All the President's Men (1976)

After seeing Spotlight last year, I had to watch the original journalism thriller. And I was not disappointed. Journalism is tough work. It's not glamorous. But it's important. Redford and Hoffman as Woodward and Bernstein are both excellent. The story unfolds in such a way that keeps the audience on edge throughout. The nitty gritty of the politics behind the Watergate scandal is fascinating. I also love where it ends, right at the beginning of the uncovering of the truth, not hashing it all out. I didn't realize it would end so abruptly, but it leaves a lot to typewritten postscript. It perhaps shows the scope of the investigation and the amount of effort and dedication that the Washington Post put into this investigation. Solidly acted, interesting and important.

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman both give Oscar-winning performances in this movie that relies on good actors bringing a strong screenplay to life.  On its face, the movie is about a divorce and its effect on the family, culminating in a custody battle.  At its core, the story is about the evolution of the boy's relationship with his father.  Phenomenal acting from both father and son (Justin Henry is the youngest Oscar nominee ever at age 8) show the changing dynamics of their love.  The story is very touching and raises a lot of thought provoking questions about gender roles in the 1970s.