The 13 Best Movies About Why You

Shouldn’t Trust the Government

Distrust in the government has long been a driving thread in the American cinema. Since the 1960s (even earlier), Hollywood has depicted U.S. leadership—and its intelligence apparatus—as shadowy and villainous. As David Sims wrote in The Atlantic this past summer, even the most outlandish of these works have a grain of truth to them. “Their deep suspicion of the apparatus of power stemmed from real scandals engulfing the U.S., or from rumors of government involvement in assassinations and overseas wars that could never be fully dismissed,” he says. Here are some of the "best cinematic efforts that capture that wary mood over the years, arranged chronologically to chart how filmmakers’ brashness waxed and waned over the decades.” [Watch the trailer for Enemy of the State, pictured.]

The Best Political Thrillers Of All Time

In many respects, every espionage novel is a political thriller. Whether it deals with counter-intelligence during the cold war, running double agents between Washington DC and Moscow, or an assassination attempt on a president, the goal of the plot (and the author) ultimately is to tilt the global balance of power, even if just a tiny bit. From Richard Condon’s The Manchurian Candidate (the basis of two successful movies) to Tom Clancy’s The Hunt For Red October, the books in this lineup from Barnes & Noble are pitch-perfect in how they ramp up tension in settings fraught with paranoia, power, greed, treason, and government secrets. I’ve only read five of these classics, but I’ve added the other six to my list of must-reads. [Watch the trailer for The Day of the Jackal, pictured.]

Top 10 Political Crime Fiction Thrillers

Here’s another fascinating list of the top ten political crime thrillers, compiled by mystery writer Kris Calvin for Strand magazine. What sets this list apart from others in this issue of BunzelGram is the qualification that each of these novels (or trilogy, in the case of House of Cards) involves a crime that the reader can attempt to solve, which technically is a difference between a mystery and a thriller. Second, the setting and/or motives must be political, even if broadly construed. Several of the books herein will be found on other lists, which indicates their overall quality and staying power.

The 20 Greatest Political Thrillers

Based On True Events

While everyone loves a good political novel (or screen adaptation of one), the knowledge that the story you’re reading or watching is based—even loosely—on the truth makes it even more compelling. This list, compiled by Los Angeles Times journalist Fidel Martinez, highlights 20 movies that are the most intriguing in how they tell the story of internal agency conflict (Fair Game), foreign and domestic assassination attempts (Z, JFK), the hunt for a known terrorist (Zero Dark 30), or Watergate (All The President’s Men). Chances are you’ve seen many of the films mentioned herein; also, as Martinez notes, it was compiled just prior to the release of Chappaquiddick. [Watch the trailer for Bridge of Spies, pictured.]

Great Geopolitical Thrillers

You’re Probably Not Watching

We Americans tend to be a bit elitist when it comes to our global sensitivities. If there’s an overseas disaster, the news media scramble to find out how many Americans were involved. If it’s a clash between two African nations, forget it. The assassination of a third-world leader? Buried. Same thing with most political novels, films, and television series that occur outside the US. That’s why I found this short list of the best international thriller TV series fascinating. How many of you have seen an episode of France’s The Bureau (Sundance TV) or Norway’s Occupied (Netflix), created by Nordic Meastro Jo Nesbø? As Camille LeBlanc writes in CrimeReads, geopolitical thrillers “pit the conflicts of loyalties and ethics against conflicts of identity—within a family, a community, and a nation. In this geopolitical boom, here’s some of the greatest TV on the airways.” [Watch a clip of Occupied, pictured.]

22 Of The Best Political Movies Ever

As I’ve noted before in BunzelGram, everyone has a list of his or her favorite films, no matter what genre. There is no definitive “best” film ever made, (although an agent did tell me once that I was crazy if I didn’t agree it was Lawrence Of Arabia). That said, this list from Insider of the 22 best political movies ever made has a ring of truth to it, and includes a few sleepers that many casual moviegoers might never have heard of. From A Face In The Crowd to Bulworth to All The King’s Men, these are must-see films for anyone with an interest in political intrigue. [Watch a clip of Bulworth, pictured.]

25 Underrated Political Thrillers

Most moviegoers tend to recall blockbuster or Oscar-winning films, but some of the most appealing (and intriguing) are those that either slipped under the radar at the time of their release, didn’t get the attention they deserved, or have simply been forgotten. From Gorky Park to Failsafe to No Way Out, the films on this list compiled by Rebecca Clough for Den of Geek offers some marvelous motion pictures with memorable characters, ingenious plots, and brilliant double-helix twists that you might never see coming. [Watch trailer for No Way Out, pictured.]

Skeleton Key

...Coming February 2021

The summer after his world is devastated in Hurricane Blues, Jack Connor is stitching his life back together one thread at a time. His entire life has washed out to sea, the ghosts of his lingering PTSD are haunting his dreams, and he’s making ends meet tending bar while searching for long-term answers that will return some semblance of meaning to his soul. Despite his better instincts, he finds himself looking into the seemingly random shooting of a customer, a quest that not only causes him to reflect on why he continues to place himself in the path of danger, but also takes him on a reflective journey through personal redemption and atonement for past mistakes. Look for Skeleton Key, coming in February.