You have to see HBO’s “Recount.” It’s an eye-opening and entertaining look at all that Florida election recount drama. The acting is amazing (Laura Dern as Katherine Harris is spot-on and hilarious) and the story, well, for me this film was a shocking and disapointing lesson in US politics and judicial loop holes.

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As you can probably tell just by scanning through the Takepart Blog, the Oscars are super soon. Even though they usually leave out the films I love and are actually just another way for the studios to promote their films, I always have a few favorites among the nominees and this year some of them have to do with making the world a better place (no doubt a good omen for the future of both cinema and activism). Today and tomorrow I’ll share a few of my favorites with you all.

Three performances that I loved and haven’t got their fair share of buzz are in the Best Supporting Actor category. So read and watch below and be sure to to help support a great theatre company in New York City that shares theatre with the community in hopes of giving people a voice.

Philip Seymour Hoffman in Charlie Wilson’s War : Watching Hoffman is always a treat, but his portrayal of CIA agent Gust Avrakotos, is particularly amazing. Gust is a man caught in the system and is unable to do work that means something, that is until he meets Charlie Wilson, a charming Congressman from Texas. Hoffman’s Gust is rough around the edges and doesn’t have a lot of tact, but he’s smart as a whip and driven to use his skills to help the world. Hoffman truly embodies his character and acts as a very effective foil to the charming Congressman. It’s a performance not to be missed. Watch below:

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With the writer’s strike officially over, I can actually start to get excited about The Oscars. And this year there’s actually a lot to get excited about. While I usually have maybe 1 or 2 films or people I’m rooting for amidst of sea of disappointment, this year a bunch of my favs got nominated, and Michael Clayton is definitely one of them.

Michael Clayton deals with 2 men that have spent their professional lives helping immoral, corrupt people and companies stay out of trouble. The film opens with one of them (Tom Wilkinson’s Arthur Edens) violently trying to change his ways and as the film progresses, the other man (George Clooney’s Michael Clayton) slowly realizes he wants to change his as well.

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