Politics as usual: The 25 best political biopic movies

We kick off this list with arguably the greatest political movie of all time. Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford, two Hollywood heavyweights, take on the roles of Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, respectively. The Washington Post reporters broke the Watergate scandal and became celebrities in their own right. Riveting, intense, and masterfully done at every turn.

Star Ben Kingsley earned one of the eight Oscars this film took home for his role as the historic leader of the non-cooperative Indian independence movement. It also won Best Picture honors and grossed $127.8 million. In terms of overall individual Hollywood performances, Kingsley's portrayal is still one of the greatest in film history and continues to resonate with audiences.

Oliver Stone takes his crack at the investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Told from the standpoint of New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner), who digs deep into a potential conspiracy on the subject. The movie, featuring an all-star cast, was nominated for eight Academy Awards but won just two (Best Cinematography and Best Film Editing). 

Malcolm X might not have officially been a "politician," but he was undoubtedly a political force as a civil and human rights activist. Most notably as the spokesman for the Nation of Islam. Denzel Washington starred in the titular role and was nominated for an Oscar. Under the direction of Spike Lee, the movie does a splendid job capturing the key moments in the story of Malcolm X's life. 

While not a box-office success, Oliver Stone's version of enigmatic President Richard Nixon received relatively positive reviews. With Anthony Hopkins in the starring role, Stone attempts to dig deep inside the man and show audiences his complex personality beyond the headlines. The film earned four Academy Award nominations. 

Many believe Cate Blanchett turned into an international star for her turn as Elizabeth I. The movie focuses on the early years of Elizabeth's reign, how she got there, and all the obstacles she faced from her detractors. While the film was visually pretty spectacular, the work of Blanchett offers lasting memories of the film. She won a Golden Globe for the effort. 

A truly riveting German film about the final days of Adolf Hitler (Bruno Ganz), the leader of the Nazi party. While the movie can sometimes be disturbing, Ganz's performance as the unhinged fuhrer is entertaining amid all the madness. The movie was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars and should be considered the quintessential film about Hitler.

Sofia Coppola's directorial work has been hit-or-miss over the years, and her depiction of Queen Marie Antoinette has no clear-cut consensus. However, Kirsten Dunst provides an above-average portrayal in the starring role as we learn more about the feisty queen during the events that led up to the French Revolution. Visually, the movie is impressive and somewhat contemporary for a period piece.

While the plot is fictional, the movie's events are based on personal accounts of Ugandan military leader and president Idi Amin. Thus, it's worthy of being included on this list. It's also important to celebrate the work of star Forest Whitaker, whose performance as Amin earned him the 2007 Best Actor Oscar.

The legendary Helen Mirren stars as Queen Elizabeth II, who grapples with United Kingdom prime minister Tony Blair and Prince Charles on the proper way to officially mourn the death of the immensely popular Princess Diana, who is no longer part of the royal family. Mirren was praised for her work, but Michael Sheen holds his own while taking on the complexity of Blair's personality.

Plenty of big names were involved in director Mike Nichols' final film. Tom Hanks stars as the famed U.S. congressman, who, along with CIA operative Gust Avrakotos (Philip Seymour Hoffman), played a major role in helping Afghan jihadists during the Soviet-Afghan War. Aaron Sorkin wrote the screenplay, while Julia Roberts and Amy Adams co-starred.

Sean Penn won his second Best Actor Oscar for this role as the San Francisco gay rights activist, who was a trailblazer for openly gay people in politics. While Harvey Milk's inspirational and tragic story is brilliantly told through the eyes of director Gus Van Sant, Penn's performance brings it all to life. It delivers perhaps the most memorable outing of his career.

Another film showcased disgraced former President Richard Nixon. This time, it was telling the story of the 1977 interviews between Nixon (Frank Langella) and British journalist David Foster (Michael Sheen). Directed by Ron Howard, the film adds intrigue to the lead-up, preparation, and the behind-the-scenes look into a moment that was life-changing for both individual parties involved.  

The story is about the aftermath of the 2000 U.S. presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. The focus was on the voting issues in Florida and the recount that ensued before the Supreme Court stepped in. Starring Kevin Spacey and Denis Leary, the movie was initially slated to be directed by Sidney Pollack. The legendary director eventually pulled out due to illness and passed away from cancer the day after the film premiered. 

If we've learned anything from this list, Oliver Stone enjoys telling stories about U.S. presidents. This time, he takes on George W. Bush. Josh Brolin reportedly was not the first choice to play Bush, but he does more than a good job. We should also show some love for Richard Dreyfuss, who offered a strong portrayal of vice president Dıck Cheney, despite not getting along with Stone throughout the process.

Under Clint Eastwood's direction, Morgan Freeman stars as South African president Nelson Mandela. He hopes star Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon) and his underdog Springbok rugby team can bring glory and unite a nation in this post-apartheid time amid the backdrop of the country hosting the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Both Freeman and Damon earned Academy Award nominations. 

One of history's most inspirational films tells the story of the man who would become King George VI (Colin Firth) and his quest to overcome his stutter while speaking. The movie was praised for its unique storyline and Firth's performance. He won the Oscar for Best Actor. The King's Speech also took home Best Picture honors.

Based on the book of the same name, Julianne Moore fares well as vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Woody Harrelson is also strong as Republican campaign strategist Steve Schmidt. Game Change is an entertaining look at just how much Palin craved power and the spotlight.

Daniel Day-Lewis has won three Best Actor Oscars, including one for this role. Playing Abraham Lincoln is enticing and challenging for even the best of actors. Day-Lewis included. However, while his performance is stellar, the entire production, which focuses on the later years of his life, is Grade A — from the writing to the visuals to the execution. 

The second time we showcase Nelson Mandela. In this case, Idris Elba that's his crack at this historical figure in a film based on the South African president's autobiography of the same name. The movie spans Mandela's life and does a good job of explaining his harrowing and triumphant journey. Idris offers a more contemporary approach that takes a bit to get used to but still works.  

Our second mention of Woody Harrelson, but this time in a starring role. This Rob Reiner picture follows the early days of Lyndon Johnson's presidency following the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The film earned some decent reviews, but this should also be considered one of Harrelson's more underrated roles.

Jason Clarke (Brotherhood; Zero Dark Thirty) offers a fine turn as late U.S. senator Ted Kennedy in this tale of the infamous Chappaquiddick incident, where Kennedy was responsible for an automobile accident that resulted in the death of passenger Mary Jo Kopechne. The incident haunted Kennedy throughout his life and is skillfully told in this form.

The movie won the exceptional Gary Oldman his lone Academy Award for Best Actor. Oldman shines as United Kingdom prime minister Winston Churchill, navigating his way through World War II. Churchill is not an easy figure of prominence to pull off when stepping into his shoes, but Oldman does it relatively easily. The authenticity of his portrayal is something to behold.  

Told with a rather fast but thorough pace, viewers are brought into the mix on the reporting of the famed Pentagon Papers. Specifically from inside The Washington Post, a middling paper looking to couple with The New York Times juggernaut. Tom Hanks delivers as gritty editor Ben Bradlee, while Meryl Steep portrays the blossoming strength of Post owner Katherine Graham.

Yes, that's Christian Bale under all that makeup playing former vice president Dıck Cheney. It's an in-depth look into the life of the powerful Cheney, revered by some but loathed by many on both sides of the aisle. Directed by Adam McKay, this comedy-drama was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including the Oscar for Best Picture.