A couple examples of movies that have taken on a whole new meaning for me after re-watching with a conservative eye are "American History X" and "Dances With Wolves".
Both are films I took at face value when I first saw them. Both are absolute Leftist propaganda pieces in retrospect.
Re; AHX, how could ANYONE side with Ed Norton's awful portrayal of a murdering neo-Nazi with a swaztika tattooed on his chest? Cleverly, what Oliver Stone did was attach mainstream conservative opinions about immigration, race, and welfare to Norton's loathsome Derek Vinyard character. That puts me in the position of identifying my own views with this loathsome character. If I was an ideologically unaware person or a young person, I might not make that connection, and might instead believe that those mainstream views are the radical hateful views.
For instance, when Vinyard went off an a diatribe about illegal aliens, it began as an open dinner-table discussion and calm recitation of the mainstream conservative viewpoint, but it then escalated, and ended with Vinyard spewing spittle-flecked racial epithets, and physically abusing his sister and mother.
That kind of propaganda makes up almost the entire film - the mainstream conservative view is articulated, and then the actions and words of the person averring it are heinous.
"Dances With Wolves" is one long homage to the "White man bad/Indian good" stereotype, and the idea that the only way a White man can be good is to the degree that he is like an Indian.
Both movies are beloved by me. I am emotionally moved by both, and think the films and performances are stellar. But yeah. Seeing them now is totally different than when I first saw them.
On the other end of the spectrum is a film like "Rocky". There is no question in retrospect that the Rocky story is Christian allegory.
It is no mistake that the very first thing you see is the face of Jesus Christ on a mural, and the entire story is filled with Rocky living out Christian principles such as Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
He is everlastingly devoted to his wife until her death. He shows kindness to the poor. He advises young people to abandon poor behavior. He is moved by his conscience. He is honest. He is patient and slow to anger. He does not lash out in retribution. He prays before every fight. He never curses. He forgives, and is quick to do so.
It couldn't be more clear to me that Sylvester Stallone was either stealthily working a Christian message into the series, or, he was used by Holy Spirit to bring that character to the screen. Either way, once I saw it, I could never unsee it. The film (and to a somewhat lesser extent, the entire series) took on a whole new meaning for me.
