Network
1976 Best Picture Nominee

100 Words
Howard Beale has all the appeal of the man enlisted to articulate American rage. What began as a suicidal statement has become ratings fodder and the people pulling the strings are more corrupt than anything Howard could preach on his one-man show.

As the bigwigs fight for the number one show and to become the number one network (this is pre-Netflix), Howard’s preaching takes on life of its own. He’s a human being God, damn it, and his life has value, at least as far as the ratings are concerned.

The ratings may as well be social media likes now.