10 Revolutionary Films to Watch After ‘One Battle After Another’
A gripping ride that manages to recreate America’s radical revolutionary history while simultaneously referencing and responding to decades of cinematic rebellion, One Movie After Another is one of writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson’s most striking films, and perhaps even his funniest. Its 13 Oscar nominations place it among the most awarded films of all time, alongside films like From Here to Eternity , Mary Poppins , Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring . Granted, One Movie After Another is a bit unlucky to compete with The Sinners , which holds a record for the most nominations with 16. Still, not bad.
These 10 other films, varying in tone and style, examine radical activism and its consequences from different perspectives. Some of them even directly inspired Anderson’s One Fight .
Running at the Limit (1988)
I’ll leave some of the credit to Paul Thomas Anderson himself, as he previously pitched this film as a guest programming director for TCM. This isn’t surprising, as that 1988 film also follows former members of a radical anti-war guerrilla group (played by Judd Hirsch and Christine Lahti) who have been in hiding since the 1970s, convinced their past isn’t over yet. After moving to yet another new city and given new identities, their teenage son, Danny (River Phoenix), hopes to build a life for himself, especially when a teacher eager to learn more about him and his family recognizes his musical talent. While there’s no action or satire like in “One Fight,” the themes are certainly similar. Rent “Running on Empty” on Prime Video .
How to Blow Up a Pipeline (2022)
The film “How to Blow Up a Pipeline,” which turns a documentary into a thriller, tells the story of eight people who decide to blow up an oil pipeline in two different locations. The film, like the book on which it’s based, proves that material damage isn’t the worst thing in an environmental disaster; however, the level of dedication required to carry out such an act takes a deeply personal toll. Watch “How to Blow Up a Pipeline” on Hulu .
BPM (beats per minute) (2017)
Set during the height of the AIDS crisis in the early 1990s, “BPM” focuses loosely on HIV-positive ACT UP activist Sean (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart) and his developing relationship with newcomer Nathan (Arnaud Valois), though the film is largely an ensemble piece, which ties into its message and message. It explores the evolution of ACT UP’s activism, its complex internal battles over strategy, and the questions of “too far” that are integral to any movement. Writer-director Robin Campillo and co-writer Philippe Mangeot bring their own experiences with ACT UP to the film, adding verisimilitude to the more fictional activism of “One Battle.” “BPM” is available to rent on Prime Video .
Tense (1968)
Ruby Dee and Julian Mayfield co-write and star in this film from blacklisted director Jules Dassin. Based on the 1925 novel about a post-Irish Civil War informant, the film is set in Cleveland immediately after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. At the center of the story is Tank (Mayfield), who embodies the complexity of Black political struggle in an era when the nonviolent civil rights movement simultaneously achieved and suffered crushing defeat. Tank supported King’s cause but lost his job and went to prison for defending his Black colleagues. Now free, unemployed, and homeless, he sees his friends question his commitment to the cause—despite his sacrifices, a more radical, revolutionary movement is brewing. Distrust of Tank becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy in this appropriately angry thriller. Up Tight is available to stream on Prime Video .
V for Vendetta (2005)
While the political undercurrents of V for Vendetta are more convoluted than those of the Alan Moore and David Lloyd graphic novel on which it’s based, it’s a superhero movie that hides far more beneath the mask than most (it’s no wonder he popularized the Guy Fawkes mask as a universal symbol of anti-establishment resistance). Hugo Weaving delivers a fine performance in the title role, despite spending much of his time working behind that iconic mask, portraying a terrorist and/or freedom fighter confronting a fascist totalitarian regime. While the British original was heavily influenced by Margaret Thatcher, this 2005 film echoes the George W. Bush era, which we seem to be reliving. (Hilarious!) Natalie Portman plays Evey Hammond, an ordinary citizen radicalized by an attempted police sexual assault. Watch V for Vendetta on HBO Max .
The company you work with (2012)
Late national hero Robert Redford directs and stars (alongside the less beloved Shia LaBeouf) in a film about a defense attorney with a dark past: for decades, “Jim Grant” evaded the FBI for a bank robbery and murder committed during his time with the Weather Underground. LaBeouf plays Ben Shepard, a reporter hungry for a scoop and determined to ruin Jim’s life, but things get complicated when he tracks down the original officer who arrested him (Brendan Gleeson) and another former Underground member (Julie Christie) who might be able to exonerate Jim. Like “One Stand,” the film explores the permanence of our past decisions, but it also explores the activism of the Vietnam generation, questioning the wisdom of that idealism. Rent “The Company You Keep” on Prime Video.
Battle of Algiers (1966)
Director Gillo Pontecorvo’s strikingly topical film chronicles the tensions between Algerian nationalists and French troops in North Africa, a conflict that escalated into a three-year war. This hyper-realistic film is both gripping and thought-provoking. While its moral compass leans somewhat toward the Algerians trying to reclaim their home from the French, it’s also clear that the shocking acts of violence committed by the guerrillas make any discussion of heroes or villains seem preposterous. (At one point in One Battle, Bob watches The Battle of Algiers , so it works on a meta level, too.) Watch The Battle of Algiers on HBO Max or rent it on Prime Video .
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
Al Pacino and the late, great John Cazale (who never made a bad movie) play Sonny and Sal, aspiring bank robbers, in this crime thriller based on a true story . Sonny desperately needs money to pay for his transgender partner’s gender reassignment surgery, so he plans a heist with his friend Sal. The result is a violent disaster, leading to a standoff with the police. With an eye on the LGBTQ+ liberation movement, the film explores the failures of the counterculture while mocking the police with relish. It’s a terrific heist film and one of the best of its era. Remarkably, it doesn’t judge the protagonist’s bisexuality or his marriage to a transgender woman—Sonny may not be a genius, but he’s a good guy. Watch Dog Day Afternoon on Tubi or rent it on Prime Video .
Born in Flames (1983)
I’ll probably give this low-budget, radical feminist mockumentary a try, but it works well as an alternative. In “One Battle,” Bob finds himself at a loss after a period of radical activism, while “Born in Flames” shows that the socialist idealism of past decades has borne fruit, but many battles still lie ahead. Adèle Berteil plays Isabelle, who runs the pirate radio collective Radio Ragazza in an alternative, socialist United States, and Honey (simply “Honey”) plays Honey, the voice of rival Phoenix Radio. Amid increasing government pressure, the two women and the groups they represent come to the conclusion that liberation ultimately requires more than just talk. Watch ” Born in Flames” on the Criterion Channel or rent it on Prime Video .
Repo Man (1984)
A beloved Paul Thomas Anderson film , Repo Man falls a bit short of many others in plot, but perhaps bests in its anarchic tone. A perfectly calibrated satire of the Reagan era (which is relevant, given that I’m not sure we’ve ever truly moved on from the Reagan era), Alex Cox’s film follows the great Harry Dean Stanton as he recruits Emilio Estevez’s Otto Maddox into the unexpectedly insane world of car repo in 1980s Los Angeles. The theft of Otto’s unusual 1964 Chevrolet Malibu puts him on the run from virtually everyone: the government has placed a $10,000 bounty on the car, making it the target of every repo man in town (the feds have a very specific reason for doing so, and it involves aliens—not your average immigrant). A cult classic. Rent Repo Man on Prime Video.