Libertarian-ish Films
Posted by Slight-Asparagus-633@reddit | Libertarian | View on Reddit | 44 comments
Anyone have a list of good films that have a libertarian bent?
I'm especially looking for new ones, like in the past 10 or so years.
I liked V for Vendetta, The Shooter, etc. but wondering if the hard hitting movies that celebrate the individual and freedom as opposed to the same old tired "Government and cops are good guys chasing the bad guys" are a thing of the past now to get everyone in line.
Leguy42@reddit
The Avengers: Civil War
Crazy_names@reddit
No one has mentioned Rebel Ridge. Its in Netflix and involves civil asset forfeiture, police corruption going up into city council, etc.
Leguy42@reddit
Rebel Ridge was a great one that showed pushing back against corrupt government (the small town cops) while using reasonable self restraint. I enjoyed that show and binged it in two sittings.
LunacyBin@reddit
Hacksaw Ridge, Mr. Jones, Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game
0verkast@reddit
Norbit
chickenman3332@reddit
Ghostbusters (1984) - Entrepreneurs vs government regulators
Brazil (1985) - condemnation of bureaucracy
Dallas Buyers Club (2013) - condemnation of bureaucracy
The Man in the White Suit (1951) - Man invents something new, faces pressure from the elites, trade unions, and the government.
Casablanca (1942) - Apolitical small business owner is harassed by fascist government and learns freedom must be fought for
District 9 (2009) - allegory for segregation and apartheid, condemnation of bureaucracy
Thank You for Smoking (2005) - Personal choice
Hot Fuzz (2008) - The only cop movie where the cop actually follows the law, takes down fascists with due process.
The Incredibles (2004) - Ayn Randian view of the self
Blue Collar (1978) - corruption within the trade union movement
The Host (2006) - metaphor for American military presense in South Korea
Goodbye Lenin (2005) - fall of the Berlin Wall and the embrace of capitalism in eastern Germany
Lolita (1962)
Active-Season5521@reddit
Lolita?
chickenman3332@reddit
that one was a joke
Active-Season5521@reddit
Ok
EnvironmentalBig7287@reddit
Could you explain what you mean about The Incredibles?
chickenman3332@reddit
Both Mr Incredible and his arch nemesis Syndrome refuse to accept mediocrity and conformity with all the normal people, they strive to be greater and stronger and better than everyone else, either because that's what he was born to do (Mr Incredible) or through his talents and intelligence (Syndrome). Very Randian imo.
dogneely@reddit
Lol hot fuzzy is due process? The second half of the movie is one long shootout
Tarantiyes@reddit
No one is directly killed by Nicholas Angel in the shootout
dogneely@reddit
Really? It's been so long since I've seen it, that makes it so much better
elegantbrew@reddit
Brazil is great!
swahealey@reddit
Godzilla Minus One.
OliverFA_306@reddit
All the Borg episodes in Star Trek. They are literally the ultimate communists. For example, "I, Borg"
Also, all the TNG episodes were the Enterprise crew disobeys an admiral to do what's right. For example, "The Drumhead"
FDRStoleMyGold@reddit
You could add Star Trek: Insurrection to that list.
spaceninjaspymonkey@reddit
Black Hawk Down. Libertarians fight against governmental interference from outside.
Active-Season5521@reddit
Libertarians working for the the biggest government in the world?
spaceninjaspymonkey@reddit
No, I mean Somalia fighting for true libertarian ideals. No government at all.
Active-Season5521@reddit
oh yeah, I'll take it
LibertasAnarchia@reddit
The Jones Plantation Braveheart (kinda) V for Vendetta Red Dawn (kinda) The Patriot (kinda) Shooter
SharksWithFlareGuns@reddit
100% Serenity, which caps off the Firefly tv show, cruelly smothered in the crib. I particularly like how the central government, The Alliance, isn't bad because they're malevolent and get off on domination, but because governments are just like that and if anything are worse when they're trying to do good.
A favorite exchange:
EnvironmentalBig7287@reddit
Captain Fantastic and Snowden come to mind. Also Too Big to Fail
AlefgardHero@reddit
Iron Man 2
80Juice@reddit
Although it was still pro government at that point in history, Free State of Jones has libertarian themes, and it's an underrated film in general
Weekly-Molasses-816@reddit
Disney's Wish was unexpectedly the most libertarian movie I've ever seen. The entire premise is an allegory for the dangers of government power vs. the beauty in freedom and individualism.
ENVYisEVIL@reddit
Anthem Film Festival at Freedom Fest every year.
Saxmanng@reddit
Hear me out. 5-8th Harry Potter movies. Corrupt-crony government. Corrupt-crony media. Kids take it upon themselves to figure shit out because it’s the right thing to do.
Mead_and_You@reddit
The whole thing, really.
Children are entrusted with powerful and dangerous weapons, but are trained in their responsible use as tools and for self defense.
Even before the ministry becomes an outright antagonist, they are near exclusively shown to be bumblingly ignorant, incompetent, or eniterly detrimental to the hero's ability to help people and save the day any time they intervene.
The few good people we are shown in that government are portrayed heroically specifically for their subversion of said government and it's laws.
Hogwarts is also seemly entirely privately funded since at no point during the many times they are at odds with the government is the threat of funding being pulled ever made, which is basically the government's 1st action when a school doesn't tow the line.
robinson217@reddit
Honorable mention for Falling Down. The protagonist is not a libertarian per se, but upon losing his hamster wheel defense job, his rose colored glasses are stripped away, and he has a sudden fall from his comfortable position as an upstanding citizen. Once he's no longer the gainfully employed family man, he starts looking at society through a very critical, even jaded lens. When the law catches up to him, he utters my favorite line in the movie: "I'm the bad guy?!" I often feel like the government [especially in California] is treating me like the bad guy for living my life, running my business, and enjoying my hobbies. I'm far from launching a shoulder fired rocket at lazy CalTrans employees, but I feel the energy sometimes.
viper999999999@reddit
I saw the 1988 remake of The Blob a few days ago and actually appreciated some libertarian themes. The movie is much better than it had any right to be, being based off a 1950s B movie.
CaliRefugeeinTN@reddit
lol I remember seeing that when it came out. Only scene I remember is the teen buying condoms from the pharmacist and when he picked up his date, pharmacist was her dad.
viper999999999@reddit
Haha yeah it had a few good moments where I laughed out loud
ReindeerFlotilla65@reddit
viper999999999@reddit
I thought Atlas Shrugged Part I was pretty good, and Part II was really good. Definitely heard Part III was a drop-off in quality, but I haven't gotten to it yet.
SaltiestSSgt@reddit
It did drop off a bit, but not in any kind of crazy way. Unless you're a self described "cinephile" it is a good, entertaining conclusion.
c4n0s@reddit
The only one I've seen that comes to mind is “The Fountainhead,” but it's from 1949.
Different-Pipe-1341@reddit
Even after the Disney acquisition, Star Wars remains the most libertarian franchise in our culture.
hokey@reddit
It's forever Ghostbusters, the O.G. one
MM800@reddit
Legends of the Fall
Charles07v@reddit
Atlas shrugged was *A* film, but not nearly as good as the book.
I also like V for Vendetta. Watch it every year on November the 5th.
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