100. Election (1999)
Directed by Alexander Payne
Written by Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor
Starring Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, and Chris Klein
Oscar Nominations: 1 (Best Adapted Screenplay)
Election is a perfect satire of the American Political system and psychotic, single-minded obsession. The movie speaks to me mainly for those reasons. Reese Witherspoon, an actress I am usually uncaring about, puts in a great performance as Tracy Flick, a single-minded high school senior who just wants to win student council president at any cost. Matthew Broderick is the teacher trying to stop her, in this case banking on the people to vote for the stupid, popular Chris Klein. It's far from a perfect movie but it's still rather funny and a good send-up of over-achievers and their place in our culture.
99. Immortal Beloved (1994)
Directed and written by Bernard Rose
Starring Gary Oldman and Jeroen Krabbe
This movie is not very historically inaccurate but neither are most biopics. Instead, it's a gorgeous use of Beethoven's music and well acted to boot. The main premise is a man's search for the "Immortal Beloved" a figure who appears in a few love letters penned by the master. What ensues is also mystery and romance. I could go into it further but that entails spoilers and there are only a few movies that I'm going to do that here. Worth a rental.
98. What's Up Doc? (1972)
Directed by Peter Bogdanovich
Written by Peter Bogdanovich, Buck Henry, David Newman, and Robert Benton
Staring Barbra Streisand, Ryan O'Neil, and Madeline Khan
A send-up of the screwball comedies of the golden age of Hollywood. It also features my diva but that's beside the point. A genuinely hilarious film, the plot is hard to synopsize because it goes all over the place because of some of the conventions it indulges in including mistaken identity, romance, and musical rocks. Seriously, it is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen and definitely a treat. Another important note is that includes the first major motion picture appearance of Madeline Khan, a woman that left us too soon. But more on her later.
Next time: Teenage Suicide, Don't do it; One of the worst children in cinema history; and something that comes in a little glass vial.
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