Art is not trivial. The visual arts, literature, theater, music—all allow us to touch the deepest parts of the human condition. Movies at their best bring all of the other arts together, and put them in a place where we can all access them pretty easily.
Four of the contenders for Best Picture last night tackle big political issues—and, not incidentally, sexual politics.
Oppenheimer offers a smart (if bombastic IMJ) story of the man who gave humanity the means for total global annihilation—and also delves into his relationships with the women in his life.
Killers of the Flower Moon confronts one of our nation's darkest sins—the mass murder of the land’s Indigenous population—while also considering the politics of one marriage, and one woman’s love for the man who ultimately kills her.
Poor Things investigates sexual politics via the story of a “woman” (created by a man) who is unburdened by society’s proscriptions.
And Barbie (my choice for Best Picture, which as of this writing feels like a long shot) maps a devastating takedown of the patriarchy itself on a delightful piece of pink fluff that feels a little bit like Pee-wee's Big Adventure, but is way more dangerous.
This next article may be moot but I hope you'll find it edifying.