Beauty vs Beast: Political Animals
Monday, November 7, 2016 at 6:00PM 
Jason from MNPP here, posting today's edition of "Beauty vs Beast" from deep down inside my underground election bunker -- it's kind of like 10 Cloverfield Lane only depending on which way things go tomorrow I'm possibly going to be dissolving myself in acid. Until then, cheers! And don't go blind from drunkeness.
But first I've got to put in front of you the most obvious poll for this week's contest that I could possibly have gone with. When it's right, it's right, ya know? In 1999 Alexander Payne dropped Election, his second-best movie, on the world and it's resonated deeply and profoundly every four years since. There's a character for every type - Paul Metzler's a little bit Bush and a little bit Obama; I like Tammy too much to attach Trump to her but their shared anti-establishment rhetoric is pretty on-point. And as for Tracy Flick, well... obviously.
But for "Beauty vs Beast" it only make sense to face off the real adversaries of the film. There are morals, and there are ethics, and it's one lone man's job to police the distinction...
PREVIOUSLY Last week we tackled the love-struck teenaged maniacs of Heavenly Creatures and I forced you to split the duo in two like you're they're heteronormative parents side-eyeing their affections - it was close (I was hoping for a tie!) but Winslet's Juliet squeaked it out with 54% over Lynskey's Pauline; seeing as how Juliet is ever so slightly roped into the killing by the more enthusiastic Pauline I suppose we can understand. But said our host Nathaniel (and I'm prone to agree):
"I love this movie with all my heart (the best of its year if you ask me) and this is an awful thing to be expected to answer! Cruel, Jason, cruel."
Reader Comments (13)
JA: I wouldn't exactly say Sanders was "establishment" either, and I'd say Tammy's type of anti-establishment hews closer to him than it does Trump.
PICK FLICK!
This should've been Reese's first nomination!
Election and Freeway are my favourite Reese performances. I pick Flick!
Picking Flick, because well, #ImWithHer
I agree with Bushwick! Reese Witherspoon should have received her first nod for Election.
#ImWithHer
Second-best?
Mike -- Jason is the world's biggest CITIZEN RUTH fan.
Mike and Nat: Yeah, I don't hate Citizen Ruth, but I'd (and I'd imagine most who've seen them all) would put Ruth as second or third in Alexander Payne's filmography. It's definitely better than About Schmidt or Nebraska, on some days it'd be better than Sideways, and is definitely not (ugh) The Descendants, but I do think Election is his best overall. Just soft enough to not be quite as gut-rotting as Citizen Ruth, but not as soft as his modern career, which is inflicted with a serious case of Oscar Fever.
Haha I love that you knew the answer to that, Nat.
I wear my World's Biggest Citizen Ruth Badge with pride
as I sing to Goddess Mother Moon HEAR US NOW FEEL US NOW
This is one of two movies I actually enjoy Matthew Broderick in, but Tracy Flick is one of the best realized performances I've ever seen out of Reese Witherspoon. She's so unapologetic in knowing what she wants and is such a great example of well-roundedness in a character.
Team Flick. In this year, you gotta go with her!
I love love love this movie. Best of '99.
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