"Melania the book wasn't an autobiography so much as a highly priced brochure. Melania the movie isn't a documentary; it's a protection racket. It's a reminder that the richest people in the world are investing in entertainment brands not because they care about art but because the public does, and because all of these vanity projects and capitulations are a way to consolidate their own power and fortune."
"It is galling to think about Jeff Bezos (whose wife is a former TV news anchor) deciding to invest so much money apparently to buy the president's good graces while reportedly preparing to cut hundreds of jobs at The Washington Post. (Amazon reps have insisted that the company invested so heavily in the movie purely "because we think customers are going to love it.")"
The Melania Trump film opened in theaters after a controversial production and limited press access. Brett Ratner directed the project and Amazon heavily financed it. Critics were not allowed to review the film in advance. The film reads as a promotional show reel rather than a documentary and functions like a protection racket for elite interests. The financing and premiere raised questions about wealthy influence, including Jeff Bezos's investment and Apple CEO Tim Cook's attendance. The release coincided with national unrest, tear gas in Minneapolis, high-profile advertising, themed White House confections, and many collaborators distancing themselves from the project.
Read at Intelligencer
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