Silkwood (1983)

True story “Silkwood,” directed by Mike Nichols and co-written by Nora Ephron, effortlessly plays like a captured documentary of Karen Silkwood, a lowly 28-year-old worker at a plutonium plant who died in an unexplained car crash after she started investigating safety violations at her thankless job. During her ordeal, Silkwood (Meryl Streep) found herself on the end of repeated, unlikely exposures that even reached her own home, shared with a boyfriend (Kurt Russell) and best friend (Cher), the latter a lonely gay woman. Nichols makes no saints, our three protagonists are all coworkers and flawed people. Karen strays. Russell’s boozer alpha male is loyal to the company, and so on. Money and family struggles, and the damning judgment of the unrealized American Dream are harsh. I first saw “Silkwood” at age 12 and was blown away by Nichols’ unforgiving realism of humiliating decom showers, and Streep’s stunning near naked performance. Political punches? Big money corporate corruption is bare knuckle, but so is the depiction of a union that seems far too hungry for media attention. Streep’s singing of “Amazing Grace” is the most pained and therefore perfect version I have ever heard. A

Charlie Wilson's War (2007)

"Charlie Wilson's War" is one of those rare must-watch films. To explain its plot might put some folks to sleep. That's a shame since it's one of the finest and smartest political satires of our time. And it's all based on a true story.

Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Amy Adams and a scene-stealing Phillip Seymour Hoffman headline the top cats in this Mike Nichols film. Here's the rundown: In late-'70s America, Congressman Charlie Wilson (Hanks) learns of the hopeless fight native Afghans are waging against infringing Soviets. The Muslims use rifles to fight armored tanks and helicopters that slaughter all in their way. Wilson learns from watching "60 Minutes" while sitting in a Las Vegas hotel Jacuzzi with a Playboy bunny, two strippers and a TV producer, all of whom are using coke. True story, folks.
A now determined Wilson soon uses a right-wing, anti-communist millionaire (Roberts) and a CIA operative (Hoffman) to funnel money and weapons to the Afghans in a top-secret op.

This is a brilliant story well worth telling, and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin provides some of the best political dialogue in ages. ("Why is Congress saying one thing and doing nothing?" "Well, tradition mostly.") The film drives home an important lesson as we all know that many of these same Afghans we helped save soon turned to the Taliban, and we know where that led. The film damns America's constant stance of abandoning those who it most needs to help. And it's beautifully acted. A-

Heartburn (1986)

Directed by the great Mike Nichols and written (based on her novel) by Nora Ephron, "Heartburn" is a biting comedy on love and marriage. It is the "anti" to Ephron's later oh-so-cute "Sleepless in Seattle" and "You've Got Mail" -- in other words, it's for grown ups. Real grown ups. This is a romantic comedy without the happy ending.

Meryl Streep is Rachel, a food magazine writer who meets cute with journalist Mark (Jack Nicholson) at a wedding. Instant sparks fly and a one night stand becomes a relationship which becomes marriage. Then it all falls apart as Mark strays, and Rachel suffers. This is a damn good comedy with top notch performances by Streep and Nicholson, who love, bicker, sing silly songs and fight like any married couple.

Made in 1986, the film hasn't aged much -- Carly Simon's score and famous song 'Coming Around Again" are perfect for the film, and check out a way-young Kevin Spacey as a criminal.

If there's a complaint, it's the scenes in which Rachel imagines "Masterpiece Theatre" as commentary on her own life; the scenes play way too cute with much of the film. B+