Top 6: Election Day movies

It’s a rainy Election Day here in Southern California (I know!), and I hear there’s more of the same around the country. So before or after you cast your vote, curl up on the couch with one of these great flicks:

Primary Colors – Oh, Slick Willy, what a time we had. Bill Clinton circa 1992 is the obvious inspiration for this movie about a long-shot candidate for president who has a brilliant political mind and a genuine love for average folks, but is somewhat lacking in the moral compass department. Kathy Bates is at her Kathy Batesian best as a campaign aid.

The Candidate – Robert Redford and the late, great Peter Boyle star in this one about a young lawyer who agrees to run for the Senate only after being guaranteed he’ll lose. His campaign ends up doing surprisingly well, and his personal scruples go accordingly down the drain.

Bulworth – Warren Beatty discovers his inner brotha and saves the world. Or something. It's actually been ages since I’ve seen this, but I remember liking it. And Halle Berry is hottt.

Election – When you think of Reese Witherspoon today, the term “black comedy” doesn’t usually come to mind. But the movie that in many ways launched her career is one of the most bitingly funny films of the last ten years. Set around a high school election on Omaha, Neb., Witherspoon is phenomenal as the scary-ambitious Tracy Flick, and Matthew Broderick is hilarious as the nice-guy teacher trying to take her down. Online magazine Slate even managed to find some similarities between this movie and the 2008 race.

All the President’s Men – Robert Redford makes the list again (he really is dreamy in these ‘70s era films) in this movie about Watergate from the perspective of Woodward and Bernstein. Sometimes its fun to remember a time when the press did more than point out which politicians wore flag pins.

Dave – Kevin Klein plays a guy who looks exactly like the President, and gets called in for imposter duty when the real President has a stroke. Far fetched? Hell yes. Entertaining in that timeless, Prince and Pauper kind of way? Of course. I especially love Klein’s scenes with Sigourney Weaver’s first lady character.

Don’t forget to vote ya’ll! Remember, it’s about the kids.