Tod Kelly laments that Republicans don't recognize conservative art that isn't overtly political:
Conservative leaders need to realize that they will never win over the hearts and minds of even their own followers with party-approved dreck. In fact, they run the risk of doing themselves great long-term harm. Tell people that watching the Hollywood movies and pop music they love means they can’t be part of your club long enough, and you’re going to eventually reach the point where they don’t really want to belong anyway. Besides, none of this approach to art is “conservative” in the classical sense of that word so much as it is highly radical. And it’s a shame, because throughout much of Western history it has been the conservative elites that supported the arts as much as or even more than liberals and progressives. Getting back to that standard is what conservatives should be shooting for.
Alyssa Rosenberg makes related points while pondering Atlas Shrugged Part 2 (trailer above):
Ultimately, there’s just a limit to the extent to which you can get people to consume entertainment by telling them that it’s good for them. It was true for Red Tails, which did only okay box office—it hasn’t paid off its production costs, much less started eating into its advertising budget. And I think it’s true here, too.
The Dish 