[Victoribus Spolia]

I am starting to see political predictions for the coming year, so I figured i'd do one too.

My Overall prediction is that of a generally stabilizing, yet boring and annoying 2018. "ISIS" "The Alt. Right," "Russia-Collusion," and "North Korea" will feel either like "a dead-horse being beaten" or "old news/distant memory," as things trek along by our "new normal." There will not be any major world wars, economic collapses, or sweep elections in the west. The hysterical fever-pitch will tone down to a lull.

My Ten Predictions for 2018

1. The Mueller investigation will come to a climax, Trump will not be indicted, but someone close to him likely will, but not for collusion or treason, but on a process crime. Trump will finish the year in office and with a higher approval rating than he finished in 2017.

2. The Republicans will make gains in the Senate, but lose seats in the House. There will not be a Democratic sweep of both houses, the Republicans will retain the Senate, the House may go either way.

3. The situation in Syria will stabilize and it will be clear by the end of 2018 that Assad will remain in power for the foreseeable future, and few people will care.

4. The U.S. economy will continue to grow and prosper through 2018, this will give a sense of stability and tone down much of political hysteria we saw in 2017. Consumer confidence will remain high and U.S. housing prices will continue to rise.

5. Brexit talks will continue throughout 2018 and will continue to be annoying, but it will be clear that Brexit will happen before the end of 2018. It will not be undone.

6. Trump will have at least one major legislative accomplishment in 2018, either infrastructure or the wall, but not much else, if anything else. NAFTA will come to an official end in 2018.

7. The whole sanctions/tough talk pattern with North Korea will continue much as it did in 2017, but I only predict this over what I feel is a solid 45% chance of war on the peninsula.

8. There will be continued extremist attacks in 2018, but less than in 2017 and "ISIS" well be term that is almost gone from our vocabulary and collective consciousness by the end of 2018.

9. Ethereum will surpass Bitcoin in market value before the close of 2018.

10. We will see at least one major event of violence in the Spanish speaking world, either in Venezuela or Catalonia.

[Beren]

It seems like a wish list rather than predictions. Do you have some wishes regarding sports as well?

[Victoribus Spolia]

It seems like a wish list rather than predictions. Do you have some wishes regarding sports as well?

Why would that be a wishlist? I would not like to see half of that happen. My political goals will not be advanced by "business as usual."

As far as sports?

I would like to see the Steelers win the Superbowl, but I'm not convinced that they can beat the Patriots to get there.

[mikema63]

My predictions.

Trumps approval bounces around more or less where it is now at the floor of die hard supporters.

Democrats win a ton of election in 2018.

Right wingers whine endlessly about their feelings for the entire year.

[Victoribus Spolia]

Trumps approval bounces around more or less where it is now at the floor of die hard supporters.

Agreed. but I do think his approval will be slightly better though at the end of next year, barring any economic down turns or foreign wars.

Democrats win a ton of election in 2018.

Do you really think they'll take both houses? Especially with as many Democrats that have to defend their seats in the Senate? I'm open to the house going to the Democrats, but the Senate seems less realistic to me.

Right wingers whine endlessly about their feelings for the entire year.

Everybody whines about their feelings, its not an ideological issue, its a generational issue. Unfortunately.

[mikema63]

Agreed. but I do think his approval will be slightly better though at the end of next year, barring any economic down turns or foreign wars.

Hard to say, but generally his problems in the polls are because of his personality and the unpopular policies the GOP have been pushing and he's been supporting. That's not liable to change one way or the other between now and then.

Do you really think they'll take both houses? Especially with as many Democrats that have to defend their seats in the Senate? I'm open to the house going to the Democrats, but the Senate seems less realistic to me.

They have a good change, given the layout of the senate races, to do so. I'd put it at 50% chance of taking the senate all else being equal. Which is a damn sight more chance than they ought to have considering how many seats they are defending in the senate and how many they have a chance at in 2018. The generic ballot is at about 50/37% in the dems favor which is a lot and we may pick up some surprising seats if some republican gets caught doing something really dumb. Hell I don't think ted Cruz is safe considering how unpopular he is, we may have a texas democrat in this environment. We are also fielding tons of new candidates, something like 10x the norm which is unprecedented and there is a ton of on the ground energy because of how much people hate trump. Incumbent republicans are going to need to very seriously defend their seats even in places you'd normally think are relatively safe.

[Victoribus Spolia]

They have a good change, given the layout of the senate races, to do so. I'd put it at 50% chance of taking the senate all else being equal. Which is a damn sight more chance than they ought to have considering how many seats they are defending in the senate and how many they have a chance at in 2018. The generic ballot is at about 50/37% in the dems favor which is a lot and we may pick up some surprising seats if some republican gets caught doing something really dumb. Hell I don't think ted Cruz is safe considering how unpopular he is, we may have a texas democrat in this environment. We are also fielding tons of new candidates, something like 10x the norm which is unprecedented and there is a ton of on the ground energy because of how much people hate trump. Incumbent republicans are going to need to very seriously defend their seats even in places you'd normally think are relatively safe.

It has been a pattern for the midterms to go against the party of the reigning president, so that the midterms will be a net loss for Republicans, in my opinion, is almost beyond doubt, but I question the "sweep theory" given the unusual amount of Democrats seats that have to be defended. Likewise, if current trends in the economy continue, the chances of a sweep will likely decrease in equal measure as voters have historically been less likely to act in a punitive manner if they are doing good financially themselves.

I see a general lull coming next year where the feeling of political chaos reverts back to a sense of normal inefficiency, while the economy continues to do well. Under such conditions I do not see a sweep being so strong.

Once again, I could be wrong, but this is my prediction.

[quetzalcoatl]

Dems are too clueless to actually win many elections, so I don't think they they will win either branch in 2018. Some scattered gains probably.

Nothing dramatic will come of Russia-gate as long as Mueller is not fired. The investigation is likely to extend way past the mid-term campaigns. It will reveal a shit-storm of financial corruption on an unprecedented scale, but the Russia connection won't amount to much.

The Russia hysteria will morph into an attack on the left. Bernie, Greenwald, Stein will be characterized as Russian agents.

Trump will not be impeached or removed via 25th in 2018.

Kamala or Kirsten will be positioned as front-runners for the Dems. The DNC will go all-out to sabotage any progressive challenge. However, social democratic types will make steady gains in individual races. Socialism will become neutralized as a scare word. The DLC/New Democrat cabal will slowly die with the boomer generation.

However, all of the above is just noise. The 800 lb elephant in the room is still being ignored by everybody: the US now has a permanent multi-generational underclass. This underclass is basically the bottom two quintiles - about 40% of the population. This underclass has falling income, falling life expectancies, and a bleak outlook for the future. Unless serious and radical changes are made, this situation will deteriorate. It is not an exaggeration to say it is an existential threat the US - on a par with the Civil War and the Great Depression.

This permanent underclass has become the dominant force in today's politics, and will inevitably become a violent de-stabilizing force over time.

[skinster]

The Russia hysteria will morph into an attack on the left. Bernie, Greenwald, Stein will be characterized as Russian agents.

Already happening with Stein. I'm sure Greenwald got called a Russian agent when he was working with Edward Snowden too.

[Finfinder]

My predictions.

Trumps approval bounces around more or less where it is now at the floor of die hard supporters.

Democrats win a ton of election in 2018.

Right wingers whine endlessly about their feelings for the entire year.

That is actually very comical. I can't wait until the Democrats try to run on raising taxes.

[quetzalcoatl]

That is actually very comical. I can't wait until the Democrats try to run on raising taxes.

Dems can't find the right populist note with this issue. It's just not in them. They could easily bust the repubs with "The GOP cut taxes for their billionaire friends, now we will cut taxes for you," or similar. But no. What they will do is run on the bogus deficit scam, a guaranteed loser. Jerks deserve to lose.

[4cal]

I am starting to see political predictions for the coming year, so I figured i'd do one too.

My Overall prediction is that of a generally stabilizing, yet boring and annoying 2018. "ISIS" "The Alt. Right," "Russia-Collusion," and "North Korea" will feel either like "a dead-horse being beaten" or "old news/distant memory," as things trek along by our "new normal." There will not be any major world wars, economic collapses, or sweep elections in the west. The hysterical fever-pitch will tone down to a lull.

My Ten Predictions for 2018

1. The Mueller investigation will come to a climax, Trump will not be indicted, but someone close to him likely will, but not for collusion or treason, but on a process crime. Trump will finish the year in office and with a higher approval rating than he finished in 2017.

2. The Republicans will make gains in the Senate, but lose seats in the House. There will not be a Democratic sweep of both houses, the Republicans will retain the Senate, the House may go either way.

3. The situation in Syria will stabilize and it will be clear by the end of 2018 that Assad will remain in power for the foreseeable future, and few people will care.

4. The U.S. economy will continue to grow and prosper through 2018, this will give a sense of stability and tone down much of political hysteria we saw in 2017. Consumer confidence will remain high and U.S. housing prices will continue to rise.

5. Brexit talks will continue throughout 2018 and will continue to be annoying, but it will be clear that Brexit will happen before the end of 2018. It will not be undone.

6. Trump will have at least one major legislative accomplishment in 2018, either infrastructure or the wall, but not much else, if anything else. NAFTA will come to an official end in 2018.

7. The whole sanctions/tough talk pattern with North Korea will continue much as it did in 2017, but I only predict this over what I feel is a solid 45% chance of war on the peninsula.

8. There will be continued extremist attacks in 2018, but less than in 2017 and "ISIS" well be term that is almost gone from our vocabulary and collective consciousness by the end of 2018.

9. Ethereum will surpass Bitcoin in market value before the close of 2018.

10. We will see at least one major event of violence in the Spanish speaking world, either in Venezuela or Catalonia.

Largely agree. 5...don't follow it too closely so I dunno. 8-10 the same

[JohnRawls]

I am starting to see political predictions for the coming year, so I figured i'd do one too.

My Overall prediction is that of a generally stabilizing, yet boring and annoying 2018. "ISIS" "The Alt. Right," "Russia-Collusion," and "North Korea" will feel either like "a dead-horse being beaten" or "old news/distant memory," as things trek along by our "new normal." There will not be any major world wars, economic collapses, or sweep elections in the west. The hysterical fever-pitch will tone down to a lull.

My Ten Predictions for 2018

1. The Mueller investigation will come to a climax, Trump will not be indicted, but someone close to him likely will, but not for collusion or treason, but on a process crime. Trump will finish the year in office and with a higher approval rating than he finished in 2017.

2. The Republicans will make gains in the Senate, but lose seats in the House. There will not be a Democratic sweep of both houses, the Republicans will retain the Senate, the House may go either way.

3. The situation in Syria will stabilize and it will be clear by the end of 2018 that Assad will remain in power for the foreseeable future, and few people will care.

4. The U.S. economy will continue to grow and prosper through 2018, this will give a sense of stability and tone down much of political hysteria we saw in 2017. Consumer confidence will remain high and U.S. housing prices will continue to rise.

5. Brexit talks will continue throughout 2018 and will continue to be annoying, but it will be clear that Brexit will happen before the end of 2018. It will not be undone.

6. Trump will have at least one major legislative accomplishment in 2018, either infrastructure or the wall, but not much else, if anything else. NAFTA will come to an official end in 2018.

7. The whole sanctions/tough talk pattern with North Korea will continue much as it did in 2017, but I only predict this over what I feel is a solid 45% chance of war on the peninsula.

8. There will be continued extremist attacks in 2018, but less than in 2017 and "ISIS" well be term that is almost gone from our vocabulary and collective consciousness by the end of 2018.

9. Ethereum will surpass Bitcoin in market value before the close of 2018.

10. We will see at least one major event of violence in the Spanish speaking world, either in Venezuela or Catalonia.

1) Probably true.

2) Hard to say. Depends on certain factors but highly likely D will have significant gains. Clinton is a non-factor anymore, trump infuriated D supporters so they are coming out in mass to vote. Bad news for Rs. (60 to 40 in favor of Ds)

3) Have no clue. Nobody has any clue besides the people who have plans for this situation. Everybody is a in a gridlock right now. Countries want Assad gone but don't want to fight Russia to do it. Assad wants to fully control the country but doesn't want to fight SA/Turkey/US for it.

4) Economy will continue to grow. Specially in Europe. China will have a slow down. America will be relatively the same as it is right now. Might have trouble paying for government expenses with the tax cuts and all.

5) Brexit will continue, until UKs people will understand that they are being screwed over. They will probably have a 2nd at the end of it. The vote will probably stop Brexit. Not sure if it will fully happen in 2018.

6) Depends on how the elections will go. He already had plenty of time with full control but now it will only get worse.

7) No war in Korea. Same situation for the next years to come.

Terrorist attacks will happen no doubt about that.

9) Cryptocurrency market will fully crash next year. The fear of being left out will die down and the values will plummet.

10) No clue. Who cares about the spanish world anyways?

[blackjack21]

Here are my ten for Hollywood: I predict that the mainstream media including Hollywood will continue to suffer from feminist-themed schlock. Films leading up to the 2016 election like Mad Max and Ghostbusters (chickified), and the post 2016 films that were supposed to bolster a female president like Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Wonderwoman, will continue to destroy the legacy of long-standing franchises. Upcoming films like Ocean's 8--a feminized remake of Ocean's 11 and its successors--will be a flop. The attack on males in Hollywood will continue to result in empty theaters and lackluster financial results.

I went to see Star Wars: The Last Jedi with a friend just before Christmas at a new luxury theater in our area, complete with reclining seats, food trays like an airline seat, waiter service at your in-theater seat complete with a full bar. There were just 6 people in the theater including us. Granted it was a new theater and word hadn't gotten out; however, Hollywood is struggling now, because people are not interested in paying to be spoonfed feminist and multicultural propaganda. Anyway, this is the first Star Wars film where I decided it was better to root for the Empire, because the Republic was just a bunch of shit-stained multicultural feminized propaganda that clearly was never part of the original storyline. Star Wars is still raking in money, but people are beginning to articulate that it is nothing but left wing propaganda now.

Lackluster results will include:

1. The Post: Meryl Streep's defense of child molester Roman Polanski will cause people to reject her. Dredging up the Vietnam War and how the left sowed the seeds of long-standing political turmoil won't be remembered well in the era of Fake News.

2. Molly's Game: Jessica Chastain's break out in Zero Dark Thirty will be a flame out in Molly's Game, which is a pointless feminist anti-hero film.

3. Insidious: This is a series, and will probably be profitable even though it is a somewhat desultory effort.

4. Proud Mary: The "hit man" genre is getting feminized into a "hit woman" series, somewhat like Salt or Domino. They aren't typically well received, as men prefer male roles and women aren't that into female hit men.

5. Forever My Girl: nuff said.

6. Mary and the Witch's Tower: nuff said.

7. Driving While Black: Ha! Maybe there's a sleeper here.

8. A Fantastic Woman: nuff said.

9. Black Panther: The leader of a black nation? Ha!

10. The Spy Who Dumped Me: Can't see men going to see this.

I have to wonder if Bruce Willis reprising Charles Bronson will give any life to male characters. However, I think recycling is pointless. New York in the 1970s was a shooting gallery. Today's New York and the increase in crime is related to police restraint, which should suggest a new Dirty Harry series. However, writers today seem to lack any imagination. I imagine the remake of Tomb Raider may play a little better. Then, there's a new Scarface, which is sure to disappoint as it would be hard to beat Brian DePalma's remake of the original 1932 film depicting Al Pacino and then breakout Michelle Pfeiffer. Robin Hood doesn't need to be made yet again, but they want to make a positive depiction of the "Moors" against the corrupt English crown--see your Majesty what happens when you allow the left to run parliament unchecked by royal authority?

Christians may have a look at Mary Magdalene; although it is a Weinstein production. I imagine that Chappaquiddick will be a white wash of Teddy Kennedy. Sicario 2 is dumping Emily Blunt, who wasn't so easy on the eyes. It will be interesting to see how she does in Mary Poppins Returns.

Hopefully, Mary Queen of Scots will be true to life and not Hillary's lament. Perhaps Mary Shelley wont suck. We shall see.

[Victoribus Spolia]

@blackjack21,

I have to agree with pretty much everything you said about your Hollywood predictions; though I would equally ascribe the decline of the silver screen to the home screen and miss alexa, etc.

Click to watch on your Xbox One or Fire Stick is the future of American home viewing, Sports will continue to decline; whether from continued protests or millennial disengagement from sports.

Also look to see WWII and Civil War themed films which are meant to gin-up anti-right wing sentiments among the American population with exaggerated caricatures of those events to increase in volume while decreasing in sales.

Do expect downton abbey type historical dramas to increase that are toned down in their politics to increase and become increasingly successful. I also expect 80s, early 90s, retro throw-back stuff to be beat-to-death, but to remain relatively successful over the next couple of years. Millennials want their "good feels" from the Reagan era many of them grew up in.

Right now, anything that reminds people of "Goonies" or "E.T." is going to be successful, likewise, the psyche of the population seems ripe for a legit Allan Quartermain type movie, but the critics and post-colonialist professors would never let it happen. In fact, any decent Victorian adventure film, true to the original writings, would do very well right now in my opinion. There is a longing for the high culture, optimism, homogeneity, and sense of destiny that is depicted in those works; especially, among our pessimistic, degenerate, divided, and aimless population.

[4cal]

Went to the movies during the holidays, couldn’t get another soul into the place. I’m sure some older movies had some vacancies.

My prediction is that streaming will continue to take marketshare away from theaters and it would do it if streaming was nothing but anime or slasher movies. The new supplants the old; always has always will. But like cable did, the market figures itself out and things get back into balance.



Feminism has zilch to do with it. The argument is BS Wonder Woman grossed $400M+ domestically on a budget of $150M. I didn’t even know Chris Pine was in the movie until I saw it.

That being said, I wish Hollywood cared more about making art than making money. There were two excellent movies that came out this year that nobody saw. One was Paris can Wait and the other was Beatriz at Dinner. Fantastic films

[MistyTiger]

I have 3 predictions.

1. Someone will send Mnuchin more horse shit by mail. Gosh, how many Americans have mortgages that exceed 10 grand? A lot I bet. So that move to limit the mortgage and mortgage interest deduction is very unpopular.

2. Kushner and Ivanka will be in hot water.

3. JK Rowling may decided to write a new series like Harry Potter and the arthritic wizards make a comeback! They're in a midlife crisis and they want to feel young again!
Seriously though, I'd watch it.

[blackjack21]

Also look to see WWII and Civil War themed films which are meant to gin-up anti-right wing sentiments among the American population with exaggerated caricatures of those events to increase in volume while decreasing in sales.

Maybe Civil Rights themed films. Civil War stuff doesn't seem particularly anti-right wing, as the secessionists weren't anywhere near as radical as the Northern radical Republicans of that time. Civil War stuff has to be shown in a religious light for the purposes of historical accuracy, and because the North did commit what would be considered atrocious war crimes by today's standards. It's one of the reasons the political left shouldn't be trying to judge the past by today's standards. Sherman burning the South to the ground would be considered a war crime tantamount to genocide in today's political world view.

Do expect downton abbey type historical dramas to increase that are toned down in their politics to increase and become increasingly successful.

Well, I just binge watched The Last Kingdom on Netflix. That was post-Roman, pre-Medieval England and dealt with the Danelaw/Danegeld versus Saxon England. That's Netflix, but I'm sure it's part of an appeal in the Brexit era UK and the "invasion" of the Muslim populations foisted on the UK by its treacherous politicians.

I also expect 80s, early 90s, retro throw-back stuff to be beat-to-death, but to remain relatively successful over the next couple of years.

Well, one of the reasons Hollywood is so banal is that it is bought off by the state. At least 80's era propaganda was more jingoistic, like Top Gun and the Iron Eagle type stuff. The recent film Sicario was decent enough, but it really only hinted about the CIA operating in the US. I wonder if Sicario 2 will be any better, but I'm guessing it will be more shoot-em-up stuff. Remaking Scarface again seems like a missed opportunity to highlight the drug war and the recent heroin epidemic, rather than cocaine. It seems like smaller venues do a better job of that, such as Breaking Bad or Sons of Anarchy. Why Hollywood can't make a new "big screen" picture with a richer, more detailed story given all that is going on is beyond me. It is either that Millennials suck at writing screenplays (which has to have some truth to it), or they are being paid to do political bidding (Star Wars movies and Mad Max are all you need to see to find vomit inducing levels of feminism and multiculturalism).

In fact, any decent Victorian adventure film, true to the original writings, would do very well right now in my opinion.

That subordinated clause is the key--it has to be true to the original writings and the historical period. The Last City of Z had the potential to be a great film, but it got bogged down in a condemnation of how the Victorians treated women and didn't believe that Amazonians could build a more interesting civilization. I wish that we'd see something like a screen adaptation of Peter Hopkirk's The Great Game so we could at least get an idea of what was going on in Central Asia during the British Empire, particularly Afghanistan. Like Hidden Fire would also be a good basis for a movie if they could endeavor to show pre-Hitler German spies in the same vein as T.E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia.

There is a longing for the high culture, optimism, homogeneity, and sense of destiny that is depicted in those works; especially, among our pessimistic, degenerate, divided, and aimless population.

A high culture and a shared sense of destiny is what is really missing. I don't think identity politics can ever deliver that--so I don't think we'll see something like that happen unless identity politics gets crushed.

Feminism has zilch to do with it.

A Ghostbusters remake with an all-girl lead cast? An Oceans 11 remake with an all-girl lead cast? Star Wars with an embittered and aimless Luke Skywalker handing off his light saber to a young gal, while most of the commanding officers of the rebellion are women? Mad Max running breast women's breast milk in tanker trucks across the desert?

Just thinking of that makes me think of Donald Trump and the shock and horror of the political left, the phony dossier, the phony Russia investigation, and all the follow on that was supposed to be when Hillary won and a new age of women power was to be upon us. The propaganda is so transparent now, it's like Soviet propaganda from the late 1980s--so obviously wrong and so pregnant with ideas of what was to come, only to be so totally wrong.

That being said, I wish Hollywood cared more about making art than making money.

Finally something we can agree on.

[4cal]

Maybe Civil Rights themed films. Civil War stuff doesn't seem particularly anti-right wing, as the secessionists weren't anywhere near as radical as the Northern radical Republicans of that time. Civil War stuff has to be shown in a religious light for the purposes of historical accuracy, and because the North did commit what would be considered atrocious war crimes by today's standards. It's one of the reasons the political left shouldn't be trying to judge the past by today's standards. Sherman burning the South to the ground would be considered a war crime tantamount to genocide in today's political world view.


Well, I just binge watched The Last Kingdom on Netflix. That was post-Roman, pre-Medieval England and dealt with the Danelaw/Danegeld versus Saxon England. That's Netflix, but I'm sure it's part of an appeal in the Brexit era UK and the "invasion" of the Muslim populations foisted on the UK by its treacherous politicians.


Well, one of the reasons Hollywood is so banal is that it is bought off by the state. At least 80's era propaganda was more jingoistic, like Top Gun and the Iron Eagle type stuff. The recent film Sicario was decent enough, but it really only hinted about the CIA operating in the US. I wonder if Sicario 2 will be any better, but I'm guessing it will be more shoot-em-up stuff. Remaking Scarface again seems like a missed opportunity to highlight the drug war and the recent heroin epidemic, rather than cocaine. It seems like smaller venues do a better job of that, such as Breaking Bad or Sons of Anarchy. Why Hollywood can't make a new "big screen" picture with a richer, more detailed story given all that is going on is beyond me. It is either that Millennials suck at writing screenplays (which has to have some truth to it), or they are being paid to do political bidding (Star Wars movies and Mad Max are all you need to see to find vomit inducing levels of feminism and multiculturalism).


That subordinated clause is the key--it has to be true to the original writings and the historical period. The Last City of Z had the potential to be a great film, but it got bogged down in a condemnation of how the Victorians treated women and didn't believe that Amazonians could build a more interesting civilization. I wish that we'd see something like a screen adaptation of Peter Hopkirk's The Great Game so we could at least get an idea of what was going on in Central Asia during the British Empire, particularly Afghanistan. Like Hidden Fire would also be a good basis for a movie if they could endeavor to show pre-Hitler German spies in the same vein as T.E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia.


A high culture and a shared sense of destiny is what is really missing. I don't think identity politics can ever deliver that--so I don't think we'll see something like that happen unless identity politics gets crushed.


A Ghostbusters remake with an all-girl lead cast? An Oceans 11 remake with an all-girl lead cast? Star Wars with an embittered and aimless Luke Skywalker handing off his light saber to a young gal, while most of the commanding officers of the rebellion are women? Mad Max running breast women's breast milk in tanker trucks across the desert?

Just thinking of that makes me think of Donald Trump and the shock and horror of the political left, the phony dossier, the phony Russia investigation, and all the follow on that was supposed to be when Hillary won and a new age of women power was to be upon us. The propaganda is so transparent now, it's like Soviet propaganda from the late 1980s--so obviously wrong and so pregnant with ideas of what was to come, only to be so totally wrong.


Finally something we can agree on.

To dr D.C.

Facts tell a much different story than your delusions

[Victoribus Spolia]

Maybe Civil Rights themed films. Civil War stuff doesn't seem particularly anti-right wing, as the secessionists weren't anywhere near as radical as the Northern radical Republicans of that time. Civil War stuff has to be shown in a religious light for the purposes of historical accuracy, and because the North did commit what would be considered atrocious war crimes by today's standards. It's one of the reasons the political left shouldn't be trying to judge the past by today's standards. Sherman burning the South to the ground would be considered a war crime tantamount to genocide in today's political world view.

Lincoln, 12 Years A Slave, Django Unchained, etc..? All propaganda and timing of release is central. You could not make a balanced civil war movie now that showed any sympathy to the South, like Gods and Generals, in today's political climate. You could not even point out the fact that some of the right-wingers at the Charlottesville protest were good people and were not all KKK or Neo-Nazis without drawing ire and condemnation (many who showed up were tea-party militia-types, so WTF?). The WWII and anti-nazi stuff is also going to get hit really hard, Imperium, Dunkirk, Inglorious Bastards, Denial, Our Darkest Hour, etc, etc, etc. Its just never ending. The media cartels are REALLY concerned about white nationalism and will press hard the myth of a common history of a unified and progressive-thinking America fighting against EVIL RACIST BOOGEYMAN in Germany and the American South. Its all propaganda and history is rarely so clean and clear-cut.

That subordinated clause is the key

Absolutely. Americans are starved for authenticity. I remember listening to a podcast interview with Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs recently, and he discussed the odd and pioneering success of his show on discovery and compared its success to that of Trump. Americans are tired of films that are first tested via focus groups and PC police, just as they are tired of politicians of the same vein. The more revisionist, according to progressive post-colonial thought, a classic like "She" or "King Solomon's Mines," the more poorly it will do. Whites are tired of being lectured about how racist they are in such historical films which is the inverse phenomena of the success of the civil war and WWII genres mentioned above, which serves to satisfy both white guilt and allow a sense of "See! we can't be racist! we freed the slaves and saved the Jews after all!"

At least 80's era propaganda was more jingoistic, like Top Gun and the Iron Eagle type stuff.

Sure, but I think the "aspect" of the 80s that is going to be overdone will be the "good-feels" stuff pertaining to growing up in that era as a kid or a teenager. Its a take-you-out-of-present-reality kinda thing. Millennials would rather go nostalgic than deal with the other shitty stuff being produced these days or to deal with their generally unsuccessful lives, they long for the 80s and early 90s sense of prosperity, homogeneity, and freedom. Guardians of the Galaxy was partly successful because millennial parents were in love with the retro themes in the film. If that light-hearted-nostaglia was not there, those films would not have been successful. Hell, if Guardians 2 did not have the old-school soundtrack, it would have bombed in the box-office, you can hang your hat on that.

A high culture and a shared sense of destiny is what is really missing. I don't think identity politics can ever deliver that--so I don't think we'll see something like that happen unless identity politics gets crushed.

Agree completely, but we might get lucky with a production that merely attempts an accurate retelling and is earnest in its attempt to be apolitical. As hollywood's profits start to suffer, I do expect some self-reflection. Like in the NFL. Neither may want to admit it, or be obvious in their attempts to address it, but if they are going to lose money they will very likely make adjustments towards that which will bolster their own success, and toning down the political messages.

A Ghostbusters remake with an all-girl lead cast? An Oceans 11 remake with an all-girl lead cast? Star Wars with an embittered and aimless Luke Skywalker handing off his light saber to a young gal, while most of the commanding officers of the rebellion are women? Mad Max running breast women's breast milk in tanker trucks across the desert?

Well stated. All garbage. I was a YUGE fan of The Road Warrior with Mel Gibson, and I was very disappointed with the reviews from critics for Fury Road after watching it. I remember thinking "Did they watch the same film I did?"

What makes anyone think that a post-apocalyptic world is going to include any legitimate battle-of-the-sexes type scenario? When the political restraints upon masculinity that exist in a civilized, or even a politically correct society, are removed, there is no battle between the sexes, only the natural dominion of one over the other that would exist in nature. In the wilderness where men act as savages, women are currency, not citizens. Whether we like that or not, the problem with Fury Road was not that it wasn't cool in its graphics and chase-scenes, the problem was that it wasn't believable anymore, socially speaking.