While it may be hard to think of a more entertaining political cycle than today’s election, there are still some fictional and biographical films that depict a U.S. presidency that are just as an engaging and shockingly informative in its presentations. 

From the 19th Century to the late 1960’s to everything between yesterday and tomorrow, movies have always proved to be an artistic outlet for people to either reanimate, reflect, or critical portray the mechanical workings behind Washington, D.C. and the White House.

However serious the presidency of the United States is, there are many humorous moments in between.  These four films capture the seriousness and comedic elements that par together with leading the free world.  These films are some of the most essential presidential flicks for this election season.

The American President

Before his political hit television series “The West Wing” premiered, the quick-quipped master of dialogue writer, Aaron Sorkin, took his first dabble into the White House life with his screenplay of “The American President.”  Directed by Rob Reiner, “The American President” is a comedic drama about a widowed U.S. president, played by Michael Douglas, who pursues a relationship with D.C.’s newest environmental lobbyist, Annette Bening, while simultaneously trying to win the passage of a crime control bill.  Up there with “Charlie Wilson’s War,” this film is not only one of Aaron Sorkin’s funniest but also one of the best presidential films that portray just how bizarre the White House life is when it comes to personal matters versus the public matters.

Mitt

The only documentary on the list, “Mitt” gives an in depth look into the life of the 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns of former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.  The film, which takes place over a long period of six years, captures one of the most human depictions of a modern political figure on screen.  The film is no more bias than HBO’s” By The People,” a 2008 documentary on Obama’s presidential campaign and then election, yet still they are both worthy in the sense of portraying the exhausting and time-consuming experience of real-life presidential campaigns.   The documentary is nowhere as engagingly exciting as any fictional political drama film or television series out today, but what “Mitt” does offer is a window into the reality of what was once a normal U.S.

Lincoln

Much like the documentary “Mitt,” Steven Spielberg’s biographical drama “Lincoln” portrays the realities behind the slow moving and monotonous progress of politics.  Though “Lincoln’s” realism and historical accuracy should not be mistaken with dullness or boringness, as Daniel Day-Lewis’s immersive performance as Abraham Lincoln lifts the film beyond that of anything ordinary.  The story of the 16th U.S. President and his struggle to abolish slavery during the Civil War is not only a tale of historical importance but one that dwells deep into complexity and patience behind the ideas in the Oval Office.

The Best Man

A little older than the previous films on the list, but just as relevant in today’s world of presidential elections, “The Best Man” is phenomenal depiction of behind the scenes poltical maneuvering.  Written by the intellectually brilliant Gore Vidal and directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, “The Best Man” paved the brick for the compelling dialogue driven (Aaron Sorkin-esque) political dramas of today, whether that being the television shows “West Wing,” “House of Cards,” or the films such as the “Ides of March” or “Recount.”  Though while connecting and comparing “The Best Man” to other modern political entertainment, the film remains leagues above the modern era’s political dramas in its ability to think critically about the time’s own political climate.