TNMC
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Taking a break from my assignment of screeners, (Reviews for 8 1/2, Shadow Skills, Citizen Welles, and Twin Peaks coming soon!) I've decided to take a look at one of my favorite films of all time: the brilliant black comedy Election.
ELECTION
Movie: 10/10
This is one of the best comedies I've ever seen, ranking up there with Dr. Strangelove, Fight Club, and Dogma. This film doesn't need dick and fart jokes to be funny, it has a brain on it and it's satire is sharp as a knife. The film deals with Mr. McAllister (Matthew Broderick), the number one teacher at a small high school in Omaha, Nebraska. McAllister, a teacher of social studies, is also the advisor of the student government where he encounters the ruthless Tracey Flick (Reese Witherspoon), who is running for student body president. Tracey is your typical overachiever: she knows the answer for everything and she won't take no as an answer. She'll also do anything to win the student election. McAllister sees this and his personal grudge towards her grows when he asks the former star quarterback of the football team, Paul (American Pie's Chris Klein), to run against her. Paul is a really nice guy, cares about everyone but himself, however, the kid doesn't have a brain in his head. To his aid is Lisa, his sister Tammy's former lover. When Tammy gets wind of Paul running for president, she decides to run too. It picks up from there. The film is one of the best comedies is recent years, ranking up there with Rushmore. It is a great film: the acting is tight and everyone is great in their character, the script is razor sharp and an excellent adaptation of the novel, as for Alexander Payne's direction, it has a great style of it's own and without him the film would have lost a lot. Do you want an apple or do you want an orange?
Video: 8/10
Nice, crisp, widescreen transfer. The opening gray skies though do have some negative spots. Maybe I'm just being anal. "You be the quarterback, I'll be the tight end."
Audio: 8/10
Again, nice and crisp. 5.1 and 2.0, very good. Nothing of reference quality, but it's so clear.
Extras: 5/10
The trailer and an excellent commentary by Alexander Payne. Gotta love this commentary, both informative and funny. Why couldn't we have more though? Where is the documentary? A commentary by the author and actors/actresses? This sucks! Give this film the attention it deserves!
Overall: 7/10
Worth buying just for the film and the commentary.
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