11 Movies to Watch Before the Election

Turn off CNN, turn off MSNBC, turn off PBS. Seriously, turn it off.

Yes, the U.S. presidential election is only 1 day away. No, you won't see/hear anything new or interesting from anyone tonight.

I suggest watching a movie instead. Here's a list of some films that will segue nicely into tomorrow's regularly scheduled obsessive election results viewing.

Top 11 Pre-Election Movies:

1) Mr. Smith Goes to Washington - James Stewart plays a young idealistic Senator who shows the old dudes that good things can still happen in Washington. View clip.

2) Street Fight - Documentary surrounding a down n' dirty mayoral election in Newark, NJ. View trailer.

3) The Parallax View - This 70s political conspiracy film stars Warren Beatty. View the wicked trailer.

4) The Day the Earth Stood Still - A benevolent alien beams down to earth to unite humans to avoid certain destruction. View trailer.

5) Persepolis - This animated gem deftly illustrates the profound detachment and investment that simultaneously exist between the personalized individual and the politicized citizen. View clip.

6) Fahrenheit 9/11 - Michael Moore's 2004 film will remind you how badly the last two went. Watch the entire thing on YouTube.

7) The Weather Underground - Check out what Barack Obama's "pal" Bill Ayers got up to with the radical left group the Weathermen. View trailer.

8) Iraq in Fragments - A reminder that this election is not just about the recent economic collapse. It's about the Iraq war, and the fact that the United States and its President has an impact that extends well beyond its own borders. View trailer.

9) Southland Tales - This movie will surely confuse you enough that you'll thankfully forget ever hearing of 'Joe the Plumber'. View clip.

10) The Dead Zone - David Cronenberg's film is based on Stephen King's novel and it revolves around a schoolteacher who's suddenly burdened with psychic powers and foresees that a rising political star will become President - with disastrous consequences. View clip.

11) Election - Alexander Payne's satire on a high school election where Sarah Palin, er... I mean Tracy Flick will do anything to get elected. View trailer.

Just don't watch W.