The Movies and America

March 1, 2019

Recognizing the power of film as a significant shaper of American society has become a commonplace in cultural discussion in the last half century.

This popular lecture, delivered annually for more than 15 years in a variety of church, school, and other public settings, seeks to understand this phenomenon. Dr. Drew Trotter makes a case for the Academy Award nominees for best picture as both a barometer of, and an influence on, current American moral and intellectual standards. He looks at common themes expressed in these and other films of the year and relates those ideas to societal norms and questions present in America today.