My List of Prophetic Movies

Jules and Vincent process the same bizarre event two different ways: Vince will shrug it off and continue his gangster status quo lifestyle, but Jules decides that the time has come to seriously rearrange his spiritual priorities. And isn't that just the way it is?

What better way to comprehend the Bush (Jr.) war doctrine, than in the white light of the New Earth Army?

Prophetic themes: That the chaos borne of a strangely out-of-it new-age worldview can be a portal to one's destiny, and that sometimes all that's really needed is a simple, heartfelt apology.

The main idea? That the truth may not have a heck of a lot to do with what *feels* true to you, and Hollywood is not those coastal media elites foisting their perversions on the decent heartland. Rather, it's the moral chancre at the heart of that heartland boomeranging back from the coast, coming back to wing you.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is all this... and so much more.

Who is "the media" and who are "us"? The truth of this may be hard to take... because with a script like this, you might die laughing.

This was surely Peter Finch's role of a lifetime.

Sure, it's the classic fable about the hooker with a heart o' gold. But it raises the stakes to dizzying heights: If you prayed to the Madonna to change your life, in what form would you expect that change to come? And why shouldn't you expect God to employ a subcontractor to set the stage for the transformation?

A fine portrait of what is wrong with America. Sure, it's almost self-indulgently expressionistic, but the core theme is timeless: You might well be lead down the road to Bodhisattvahood by the promise of cheerleader 'tang. The mill of God grinds exceeding fine, indeed.

[Director's cut ONLY!] Fantastic one-two punch: You must kill God and forgive everyone else.

I almost didn't add this one because it doesn't really outline any broad myths the way the others do. And then I realized this might have been a welcome antidote to myth addiction. Look: We never look sillier than when we're being deadly serious, OK? Prophetic enough for ya?

This might have been the ultimate postmodern prophetic statement, not-so-cleverly disguised as an edgy yawp.

When anarchy comes, it will come because we're all damn well ready for it. And if we're not? We'll do what we have to to make ourselves ready. Pain is life. People get weary of living death. Pain is a doorway to life. QED

The story goes that the producers got calls from Buddhist organizations: Was "Groundhog Day" a Buddhist movie?

Groundhog Day is a rare thing: A movie that ends on all the classic feelgood blockbuster high notes (e.g., "gets the girl"), AND painstakingly (and satisfyingly) surfs requisite karmic machinations to get there.

It's not a perfect movie--it starts out a little shaky--but it certainly gets there OK.

An important message for America, and very timely.

Anton and Llewelyn are adversaries, but the story eases you into a realization that they're in conflict not because they have different values, but because their values are more similar than may be comfortable to reflect upon.

This is a prophesy about the need for Americans to augment their precious rugged individualism with a realistic and compassionate dose of recognition; recognition of our brotherhood and, ultimately, our shared destinies.

Hollywood is like the weather: Everybody complains about it, but no one does anything about it.

Altman's The Player is THE definitive statement about the truth of this. When you scan the blogs, it seems there are a lot of folks with oddball takes on the ending. It's not that hard to understand: Americans like success, and--if you take your cues from Hollywood--real moral accountability is for losers.

It's the ultimate statement about how the greatest myth generating engine of a civilization long ago sold its soul to Satan.

Add to this that Altman made the redeeming decision to harness his wonderfully chaotic media esthetic--overlapping improvised dialog, writing that teeters on the edge of expressionism, and keen character development--to the noble purpose of straight-up cinema storytelling, and (if you'll pardon the Hollywoodism) "you've got a reeeeeal winner!"

It took me a day or two for things to sink in, but once they did, I understood: "Joker" is prophetic.

It does this with a one-two punch.

It's best to first highlight the punch against "victim culture". This is a hot timely topic these days, with references to it ranging from the vaunting of "social justice warriors" to the derisive dismissal of "snowflakes" and everything in between.

The filmmaker does a great job of showcasing the brutal shattering of Arthur's mis-comprehended notions of victimhood.

But then Arthur gets redeemed; and that's the second "punch".

(And make no mistake: It surely is a deeply dark redemption. But it's nonetheless a palpable redemption. And it's *that* combo which makes "Joker" also a bit of a dangerous flick.)

The second punch is where Arthur figures out the necessary antecedent to the sad reality of true victimization: It's LYING.

And, once the flick drops that second shoe, its prophetic mythology soars.