Great Movies for President's Day

President's Day is an oft-overlooked holiday, but there's no reason not to celebrate with one of these great president-themed movies

Canadian Bacon (1995) has an all-star cast (including John Candy, Rhea Perlman, Alan Alda, Rip Torn, James Belushi and Dan Aykroid) trying to succeed with a campaign against our northern neighbors in Canada.

The American President (1995) is a romantic comedy about a single-parent president (Michael Douglas) who tries to have a normal relationship with an environmental lobbyist (Annette Bening). An honest but funny film about modern Washington. Also featured Michael J. Fox, Richard Dreyfuss and Martin Sheen.

American Dreamz (2006) - Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid, Mandy Moore, Willem Dafoe and others present a satire leaving no one safe. Former President George W. Bush and American Idol take the most hits in this PG-13 dramedy.

All the President's Men (1976) - The Robert Redford classic about Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the Washington journalists who broke the Watergate/Nixon headlines.

Air Force One (1997) is a Harrison Ford hard-hitting thriller about what happens when the Presidential aircraft is taken hostage. For another Ford political action flick check out Clear and Present Danger.

Dave (1993) - Kevin Kline stars as the look alike hired to play the President when the Commander in Chief goes into a coma. Instead of doing what he is told, Kline begins trying to change things in Washington and using his fake power to do it. Labeled a romantic comedy, this flick has a lot of honest drama too.

Absolute Power (1997) - A modern Clint Eastwood hit in which his character sees the President (Gene Hackman) in a dark sex/murder scene they try to cover up. Eastwood's character is blamed as the fall guy.

Eleanor and Franklin (1976) is the sweet drama about the relationship between Eleanor and Franklin D. Roosevelt from their youth through the presidency. Based on Joseph P. Lash's Pulitzer Prize-winning book. A more recent movie is the 2005 Warm Springs starring Kenneth Branaugh and Cynthia Nixon (of Sex and the City fame). Sticking to the seven years between his polio diagnosis in 1921 to 1928. Jane Alexander, who played Eleanor in the 1976 movie, returns as Roosevelt's mother.

Primary Colors (1998) pokes fun at the Clinton scandel with John Travolta, Emma Thompson, Billy Bob Thornton and more.

Truman (1995) - A made-for-TV movie about the life and presidency of Missouri-born Harry S. Truman.

Young Mr. Lincoln (1939) is the oldest on the list, but how can you argue with Henry Fonda? Fonda portrays Lincoln as a young lawyer learning to be a leader with the wisdom that made him famous.