Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" is both a thrilling action film, and a mirror-holding look at current American society. Baked into its absurdist right vs. leftist fantasy are truths about how each side views the other. Anderson doesn't let anyone off the hook, as he finds the humor in taking each side to a comical extreme.

Make no mistake, through the humor of "One Battle After Another," it's clear who the villains are, and who pulls the strings. As we see our country move closer and closer to one ruled by a small number of wealthy white elites, some of the craziness that unfolds in this movie doesn't feel quite so far-fetched.

Although filmed prior to the current administration, Anderson clearly knew where the country was headed, and he becomes one of the first filmmakers to tackle our current political situation head-on.

This week we examine the first of two modern U.S. filmmaker takes on America today. We'll break down the other in our next episode.