The newly released The French Dispatch has shined a light on the newspaper industry, being a love letter to The New Yorker and investigative journalism at large. But as great as the colorful movie is, there have been many other classic films about the newspaper and publishing industry released over the decades.
The French Dispatch sits right in the middle of the greatest publication-related movies, according to IMDb. It was rated lower when the movie was first released in Europe, but ironically, despite being based in France, US audiences love the Wes Anderson-directed film a lot more.
The Paper (1994) - 6.7
The newspaper industry is one of the most hectic workplaces, as journalists work around the clock to get stories to the printers in time. Though it has a comedic edge to it, no other movie represents the exhausting environment like The Paper, which takes place over a period of 24 hours at the fictional New York Sun.
Though it wasn't as loved by general audiences, it was praised endlessly by critics, but that may have something to do with the fact that they relate to the movie so much. It's also the first of a couple of great performances by Michael Keaton, as he stars in both The Paper and Spotlight.
Absence Of Malice (1981) - 6.9
Absence of Malice doesn't get enough attention, as it's a must-watch for not just viewers who want to see investigative journalism, but it's a gripping courtroom drama and neo-noir thriller too. The title refers to the defense against libel defamation in that the defense has the right to know damaging personal information.
The movie isn't all that realistic, as the journalist in the movie does certain things that no self-respecting journalist would ever do, but it's still massively entertaining. There are a lot of similarities between Absence of Malice and the much more popular All The President's Men, and all the snappy dialogue and the procedural investigative format are just as compelling.
Shattered Glass (2003) - 7.1
Hayden Christensen doesn't have a great reputation because of his starring roles in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. But he is in so many great movies that are unfairly overlooked, and Shattered Glass is one of many. The movie follows a journalist who fabricates his outrageous stories to become more popular.
The movie also stars Rosario Dawson, and with Christensen and Dawson's chemistry so strong, they'll be reunited in the upcoming Disney+ Star Wars series, Ahsoka. The actor will be reprising his role as Anakin Skywalker, and Dawson couldn't be more excited about it.
The Post (2017) - 7.2
It's almost as if there was an increase in popularity for investigative journalism-based movies after the award-winning Spotlight, as The Post followed not long after. But The Post is much more ambitious, as it's directed by Stephen Spielberg and stars Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep. However, it proves that a big-name director and two of the biggest movie stars in the world isn't always a winning recipe, as it doesn't touch on the perfectly paced captivating 2015 movie.
But there are still things to love about the film. The movie is about The Washington Post's attempts to publish the Pentagon Papers in the 1970s, and it does still make what would have been a routine humdrum ordeal exciting. Not only that, but it's a great-looking period drama and it features one of Spielberg's best opening shots.
The Front Page (1974) - 7.3
Where movies about newspapers and publications are generally fairly serious, as they're usually thrilling exposés, The Front Page is much more lighthearted. The movie marks the fifth and penultimate collaboration between the directing-acting duo Billy Wilder and Jack Lemmon, and it's one of their most grounded.
The movie follows a reporter who covers his final crime story before his retirement, which is about a man on death row. It's based on a play from 1929, and while it has been adapted numerous times on TV and in movies, The Front Page is the best of them all.
The French Dispatch (2021) - 7.5
The French Dispatch is the newest movie about the newspaper industry, and it's the most interesting because, though it isn't based on a true story, it is based on a fictitious version of The New Yorker. Not only is it about the newspaper industry, but The French Dispatch is a great anthology movie too, as each story follows different journalists' work on fictionalized versions of infamous New Yorker articles.
The cartoon-like movie hasn't been out for long, but the general response is mostly positive and has been referred to as a love letter to journalism. Though it has been criticized for Anderson indulging too much in his trademark style, such as using different film formats depending on the time period, and every shot being so perfectly symmetrical.
Zodiac (2007) - 7.7
It might seem strange that Zodiac is one of the best movies about the newspaper industry, as it's a crime thriller about the real-life Zodiac killer. But it was the San Francisco Chronicle who were sent ciphers from the killer, and it was the cartoonist of the newspaper, Robert Graysmith, who was deciphering them. Graysmith did as much work of attempting to uncover the killer as the police.
The movie does a great and accurate job of depicting the events of what happened, and Zodiac is now considered a classic. Between the procedural way it lays down each clue, and the distinct high-definition look of the movie, the 2007 film is one of the greatest thrillers of the 21st century and one of the best newspaper movies ever.
All The President's Men (1976) - 8.0
All The President's Men is the most well-known political biopic, as it depicts the Watergate scandal during the Nixon administration. Just like The Post, the 1976 movie is another film that centers around The Washington Post's attempts to bring the real facts to its readers.
Along with being exhilarating and intense, President's Men features the best, most observant portrayal of investigating journalists ever put to film. Because of this, the movie is considered a classic and is one of the most important American movies of the 1970s.
Spotlight (2015) - 8.1
Though it doesn't sound like it, as the all-star ensemble cast perfectly captures the tensions of trying to expose the Catholic church for its child sex abuse, Spotlight has become a modern classic. Spotlight is a special investigative team for the Boston Globe, and the 2003 story was their biggest triumph.
Despite its touchy subject matter, the film was a triumph and it's Mark Ruffalo's best 2010s movie. It could have been the first of a series of anthology movies about the Spotlight team, as they won Pulitzer prizes for exposing political favoritism in Massachusetts in 1972 and transit mismanagement in 1980. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem like the case.
Citizen Kane (1941) - 8.3
Citizen Kane is a perfect movie for so many reasons. From the incredible establishing shot at the beginning to the reveal of the meaning of the word "Rosebud" at the very end, the movie is iconic. But on top of that, the film centers around the titular character, a publishing magnate who had so much power over the tabloids.
The character is even based on real-life media barons William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, the latter of which the Pulitzer Prize is named after. There are a hundred different reasons to watch the masterpiece, and the journalistic aspect of the movie is just one of them.