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Subgenre Sampler

 
RealityReality (2023) Recommended
Dir. Tina Satter
Feat. Sydney Sweeney, Josh Hamilton, Marchánt Davis
A potent chamber drama that re–enacts true events surrounding a government security breach related to Russian interference in the 2016 US…
MerkelMerkel (2022) Aro Favourite
Dir. Eva Weber
A fittingly admirable portrait of the one of the great diplomats of modern times, Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany for sixteen years, and most…
BelfastBelfast (2021) Recommended
Dir. Kenneth Branagh
Feat. Caitriona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan
Richly evocative cine–memoir from director Kenneth Branagh, depicting a young boy's childhood in late 60's Belfast, Northern Ireland. Set…
Big DealBig Deal (2021)
Dir. Craig Reucassel
Documentary presented by Craig Reucassel, who investigates Australia's billion–dollar political lobbying industry and how it corrupts…
Breaking BreadBreaking Bread (2020)
Dir. Beth Elise Hawk
Inspiring documentary set around the A–Sham Arabic Food Festival in Haifa, Israel, where Arab and Jewish chefs combine their cultures and food…
Dissident, TheDissident, The (2020)
Dir. Bryan Fogel
A documentary about Jamal Khashoggi, Washington Post journalist and dissident who was murdered by agents of the Saudi government while working in…
I Am GretaI Am Greta (2020)
Dir. Nathan Grossman
A portrait of teenage climate change activist Greta Thunberg, which starts with her one–person school strike outside Swedish parliament, and…
IrresistibleIrresistible (2020)
Dir. Jon Stewart
Feat. Steve Carell, Chris Cooper, Mackenzie Davis
Political satire directed by The Daily Show's Jon Stewart (ROSEWATER), with Steve Carrell playing a retired veteran who runs for mayor in a…
Plot Against America, The (TV Mini-series)Plot Against America, The (TV Mini-series) (2020)
Dir. Thomas Schlamme
Feat. Winona Ryder, Anthony Boyle, Zoe Kazan
Created by David Simon (THE WIRE) and Ed Burns, this HBO mini–series adapts Philip Roth's 2004 prescient novel of the same name imagining an…
Roadkill (TV Mini-series)Roadkill (TV Mini-series) (2020)
Feat. Hugh Laurie, Millie Brady, Helen McCrory
Four part British political thriller starring Hugh Laurie as a charismatic Justice Minister on the cusp of a major promotion when a secret in his…
Brexit: The Uncivil War (TV Mini-series)Brexit: The Uncivil War (TV Mini-series) (2019)
Dir. Toby Haynes
Feat. Benedict Cumberbatch, Lee Boardman, John Heffernan
Television drama depicting the lead–up to the 2016 referendum through the activities of the strategists behind the Vote Leave campaign, that…
CollectiveCollective (2019) Recommended
Dir. Alexander Nanau
A blistering Romanian documentary following a heroic team of journalists from the newspaper Gazeta Sporturilor who attempt to uncover the country's…
Hail Satan?Hail Satan? (2019) Recommended
Dir. Penny Lane
Chronicling the extraordinary rise of one of the most colorful and controversial religious movements in American history, HAIL SATAN? is an inspiring…
IncitementIncitement (2019)
Dir. Yaron Zilberman
Feat. Yehuda Nahari Halevi, Amitai Yaish, Daniella Kertesz
Tense, slow–building thriller depicting Israeli right–wing extremist Yigal Amir in the year leading up to his assassination of the…
Irishman, TheIrishman, The (2019)
Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci
Unwieldly but fascinating Scorsese crime drama, in which the director reunites with good fellas Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci to tell the…
Loudest Voice, The (TV Mini-series)Loudest Voice, The (TV Mini-series) (2019)
Dir. Jeremy Podeswa, Kari Skogland, Stephen Frears
Feat. Russell Crowe, Sienna Miller, Annabelle Wallis
A seven–part series revealing the final years of media consultant Roger Ailes as he devises his most potent political weapon, Fox News, over…
Soldiers Without GunsSoldiers Without Guns (2019) Aro Favourite
Dir. Will Watson
A quite remarkable tale of a team of coalition soldiers who, in 1997, landed into the heat of a 10–year civil war on the Pacific Island of…
While at WarWhile at War (2019)
Dir. Alejandro Amenabar
Feat. Karra Elejalde, Eduard Fernandez, Santi Prego
From Alejandro Amenabar, acclaimed director of THE SEA INSIDE, comes this drama set in Spain in 1936 on the cusp of the Spanish Civil…
A Very English Scandal (TV Mini-series)A Very English Scandal (TV Mini-series) (2018) Recommended
Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Hugh Grant, Ben Whishaw
3–part BBC miniseries set in the 60's and 70's depicting the evolution of the "Jeremy Thorpe Scandal", in which the leader of the Liberal Party…
Black Earth Rising (TV Series)Black Earth Rising (TV Series) (2018)
Feat. John Goodman, Michaela Coel, Tamara Tunie
Political thriller series about the prosecution of war criminals, with Michaela Coel playing a Rwandan–born British legal investigator whose…
Clinton Affair, The (TV Mini-series)Clinton Affair, The (TV Mini-series) (2018) Recommended
The Bill Clinton impeachment scandal of 1998 is methodically detailed in this Alex Gibney–produced six–part documentary series, with full…
Divine Order, TheDivine Order, The (2018)
Dir. Petra Biondina Volpe
Feat. Marie Leuenberger
A passionate drama set in Switzerland, following a mother and housewife who campaigns for a referendum on the right of women to vote – in 1971…
Fahrenheit 11/9Fahrenheit 11/9 (2018) Recommended
Dir. Michael Moore
Filmmaker Michael Moore examines the current state of American politics, particularly the Donald J. Trump presidency and gun violence, while…
Front Runner, TheFront Runner, The (2018) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jason Reitman
Feat. Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga, J.K. Simmons
Hugh Jackman leads a strong ensemble cast as charismatic Democrat Senator Gary Hart, whose 1988 U.S. presidential campaign was derailed when he was…
LoroLoro (2018)
Dir. Paolo Sorrentino
Feat. Toni Servillo, Elena Sofia Ricci, Riccardo Scamarcio
The director of THE GREAT BEAUTY returns with another tale of Italian decadence and corruption, this time based on the life and times of the infamous…
Matangi/Maya/M.I.A.Matangi/Maya/M.I.A. (2018) Recommended
Dir. Stephen Loveridge
A uniquely textured portrait of innovative Sri Lankan–English pop star and activist Maya Arulpragasm, drawn from a cache of personal tapes shot…
Meeting GorbachevMeeting Gorbachev (2018) Recommended
Dir. Werner Herzog, André Singer
Werner Herzog directs this candid documentary based on three interviews with Mikhail Gorbachev, the eighth and last leader of the Soviet Union. With…
Midnight Oil 1984Midnight Oil 1984 (2018)
A passionate portrait of Australia's iconic rock band Midnight Oil during the year 1984, in which they embarked on a tour promoting their politically…
RBGRBG (2018) Recommended
Dir. Julie Cohen, Betsy West
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the worthy subject of this documentary exploring her life and career, successfully fighting gender…
ViceVice (2018) Recommended
Dir. Adam McKay
Feat. Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Steve Carell
Christian Bale provides another stunningly transformative performance, playing the insidious and power hungry Dick Cheney, Vice President to George…
Watergate (TV Mini-series)Watergate (TV Mini-series) (2018)
Dir. Charles Ferguson
Definitive and thoroughly detailed documentary TV miniseries about one of the biggest criminal conspiracies in modern politics, The Watergate Scandal.
An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to PowerAn Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (An Inconvenient Truth 2) (2017)
Dir. Jon Shenk, Bonni Cohen
The heroic and haggard Al Gore continues his crusade to make the world stop destroying itself in this timely update of his seminal 2006 climate…
Beatriz at DinnerBeatriz at Dinner (2017) Recommended
Dir. Miguel Arteta
Feat. John Early, Salma Hayek, John Lithgow
A holistic healer (Salma Hayeck) is an unplanned guest at a dinner party for members of California's privileged elite, in this Trump–era satire…
ChappaquiddickChappaquiddick (2017)
Dir. John Curran
Feat. Jason Clarke, Kate Mara, Ed Helms
Sombre drama exploring the incident known as the Chappaquiddick incident, in which Senator Ted Kennedy drove his car into a lake in 1969, killing his…
Darkest HourDarkest Hour (2017) Recommended
Dir. Joe Wright
Feat. Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn
Gary Oldman embodies Winston Churchill to Oscar–winning effect in this rousing and roundly effective historical drama set during the early days…
Death of Stalin, TheDeath of Stalin, The (2017) Aro Favourite
Dir. Armando Iannucci
Feat. Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Paddy Considine
Outrageous "comedy of terrors" from the creator of IN THE LOOP and VEEP, set in Moscow in 1953, where Stalin has just dropped dead and his cronies…
Final Year, TheFinal Year, The (2017)
Dir. Greg Barker
A detailed insiders' account of President Barack Obama's foreign policy team throughout 2016, their last year in office. Director Greg Barker has…
Guerrilla (TV Mini-series)Guerrilla (TV Mini-series) (2017)
Feat. Idris Elba, Freida Pinto, Babou Ceesay
6–part Miniseries set in 1970's London, where a politically active couple have their relationship and values tested after forming a radical…
House of Cards - Season 5 (TV Series, US)House of Cards - Season 5 (TV Series, US) (2017) Recommended
Feat. Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Patricia Clarkson
The Emmy and Golden Globe winning political drama returns for its anticipated fifth season. Frank and Claire Underwood continue to juggle their…
Insult, TheInsult, The (2017) Recommended
Dir. Ziad Doueiri
Feat. Adel Karam, Kamel El Basha
An exchange on a Beirut street between a Palestinian construction worker and a Lebanese Christian escalates into a passionate dispute that opens…
My Year With HelenMy Year With Helen (2017) Aro Favourite
Dir. Gaylene Preston
With unique access to high–ranking candidate Helen Clark, filmmaker Gaylene Preston casts a wry eye on proceedings as the United Nations turns…
Post, ThePost, The (2017) Recommended
Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson
The story of The Washington Post's attempt to publish The Pentagon Papers is given the Spielberg treatment. A riveting political thriller with…
Salvation (TV Series)Salvation (TV Series) (2017)
Feat. Santiago Cabrera, Jennifer Finnigan, Charlie Rowe
Sci–fi suspense series about a grad student whose self–designed app discovers a giant asteroid is hurtling toward the planet and the…
Young Karl Marx, TheYoung Karl Marx, The (2017)
Dir. Raoul Peck
Feat. August Diehl, Stefan Konarske, Vicky Krieps
Biopic following the revolutionary figurehead Karl Marx in his 20's, as he emerges as a political theorist and meets Friedrich Engels, with whom the…
All Governments LieAll Governments Lie (All Governments Lie: Truth, Deception and the Spirit of I. F. Stone) (2016)
Dir. Fred Peabody
Documentary about independent journalism inspired by iconoclastic rebel journalist I. F. Stone, offering a timely critique of American mainstream…
Chasing AsylumChasing Asylum (2016) Recommended
Dir. Eva Orner
A hotly topical documentary exposing the real impact of Australia's offshore detention policies and explores how 'The Lucky Country' became one where…
Coming War on China, TheComing War on China, The (2016)
Dir. John Pilger
The chilling history and nature of the US military's presence in the Pacific is explored by John Pilger in a way the mainstream media won't –…
Elvis & NixonElvis & Nixon (Elvis and Nixon) (2016)
Dir. Liza Johnson
Feat. Michael Shannon, Kevin Spacey, Alex Pettyfer
Kevin Spacey and Michael Shannon square off in this entertaining account of rock 'n' roll icon Elvis Presley's journey to the White House to request…
Hail Caesar!Hail Caesar! (2016) Recommended
Dir. Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Feat. Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich
Light yet dazzlingly bright comic outing from the Coen Bros follows real life Hollywood 'fixer' Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) as he frantically tries to…
House of Cards - Season 4 (TV Series, US)House of Cards - Season 4 (TV Series, US) (2016) Recommended
Feat. Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Kate Mara
Further episodes in the shadowy revival of the classic BBC political series, with Kevin Spacey (perfectly cast) as a machiavellian congressman…
JackieJackie (2016) Aro Favourite
Dir. Pablo Larrain
Feat. Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig
A portrait of Jackie Kennedy following the assassination of her husband John F. Kennedy. Natalie Portman provides an intimate and sensitive portrayal…
LBJLBJ (2016)
Dir. Rob Reiner
Feat. Woody Harrelson, Rob Reiner
Absorbing biopic set during the tumultuous era when JFK is assassinated, and his democratic political rival Lyndon Johnson is suddenly thrust into…
NerudaNeruda (2016) Recommended
Dir. Pablo Larrain
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Luis Gnecco, Mercedes Morán
Universally acclaimed biographical drama about poet and communist senator Pablo Neruda, who was forced into hiding with his artist wife when the Cold…
RiskRisk (2016) Recommended
Dir. Laura Poitras
The director of CITIZENFOUR focuses on another political dissident, Julian Assange, whom she followed for six years through controversies and…
SnowdenSnowden (2016)
Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Zachary Quinto
The ever–polemical Oliver Stone dramatises the remarakble story of whistleblower Edward Snowden, the polarizing figure who was forced into…
Southside with YouSouthside with You (2016) Recommended
Dir. Richard Tanne
Feat. Tika Sumpter, Parker Sawyers
A tender and thoughtful romantic drama that chronicles the summer afternoon when a young Barack Obama wooed his future First Lady on an epic first…
Versus: The Life and Films of Ken LoachVersus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach (2016)
Dir. Louise Osmond
A revealing tribute to the life and career of one of Britain's most eminent film–makers and socially–conscious artists, whose prolific…
War DogsWar Dogs (2016)
Dir. Todd Phillips
Feat. Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Ana de Armas
Pointed political comedy with Jonah Hill and Miles Teller striking it rich when they land a contract to arm the Afghanistan army.
WeinerWeiner (2016) Recommended
Dir. Josh Kriegman, Elyyse Steinberg
Shockingly funny all–access doco that exposes the machinations of a political campaign following former congressman Anthony Weiner's earnest…
Accidental LoveAccidental Love (Nailed) (2015)
Dir. David O. Russell
Feat. Jessica Biel, Jake Gyllenhaal, Catherine Keener
Political satire written by Kristin Gore (Al's daughter) about a small town waitress who gets a nail accidentally lodged in her head causing…
Best of EnemiesBest of Enemies (2015) Aro Favourite
Dir. Robert Gordon, Morgan Neville
Riveting account of the frequently explosive televised debates between the liberal Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley that transfixed…
Black Panthers, The: Vanguard of the RevolutionBlack Panthers, The: Vanguard of the Revolution (2015)
Dir. Stanley Nelson Jr
Well–crafted doco that examines the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party, one of the 20th century's most alluring and controversial…
Death in Leon (TV Mini-series)Death in Leon (TV Mini-series) (Muerte en Leon) (2015)
Dir. Justin Webster
A non–fiction series about the murder of Isabel Carrasco, a controversial politician and president of the Provincial Council of Leon, Spain.…
Emperor's New Clothes, TheEmperor's New Clothes, The (2015)
Dir. Michael Winterbottom
Feat. Russell Brand
Russell Brand and Michael Winterbottom team up to present this angry, but also blackly funny, examination of the growing disparity between different…
House of Cards - Season 3 (TV Series, US)House of Cards - Season 3 (TV Series, US) (2015)
Feat. Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Kate Mara
Further episodes in the shadowy revival of the classic BBC political series, with Kevin Spacey (perfectly cast) as a machiavellian congressman…
Look of Silence, TheLook of Silence, The (2015) Recommended
Dir. Joshua Oppenheimer
Devastating sequel to the acclaimed THE ACT OF KILLING examines the genocide from the victim's perspective, following a family of survivors as they…
Occupied (TV Series)Occupied (TV Series) (2015) Recommended
Feat. Ane Dahl Torp, Henrik Mestad
Exciting Norwegian political thriller from the pen of Jo Nesbo that posits a future Norway taken over by Russia in a bid to increase oil production.
Our Brand is CrisisOur Brand is Crisis (2015)
Dir. David Gordon Green
Feat. Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton, Anthony Mackie
Thorny comedy examines the role of American 'political consultants' in foreign elections. Sandra Bullock is sent to Bolivia to help re–elect a…
Requiem for the American DreamRequiem for the American Dream (2015)
Dir. Peter D. Hutchison, Kelly Nyks
A bracing encapsulation of Professor Noam Chomsky's political and philosophical views, focusing particularly on the damaging effects of inequality in…
Show Me a Hero (TV Mini-Series)Show Me a Hero (TV Mini-Series) (2015) Recommended
Dir. Paul Haggis
Feat. Oscar Isaac, Peter Riegert, Alfred Molina
Extraordinary true story of the political fight to build public housing in white middle–class neighbourhoods in 1980's New York. From the…
TruthTruth (2015) Recommended
Dir. James Vanderbilt
Feat. Cate Blanchett, Robert Redford, Topher Grace
A multi–layered and incrementally tense newsroom docudrama that captures the controversy that befell Dan Rather and CBS after they broadcast an…
Welcome to LeithWelcome to Leith (2015) Recommended
Dir. Michael Beach Nichols, Christopher K. Walker
A living nightmare unfolds for the townsfolk of the North Dakota town of Leith (pop. 24) when a notorious white supremacist moves in with a nefarious…
Where to Invade NextWhere to Invade Next (2015) Recommended
Dir. Michael Moore
A good–natured comic polemic from film–maker Michael Moore, who this time "invades" a host of European nations in pursuit of progressive,…
ZipperZipper (2015)
Dir. Mora Stephens
Feat. Patrick Wilson, Lena Headey, Ray Winstone
Political drama about a federal prosecutor whose sexual promiscuity threatens to destroy his political future and his life.
Blue Eyes (TV Series)Blue Eyes (TV Series) (2014)
Feat. Linus Wahlgren, Sven Nordin, Louise Peterhoff
A chief of staff at the Swedish justice department goes missing in the weeks leading up to the national election, and her replacement uncovers a…
Green Prince, TheGreen Prince, The (2014) Recommended
Dir. Nadav Schirman
Absorbing account of how a son of a founding leader in the Palestinian organization, Hamas, became a spy for the Israelis.
Honourable Woman, The (TV Mini-series)Honourable Woman, The (TV Mini-series) (2014) Aro Favourite
Feat. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Stephen Rea, Lubna Azabal
A rigorous, fast–paced thriller with Maggie Gyllenhaal as a woman who inherits her father's arms business, and finds herself in a international…
House of Cards - Season 2 (TV Series, US)House of Cards - Season 2 (TV Series, US) (2014) Aro Favourite
Feat. Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Kate Mara
Further episodes in the shadowy revival of the classic BBC political series, with Kevin Spacey (perfectly cast) as a machiavellian congressman…
Interview, TheInterview, The (2014)
Dir. Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen
Feat. Seth Rogen, James Franco, Lizzy Caplan
The highly controversial comedy that sparked a political crisis has a tabloid reporter recruited by the CIA to murder North Korean dictator Kim…
Madam Secretary (TV Series)Madam Secretary (TV Series) (2014)
Feat. Tea Leoni, Tim Daly, Keith Carradine
Tea Leoni stars in this astute political drama that looks at the personal and professional life of a Secretary of State as she tries to balance her…
Merchants of Doubt, TheMerchants of Doubt, The (2014) Aro Favourite
Dir. Robert Kenner
The director of FOOD INC. takes on corporate titans once again, here exposing their duplicitous agenda to mislead consumers on climate change using…
SelmaSelma (2014) Recommended
Dir. Ava DuVernay
Feat. David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Tim Roth
Stirring chronicle of Martin Luther King's campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.
Welcome to New YorkWelcome to New York (2014)
Dir. Abel Ferrara
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Jacqueline Bisset
Gerard Depardieu stars in Abel Ferrara's divisive drama based on the sexual misconduct allegations made against French diplomat Dominique…
Aim High in CreationAim High in Creation (2013)
Dir. Anna Broinowski
With ambitions to stop a new gas mine from being established near her Sydney home, director Anna Broinowski (FORBIDDEN LIES) goes to North Korea to…
Borgen - Series 3 (TV Series)Borgen - Series 3 (TV Series) (2013) Aro Favourite
Feat. Sidse Babett Knudsen, Birgitte Hjort Sørensen, Pilou Asbæk
Further episodes from the Bafta–winning Danish political drama in which an idealistic prime minister's rise to power brings with it a web of…
Broken CityBroken City (2013)
Dir. Allen Hughes
Feat. Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones
In this serviceable political thriller, Mark Wahlberg plays a New York private eye who is recruited by the city mayor (Russell Crowe) to expose his…
Butler, TheButler, The (2013)
Dir. Lee Daniels
Feat. Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Mariah Carey
A stagy but sincere history of post–war Black America from the point of view of a White House servant (played by Forest Whitaker). It works as…
Death of a Pilgrim (TV Mini-Series)Death of a Pilgrim (TV Mini-Series) (2013)
Feat. Rolf Lassgard
Fascinating Scandi–conspiracy thriller centred on the assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme in 1986, a murder that to this day…
French Minister, TheFrench Minister, The (Quai d'Orsay) (2013)
Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Thierry Lhermitte, Niels Arestrup, Julie Gayet
A cutting political satire set in the world of French diplomacy, about the relationship between a young speechwriter and the Minister of Foreign…
Gore Vidal: United States of AmnesiaGore Vidal: United States of Amnesia (2013) Recommended
Dir. Nicolas D. Wrathall
Stimulating portrait of the one of the 20th century's most iconoclastic commentators drawing on a wealth of archival material and candid interviews…
Hot AirHot Air (2013)
Dir. Abi King-Jones, Alister Barry
Is it possible for a small democratic nation to address the greatest political challenge of the age? That is the question posed by this timely…
House of Cards - Season 1 (TV Series, US)House of Cards - Season 1 (TV Series, US) (2013) Aro Favourite
Dir. David Fincher
Feat. Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Kate Mara
A deep, shadowy revival of the classic BBC political series, with Kevin Spacey (perfectly cast) as a machiavellian congressman manipulating his way…
Killing LincolnKilling Lincoln (2013)
Dir. Adrian Moat
Feat. Billy Campbell
Bill O'Reilly's novel about the assassination of President Lincoln from the point of view of John Wilkes Booth is the basis for this uneven but…
Mandela: Long Walk To FreedomMandela: Long Walk To Freedom (2013) Recommended
Dir. Justin Chadwick
Feat. Idris Elba, Naomie Harris, Tony Kgoroge
Idris Elba portrays the late Nelson Mendela from his childhood rural upbringing through to his inauguration as the first democratically elected…
ParklandParkland (2013)
Dir. Peter Landesman
Feat. Marcia Gay Harden, Zac Efron, Paul Giamatti
A suspenseful account of the chaotic events that occurred directly in the aftermath of JFK's assassination.
Pussy Riot: A Punk PrayerPussy Riot: A Punk Prayer (2013)
Dir. Mike Lerner, Maxim Pozdorovkin
A galvanizing portrait of the all–female punk rockers whose headline–grabbing music and performance art continues to bring Putin's…
Spirit of '45, TheSpirit of '45, The (2013) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ken Loach
In this illuminating documentary, Ken Loach movingly celebrates the radical changes during postwar Britain under the new Labour government, which…
Stuart Hall Project, TheStuart Hall Project, The (2013)
Dir. John Akomfrah
Personalised portrait of cultural theorist Stuart Hall, who is regarded as one of the founding figures of the New Left and a key architect of…
Trials of Muhammad Ali, TheTrials of Muhammad Ali, The (2013)
Dir. Bill Siegel
Excellent, illuminating profile of Muhammad Ali's trials outside of the boxing ring, in particular his fight against being conscripted into the US…
Unknown Known, TheUnknown Known, The (2013)
Dir. Errol Morris
Controversial former United States Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, discusses his career in Washington D.C. from his days as a congressman in…
We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaksWe Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks (2013) Recommended
Dir. Alex Gibney
Prolific documentarian Alex Gibney rigorously investigates the creation of the controversial WikiLeaks website and its conspicuous founder, Julian…
Act of Killing, TheAct of Killing, The (2012) Recommended
Dir. Joshua Oppenheimer
A staggering human rights documentary that elicits (and re–stages) boastful confessions of Indonesia's surviving death squad members, whose…
After MayAfter May (Something in the Air) (2012)
Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Lola Créton, Clément Métayer
Hatched from dir. Olivier Assayas' personal experiences, this bittersweet evocation of the leftist fervour that caught hold of young Europeans in the…
Campaign, TheCampaign, The (2012)
Dir. Jay Roach
Feat. Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Sudeikis
A naive political lackey is handpicked to run against a bumbling North Carolina congressman in this demented satire of the American electoral process.
Dictator, TheDictator, The (2012) Recommended
Dir. Larry Charles
Feat. Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris, Jason Mantzoukas
Sacha Baron Cohen returns with this sweet 'n' vulgar satire as a ruthless Middle Eastern tyrant who's diplomatic visit to New York doesn't go…
Dirty Business - How Mining Made AustraliaDirty Business - How Mining Made Australia (2012)
An insight into the riches and turmoil behind Australia's nickname of "the lucky country", and how the mining of its vast natural resources has…
Game ChangeGame Change (2012)
Dir. Jay Roach
Feat. Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson, Ed Harris
Julianne Moore is uncanny as John McCain's notorious 2008 presidential running mate in this revealing biopic of Alaska Governor turned right wing…
Gatekeepers, TheGatekeepers, The (2012) Recommended
Dir. Dror Moreh
Six former heads of Israel’s Shin Bet secret service agency open up about their work and the state of the Israel–Palestine divide in this…
House I Live In, TheHouse I Live In, The (2012)
Dir. Eugene Jarecki
The definitive documentary on the 'war on drugs' to date, this canvases the people and the stories on both sides of the law to reveal the profound…
Hyde Park on HudsonHyde Park on Hudson (2012)
Dir. Roger Michell
Feat. Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Olivia Colman
Pleasant chronicle of the affair between President Roosevelt (Bill Murray) and his distant cousin, Daisy (Laura Linney), which comes to light during…
LincolnLincoln (2012)
Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn
Daniel Day–Lewis portrays the famed U.S. President between 1861 and 1865 as he dealt with personal demons and politics during the Civil War in…
NoNo (2012) Aro Favourite
Dir. Pablo Larrain
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Alfredo Castro
Gael Garcia Bernal plays an ad executive who conceives a campaign to defeat Augusto Pinochet in Chile's 1988 referendum in this unique celebration of…
Political Animals (TV Mini-Series)Political Animals (TV Mini-Series) (2012)
Feat. Sigourney Weaver, Carla Gugino, James Wolk
Meaty White House drama with Sigourney Weaver, in a clear nod to Hillary Clinton, playing a divorced former First Lady now making waves as Secretary…
Scandal (TV Series)Scandal (TV Series) (2012-2016)
Feat. Kerry Washington, Columbus Short, Tony Goldwyn
Kerry Washington plays a 'professional fixer' whose former life as a White House staffer draws her back into the world of political…
Shadow DancerShadow Dancer (2012)
Dir. James Marsh
Feat. Clive Owen, Andrea Riseborough, Gillian Anderson
Andrea Riseborough plays a staunch IRA revolutionary who is apprehended by British intelligence and forced to become a double agent in this…
Shadow Men, TheShadow Men, The (Spin; Les Hommes De L'Ombre) (2012) Recommended
Feat. Nathalie Baye, Philippe Magnan, Bruno Wolkowitch
Political drama series follows the actions of a group of spin doctors who each advance their own cause after the assassination of the French…
ShahidShahid (2012)
Dir. Hansal Mehta
Feat. Rajkummar Rao, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Kay Kay Menon
Indian biopic about the life of lawyer and human rights activist Shahid Azmi, who was assassinated in 2010 by four right wing assailants. Known…
Untold History of the United States, The (TV Series)Untold History of the United States, The (TV Series) (2012)
Dir. Oliver Stone
Oliver Stone is the voice and reasoning behind this fascinating, if contentious revisionist Cold War history through American foreign…
Veep (TV Series)Veep (TV Series) (2012) Recommended
Feat. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Anna Chlumsky, Matt Walsh
THE THICK OF IT creator Armando Iannucci successfully transplants the formula of his hit British political satire to the White House in this winning…
What Really Happened: Votes for WomenWhat Really Happened: Votes for Women (2012)
Feat. Sara Wiseman, Craig Hall, Stephen Lovatt
Another edifying take on a key turning point in New Zealand history (following What Really Happened: Waitangi), this Sunday Theatre commission…
Beginning of the Great RevivalBeginning of the Great Revival (The Founding of a Party) (2011)
Dir. Sanping Han, Jianxin Huang
Feat. Andy Lau, Chow Yun-Fat, Daniel Wu
In the tradition of unashamedly jingoistic cinema comes this state–sanctioned celebration of ninety years of Chinese Communist Party rule.…
Borgen - Series 2 (TV Series)Borgen - Series 2 (TV Series) (2011) Aro Favourite
Feat. Sidse Babett Knudsen, Birgitte Hjort Sørensen, Pilou Asbæk
Further episodes from the Bafta–winning Danish political drama in which an idealistic prime minister's rise to power brings with it a web of…
Boss (TV Series)Boss (TV Series) (2011) Recommended
Feat. Kelsey Grammer, Connie Nielsen
In this tough political series, Kelsey Grammer is magnetic as a gritty Chicago mayor fighting for his city and his seat in office despite the onset…
How to Start a RevolutionHow to Start a Revolution (2011)
Dir. Ruaridh Arrow
The remarkable story of Nobel Peace Prize nominee Dr Gene Sharp, the elderly, softly spoken man whose writings concerning the way to wage a…
Ides of March, TheIdes of March, The (2011) Recommended
Dir. George Clooney
Feat. George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Ryan Gosling plays an idealistic campaign worker forced to play dirty in a battle between opposing sides in a Democratic primary campaign in this…
If a Tree FallsIf a Tree Falls (2011) Recommended
Dir. Marshall Curry
Part coming–of–age tale, part cops–and–robbers thriller, this extraordinary documentary tells the story of Daniel McGowan,…
Iron Lady, TheIron Lady, The (2011) Recommended
Dir. Phyllida Lloyd
Feat. Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Iain Glen
Meryl Streep's Oscar–winning incarnation dominates this stylized biography of Margaret Thatcher, the conservative British Prime Minister who…
Julian Assange - A Modern Day Hero?Julian Assange - A Modern Day Hero? (Inside the World of WikiLeaks) (2011)
Fascinating, if patchy insight into the media whirlwind created when whistle–blowing website WikiLeaks published the Afghan War documents in…
Kennedys, The (TV Mini-Series)Kennedys, The (TV Mini-Series) (2011)
Dir. Jon Cassar
Feat. Greg Kinnear, Barry Pepper, Katie Holmes
The latest in a long line of dramatizations around the Kennedy legacy in US politics, shaded as always by tragedy and scandal. While the…
Lady, TheLady, The (2011)
Dir. Luc Besson
Feat. Michelle Yeoh, David Thewlis, Benedict Wong
Luc Besson directs this stirring biopic of Burmese pro–democracy activist turned political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi.
Minister, TheMinister, The (2011)
Dir. Pierre Schöller
Feat. Olivier Gourmet, Michel Blanc, Zabou Breitman
Nuanced political drama follows the daily process of governance from the vantage point of of the French Transport Minister as he negotiates the…
Operation 8: Deep in the ForestOperation 8: Deep in the Forest (2011) Recommended
Dir. Errol Wright, Abi King-Jones
Cohesive and compelling documentary that gives credible voice to the Maori sovereignty and peace activists who were targeted in police raids and…
Promise, The (TV Series)Promise, The (TV Series) (2011)
Dir. Peter Kosminsky
Feat. Claire Foy, Christian Cooke, Itay Tiran
Intelligent, finely balanced drama alternates between storylines set in 1940s Palestine and present day Israel in its address of the contentious…
RageRage (Rage1981) (2011) Aro Favourite
Dir. Danny Mulheron
Feat. Maria Walker, Ryan O’Kane, Paul Harrop
Vividly–realised telemovie depicting a star–crossed romance against the turbulent and controversial 1981 Springbok Rugby Tour of New…
RebellionRebellion (2011)
Dir. Mathieu Kassovitz
Feat. Mathieu Kassovitz, Iabe Lapacas, Malik Zidi
A proficient, airtight geopolitical thriller from dir. Kassovitz, who also stars as the captain of a counterterrorist division sent to New Caledonia…
Sarah Palin: You Betcha!Sarah Palin: You Betcha! (2011)
Dir. Nick Broomfield
Renowned documentarian Nick Broomfield journeys to the devoutly evangelical, crystal meth capital of Alaska, in pursuit of Sarah Palin. Interviewing…
Triangle WarsTriangle Wars (2011)
Dir. Rosie Jones
Absorbing study of local politics as a community rallies together as developers threaten to convert a prime slice of land into 180 shops.
WhatsoeverlyWhatsoeverly (Qualunquemente) (2011)
Dir. Giulio Manfredonia
Feat. Antonio Albanese, Sergio Rubini
Irrepressibly Italian satirical comedy film starring comedian Antonio Albanese as his famous character Cetto La Qualunque – a corrupt…
Borgen - Series 1 (TV Series)Borgen - Series 1 (TV Series) (2010) Aro Favourite
Feat. Sidse Babett Knudsen, Birgitte Hjort Sørensen, Pilou Asbæk
Bafta–winning Danish political drama in which an idealistic prime minister's rise to power brings with it a web of consequences, sacrifices and…
Casino JackCasino Jack (2010)
Dir. George Hickenlooper
Feat. Kevin Spacey, Barry Pepper, Jon Lovitz
A cracking script that favours comedy through absurdity over a heavyweight statement on American politics energises this dramatization of the scandal…
Casino Jack and the United States of MoneyCasino Jack and the United States of Money (2010) Recommended
Dir. Alex Gibney
Another compelling take on high–level corruption from dir. Alex Gibney (ENRON, TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE), this time delivering a weighty account…
Chasing MadoffChasing Madoff (2010)
Dir. Jeff Prosserman
Infamous for the 'Ponzi scheme' that defrauded thousands of investors of billions of dollars, Bernie Madoff is put to the sword in this fascinating…
Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot SpitzerClient 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer (2010) Recommended
Dir. Alex Gibney
Scandal–laden follow–up to dir. Gibney's excellent doco on Jack 'Casino Jack' Abramoff takes an in–depth look at former New York…
Draquila - Italy TremblesDraquila - Italy Trembles (2010)
Dir. Sabina Guzzanti
Sabina Guzzanti returns once more to do battle with Silvio Berlusconi in this incendiary doc that examines his administration's handling of the…
Elite Squad: The Enemy WithinElite Squad: The Enemy Within (Elite Squad 2) (2010)
Dir. José Padilha
Feat. Wagner Moura, Andre Ramiro
This riveting sequel to dir. Padilha's blockbuster policier features a more politically engaged storyline, with plenty of new angles on the…
Four LionsFour Lions (2010) Aro Favourite
Dir. Chris Morris
Feat. Kayvan Novak, Riz Ahmed, Nigel Lindsay
Explosive comedy of folly and idiocy that follows four would–be Jihadists as they bicker and blunder towards their intended target. Perhaps…
Ghost Writer, TheGhost Writer, The (2010) Recommended
Dir. Roman Polanski
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Olivia Williams
A cracking yarn in unapologetic Hitchcock mould has Ewan McGregor hired to complete the memoirs of a Tony Blair–like former British prime…
God in AmericaGod in America (2010)
Ambitious PBS series tackles more than 500 years of the American religious experience, from the voyage of Christopher Columbus to the 2008…
Green ZoneGreen Zone (2010) Recommended
Dir. Paul Greengrass
Feat. Matt Damon, Amy Ryan, Brendan Gleeson
Action ace Paul Greengrass deploys Bourne leading man Matt Damon in this frenetic, politically pointed thriller focused on the hunt for Weapons of…
Inside JobInside Job (2010) Aro Favourite
Dir. Charles Ferguson
Enraging and comprehensive analysis of the global financial crisis of 2008, which at a cost over $20 trillion, caused millions of people to lose…
Money WarsMoney Wars (2010)
Dir. Richard Houston, Dragana Kalezic
Scathing examination of the post–war U.S. financial system that chronicles the bail–outs, the corruption, the takeovers and the gradual…
My PerestroikaMy Perestroika (2010)
Dir. Robin Hessman
A playful and positive sense of nostalgia permeates through this enthralling documentary on the lives of five Moscow youngsters who grew through the…
Names of Love, TheNames of Love, The (2010)
Dir. Michel Leclerc
Feat. Jacques Gamblin, Sara Forestier, Zinedine Soualem
Witty cocktail of sex and politics about an extroverted left–wing activist who sleeps with her political opponents to convert them to her cause.
PotichePotiche (2010) Recommended
Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Gerard Depardieu, Fabrice Luchini
Bubbly satire has 60–something Catherine Deneuve transform from trophy wife to a strong–headed businesswoman after her chauvinist husband…
Special Relationship, TheSpecial Relationship, The (2010)
Dir. Richard Loncraine
Feat. Michael Sheen, Dennis Quaid, Hope Davis
The third in the trilogy of 'Tony Blair' movies scripted by Peter Morgan (following THE DEAL and THE QUEEN), this one examines the complex dynamics…
Waiting for SupermanWaiting for Superman (2010) Recommended
Dir. Davis Guggenheim
Disheartening look at the state of U.S. education follows several children as they navigate their way through the increasingly poor public school…
Afghan StarAfghan Star (2009) Aro Favourite
Dir. Havana Marking
Islamic fundamentalism and pop music commericalism make uneasy bedfellows in this vital, eye–opening documentary that follows the fortunes of…
BaliboBalibo (2009) Aro Favourite
Dir. Robert Connolly
Feat. Anthony LaPaglia, Oscar Isaac, Nathan Phillips
Searing political thriller based on the death of five Australian–based journalists (one, a Kiwi) who, upon covering the occupation of East…
Burma VJBurma VJ (2009) Recommended
Dir. Anders Ostergaard
Enterprising guerrilla documentary shows how members of the Democratic Voice of Burma are using miniature handycams to record and disseminate raw…
Capitalism - A Love StoryCapitalism - A Love Story (2009) Aro Favourite
Dir. Michael Moore
Doco legend Michael Moore comes full circle after detouring with US gun culture (BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE), foreign policy (FAHRENHEIT 9/11), and health…
End of America, TheEnd of America, The (2009)
Dir. Anne Sundberg, Ricki Stern
A one–woman rally–cry based on the New York Times bestseller, this film embellishes author Naomi Wolf's live lectures around her book's…
EndgameEndgame (2009) Recommended
Dir. Peter Travis
Feat. William Hurt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jonny Lee Miller
South Africa's fraught history is tackled in this solid, involving account of President P.W. Botha’s segregationist regime, and his secretive talks…
Five Minutes of HeavenFive Minutes of Heaven (2009)
Dir. Oliver Hirschbiegel
Feat. Liam Neeson, James Nesbitt, Anamaria Marinca
Northern Ireland's troubled past is tackled in a contemporary spirit of "truth and reconciliation" in this fictional drama in which James Nesbitt…
Founding of a Republic, TheFounding of a Republic, The (Jian guo da ye) (2009)
Dir. Sanping Han, Jianxin Huang
Feat. Guoqiang Tang, Guoli Zhang, Qing Xu
The People’s Republic of China rolls out the big guns for this 60th anniversary epic, chronicling in big, sweeping gestures, the uprising of Mao…
High School RevolutionHigh School Revolution (The Trotsky) (2009)
Dir. Jacob Tierney
Feat. Jay Baruchel, Domini Blythe, Emily Hampshire
Smart teen comedy with Baruchel taking the lead as an intensely politicised high–schooler convinced he's the reincarnation of Leon Trotsky.
Hitler's Bodyguard (TV Series)Hitler's Bodyguard (TV Series) (2009)
13–part documentary series offering a thorough, at times incredible, examination of the men who protected Adolf Hitler against numerous…
Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and RebelHugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel (2009)
Dir. Brigitte Berman
Entertaining documentary that purports to show the other side of flamboyant founder of the Playboy editor. Focusing on his philanthropic endeavours…
In The LoopIn The Loop (2009) Aro Favourite
Dir. Armando Iannucci
Feat. Tom Hollander, Peter Capaldi, Gina McKee
Crushingly sharp political satire set in the hubbub of Whitehall and Washington, where petty political games are hilariously played out while the…
Mexican Border Wars (TV Series)Mexican Border Wars (TV Series) (2009)
National Geographic series about American customs agents, whose job it is to curb illegal immigration and narcotics trafficking for a country…
Most Dangerous Man In America, TheMost Dangerous Man In America, The (Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers) (2009) Recommended
Dir. Rick Goldsmith, Judith Ehrlich
Galvanizing portrait of whistle blower Daniel Ellsberg, a former military analyst and aide to Robert McNamara who leaked classified Pentagon papers…
Move On: Storming the GateMove On: Storming the Gate (The MoveOn.org Story) (2009) Recommended
Dir. Scott Stevenson
Partisan documentary examines the revolutionary history and importance of one of the biggest progressive grass–roots movements in U.S.…
Paris 1919Paris 1919 (Un traité pour la paix) (2009)
Dir. Paul Cowan
Feat. David Lowe, Paul Bandey, Yan Brian
History–drenched docudrama merging archival footage with live action, examining the tricky negotiations that led to the signing of the Treaty…
Shock Doctrine, TheShock Doctrine, The (2009)
Dir. Michael Winterbottom, Mat Whitecross
A fast and loose overview of Naomi Klein's contentious "alternate history" of Western economics, which argues how "disaster capitalism", in feeding…
Soundtrack for a RevolutionSoundtrack for a Revolution (2009)
Dir. Bill Guttentag, Dan Sturman
Joss Stone, John Legend, Wyclef Jean, and The Roots, among others, perform tribute covers of freedom songs from the American Civil Rights movement in…
State Of PlayState Of Play (2009) Recommended
Dir. Kevin MacDonald
Feat. Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams
With excellent political thriller credentials, this accomplished remake (from the BBC mini–series) transposes its conspiracy–laden scoop…
StormStorm (2009)
Dir. Hans-Christian Schmid
Feat. Kerry Fox, Anamaria Marinca, Stephen Dillane
Accomplished international courtroom drama sees a determined prosecutor (Fox) risk life and limb in order to prove that the former commander of the…
William Kunstler: Disturbing the UniverseWilliam Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe (2009)
Filmmakers Emily and Sarah Kunstler explore the life of their father, the late radical civil rights lawyer. In the 1960s and 70s, William Kunstler…
Yes Men Fix the World, TheYes Men Fix the World, The (2009)
Dir. Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno
The activist pranksters of documentary THE YES MEN direct and star in their own follow–up, which chronicles their continuing adventures as…
10 Conditions Of Love, The10 Conditions Of Love, The (2008)
Dir. Jeff Daniels
Controversial documentary slammed by the Chinese government focused on Rebiya Kadeer, a tireless campaigner for human rights who has been punished at…
A Year in Tibet (TV Series) A Year in Tibet (TV Series) (2008)
A momentous and timely series filmed inside the mountainous region of Tibet focusing on the Tibetan people and how they manage to live under imposed…
Baader Meinhof Complex, TheBaader Meinhof Complex, The (2008) Recommended
Dir. Uli Edel
Feat. Martina Gedeck, Moritz Bleibtreu, Johanna Wokalek
A big–budget, pulse–pounding account of terrorism and political protest in 1960s and 70s Germany, centred on the notorious Red Army…
Barack Obama: His StoryBarack Obama: His Story (2008)
Topical documentary tracking the life of the newly elected president of the United States Barack Obama, from meagre beginnings to his steady rise…
Barack Obama: Yes We CanBarack Obama: Yes We Can (2008)
Significant documentary outlining the incredible story of Barack Hussein Obama, a man with an American mother and Kenyan father who became a national…
Behind Closed Doors: Stalin, The Nazis and The WestBehind Closed Doors: Stalin, The Nazis and The West (2008)
Six–episode BBC/PBS documentary series on the role of Joseph Stalin and German–Soviet relations before, during, and after World War II…
BlairBlair (2008)
Dir. Richard Sanders
A revealing post–Labour confessional from Britain's former Prime Minister Tony Blair, focused on world crises during his tenure, and…
Boogie Man - The Lee Atwater Story Boogie Man - The Lee Atwater Story (2008)
Dir. Stefan Forbes
Gripping political documentary revealing the life of ruthless right–wing political strategist and musician Lee Atwater, who was instrumental in…
Bulletproof SalesmanBulletproof Salesman (2008)
Dir. Petra Epperlein, Michael Tucker
This documentary provides a different slant on the business of war as it introduces us to Fidelis Cloer – a German armoured vehicle salesman…
Bush's War Bush's War (2008)
Dir. Michael Kirk
Extensive two–part documentary chronicling the Iraq War from the post 9/11 murmurings and "Weapons of Mass Destruction" allegations through to…
Che: Part OneChe: Part One (The Argentine) (2008)
Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Benicio Del Toro, Julia Ormond, Rodrigo Santoro
An epic undertaking by dir. Steven Soderbergh, this two part resurrection of the Che Guevara legend (played charismatically by Benicio del Toro)…
Che: Part TwoChe: Part Two (Guerilla) (2008)
Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Benicio Del Toro, Rodrigo Santoro, Demian Bichir
An epic undertaking by dir. Steven Soderbergh, this two part resurrection of the Che Guevara legend (played charismatically by Benicio del Toro)…
ChevolutionChevolution (2008)
Dir. Luis Lopez, Trisha Ziff
Cuban revolutionary history is examined through photographer Alberto Korda’s iconic portrait of Che Guevara – now a ubiquitous and exploited…
Chris Rock: Kill The MessengerChris Rock: Kill The Messenger (2008)
Feat. Chris Rock
Live from New York, Johannesburg and London, Chris Rock is on fine form as he spouts risque, albeit familiar, observations on interracial and sexual…
CSNY Deja-VuCSNY Deja-Vu (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) (2008)
Dir. Bernard Shakey
Feat. Neil Young
Riveting, candid and politically charged documentary from Neil Young (pseudonym Bernard Shakey), filmed as Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young crisscross…
Definitely, MaybeDefinitely, Maybe (2008)
Dir. Adam Brooks
Feat. Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Rachel Weisz
Ryan Reynolds explains his 'complicated' romantic history to his young daughter (Breslin) in this agreeable romantic comedy set against a backdrop of…
Flow: For Love Of Water Flow: For Love Of Water (2008)
Dir. Irena Salina
Imperative documentary investigating the impending World Water Crisis due to the privatization of water supplies and greed of major corporations.…
Frost/NixonFrost/Nixon (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ron Howard
Feat. Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Sam Rockwell
Terrific adaptation of the Peter Morgan stageplay providing a dramatic retelling of the story behind the famous interviews between ex–President…
GoodGood (2008)
Dir. Vicente Amorim
Feat. Viggo Mortensen, Jason Isaacs, Jodie Whittaker
Based on the acclaimed stageplay by C.P. Taylor, Viggo Mortensen sports a convincing English accent to portray a German academic who is reluctantly…
Hollow Men, TheHollow Men, The (2008)
Dir. Alister Barry
Seasoned documentarian Alister Barry distills Nicky Hager's hot potato expose of National Party leader Don Brash into a confronting, election year…
HungerHunger (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Steve McQueen
Feat. Michael Fassbender, Stuart Graham
Combating harrowing subject matter with formal brilliance, this masterful examination of extreme resistance concerns the 1981 IRA hunger strike and…
I.O.U.S.A.I.O.U.S.A. (2008) Recommended
Dir. Patrick Creadon
Cogent, accessible doco on the nightmare of US fiscal irresponsibility that lets the expert heads and engaging graphics do the talking. It…
Il DivoIl Divo (The Deity) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Paolo Sorrentino
Feat. Toni Servillo, Anna Bonaiuto, Flavio Bucci
Dazzling, high–end political intrigue from dir. of CONSEQUENCES OF LOVE speculates on the years following Giulio Andreotti’s seventh term as…
India RebornIndia Reborn (2008) Recommended
Fascinating and disturbing doco series that looks at India as the next superpower, and the juxtapositions to its mighty wealth that cloud its future…
Indonesia - A Reporter's JourneyIndonesia - A Reporter's Journey (2008)
Feat. Mike Carlton
The complex relationship between Australia and its oft–misunderstood Northern neighbour is explored by journalist and radio broadcaster Mike…
Jihad for Love, A Jihad for Love, A (2008)
Dir. Parvez Sharma
Revealing documentary on homosexuality and the Islamic faith, filmed in secret over 5 and a half years under the Muslim government radar. Although…
John AdamsJohn Adams (2008) Recommended
Dir. Tom Hooper
Feat. Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney, Sarah Polley
Acclaimed miniseries on the life of America's second president and founding father John Adams. Simultaneously epic and intimate this is compulsory…
John Pilger's Australia John Pilger's Australia (Documentaries that Changed the World Vol. 2) (2008)
Feat. John Pilger
Across 3 discs, seasoned political commentator John Pilger turns the focus to Australia, providing a detailed critical analysis of Australian…
Margaret Thatcher - The Long Walk to Finchley Margaret Thatcher - The Long Walk to Finchley (2008)
Dir. Niall MacCormick
Feat. Geoffrey Palmer, Andrea Riseborough
Appealing political drama focused on Margaret Thatcher's younger years as she attempts to enter parliament despite opposition from the British…
MilkMilk (2008) Recommended
Dir. Gus Van Sant
Feat. Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin
Saying it proud but not too loud, this dramatized biopic of the first openly–elected gay official fittingly tributes the legacy of San…
Miracle of BerlinMiracle of Berlin (Das Wunder von Berlin) (2008)
Dir. Roland Suso Richter
Feat. Kostja Ullmann, Karoline Herfurth, Veronica Ferres
Ambitious telemovie set in Berlin, 1988, where a rebellious young man is forced by his father – a high–ranking Stasi officer – to…
Nothing But The TruthNothing But The Truth (2008) Recommended
Dir. Rod Lurie
Feat. Kate Beckinsale, Matt Dillon, Angela Bassett
Solid political drama 'inspired' on a true story focused around a young journalist who faces imprisonment after outing a CIA agent and refusing to…
Obama: All AccessObama: All Access (2008)
A two–year compendium of landmark CBS News coverage, chronicling Barack Obama’s historic road to the White House and beyond. Includes…
ReligulousReligulous (2008) Recommended
Dir. Larry Charles
Feat. Bill Maher
'Good' and 'Evil' are turned on their head (and in their graves) in this provocative docu–comedy following comedian and commentator Bill Maher…
Standard Operating ProcedureStandard Operating Procedure (2008)
Dir. Errol Morris
To see or not to see: that is the question posed by acclaimed director Errol Morris as he attempts to understand what took place inside the walls of…
Swing VoteSwing Vote (2008)
Dir. Joshua Michael Stern
Feat. Kevin Costner, Kelsey Grammer, Dennis Hopper
Undemanding political comedy based around the idea of a dropkick father whose polling booth blunder means he holds the 'swing vote' that will decide…
Tony ManeroTony Manero (2008) Recommended
Dir. Pablo Larrain
Feat. Alfredo Castro, Paola Lattus, Héctor Morales
Unsettling drama set against the Pinochet regime in Chile in 1978, where a psychopathic disco fan steals and kills in an effort to become the…
TraitorTraitor (2008)
Dir. Jeffrey Nachmanoff
Feat. Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Said Taghmaoui
Don Cheadle stars as a Semtex racketeer selling to the highest bidder – be he CIA or Jihadist – and finds himself a pawn on the twin…
Tudors, The (TV Series)Tudors, The (TV Series) (2008) Recommended
Feat. Johnathon Rhys-Myers, Jeremy Northam, Sam Neill
Top–rating British costume drama brings to noughties audiences the rollicking, bed–hopping, head–lopping early years of the court…
W.W. (Bush) (2008)
Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. Josh Brolin, Richard Dreyfuss, James Cromwell
Oliver Stone examines the leadership of former U.S. President George W. Bush in this wayward, if strangely compelling account of the Texan’s…
Waltz With BashirWaltz With Bashir (Vals Im Bashir) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Ari Folman
This striking hybrid animation is an audacious attempt to recall, through anecdote, dream, and documentary, the 1982 Israeli–Lebanon war.…
XIII: The Conspiracy (TV Mini-Series) XIII: The Conspiracy (TV Mini-Series) (2008)
Feat. Val Kilmer, Stephen Dorff
Intriguing mini–series set around the premise that the first female President of the United States has been assassinated by an unknown sniper…
A Civilised SocietyA Civilised Society (2007)
Dir. Alister Barry
Documentarian Alister Barry concludes his loose trilogy on New Right economic policies with this impassioned plea for the standards of public…
Axe in the Attic, TheAxe in the Attic, The (2007)
Dir. Ed Pincus, Lucia Small
Two British filmmakers, horrified by the devastation to New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, embark on a 60–day pilgrimage from…
Battle In SeattleBattle In Seattle (2007)
Dir. Stuart Townsend
Feat. Martin Henderson, Michelle Rodriguez, Woody Harrelson
Seattle’s infamous 1999 World Trade Organisation protests are analysed in this fictional, yet vivid recreation of events, shot admirably from both…
BreachBreach (2007) Recommended
Dir. Billy Ray
Feat. Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe, Laura Linney
A first–rate dramatic thriller that pits spy against spy on the American homefront, based on the true story of the FBI's internal investigation…
Burn Notice (TV Series) Burn Notice (TV Series) (2007)
Feat. Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, Bruce Campbell
Polished spy series following the fate of a "burned" spy let go by the USA government who returns to his hometown of Miama to freelance and uncover…
Charlie Wilson's WarCharlie Wilson's War (2007)
Dir. Mike Nichols
Feat. Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Tom Hanks spearheads this crisp, ever–timely political sideswipe, about a real–life Texas congressman who, together with the financial…
Chicago 10Chicago 10 (2007)
Dir. Brett Morgen
Unique documentary that splices together archival footage and motion–capture animation to recreate the infamous trial of anti–war…
Cowboys and CommunistsCowboys and Communists (Cowboys & Communists) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Jess Feast
Engaging culture documentary centred on a risque East Berlin bar and eatery (known as White Trash Fast Food), operated by an ex–pat 'cowboy'…
Darling! The Pieter-Dirk Uys StoryDarling! The Pieter-Dirk Uys Story (2007)
Dir. Julian Shaw
Moving doco focused on the litigious cross–dressing South African satirist Pieter–Dirk Uys, whose life's work included stirring…
Day ZeroDay Zero (2007)
Dir. Bryan Gunnar Cole
Feat. Elijah Wood, Jon Bernthal, Chris Klein
A 'what if scenario' study of three New Yorkers facing the draft in an alternate post–9/11 reality. There's embattled Ivy Leaguer Chris…
Dengue Fever - Sleepwalking Through the MekongDengue Fever - Sleepwalking Through the Mekong (2007)
Dir. John Pirozzi
Political rockumentary follows LA–based band Dengue Fever on their recent journey to Cambodia to perform 60s and 70s Cambodian rock n' roll in…
Devil Came on Horseback, TheDevil Came on Horseback, The (2007) Recommended
Dir. Anne Sundberg, Ricki Stern
Urgent, eye–opening documentary on the Darfur genocide, which follows US Marine Captain Brian Steidle's assignment as a neutral observer of the…
DisengagementDisengagement (2007)
Dir. Amos Gitai
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Jeanne Moreau, Liron Levo
Juliette Binoche plays a French–Israeli settler in Gaza who must return to the West Bank following Israel’s pullout from the occupied…
KatynKatyn (2007) Recommended
Dir. Andrzej Wajda
Feat. Maja Ostaszewska, Artur Żmijewski, Pawel Malaszynski
Andrzej Wajda cements himself as Poland’s greatest director with this late–career triumph, a war story addressing the eradication of some…
La Verdad?La Verdad? (The Truth?) (2007)
Dir. Helen Smyth
Whilst in Cuba, Kiwi journalist and mother–of–two Helen Smyth and husband Tim Rose (of Havana Coffee Works) inadvertently delve into its…
Lions for LambsLions for Lambs (2007) Recommended
Dir. Robert Redford
Feat. Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Tom Cruise
A contemporary 'hot potato' issue is tackled from political, academic, militaristic and journalistic viewpoints, drawing an ultimately powerful…
Manufacturing DissentManufacturing Dissent (2007)
Dir. Debbie Melnyck, Rick Caine
Not just another debunking of Michael Moore, this thoughtful, well–considered essay on the left winger’s political documentaries exposes…
Mrs Ratcliffe's RevolutionMrs Ratcliffe's Revolution (2007)
Dir. Billie Eltringham
Feat. Catherine Tate, Iain Glen, Brittany Ashworth
60s–era Brit comedy following the middle–class Ratcliffe family, who move from their comfortable Yorksire home to East Germany in live…
My Brother Is An Only ChildMy Brother Is An Only Child (Mio Fratello è Figlio Unico) (2007)
Dir. Daniele Luchetti
Feat. Elio Germano, Riccardo Scamarcio, Angela Finocchiaro
The struggle between popular Communist and Fascist groups in 60's Italy is the stage for this tale of hot–headed sibling and filial conflict.…
ObsceneObscene (2007) Recommended
Dir. Daniel O'Connor, Neil Ortenberg
The definitive film biography of Barney Rosset, the influential publisher of Grove Press and the Evergreen Review, this charts his tumultuous career…
Oswald's Ghost Oswald's Ghost (2007)
Dir. Robert Stone
This intelligent investigative doco focusing on the chain of events leading up to John F. Kennedy's assassination and the impact it had on America is…
PersepolisPersepolis (2007) Aro Favourite
Dir. Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud
Exceptional black–and–white animated feature for adults based on the autobiographical graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, who grew up in…
Pretender, The (TV Series) Pretender, The (TV Series) (2007)
Feat. Bob MacLaren
Acclaimed Kiwi mocko series centred on a self–serving New Zealand MP weaselling his way from the overlooked bank bench into second in charge of…
Sand and SorrowSand and Sorrow (2007)
Dir. Paul Freedman
A sobering, all–encompassing document of the Darfur genocide that, while not subtle, powerfully informs of the atrocities committed, as well as…
Senator Obama Goes to Africa Senator Obama Goes to Africa (2007)
Dir. Bob Hercules
Succinct documentary following Barak Obama's emotional journey with his family to Africa in 2006 in the wake of becoming the newly elected U.S.…
Send A BulletSend A Bullet (Manda Bala) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Jason Kohn
Unsettling doco exposing the corrupted underbelly of Sao Paulo, Brazil, where abduction, political fraud and torture runs rife. A protege of…
Shoot on SightShoot on Sight (2007)
Dir. Jag Mundhra
Feat. Naseeruddin Shah, Greta Scacchi, Om Puri
Not so much hot potato as lukewarm, this political thriller bases its story on the real–life shooting of an innocent Brazilian man gunned down…
SickoSicko (2007) Recommended
Dir. Michael Moore
Documentary icon Michael Moore's latest broadside utilizes his tried–and–true one–man approach to expose the inherent 'malpractice'…
Slacker UprisingSlacker Uprising (Captain Mike Across America) (2007)
Dir. Michael Moore
Footage from Michael Moore's political crusade in 2004 to convince the masses of young non–voters – aka slackers – to give voting a…
Strange CultureStrange Culture (2007)
Dir. Lynn Hershman-Leeson
Feat. Thomas Jay Ryan, Tilda Swinton, Peter Coyote
Topical and important docu–drama focusing on the charges of bio–terrorism brought against acclaimed artist Steve Kurtz after his wife's…
StrangersStrangers (2007)
Dir. Guy Nattiv, Erez Tadmor
Feat. Patrick Albenque, Lubna Azabal, Mila Dekker
Balancing hopeful romanticism with political realism, this fatalistic drama brings together an Israeli and Palestinian in Paris during the frenzy of…
Trap, TheTrap, The (The Trap: What Happened to Our Dream of Freedom?) (2007)
Dir. Adam Curtis
Ambitious treatise on the concept of freedom sees Curtis overreaching somewhat, and a certain arbitrary focus tends to lend this one a conspiratorial…
TrumboTrumbo (2007)
Dir. Peter Askin
Feat. Joan Allen, Michael Douglas, Donald Sutherland
Prominent blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo – the most famed of the alleged Communist sympathising ‘Hollywood 10’ – is the honoree of…
Walker, The Walker, The (2007)
Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Woody Harrelson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lauren Bacall
Woody Harrelson plays against type as a sharp–witted blueblood socialite who tries to solve the mystery of a murder he's framed for after…
War / Dance War / Dance (War Dance) (2007) Recommended
Life–affirming Oscar–nominated doco investigates the lives of a group of war–torn Ugandan child refugees on their path towards…
War on Democracy, TheWar on Democracy, The (2007)
Dir. John Pilger, Chris Martin
John Pilger continues his crusade against U.S foreign policy with this informative, persuasively polemical documentary about the manipulation and…
Abduction: The Megumi Yokota StoryAbduction: The Megumi Yokota Story (2006)
Dir. Patty Kim, Chris Sheridan
This startling, blow–by–blow account of a notorious Japanese abduction reveals a staggering conspiracy at the heart of a…
All The King's MenAll The King's Men (2006)
Dir. Steven Zaillian
Feat. Sean Penn, Jude Law, Anthony Hopkins
A heavyweight, if not entirely functional adaptation Robert Penn Warren's political novel about a failed idealist turned corrupt, powermongering…
Amazing Mrs Pritchard, The (TV Series)Amazing Mrs Pritchard, The (TV Series) (2006) Recommended
Feat. Jane Horrocks, Steven Mackintosh, Jodhi May
Excellent UK drama focused on supermarket manager Ros Pritchard (Horrocks) who decides to sort out Britain's political climate by running for Prime…
Blame it on Fidel!Blame it on Fidel! (La Faute à Fidel!) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Julie Gavras
Feat. Nina Kervel-Bey, Julie Depardieu, Stefano Accorsi
A warm, wise and wryly observed evocation of a child's accelerated maturation in the midst of early 1970s social and political upheaval, Nina…
Blood DiamondBlood Diamond (2006) Recommended
Dir. Edward Zwick
Feat. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, Djimon Hounsou
Robust action film with a political conscience, Leonardo DiCaprio gamely sustains a South African accent and an amoral toughness as a…
BobbyBobby (2006)
Dir. Emilio Estevez
Feat. Laurence Fishburne, Heather Graham, Anthony Hopkins
In the sprawling, overlapping traditional of Robert Altman, dir. Emilio Estevez time capsules the hours leading up to Robert F. Kennedy's…
Caiman, TheCaiman, The (Il Camino) (2006)
Dir. Nanni Moretti
Feat. Nanni Moretti, Margherita Buy, Jasmine Trinca
Unflinching Italian film–within–a–film concerning a producer attempting to make a film about former Italian prime minister Silvio…
Catch a FireCatch a Fire (2006)
Dir. Phillip Noyce
Feat. Tim Robbins, Derek Luke
Sturdy, serious–minded political thriller from the steady hand of dir. Phillip Noyce, couched in the turbulence of South Africa’s Apartheid…
Crossing the LineCrossing the Line (2006)
Dir. Daniel Gordon
Documentary on the extraordinary defection of James Dresnok, an American military deserter to North Korea in 1962, who now resides permanently in the…
Cuba - A Lifetime Of PassionCuba - A Lifetime Of Passion (2006)
Dir. Glenn Gebhard
With unprecedented access on either side of the Florida Straits, this comprehensive, and beautifully shot documentary highlights the complexity of…
Death of a PresidentDeath of a President (2006) Recommended
Dir. Gabriel Range
An audacious faux–documentary that contrives an utterly convincing scenario around the fictional assassination of President George W.…
Eureka (TV Series) Eureka (TV Series) (2006)
Feat. Colin Ferguson, Greg Germann, Joe Morton
Novel sci–fi series focused on a stranded U.S. Marshall who uncovers a remote hamlet populated by a community of hand–picked scientists…
Fast Food NationFast Food Nation (2006) Recommended
Dir. Richard Linklater
Feat. Greg Kinnear, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke
A grave, caustic expose of industry malpractice and greed in the fast food business, told from the dramatic perspective of multiple characters…
Flock of DodosFlock of Dodos (2006)
Dir. Randy Olson
A humourous take on the great American evolution vs 'intelligent design' debate, this doco pits talking heads from both sides against each other to…
Freedom's FuryFreedom's Fury (2006)
Dir. Colin K. Gray, Megan Raney
Sport and politics mix in this gripping account of a hotly contested water polo semifinal between Hungary and the Soviet Union during the 1956…
Global Haywire Global Haywire (2006)
Dir. Bruce Petty
Unruly political doco by celebrated Australian cartoonist and moviemaker Bruce Petty, that seeks to answer why the East and West have reached crisis…
Hacking DemocracyHacking Democracy (2006) Recommended
Dir. Simon Ardizzone
Alarming expose of America’s electronic voting system, which was disastrously shown–up in the 2000 US Presidential election. Casting its…
Hero's Journey, AHero's Journey, A (2006)
President Xanana Gusmao presides over this documentary portrait of East Timor, its Resistance war against Indonesian occupation, and its current…
IdiocracyIdiocracy (2006) Aro Favourite
Dir. Mike Judge
Feat. Luke Wilson, Dax Shepard, David Herman
A dumb comedy for smart people, this follows the likes of TEAM AMERICA and BORAT as another shrewd post–9/11 satire in which Americans take a…
Infinite Justice Infinite Justice (2006)
Dir. Jamil Dehlavi
Feat. Kevin Collins, Raza Jaffrey
Following in the footsteps of A MIGHTY HEART, this vigorous political thriller inspired by the Daniel Pearl case follows an investigative journalist…
Jesus CampJesus Camp (2006) Recommended
Dir. Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady
A disturbing guided tour of extremist 'Jesus Camps' in the US, run by politically–aligned Evangelical Christian groups intent on indoctrinating…
Journey From the Fall Journey From the Fall (2006)
Dir. Ham Tran
Feat. Kieu Chinh
Emotionally charged, stylishly filmed historical drama follows the twin fortunes of an incarcerated Vietnamese man and his refugee family forced to…
Listening, TheListening, The (2006)
Dir. Giacomo Martelli
Feat. Michael Parks
Visually fetching spy thriller centred on a NSA officer on a mission to disable spy technology that enables the U.S. government to use phones as live…
Lives of Others, TheLives of Others, The (2006) Recommended
Dir. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Feat. Ulrich Mühe, Sebastian Koch, Martina Gedeck
Compelling dramatisation of the political tensions between artists and authorities in 80's East Germany, this widely celebrated arthouse hit won the…
Man of the YearMan of the Year (2006)
Dir. Barry Levinson
Feat. Robin Williams, Christopher Walken, Laura Linney
Played for quick laughs, this political satire suitably casts Robin Williams as an affable, late–night talk show host who runs for President…
Noam Chomsky: Imperial Grand StrategyNoam Chomsky: Imperial Grand Strategy (The Conquest of Iraq and the Assault on Democracy) (2006)
Feat. Noam Chomsky
Excellent compendium of Noam Chomsky lectures, with the elder activist contesting America's occupation of Iraq, 'Patriot Acts', dubious…
Running with ArnoldRunning with Arnold (2006)
Feat. Arnold Schwarzenegger
One–sided political doco following the ascent of muscle–head actor Arnie through the ranks of right–wing government to become the…
Sentinel, TheSentinel, The (2006)
Dir. Clark Johnson
Feat. Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, Eva Longoria
A political conspiracy thriller with plenty of gun–cocked posturing involves veteran secret service agent Michael Douglas, implicated in a…
Shut Up and SingShut Up and Sing (2006) Recommended
Dir. Barbara Kopple, Cecilia Peck
Politics ("shut up") and music ("sing") find themselves reluctantly linked in this portrait of country superstars, "The Dixie Chicks", and the…
State Within, The (TV Series) State Within, The (TV Series) (2006)
Dir. Daniel Percival
Feat. Jason Isaacs, Ben Daniels, Sharon Gless
Gripping political series centred on the British Ambassador to Washington who finds himself entangled in the midst of political scandal after a plane…
US vs. John Lennon, TheUS vs. John Lennon, The (2006)
Dir. David Leaf, John Scheinfeld
Compelling exposition of the political persecution of outspoken, anti–war Beatle, John Lennon by the Nixon–led US government. While…
When the Levees Broke - A Requiem in Four ActsWhen the Levees Broke - A Requiem in Four Acts (2006) Recommended
Dir. Spike Lee
Powerful, enraging chronicle of this century’s first great natural disaster, and the man–made catastrophe that unfolded post–Hurricane…
Wind That Shakes the Barley, TheWind That Shakes the Barley, The (2006) Recommended
Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Cillian Murphy, Liam Cunningham, Gerard Kearney
Thoroughly gripping Cannes winner from "kitchen sink" exponent Ken Loach, retelling with parochial force Ireland's tumultuous twenties, where the…
American Dad (TV Series)American Dad (TV Series) (2005)
More politically–inclined satire from the creator of THE FAMILY GUY (Seth MacFarlane), set around a CIA operative with a very strange family…
Archangel (TV Mini-Series) Archangel (TV Mini-Series) (2005)
Dir. Jon Jones
Feat. Daniel Craig, Yekaterina Rednikova
Biting thriller based on the Robert Harris novel, with Daniel Craig taking on the role of an academic thrust into darkest post–war Russia to…
Breakfast on PlutoBreakfast on Pluto (2005)
Dir. Neil Jordan
Feat. Cillian Murphy, Stephen Rea, Brendan Gleeson
Cillian Murphy glitters in this whimsical drama as an Irish transgender escort during the social and political upheaval of the 70s. Despite the…
Churchill's BodyguardChurchill's Bodyguard (2005)
Imposing, unprecedented memoir of the life and times of Winston Churchill, adapted from the diaries of his stoic bodyguard, Walter H.…
Commander in Chief (TV Series)Commander in Chief (TV Series) (2005)
Feat. Geena Davis, Donald Sutherland, Bruce Boxleitner
Excellent WEST WING–style political drama has Geena Davis depict an imagined first woman President of the USA, an independent senator who is…
Excellent CadaversExcellent Cadavers (2005)
Dir. Marco Turco
The hush–hush war between Sicily’s mafia and the prosecutors who slept with the fishes is recounted in this fascinating documentary, an ideal…
Girl in the Cafe, TheGirl in the Cafe, The (2005)
Dir. David Yates
Feat. Bill Nighy, Kelly MacDonald
Richard Curtis (LOVE ACTUALLY) penned this second–chances romance with a mild political streak, where an aging civil servant strikes up an…
Interpreter, TheInterpreter, The (2005) Recommended
Dir. Sydney Pollack
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, Catherine Keener
A topical thriller embroiled in the thorny issues of African politics (with obvious allusions to Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe), this is a slick,…
MunichMunich (2005) Recommended
Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Mathieu Kassovitz
Compelling, if occasionally muddily–overearnest thriller based around the aftermath of the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich…
Oil Factor, TheOil Factor, The (2005)
Dir. Audrey Brohy, Gerard Ungerman
Another addition to the panoply of anti–Iraq War documentaries, this attempts to draw the links between the Western World's over–reliance…
Sometimes in AprilSometimes in April (2005)
Dir. Raoul Peck
Feat. Debra Winger, Idris Elba, Oris Erhuero
A worthy HBO dramatisation of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which around one million ethnic 'Tutsis' were slaughtered by ethnic 'Hutu' military and…
State of Play (TV Mini-series)State of Play (TV Mini-series) (2005) Aro Favourite
Dir. David Yates
Feat. David Morrissey, John Simm, Bill Nighy
Politics, journalism and murder collide in this dynamic British thriller, which snowballs from two seemingly unrelated deaths into a riveting,…
Stephen Poliakoff's Gideon's Daughter & Friends and Crocodiles Stephen Poliakoff's Gideon's Daughter & Friends and Crocodiles (2005)
Dir. Stephen Poliakoff
Feat. Bill Nighy, Miranda Richardson
Two BBC dramas from commended writer–director Stephen Poliakoff – 'Friends and Crocodiles' confronts the changing power balance between a…
Street FightStreet Fight (2005)
Dir. Marshall Curry
Director Marshall Curry's (IF A TREE FALLS) first film is this Oscar–nominated political documentary detailing the 2002 mayoral campaign of…
SyrianaSyriana (2005) Recommended
Dir. Stephen Gaghan
Feat. George Clooney, Matt Damon, Jeffrey Wright
Fierce and dense exploration of the machinations and consequences of the global oil industry in the form of a multiple–storyline drama (from…
Thick of It, The (TV Series)Thick of It, The (TV Series) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Armando Iannucci
Feat. Chris Langham, Peter Capaldi, Chris Addison
Coruscating political satire examines the bumbling drones who work inside government as they blunder their days away under the watchful eye of the…
This Divided StateThis Divided State (2005)
Dir. Steven Greenstreet
Ground–hugging documentary follows the alarmingly extreme response in conservative Utah when filmmmaker Michael Moore (FARENHEIT 9/11) is…
Time to go John - The Awful Truth About John HowardTime to go John - The Awful Truth About John Howard (2005)
A collage of left–wing animations, comedies, dramas and documentary fragments compiled before the re–election of Australian PM John…
Viva ZapateroViva Zapatero (2005) Recommended
Dir. Sabina Guzzanti
Confronting Italian documentary made by comedian Sabina Guzzanti in response to her satirical TV show being axed after her scathing imitation of…
Warm SpringsWarm Springs (2005)
Dir. Joseph Sargent
Feat. Kenneth Branagh, Cynthia Nixon, David Paymer
Typically smooth and competent HBO biopic, which dramatises Franklin D. Roosevelt's (Branagh) pre–presidency years, especially the period from…
Who Killed the Electric Car?Who Killed the Electric Car? (2005) Recommended
Dir. Chris Paine
The promise of electric–powered transport and its subsequent demise is playfully detailed as a faux ‘murder mystery’ in this engaging…
Bill Hicks - LiveBill Hicks - Live (2004) Aro Favourite
Feat. Bill Hicks
An essential showcase of three live shows from the legendary stand–up comedian and ferocious left–wing commentator, Bill Hicks, who died…
Edukators, TheEdukators, The (The Educators) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Hans Weingartner
Feat. Daniel Bruhl, Julia Jentsch, Stipe Erceg
A compulsive slice of German youth angst about rebels struggling with their cause, this arthouse smash–hit concerns a trio of youthful…
End of Suburbia, TheEnd of Suburbia, The (Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream) (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Gregory Greene
Boldly spelled out in its full title, this provocative (and possibly profound) documentary convincingly mounts a thesis around the issue of "Peak…
Fahrenheit 9/11Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Michael Moore
Feat. Michael Moore
In his gravest comedy yet, the fearless Michael Moore dissects the credibility of the Bush administration since the election controversy of 2000 and…
Fahrenhype 9/11Fahrenhype 9/11 (2004) Recommended
An interesting riposte from the political right to the incendiary documentary FAHRENHEIT 9/11, that makes credible (if not ultimately convincing)…
George W. BushismsGeorge W. Bushisms (2004)
Dir. Elizabeth Reeder
Feat. Brian Unger
A smirkingly hilarious compilation of some of US President George W. Bush's worst manglings of the English language during speeches and…
Going Upriver - The Long War for John KerryGoing Upriver - The Long War for John Kerry (2004)
Dir. George Butler
Potent, if late–in–the–day study of unsuccessful 2004 US Presidential nominee John Kerry and his Vietnam War experiences. A…
Good Night, and Good LuckGood Night, and Good Luck (2004) Recommended
Dir. George Clooney
Feat. George Clooney, Robert Downey Jnr., Patricia Clarkson
An astutely–judged freezeframe of an important symbolic moment in 20th century American history, when CBS television presenter Edward Murrow…
Hotel RwandaHotel Rwanda (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Terry George
Feat. Don Cheadle, Nick Nolte, Sophie Okonedo
A deeply affecting expose of the Rwandan conflict of the early 1990s that matches its political conscience with vivid staging and terrific…
How Arnie Won the WestHow Arnie Won the West (2004)
Dir. Alex Cooke
Feat. Arnold Schwarzenegger
A beguiling account of Arnold Schwarzenegger's transformation from Hollywood star into Republican Governor of California, through a 2004 state recall…
Hunting Of The President, TheHunting Of The President, The (2004)
Dir. Nikolas Perry
The amazing story of an attempted political lynching by rich right–wing supporters who never forgave the democrat's for their part in bringing…
In My CountryIn My Country (Country of my Skull) (2004)
Dir. John Boorman
Feat. Samuel L. Jackson, Juliette Binoche, Brendan Gleeson
One of the first stabs at dramatising the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings in South Africa, here used as a grueling backdrop for romance…
Iron Jawed AngelsIron Jawed Angels (2004)
Dir. Katja von Garnier
Feat. Hilary Swank, Anjelica Huston, Frances O’Connor
Fairly inventive telemovie concerning the rise of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, which had the aim of gaining voting and other…
John Pilger's Stealing a NationJohn Pilger's Stealing a Nation (2004)
Dir. John Pilger
Activist journalist John Pilger relates the alarming story of the deportation of all natives from Diego Garcia – a small island in the Indian…
K Street (TV Series)K Street (TV Series) (2004)
Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. John Slattery, Mary McCormack, Roger Guenveur Smith
A cutting–edge political satire from Steven Soderbergh, which attempted to capture the immediacy and unpredictability of current affairs…
Letters to AliLetters to Ali (2004)
Dir. Clara Law
Devastating story of a 15–yr old Afghani boy refugee, 'detained' for several years in Australia under its harsh immigrant regime in a remote…
Looking for FidelLooking for Fidel (2004)
Dir. Oliver Stone
Oliver Stone revisits Fidel Castro – the subject of his 2003 documentary COMMANDANTE – in an effort to address some of more questionable social…
MachucaMachuca (2004) Recommended
Dir. Andres Wood
Feat. Ariel Mateluna, Matias Quer
Observing the onset of Augusto Pinochet's bloody coup d'etat in Chile in 1973, through the eyes of two boys who become friends across the…
Manchurian Candidate, TheManchurian Candidate, The (2004) Recommended
Dir. Jonathan Demme
Feat. Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, Liev Schreiber
Slickly modernised version of the Cold War classic, tailors its twisted fable of political paranoia into a complex speculation on military, political…
MondovinoMondovino (2004) Recommended
Dir. Jonathan Nossiter
A sobering documentary about the effects of globalisation on the wine industry, which travels to various vineyards, villages and offices to quaff a…
Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on JournalismOutfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Robert Greenwald
Hot off the press, and of scorching topicality in the run up to the 2004 American Elections, this cogent piece of agit–prop convincingly argues…
Persona Non GrataPersona Non Grata (2004)
Dir. Oliver Stone
Dir. Stone's second documentary in a proposed trilogy about world leaders (after COMMANDANTE) has the frazzled American attempt to gain an interview…
Peter, Paul and Mary - Carry it OnPeter, Paul and Mary - Carry it On (2004)
Documentary about the New York folk music trio who "carried it on" from their socially–conscious forebearers like Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger…
Poster BoyPoster Boy (2004)
Dir. Zak Tucker
Feat. Karen Allen, Michael Lerner, Jack Noseworthy
A campaigning right–wing senator conscripts his closeted gay son to play happy families for the public, but the stakes are raised when the son…
Power of Nightmares, ThePower of Nightmares, The (2004)
Dir. Adam Curtis
Another provocative documentary from dir. Curtis, this time out he examines how political parties have created and used fears in order to maintain…
President Versus David Hicks, ThePresident Versus David Hicks, The (2004)
Dir. Curtis Levy
Timely, if 'difficult' documentary which follows the efforts of the father of 'Australian Taliban' fighter David Hicks, to free his son from US…
Red DustRed Dust (2004)
Dir. Tom Hooper
Feat. Hilary Swank, Chiwetel Ejiofor
A boldly straightforward courtroom drama set during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission era of post–Apartheid South Africa, where a former…
Shake Hands With the DevilShake Hands With the Devil (The Journey of Roméo Dallaire) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Peter Raymont
Arresting account of the deplorable Rwandan genocide, told through the eyes of one of the most controversial figures surrounding the 1994 massacre,…
Silver CitySilver City (2004)
Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Chris Cooper, Danny Huston, Daryl Hannah
Oddly tangled satire of Bush–era American politics in which a George Dubya soundalike (Cooper) goes on the campaign trail in Colorado, while…
State of Mind, AState of Mind, A (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Daniel Gordon
An astonishing effort from British dir. Gordon, who documents life in the closed society of North Korea from the perspective of two young girls…
Take, TheTake, The (2004) Recommended
Dir. Avi Lewis, Naomi Klein
A feisty documentary about the aftermath of Argentina's disastrous economic 'crash' in 2001 and how a group of unemployed workers attempt to occupy…
Team America - World PoliceTeam America - World Police (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Trey Parker
Feat. Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Kristen Miller
The most fully–realized and funniest creation yet from the SOUTH PARK boys, who hit the bullseye (and a raw nerve or two) by brilliantly…
Unconstitutional: The War on our Civil LibertiesUnconstitutional: The War on our Civil Liberties (2004)
Dir. Nonny de la Pena, Robert Greenwald
The third in a series of Robert Greenwald–produced 'public interest' docos – this one examines American civil liberties and what became…
Uncovered: The Whole Truth about the Iraq WarUncovered: The Whole Truth about the Iraq War (2004) Recommended
Dir. Robert Greenwald
Born out of a personal "rage" against the Bush administration's justification for the pre–emptive war in Iraq, film–maker Robert…
World According to Bush, TheWorld According to Bush, The (2004) Recommended
Dir. William Karel
A familiar, if bracingly emotive European broadside on the presidency of George W. Bush, covering the 1000 days of from the 9/11 attacks to the midst…
YesYes (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Sally Potter
Feat. Joan Allen, Simon Abkarian, Sam Neill
Love and politics are brilliantly and inextricably entwined in this daringly original drama that sees a middle–aged American woman fall out of…
Absolute Power (TV Series)Absolute Power (TV Series) (2003)
Feat. Stephen Fry
With its cynical heart in the right place, this BBC comedy has a cunning Stephen Fry running a shameless PR firm, who act as spin doctors to the…
Basque BallBasque Ball (2003)
Dir. Julio Medem
A dizzying documentary journey through the history and politics of the troubled Basque region of northern Spain, which for centuries has been…
Best of Youth, TheBest of Youth, The (La Meglio gioventù) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Marco Tullio Giordana
Sprawling and heady Italian saga tracks the lives of two brothers through the idealistic dreams of the 1960s and the long messy aftermath of…
CommandanteCommandante (2003)
Dir. Oliver Stone
A unique, if rather–too–adoring, portrait of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro by political maverick dir. Oliver Stone (JFK,…
Corporation, TheCorporation, The (2003) Aro Favourite
Dir. Mark Achbar, Jennifer Abbott
In a modern world where corporate power has come to exceed political power, this in–depth documentary defines a growing popular concern about…
Deal, TheDeal, The (2003)
Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Michael Sheen, David Morrissey, Dexter Fletcher
Billed as the prequel to the 2006 hit THE QUEEN, this entertaining telepic chronicles the infamous meeting between Labour party heavyweights Tony…
Fog of War, TheFog of War, The (2003) Aro Favourite
Dir. Errol Morris
A perfectly–formed, Oscar–winning documentary about the life and career of Robert S McNamara, who served as Secretary of Defense under…
Goodbye Lenin!Goodbye Lenin! (2003) Recommended
Dir. Wolfgang Becker
Feat. Daniel Bruhl, Katrin Sass, Chulpan Khamatova
This comedy of concealment set around the fall of the Berlin Wall was a justifiable success around the world, with a bittersweet mood of political…
Head of StateHead of State (2003)
Dir. Chris Rock
Feat. Chris Rock, Bernie Mac, Lynn Whitfield
Likeable comedian Chris Rock makes his directorial debut with this middling yet prescient political comedy with a then–humorously unlikely…
Honourable Wally Norman, TheHonourable Wally Norman, The (2003)
Dir. Ted Emery
Feat. Kevin Harrington
A fairly biting political satire sees a rural meatworker (Harrington) accidentally stumbling into the local electoral race for MP and soon he is…
Imagining ArgentinaImagining Argentina (2003)
Dir. Christopher Hampton
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Emma Thompson, Ruben Blades
A controversial adaptation of Lawrence Thornton's award–winning novel, set in the Argentine dictatorship of the mid–1970s. Thompson is…
Noam Chomsky: Rebel Without a PauseNoam Chomsky: Rebel Without a Pause (2003)
Dir. Will Pascoe
Feat. Noam Chomsky
A modest, though vitalising portrait of intellectual activist Noam Chomsky made following 9/11, but before the US invasion of Iraq. Captures…
Orwell Rolls in his GraveOrwell Rolls in his Grave (2003)
Dir. Robert Kane Pappas
Although made on a shoestring, this documentary about the state of Western media holds its own with FAHRENHEIT 9/11 and OUTFOXED in terms of bleak…
OsamaOsama (2003) Aro Favourite
Dir. Siddiq Barmak
Feat. Marina Golbahari
Though nothing to do with a certain infamous terrorist, this first Afghani film made since the rise and fall of the Taliban also happens to be a…
Power TripPower Trip (2003)
Dir. Paul Devlin
This edge–of–your–seat documentary tells the real–life story of the devastating impact a huge American power company has had…
Reagans, The (TV Mini-series)Reagans, The (TV Mini-series) (2003)
Dir. Robert Allan Ackerman
Feat. James Brolin, Judy Davis, Zeljko Ivanek
Biographical drama about U.S. President Ronald Reagan and his family, spanning the time period 1949–1989, with James Brolin as Ronald Reagan…
Robert Mugabe's ZimbabweRobert Mugabe's Zimbabwe (2003)
Dir. Michael Raeburn
A cogent reference point on the plight of Zimbabwe, dir. Raeburn documents his personal experiences as a former Rhodesia once in support of Robert…
Yes Men, TheYes Men, The (2003) Recommended
Dir. Chris Smith, Sarah Price, Dan Ollman
Riding a wave of highly successful feature docos from the political left, this one has the honour of being the funniest and perhaps most…
Ali G In Da HouseAli G In Da House (2002) Aro Favourite
Dir. Mark Mylod
Feat. Sacha Baron Cohen
Sacha Baron Cohen and his wildly successfully small–screen alter–ego take to the feature film narrative like a duck to water in this…
Amandla!Amandla! (A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Lee Hirsch
A moving tribute to the role of protest music in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa from 1948 to 1994 – slowly put together by dir.…
Berlusconi's Mousetrap (2002)
Dir. Aaron Rip
Eye–witness, partisan account of the G8 summit in Genoa, Italy, which led to serious clashes between police and protesters (leaving one dead…
Century of the Self, TheCentury of the Self, The (2002)
Dir. Adam Curtis
An expertly assembled wealth of archival footage helps tell the complex story of the growth of the mass–consumer society and the role played by…
Drowned Out Drowned Out (2002) Recommended
Dir. Franny Armstrong
A forerunner, and now excellent companion piece to the much vaunted UP THE YANGTZE, this captures in sobering close–up the plight of an Indian…
Fidel and Che (TV Mini-series)Fidel and Che (TV Mini-series) (Fidel) (2002)
Dir. David Attwood
Feat. Victor Huggo Martin, Gael Garcia Bernal
Fairly balanced exploration of the Cuban Revolution as told through the rise of Fidel Castro, from revolutionary fighter, to popular leader and…
Georgie GirlGeorgie Girl (2002) Recommended
Dir. Annie Goldson
The unique and quite remarkable life story of Georgina Beyer, born George, a Maori transsexual and former sex–worker, who recently was elected…
Horns and HalosHorns and Halos (2002)
Dir. Michael Galinsky, Suki Hawley
A fascinating sidebar to the controversial American Presidency of George W. Bush, involving the struggle for author J.H. Hatfield to publish an…
In a Land of PlentyIn a Land of Plenty (2002) Recommended
Dir. Alister Barry
Described as ‘the story of unemployment in New Zealand,’ this serves as a strong companion piece for SOMEONE ELSE'S COUNTRY, dir. Barry’s…
Inner Tour, TheInner Tour, The (2002) Recommended
Dir. Ra'anan Alexandrowicz
An Isreali documentary that sparked controversy in the Israeli press for its sympathetic portrayal of Palestinians, this is simply a portrait of…
Noam Chomsky: Distorted MoralityNoam Chomsky: Distorted Morality (2002)
Feat. Noam Chomsky
Renowned political thinker Noam Chomsky ruminates on America's 'War on Terror' in this raw and lively Harvard 'Q & A'. Analyzing the official…
Noam Chomsky: Power and Terror In Our TimesNoam Chomsky: Power and Terror In Our Times (2002)
Dir. John Junkerman
Feat. Noam Chomsky
A no–frills TV documentary (made in Japan) in which arch–media critic and philosopher Noam Chomsky, examines the post–9’11 world,…
Rosa Parks Story, TheRosa Parks Story, The (2002)
Dir. Julie Dash
Feat. Angela Bassett, Cicely Tyson, Peter Francis James
A drama based on the life of Mrs. Rosa L. Parks from director Julie Dash (DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST). In America in 1955, her courageous act of…
Trials of Henry Kissinger, TheTrials of Henry Kissinger, The (2002) Recommended
Dir. Alex Gibney, Eugene Jarecki
A corrosive yet robust investigation that alleges a misuse of power amounting to 'war crimes' by controversial US diplomat Henry Kissinger –…
Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential ElectionUnprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election (2002) Recommended
Dir. Richard R. Perez, Joan Sekler, Robert Greenwald
Astute examination of the controversial battle for the presidency in Florida from an unabashed pro–Democrat viewpoint that asserts that the…
Weather Underground, TheWeather Underground, The (2002) Aro Favourite
Dir. Sam Green, Bill Siegel
A stimulating, incisive look back at the angry workings of "The Weathermen", a radical splinter faction of the protest movement who were responsible…
Wire, The - Season 1 (TV Series)Wire, The - Season 1 (TV Series) (2002) Aro Favourite
Feat. Dominic West, Idris Elba, Wood Harris
Tough, patient HBO TV policier (from David Simon, creator of HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREETS) follows the Baltimore drug scene from both the police and…
Blind Spot: Hitler's SecretaryBlind Spot: Hitler's Secretary (2001) Recommended
Dir. Othmar Schmiderer, Andre Heller
The astonishing true story of Hitler's private secretary, Traudl Junge, who at the age of 80 comes to terms with working alongside unspeakable evil…
Crooked EarthCrooked Earth (2001)
Dir. Sam Pillsbury
Feat. Temuera Morrison, Lawrence Makoare, Nancy Brunning
Vivid action–melodrama uses the dispossession of East Coast Maori to prime its tale of tribal succession, with SAS soldier Temuera Morrison…
Culturejam: Hijacking Commercial CultureCulturejam: Hijacking Commercial Culture (2001)
Dir. Jill Thorpe
Fun but ultimately serious expose of various pranksters who subvert the advertising and retail industries of the US. Featuring conversations with…
Facing the Music (2001) Recommended
Dir. Bob Connolly, Robin Anderson
Art and commerce clash in corridors of academia at Sydney University, as budget cuts compromise the integrity and possible viability of the music…
In Shifting Sands (2001)
Dir. Scott Ritter
Feat. Scott Ritter
A pertinent, compelling though rather schizophrenic film–diary directed by the former Chief UN weapons inspector in Iraq. Exploring the…
Invisible Circus, The (2001)
Dir. Adam Brooks
Feat. Cameron Diaz, Jordana Brewster, Christopher Eccleston
Even–toned, detached political thriller that follows the disappearance of free–spirit Cameron Diaz in the late 1960s and the search by…
Life and DebtLife and Debt (2001) Recommended
Dir. Stephanie Black
A scathingly political look at the "new world order" from the point of view of Jamaican workers and farmers, as well as government and policy…
Party's Over, TheParty's Over, The (Last Party 2000) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Philip Seymour Hoffman
Feat. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Noam Chomsky, Michael Moore
A pre–9/11 political doco that still resonates loudly in the George W. Bush era, actor and “concerned citizen” Phillip Seymour Hoffman…
Thirteen DaysThirteen Days (2001)
Dir. Roger Donaldson
Feat. Kevin Costner, Bruce Greenwood, Dylan Baker
The thirteen tense days of the Cuban Missile Crisis – the 1962 showdown between Kennedy and Krushchev – are invested with heroic intensity by…
Tunnel, TheTunnel, The (2001) Recommended
Dir. Roland Suso Richter
Feat. Heino Ferch, Nicolette Krebitz
An extended though by no means deep excavation of German Cold War history, in which an East German swimmer (Ferch) defects to West Berlin in 1961 and…
A Huey P. Newton StoryA Huey P. Newton Story (2000) Recommended
Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Roger Guenveur Smith
An award–winning stageplay about the co–founder of the Black Panther Party, translated into cinema with considerable verve by dir. Spike…
Contender, TheContender, The (2000) Recommended
Dir. Rod Lurie
Feat. Joan Allen, Gary Oldman, Jeff Bridges
Strongly performed political thriller centred around the confirmation of Vice–Presidential candidate Joan Allen, whose enemies try every trick…
Diplomat, The (2000)
Dir. Tom Zubrycki
Panorama of East Timor’s struggle to regain independence from Indonesia following the 1975 invasion, expressed through the 24 year exile of former…
Dirty PicturesDirty Pictures (2000)
Dir. Frank Pierson
Feat. James Woods, Craig T. Nelson
Based on the true–story of how the Chicago Arts Centre was prosecuted in 1990 for obscenity over an exhibition of Robert Mapplethorpe's…
Harlan County WarHarlan County War (2000) Recommended
Dir. Tony Bill
Feat. Holly Hunter, Stellan Skarsgard, Ted Levine
Based on the famous (and deadly) Union–vs–Company showdown in a Kentucky coalmine in 1976, this TV docudrama is an Emmy–nominated…
Harrison's FlowersHarrison's Flowers (2000)
Dir. Elie Chouraqui
Feat. Andie MacDowell, David Strathairn, Adrien Brody
Andie MacDowell searches for her photojournalist husband (David Strathairn), presumed dead in the 1991 Serbian siege of Vukovar, with the aid of…
JFK's WomenJFK's Women (2000)
Revealing, if tabloid–esque expose of philandering in the White House: not Bill Clinton, but John F. Kennedy, whose affairs with four women may…
John Pilger's No Middle Ground in the Middle EastJohn Pilger's No Middle Ground in the Middle East (Paying the Price: Killing the Children of Iraq; Palenstine is Still the Issue; Breaking the Silence: Truth and Lies in the War on Terror) (2000-2003) Aro Favourite
Dir. John Pilger, Alan Lowery
Feat. John Pilger
Three of journalist John Pilger’s most recent and cogent illustrations of the plight of the Middle East, with Iraq, foreign policy, Israel and…
LumumbaLumumba (2000) Recommended
Dir. Raoul Peck
Feat. Eric Ebouaney
A strident and fittingly uncompromising biopic about an African political icon, Patrice Lumumba, who liberated the Congo from Belgium in the late…
Most Fertile Man in Ireland, TheMost Fertile Man in Ireland, The (2000)
Dir. Dudi Appleton
Feat. Kris Marshall, Kathy Kiera Clarke, Bronagh Gallagher
Kris Marshall is the Irishman with the high sperm–count, who is recruited by Catholics and Protestants alike to boost their numbers.…
North KoreaNorth Korea (Three Documentaries on the Despotic Regime of Kim Jong-Il) (2000-2003)
Topical and timely companion of three documentaries on the ostracised state of North Korea: ‘Nuclear Nightmare: Understanding North…
Rebels with a CauseRebels with a Cause (2000)
Dir. Helen Garvy
Straight–up look at the 'Students for a Democratic Society', the student group that began as pro–civil rights organization concerned with…
Arlington RoadArlington Road (1999) Recommended
Dir. Mark Pellington
Feat. Jeff Bridges, Tim Robbins, Hope Davis
Intelligent terrorist thriller, seemingly inspired by events at Waco and Oklahoma City, weaves a complex tale of deception and paranoia around…
Awful Truth, The (TV Series)Awful Truth, The (TV Series) (1999) Recommended
Dir. Michael Moore
Feat. Michael Moore
Find out what's really going on in America with merciless media activist Michael Moore, fighting for the common man against the evil–doers of…
Big Brass Ring, TheBig Brass Ring, The (1999)
Dir. George Hickenlooper
Feat. William Hurt, Nigel Hawthorne, Irene Jacob
Curiosity–piece that updates a dusty Orson Welles script from 1980. William Hurt plays a US presidential candidate, whose murky past is being…
CampaignCampaign (1999) Recommended
Dir. Tony Sutorius
Close–up account of the cracking political contest for the marginal seat of Wellington Central during the 1996 general election, given a…
Cradle Will RockCradle Will Rock (1999)
Dir. Tim Robbins
Feat. John Cusack, Bill Murray, John Turturro
Caught between government paranoia and unionist principles in depression–era New York, a theatre troupe voice their dissent by attempting to…
DickDick (1999)
Dir. Andrew Fleming
Feat. Kirsten Dunst, Michelle Williams
A political satire as faux–history lesson, this kitsch–nostalgic pageant proffers two teenage girls as the mysterious informants known as…
Faith Of The Century - A History Of Communism Faith Of The Century - A History Of Communism (1999)
Using fascinating, never–before–seen footage from the national archives of many countries including Russia and France, this documentary…
Punitive DamagePunitive Damage (1999) Recommended
Dir. Annie Goldson
Emotive documentary about the ordeal of an ordinary New Zealand mother, Helen Todd, who ultimately sued an Indonesian general for punitive damages…
West Wing, The - Season 1 (TV Series)West Wing, The - Season 1 (TV Series) (1999) Recommended
Dir. Various, Michael Lehmann, Thomas Schlamme
Feat. Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Moira Kelly
One of the most popular (and lauded) US TV–series of recent years, set in a White House presided over by Martin Sheen and his staff. With…
Ambassador, TheAmbassador, The (1998-1999)
Feat. Pauline Collins, Tom Connolly, Denis Lawson
An intriguing series examines the pitfalls of the diplomatic life with Pauline Collins as England's Ambassador to Ireland. Continually under fire the…
Boxer, TheBoxer, The (1998) Recommended
Dir. Jim Sheridan
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Emily Watson
Former IRA man Daniel Day–Lewis is released from 14 years behind bars to set up a non–sectarian community boxing club while private wars…
BulworthBulworth (1998)
Dir. Warren Beatty
Feat. Warren Beatty, Halle Berry, Don Cheadle
Disillusioned Democrat senator Warren Beatty warrants his own assassination, then stirs up a storm of controversy by fearlessly speaking his mind at…
Cold War (1998)
Dir. Various
With encyclopedia–like detail, this lengthy documentary series analyses every aspect of the Cold War, from the onset of frosty relations…
EarthEarth (1998) Recommended
Dir. Deepa Mehta
Feat. Maia Sethna, Nandita Das, Kitu Gidwani
The director of FIRE takes on another controversial element of modern India with the second in her (proposed) trilogy – a humanistic view of…
McLibelMcLibel (1998)
Dir. Franny Armstrong
The true story of England's most protracted court case that witnessed the all–powerful McDonalds hamburger empire file a libel suit against two…
Men with GunsMen with Guns (1998) Aro Favourite
Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Frederico Luppi
Criminally denied a theatrical release, this masterful study of Third World realities is arguably prolific indie dir. John Sayles most accomplished…
Primary ColorsPrimary Colors (1998) Recommended
Dir. Mike Nichols
Feat. John Travolta, Emma Thompson, Billy Bob Thornton
In charting the rise of a controversial Southern Governor through the US Democratic primary campaign, John Travolta rises admirably to his most…
Waking the DeadWaking the Dead (1998)
Dir. Keith Gordon
Feat. Billy Crudup, Jennifer Connelly
A curious, intriguing drama in which congressional candidate Billy Crudup is haunted by a woman (Jennifer Connelly) from his past, who he thought had…
WindhorseWindhorse (1998)
Dir. Paul Wagner
Feat. Dadon, Jampa Kelsang, Richard Chang
Shot on digital video under the noses of Chinese authorities in Tibet, this fiercely moral drama follows the fortunes of a family in contemporary…
Big One, TheBig One, The (1997)
Dir. Michael Moore
Feat. Michael Moore
Just as smart and witty though with less focus than his watershed doco ROGER AND ME, this intervening 'video diary' sets the format for his popular…
Carla's SongCarla's Song (1997)
Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Robert Carlyle, Oyanka Cabezas, Scott Glenn
Another not–so–average tale from Dir. Ken Loach, concerning a Glaswegian bus–driver getting involved with Nicaraguan politics.…
Devil's Own, TheDevil's Own, The (1997)
Dir. Alan J. Pakula
Feat. Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt
Sensitive cop Harrison Ford discovers his befriended border (Brad Pitt) has devout connections to the IRA. Moral conundrums ensue as Ford wrestles…
Mandela and De KlerkMandela and De Klerk (1997)
Dir. Joseph Sargent
Feat. Sidney Poitier, Michael Caine
The political backdrop to Nelson Madela's release in 1991 from a South African prison is solidly dramatised in this telemovie. Stars Sidney Poitier…
Midnight in the Garden of Good and EvilMidnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997)
Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. John Cusack, Kevin Spacey
John Cusack and Kevin Spacey convene for Clint Eastwood's moody adaptation of John Berendt's fact–based novel – a complex, atmospheric…
Port Djema (1997)
Dir. Eric Heumann
Feat. Jean-Yves Dubois, Nathalie Boutefeu, Christophe Odent
A Paris surgeon gets into the thick of dangerous politics at an East African colonial port as he traces the footsteps of a murdered friend. Won Best…
Second Civil War, TheSecond Civil War, The (1997)
Dir. Joe Dante
Feat. Denis Leary, James Earl Jones, James Coburn
Fairly realistic speculation of an American Civil War, occurring when present–day Idaho cedes from the Union, painted over with the lighter…
Waco - Rules of EngagementWaco - Rules of Engagement (1997) Aro Favourite
Dir. William Gazecki
The disastrous FBI siege of the Branch Davidian Sect compound at Waco, Texas in 1993 is pulled to pieces in this acclaimed documentary, revealing a…
Wag the DogWag the Dog (1997)
Dir. Barry Levinson
Feat. Robert De Niro, Anne Heche, Dustin Hoffman
A Clinton–inspired political satire, coincided with the Lewinsky scandal on release (and then Iraq), sees Whitehouse spin–doctor Robert…
Absolute PowerAbsolute Power (1996)
Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Judy Davis
Cat–burglar Clint Eastwood witnesses the US President murder his friend's wife after a bout of infidelity, and is hunted down by a deadly…
BurmaBurma (1996-2006)
Dir. Evan Williams, Mark Stucke
South East Asian hot–point Burma is the subject of this diptych examining the country’s military dictatorship, harsh oppression, and student…
City HallCity Hall (1996)
Dir. Harold Becker
Feat. Al Pacino, John Cusack, Bridget Fonda
Good old–fashioned ethics melodrama with fine perfs from Al Pacino and John Cusack lending the required lustre to plot intricacies involving…
EvitaEvita (1996) Recommended
Dir. Alan Parker
Feat. Madonna, Antonio Banderas
The Broadway Extravaganza, complete with Madonna, wall–to–wall songs and political melodrama, is bravely swallowed whole by Hollywood. …
Inside Burma - Land of FearInside Burma - Land of Fear (1996)
Dir. John Pilger
Ever–pertinent John Pilger expose of Burmese plight and terror, revealing corporations, foreign investors and tourists as complicit in…
LibertariasLibertarias (1996) Recommended
Dir. Vincente Aranda
Feat. Victoria Abril, Ana Belen, Miguel Bose
Examining the Spanish Civil War from a left–wing point–of–view, this passionate war drama focuses on a trio of women – a…
Michael CollinsMichael Collins (1996) Recommended
Dir. Neil Jordan
Feat. Ian Hart, Julia Roberts, Liam Neeson
Persuasive biopic of the martyred hero who negotiated Ireland's break from the UK charts the impact of one charismatic individual while engaging how…
My Fellow AmericansMy Fellow Americans (1996)
Dir. Peter Segal
Feat. Jack Lemmon, James Garner, Dan Aykroyd
Fanciful political comedy supposes two foul–mouthed, grumpy old ex–Presidents (Jack Lemmon, James Garner) framed and on the run from…
Rats in the RanksRats in the Ranks (1996) Aro Favourite
Dir. Bob Connolly, Robin Anderson
Bruising political doco follows the squabbles in a Sydney suburb between mayor and city councillors. The filmmakers gained an extraordinary degree of…
Someone Else's CountrySomeone Else's Country (1996) Recommended
Dir. Alister Barry
Controversial account of the 'rise of the New Right revolution in New Zealand' was refused television broadcast on account of its 'left wing bias'.…
Spin City (TV Series)Spin City (TV Series) (1996)
Feat. Michael J. Fox, Carla Gugino, Richard Kind
Michael J. Fox fronted this zippy workplace sitcom about the political staff running the New York City Mayoral office. Pretty conventional in terms…
Too LateToo Late (Prea Târziu) (1996)
Dir. Lucian Pintilie
Feat. Razvan Vasilescu
Bleak, unflinching examination of Romanian society from dir. Pintilie focuses on an inexperienced investigator who discovers a myriad of corruption…
Trilogy of Films by Alister Barry, ATrilogy of Films by Alister Barry, A (Someone Else's Country, In a Land of Plenty, A Civilised Society) (1996-2007)
Dir. Alister Barry
Alister Barry's trilogy of 'New Right' economic policy documentaries, available together in one set.
American President, TheAmerican President, The (1995)
Dir. Rob Reiner
Feat. Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, Martin Sheen
Appealing romantic comedy in which Michael Douglas, in refreshingly light mode, plays a widowed Mr. President looking for a partner who'll love the…
Churchills, TheChurchills, The (1995)
Dir. Greg Lanning
Composed primarily of archival footage, this profiles Winston Churchill and the role his family played during his time as the nation's leader.…
Cry, The Beloved CountryCry, The Beloved Country (1995)
Dir. Darrell Roodt
Feat. James Earl Jones, Richard Harris, Tsholofelo Wechoemang
Dignified modern adaptation of Alan Paton's moving novel about a black South African priest and the wealthy father of a murdered white activist.…
Infiltrator, TheInfiltrator, The (1995)
Dir. John Mackenzie
Feat. Oliver Platt, Arliss Howard, Alex Kingston
Israeli journalist Oliver Platt infiltrates the modern–day German neo–Nazi movement to his considerable peril. Made all the more gripping…
Moruroa - The Big SecretMoruroa - The Big Secret (1995)
Dir. Michel Daeron
A damning indictment of French nuclear testing program in the South Pacific. A French team investigate the impact of the tests on the neighbouring…
NixonNixon (1995)
Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Joan Allen, Ed Harris
With almost Shakespearian gravitas, Anthony Hopkins portrays a flawed but fully–rounded Richard Nixon. Instead of the anticipated whitewash,…
Truman (1995)
Dir. Frank Pierson
Feat. Gary Sinise
Gary Sinise stars in this biographical tribute to the humble American president who had the misfortune of having to give the order to drop the…
White Man's BurdenWhite Man's Burden (1995)
Dir. Desmond Nakano
Feat. John Travolta, Harry Belafonte, Kelly Lynch
In an alternative America, blacks are members of social elite, and whites inhabit the urban ghettos. John Travolta plays a humble white factory…
Beyond RangoonBeyond Rangoon (1994)
Dir. John Boorman
Feat. Patricia Arquette
The tragedies mount for a young doctor taking a recuperating holiday in late eighties Burma, on the eve of a violent crackdown by the ruling…
Burnt By the SunBurnt By the Sun (1994) Recommended
Dir. Nikita Mikhalkov
Feat. Oleg Menshikov, Nikita Mikhalkov, Ingeborga Dapkunaite
Oscar–winning drama contrasts sunlit Chekhovian lyricism with the dark undercurrents of Stalinist Russia during the "Great Purge", when…
Clear and Present DangerClear and Present Danger (1994) Recommended
Dir. Phillip Noyce
Feat. Harrison Ford, Willem Dafoe, Anne Archer
Vulnerable hero Jack Ryan again in meatier, superior follow–up to PATRIOT GAMES that masterfully stages its action around a credible, complex…
Guarding TessGuarding Tess (1994)
Dir. Hugh Wilson
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Shirley Maclaine
Federal bodyguard Nicolas Cage is unable to escape his duties to the former First Lady (Shirley Maclaine) unwitting that there are a few apron…
Tracking Down MaggieTracking Down Maggie (1994) Recommended
Dir. Nick Broomfield
Classic Broomfield, in which the persistent Brit spends the entire film trying to secure an interview with former PM Margaret Thatcher, who at the…
Blue Kite, TheBlue Kite, The (1993)
Dir. Tian Zhuangzhuang
Feat. Tian Yi, Wenyao Zhang, Xiaoman Chen
Emotive and honest account of the realities of daily life under chairman Mao's regime as witnessed by one Beijing family from the 1950s through…
Bopha!Bopha! (1993)
Dir. Morgan Freeman
Feat. Danny Glover, Malcolm McDowell, Alfre Woodard
Danny Glover plays a loyal police sergeant in 1980 South Africa who comes under fire from his militant son. Examines the less visible conflicts that…
Burning Season, TheBurning Season, The (1993)
Dir. John Frankenheimer
Feat. Raul Julia, Carmen Argenziano, Sonia Braga
Raul Julia stars as Chico Mendes, the activist who lost his life protesting the destruction of the Brazilian rain forests. The continued volatile…
DaveDave (1993)
Dir. Ivan Reitman
Feat. Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver
Kline makes a few policy changes as an average Joe presidential lookalike who gets a shot as president after the real McCoy has a stroke. Thoroughly…
FatherlandFatherland (1993)
Dir. Christopher Menaul
Feat. Rutger Hauer, Miranda Richardson
Ambitious film posits an alternative history in which Germany controls Europe and is locked in a cold war with the U.S. twenty years after winning…
In the Line of FireIn the Line of Fire (1993) Aro Favourite
Dir. Wolfgang Petersen
Feat. Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich, Rene Russo
Clint Eastwood's ageing, guilt–ridden bodyguard plays a dangerous cat–and–mouse game with a chameleonic assassin (John Malkovich)…
In the Name of the FatherIn the Name of the Father (1993) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jim Sheridan
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Pete Postlethwaite, Emma Thompson
Daniel Day–Lewis gives a devastating performance in this powerhouse re–creation of the tragedy that beset Jerry Conlon, his family and…
JFK: Reckless Youth JFK: Reckless Youth (1993)
Dir. Harry Winer
Feat. Patrick Dempsey, Claire Forlani, Loren Dean
Credible bio–pic dramatising the first 30 years of JFK's life by concentrating on the childhood and teenage events that eventually shaped John…
La ScortaLa Scorta (1993) Recommended
Dir. Rick Tognazzi
Feat. Ennio Morricone
Bold dramatic thriller draws from real events surrounding the indictment of Mafia collaborators with the focus on the four bodyguards of a maverick…
Malcolm XMalcolm X (1993)
Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Denzel Washington
Epic bio of the black–American minister and human rights activist from his beginnings as a Harlem crook to his 1965 assassination. Breezes…
Sarafina! (1993)
Dir. Darrell James Roodt
Feat. Whoopi Goldberg
Screen version of the anti–apartheid stage musical posits Whoopi Goldberg as a Soweto school–teacher who liberates an impressionable…
Seven Songs for Malcolm XSeven Songs for Malcolm X (1993)
Dir. John Akomfrah
A tribute to the revolutionary activist compiles interviews with people that knew him and those that know much about him as well as authentic footage…
StalinStalin (1993)
Dir. Ivan Passer
Feat. Robert Duvall, Maximilian Schell, Joan Plowright
Robert Duvall embodies the full–blooded treachery of the Soviet dictator in this mini–series biography shot on location in Moscow.
War Room, TheWar Room, The (1993)
Dir. Chris Hegedus, D.A. Pennebaker
Going behind the scenes with the men behind Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign reveals there to be an exact science beneath the media…
Bob RobertsBob Roberts (1992) Recommended
Dir. Tim Robbins
Feat. Tim Robbins, Giancarlo Esposito, Alan Rickman
Bob Dylan meets Ronald Reagan in this 'Spinal Tap' of politics. Robbins stars in this own scathing send up of the U.S. political system and…
Citizen CohnCitizen Cohn (1992)
Dir. Frank Pierson
Feat. James Woods
James Woods plays Joseph McCarthy's crooked lawyer, Roy Cohn – a role meaty enough to sustain every ounce of his frustrated energy. The…
DamageDamage (1992)
Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Jeremy Irons, Juliette Binoche, Miranda Richardson
Jeremy Irons plays a Tory cabinet minister who becomes entangled, (especially physically) with his son's fiancee – a chic,…
Distinguished Gentleman, TheDistinguished Gentleman, The (1992)
Dir. Jonathan Lynn
Feat. Eddie Murphy
Perennial con–man Eddie Murphy wangles his way to Washington and discovers his petty untruths are small potatoes compared to the corruption…
HoffaHoffa (1992)
Dir. Danny De Vito
Feat. Jack Nicholson
An earnest attempt to redress the life of the controversial union leader who vanished without a trace in 1975. Jack Nicholson is near unrecognizable…
Incident at OglalaIncident at Oglala (1992)
Dir. Michael Apted
A compelling case is made for the innocence of a native American accused of murdering two FBI agents in 1976, though it's sense of social injustice…
JFK: Assassination TapesJFK: Assassination Tapes (1992)
Dir. John Barbour
Largely a basis for Oliver Stone's opus, Jim Garrison himself speaks frankly about his investigation into the alleged cover–up surrounding the…
Manufacturing ConsentManufacturing Consent (1992) Aro Favourite
Dir. Achbar, Peter Wintonick
Feat. Noam Chomsky
Important film presents the theories of Noam Chomsky on the media and its mainstream bias which may have a far–reaching political agenda. What…
Oak, TheOak, The (Balanta) (1992)
Dir. Lucian Pintilie
Feat. Maia Morgenstern, Razvan Vasilescu, Victor Rebengiuc
Provocative director Pintilie strikes the perfect balance of surreal comedy and powerful realism as he examines the progressive disillusionment of a…
Panama Deception, ThePanama Deception, The (1992) Recommended
Dir. Barbara Trent
Oscar–winning film is unabashedly activist attempt to uncover some truths about the propaganda used to sanitise the U.S. Government's invasion…
RubyRuby (1992)
Dir. John Mackenzie
Feat. Danny Aiello
The story of the man who shot the man who shot JFK, with Danny Aiello perhaps too likeable in the title role. Worthy slant on an increasingly…
Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior, TheSinking of the Rainbow Warrior, The (1992)
Dir. Michael Tuchner
Feat. Sam Neill, Jon Voight, Tony Barry
Telemovie enactment of the French–sponsored bombing of the Greenpeace vessel ' Rainbow Warrior' in 1984. Solidly dramatised with Neill and…
Stepping Razor Red XStepping Razor Red X (1992) Aro Favourite
Dir. Nicholas Campbell
A vivid, disturbing portrait of politically–minded reggae–singer Peter Tosh, who after many turbulent years in Jamaica was killed in…
At Play in the Fields of the LordAt Play in the Fields of the Lord (1991)
Dir. Hector Babenco
Feat. Tom Berenger, John Lithgow, Daryl Hannah
Tom Berenger, John Lithgow, Darryl Hannah, Aidan Quinn, Kathy Bates and Tom Waits endured the two–year location shoot of Peter Matthiessen's…
City of HopeCity of Hope (1991) Recommended
Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Vincent Spano, Stephen Mendillo, Chris Cooper
36 principals weave in and out of this sprawling, warts–and–all take on class, crime and corruption in working–class New York. The…
Closet LandCloset Land (1991)
Dir. Radha Bharadwaj
Feat. Madeleine Stowe, Alan Rickman
Madeleine Stowe and Alan Rickman comprise the entire cast of this dramatic exercise that consists solely of an alleged subversive children's author…
December BrideDecember Bride (1991)
Dir. Thaddeus O'Sullivan
Feat. Saskia Reeves
A rain–soaked melodrama set in '30s rural Ireland in which Saskia Reeves endures Catholic prejudice after giving birth out of wedlock. This is…
G.B.H (TV Mini-series)G.B.H (TV Mini-series) (1991)
Feat. Robert Lindsay, Michael Palin, Dearbhla Molloy
Dynamite Channel 4 mini–series from the pointed pen of tele–writer Alan Bleasdale plays out the battle of wits between a mad Labour Party…
Guilty by SuspicionGuilty by Suspicion (1991) Recommended
Dir. Irwin Winkler
Feat. Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro portrays a film–maker victimised by the communist witch–hunts of the '50s. A powerful examination of the dilemma faced by…
Inner Circle, TheInner Circle, The (1991)
Dir. Andrei Konchalovsky
Feat. Tom Hulce, Bob Hoskins, Lolita Davidovich
A naive Muscovite (Tom Hulce) is initiated into a world of privilege as Stalin's projectionist. True–life saga of Soviet life under iron rule…
JFKJFK (1991) Recommended
Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. Oliver Stone, Kevin Costner
Oliver Stone's gripping, technically dazzling opus is both convincing propaganda and marvellous entertainment, with Kevin Costner leading a large and…
Leader, the Driver and the Driver's Wife, TheLeader, the Driver and the Driver's Wife, The (1991) Recommended
Dir. Nick Broomfield
Both scary and hilarious, this look at the Afrikaner Resistance Movement and its leader Eugene Terreblanche, sees Nick Broomfield honing his…
Making Sense of the SixtiesMaking Sense of the Sixties (1991)
Fulsome documentary overview of the turbulent sixties, specifically in context with America, where John F. Kennedy, civil rights, the Vietnam War,…
Rebels in RetrospectRebels in Retrospect (1991)
Dir. Russell Campbell
An inquiry into the aims, methods and achievments of the Progressive Youth Movement, Kiwi political activists in the turbulent '60s.
StoryvilleStoryville (1991)
Dir. Mark Frost
Feat. James Spader, Joanne Whalley, Jason Robards Jr.
The directing debut from TWIN PEAKS' co–creator. Upstart political candidate James Spader becomes involved in illicit activity. A gumbo of red…
True ColoursTrue Colours (1991)
Dir. Herbert Ross
Feat. John Cusack, James Spader, Imogen Stubbs
Political drama in which John Cusack and James Spader's law school friendship turns to sour grapes when they graduate to Washington's corridors of…
Berkeley in the SixtiesBerkeley in the Sixties (1990) Recommended
Dir. Mark Kitchell
A lively, dense study of 1960s counter–culture in microcosm, this chronicles the rise and fall of the student movement in a Californian campus…
Gravy Train, The (TV Mini-series)Gravy Train, The (TV Mini-series) (1990-1991)
Dir. David Tucker, James Cellan Jones
Feat. Ian Richardson, Alexei Sayle, Francesca Annis
Intriguing political TV Mini–series based around a scheming Director of European Economic Community and his naive assistant travelling across…
House of Cards, The (TV Series)House of Cards, The (TV Series) (1990-1993) Recommended
Dir. Paul Seed
Feat. Ian Richardson
A sardonic and blackly humourous look at British politics, with a reptilian Ian Richardson plotting and blackmailing his way into power in three…
Maria's Story Maria's Story (A Portrait Of Love And Survival In El Salvador's Civil War) (1990)
Dir. Monona Wali, Pamela Cohen
Roger and MeRoger and Me (1990) Aro Favourite
Dir. Michael Moore
Feat. Michael Moore
A brilliantly irreverant personal odyssey by the film–maker who, equipped with a mic and a camera, endeavours to extract comment from General…
BlazeBlaze (1989)
Dir. Ron Shelton
Feat. Paul Newman, Lolita Davidovich, Richard Jenkins
Paul Newman plays flamboyant Southern governor Earl Long, who was scandalized over a love affair with an exotic dancer (Lolita Davidovich, in a…
Cat ChaserCat Chaser (1989)
Dir. Abel Ferrara
Feat. Peter Weller, Kelly McGillis, Charles Durning
The director atypically sidesteps controversy in adapting Elmore Leonard's political novel about a Miami hotel owner who courts danger when he…
Clarke and DaweClarke and Dawe (The Full Catastrophe) (1989-2009) Recommended
Feat. John Clarke, Bryan Dawe
Comprehensive compilation of mock interviews from Aussie comic Bryan Dawe and true–blue Kiwi John Clarke (aka Fred Dagg), whose collective…
Eight Men OutEight Men Out (1989)
Dir. John Sayles
Feat. John Cusack, Michael Rooker, Christopher Lloyd
True story of the Chicago White Sox baseball team who conspired with gamblers to lose the World Series in 1919. Finely detailed topical drama with an…
Fellow TravellerFellow Traveller (1989)
Dir. Philip Saville
Feat. Ron Silver, Hart Bochner
A classy political thriller concerning the traumas of a blacklisted writer exiled in London during the McCarthy era.
Music BoxMusic Box (1989)
Dir. Costa-Gavras
Feat. Jessica Lange, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Frederic Forrest
Jessica Lange plays the attorney daughter of a Hungarian immigrant (Mueller–Stahl), now accused of WW2 war crimes. Her quest for the truth…
Open DoorsOpen Doors (1989)
Dir. Gianni Amelio
Feat. Gian Maria Volente, Ennio Fantastichini, Renato Carpentieri
A resonant political drama set in corrupt fascist Italy about a juror's attempt to save a political murderer from the gallows.
RomeroRomero (1989)
Dir. John Duigan
Feat. Raul Julia, Richard Jordan
Provocative political drama details the story of Salvadorian Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was assassinated in 1980 by representatives of an…
ScandalScandal (1989)
Dir. Michael Caton-Jones
Feat. John Hurt, Joanne Whalley, Bridget Fonda
Polished dramatisation of events that led to the downfall of politician John Profumo, who engaged in an liaison with a controversial call–girl.
A Very British CoupA Very British Coup (1988)
Dir. Mick Jackson
Feat. Ray McAnally, Alan MacNaughtan, Keith Allen
Old–school Labourite Ray McAnally is elected Prime Minister of Great Britain, an event displeasing to various high–placed civil servants…
John Pilger's Return TicketJohn Pilger's Return Ticket (South Africa: Apartheid Did Not Die; Frontline: In Search Of Truth In Wartime; Vietnam: The Last Battle) (1988-1995) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alan Lowery, David Munro
Feat. John Pilger
John Pilger revisits the remnants of war, stained politics, and social injustice in this fifth volume of his hard–hitting documentary…
Milagro Beanfield WarMilagro Beanfield War (1988)
Dir. Robert Redford
Feat. Ruben Blades, Richard Bradford, Sonia Braga
A New Mexican farmer triggers a feud with corporate developers keen to exploit his land. A spirited, simple fable – Redford lovingly directs a…
Running On EmptyRunning On Empty (1988) Aro Favourite
Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. Judd Hirsch, River Phoenix, Christine Lahti
A married couple, on the run for activist crimes in the 1960s, come to terms with their childrens' right to be free. A moving story, handled with…
World Apart, AWorld Apart, A (1988)
Dir. Chris Menges
Feat. Barbara Hershey
True account of a teenage girl's isolated upbringing in aparteid–torn South Africa, whose obsessed mother is jailed for political activism in…
Cry FreedomCry Freedom (1987) Recommended
Dir. Richard Attenborough
Feat. Denzel Washington, Kevin Kline
Potent political cinema based on the story of black South African activist Steve Biko (Denzel Washington), whose suspicious death was investigated by…
New Statesman, The (TV Series)New Statesman, The (TV Series) (1987-1991)
Dir. Geoffrey Sax
Feat. Rik Mayall
Rik Mayall plays British Tory MP Alan B’Stard in this fairly amusing sift through the sleazy, corrupt corridors of Westminster. All four series…
Swimming to CambodiaSwimming to Cambodia (1987) Recommended
Dir. Jonathan Demme
Feat. Spalding Gray
Recounting his experiences in Thailand, while acting in THE KILLING FIELDS, arch–raconteur Spalding Gray whips up a verbal storm, with Laurie…
T. Dan SmithT. Dan Smith (1987)
Dir. Amber Film Collective
Docu–drama chronicles of events leading to the imprisonment of a maverick Newcastle councillor. Made in collaboration with Smith himself, it…
American Way, The American Way, The (Riders of the Storm) (1986)
Dir. Maurice Phillips
Feat. Dennis Hopper, Michael J. Pollard, James Aubrey
Varied political satire following a group of Vietnam vets on a quest to reveal the shady nature of a new electoral candidate by taking over TV…
ComradesComrades (1986) Recommended
Dir. Bill Douglas
Feat. Keith Allen, Dave Atkins
A compelling epic exposing the hypocrisy and inequality facing the Tolpuddle Martyrs, the 1830s Dorset farmers who were deported to Australia after…
Half Moon StreetHalf Moon Street (1986)
Dir. Bob Swaim
Feat. Michael Caine, Sigourney Weaver
Michael Caine and Sigourney Weaver play British diplomat and call–girl who become locked in escalating political intrigue.
KangarooKangaroo (1986)
Dir. Tim Burstall
Feat. Judy Davis, Colin Friels
Thinly veiled autobiographical account of novelist D.H. Lawrence features Colin Friels as 'a British writer' in Australia who gets unintentionally…
SalvadorSalvador (1986) Recommended
Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. James Woods, James Belushi
A potent dramatisation of a journalist's experiences in El Salvador, with Woods in his usual dynamic form. Never one for fence–sitting, the…
Yes, Prime Minister (TV Series)Yes, Prime Minister (TV Series) (1986-1987)
Feat. Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne, Derek Fowlds
The splendid sequel to the much–loved British political satire, with 'Minister' Eddington graduating, much to his surprise, to the top job,…
Broken RainbowBroken Rainbow (1985) Recommended
Dir. Victoria Mudd
This 1985 Oscar–winning documentary, narrated by Martin Sheen, deals with the forced relocation of the Desi (Navajo) people from their…
Defence of the RealmDefence of the Realm (1985)
Dir. David Drury
Feat. Gabriel Byrne, Greta Scacchi, Denholm Elliott
Atmospheric nuclear conspiracy thriller of the old–school.
Islands of the EmpireIslands of the Empire (1985) Recommended
Dir. Alister Barry, Rod Prosser, Russell Campbell
Documentary from Wellington production company Vanguard Films (SOMEONE ELSE'S COUNTRY) offering a valuable examination of military relationships…
Mussolini and IMussolini and I (1985)
Dir. Alberto Negrin
Feat. Bob Hoskins, Anthony Hopkins, Susan Sarandon
The last days of Il Duce as embodied by Bob Hoskins in this strong Italian miniseries.
Official Story, TheOfficial Story, The (1985) Recommended
Dir. Luis Puenzo
Feat. Hector Alterio, Norma Aleandro, Chunchuna Villafane
The heart–wrenching official story of a woman who discovers her adopted daughter was stolen at birth by the then military dictatorship. This…
John Pilger's The New Rulers of the WorldJohn Pilger's The New Rulers of the World (The New Rulers of the World; War By Other Means; Burp! Pepsi v Coke in the Ice Cold War) (1984-2001) Recommended
Dir. David Munro, Alan Lowery
Feat. John Pilger
Three more essential documentaries from journalist John Pilger, with the emphasis on big business, globalisation, and the plight of the Third…
Last Bastion, TheLast Bastion, The (1984)
Dir. Chris Thomson
Feat. Bill Hunter, Ray Barrett, Robert Vaughn
Australia's involvement in World War II is explored from behind closed doors in this dramatisation of the decisions made by politicians and generals…
Secret HonorSecret Honor (1984) Recommended
Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Philip Baker Hall
A fictionalized monologue adapted from the stage by playwrights Donald Freed and Arnold M. Stone, with the great Philip Baker Hall as former…
Gorky ParkGorky Park (1983) Recommended
Dir. Michael Apted
Feat. William Hurt, Lee Marvin, Brian Dennehy
William Hurt plays a brooding Russian detective investigating horrific murders in Moscow. Meaty, convincing thriller.
Patu!Patu! (1983) Recommended
Dir. Merata Mita
The 1981 protests against the South African Rugby tour of New Zealand are documented here by M?ori director Merita Mita, providing a landmark in…
Black Wax - Gil Scott-HeronBlack Wax - Gil Scott-Heron (1982) Recommended
Dir. Robert Mugge
Fusing interviews, poetry recitations and live concert footage, this is a compelling portrait of black American musician/activist Gil…
Family Ties (TV Series)Family Ties (TV Series) (1982-1989) Aro Favourite
Feat. Michael Gross, Meredith Baxter-Birney, Michael J. Fox
Perhaps the quintessential 80's family sitcom, based around the 'politically–correct' ex–hippie parents who find themselves in the…
MissingMissing (1982) Recommended
Dir. Costa-Gavras
Feat. Jack Lemmon, Sissy Spacek, Melanie Mayron
Jack Lemmon goes in search of his missing son in volatile Latin America (based on Chile), where even the American representives seem to be concealing…
Nancy Astor (TV Mini-series)Nancy Astor (TV Mini-series) (1982)
Dir. Richard Stroud
Feat. Lisa Harrow, Pierce Brosnan
Rags–to–riches biography of the life of Nancy Astor, the first woman to hold a seat in the house of commons.
Woman Called Golda, AWoman Called Golda, A (1982) Recommended
Dir. Alan Gibson
Feat. Ingrid Bergman, Ned Beatty, Judy Davis
Much–praised biopic in which Ingrid Bergman gives her final performance as Israeli Prime Minister and so–called "mother of Israel', Golda…
Man of IronMan of Iron (1981)
Dir. Andrzej Wajda
Feat. Jerzy Radziwilowicz, Krystyna Janda, Marian Opania
Angry sequel to MAN OF MARBLE covers much the same ground with an alcoholic journalist sent to cover the Polish Solidarity strike and to discredit…
RedsReds (1981)
Dir. Warren Beatty
Feat. Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson
A provocative political saga about an American journalist's involvement with communism, the Russian revolution and the love of a like–minded…
Being ThereBeing There (1980) Aro Favourite
Dir. Hal Ashby
Feat. Peter Sellers
A middle–aged gardner, reared in solitude and exclusively educated through his television, is mistaken for a political genius. Profound and…
Return of the Secaucus 7Return of the Secaucus 7 (1980) Aro Favourite
Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Bruce MacDonald, Maggie Renzi, Adam LeFevre
In his feature debut, writer–director John Sayles demonstrates a wisdom way beyond his years with this ‘do–it–yourself’…
Yes Minister (TV Series)Yes Minister (TV Series) (1980-1982)
Dir. Sydney Lotterby
Feat. Paul Eddington, Derek Fowlds, Nigel Hawthorne
The excellent, mildly pointed satire on British politics in Whitehall, with aristocratic bureaucrats Nigel Hawthorne and Derek Fowlds gently guiding…
CubaCuba (1979)
Dir. Richard Lester
Feat. Sean Connery
Political adventure set at the end of the Batista regime concerning a mercenary mixing business with pleasure in the revolution–torn state.
Ike (TV Mini-series)Ike (TV Mini-series) (1979)
Dir. Boris Sagal, Melville Shavelson
Feat. Robert Duvall, Lee Remick, Dana Andrews
Robert Duvall is expectedly good in this three–part miniseries detailing the life of Dwight D. Eisenhower, who commanded American forces during…
Norma RaeNorma Rae (1979)
Dir. Martin Ritt
Feat. Sally Field, Ron Leibman, Beau Bridges
Sally Field won the 1979 Best Actress Oscar for her portrait of a feisty textile factory worker in North Carolina who becomes involved in the labour…
Third Generation, TheThird Generation, The (Die Dritte Generation) (1979) Recommended
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Hanna Schygulla, Margit Carstensen, Eddie Constantine
A scathing black comedy about terrorism, one of the final films of German provocateur Rainer Werner Fassbinder. A hilariously indiscriminate plot…
Winter KillsWinter Kills (1979)
Dir. William Richert
Feat. Jeff Bridges, John Huston, Anthony Perkins
Low–key but satisfying 'redux' of the Kennedy assassination posits a parallel scenario where the half–brother of an assassinated…
China Syndrome, TheChina Syndrome, The (1978) Aro Favourite
Dir. James Bridges
Feat. Jane Fonda, Michael Douglas, Jack Lemmon
Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas pair as TV journalists who become involved in the cover–up of a major malfunction at a nuclear power plant.…
Disraeli (TV Mini-series)Disraeli (TV Mini-series) (1978)
Dir. Claude Whatham
Feat. Ian McShane, Rosemary Leach, Mary Peach
Detailed biopic of the remarkable life of the author turned British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. Talky and visually limited this is more than a…
F.I.S.T.F.I.S.T. (Fist) (1978)
Dir. Norman Jewison
Feat. Sylvester Stallone, Rod Steiger, Peter Boyle
Earnest union drama with Stallone as a Jimmy Hoffa type union leader whose idealism is gradually corrupted. Curious misfire is worth a watch with a…
Citizen SmithCitizen Smith (1977-1980)
Dir. Ray Butt
Feat. Robert Lindsay
Mischievous TV comedy about self–styled 'urban guerilla' Wolfie Smith (Lindsay) who tries to spark a socialist revolution from the London…
Domino Principle, TheDomino Principle, The (1977)
Dir. Stanley Kramer
Feat. Gene Hackman, Candice Bergen, Richard Widmark
A thoroughly minor entry in the 1970s cycle of 'conspiracy thrillers', with Hackman playing an ex–Army marksman who is, sprung from prison by…
Frost/Nixon Watergate InterviewsFrost/Nixon Watergate Interviews (1977)
Dir. Jorn Winther
Feat. David Frost, Richard Nixon
The legendary 28 hour interview between the charismatic David Frost and former President Richard Nixon is touted as the greatest political interview…
Washington: Behind Closed Doors (Mini-Series)Washington: Behind Closed Doors (Mini-Series) (1977)
Feat. Cliff Robertson, Jason Robards Jr., Stefanie Powers
Sharply written mini–series inspired by the Nixon administration tells the story of a power–hungry U.S. President, and the men he…
All the President's MenAll the President's Men (1976) Recommended
Dir. Alan J. Pakula
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford
Chilling account of events that led to the publicising of the Watergate scandal, as uncovered by two reporters. A key film of the 1970s.
Absence of MaliceAbsence of Malice (1975)
Dir. Sydney Pollack
Feat. Sally Field, Paul Newman
Reporter Sally Feild smears innocent Paul Newman in this solid examination of ethics, power and corruption in the US media.
Mother Kuesters Goes to HeavenMother Kuesters Goes to Heaven (1975) Recommended
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Brigitte Mira, Ingrid Caven, Karlheinz Bohm
A furiously witty political black comedy from New German Cinema iconoclast Rainer Werner Fassbinder, heavily inspired by the melodramas of Douglas…
Wilby Conspiracy, TheWilby Conspiracy, The (1975)
Dir. Ralph Nelson
Feat. Sidney Poitier, Michael Caine, Nicol Williamson
Activists Poitier and Caine are stalked by a sadistic policeman in this Apartheid–era suspenser, in which thrills take precedence over politics.
Conversation, TheConversation, The (1974)
Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Allen Garfield
Absorbing account of a bugging–device expert who develops a conscience and slowly uncovers a political scandal in a seemingly normal…
General Idi Amin DadaGeneral Idi Amin Dada (A Self Portrait) (1974)
Dir. Barbet Schroeder
General Idi Amin Dada’s narcissism is serviced willingly by an intrigued Barbet Schroeder, focusing his camera on the lunatic dictator during his…
Parallax View, TheParallax View, The (1974) Recommended
Dir. Alan J. Pakula
Feat. Warren Beatty, Hume Cronyn, Paula Prentiss
Intelligent, stylish paranoia thriller with Warren Beatty as a renegade reporter investigating an unfolding political conspiracy involving a covert…
Day of the JackalDay of the Jackal (1973) Recommended
Dir. Fred Zinnemann
Feat. Edward Fox, Terence Alexander, Michel Auclair
Taut, clinical adaptation of Frederick Forsyth's best–seller with Edward Fox as the icy hit–man who meticulously prepares for the…
SwastikaSwastika (1973)
Dir. Lutz Becker, Phillipe Mora
Consisting solely of startling archival footage, this documentary portrait of the era of Adolf Hitler's domination of Nazi Germany, eschews narration…
WattstaxWattstax (1973) Recommended
Dir. Mel Stuart
A little–seen yet significant concert film of the 'Wattstax' festival in Los Angeles in 1972, organised to commemorate the 7th anniversary of…
Way We Were, TheWay We Were, The (1973) Recommended
Dir. Sydney Pollack
Feat. Robert Redford, Barbra Streisand
A rich–kid aspiring novelist and a political activist go through the pleasure and pain of courtship and marriage through three decades.…
Candidate, TheCandidate, The (1972)
Dir. Michael Ritchie
Feat. Robert Redford
Incisive political satire sees idealist Robert Redford run for the Senate, but finds his good intentions usurped by the system and the needs of…
State of SiegeState of Siege (1972)
Dir. Costa-Gavras
Feat. Yves Montand, Renato Salvatori, Maurice Teynac
Influenced by the rise to power of Uruguay's 1970s dictatorship, Costa–Gavras's gritty drama follows the kidnapping and interrogation of U.S.…
Tout Va BienTout Va Bien (Everything’s All Right) (1972)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Pierre Gorin
Feat. Yves Montand, Jane Fonda, Anita Caprioli
Radical political drama from Nouvelle Vague luminary Jean Luc–Godard and frequent collaborator Jean–Pierre Gorin, set during a wildcat…
BananasBananas (1971)
Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Woody Allen
A bizarre storyline lands Woody in the middle of a South American revolution.
Punishment ParkPunishment Park (1971) Aro Favourite
Dir. Peter Watkins
Extraordinary, 'fictionalised' docu–drama from the unique and largely unheralded talent of British director Peter Watkins, portraying the…
Confession, TheConfession, The (L'Aveu) (1970)
Dir. Costa-Gavras
Feat. Yves Montand, Simone Signoret, Gabriele Ferzetti
A high–ranking government official in Communist Czechoslovakia is taken prisoner and forced to confess to treason he never committed.
Conformist, TheConformist, The (Conformista, Il) (1970) Aro Favourite
Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Jean-Louis Trintignant, Stefania Sandrelli, Gastone Moschin
Dazzling images and a potent brew of sex and politics merge seamlessly in this milestone of cinema about a submissive Italian Fascist recruited to…
John Pilger's Documentaries That Changed the WorldJohn Pilger's Documentaries That Changed the World (The Quiet Mutiny; Do You Remember Vietnam?; Year Zero; Death of a Nation) (1970-1994) Recommended
Dir. David Munro, John Pilger
Feat. John Pilger
Four of journalist John Pilger's most important documentaries, that exemplify his fiercely humanist perspective which makes few concessions to…
Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer, TheRise and Rise of Michael Rimmer, The (1970)
Dir. Kevin Billington
Feat. Peter Cook, John Cleese, Harold Pinter
Follow the meteoric rise of one Michael Rimmer, an entry–level ad exec. who turns a fledging agency into an industry heavyweight, graduates to…
Che!Che! (1969)
Dir. Richard Fleischer
Feat. Omar Sharif, Jack Palance
Made barely two years after his death, this Che Guevara biopic boasts the reputable acting talents of Omar Sharif and Jack Palance and picks up where…
Medium CoolMedium Cool (1969) Recommended
Dir. Haskell Wexler
Filmed against the backdrop of the Democratic National convention in 1968 Chicago, this remarkable directorial effort by renowned cinematographer…
One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band, TheOne and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band, The (1968)
Dir. Michael O'Herlihy
Feat. Walter Brennan, Buddy Ebsen, Lesley Ann Warren
A rambunctious Disney musical in which the large Bower family band sets off to the 1888 Democrat Party convention in St. Louis to support Grover…
Rocky Road to DublinRocky Road to Dublin (1968)
Dir. Peter Lennon
Ex–Guardian reporter Lennon recruited French New Wave lensman Raoul Coutard to film this scathing Irish postcard, exposing wayward politics and…
ZZ (1968) Recommended
Dir. Costa-Gavras
Feat. Yves Montand, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Irene Papas
Pioneering conspiracy thriller based on the true story of the murder of a doctor and the raw sore of Greek political corruption it exposes. Oscars…
La ChinoiseLa Chinoise (1967)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud, Anne Wiazemsky, Juliet Berto
Five Parisian students dabble in the possibilities of enacting a Mao–ist revolution in the West, in one of dir. Godard's more overt flirtations…
President's Analyst, ThePresident's Analyst, The (1967)
Dir. Theodore J. Flicker
Feat. James Coburn
Madcap comedy suspense tracking a hapless guy awarded the task of being the president's assistant, who then must deal with bribes and death threats…
PrivilegePrivilege (1967) Aro Favourite
Dir. Peter Watkins
Feat. Paul Jones, Jean Shrimpton
Paul Jones (one–time vocalist for the Manfred Mann group) fronts a government–sanctioned brainwash as a rock idol whose music is being…
Battle of Algiers, TheBattle of Algiers, The (1965) Aro Favourite
Dir. Gillo Pontecorvo
Feat. Brahim Haggiag
Gripping account of the Muslim uprising which led to the withdrawal of France from Algeria was shot merely four years after the revolution, and as…
Stand Up, Nigel Barton/Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel BartonStand Up, Nigel Barton/Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton (1965)
Dir. Gareth Davies
Feat. Keith Barron, Jack Woolgar, Janet Henfrey
Formative Dennis Potter chronicles the bumpy political rise of one aspiring Nigel Barton, from Oxford to Cabinet. Sharply autobiographical,…
Best Man, The Best Man, The (1964)
Dir. Franklin J. Schaffner
Feat. Henry Fonda, Cliff Robertson, Edie Adams
Bitter political satire finds Fonda and Robertson competing against each other in a bid to win the presidency. The two foes soon find themselves…
Four Days in NovemberFour Days in November (1964)
Dir. Mel Stuart
An unbiased view of events surrounding the death of JFK taken from more than eight million feet of newsreel footage encompassing joyous Kennedy…
Seven Days in MaySeven Days in May (1964) Recommended
Dir. John Frankenheimer
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster
Kirk Douglas stumbles upon a conspiracy led by General Burt Lancaster, to bring down the US President (who goes and signs treaties with the…
CrisisCrisis (1963) Recommended
Dir. Robert Drew
Tense account of a key battle in the American Civil Rights movement with President Kennedy locked in a tense negotiation with Alabaman Governor…
Hands Over the CityHands Over the City (Le mani sulla città) (1963) Recommended
Dir. Francesco Rosi
Feat. Rod Steiger, Salvo Randone, Guido Alberti
An astute and ever–pertinent story of political corruption in post–World War II Italy starring Rod Steiger as a ruthless developer and…
Ugly American, TheUgly American, The (1963)
Dir. George Englund
Feat. Marlon Brando, Arthur Hiller, Sandra Church
Featuring one of Marlon Brando’s more interesting choices of roles, this political thriller dramatises the American–vs–Communist…
Advise and ConsentAdvise and Consent (1962)
Dir. Otto Preminger
Feat. Henry Fonda, Charles Laughton, Don Murray
Political thriller–fable set in the corridors and committee rooms of Washington DC, where the fundamentally decent Senator, Henry Fonda, learns…
Le Combat Dans L'îleLe Combat Dans L'île (1962)
Dir. Alain Cavalier
Feat. Romy Schneider, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Henri Serre
French drama exploring the tension between right and left wing politics in the early 60's, through the romantic conflict faced by a woman (Romy…
Manchurian Candidate, TheManchurian Candidate, The (1962) Aro Favourite
Dir. John Frankenheimer
Feat. Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh
Politically–charged nail–biter with Frank Sinatra experiencing post–war paranoia about a fellow soldier who may have been…
Salvatore GiulianoSalvatore Giuliano (1962) Recommended
Dir. Francesco Rosi
Feat. Salvo Randone, Frank Wolff, Frederico Zardi
An epic Italian political drama, charting in a non–linear fashion the true story of Sicilian bandit Salvatore Giuliano, a criminal and…
Mein KampfMein Kampf (1961)
Dir. Erwin Leiser
Based on the infamous diary of Adolf Hitler, this is an impressive, prudent chronicle of his life, from his formative years through the horrors of…
No Love for JohnnieNo Love for Johnnie (1961)
Dir. Ralph Thomas
Feat. Peter Finch, Stanley Holloway, Donald Pleasence
Peter Finch excels as a British MP whose desire for career advancement threatens his personal life.
PrimaryPrimary (1960) Recommended
Dir. Robert Drew
Landmark documentary captures the charismatic JFK as he contests the Wisconsin Democratic Primary with Hubert Humphrey. One of the first films of…
I'm All Right JackI'm All Right Jack (1959) Aro Favourite
Dir. John Boulting
Feat. Ian Carmichael, Peter Sellers, Terry-Thomas
Brilliant satire of labour and class relations, makes a glorious mockery of unions and management alike as upperclass twit Ian Carmichael joins the…
Face in the Crowd, AFace in the Crowd, A (1957) Recommended
Dir. Elia Kazan
Feat. Andy Griffith, Patricia Neal, Walter Matthau
Pungent social commentary on American mass culture outlays the rags–to–riches trajectory of a hick nobody (Griffith) whose rapid rise to…
Salt of the EarthSalt of the Earth (1954) Recommended
Dir. Herbert J. Biberman
Feat. Rosaura Revueltas, Will Geer
An incendiary tale of racial prejudice, big business greed and feminist uprising that pushed plenty of buttons in the fifties, making it first of its…
SuddenlySuddenly (1954) Recommended
Dir. Lewis Allen
Feat. Frank Sinatra, Sterling Hayden
Frank Sinatra impresses in an unsympathetic role: a sneering, cynical war–veteran out to practice his marksmanship on the President of the…
All the King's MenAll the King's Men (1949) Recommended
Dir. Robert Rossen
Feat. Broderick Crawford, John Ireland, Mercedes McCambridge
Broderick Crawford brilliantly plays a well intentioned but bullheaded Southern senator whose thirst for power sets him on the road to ruin. Fine…
We Were StrangersWe Were Strangers (1949)
Dir. John Huston
Feat. Jennifer Jones, John Garfield, Pedro Armendariz
Adventure drama with Jennifer Jones playing a woman who joins the Cuban Underground and helps devise a plot to bring down the country's corrupt…
State of the UnionState of the Union (1948)
Dir. Frank Capra
Feat. Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Angela Lansbury
An idealistic industrialist is urged to run for President, but finds uncomfortable compromises are required on both a political and marital level.…
Farmer's Daughter, TheFarmer's Daughter, The (1947)
Dir. H.C. Potter
Feat. Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten, Ethel Barrymore
Congressman Joseph Cotton's maid, Loretta Young, decides to run against him in the next election. A perceptive comedy that won an Oscar for Young.
Trial at NurembergTrial at Nuremberg (1947)
Dir. Jack Kaufman
Actual footage of the historic war crime hearings in which Goering, Hess and 19 other SS Nazi leaders would be brought to trial over 217 days at the…
Years Between, TheYears Between, The (1946)
Dir. Compton Bennett
Feat. Michael Redgrave, Valerie Hobson, Dame Flora Robson
Michael Redgrave plays a British MI6 officer who returns home after working for the French Resistance to find that his wife, who had presumed him…
Native LandNative Land (1942) Recommended
Dir. Leo Hurwitz, Paul Strand
Impassioned and authentic, this landmark film call for social revolution in Depression–era America blends vivid re–anactments with actual…
Meet John DoeMeet John Doe (1941)
Dir. Frank Capra
Feat. Barbara Stanwyck, Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan
Always partial to a ripe political parable, dir. Capra has Barbara Stanwyck leading hickster Gary Cooper around by the nose on a national goodwill…
Great Dictator, TheGreat Dictator, The (1940) Aro Favourite
Dir. Charles Chaplin
Feat. Charles Chaplin
Chaplin's brave subversive satire in which he inhabits dual roles – dictator Adenoid Hynkle and a Jewish barber – for his damning…
Great McGinty, TheGreat McGinty, The (1940)
Dir. Preston Sturges
Feat. Brian Donlevy, Akim Tamiroff, William Demarest
The first film with Preston Sturges both scripting and directing, this dryly wacky political satire sees cynical bum Donlevy rise to the heights of…
Mr. Smith Goes to WashingtonMr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) Recommended
Dir. Frank Capra
Feat. James Stewart, Jean Arthur
Another brilliant comic parable from Frank Capra, in the wake of MR. DEEDS. The endearing Jimmy Stewart plays a young idealist who discovers the…
Young Mr. LincolnYoung Mr. Lincoln (1939)
Dir. John Ford
Feat. Henry Fonda, Alice Brady, Marjorie Weaver
A fresh–faced Henry Fonda gives credence to the formative years of Abraham Lincoln, seen here as a country boy–turned–lawyer…
Marseillaise, LaMarseillaise, La (1938)
Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Pierre Renoir, Lisa Delamare, Leon Larive
Renoir's classic depicts events leading up to the French revolution in the 18th Century, electing to extract history from the heart of the common…
Triumph of the WillTriumph of the Will (1935) Recommended
Dir. Leni Riefenstahl
The famous official document of the Nazi rally at Nuremberg, 1934, shot in stunning geometric compositions. This manages to stagger the senses, while…
October : 10 Days That Shook the World (1928)
Dir. Sergei Eisenstein
Feat. Nikandrov , N. Popov, Boris Livanov
A brilliant reconstruction of the momentous events of 1917, when revolutionary soldiers overthrew the provisional Government bringing Lenin and the…
End of St. Petersburg, TheEnd of St. Petersburg, The (1927)
Dir. Vsevolod Pudovkin
Feat. Vera Baranovskaya, Aleksandr Chistyakov
The tensions that exploded with the 'October Revolution' in Russia, 1917 are schematised here using understated characterisations (of workers and…
StrikeStrike (1924)
Dir. Sergei Eisenstein
Feat. Grigori Alexandrov
Eisenstein's first feature is a depiction of a violent factory strike in Czarist Russia, filmed with a protoform version of his 'montage' theories in…
Day the Wall Came DownDay the Wall Came Down
Chronicle of events that led to the falling of the Berlin Wall and the re–integration of East and West Germany.

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