It’s possible that I’m being too combative about all of the cultural inquiry made into Sofia Coppola’s new film, The Beguiled, in my review (written, as ever, for Paste Magazine). I’m not entirely sure. What I am sure of is that the structure of the conversation surrounding the film is symptomatic of the major ills afflicting movies today; we talk about movies before they’re even released in theaters, and then once they’re released, we don’t talk about them at all, which puts a movie like The Beguiled in a weird place in our cultural narrative. It is discussed not for what it’s about, but for what it isn’t about.
As you might gather by reading my article, I find this aggravating, because it’s a damn fine movie with a lot to say about its overwhelming whiteness. I hope you check it out! I also hope you read my article, but that goes without saying.
A Constant Visual Feast 