An elitist film for elitists? (Off-Topic)

by CruelLEGACEY , Toronto, Tuesday, May 07, 2019, 12:06 (2025 days ago) @ Cody Miller

I'm talking about a kind of elitist audience, who believe that a sign of good art is that it makes statements about issues like, for instance, a wealthy ruling class.

If they make those statements well and in a culturally relevant manner yes. And last Jedi was so relevant it actually scared people when the message confronted them.

Okay, Jedi mind reader.

Its overwrought concern for "cultural relevancy" is exactly what will make it unwatchable down the road.

I have more to say. For instance, I have different expectations for different kinds of movies. For now I'll just say (on this point because it's only one of my criticisms) The Last Jedi is for a certain audience what most recent "Christian" movies are: pablum that makes its intended audience feel good about their moral superiority.

No I think it directly tackles and confronts the audience with issues like Toxic Masculinity, indulgence, dynasties, etc. Things we need to tackle these days!

But it doesn’t “tackle”. It preaches. It begins from a thin, under-developed, ignorant, and often pathological view of deeply complex issues, and then preaches to the audience about what is good and bad based on that world view. It does nothing to truly examine. It paints things as utterly black and white. They literally make the argument in TLJ that the ONLY way to get rich is through immoral means. Now, I’m all for someone making a movie that explores that thesis. But, just like a literal thesis defence, you don’t get to walk into a room and make grand proclamations of that nature and have everyone else just accept it. You need to examine the arguments for AND against your point.

That’s the difference between “examining” and issue, and propaganda. Hollywood’s flavour of social commentary is just another religious worldview, with its own blasphemy and dogmas, sins and virtues. And like many other religious world views, it only ever references itself to prove its point.

More often than not, Hollywood filmmakers aren’t equipped to tackle these issues with the depth or complexity that they really deserve. They don’t understand them. And is it really that surprising that when a group of ultra-elites who work in a morally corrupt industry decide to get on their soapboxes and preach down at the rest of the world, a good chunk of the population just rolls their eyes and says “sorry, I don’t buy that coming from you”?