Saturday Matinee: Election

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“Election” (1999) is a sharp political satire in a high school setting directed by Alexander Paine and based on a novel by Tom Perrotta. Matthew Broderick stars as Mr. McAllister, a popular high school teacher who holds a personal grudge against insufferable over-achieving student Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspooon). When Tracy runs for student council president initially unopposed, McAllister attempts to derail her political future by encouraging Paul Metzler, an injured football jock, to run against her. Meanwhile, Paul’s younger adopted sister Tammy (Jessica Campbell) is dumped by her girlfriend who immediately starts dating Paul. Tammy retaliates by joining the race for school president on an anarchist platform so successful it threatens the best-laid plans of Tracy Flick, Mr. McCallister and the high school administration.

Watch the full film here.

Saturday Matinee: Freeway

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“Freeway” (1996) is a satisfyingly dark retelling of Little Red Riding Hood written/directed by Matthew Bright and featuring excellent performances by Reese Witherspoon as the protagonist, a seemingly stereotypical “white trash” teen, and Keifer Sutherland as the “wolf”, a secretly psychopathic high school guidance counselor. While the film works on the level of a traditional exploitation film, it provides much welcome commentary on racism, sexism, class-ism and societal hypocrisy.

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