Today, Americans across the United Sates will make history, by either electing their first female President (a woman who is well-experienced in legislation, well-versed in foreign policy and a total badass) or choosing that other guy with the funny hair in the suit.
I think you have an idea for who we'd be voting for…
And yes, while the idea of staying up late into the wee hours of Thursday morning, chomping on hotdogs and chilli-cheese fries, downing endless cups of coffee and trying not to fall asleep to BBC News' Huw Edwards yap on about the American political system sounds like a stellar idea – after all, this is a momentous occasion in international politics and womankind – unfortunately, we're just a bit tired this week.
Look, whether you decide to pull an all nighter to watch the results unfold or tuck yourself into bed and turn your phone on loud to hear the BBC's 'Breaking News' terrifyingly noisy app notification mid snooze, the amount of hours you get tonight isn't really going to make a blind bit of difference to the result.
Besides, if – in the depths of Hades' imagination– Trump in fact does get in (typing those words is horrific enough), you might want to go to bed with the idealistic hope that the world may still be full of possibilities, hope and rationality.
So, for all of you staying in tonight, here are our top eleven films, inspired by the Presidential election, the White House and the CIA, to watch tonight to get you all fired up for results day tomorrow*:
*Sadly, there aren't any female presidents in these films but times, they are a changin'*
Ideas of March, 2011
Directed by George Clooney – starring Ryan Gosling and Philip Seymour Hoffman – this film centres on an idealistic staffer (Gosling) for a new presidential candidate (Clooney) who learns politics is one hell of a dirty game. It asks the question: 'What happens when you realise you're working for the wrong candidate?'
[youtube ]https://youtu.be/pV-50ay79mk [/youtube]
Air Force One, 1997
Harrison Ford plays badass President James Marshall whose plane, Air Force One, gets hijacked by a Russian terrorist (Gary Oldman) following a speech insisting the US won't negotiate with terrorists. #Awkward
All The President's Men, 1976
Political Thriller. Robert Redford. Dustin Hoffman. Watergate scandal.
No wonder this film was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress for being 'culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant'.
The American President, 1995
What is the difference between a politician's political and personal life?
Well, The West Wing genius Aaron Sorkin' romantic comedy-drama – starring Michael Douglas, Martin Sheen, Michael J.Fox and Annette Bening – follows the story of a President (Douglas) who falls in love with an environmental lobbyist (Bening) while trying to keep his political career afloat.
[youtube ]https://youtu.be/dyGibtCfMLM
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The Manchurian Candidate, 1963 and 2004
Right, there will be a lot of controversy over this but the two political thrillers are equal contenders as all time great political films on this list.
It's a pretty confusing plot to explain but basically, a soldier is brainwashed into becoming a vice-presidential candidate for evil purposes.
[youtube ]https://youtu.be/pFtiaquxmdA [/youtube]
The Butler, 2013
Behind every good President, is his people. The Butler follows Cecil Gaines (Forrest Whitaker) who serves eight presidents during his role as a butler at the White House and the events that affect his family's life over the years.
Independence Day, 1996
Nope. This has nothing to do with the presidential election but if you thought Trump was bad, imagine if a 3,000 mile-wide mother ship full of aliens was coming to earth.
Actually, maybe that would be a better alternative…
Lincoln, 2012
Daniel Day-Lewis won an Oscar for his depiction of President Abraham Lincoln in this film, with a story that charts the years leading up to the President's lasting legacy, when he ends the Civil way and abolishes slavery through the 13th Amendment.
Farenheit 9/11, 2004
Oscar-winning director Michael Moore's political documentary uses wit, tenacity and humour to investigate President George Bush's reasons for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Bobby, 2006
Starring Lindsay Lohan, Anthony Hopkins, Ashton Kutcher, Shia LaBeouf, Emilio Estevez' drama is based on the fictionalised account of the hours leading up to the 1968 shooting of U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.
Mr Smith Goes To Washington, 1939
Lovers of James Stewart will know of his film about a young, idealistic politician, Jefferson Smith (Stewart), who is appointed to the United States Senate and ultimately condemns the corruption of his conniving political contemporaries.
But, if all else fails in getting you excited by the election, whack on season two of The West Wing, episode two titled 'The Midterms' and listen to President Jed Bartlet school a Christian radio talk-show on using Bible scripture to inform law. It's priceless.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
