Crave's Best Political Movies

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A nation divided. A war of ideals. It sounds a lot like reality and it sounds a lot like a movie. Indeed, the history of cinema is fertile with motion pictures with political storylines and lofty social ambitions. Ever since we discovered that the moving image has a distinct power over the masses, artists and governments have been using films to convey their message… for better and often for worse.

Compiling a list of the best political movies in history is a daunting task. We had to allow for films that espouse ideas and ideals that don’t necessarily match our own. We had to consider a film’s quality as a political document and/or statement as a separate entity from its overall quality (the so-called “best movie ever made” only ranks at #49 on this list for that very reason).

And we had to cast a wide net, so this Big List was voted upon and written by a half dozen film critics: Crave‘s William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold, The Wrap‘s Alonso Duralde, Linoleum Knife‘s Dave White, Blumhouse‘s Alyse Wax and Collider‘s Brian Formo. They each nominated 50 films, ranked from #1-50, and we tabulated those votes to come up with the following Top 50 Best Political Movies Ever. (Stick around at the end, when we’ll reveal our 50 runners-up as well.)

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  1. 1 new

    Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop...

    1964, in 37 top lists Check
  2. 2 new

    All the President's Men

    1976, in 21 top lists Check
  3. 3 new

    The Manchurian Candidate

    1962, in 15 top lists Check
  4. 4 new

    Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

    1939, in 16 top lists Check
  5. 5 new

    The Candidate

    1972, in 2 top lists Check
  6. 6 new

    In the Loop

    2009, in 2 top lists Check
  7. 7 new

    Election

    1999, in 7 top lists Check
  8. 8 new

    Lincoln

    2012, in 5 top lists Check
  9. 9 new

    La battaglia di Algeri

    1966 — a.k.a. The Battle of Algiers, in 29 top lists Check
  10. 10 new

    Wag the Dog

    1997, in 2 top lists Check
  11. 11 new

    Dave

    1993, in 1 top list Check
  12. 12 new

    They Live

    1988, in 7 top lists Check
  13. 13 new

    W.

    2008, in 0 top lists Check
  14. 14 new

    Malcolm X

    1992, in 7 top lists Check
  15. 15 new

    Il conformista

    1970 — a.k.a. The Conformist, in 20 top lists Check
  16. 16 new

    The Act of Killing

    2012, in 9 top lists Check
  17. 17 new

    Advise & Consent

    1962, in 3 top lists Check
  18. 18 new

    Zero Dark Thirty

    2012, in 8 top lists Check
  19. 19 new

    Duck Soup

    1933, in 24 top lists Check
  20. 20 new

    Milk

    2008, in 3 top lists Check
  21. 21 new

    Land and Freedom

    1995, in 6 top lists Check
  22. 22 new

    Primary Colors

    1998, in 0 top lists Check
  23. 23 new

    Queimada

    1969 — a.k.a. Burn!, in 2 top lists Check
  24. 24 new

    The Day the Earth Stood Still

    1951, in 12 top lists Check
  25. 25 new

    The Great Dictator

    1940, in 25 top lists Check
  26. 26 new

    Bob Roberts

    1992, in 1 top list Check
  27. 27 new

    Selma

    2014, in 7 top lists Check
  28. 28 new

    Good Night, and Good Luck.

    2005, in 4 top lists Check
  29. 29 new

    Z

    1969, in 17 top lists Check
  30. 30 new

    White House Down

    2013, in 1 top list Check
  31. 31 new

    1776

    1972, in 0 top lists Check
  32. 32 new

    Starship Troopers

    1997, in 9 top lists Check
  33. 33 new

    JFK

    1991, in 13 top lists Check
  34. 34 new

    Triumph des Willens

    1935 — a.k.a. Triumph of the Will, in 16 top lists Check
  35. 35 new

    Team America: World Police

    2004, in 5 top lists Check
  36. 36 new

    Soy Cuba

    1964 — a.k.a. I Am Cuba, in 16 top lists Check
  37. 37 new

    Dick

    1999, in 0 top lists Check
  38. 38 new

    The Great McGinty

    1940, in 4 top lists Check
  39. 39 new

    The People vs. Larry Flynt

    1996, in 2 top lists Check
  40. 40 new

    Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

    1991, in 2 top lists Check
  41. 41 new

    Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment

    1963, in 5 top lists Check
  42. 42 new

    State Legislature

    2007, in 0 top lists Check
  43. 43 new

    Fahrenheit 9/11

    2004, in 9 top lists Check
  44. 44 new

    Argo

    2012, in 8 top lists Check
  45. 45 new

    The Look of Silence

    2014, in 4 top lists Check
  46. 46 new

    Game Change

    2012, in 0 top lists Check
  47. 47 new

    The Ides of March

    2011, in 0 top lists Check
  48. 48 new

    Casablanca

    1942, in 39 top lists Check
  49. 49 new

    Citizen Kane

    1941, in 39 top lists Check
  50. 50 new

    Frost/Nixon

    2008, in 1 top list Check
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Last updated on Jul 12, 2017; source