Hollywood's latest thrillers are failing to capture the essence of America's dark moment. A new wave of movies, including Anniversary and Civil War, has been released on Netflix and other platforms, but they're more concerned with flashy action sequences than nuanced storytelling.
The problem is that these films often gloss over the finer details of how autocratic tendencies have infiltrated American politics. Instead of exploring the complexities of voter manipulation and federal electoral interference, many movies resort to simplistic portrayals of evil villains and good protagonists.
Take Anniversary, for example. The film depicts a US where an "evil rightwing genius" manipulates the country into ditching democracy through a book of essays. While the first half of the movie is engaging, it quickly devolves into a shallow exploration of the threats posed by autocratic leaders.
It's hard not to feel that these movies are dodging the deeper issues at play in American politics. By focusing on high-octane action and dramatic plot twists, they're missing the opportunity to tackle the complexities of how autocracy can insidiously erode democratic institutions.
In contrast, Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another is a more thoughtful exploration of the country's current state. The film shows a brutal military establishment hell-bent on chasing down "illegals" and reflects back to us the seriousness of our present situation. While it may not be an immediate thrill ride, it makes a future reign of terror easier to imagine.
So what's missing from these movies? It's not that they're not entertaining – Anniversary has some delicious touches, and Civil War has a quaint, pre-ICE symbolic order that feels disturbingly relevant. But when it comes to capturing the essence of America's dark moment, Hollywood is falling short.
The problem is that our creative industries are often focused on making blockbusters rather than telling nuanced, thoughtful stories about politics and society. And when we do tackle these issues, we're often forced to choose between shallow thrillers and deeper explorations of complex themes.
It's time for Hollywood to take a more thoughtful approach to storytelling. By delving into the complexities of American politics and society, we can create movies that not only entertain but also challenge our assumptions about what's happening in this country. Anything less is a cop-out.
The problem is that these films often gloss over the finer details of how autocratic tendencies have infiltrated American politics. Instead of exploring the complexities of voter manipulation and federal electoral interference, many movies resort to simplistic portrayals of evil villains and good protagonists.
Take Anniversary, for example. The film depicts a US where an "evil rightwing genius" manipulates the country into ditching democracy through a book of essays. While the first half of the movie is engaging, it quickly devolves into a shallow exploration of the threats posed by autocratic leaders.
It's hard not to feel that these movies are dodging the deeper issues at play in American politics. By focusing on high-octane action and dramatic plot twists, they're missing the opportunity to tackle the complexities of how autocracy can insidiously erode democratic institutions.
In contrast, Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another is a more thoughtful exploration of the country's current state. The film shows a brutal military establishment hell-bent on chasing down "illegals" and reflects back to us the seriousness of our present situation. While it may not be an immediate thrill ride, it makes a future reign of terror easier to imagine.
So what's missing from these movies? It's not that they're not entertaining – Anniversary has some delicious touches, and Civil War has a quaint, pre-ICE symbolic order that feels disturbingly relevant. But when it comes to capturing the essence of America's dark moment, Hollywood is falling short.
The problem is that our creative industries are often focused on making blockbusters rather than telling nuanced, thoughtful stories about politics and society. And when we do tackle these issues, we're often forced to choose between shallow thrillers and deeper explorations of complex themes.
It's time for Hollywood to take a more thoughtful approach to storytelling. By delving into the complexities of American politics and society, we can create movies that not only entertain but also challenge our assumptions about what's happening in this country. Anything less is a cop-out.
like anniversary and civil war r so extra on their portrayal of autocracy lol but seriously tho, can we get more depth in our thrillers? paul tomas anderson's one battle after another gives me LIFE 
that movie shows us the harsh reality of americas dark moment without watering it down with shallow villainy or good guy tropes. lets push for more nuance in our storytelling 
. I mean, don't get me wrong, Anniversary and Civil War are both solid films... but are we really looking for movies that just straight-up lecture us on the dangers of autocracy? 
Can't they just make a good story and then sprinkle in some commentary on politics without making it feel like we're watching a educational video? 
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. But at the same time, we gotta remember that there are real people out there who are affected by this stuff. So yeah, I'm with you on that one 
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Where's the complexity? The exploration of voter manipulation and federal electoral interference? It's just not there.
. It's not some mindless action flick; it's thoughtful and nuanced. It shows us the brutal reality of our situation and makes us think about what we're up against. That's what we need more of in Hollywood – movies that challenge our assumptions and make us think 
instead of tellin somethin real to us 
what about voter manipulation? electoral interference? thats what's really goin on in this country 
not some generic "evil villain" plot 
but honestly, theres just so much more we need from hollywood right now 
I mean, Anniversary has some cool parts but it just ends up being an over-the-top thriller 
and Civil War is like a mini history lesson in disguise 
. They're more concerned with flashy action and plot twists than actually exploring the complexities of American politics 
. Anything less just feels like a cop-out 
. It's all about the brutality and seriousness of what's happening in this country right now.
Come on! We need movies that tackle voter manipulation, electoral interference, and all that jazz in a more thoughtful way. Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another is like a breath of fresh air in this regard. It's not exactly an adrenaline rush but it makes you think about what's really going on in this country. 