DaveA wrote: Tue Jan 27, 2026 3:39 pm I find it kinda weird in general that so many people who probably don't have much legitimate business getting involved with movies have been making and producing them, acting in them, and so on. Seems like there loads of "product" these days, and a lot of it's not too hot and is ill conceived and unlikely to find an audience, but that isn't deterring anyone from churning it out.

Like, rather than having a passion for cinema, stemming somewhat from a "love of the greats," and a desire to participate in a once-sacred art form, a lot of movies now are instead an extension of "branding," some kind of extra-internet promotional tool to increase one's wingspan/revenue stream, regardless of whether they add up to much of anything.

What are the odds that this Melania "movie" isn't some kind of tax write-off, money laundering implement, or part of a larger quid pro quo scheme between Bezos and the Trump Administration?

OrthodoxEaster wrote: Wed Jan 28, 2026 7:26 am Can't make this shit up.

I said it earlier in the thread, but aesthetically—from Trump and Noem to Newsom and Mamdani, despite the massive policy and ethical gulfs between them—politics is basically full Hollywood these days. Reagan cast a long shadow in that respect (and alas, in many others).

Wood Goblin wrote: It was also directed by Brett Ratner, who was accused by multiple women of sexual assault and multiple additional women of being a fucking creep.

To say nothing of him being a terrible fucking filmmaker.

cakes wrote:I'm going to sound like a conspiracy theorist here, but this is apparently real. The same people who want to forcibly change our politics to the vision of Christian nationalism are also investing in things like television and movies, in order to move the needle in their direction in pop culture. They understand that they need control over every facet of American life in order to fully transform our society into a white Christian theocracy. So, maybe this isn't a full answer to your question, but it is at least part of it. Movies like Melania are there to normalize who and what they are. Thankfully, no one is really interested, other than the people willingly giving their money to grifters.

This is the same tactic they use with the new signs under each presidential picture that lie about each president they don't like. The same tactic they use with all the politically charged language in every government website right now. They want to control the entire narrative, right down to the books you're allowed to read.

DaveA wrote: Wed Jan 28, 2026 10:45 am

cakes wrote:I'm going to sound like a conspiracy theorist here, but this is apparently real. The same people who want to forcibly change our politics to the vision of Christian nationalism are also investing in things like television and movies, in order to move the needle in their direction in pop culture. They understand that they need control over every facet of American life in order to fully transform our society into a white Christian theocracy. So, maybe this isn't a full answer to your question, but it is at least part of it. Movies like Melania are there to normalize who and what they are. Thankfully, no one is really interested, other than the people willingly giving their money to grifters.

This is the same tactic they use with the new signs under each presidential picture that lie about each president they don't like. The same tactic they use with all the politically charged language in every government website right now. They want to control the entire narrative, right down to the books you're allowed to read.

No, that's ^^^ not a far-fetched conspiracy theory at all; it's been happening before our very eyes! It's a concerted effort and the worst of these attempts at normalizing creepy shit are likely yet to come.

But the problem with all of this maneuvering is that a lot of people still have taste. They still have minds, and they still like to think for themselves. It doesn't surprise me at all that Londoners have apparently said "fuck off" to this Melania puff piece. The far right can try to gaslight all of us, but it won't work. Not on everybody. They can try to take over the culture industry in America, but that doesn't mean they'll get anywhere when it comes to making things that are actually watchable and entertaining, that "normal" people would seek out. They are fundamentally tone deaf in this regard. The fact is, most right wing "comedians" are rather terrible, most film directors who've made movies that have endured have more or less been "liberal" or "lefty" even if they had some somewhat conservative values or traits. A Dinesh D'Souza type person can be gifted a huge platform but that doesn't mean he's giving any proper directors a run for their money, even if they have trouble finding funding for their own projects.

penningtron wrote: Wed Jan 28, 2026 11:02 am See also: the Bari Weiss led CBS News that is rapidly crashing and burning.

Krev wrote: Wed Jan 28, 2026 11:11 am CBS needs to crash and burn. That's what the Ellisons deserve for allowing Trump to mount them.

Bernardo wrote: Wed Jan 28, 2026 11:52 am I guess this goes here: the band Earth just last-minute cancelled a concert in Italy, right before going onstage, because there was a palestine flag on display inside the venue.

Not sure I ever gave any thought on what Dylan Carlson's political views might be, but ugh.