5. Broadcast News
I hope you've enjoyed the comedy, lightness, and sunshine so far, because with
Broadcast News, we start falling more towards the serious side of television. Not that
Broadcast News isn't without its light spots, it's just not exactly dancing with
Anchorman, despite having a premise almost identical. But this is writer/director James L. Brooks at his absolute finest, with a rip-roaring script and direction that pulls out some of the finest performances of William Hurt, Albert Brooks, and Holly Hunter. The film, which grabbed seven Oscar nominations, is very much a primary staple to this sub-genre of film, and is definitely for any lover of the televised process. I think Sheila Benson's
LA Times review states it better than I ever could (and yes, I'm nabbing this from IMdB):
Broadcast News is so diabolically clever that you rather expect it to be heartless, in the way that so much surface cleverness can be. No such thing. Heartless is the wrong word for this movie: It's insightful and understanding and marvelous fun, while giving up none of its thoughtfulness.
Honestly, it's a movie that doesn't stem too far from Aaron Sorkin work, especially that of
The Social Network. Love that movie and haven't gotten around to Broadcast News, yet? Well, you're running out of excuses, aren't you?