards
The Insider
Full title: The Insider
Length: 2 hours, 37 minutes
Main genres: Political Thriller, Legal Thriller, Conspiracy Thriller, Biography
Year: 1999
Director: Michael Mann
Writers: Eric Roth, Marie Brenner, Michael Mann
Leading cast: Russell Crowe, Al Pacino, Christopher Plummer, Diane Venora, Philip Baker Hall
Major nominations: Oscars, American Society of Cinematographers, Golden Globes
Snowden
Full title: Snowden
Length: 2 hours, 14 minutes
Main genres: Political Thriller, True Crime, Biography, Drama
Year: 2016
Director: Oliver Stone
Writers: Anatoly Kucherena, Luke Harding, Oliver Stone, Kieran Fitzgerald
Leading cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley
Major nominations: Camerimage, Satellite Awards, Bavarian Film Awards
The Mauritanian
Full title: The Mauritanian
Length: 2 hours, 9 minutes
Main genres: Biography, Political Thriller, Legal Thriller, Legal Drama
Year: 2021
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Writers: Mohamedou Ould Slahi, Sohrab Noshirvani, Larry Siems, Michael Bronner, Rory Haines
Leading cast: Tahar Rahim, Jodie Foster
Major nominations: BAFTAs, European Film Awards, Golden Globes
The Great Dictator
Full title: The Great Dictator
Length: 2 hours, 5 minutes
Main genres: Political Drama, Satire, Comedy, Dark Comedy, Slapstick
Year: 1940
Director: Charles Chaplin
Writers: Charles Chaplin
Leading cast: Charles Chaplin, Paulette Goddard, Jack Oakie
Major nominations: Oscars, New York Film Critics Circle Awards, Satellite Awards
The Manchurian Candidate
Full title: The Manchurian Candidate
Length: 2 hours, 6 minutes
Main genres: Political Thriller, Conspiracy Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Spy
Year: 1962
Director: John Frankenheimer
Writers: John Frankenheimer, Richard Condon, George Axelrod
Leading cast: Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh, Angela Lansbury
Major nominations: Oscars, BAFTAs, Golden Globes
JFK
Full title: JFK
Length: 3 hours, 9 minutes
Main genres: Political Drama, Political Thriller, Legal Drama, Legal Thriller, History
Year: 1991
Director: Oliver Stone
Writers: Zachary Sklar, Jim Marrs, Oliver Stone, Jim Garrison
Leading cast: Kevin Costner, Jack Lemmon, Gary Oldman
Major nominations: Oscars, BAFTAs, Golden Globes
All the President’s Men
Full title: All the President’s Men
Length: 2 hours, 18 minutes
Main genres: Political Thriller, Political Drama, Conspiracy Thriller, History
Year: 1976
Director: Alan J. Pakula
Writers: Carl Bernstein, Bob Woodward, William Goldman
Leading cast: Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Jack Warden
Major nominations: Oscars, BAFTAs, Golden Globes
Good Night, and Good Luck.
Full title: Good Night, and Good Luck.
Length: 1 hour, 33 minutes
Main genres: Political Drama, Period Drama, Biography, History
Year: 2005
Director: George Clooney
Writers: Grant Heslov, George Clooney
Leading cast: Patricia Clarkson, David Strathairn, Jeff Daniels, George Clooney
Major nominations: European Film Awards, Oscars, BAFTAs
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Full title: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Length: 2 hours, 13 minutes
Main genres: Psychological Drama, Medical Drama, Political Drama
Year: 1975
Director: Milos Forman
Writers: Lawrence Hauben, Ken Kesey, Bo Goldman, Dale Wasserman
Leading cast: Jack Nicholson, Michael Berryman, Louise Fletcher, Brad Dourif, Peter Brocco
Major nominations: Oscars, Cesar Awards, BAFTAs
WR: Mysteries of the Organism
Full title: WR: Mysteries of the Organism
Original Title: W.R. – Misterije organizma
Length: 1 hour, 24 minutes
Main genres: Political Satire, Satire, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Year: 1971
Director: Dusan Makavejev
Writers: Dusan Makavejev
Leading cast: Milena Dravic, Jagoda Kaloper, Ivica Vidovic, Zoran Radmilovic
Major nominations: Berlin International Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival
Final Words on Political Movies
We’ve come to the end of this article, and now you know 15 political movies that you should watch at least once. These films aren’t just political; moreover, they’re an inspiration to many who fight battles with powerful figures.
Feel free to comment below on whether you like the list, and also share your favorite political movies!
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