Movie of the Week: ‘Election’

Happy Birthday, Alexander Payne!   This uber-talented writer/director turns 60 on Feb. 10, so let’s celebrate the man’s birthday by looking back at one of his very best films:  the sarcastic, cynical, and flat out hilarious dark comedy “Election”. “Election” (1999) – Pick Flick!  Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon), a resolute overachiever, relentlessly pushes to be picked/elected as the student government president, but history/civics/current events teacher Mr. McAllister (Matthew Broderick) tries to obstruct her seemingly-destined political culmination. Writer/director Alexander Payne’s wild, stressful ride first appears as a straight-forward, light comedy, but he…

10 Bad-Relationship Movies: 9. ‘Nebraska’

“Nebraska” (2013) – Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) is delusional.  He repeatedly attempts to walk from Montana to Nebraska to collect an alleged lottery prize, and finally, his son David (Will Forte) decides to save his dad from the continued pedestrian torture.  He drives him to Nebraska, and they make a dysfunctional road trip out of it in one of Alexander Payne’s (“Election” (1999), “Sideways” (2004)) signature dark comedies. Even though Woody and David’s father-son despondent bond is in dire need of some cheer, his marriage to Kate (June Squibb) has…