Cinema Wars: Hollywood Film and Politics in the Bush-Cheney Era

Cinema Wars explores the intersection of film, politics, and US culture and society through a bold analysis of the films, TV shows, and documentaries produced in the early 2000s. From No Country for Old Men to The Passion of the Christ and Hollywood depictions of 9/11, Douglas Kellner’s fascinating exploration of contemporary cinema demonstrates that in a time of unparalleled cultural turbulence and military conflict, Hollywood film has been a contested terrain between conservative and liberal forces.

Examining a wide range of films, genres, and filmmakers, Cinema Wars documents how many popular films have reproduced conservative and militarist discourses that replicate the positions of the Bush-Cheney regime, while others have criticized and satirized the conservative administration. From historical dramas like Good Night, and Good Luck to provocative documentaries such as Bowling for Columbine and An Inconvenient Truth, Kellner shows how Hollywood film in the 2000s has brought to life a vibrant array of social protest and helped create the cultural conditions for the election of Barack Obama.