Washington in the movies

The Washington Film Critics often talk about adding a new category to our annual movie awards: best and worst portrayal of Washington in a movie. Legendary candidates for the "worst" title would be "No Way Out" (with its fictional Metro station in Georgetown) and "Along Came a Spider," with dozens of insanely innacurate moments, including its premise that the Secret Service would be assigned to protect a Congressman's daughter. My favorite part, though, is that in this movie, the President of Russia lives in....Washington. A heck of a commute.

Today's Washington Post's "Reliable Source" column has a cute list of inaccuracies in the new Michael Douglas/Kiefer Sutherland movie, "The Sentinel." And take a look at this list from the Onion's always-reliable AV Club of classic Washington (and other politics-related) films. I'm glad to see "Advise and Consent," which Christopher Buckley mentioned as one of his favorites when I interviewed him about "Thank You for Smoking." I have a special affection for that movie. In the confirmation hearing scene, the pretty lady sitting behind Secretary of State nominee Henry Fonda is none other than my mom.