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What can America's most successful movies tell us about America itself?Steve Deace, Todd Erzen, and Aaron McIntire set out to answer that question by examining the 25 highest-grossing films in U.S. history — when adjusted for inflation of course.From "Gone with the Wind," "The Ten Commandments," and "The Sound of Music" to "Star Wars," "Titanic," and today's blockbuster franchises, the list offers a window into the stories that once united the culture."The Graduate" made the end of the list, which Deace calls “the only intentionally subversive film on this list.”Erzen notes that it’s a “really well-crafted” film about “people living hollow, empty lives.”“They’re just, you know, going in any direction they can think of to find some level of meaning and purpose. That’s a conversation worth having,” he says.“That is the conversation that’s being buried by most people. Like there’s a lot of young white men who are struggling for meaning and purpose, and they’re choosing video games over a lot of other things,” he continues.“Today,” he adds, “it’s just about victim culture and whiny grievances and DEI, and you know, who wants to be a part of that?”McIntire points out that there’s “a gap there from 1999 to ... 2014, 2015.”“That was the era of 'Harry Potter,' 'Lord of the Rings,' 'Avatar.' ... Those were, I thought, cultural icons. They are cultural icons,” he says.“And then on top of that, once you get past that 14-, 15-year gap, the movies that are on this list, the entries that are on this list, what do they have in common?” he asks, answering himself, “They’re franchises.”“So nothing original,” Deace comments. “Everything’s a derivative.”“That’s not a good trend line in my estimation, but it kind of fits hand in glove with not only the big picture culturally that we’re seeing, but particularly in Hollywood,” McIntire adds.However, while the left has run Hollywood for quite some time, Deace points out that the right is gaining ground in this part of the culture war.“To our credit, if you look at films like 'Young Washington,' you’re seeing us, you know, beginning to seize the opportunity,” he explains. “It does show right now, the opportunity that exists to gain a serious beachhead within the most powerful pop culture medium in the history of this entire planet.”And this is important, he explains, because “who controls a culture's stories and myths controls a culture every single time.”“If we gain a serious beachhead in the storytelling realm, folks, then that’s worth five to ten Senate seats,” he adds.Want more from Steve Deace?To enjoy more of Steve's take on national politics, Christian worldview, and principled conservatism with a snarky twist, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last month that he has "no plans at this time" about a potential 2028 presidential run and doesn't know "what the future holds.""He is still young, and smart in both policy and politics, and is keeping his options open for the future," one person familiar with the matter recently told NBC News. "If you asked him if he’s interested in 2032 or 2036, he would probably say sure."'We must win together.'While America's top diplomat — who recently polled third among potential candidates favored by Republicans for 2028 — is supposedly uncertain about what course he will personally chart in two years, he is confident about what direction America must take in the here and now.In a speech Wednesday at the Acropolis in Athens, Rubio emphasized the imperative for America and other Western nations to unapologetically pursue national power; prioritize their own people; cease feeling guilty for being exceptional; and reclaim the "classical understanding" that "power requires not only having the means to defend yourself; it requires the credibility that you are willing to use it."With the Parthenon as his backdrop, Rubio buttered up the Greeks by emphasizing the influence that their forebears had on America and, more broadly, on Western civilization."The history of America, the history of my country, is covered with the fingerprints of antiquity," said the secretary.After first alluding to the architectural, linguistic, narrative, philosophical, and political influence that the ancient Greeks had on America and its people, Rubio noted, "The civilization of Athens and Rome transformed an infant seaboard republic into a continental empire."RELATED: Keeping the West’s flame burning "The greatest Americans of every generation have carried the unmistakable features of their forefathers," he continued, "born in Athens, formed by Rome, baptized in Christendom, hardened in the furnace of medieval Europe, endowed with the English genius for liberty, and then carried across the Atlantic to be reborn on the shores of a new world."The secretary's speech was, however, about far more than tying former Greek excellence to continuing American excellence.Rubio underscored that America and the "whole of our civilization" are at an "inflection point" — that "national interests did not vanish in the face of international institutions"; that peace is not inevitable; that there is renewed competition between great powers and a "whole universe of new threats" that must be addressed; and that it is critical now, more than ever, to rebuild institutions and alliances.The secretary has been discussing various bilateral and multilateral alliances including NATO on a European tour that landed him in Athens on Wednesday.During a joint press conference with Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis held just prior to his speech at the Acropolis, Rubio said that "the nations of Europe need to take on a greater share of the burden in defending their continent" and that Greece is on track to satisfy its minimum NATO obligation. He noted further that the U.S. and Greece have signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a joint security program to bolster binational counterterrorism information-sharing and that Greece is joining the National Guard's Bureau of State Partnership Program.Rubio noted in his speech — which was reminiscent of his Feb.14 "civilizational erasure" speech in Munich — that the purpose of such alliances "is not to abolish the sovereignty of the nations that constitute them. It is to defend them. And nations need not abandon their distinct identities in order to recognize their common interests.""We want to win together," said Rubio. "We must win together."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A Texas mother is accused of stabbing her young children — ages 3 years and 10 months — and her husband early Tuesday morning, KXAS-TV reported.Northlake Police officers were dispatched to a home in the 1200 block of Daylily Drive around 4:20 a.m. regarding a stabbing in progress, the station said.'More of a stare — didn't really say a whole lot.'Police said a man called 911 and reported that his wife had a knife and was stabbing him, KXAS said.Northlake Police Chief Robert Crawford said he listened to the 911 calls and noted that the man was trying to get to the couple's children, who were in another room, the station noted."He was trying to get to the children, and the children were in another room, and she was actively trying to stab him, so he had to retreat outside," Crawford said, according to KXAS.Arriving officers detained a woman, the station said, adding that police said the 34-year-old man suffered a stab wound to the head and is expected to recover.Officers found the couple's 3-year-old daughter and 10-month-old son with stab wounds to the chest, police told KXAS, adding that they were taken to a Fort Worth hospital and are expected to survive.The detained woman, identified as 37-year-old Holly Leeann Flores, was taken to a Denton hospital for observation and possible injuries, the station said, adding that police said she was treated, released, then taken into custody and transported to the Denton County Jail.Flores is charged with two counts of attempted capital murder and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, KXAS reported. Flores' jail record lists no bond or court date for her.Crawford told the station that Flores did not say a lot to officers after she was detained: "More of a stare — didn't really say a whole lot."RELATED: Mother 'very invested' in Lindsay Clancy case accused of killing 2-year-old son, had chilling plans for husband: Prosecutors Police said officers had been called to the home five times since March for welfare checks, KXAS reported.Neighbor Brittany Flores noted to the station that she was troubled that police had previously been called to the home."I think it's awful that the police were here multiple times, and it sounds like something like this could have been prevented if there was some kind of intervention," she told KXAS. "I don't know all what was in place or her mental state or whatever. I'm just absolutely shocked."Neighbors added to the station that they knew the suspect through neighborhood gatherings and that she ran a balloon business.Brittany Flores told KXAS that she and the suspect previously spoke about their common parental experiences: "It was just camaraderie, and we related to what we were going through. But there was a lot more that was going on underneath the surface than what you talk about at a birthday party."Neighbor Ally Barfuss added to the station that the incident has shaken the neighborhood."It breaks my heart for both of them — the kids and the mom," Barfuss told KXAS. "I feel really sad for all of them. I hope everyone is OK, including her."Northlake Police told the station the investigation is ongoing.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Donald Trump says Democrats don't have a "deep bench" of future leaders. BlazeTV host Pat Gray believes the party's 2028 speculation isn't exactly proving him wrong — especially one of the most likely contenders, Gavin Newsom.In a recent interview, Newsom attempted to sound reflective and statesmanlike when discussing his political future — but BlazeTV host Pat Gray and his panel aren’t buying it.“That moment will arrive when it arrives. You’ll know it,” Newsom said.“It, you know, sort of hits you, not just here,” he continued, pointing to his head, “it hits you here,” he added, pointing to his chest.Newsom went on with an incoherent sentence that included “congruency” and “there’s no such thing as a deadline.”“What did he say?” executive producer Keith Malinak asks, confused.“He’s trying to sound like he’s, you know, intelligent,” Gray says. “And, as usual, comes off the opposite.”Jeff Fisher notes that AOC is also attempting to “sound more presidential,” before rolling a clip of the congresswoman saying, “like, whatever.”“Newsom-AOC 2028,” Malinak says.“She wants to be president; she doesn’t want to be vice president,” Fisher says. “So Newsom isn’t going to be her vice president.”“She would ... take that spot on the ticket,” Malinak disagrees.Want more from Pat Gray?To enjoy more of Pat's biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.