Reflections of Culture Wars in Contemporary U.S. Cinema

This article focuses on the impact of cinema in the ongoing culture war between the "orthodox alliance" – conservative, right-wing, predominantly Christian groups – and progressivist, leftist liberal, mostly secular and atheist communities in the struggle for the right to shape the social agenda, dominate public discourse, and define American popular culture. The author examines the advance of the progressivist agenda in Hollywood films and the attempts of right-wing traditionalists to counter this perceived imposition of hostile values through boycotts and the creation of alternative content. The commercial failures of mainstream Hollywood productions that preach diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the sudden box office success of independent titles that appeal to ultraconservative audiences, demonstrate that the longstanding hegemony of liberal perspectives in public entertainment has begun to face considerable competition from orthodoxy. This could affect the outcome of the entire confrontation between two fundamentally different visions of America.