Paul Thomas Anderson's 'One Battle After Another' recently captured six Academy Awards including best picture, marking a significant achievement for the political thriller. The film, made before Trump's return to power, portrays an America grappling with authoritarianism through the story of a white nationalist cabal called the Christmas Adventurers and their antagonist, military officer Steven Lockjaw. Michelle Goldberg observes the movie feels particularly relevant today as it directly confronts fascist rhetoric.

The narrative follows Leonardo DiCaprio's character, a former explosives expert living under an assumed name with his daughter, after escaping a revolutionary group called the French 75 led by Teyana Taylor's Perfidia. Their past comes back to haunt them when Lockjaw tracks them down, setting off a chase narrative that explores what's worth fighting for in moments of defeat and disillusionment. The film portrays revolutionary violence without glorifying it, complicating perceptions of both left-wing radicals and authoritarian forces.

What makes 'One Battle After Another' culturally significant is its fearless approach to progressive convictions during an administration attempting to force cultural institutions into submission. The film's subversive vision of good and evil, featuring Benicio Del Toro's serene Sergio St. Carlos who aids undocumented immigrants, stands in stark contrast to the new taboos being imposed. The movie carries the assumptions of a better country while existing in a fascist moment, offering both artistic excellence and political provocation in equal measure.