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 Classic ’80s Sci-fi Moments: ‘WarGames’

#7 – “WarGames” (1983) – Tic Tac Toe with Joshua – With PC sales starting to light up during the early 1980s, the nation’s fascination with computers began brightening as well.   Although “Return of the Jedi” (1983) was the big box office winner that year, “WarGames” became the surprise hit! A high school hacker, David (Matthew Broderick), believes that he hit the jackpot, when he easily finds his way into the U.S. Military.  The problem?  David accidentally ignites a supercomputer “named” Joshua who begins a countdown towards global thermal nuclear…