Top 100 Political Movies
Best political movies of all time
Movies with political theme in any form (comedies, war, crime, mystery, conspiracy theories, espionage / spy thrillers, science fiction, post-apocalyptic, dystopian fiction e.t.c.) and other movies with political background or sub-plot.
Definition: A political thriller is a thriller that is set against the backdrop of a political power struggle. They usually involve various extra-legal plots, designed to give political power to someone, while his opponents try to stop him. They can involve national or international political scenarios. Political thrillers can be based on true facts, often acting as a reflection of the fears and anxieties of its historical times. There is a strong overlap with the conspiracy thriller.
Characteristics: the political cover-up and getting to the truth, shadowily organisations act, terrorism and warfare, paranoia, a mess of corruption. The corruption should be political or governmental in nature.
Essential / Must-see / Genre-defying: political movies:
Other Lists:
Top 100 Espionage Thriller
Top 100 Paranoid Thriller
Top 100 Conspiracy Thriller
Movies with political theme in any form (comedies, war, crime, mystery, conspiracy theories, espionage / spy thrillers, science fiction, post-apocalyptic, dystopian fiction e.t.c.) and other movies with political background or sub-plot.
Definition: A political thriller is a thriller that is set against the backdrop of a political power struggle. They usually involve various extra-legal plots, designed to give political power to someone, while his opponents try to stop him. They can involve national or international political scenarios. Political thrillers can be based on true facts, often acting as a reflection of the fears and anxieties of its historical times. There is a strong overlap with the conspiracy thriller.
Characteristics: the political cover-up and getting to the truth, shadowily organisations act, terrorism and warfare, paranoia, a mess of corruption. The corruption should be political or governmental in nature.
Essential / Must-see / Genre-defying: political movies:
- The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
- The Battle of Algiers (La Battaglia di Algeri) (1966)
- All The President’s Men (1976)
- The Killing Fields (1984)
- JFK (1991)
Other Lists:
Top 100 Espionage Thriller
Top 100 Paranoid Thriller
Top 100 Conspiracy Thriller
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- DirectorDoug LimanStarsFranka PotenteMatt DamonChris CooperA man is picked up by a fishing boat, bullet-riddled and suffering from amnesia, before racing to elude assassins and attempting to regain his memory.The Bourne Identity (2002)*
Drama – Action – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Unidentified American Man – Psychogenic Amnesia – Mysterious Identity – Extraordinary Talents – Combat Skills – Deadly Assassin – Identity Investigation – Espionage Action Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Covert Assassinations Program – Failed Mission – Track-Down Operation – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Frame-Up – Kill-Order – Hitman Target – Manhunt – Frenetic Action – Martial Arts – Frantic Chase – Suspense – Tension – Escape Thriller – Political Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Super-Secrets – Black Ops Program – Political Assassination – Political Intrigue – Paranoid Thriller – Unknown Threat – Unwitting Target of Enemies – Ever-Present Dander – Suspicions – Mistrust – Desperation – Confusion – Paranoia – Others – Identity Crisis – Existential Confusion – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Professionalism – Robert Ludlum's 1980 Novel – T o p – Best 00's – Cult Status – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★★★ (10/10)-S - DirectorPaul GreengrassStarsMatt DamonEdgar RamírezJoan AllenJason Bourne dodges a ruthless C.I.A. official and his Agents from a new assassination program while searching for the origins of his life as a trained killer.The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)*
Action – Adventure – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Thriller – Former CIA assassin – Haunting Past – Psychogenic Amnesia Suffering – Extraordinary Talents – Identity Investigation – Determination – Espionage Action Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Secret Black-Ops Program – Covert Assassinations Program – Track-Down Operation – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Manhunt – Pursuit – Frenetic Action – Frantic Chase – Suspense – Tension – Martial Arts – Escape Thriller – Political Conspiracy Theory – Mass Surveillance Politics – Dangerous-Secrets – Cover-Ups – Political Assassination – Political Intrigue – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Unknown Threat – Ever-Present Danger – Suspicions – Mistrust – Confusion – Paranoia – Others – Man-on-a-Mission Story – Identity Crisis – Existential Confusion – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Professionalism – Heroism – Robert Ludlum's 1980 Novel – Sequel – T o p – Best 00's – Cult Status – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★★ (9/10)-S - DirectorPaul GreengrassStarsMatt DamonFranka PotenteJoan AllenWhen Jason Bourne is framed for a CIA operation gone awry, he is forced to resume his former life as a trained assassin to survive.The Bourne Supremacy (2004)*
Drama – Action – Thriller – Espionage Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Uncover-Mole Operation – Sabotage – Operation Gone-Wrong – Blame Game – Former CIA Assassin – Man-on-a-Run – Haunting Past – Psychogenic Amnesia Suffering – Extraordinary Talents – Murder Accusation – Wrong-Man Scenario – Frame-up – Revenge Action Thriller – Girlfriend Assassination – Love-Loss Trauma – Strike-Back Justice – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Agents Target – Track-Down Operation – Manhunt – Pursuit – Frenetic Action – Frantic Chase – Suspense – Tension – Martial Arts – Escape Thriller – Political Conspiracy Theory – Black Ops Program – Dangerous-Secrets – Cover-Ups – Political Intrigue – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Unknown Threat – Ever-Present Danger – Suspicions – Mistrust – Desperation – Confusion – Paranoia – Others – Identity Crisis – Existential Confusion – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Professionalism – Heroism – Robert Ludlum's 1986 Novel – Sequel – T o p – Best 00's – Cult Status – F a v e– Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★★ (9/10)-S - DirectorFlorian Henckel von DonnersmarckStarsUlrich MüheMartina GedeckSebastian KochIn 1984 East Berlin, an agent of the secret police conducting surveillance on a writer and his lover finds himself becoming increasingly absorbed by their lives.The Lives of Others (Das Leben der Anderen) (2006)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Political Drama – Cold War (1947-1991) Era – Communist East Berlin 1984 – Intelligence Agencies Operation – East German Secret Police "Stasi" – Mass Surveillance Politics – Civil Rights – Propaganda – Social Control – Espionage Mystery Thriller – Loyal Stasi Police Agent – Surveillance Target: Disloyal Famous Playwright and His Actress-Lover – Internalize Their Lives – Investigation – Identification – Suspicion – Conspiracy Theory – Political Conspiracy – Manipulation – Frame-Up – Blackmail – Psychological Terror – Sexual Abuse – Empathy – Corruption – Paranoia – Psychological Drama – Moral Maze – Repressed Emotions – Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) – Doubts – Moral Conflict – Crisis – Transformation – Redemption – Others – Character Study – Thought-Provoking – Humanism – Socialism – Voyeurism – Eroticism – Professionalism – Oscar (1) Winner – T o p – Best 00's – F a v e – Classic Status – Foreign Language – European – Germany – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★★ (9/10)-S
Key-Element: Cold-War Politics / Mass Surveillance Politics - DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsGene HackmanJohn CazaleAllen GarfieldA paranoid, secretive surveillance expert has a crisis of conscience when he suspects that the couple he is spying on will be murdered.The Conversation (1974)*
Drama – Crime – Mystery – Thriller – Espionage Crime Mystery Thriller – Freelance Surveillance Expert Lonely Man – Privacy Obsessive – Guilt Complex – Couple Surveillance New Case – Forbidden Extramarital Affair – Enigmatic Conversation – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Potential Murder – Paranoid Thriller – Moral Dilemmas – Psychological Stress – Suspicions – Insecurity – Betrayal – Distrust – Fear – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Political Thriller – Mass Surveillance Politics – Psychological Drama – Moral Maze – Self-Deception – Repressed Emotions – Mental Disorder – Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) – Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD) – Childhood Trauma – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Ironic Fate – Cynicism – Pessimism – Nihilism – Others – Character Study – Influential Film – Classic Status – Cult Status – T o p – Best 70s – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★★ (9/10)-M
Key-Element: Mass Surveillance Politics - DirectorTony ScottStarsWill SmithGene HackmanJon VoightA lawyer becomes targeted by a corrupt politician and his N.S.A. goons when he accidentally receives key evidence to a politically motivated crime.Enemy of The State (1998)*
Drama – Action – Thriller – Political Drama – Anti-Terrorism Legislation – Mass Surveillance Politics – Civil Rights – Congressman Assassination – Unsuspecting D.C.Lawyer – Filmed Evidence – Espionage Action Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Underground Former Agent – Investigation – Suspense – Claustrophobic Tension – Blame Game – Frame-Up – Destroy-Life Plan – Clear-His-Name Plan – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Manhunt – Pursuit – Track-Down – Frantic Chase – Escape Thriller – Anxiety – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Politically Motivated Murder – Cover-Up – Corrupt Politician – Paranoid Thriller – Manipulation – Cause-Effect Chain – Complex Reality – Ever-Present Danger – Psychological Stress – Suspicions – Insecurity – Distrust – Fear – Paranoia – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Corruption – Cynicism – Nihilism – Others – Cult Status – Best 90's – Re-Watch Value – F a v e – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-S
Key-Element: Civil Rights / Mass Surveillance Politics - DirectorOliver HirschbiegelStarsBruno GanzAlexandra Maria LaraUlrich MatthesTraudl Junge, the final secretary for Adolf Hitler, tells of the Nazi dictator's final days in his Berlin bunker at the end of WWII.Downfall (Der Untergang) (2004)*
Drama – War – History – Historical War Drama – WWII (1939 -1945) Era – Battle of Berlin (16 April – 2 May 1945) Era – Historical Events – Third Reich Collapse – Adolf Hitler's Final Days – Underground Bunker – Isolation – Nazi Fuhrer – Adolf's Mistress – Infamous Nazis Members – Decisions – Loyalty – Rage – Cyclothymia – Desperation – Claustrophobic Tension – Psychological Struggle – Total Denial – Paranoid Delusions – Insanity – Paranoia – Fate – Tragedy – Political Drama – Nationalism – Fanaticism – Fascism – Nihilism – Others – Character-Driven Drama – Best 00's – Re-Watch Value – Foreign Language – European – Germany – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-S
Key-Element: Nationalism / Fascism - DirectorTomas AlfredsonStarsGary OldmanColin FirthTom HardyIn the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet Agent within MI6.Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Espionage Mystery Drama – Cold War (1947-1991) Era – Intelligence Agencies Operation – British Secret Service MI6 – Veteran Patriotic British Agent – Mission: Uncover High-Level Soviet Spy – Five Men Suspects – Investigation – Whodunit – Suspense – Tension – Loyalty – Determination – Conspiracy Theory – Mole – Double Secret Agent – Deception – Depression – Betrayal – Confusion – Conspiracy Web – Dark Secrets – Paranoia – Political Drama – Cold-War Politics – Foreign Affairs Politics – Corruption – Others – Character-Driven Drama – Relations Drama – Female Oppression – Homosexual Repression – Nostalgia – Melancholia – Loneliness – Enigmatic – Atmospheric – Amoralism – Cynicism – Patriotism – John le Carré's Novel – Best 10's – Re-Watch Value – F a v e – European – U.K. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-M
Key-Element: Cold-War Politics / Realpolitik - DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsMichael DouglasBenicio Del ToroCatherine Zeta-JonesA conservative judge is appointed by the President to spearhead America's escalating war against drugs, only to discover that his teenage daughter is a crack addict. Two DEA agents protect an informant. A jailed drug baron's wife attempts to carry on the family business.Traffic (2000)*
Drama – Crime – Thriller – Political Crime Drama – International Drug-Trafficking – Three Different Parallel Stories – Mexico Storyline – Two Mexican Drug-Enforcement Police Officers – Drug Cartels War – Corruption – Dangerous Situation – United States Storyline – Conservative Judge – War-on-Drugs – Cocaine-Addicted Daughter – Hypocrisy – Desperation – Depression – San Diego Storyline – High-Level Drug Dealer – Undercover DEA Investigation – Police Procedural – Anti-Drug Measures – Suspense – Tension – Violence – Paranoia – Intrigue – Others – Multiple Timelines – Character-Driven Drama – Cynicism – Amoralism – Nihilism – Blockbuster – Oscar (4) Winner – Classic Status – Best 00's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-S
Key-Element: Narco-Politics - DirectorKathryn BigelowStarsJessica ChastainJoel EdgertonChris PrattA chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L.s Team 6 in May 2011.Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Drama – Action – History – Thriller – Political Drama – War-on-Terror – 9/11 September Terrorist-Attacks Aftermath – Terrorist-Network "Al-Qaeda" – America's Public Enemy No.1 – Espionage Action Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Dedicated CIA-Analyst Woman – Osama-Bin-Laden Track-Down Operation – Decade-Long Manhunt – Woman-on-a-Mission – Interrogations Techniques – Torture – Espionage Tactics – Investigative Procedural – Focus – Courage – Determination – Obsession – Navy SEALs Raid – Nighttime Strike – Methodical Assault – Suspense – Tension – Catharsis – Others – Historical Film – Docudrama – Sociopolitical Study – Gender Politics – Patriotism – Professionalism – Idealism – Feminism – Oscar (1) Winner – Cult Status – Best 10's – F a v e – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)
Key-Element: Foreign Affairs Policy / War-on-Terror - DirectorAlfonso CuarónStarsJulianne MooreClive OwenChiwetel EjioforIn 2027, in a chaotic world in which women have somehow become infertile, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea.Children of Men (2006)
Science Fiction – Drama – Action – Thriller – Dystopian Political Drama – Dystopian Year 2027 – Global Depression – Civilization Collapse – Global Anarchy – Chaos – Worldwide Human Infertility Crisis – Biological Catastrophe – Human Extinction – Migrant Crisis – U.K. Last Functioning Nation – Fearsome Police-State – Extremist Organizations – Survival Action Thriller – Cynical Government Bureaucrat – Young Refugee Pregnant Woman – Humanity’s Last Hope – Mission: Protect Woman – Man-on-a-Mission – Rescue Mission – Danger – Violence – Paranoia – Uncertainty Stress – Confusion – Panic Attack – Suspense – Tension – Desperation – Escape Thriller – Fate – Sacrifice – Redemption – Hope – Others – Disaster Film – Sociopolitical Study – Immigration Politics – Racism – Pessimism – Symbolism – Altruism – Idealism – Nihilism – Eschatology – Allegory – Biblical Influences – Dante's "Inferno" Influences – P.D.James' Novel – Classic Status – Cult Status – Best 00's – F a v e – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)
Key-Element: Immigration Politics - DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsChristopher WalkenBrooke AdamsTom SkerrittA man awakens from a coma to discover he has a psychic ability to foresee future events.The Dead Zone (1983)*
Science Fiction – Drama – Horror – Fantasy – Thriller – Sci-Fi Drama – Gentle School-Teacher – Car Accident – Five-Years-Coma Awakening – Extra-Sensory Gift – Psychic Powers – Precognition – Prophecy – Psychological Horror – Melancholy – Grief Trauma – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) – Repressed Emotions – Existential Threat – Unspeakable Horrors – Supernatural Terror – Political Thriller – Apocalypse Fiction – Nuclear War Scenario – Political Corruption – Paranoia – Destiny – Neo-Noir – Detective Story – Femme Fatale – Anti-Hero – Moral Dilemmas – Fate – Others – Humanism – Fatalism – No-Exit Finale – Stephen King's 1979 Novel – Cult Status – Best 80's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-S
Key-Element: Political Parable / Nuclear Holocaust Apocalypse - DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsEmily BluntJosh BrolinBenicio Del ToroAn idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.Sicario (2015)*
Crime – Action – Thriller – Crime Action Thriller – US-Mexico Borderlands – Idealistic FBI Special Agent – Shadowy Government Task Force – Special Assignment – Target: Mexican Drug-Cartel Lords – Men-on-a-Mission – Investigation – Track-Down – Interrogations – Dirty Tactics – Suspense – Tension – Threat – Violence – Corruption – Deception – Confusion – Chaos – Paranoia – Uncertainty Stress – Political Drama – Latin American Politics – U.S. Border Politics – War-on-Drugs – War-on-Terror – Black-Ops Operation – Criminal Underworld – Government Secrets – U.S.-Mexico Immigration Policies – Police Militarization – Revenge Thriller – Mysterious Cruel Hitman – Vigilantism – Obsession – Determination – Others – Moral Dilemmas – Cynicism – Idealism – Amoralism – F a v e – Best 10's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-S
Key-Element: Latin American Politics / Narco-Politics - DirectorYann DemangeStarsJack O'ConnellSam ReidSean HarrisIn 1971, a young and disoriented British soldier is accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the deadly streets of Belfast.'71 (2014)*
Drama – War – Crime – Action – Thriller – Political War Crime Drama – Northern Ireland Ethno-Nationalist Conflict "The Troubles" (1960-1998) Era – West Belfast 1971 War-Zone – Riot Situation – British-Unit Invasion – Violent Assembled Crowd – Danger – Violence – Confusion – Chaos – British Soldier Brutally Murder – Tragedy – Survival Action Thriller – Young New-Recruit British Soldier – Left Behind-Enemy-Lines – Missing Soldier Alarm – Frenetic Pursuit – One-Against-Many – Trapped Survival – Suspense – Tension – Fear – Terror – Uncertainty Stress – Psychological Struggle – Courage – Heroism – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Wanted Man – Manhunt – Escape Thriller – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Intelligence Services Operation – Proxy War – Paramilitaries Groups Operation – Informers – Manipulation – Double-Cross – Cynicism – Opportunism – Others – Historical Drama – Complex Internal Politics – Realism – Indie Film – F a v e – Best 10's – Re-Watch Value – European – U.K.
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-S
Key-Element: Ethno-Nationalist Conflict - DirectorGillo PontecorvoStarsBrahim HadjadjJean MartinYacef SaadiIn the 1950s, fear and violence escalate as the people of Algiers fight for independence from the French government.The Battle of Algiers (La Battaglia di Algeri) (1966)
Drama – War – Historical War Drama – Algerian Independence War (1954-1962) Era – French Algeria's Capital City – Algeria's National Liberation Front (NLF) Movement – Algerian Revolutionary Guerrilla-Leader – Urban Guerrilla Warfare – French Colonial Powers – French Army Paratroopers – Armed Conflict – Raid – Violent Attacks – Brutality – Terror Strategies – Political Drama – Nationalism – Political Crisis – Sociopolitical Study – Others – Docudrama – kinetic Documentary-Style Film-making – Terrorism – Realism – Patriotism – Neo-Realism Movement – Influential Film – Best 60's – Classic Status – Cult Status – Foreign Language – European – Italy – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)
Key-Element: Independence War / Urban Guerrilla Warfare - 19641h 35mPG8.3 (519K)97MetascoreDirectorStanley KubrickStarsPeter SellersGeorge C. ScottSterling HaydenAn unhinged American general orders a bombing attack on the Soviet Union, triggering a path to nuclear holocaust that a war room full of politicians and generals frantically tries to stop.Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb (1964)
Drama – War – Comedy – War Comedy – Cold War (1947-1991) Era – US Air-Force Base – Thermonuclear-Armed B-52 Bombers – Paranoiac Air-Force General – Nuclear Attack Order – Target: Soviet Union – Alert – Nuclear Holocaust Deadly-Scenario – Series-of-Events – Comedy-of-Errors – Political Satire – Pentagon's War Room – Plane-Recall Order – Political Crisis – Deadly Political Paradoxes – Suspense – Nightmarish Tension – Decisions – Desperation – Confusion – Russians Hostility – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Communist Conspiracy – Jeopardy – Suspicions – Mistrust – Cold-War Paranoia – Intrigue – Machiavellian Nightmare – Black Comedy – Black Humour – Sarcasm – Irony – Social Gaffe – Political Farce – Others – Militarism – Nihilism – Obsession – Eschatology – Peter George's 1958 Novel – Criterion Collection – Classic Status – Cult Status – Re-Watch Value – Best 60's – European – U.K. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)
Key-Element: Cold-War Politics / Political Satire - DirectorAdam McKayStarsChristian BaleSteve CarellRyan GoslingIn 2006-2007 a group of investors bet against the United States mortgage market. In their research, they discover how flawed and corrupt the market is.The Big Short (2015)*
Drama – Comedy – Biography – Dramatic Comedy – Financial Crisis (2007–2008) Era – United States Housing Bubble – Real-Estate Bubble – Subprime-Mortgage Crisis – Three Parallel Stories – No1: Eccentric Hedge-Fund Manager / Financial Prophet – No2: Wall Street Guru – No3: Two Newbies Investors – Banking System – Greed – Danger – Corporate Fraud – Capitalist Corruption – Global Market Collapse – Credit Default Swaps – Conflict-of-Interest – Confusion – Paranoia – Tragedy – Black Comedy – Black Humour – Satire – Irony – Slapstick Allegory – Farce – Others – Dramedy – Tragicomic Drama– True-Story Drama – Real-Life Drama – Character-Driven Drama – Pawer Games – Amoralism – Cynicism – Opportunism – Michael Lewis's Novel – Oscar (1) Winner – Best 10's – F a v e – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-S
Key-Element: True-Life 2008 Global Financial Crisis - DirectorArmando IannucciStarsTom HollanderPeter CapaldiJames GandolfiniA political satire about a group of skeptical American and British operatives attempting to prevent a war between two countries.In The Loop (2009)*
Comedy – Political Comedy – Anglo-American Politics – Invasion of Iraq – UK's International Development Sub-Minister – Interview Cryptic Statement – “unforeseeable War” Comment – Unexpected Chain-of-Events – Diplomatic Crisis – Bullying – Humiliation – Media Manipulation – Hypocrisy – Hysteria – Important Meetings – Political Deals – Political Machinations – Mess – Intrigue – Black Comedy – Black Humor – Sarcasm – Satirical Fiction – Farce – Situational Comedy – Screwball Comedy – Others – Anti-War Film – Middle-East Politics – Media Politics – Pseudo-Documentary Form – Intelligent Film – Best 00's – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – European – U.K. – 1001 MustSee Movies
★★★★★★★★ (8/10)-M
Key-Element: Political Machinations - DirectorRoger DonaldsonStarsKevin CostnerBruce GreenwoodShawn DriscollIn October 1962, the Kennedy administration struggles to contain the Cuban Missile Crisis.Thirteen Days (2000)*
Drama – History – Thriller – Historical Drama – Cold War (1947-1991) Era – Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) – Cuba's Aerial Surveillance Photos – Soviet Union's Ballistic Nuclear-Missiles Locate – Alarm – Danger – Nuclear-War Threat – International Crisis – Political Thriller – President John F.Kennedy Administration – Immediate US Military Strikes Advice – Highly Complex Situation – Unthinkable Catastrophe Risk – Impending Thermonuclear WWIII – Doubts – Suspense – Tension – Leadership – Strategies – War-Game Theories – Complex Decisions – Political Machination – Moral Conflict – Power Games – Deadly Chess-Game – Suspicions – Chaos – Military Paranoia – Political Intrigue – Thirteen Extraordinary Days Political Crisis – Others – True-Life Drama – Characterization – Foreign Policy – Diplomacy – Indie Film – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: Cuban Missile Crisis / Political Crisis - DirectorDavid HareStarsBill NighyRachel WeiszTom HughesJohnny works for MI5. His neighbor Nancy approaches him. When his best friend and boss suddenly dies, Johnny's left to sort out things about the PM, MI5 and US.Page Eight (2011)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – TV Movie – Political Drama – Top-Secret Document – American Black-Operations Evidence – Illegal Prisoners-Torture – War-on-Terror – Political Machinations – Cover-Ups – Mistrust – Paranoia – Intrigue – Political Scandal – Espionage Mystery Thriller – British Intelligence Services Operation – Veteran Honourable MI5 Analyst – UK Government's Complicity Uncover – Old-School Principles – Decency – Commitment – Mysterious Neighbour Activist Woman – Threat – Blackmail – Simmering Tension – Justice – Conspiracy Theory – Government's Highest-Levels Conspiracy – Hidden Political Agenda – Manipulation – Deception – Double Cross – Power-Plays – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Femme Fatale – Melancholy – Cynicism – Corruption – Moral Dilemmas – Fate – Others – Foreign Affairs Politics – Political Activism – Idealism – Opportunism – Romance Sub-Plot – Low-Key Thriller – Intelligent Script – Emmy (1) Winner – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – European – U.K.
★★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: Political Conspiracy - DirectorGeorge ClooneyStarsPaul GiamattiGeorge ClooneyPhilip Seymour HoffmanAn idealistic staffer for a new presidential candidate gets a crash course on dirty politics during his stint on the campaign trail.The Ides of March (2011)*
Drama – Thriller – Political Drama – Democratic Presidential Primary Elections – Pennsylvania's Governor Campaign – Idealistic Campaign Press-Secretary – Democratic Process Beliefs – Political Values – Ambitions – Unexpected Chain-of-Events – Dark Motives – Cynicism – Lies – Hypocrisy – Corruption – Blackmails – Moral Conflict – Dramatic Tension – Crisis – Intrigue – Romance – Young Campaign Intern Woman – Romantic Affair – Others – Character-Driven Drama – Electoral System – Media Politics – Realism – Idealism – Amoralism – Beau Willimon's Play – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Key-Element: Electoral System - DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsJames StewartDoris DayBrenda de BanzieAn American doctor and his wife, a former singing star, witness a murder while vacationing in Morocco, and are drawn into a twisting plot of international intrigue when their young son is kidnapped.The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)*
Golden Age – Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Typically Naïve American Family – French Morocco Vocations – Mysterious Man Murder-Witnesses – Assassination-Plot Revealing – Foreign Prime-Minister Assassination – Son's Kidnapping – keeping-Secret Warning – Blackmail – Threats – Danger – Uncertainty Stress – Anxiety – Desperation – Police Investigation – Suspense – Tension – Espionage Thriller – Intelligent Services Operation – Conspiracy Theory – International Intrigue – Politician Assassination – Shadowy Conspiracy – Others – Characterization – Low-Key Thriller – Plot Twist – Blockbuster – Oscar (1) Winner – Cult Status – Classic Status – F a v e – Best 50's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Key-Element: Political Conspiracy / Political Assassination - DirectorOliver StoneStarsKevin CostnerGary OldmanJack LemmonNew Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison discovers there's more to the Kennedy assassination than the official story.JFK (1991)
Drama – History – Thriller – Historical Political Thriller – New Orleans District Attorney – US President John F. Kennedy 1963 Assassination Investigation – Year 1966 Reopen-Case – New Evidence – Multiple Inaccuracies – Suspicious Circumstances – Skepticism – Doubts – Key Witnesses Interrogations – Detective Procedurals – Suspense – Tension – Determination – Simmering Danger – Coup d'état Theory – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Organizations – Dark Motives – Military-Industrial Complex – Political Assassination – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Cover-Up – Secret Government Machinations – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Unseen Enemies – Psychological Stress – Paranoid Fear – Distrust – Suspicions – Corruption – Power Abuse – Paranoia – Sabotage – Others – Docudrama – Courtroom Drama – Flashbacks – Oscar (2) Winner – Best 90's – Classic Status – U.S.A. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: High-Level Political Conspiracy / Political Assassination - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsDaniel Day-LewisSally FieldDavid StrathairnAs the Civil War rages on, U.S President Abraham Lincoln struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on his decision to emancipate the slaves.Lincoln (2012)
Drama – War – History – War Drama – American Civil War (1861-1865) Era – Union (The North States) / Confederacy (The South States) Conflict – Last Significant Battles – High Casualties – Confederate Forces Surrender – Biographical Political Drama – Slavery's Political Controversy – President Abraham Lincoln – 13th Amendment: Slavery Abolish – Southern Slave States Conflict – Admirable Responsibility – Courage – Patience – Passion – Determination – Willingness – Political Skills – Political Realism – Civil Rights – Humanism – Political Assassination – Tragedy – Others – True-Life Drama – Docudrama – Characterization – Democracy Study – Doris Kearns Goodwin's 2005 Biography – Oscar (2) Winner – Classic Status – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: Political Biography - DirectorCosta-GavrasStarsJack LemmonSissy SpacekMelanie MayronWhen an idealistic American writer disappears during the Chilean coup d'état in September 1973, his wife and father try to find him.Missing (1982)*
Drama – Biography – History – Biographical Drama – Chilean Coup d'état (1973) Era – Santiago de Chile – Martial-Law – Arrests – Vigilante Justice – Civil Executions – Violence – Dread – Chaos – Paranoia – Young American Idealistic Journalist Disappearance – Journalist's Conservative Businessman Father / Young Radical Journalist's Wife Joint-Search – Strained Relationship – US Embassy Officials Consulting – Bureaucratic Dead-Ends – Civil Executions – Admirable Responsibility – Doubts – Patience – Courage – Determination – Desperation – Tragedy – Political Drama – US Foreign Policy – Military Pinochet Coup – Dictatorship – Cover-Up – Shadowy Conspiracy – Political Manipulation – Political Corruption – Civil Rights – Dark-Secrets – Others – True-Life Drama – Docudrama – Characterization – Criterion Collection – Thomas Hauser's 1978 Novel – Oscar (1) Winner – Classic Status – F a v e – Best 80's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: US Foreign Affairs / Military Coup - DirectorAlan J. PakulaStarsDustin HoffmanRobert RedfordJack Warden"The Washington Post" reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncover the details of the Watergate scandal that leads to President Richard Nixon's resignation.All The President’s Men (1976)
Drama – Mystery – History – Thriller – Biographical Political Drama – US 1972 Elections – Washington DC – Watergate Apartment Complex – Democratic Party National Headquarters – Five-Men Break-in – Police Arrest – Two Young Washington Post Reporter Investigation – Investigation Procedural – Investigative-Reporting Methods – Suspense – Tension – Conspiracy Theory – Political Scandal – Government's Highest-Levels Conspiracy – Hidden Political Agenda – Manipulation – Deception – Double Cross – Power-Plays – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Unseen Enemies – Psychological Stress – Suspicions – Doubts – Corruption – Power Abuse – Paranoia – Others – True-Life Drama – Docudrama – Journalism – Professionalism – Carl Bernstein's 1974 Novel – Oscar (4) Winner – Classic Status – Cult Status – Best 70's – U.S.A. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: Political Scandal - DirectorAlan ParkerStarsGene HackmanWillem DafoeFrances McDormandTwo F.B.I. Agents with wildly different styles arrive in Mississippi to investigate the disappearance of some civil rights activists.Mississippi Burning (1988)
Drama – Crime – History – Historical Crime Drama – US Mississippi State 1964 Year – Small Southern Town – Three (Two Jewish One Black) Civil-Rights Workers Disappearance – Detective Story – Missing-Persons Case – Two FBI-Agents Operation – Murder Investigation – Whodunit – Interrogations – Police Procedural – Local Authorities Denial – Local Community Silence – Threat – Suspense – Tension – Aggressive Vigilante Tactics – Tragedy – Justice – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Organization – Manipulation – Misdirection – Political Corruption – Political Drama – Race Politics – Political Activism – Civil Rights Movement – Power Abuse – Fascism – Racism – Others – True-Life Drama – Oscar (1) Winner – Best 80's – Re-Watchable – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: racial politics / civil rights movement - DirectorFrank PiersonStarsClare BullusStanley TucciSimon MarkeyAt the Wannsee Conference on January 20, 1942, senior Nazi officials meet to determine the manner in which the so-called "Final Solution to the Jewish Question" can be best implemented.Conspiracy (2001)*
War – Drama – History – TV-Movie – Historical War Drama – WWII (1939-1945) Era – Southwestern Berlin's Lakeside Resort – Wannsee 1942 Conference – Top-Secret Meeting – Senior Nazi-Government Officials – "Jewish Question" Discussion – Plan Code-Name "Final Solution" – Germany's Jews Mass-Evacuation Decision – Radical ad-hoc Measures – Concentration Camps – Gas Chambers – Argument – Tension – Intrigue – Horror-of-War – Political Drama – Nazi Policy – War Crimes – Anti-Semitism – Forcible Emigration – Genocide – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Determination – Manipulation – Discrimination – Annihilation – Others – Docudrama – True-Life Drama – Characterisation – Fascism – Cynicism – Racism – Amoralism – Arrogance – Social Psychology – Minimalism – Re-Watch Value – F a v e – European – U.K.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: fascist policy / identity politics / genocide - DirectorSydney PollackStarsRobert RedfordFaye DunawayCliff RobertsonA bookish CIA researcher in Manhattan finds all his co-workers dead, and must outwit those responsible until he figures out who he can really trust.Three Days of The Condor (1975)*
Crime – Mystery – Thriller – Political Crime Mystery Thriller – New York City – Clandestine CIA Office Massacre – All-Stuff Murdered – Mysterious Political Assassination – CIA Bookish Analyst Sole-Survivor – Code-Name "Condor" – Assassination Attempt – Unpredictable Behaviour – Uncertainty Stress – Man-on-the-Run – Escape Thriller – Espionage Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Track Down Operation – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Hitman Target – Manhunt – Frame-Up – Betrayal – Psychological Chess Game – Survival Thriller – Conspiracy Theory – Political Conspiracy – Dark Secrets – Cover-Ups – Misdirection – CIA Power Games – Paranoid Thriller – Political Paranoia – Jeopardy – Unknown Threat – Ever-Present Threat – Suspicions – Distrust – Desperation – Confusion – Intrigue – Others – Foreign Affairs Politics – James Grady's 1974 Novel – Cult Status – Classic Status – F a v e – Best70's - Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: Foreign Affairs Politics - DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsLubna AzabalMélissa Désormeaux-PoulinMaxim GaudetteTwins journey to the Middle East to discover their family history and fulfill their mother's last wishes.Incendies (2010)
Drama – War – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Drama – Present – Twin Christian Brothers – Arab-Immigrants to Canada – Dead Arab-Mother's Will – Family's Middle-East Roots Search – Mysterious Brother / Unknown Father Track-Down – Missing Person – Investigation – Moral Dilemmas – Shocking Secrets – Identity Crisis – Love-Loss Trauma – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Ironic Fate – Political War Thriller – Past – Middle East – Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) Era – Political Crisis – Civil Disorder – Religious Conflict – Obsession – Depression – Brutality – Violence – Tragedy – Catharsis – Puzzle Film – Multiple Characters – Parallel Narratives – Non-Linear Timeline – Labyrinthine Structure – Fragment Time – Others – Family Drama – Thought-Provoking – Symbolism – Fatalism – Existentialism – Stage-To-Screen – Wajdi Mouawad's 2003 Play – Best 10's – Re-Watch Value – Foreign Language – Canada
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: Civil War / Political Crisis - DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsMatt DamonKate WinsletJude LawHealthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure.Contagion (2011)*
Drama – Thriller – Drama – Minneapolis City Suburban – Four-Member Family – Wife's Hong Kong Business-Trip Return – Unknown Illness – Wife and Son Death – Desperation – Medical Thriller – U.S. Disease Control Center – Epidemiologists Alarm – New Infectious Disease Investigation – Track-Down Operation – Worst-Case Scenario – Airborne Highly-Contagious Virus – Worldwide Pandemic – Public-Health Threat – Urgency – Isolation – Quarantine – Social Distancing – Fear – Panic Attack – Mass Hysteria – Society Collapse – Claustrophobic Terror – Existential Dread – Vaccine Development – Political Drama – Global Threat – Government Intervention – Disease Politics – Paranoid Thriller – Conspiracy Theories – Corruption – Deception – Misinformation – Government's Cover-Up Theories – Shadowy Forces – Fake-News – Mistrust – Paranoia – Puzzle Film – Hyperlink Cinema – Multiple Characters – Multi-linear Narrative Structures – Non-Linear Timeline – Labyrinthine Structure – Fragment Time – Others – Disaster Movie – Macabre – Realism – Ethical Problems – Cult Status – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: Public-Health Politics / Disease Politics - DirectorMark PellingtonStarsJeff BridgesTim RobbinsJoan CusackA man begins to suspect his neighbors are not what they appear to be and their secrets could be deadly.Arlington Road (1999)*
Drama – Crime – Mystery – Thriller – Crime Mystery Thriller – US Oklahoma City – Recently Widowed History-Professor – Domestic Terrorism Specialist – New Neighbours – Mysterious Behaviour – Dark Secrets – Investigation – Obsession – Intrigue – Political Conspiracy Thriller – Shadowy Organization – Terrorist Network – Anti-Government Mission – Terrorism – Paranoid Thriller – Suspicions – Doubts – Mistrust – Fear – Anxiety – Hysteria – Paranoia – Uncertainty Stress – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Manipulation – Deception – Psychological Manoeuvres – Psychological Drama – Unsettling Atmosphere – Simmering Danger – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Ironic Fate – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Detective Story – Anti-Hero – Cynicism – Nihilism – Others – Twisted Thriller – War-on-Terror – Good-vs-Evil Pattern – Nostalgia – Hitchcockian Aura – Plot-Twist – Re-Watchable – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: Anti-Government Movement / Terrorism - DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsEwan McGregorPierce BrosnanOlivia WilliamsA ghost writer, hired to complete the memoirs of a former British Prime Minister, uncovers secrets that put his own life in jeopardy.The Ghost Writer (2010)*
Drama – Crime – Mystery – Thriller – Crime Mystery Drama – Northern US Island – Luxurious Isolated Beach-House – Former British Prime Minister – Unfinished-Autobiography Contract – Skilful Ghostwriter Recruitment – Previous Ghostwriter Mysterious Death – Sinister Domestic Staff – Suspicious Evidence Uncover – Investigation – Anxiety – Jeopardy – Suspense – Claustrophobic Tension – Simmering Dead – Political Thriller – International Criminal Court – ex-PM's Possible War-Crime Prosecution – Conspiracy Theory – Political Scandal – Dark Secrets – Cover-Up – Paranoia – Intrigue – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Detective Story – Femme Fatale – Deception – Corruption – Arrogance – Irony – Cynicism – Others – International Politics – Foreign Politics – War on Terror – Terrorism – Pessimism – Nihilism – Hitchcockian Aura - Robert Harris 2007 Novel – Re-Watchable – European – U.K.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Key-Element: Political Conspiracy - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTom HanksMark RylanceAlan AldaDuring the Cold War, an American lawyer is recruited to defend an arrested Soviet spy in court, and then help the CIA facilitate an exchange of the spy for the Soviet captured American U2 spy plane pilot, Francis Gary Powers.Bridge of Spies (2015)*
Drama – History – Biography – Thriller – Historical Drama – Cold War (1947-1991) Era – CIA's Top-Secret U2 Spy-Plane Program – American U2 Pilot / USSR-Prisoner – Soviet KGB-Spy / USA-Prisoner – Interrogations – Threats – Crisis – Intrigue – Espionage Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – New York Insurance Lawyer Recruit – Negotiation Mission – Prisoner-Exchange Plan – Man-on-a-Mission – Negotiations – Courage – Determination – Duty – Integrity – Suspense – Tension – Paranoid Thriller – Power Games – Hypocrisy – Secrets – Cover-Ups – Mistrust – Paranoia – Political Drama – Cold-War Diplomacy – Foreign Affairs Politics – Civil Liberties – Constitutional Rights – Others – True-Life Drama – Legal Thriller – Courtroom Drama – Biographical Drama – Stoicism – Idealism – Realism – Patriotism – Heroism – Moral Dilemmas – Oscar (1) Winner – Best 10's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: Cold-War Politics / Civil Liberties - DirectorJ.C. ChandorStarsZachary QuintoStanley TucciKevin SpaceyFollows the key people at an investment bank over a 24-hour period during the early stages of the 2008 financial crisis.Margin Call (2011)
Drama – Thriller – Drama – Financial Crisis (2007–08) Era – 24-Hour Period Chronicle – Unnamed Large Wall Street Investment Firm – Head-of Risk Management – Mortgage-Backed Assets Crisis Discover – Toxic Assets – Bankruptcy Possibility – Financial Scandal – Financial Bubble – Mortgage Markets Crisis – Thriller – Key-Players Emergency Meeting – Double-Checking – Control Damage Plan – Extreme Measures – Moral Dilemmas – Risk – Manipulation – Corruption – Greed – Fear – Apathy – Tension – Anxiety – Uncertainty Stress – Betrayal – Intrigue – Paranoia – Others – True Story – Fiscal Thriller – Character Study – Economics Theory – Capitalism – Cynicism – Amoralism – Sarcasm – Political Undertones – Thought-Provoking – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: True-Life 2008 Global Financial Crisis - DirectorJames McTeigueStarsHugo WeavingNatalie PortmanRupert GravesIn a future British dystopian society, a shadowy freedom fighter, known only by the alias of "V", plots to overthrow the tyrannical government - with the help of a young woman.V For Vendetta (2005)*
Science Fiction – Drama – Action – Thriller – Dystopian Political Drama – British Dystopian Society – Fascist Totalitarian Government – Secret Police – Media Control – Propaganda – Paternalism – Censorship – Tyranny – Oppression – Fear – Terror – Illegal Bio-Weapons Program – Human Experimentation – Revenge Action Thriller – Enigmatic Masked Freedom-Fighter – Mysterious Past – Vigilante – Personal Vendetta – Young TV-Reporter Woman Protégé – Revolution Campaign – Terrorist Tactics – Anarchy – One-Man War – Action Sequence – Martial Arts – Suspense – Tension – Justice – Others – Superhero Movie – DC Vertigo Comics Character – Alan Moore's Graphic Novel – Political Allegory – Metaphorical – Philosophical – Thought-Provoking – Heroism – Anti-Hero – Memorable Hero – Blockbuster – Classic Status – Cult Status – Best 00's – F a v e – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Key-Element: Fascist Politics / Propaganda - DirectorJay RoachStarsBryan CranstonAnthony MackieMelissa LeoLyndon B. Johnson becomes the President of the United States in the chaotic aftermath of John F. Kennedy's assassination, and spends his first year in office fighting to pass the Civil Rights Act.All The Way (2016)*
Drama – Biography – Biographical Political Drama – US Civil Rights Movement (1954-1968) Era – US President Lyndon Johnson – Upcoming US Presidential Election – Civil Rights Act 1964 Bill – Negotiations – Legislative Battles – Southern Politicians Block – Power-Plays – Suspense – Tension – Deception – Manipulation – Determination – Political Intrigue – Political Manoeuvres – Political Conflict – Political Will – US History – Others – TV-Movie – Docudrama – Character-Driven Drama – US Political System Study – Cynicism – Opportunism - Pragmatism – Stage-to-Screen – Robert Schenkkan's 2012 Play – F a v e – Best 00's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Key-Element: Political Biography / Civil Rights Movement - DirectorTony GilroyStarsGeorge ClooneyTilda SwintonTom WilkinsonA law firm brings in its "fixer" to remedy the situation after a lawyer has a breakdown while representing a chemical company that he knows is guilty in a multibillion-dollar class action suit.Michael Clayton (2007)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Legal Drama – Powerful New York City Law-Firm – Agro-Chemical Corporation Case – Valuable Partner's Nervous Breakdown – Financial Consequences – High-Priced Law Firm's Fixer / Crisis-Handler – Investigation – Dilemma – Guilt – Anger – Anxiety – Conspiracy Theory – Profit-Hungry Corporation – Agrochemical Industry Scandal – Toxic Agrochemicals Effects – Conspiracy Whistleblower – Cover-Up – Greed – Cynicism – Suspense – Tension – Deception – Corruption – Moral Dilemmas – Intrigue – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Manipulation – Mistrust – Paranoia – Others – Political Drama – Corporate Thriller – Ecological Policy – Social Commentary – Low-Key Thriller – Oscar (1) Winner – F a v e – Best 00's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Key-Element: Corporate Politics - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsMeryl StreepTom HanksSarah PaulsonA cover-up spanning four U.S. Presidents pushes the country's first female newspaper publisher and her editor to join an unprecedented battle between press and government.The Post (2017)*
Drama – Biography – History – Thriller – Historical Drama – Washington DC 1971 Year – American Daily Newspaper "The Washington Post" – Pentagon Papers Case – Highly-Classified Documents Publish – US Interference in-Vietnam-War – Unwinnable-War Top-Secret Report – Major News-Story – Investigation – Political Thriller – Political Scandal – Massive Cover-Up – Government's Dark-Secrets – Governmental Suppression – Federal Restraining Order – Suspense – Tension – Determination – Manipulation – Political Intrigue – Media Freedom – Foreign Policy – Democratic Values – Public Opinion – Others – True-Life Drama – Docudrama – Journalism – Professionalism – Re-Watchable – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: US Foreign Policy / Press Power - DirectorMichael MannStarsRussell CroweAl PacinoChristopher PlummerA research chemist comes under personal and professional attack when he decides to appear in a 60 Minutes exposé on Big Tobacco.The Insider (1999)
Drama – Thriller – Political Drama – American CBS Television-Network – "60 MINUTES" TV News-Magazine – Seasoned TV Producer – Former Big Tobacco-Company Executive – Corporate Whistleblower – Tobacco-Industry Secrets Expose – Nicotine Addiction – Public-Health Politics – Investigation – Psychological Stress – Marital Stress – Legal (Lawsuits) Actions – Death Threats – Anxiety – Anger – Courage – Suspense – Claustrophobic Tension – Moral Dilemmas – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Media Control – Unsettling Truths – "Big Seven" Tobacco Scandal – Paranoid Thriller – Manipulation – Blackmail – Threat – Corruption – Pawer Games – Power Abuse – Paranoia – Others – True-Life Drama – Docudrama – Corporate Thriller – Journalism – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: Corporate Politics / Public-Health Politics - DirectorPaul GreengrassStarsMatt DamonJason IsaacsGreg KinnearDiscovering covert and faulty intelligence causes a U.S. Army officer to go rogue as he hunts for Weapons of Mass Destruction in an unstable region.Green Zone (2010)*
Drama – War – Action – Thriller – War Action Drama – Iraq Invasion (2003) Era – US Army Chief Warrant Officer – Mobile Exploitation Team (MET) Leader – Iraqi Mass-Destruction Weapon (WMDs) Investigation – War-on-Terror – Men-on-a-Mission – Tracking-Down Operation – Raids – Dead-Ends – Inaccurate Informations – Doubts – Action Sequences – Frenetic Chase – Urban Combat – Determination – Anger – Espionage Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Intelligence Assessment (Intel) – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Dark Motives – Deception – Manipulation – Cover-Ups – Misdirections – Paranoia – Intrigue – Political Thriller – Middle-East Politics – Government Propaganda – Military Science – Political Agenda – Political Corruption – Others – Hypocrisy – Cynicism – Heroism – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: Middle-East Politics - DirectorJohn SchlesingerStarsDustin HoffmanLaurence OlivierRoy ScheiderAfter the shocking murder of his older brother, a New York history student finds himself inexplicably hounded by shadowy government agents on the trail of a Nazi war criminal who is trying to retrieve smuggled diamonds.Marathon Man (1976)*
Drama – Crime – Thriller – Espionage Crime Drama – Secret Government Agency Operation – ex-Nazi War-Criminal Tracking – Valuable WWII-Era Diamond Collection – Secret-Agent Brutal Murder – Columbia Graduate Student Brother – Police Interrogation – Vital Information – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Track-Down Operation – Manhunt – Chase – Torture – Sadism – Suspense – Tension – Uncertainty Stress – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Organization – Double-Cross – Cover-Up – Political Thriller – Political Corruption – Neo-Nazi Politics – Nazi War-Crimes – McCarthyism – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Deception – Misdirection – Manipulation – Mistrust – Paranoia – Intrigue – Others – Antisemitism – Fascism – Memorable Villain – William Goldman's 1974 Novel – Classic Status – Cult Status – Best 70's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: Neo-Nazi Policy - DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsJohn TravoltaNancy AllenJohn LithgowA movie sound recordist accidentally records the evidence that proves that a car accident was actually murder and consequently finds himself in danger.Blow Out (1981)
Crime – Mystery – Thriller – Crime Mystery Thriller – Sound-Effects B-Movie Technician – Low-Budget Slasher-Film Moviemaking – Night-Sounds Recording – Fatal Car-Accident Witness – Car Driver (State Governor / Potential Presidential Candidate) Death – co-Driver (Young Woman / Governor's Escort) Rescue – Enigmatic Sound (Gunshot) Accidentally Recorded – Potential Murder-Plot – Investigation – Suspicions – Serial-Killer Target – Chase Sequence – Simmering Danger – Suspense – Tension – Conspiracy Theory – Political Conspiracy – Political Assassination – Cover-Up – Manipulation – Corruption – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Deception – Misdirection – Mistrust – Paranoia – Intrigue – Neo-Noir – Low-Key Lighting – Detective Story – Hard-Boiled Characters – Femme Fatale – Obsession – Irony – Cynicism – Nihilism – Others – Voyeurism – Activism – Idealism – Scepticism – Eccentricity – Hitchcockian Aura – Criterion Collection – Classic Status – Cult Status – Indie Film – Best 80's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: Political Conspiracy / Political Assassination - DirectorCosta-GavrasStarsYves MontandIrene PapasJean-Louis TrintignantThe public murder of a prominent politician and doctor amid a violent demonstration is covered up by military and government officials. A tenacious magistrate is determined not to let them get away with it.Z (1969)
Drama – Crime – History – Thriller – Historical Drama – Cold War (1947-1991) Era – Athens Greece – Right-Wing Military-Dominated Government – Pacifist Organization Political-Protest – Democratic Politician Charismatic Leader – Government's Prevent-Plan – Violence – Public Murder – Tragedy – Political Crime Thriller – Political Assassination – Cover-Ups – Political Corruption – Political Activism – Civil Liberties – Anti-Communism Movement – Fascism – Others – True-Life Drama – Vassilis Vassilikos 1967 Novel – Oscar (2) Winner – Criterion Collection – Classic Status – Cult Status – Best 60's – Re-Watch Value – Foreign Language – European – France – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Key-Element: Fascism / Political Assassination - DirectorJames BridgesStarsJane FondaJack LemmonMichael DouglasA reporter finds what appears to be a cover-up of safety hazards at a nuclear power plant.The China Syndrome (1979)*
Drama – Thriller – Drama – Southern-California Nuclear-Power Plant – Female TV-Reporter Covering-Story – Almost Catastrophic Accident Witness – Dangerous Loss-of-Control Incident – Alarm – Public-Safety Doubts – Imminent Apocalyptic Event – Plant’s Supervisor Whistle-Blower – Investigation – Desperation – Anxiety – Moral Dilemmas – Dramatic Turn – Tragedy – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Organisations – Assassination Attempt – Cover-Up – Political Thriller – Nuclear Crisis – Big Corporations Politics – Public Control – Media Control – Antinuclear Campaigning – Political Activism – Intrigue – Paranoid Thriller – Manipulation – Suspicions – Threats – Corruption – Power Games – Paranoia – Others – Disaster Film – Journalism – Thought-Provoking – Classic Status – Cult Status – Best 70's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-M
Key-Element: Corporate Politics / Antinuclear Movement - DirectorSidney LumetStarsFaye DunawayWilliam HoldenPeter FinchA television network cynically exploits a deranged former anchor's ravings and revelations about the news media for its own profit, but finds that his message may be difficult to control.Network (1976)
Drama – Drama – Fictional US Television Network – Veteran News-Anchorman – Poor Ratings – Contract Terminated – Anger – Insanity – Mental Breakdown – Commit Suicide On-the-Air Announcement – Ratings Go-Up – Huge Hit – National Phenomenon – Ambitious Programming Female Executive – Behind-the-Scenes Power – Evangelical Program Concept – Opportunism – Corruption – Obsession – Dehumanisation – Exaggeration – Manipulation – Mass Hysteria – Irony – Paranoia – Political Drama – Political Exploitation – Media Manipulation – Corporate Profit – Black Comedy – Black Humour – Satirical Fiction – Farce – Grotesque – Others – Social Commentary – Journalism – Cynicism – Opportunism – Paroxysm – Oscar (4) Winner – Classic Status – Cult Status – Best 70s – Re-Watch value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: Media Manipulation - DirectorOrson WellesStarsOrson WellesJoseph CottenDorothy ComingoreFollowing the death of publishing tycoon Charles Foster Kane, reporters scramble to uncover the meaning of his final utterance: 'Rosebud.'Citizen Kane (1941)
Golden Age – Drama – Drama – Charles Foster Kane's Death – Wealthy Newspaper Publisher-Tycoon – Complex Man – Newspaper-Reporter Investigation – Kane's Portrait Short-Documentary – Kane's Enigmatic Life Fragment-Story – Kane's Friends / Associates Interview – "Rags-to-Riches" Fascinated Life – Ambitions – Energetic Newspaperman – Political Career – Love-affairs – Meteoric Rise / Precipitous Fall – Megalomania – Arrogance – Success – Fame – Wealth – Power – Ironic Fate – Tragedy – Political Drama – Will-to-Power – Election Campaign – Political Power – Mass Media Manipulation – Public-Opinion Control – Media Conglomerates Influence – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Non-Linear Timeline – Flashbacks – Self-Conscious Narration – Dream-Like Reality – Cause-and-Effect Chain – Art-House – Experimental Cinematography – Innovations – Low-Angle Shots – Deep-Focus Techniques – Symbolism – Kafkian Perspective – Others – Characterization – Cynicism – Opportunism – Euphemism – Narcism – Sophisticated – Oscar (1) Winner – Criterion Collection – Iconic Film – Landmark Film – Cult Status – Classic Status – Best 40's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: Mass Media Manipulation - DirectorFrank CapraStarsJames StewartJean ArthurClaude RainsA naive youth leader is appointed to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate. His idealistic plans promptly collide with corruption at home and subterfuge from his hero in Washington, but he tries to forge ahead despite attacks on his character.Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939)*
Golden Age – Drama – Comedy – Political Comedy Drama – Late 1930's – Western US State – Idealistic Youth Leader – Naivety-to-Politics – US Senator Appointed – National Youth-Camp Proposal – Federal-Government Loan Bill – Blame Game – Political-Party Boss – Frame-Up – Political Scandal Accusation – Political Corruption – Political Mechanism – Media Manipulation – Clear-His-Name Plan – Parliament's Marathon Filibuster – Decency – Responsibility – Courage – Greed – Corruption – Moral Dilemmas – Moral-Hero – Others – Dramedy – Good-vs-Evil Pattern – Good-Hearten Movie – Cynicism – Idealism – Patriotism – Optimism – Oscar (1) Winner – Iconic Film – Cult Status – Classic Status – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: Political Machinations / Political Satire - DirectorFred ZinnemannStarsEdward FoxTerence AlexanderMichel AuclairIn the aftermath of France allowing Algeria's independence, a group of resentful military veterans hire a professional assassin codenamed "Jackal" to kill President Charles de Gaulle.The Day of The Jackal (1973)
Crime – Thriller – Political Crime Thriller – French Summer-1962 – Algeria's Independence Aftermath – Militant Underground Organisation OAS – French President Charles-de-Gaull Assassination Plan – Professional British Assassin Hired – Intelligent Upper-Class Englishman – Code-Name "The Jackal" – Assassin’s Machinations – Exhaustive Procedural – Ghost-Identity – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Detective Story – Parisian Police Commissioner – Political Assassination Plot Uncovers – Hitman's Identity Investigation – Track-Down Operation – Manhunt – Suspense – Tension – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowily Organisations – Paramilitary Groups – Mind Games – Others – Documentarian Cinematography – Realism – Professionalism – Frederick Forsyth's 1971 Novel – Cult Status – Classic Status – Best 70's – Re-Watch Value – European – U.K.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: Political Conspiracy / Political Assassination - DirectorRoland JofféStarsSam WaterstonHaing S. NgorJohn MalkovichA journalist is trapped in Cambodia during tyrant Pol Pot's bloody 'Year Zero' cleansing campaign, which claimed the lives of two million 'undesirable' civilians.The Killing Fields (1984)
Drama – War – History – Epic War Drama – Southeast Asia Cambodia – Khmer Rouge (1975-1979) Era – Year 1975 American Withdrawal – Two New-York-Times Reporters – Cambodian Civil War Coverage – Friendship – Anxiety – Empathy – Anger – Confusion – Chaos – Paranoia – Survival Horror – Trapped Survival – Brutality – Torture – Shock – Hellish Situations – Nightmarish Fears – Horror-of-War – Escape Thriller – Tragedy – Biographical Political Drama – War Crimes – Civil Massacre – Refugees – Cambodian Holocaust – Others – True-Life Drama – Docudrama – Journalism – Naturalistic – Oscar (3) Winner – Indie Film – European – U.K. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: Civil War / Genocide - DirectorZiad DoueiriStarsAdel KaramKamel El BashaCamille SalamehAfter an emotional exchange between a Lebanese Christian and a Palestinian refugee escalates, the men end up in a court case that gets national attention.The Insult (L'Insulte) (2017)
Drama – Thriller – Legal Drama – Post-War Lebanon Beirut – Lebanese Christian Auto-Mechanic – Right-Wing Nationalist Christian Party Member – Neighbour's Public-Works – Palestinian-Refugee Engineer Contractor – Argument – Hostility – Insult – Anger – Empathy – Assault Lawsuit – Traumatic Memories – Racial Tension – Social Explosion – Political Thriller – Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) Era – Ethno-Political Conflict – Middle Eastern Politics – Refugee Politics – Others – Courtroom Drama – Character Study – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Two Parallel Narrative – Idealism – Thought-Provoking – Re-Watch Value – Foreign Language – Asian – Lebanon
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Middle Eastern Politics / Ethno-Political Conflict - DirectorZoltán FábriStarsLajos ÖzeLászló MárkusFerenc BenczeIn Budapest in 1944, a watchmaker, a book seller and a carpenter are drinking in a bar with the owner, when they are joined by a stranger. The watchmaker asks a hypothetical question that will change their lives.The Fifth Seal (Az ötödik Pecsét) (1976)
Drama – War – Political War Drama – WWII (1939-1945) Era – Nazi-Occupied Budapest – Mid-December 1944 – Arrow Cross Party Government (1944-1945) Era – Far-Right Hungarian Ultranationalist Party – Hubble Tavern – Four Ordinary-Men Chatting – Friendship – Strange Crippled War-Veteran Arrival – Innocent Hypothetical Question – Slaves (Oppressed) or Masters (Oppressor) Choice – Human Dignity Life-Role – Moral Choices – Moral Dilemma – Exchanging Opinions – Argument – Human-Nature Tense Debate – Arrest – Fascists Torture Chambers – Tortured-Man Slap Test – Art-House – Naturalistic – Allegory – Philosophical – Metaphorical – Moral-Thought Experiment – Mephistophelean Premise – Others – Character Study – Good-vs-Evil Pattern – Thought-Provoking – individualism – Intellectual Film – Ferenc Sánta's 1963 Novel – Indie Film – Re-Watch Value – Foreign Language – European – Hungary
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: Faschism / Totalitarian Power - DirectorDavid OndricekStarsIvan TrojanSebastian KochSona NorisováIn the former Czechoslovakia, 1950s, police captain Hakl investigates a jewelery robbery. An opened safe deposit leads to a known burglar. What seems an easy case soon starts to tangle. When he is called off the case, he continues on his own. The investigation leads him onto thin ice. Can he beat a stronger enemy and save his family and his own life?In The Shadows (Ve Stínu) (2012)*
Drama – Crime – Thriller – Crime Drama – Post-WWII Czechoslovakia 1950s Era – Communist Government – USSR Rule – Economic Depression – Jewellery Store Robbery – Police Captain Investigation – Jewish Community Members Prime-Suspect – Arrest – Discrepant Evidence – Doubts – Conspiracy Theory – Government Agents Operation – "Zionist Crime" Allegations – Fake Accusations – Frame-Up – Cover-Ups – Political Thriller – Political Conspiracy Web – Political Trials – Political Propaganda – Mass Manipulation - Mass Repression - Political Corruption – 1950s Czechoslovak Show Trials History – Political Intrigue – Cold-War Paranoia – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Detective Story – Hard-Boiled Characters – Obsession – Cynicism – Nihilism – Moral Hero – Moral Choices – Moral Dilemma – Others – Character-Driven Drama – Thought-Provoking – Patriotism – Heroism – Idealism – Fascism – Totalitarianism – Indie Film – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – Foreign Language – European – Czechia
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: political conspiracy / political trails / political oppression - DirectorStefano SollimaStarsBenicio Del ToroJosh BrolinIsabela MercedThe drug war on the U.S.-Mexico border has escalated as the cartels have begun trafficking terrorists across the US border. To fight the war, federal agent Matt Graver re-teams with the mercurial Alejandro.Sicario: Day of The Soldado (2018)*
Crime – Action – Thriller – Crime Action Thriller – US-Mexico Borderlands – Human Trafficking Crime-Web – Shadowy Government Task Force – Special Assignment – Target: Mexican Drug-Cartel Lords – Men-on-a-Mission – Investigation – Track-Down – Kidnapping – Dirty Tactics – Suspense – Tension – Threat – Violence – Determination – Corruption – Deception – Confusion – Chaos – Paranoia – Escape Thriller – Political Drama – Latin American Politics – US Border Politics – War-on-Drugs – War-on-Terror – Black-Ops Operation – Criminal Underworld – Government Secrets – Police Militarization – Others – Sequel – Cynicism – Amoralism – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: Latin American Politics / Narco-Politics - DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsNicolas CageGary SiniseJohn HeardA shady police detective finds himself in the middle of a murder conspiracy at an important boxing match in an Atlantic City casino.Snake Eyes (1998)*
Crime – Mystery – Thriller – Crime Mystery Thriller – Atlantic City Arena Stadium – Heavyweight-Boxing Championship – Secretary-of-Defense Assassination – Stadium Lockdown – Corrupt Atlantic City Cop – Murder Investigation – Whodunit – Mysterious Woman – U.S.Navy Commander Security – Confusion – Suspicions – Suspense – Claustrophobic Tension – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Dark Political Motivations – Political Assassination – Media Manipulation – Cover-Ups – Blackmail – Distraction – Misdirection – Jigsaw Puzzle – Intrigue – Neo-Noir – Detective Story – Hard-Boiled Characters – Anti-Hero – Femme Fatale – Cynicism – Nihilism – Corruption – Moral Ambiguity – Fate – Others - Hyperactive Thriller – Complex Plot – Character Study – Social Commentary – Voyeurism – Opportunism – Perspectivism Principle – Hitchcockian Aura – Cult Status – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)-S
Key-Element: Political Conspiracy / Political Assassination - DirectorHany Abu-AssadStarsAdam BakriLeem LubanyEyad HouraniA young Palestinian freedom fighter agrees to work as an informant after he's tricked into an admission of guilt by association in the wake of an Israeli soldier's killing.Omar (2013)
Drama – Romance – Crime – Thriller – Romance Drama – Israeli West-Bank – West-Bank's Separation Wall – Young Palestinian Baker – Wall-Separated High-School Palestinian Girl – Secret Romantic Affair – Marry Plans – Love Story – Passion – Political Crime Thriller – Fatal Event – Israeli Soldier Murder – Israeli Authorities Pursuit – Arrest – Interrogations – Torture – Israeli Intelligence-Agent Operation – Blackmail – Suspicions – Guilt – Moral Dilemmas – Betrayal Stigma – Israeli–Palestinian Conflict – Racial Segregation – Political Struggle – Others – Coming-of-Age Drama – Stoicism – Cynicism – Realism – Plot Twist – Indie Film – Re-Watch Value – Foreign Language – Asian – Palestine
★★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: Middle Eastern Politics / Israeli–Palestinian Conflict - DirectorJohn McTiernanStarsSean ConneryAlec BaldwinScott GlennIn November 1984, the Soviet Union's best submarine captain violates orders and heads for the U.S. in a new undetectable sub. The American CIA and military must quickly determine: Is he trying to defect or to start a war?The Hunt For Red October (1990)
Action – Adventure – Thriller – Espionage Action Adventure Thriller – Late Cold-War (1984) Era – Soviet Navy's Newest Nuclear Submarine – Innovative Stealth-Technology – Code-Name "Red October" – Veteran Soviet Captain – Hidden Agenda – Abandon Orders – US East-Coast Root – Alarm – Threat – Uncertainty Stress – Confusion – Diplomatic Actions – Global Crisis – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – US Intelligence Agencies Operation – Track-Down Operation – Destroy Order – Intelligent ex-Marine CIA Analyst – Defect-Motives Intuit – Renegade Captain – Underwater Hunt – Escalating Suspense – Claustrophobic Tension – Escape Thriller – Paranoid Thriller – Nuclear Attack Fears – Political Manoeuvres – Battle-of-Wits – Deception – Mistrust – Paranoia – Intrigue – Others – Militaristic Film – Techno-Thriller – Political Thriller – Foreign Affairs Politics – Labyrinth Plot – Oscar (1) Winner – Tom Clancy's 1984 Novel – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: Cold-War Politics - DirectorBrady CorbetStarsBérénice BejoLiam CunninghamStacy MartinA chronicle of the childhood of a post-World War I leader.The Childhood of A Leader (2015)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Period Mystery Drama – Treaty of Versailles (1919) Era – American Career Diplomat Family – Neurotic German-Born Wife – Unhappy 7-Year-Old Son – Dysfunctional Childhood – Bad-Parenting – Traumatic Violence – Pathological Egoist – Fascist Dictator Fate – Coming-of-Age Tale – Psychological Horror – Discomfort Sense – Claustrophobic Threat – Emotional Repression – Reverse Psychology – Psychological Manipulation – Obsession – Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) – Art-Horror – Bizarre – Expressionism – Symbolism – Fascism – Nihilism – Allegorical – Uncanny Experience – Mise-en-Scène – Others – Low-Key Thriller – Jean-Paul Sartre's 1939 Short-Story – Indie Film – Alternative – F a v e – Re-Watchable – European – U.K.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-S
Key-Element: Rise of Fascism - DirectorCosta-GavrasStarsYves MontandSimone SignoretGabriele FerzettiA high-ranking official is forced to confess to high treason.The Confession (L'aveu) (1970)^
Drama – History – Thriller – Biographical Drama – True Story – Political Drama – Cold War (1947-1991) Era – Anti-Communism Movement – Fascism – Totalitarianism – Kidnapping – Torture – Manipulation – Foreign Language – European – France
★★★★★★ (6/10) - DirectorArmando IannucciStarsSteve BuscemiSimon Russell BealeJeffrey TamborMoscow, 1953. After being in power for nearly 30 years, Soviet dictator, Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, takes ill and quickly dies. Now the members of the Council of Ministers scramble for power.The Death of Stalin (2017)
Comedy – History – Political Comedy – Moscow 1953 Era – Soviet Tyrannical Leader Joseph Stalin Death – Alarm – Panic – Dysfunctional Situation – Soviet Council-of-Ministers Members – Next Soviet-Leader Competition – Political Power Struggle – Power-Plays – Ideological Warfare – Political Machinations – Frail Allegiances – Black Comedy – Black Humour – Political Humour – Soviet-Era Satire – Farce – Grotesque – Others – Dramedy – Characterization – Extremism – Stalinism – Idealism – Fanaticism – French Graphic Novel (2010-2012) Series – Re-Watch Value – European – U.K.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Political Satire - DirectorUli EdelStarsMartina GedeckMoritz BleibtreuJohanna WokalekA look at Germany's terrorist group, The Red Army Faction (RAF), which organized bombings, robberies, kidnappings, and assassinations in the late 1960s and '70s.The Baader Meinhof Complex (Der Baader Meinhof Komplex) (2008)
Drama – Crime – History – Thriller – Biographical Political Crime Drama – Cold War (1947-1991) Era – West Germany – Left-Wing Female Journalist Ulrike Meinhof – Charismatic Radical Male Andreas Baader – Red Army Faction (RAF) Founders – West German Far-Left Terrorist Organisation – Armed Resistance Against Government – Fascist Police-State Accusation – Terrorist Attacks – Bombings – Assassinations – kidnappings – Bank Robberies – Threat – Brutality – Violent Actions – Fear – Terror – Others – True-Life Drama – Docudrama – Terrorism – Nihilism – Idealism – Amoralism – Fanaticism – Stefan Aust's 1985 Novel – Foreign Language – European – Germany
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: Political Terrorism - DirectorTom HooperStarsColin FirthGeoffrey RushHelena Bonham CarterThe story of King George VI, his unexpected ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.The King's Speech (2010)
Drama – History – Historical Political Drama – Pre-WWII (1939-1945) Era – British Empire Crown-Prince – Future King George VI – Speech Impediment – Strong Stammer Problems – Fear – Anxiety – Agony – Melancholy – Public Humiliation – Eccentric Australian Failed Actor / Speech-Therapist Hire – Speech-Therapy Practice – Treatment – Tension – Personal Battle – Psychological Struggle – Faith – Extraordinary Friendship – First Wartime Radio Broadcast – Britain's War-Declaration on-Germany – Others – True-Life Drama – Period Drama – Monarchism – Elegance – Caustic Humour – Oscar (4) Winner – Indie Film – European – U.K. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Political Biography - DirectorSidney LumetStarsHenry FondaWalter MatthauFritz WeaverA technical malfunction sends American planes to Moscow to deliver a nuclear attack. Can all-out war be averted?Fail-Safe (1964)*
Drama – War – Thriller – War Drama – Cold War (1947-1991) Era - US Defence Department – Computer Error – Military-Defence System Malfunction – US Bomber-Jets – Coded Message Receive – Nuclear-Attack to-Moscow – Alarm – Political Thriller – Nuclear Crisis – Accidental Thermo-Nuclear War Scenario – US President – Recall Attempts – Agony – Suspense – Claustrophobic Tension – Irreversible Mission – Dilemmas – Tragedy – Paranoid Thriller – Alternate Reality – Mistrust – Cold-War Paranoia – Real-World Horrors – Others – Militaristic Film – Docudrama – Expressionistic – Minimalistic – Didacticism – Pessimism – Nihilism – Eschatology – Eugene Burdick's 1962 Novel – Criterion Collection – Classic Status – Best 60's – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-M
Key-Element: Cold-War Politics / Political Crisis - DirectorRoger DonaldsonStarsKevin CostnerGene HackmanSean YoungA coverup and witchhunt occur after a politician accidentally kills his mistress.No Way Out (1987)*
Drama – Crime – Romance – Action – Thriller – Romance – Pentagon Headquarters – US Naval Intelligence Lieutenant Commander – Beautiful Young Woman – Passionate Affair – Fatal Attraction – Political Crime Drama – US Secretary-of-Defence Mistress – Jealousy – Rage – Mistress Murder – Hypocrisy – Parallel Duplicities – Political Intrigue – Blame Game – Innocent Lieutenant Prime-Suspect – Planted Evidence – Mistaken Identity – Frame-Up – Clear-his-Name Plan – Espionage Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – KGB Sleeper-Agent Accusation – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Cat-Mouse Game Theory – Manhunt – Track-Down Operation – Action Sequences – Suspense – Tension – Neo-Noir – Femme Fatale – Detective Story – Cynicism – Corruption – Tragedy – Others – Plot-Twist – Kenneth Fearing's 1946 Novel – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-S
Key-Element: Political Conspiracy - DirectorAlan J. PakulaStarsWarren BeattyPaula PrentissWilliam DanielsAn ambitious reporter gets in way-over-his-head trouble while investigating a senator's assassination which leads to a vast conspiracy involving a multinational corporation behind every event in the world's headlines.The Parallax View (1974)*
Crime – Thriller – Political Thriller – Seattle City – US Presidential Candidate Assassination – Witnesses Accidental-Death – Mysterious Circumstances – Investigative Newspaper Reporter – String-of-Deaths Investigation – Anxiety – Suspense – Tension – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowily Organisations – Enigmatic Training Institute – Political Assassins – Evil Machinations – Paranoid Thriller– Shadowy Conspiracy – Manipulation – Mistrust – Suspicions – Political Corruption – Ever-Present Danger – Paranoia – Others – Journalism – Cynicism – Nihilism – Loren Singer's 1970 Novel – Criterion Collection – Cult Status – Classic Status – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-W
Key-Element: Shadowy Conspiracy / Political Assassination - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsEric BanaDaniel CraigMarie-Josée CrozeAfter the Black September capture and massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics, five men are chosen to eliminate the people responsible for that fateful day.Munich (2005)*
Drama – Action – History – Thriller – Political Historical Drama – Munich's 1972 Summer Olympics Games – Terrorist Attack – Palestinian Terrorist Group – Israeli Olympic Team Hostage Situation – Confusion – Massacre – Tragedy – Political Conflict – Espionage Action Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – German-Jewish Mossad Agent – Secret Mission: Kill 11 Palestinians Assassins – Men-on-a-Mission – Dangerous Mission – Revenge Thriller – One-by-One Assassination – Assassination Procedural – Suspense – Tension – Vigilantism – Doubts – Moral Dilemmas – Psychological Stress – Intrigue – Paranoia – Others – True-Life Drama – War-on-Terror – Terrorism – Israel's Foreign Policy – Middle East Policy – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-W
Key-Element: Israel's Foreign Policy - DirectorMichael AptedStarsWilliam HurtLee MarvinBrian DennehyA Moscow police officer investigates a vicious triple homicide and stumbles upon a high-level international political conspiracy.Gorky Park (1983)*
Drama – Crime – Mystery – Thriller – Crime Drama – Cold War (1947-1991) Era – Moscow's Gorky Park – Three Young People Murder – One American Citizen Victim – Honest Moscow Militia Detective – Murder Investigation – Determination – Duty – Murder Mystery – Whodunit – Suspense – Tension – Political Thriller – Mysterious American Businessman – Corrupt Soviet Officials – High-Level International Political Conspiracy – Suspicions – Espionage Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – KGB Enigmatic Interference – Mercenary Motives – Paranoia – Cold-War Intrigue – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Hidden Agendas – Manipulation – Deception – Betrayal – Double-Cross – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Detective Story – Police Procedural – Hard-boiled Characters – Femme Fatale – Obsession – Corruption – Irony – Cynicism – Others – Characterization – Socialism – Romance Sub-Plot – Slow-Burn – Martin Cruz Smith's 1981 Novel – Novel I Read – Best 80's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-S
Key-Element: Political Conspiracy / Cold-War Politics - DirectorJohn FrankenheimerStarsFrank SinatraLaurence HarveyJanet LeighAn American POW in the Korean War is brainwashed as an unwitting assassin for an international Communist conspiracy.The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
Drama – War – Mystery – Thriller – Espionage War Drama – Cold War (1947-1991) Era – Post-Korea War (1950-1953) Era – US Army Platoon – Communists War-Prisoners – Brainwash Technique – Secret Mind-Control Program – Sleeper-Assassins State – False-Memory Implanted – Communist USA-Takeover Plan – Political Thriller – Powerful American East-Coast Political Family – Brainwashed Platoon-Captain – Communist Marionette – Presidential Candidate Assassination-Plan – Platoon-Major – Strange Nightmares – Fragmented Memories – Suspicions – Malevolent-Plan Uncover – Sleepwalking Actions – Suspense – Tension – Conspiracy Theory – International Communist Conspiracy – Hidden Agendas – Political Crisis – Intrigue – Paranoid Thriller – Alternate Reality – Shadowy Conspiracy – Manipulation – Mistrust – Cold-War Paranoia – Psychological Thriller – Psychological Torture – Existential Instability – Delusional Disorder – Oedipus Complex – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Expressionim – Corruption – Irony – Cynicism – Nihilism – Others – Political Satire – Surrealism – Symbolism – Richard Condon's 1959 Novel – Criterion Collection – Classic Status – Cult Status – Best 60's – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Political Conspiracy / Cold-War Political Satire - DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsDenzel WashingtonLiev SchreiberMeryl StreepIn the midst of the Gulf War, soldiers are kidnapped and brainwashed for sinister purposes.The Manchurian Candidate (2004)*
Drama – War – Mystery – Thriller – Espionage War Drama – Post Gulf-War (1991-2001) Era – US Army Platoon – War-Prisoners – Brainwash Technique – Secret Instant-Mind-Control Program – Sleeper-Assassins State – False-Memory Implanted – US Governance Takeover-Plan – Political Thriller – Powerful American Political Family – Brainwashed Platoon-Captain – Communist Marionette – Presidential Candidate Assassination-Plan – Platoon-Major – Strange Nightmares – Fragmented Memories – Suspicions – Malevolent-Plan Uncover – Sleepwalking Actions – Suspense – Tension – Conspiracy Theory – International Corporate Conspiracy – Hidden Agendas – Political Crisis – Intrigue – Paranoid Thriller – Alternate Reality – Shadowy Conspiracy – Manipulation – Mistrust – Cold-War Paranoia – Psychological Thriller – Psychological Torture – Existential Instability – Delusional Disorder – Oedipus Complex – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Corruption – Irony – Cynicism – Nihilism – Others – Good-vs-Evil Pattern – Symbolism – Richard Condon's 1959 Novel – Remake – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-M
Key-Element: Political Conspiracy / Political Assassination - DirectorBen AffleckStarsBen AffleckBryan CranstonJohn GoodmanActing under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.Argo (2012)*
Drama – History – Thriller – Historical Political Drama – Iran Hostage Crisis (1979-1981) Era – Tehran U.S.Embassy – Confusion – Chaos – Panic Attack – 66 American Hostages – Desperation – Espionage Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – CIA Exfiltration Specialist – Mission: Extract Six Embassy Diplomats – Rescue Mission – Plan: Canadian Film Crew Disguise – Men-on-a-Mission – Dangerous Mission – Risk – Step-by-Step Procedural – Suspense – Simmering Tension – Deception – Suspicions – Mistrust – Paranoia – Irony – Others – Hollywood Satire – Patriotism – Oscar (3) Winner – Re-Watchable – U.S.A. – 1001 Must-See Movies
★★★★★★ (6/10)-W
Key-Element: Iranian Revolution - DirectorGavin HoodStarsKeira KnightleyMatt SmithMatthew GoodeThe true story of a British whistleblower who leaked information to the press about an illegal NSA spy operation designed to push the UN Security Council into sanctioning the 2003 invasion of Iraq.Official Secrets (2019)
Drama – Biography – Thriller – Espionage-Drama – Invasion of Iraq (2003) Era – UN Security Council Iraq-Invasion Vote – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Joint US-UK Illegal Spying Operation – Mission: Push UN Security Council Members Voting-for-War – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Blackmail – Cover-Up – Hidden Agenda – Political Scandal – Biographical Political Thriller – British Intelligence Analyst Woman – Whistleblower – Top Secret NSA Memo Leaked-to-Press – Risk – Investigation – Suspense – Tension – Uncertainty Stress – Treason Charge – Others – Real-Life Drama – Docudrama – Anti-War Film – Foreign-Affairs Policy – European – U.K.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Political Conspiracy - DirectorJoe WrightStarsGary OldmanLily JamesKristin Scott ThomasIn May 1940, the fate of World War II hangs on Winston Churchill, who must decide whether to negotiate with Adolf Hitler, or fight on knowing that it could mean the end of the British Empire.Darkest Hour (2017)*
War – Drama – History – Thriller – True Story – War Drama – WWII (1939-1945) Era – WWII Early Days – German Invation to-France – British Force's Trapped at-Dunkirk – Incredible Odds – Biographical Political Thriller – UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill – British War Cabinet 1940 Crisis – Political Crisis – Political Dilemmas – Complex Decisions – Political Machination – Moral Conflict – Power Games – Leadership – Determination – Courage – Destiny – Others – True-Life Drama – Historical Drama – Character Study – Eccentricity – Stoicism – Idealism – Oscar (2) Winner – Re-Watchable – European – U.K.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-M
Key-Element: Political Biography - DirectorRodrigo SorogoyenStarsAntonio de la TorreMónica LópezJosep Maria PouA Spanish politician whose high-class lifestyle is based on nefarious and illegal business threatens to break his entire party after a newspaper exposes him to the public eye.The Candidate (The Realm) (El Reino) (2018)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Political Drama – Veteran Spanish Regional Politician – Next Regional President – Corruption Scandal Accusation – Money Laundering – Land Rezoning – Political Scandal – Anxiety – Desperation – Downward Spiral – Blame Game – National-Party Takedown Decision – Politician Colleagues Betrayal – Mystery Thriller – Well-Oiled Corruption Machine – Fight-Back Plan – Evidence Search – Race-against-Time – Suspense – Tension – Conspiracy Theory – Political Power-Plays – Backstage Politics – Political Machinations – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Suspicions – Mistrust – Paranoia – Political Intrigue – Others – Social Commentary – Cynicism – Opportunism – Hypocrisy – Re-Watch Value – Foreign Language – European – Spain
★★★★★★ (6/10)-M
Key-Element: Political Scandal - DirectorRod LurieStarsJoan AllenGary OldmanJeff BridgesSenator Laine Hanson is a contender for U.S. Vice President, but information and disinformation about her past surfaces that threatens to derail her confirmation.The Contender (2000)
Drama – Thriller – Drama – First Female Democratic US Vice-President – Happily Married – Republican Congressman Doubts – Background Investigation – Shocking Secrets – Past College Drunken-Orgy Photograph – Prostitution Allegation – Political Future Threat – Political Drama – Political Scandal – Confirmation Hearings – Suspense – Tension – Corruption – Moral Dilemmas – Courage – Conspiracy Theory – Political Power-Plays – Cynicism – Opportunism – Media Manipulation – Backstage Politics – Political Machinations – Others – Character-Driven Drama – Good-vs-Evil Pattern – Hypocrisy – Misogyny – Indie Film – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Political Scandal - DirectorGeorge ClooneyStarsDavid StrathairnGeorge ClooneyPatricia ClarksonBroadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow looks to bring down Senator Joseph McCarthy.Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
Drama – History – Drama – Cold War (1947-1991) Era – CBS Television Network – CBS-News Veteran Journalist – Discharge US-Army Officer Story – Communist Sympathiser Accusations – Senator McCarthy's Anti-Communist Campaign – Investigation – Wrong Accusations – Political Atrocities – Political Conflict – Suspense – Claustrophobic Tension – Determination – Passion – Arrogance – Hypocrisy – Ethical Dilemma – Historical Political Drama – Anti-Communism Movement – Tense Political Uncertainty Era – Civil Liberties – Political Corruption – Political Manoeuvres – Paranoia – Others – True-Life Drama – Docudrama – Journalism – Professionalism – Patriotism – McCarthyism Political Phenomenon – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Anti-Communism Movement / Civil Liberties - DirectorKevin MacdonaldStarsRussell CroweRachel McAdamsBen AffleckWhen a congressional aide is killed, a Washington, D.C. journalist starts investigating the case involving the Representative, his old college friend.State of Play (2009)
Drama – Crime – Mystery – Thriller – Crime Mystery Drama – Washington DC – Rising US Congressman – Beautiful Young Assistant / Mistress Mysterious Death – Washington Globe Reporter Investigation – Murder Mystery – Suspense – Tension – Suspicions – Conflicts-of-Interest – Moral Dilemmas – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Conspiracy – Corporate Powers – Military-Industrial Complex – Cover-Up – Political Thriller – Government's Private-Defense Contracts – Security Mercenaries – Media Control – Political Scandal – Political Corruption – Intrigue – Neo-Noir – Urban Setting – Low-Key Lighting – Detective Story – Femme Fatale – Obsession – Deception – Anti-Hero – Cynicism – Others – Investigative Journalism– Professionalism – Plot Twist – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Political Scandal - DirectorJim SheridanStarsDaniel Day-LewisPete PostlethwaiteAlison CrosbieAn Irish man's coerced confession to an I.R.A. bombing he did not commit results in the imprisonment of his father as well. Meanwhile, a British lawyer fights to clear their names and free them.In The Name of The Father (1993)
Drama – Crime – Biography – Biographical Crime Drama – Northern Ireland Conflict (1968-1998) Era – London's Guildford-Pub 1974 Bombings – British Soldiers / Civilians Murder – Unemployed Young Irishman Arrest – Statement-of-Guilt Signed – Blame Game – IRA Terrorists Accusation – False Accusation – Confession Under Police Threat – Manipulation – Brutality – Tension – Violence – Torture – Tragedy – Courtroom Drama – Stubborn British Female Lawyer – Wrong-Man Case - Wrongful Sentence – Poor Evidence – Corrupt Police Investigation – Miscarried Justice – Political Drama – Power Abuse – Police Sadism – Others – True-Life Drama – Father-Son Story – Kafkaesque Nightmare - Victimization – British Justice System – Re-Watch Value – European – Ireland
★★★★★★★ (7/10)
Key-Element: Power Abuse / State’s Repression - DirectorPhil Alden RobinsonStarsBen AffleckMorgan FreemanIan MongrainCIA analyst Jack Ryan must stop the plans of a Neo-Nazi faction that threatens to induce a catastrophic conflict between the United States and Russia's President by detonating a nuclear weapon at a football game in Baltimore, Maryland.The Sum of All Fears (2002)
Drama – Action – Thriller – Drama – Lunatic Austrian Neo-Nazi Terrorist – US-Russia Nuclear-War Plan – Black-Market Nuclear Weapon – Nuclear Attack to-Baltimore – Destruction – Confusion – Chaos – Espionage Action Thriller – Impending Nuclear War – Race-Against Time – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Young CIA's Brainy-Analyst – Investigation – Track-Down Secret Operation – Doubts – Arguments – Avert Catastrophe Plan – Action Sequences – Suspense – Tension – Determination – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Political Crisis – Corruption – Manipulation – Misunderstandings – Threats – Suspicions – Mistrust – Paranoia – Nuclear Terror – Others – Disaster Movie – War-on-Terror – Professionalism – Heroism – Fanaticism – Nazism – Memorable Hero – Tom Clancy's 1991 Novel – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Neo-Nazi Policy - DirectorBrad AndersonStarsJon HammJay PotterKhalid BenchagraCaught in the crossfires of civil war, CIA operatives must send a former U.S. diplomat to negotiate for the life of a friend he left behind.Beirut (2018)*
Drama – Thriller – Political Drama – Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) Era – Lebanon City – Hostage Situation – Terrorist Group – U.S. Diplomat Kidnapping – ex-Colleague Diplomat Recruit – Negotiation Mission – Prisoner Exchange – Man-on-a-Mission – Deadline – Race-against-Time – Ricky Deal – Political Intrigue – Personal Drama – Alcoholic Problems – Love-Loss (Wife's Death) Trauma – Espionage Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Israeli Concerns – Political Hidden Agendas – Double-Crosses – Suspense – Simmering Tension – Doubts – Moral Conflict – Mistrust – Paranoia – Rescue Mission – Others – Geopolitical Thriller – Middle-East Politics – International Diplomacy – Political Gamesmanship – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Cynicism – Terrorism – Opportunism – Narrative Complexity – Plot-Twist – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)-M
Key-Element: Middle-East Politics / Diplomacy - DirectorChristian CarionStarsGuillaume CanetEmir KusturicaAlexandra Maria LaraThe French intelligence service alerts the U.S. about a Soviet spy operation during the height of the Cold War, which sets off an unfortunate chain of events.Farewell (L'Affaire Farewell) (2009)
Drama – History – Thriller – Espionage Thriller – Cold War (1947-1991) Era – Moscow 1981 – High-Ranking KGB Analyst – Double Agent – Code-Named "Farewell" – Soviet Top-Secret Information Leaks – Soviet Spies-Network List – Naïve French Engineer Espionage-Contact – Political Motives – High-Risk – Anxiety – Uncertainty Stress – Suspense – Tension – Historical Political Drama – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Political Implications – US/France Government Joint Operation – Strategic Political Bluff – Intrigue – Suspicions – Paranoia – Sacrifice – Tragedy – Others – True-Life Drama – Melancholy – Humanism – Idealism – Moral Conflict – No-Exit Finale – Serguei Kostine's 1997 Novel – Foreign Language – European – France
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Cold-War Politics - DirectorDoug LimanStarsNaomi WattsSean PennSonya DavisonCIA operative Valerie Plame discovers her identity is allegedly leaked by the government as payback for an op-ed article her husband wrote criticizing the Bush administration.Fair Game (2010)
Drama – Biography – Thriller – Espionage Drama – Experienced CIA's Covert Female Agent – Dangerous Covert Worldwide Operations – Middle-Eastern Secret Networks – Sensitive Informations – Agent's Cover Blown – Distrust – Marital Tension – Death Threats – Biographical Political Drama – Former Ambassador Husband – Iraq's Uranium Sellers Investigation – non-Existent Uranium Sales Report – Evidence Ignored – Bush Administration 2003 Iraq Invasion – Conspiracy Theory – Shadowy Political Conspiracy – Hidden Agenda – Conflict-of-Interests – Political Corruption– Political Scandal – Power Abuse – Shadowy Manipulation – Geopolitics – Others – True-Life Drama – Docudrama – Idealism – Low-Key Thriller – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Political Conspiracy / Geopolitics - DirectorJohn MaddenStarsHelen MirrenSam WorthingtonTom WilkinsonIn 1965, three Mossad Agents cross into East Berlin to apprehend a notorious Nazi war criminal. Thirty years later, the secrets the Agents share come back to haunt them.The Debt (2010)
Drama – Thriller – Political Drama – Tel Aviv 1997 Year – Three Retired Mossad Secret-Agents – Two Men/One Woman – Weird Attachment – Israeli Nazi Hunters – Accomplished 1965 Dangerous-Mission – Heroic Operation – National Heroes – Doubts – Suspicions – Political Intrigue – Espionage Thriller – East Berlin 1965 Year – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Three Young Mossad Agents – Secret Mission – Nazi WWII-Criminal "The Surgeon of Birkenau" Capture – Track-Down/Kidnaping Operation – Duty – Psychological Stress – Suspense – Tension – Determination – Patient Game – Escape Thriller – Conspiracy Theory – Haunted Guilty-Secrets – Plan-gone-Awry – Political Cover-Up – Suspicions – Mistrust – Paranoia – Puzzle Film – Complex Storytelling – Non-Linear Timeline – Multi-Layered Plot – Flashbacks – Cause-and-Effect Chain – Plot-Twist – Others – Character Study – Men-on-a-Mission Thriller – Romance Sub-Plot – Love Triangle – Alpha-Male Syndrome – Cynicism – Remake – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Israel's Foreign Policy - DirectorStephen GaghanStarsGeorge ClooneyMatt DamonAmanda PeetA politically charged epic about the state of the oil industry in the hands of those personally involved in and affected by it.Syriana (2005)
Drama – Thriller – Drama – Two American Oil Companies Merge – Middle East Oil Control – US Antitrust Regulations – Emirate's Royal-Family – Oil-Drilling Rights to-China – US Government Scepticism – US Oil-Security Issues – Conspiracy Theory – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Experience Feld-Agent – Assassination Order – Suspense – Tension – Betrayal – Political Thriller – Middle East Politics – US Foreign Policy – Petroleum Politics – Geopolitics – Terrorism – Corruption – Others – Complicated Plot – Globalisation – Oscar (1) Winner – Robert Baer's 2003 Memoir – Indie Film – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Geopolitics / Petroleum Politics - DirectorAnton CorbijnStarsPhilip Seymour HoffmanRachel McAdamsDaniel BrühlA Chechen Muslim illegally immigrates to Hamburg, where he gets caught in the international war on terror.A Most Wanted Man (2014)
Drama – Crime – Thriller – Crime Political Thriller – Hamburg Germany – Suspicious Chechen Political Illegal-Immigrant – Russian Security Forces Torture-Victim – Hamburg's Islamic Community Intrude – Enigmatic (Victim-or-Extremist) Identity – Mysterious Connections – Espionage Thriller – Intelligence Agencies Operation – Secret German Government Agency – Anti-Terror Operation – Islamic Terrorist-Activities Tracking – US-British Agencies Conflicting-Agendas – Investigation – Track-Down Secret Operation – Race-Against Time – Suspense – Tension – Determination – Patient Game – Suspicions – Mistrust – Paranoia – Others – War-on-Terror – Spy Games – Professionalism – Cynicism – Amoralism – John le Carré's 2008 Novel – Re-Watch Value – European – U.K.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Anti-Terror Policy - DirectorRichard AttenboroughStarsBen KingsleyJohn GielgudRohini HattangadiThe life of the lawyer who became the famed leader of the Indian revolts against the British rule through his philosophy of nonviolent protest.Gandhi (1982)
Drama – History – Epic Biographical Drama – Indian Independence Movement (1847-1947) Era – South Africa 1893 – 23-Year-Old Well-Educated Gandhi – Non-Violent Protest Campaign – South Africa's Indians Rights – Arrest – International Attention – Government's Relents – Back-to-India – National Hero – India's Independence Campaign – British Empire Rules – Protest – Violence – Victory – Religious Tensions – Tragedy – Political Drama – Political Activism – Non-Violence Philosophy – Civil Rights – Civil Liberties – Political Assassination – Others – True-Life Drama – Period Drama – Racism – Stoicism – Heroism – Oscar (8) Winner – European – U.K. – 1001 Must See Movies
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Political Biography / Indian Independence Movement / Civil Liberties - DirectorDennis GanselStarsJürgen VogelFrederick LauMax RiemeltA high school teacher's experiment to demonstrate to his students what life is like under a dictatorship spins horribly out of control when he forms a social unit with a life of its own.The Wave (Die Welle) (2008)
Drama – Thriller – Drama – Modern Germany High-School – Anarchy Class – Popular History Teacher – Week-Long Class Social Experiment – Autocratic-State Establish Project – Nazis-Ideology Demonstration – Role-Playing Game – Disturbing Events – Fanaticism – Vandalism – Sadism – Bullying – Out-of-Control Project – Power Abuse – Shock – Fear – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Tragedy – Political Thriller – Dictatorship – Fascism – Totalitarianism – Social Experiment – Social Psychology – Mass Manipulation – Others – True-Life Drama – Character-Driven Drama – Characterisation – Individualism – Scepticism – Thought-Provoking – Allegorical – Todd Strasser's 1981 Novel – Foreign Language – European – Germany
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Fascism / Socio-Political Psychology - DirectorAva DuVernayStarsDavid OyelowoCarmen EjogoOprah WinfreyA chronicle of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965.Selma (2014)^
★★★★★★ (6/10)-M - DirectorBryan SingerStarsTom CruiseBill NighyCarice van HoutenA dramatization of the July 20, 1944 assassination and political coup plot by desperate renegade German Army officers against Adolf Hitler during World War II.Valkyrie (2008)^
★★★★★★ (6/10)-M - DirectorJerzy SkolimowskiStarsVincent GalloEmmanuelle SeignerZach CohenAn Afghan POW attempts his escape.Essential Killing (2010)*
Drama – War – Action – Thriller – War Drama – Afghanistan War (2001–2021) Era – US Military Operation – Taliban Terrorist Capture – Black-Ops Interrogation – Brutality – Torture – Survival Horror – Escape Thriller – Unfamiliar Snowbound Wasteland – Manhunt – Frenetic Pursuit – Track-Down Operation – Extreme Survival Mode – Kill-to-Survive – Determination – Desperation – Fear – Trapped Survival – Men-Against-Nature – Wilderness Survival – Primitive Instincts – Existential Dread – Madness – Paranoia – Downward Spiral – Destiny – Political Thriller – CIA’s Covert Operations – War-on-Terror – Religious Extremists – Others – Anti-War Film – Symbolism – Realism – Cynicism – Stoicism – Opportunism – Nihilism – Minimalistic Set-Up - Disturbing – E x t r e m e – WTF Factor – Shock Value – F a v e – Re-Watch Value – European – Poland
★★★★★★ (6/10)-S
Key-Element: US Foreign Policy / War-on-Terror - DirectorDoug LimanStarsTom CruiseDomhnall GleesonSarah WrightThe story of Barry Seal, an American pilot who became a drug-runner for the CIA in the 1980s in a clandestine operation that would be exposed as the Iran-Contra Affair.American Made (2017)
Drama – Crime – Action – Adventure – Comedy – Thriller – Espionage Thriller – 1980s Decade – Commercial Jets Pilot – CIA Recruit – Covert US Intelligence Agencies Operation – Central American Communist Groups Spy-Mission – Surveillance Photos – Man-on-a-Mission – Crime Action Adventure Comedy – Colombian Drug-Cartel Drug Trafficker – Nicaragua Contras Arms-Trafficker – Money Launderer – Fortune-Making – Risk – Action Sequences – Aerial Adventures – Political Drama – Shadowy Conspiracy – CIA Arms-Trading – Political Scandal – Iran-Contra Affair – Black Comedy – Black Humour – Sarcasm – Comic Relief Scenes – Political Farce – Irony – Others – True-Life Drama – Cynicism – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Corporate Politics / Narco-Politics - DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsJulia RobertsAlbert FinneyDavid BrisbinAn unemployed single mother becomes a legal assistant and almost single-handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city's water supply.Erin Brockovich (2000)
Drama – Biography – Biographical Drama – US California 1993 Era – Unemployed Single Mother – Law-Firm Job-Hire – Suspicious Real-Estate Case – Investigation – Groundwater Pollution – Carcinogenic Chromium – Pacific Gas-Electric Company's (PG&E) Deadly Toxic Waste – Residents Medical-Problems – Legal Drama – Evidence Search – Dark Secrets – Suspicions – Corporate Cover-Up – Major Class-Action Lawsuit – Passion – Determination – Public Attention – Environmental Crime Uncover – Settlement – Political Drama – Ecological Policy – Environmentalism – Capitalism – Political Activism – Major Corporate Scandal – Others – True-Life Drama – Dramedy – Sarcasm – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Corporate Politics / Ecological Policy - DirectorHun JangStarsSong Kang-hoThomas KretschmannYoo Hae-jinA widowed father and taxi driver who drives a German reporter from Seoul to Gwangju to cover the 1980 uprising, soon finds himself regretting his decision after being caught in the violence around him.A Taxi Driver (Taeksi Woonjunsa) (2017)
Drama – History – Historical Drama – South Korea's Guangju Democratic Uprising (1980) Era – Apolitical Seoul Taxi-Driver – Debt-Laden Widower – German Journalist Customer – Gwangju Metropolitan City Root – Increasing Civil Unrest Coverage – Large-Scale Demonstrations – Anti-Government Protest – Danger – Military Siege – Chase – Gunfire – Brutality – Violence – Mass-Hysteria – Chaos – Paranoia – Massacre – Tragedy – Rescue Mission – Escape Triller – Political Drama – Power Abuse – Military Coup d'état – Martial Law – Others – True-Life Drama – Comic Relief Scenes – Moral Dilemmas – Working-Class Hero – Re-Watchable – Foreign Language – Asian – South Korea
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Military Coup - DirectorAaron SorkinStarsEddie RedmayneAlex SharpSacha Baron CohenThe story of 7 people on trial stemming from various charges surrounding the uprising at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.The Trial of The Chicago 7 (2020)
Drama – History – Thriller – Historical Drama – Nixon Administration – Anti-Vietnam War Protest (1965-1971) Era – Chicago's 1968 Democratic National Convention – Local Chicago Authorities Conflict – Violence – Police Brutality – Legal Thriller – Seven Supposed Protest-Ringleaders Arrest – Conspiracy Accusation – Infamous Federal Trial – Political Drama – Civil Rights Movement – Political Activism – Anti-War Policy – Power Abuse – Political Corruption – Civil Liberties – Political Protest – Others – Courtroom Drama – US Legal System Study – Racism – Liberal Patriotism – Re-Watch Value – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Civil Rights Movement / Political Protest - DirectorTerry GeorgeStarsDon CheadleSophie OkonedoJoaquin PhoenixPaul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager, houses over a thousand Tutsi refugees during their struggle against the Hutu militia in Rwanda, Africa.Hotel Rwanda (2004)
★★★★★★ (6/10) - DirectorMike NicholsStarsTom HanksJulia RobertsPhilip Seymour HoffmanA drama based on a Texas congressman Charlie Wilson's covert dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war with the Soviets have some unforeseen and long-reaching effects.Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
★★★★★★ (6/10) - DirectorPark Chan-wookStarsLee Yeong-aeLee Byung-hunSong Kang-hoAfter a shooting incident at the North-South Korean border DMZ leaves two North Korean soldiers dead, a neutral Swiss and Swedish team investigates what actually happened.Joint Security Area (2000)*
Drama – Mystery – Thriller – Mystery Drama – South-North Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) – North Korean Border-House – Fatal Shooting Incident – Two North-Korean Soldiers Murder – South-Korean Sergeant Prime-Suspect – UN Female Lawyer Investigation – Whodunit – Hostility – Suspicions – Doubts – Conflicting Forensic Evidence – Deception – Complex Relationships – Backstory Flashbacks – Political Thriller – North-South Korea Relations – Nationalism – Socio-Political Study – Others – Military Drama – Anti-War Film – Satire – Humanism – Optimism – Park Sang-Yeon's 2000 Novel – Re-Watch Value – Foreign Language – Asian – South Korea
★★★★★★ (6/10)-W
Key-Element: North-South Korea Relations - DirectorAlexander PayneStarsMatthew BroderickReese WitherspoonLoren NelsonA high school teacher meets his match in an over-achieving student politician.Election (1999)
★★★★★★ (6/10) - DirectorJohn FrankenheimerStarsBurt LancasterKirk DouglasFredric MarchUnited States military leaders plot to overthrow the President because he supports a nuclear disarmament treaty and they fear a Soviet sneak attack.Seven Days In May (1964)
Drama – Thriller – Political Drama – Cold War (1947-1991) Era – Unpopular US President – Negotiations w/Soviets – Nuclear Disarmament Treaty – Political-Military Dissatisfaction Wave – Political Crisis – Conspiracy Theory – Military-Political Cabal – Coup d'etat Secret-Plan – Seven-Days Takeover Target-Date – Paranoid Thriller – Shadowy Conspiracy – Political Intrigue – Suspicion – Anxiety – Psychological Stress – Suspense – Tension – Fear – Cold-War Paranoia – Others – Militaristic Film – Extremism – Patriotism – Idealism – Fletcher Knebel's 1962 Novel – Classic Status – Cult Status – U.S.A.
★★★★★★ (6/10)
Key-Element: Military Coup - DirectorMichael RitchieStarsRobert RedfordPeter BoyleMelvyn DouglasBill McKay is a candidate for the U.S. Senate from California. He has no hope of winning, so he is willing to tweak the establishment.Honourable Mention:
The Candidate (1972)*
★★★★★ (5/10)-M - DirectorAdam McKayStarsChristian BaleAmy AdamsSteve CarellThe story of Dick Cheney, an unassuming bureaucratic Washington insider, who quietly wielded immense power as Vice President to George W. Bush, reshaping the country and the globe in ways that are still felt today.Honourable Mention:
Vice (2018)*
★★★★★ (5/10)-W