A large part of the population are stressed and exhausted, and that’s not a “let’s go see something fun” mindset for many, it’s “let’s get through the day and watch comfort content.”

I've witnessed this, too! I even know family that relaxed their long-form TV watching due to work stress, and generally hit the YouTube algorithim and other quick comfort food in its place.

Sure, a lot of American film makes war movies all “RAH RAH RAH USA USA USA,”

Here are the 3 "original" movies in my local theatre, to get more of what I mean:

Levon Cade left behind a decorated military career in the black ops to live a simple life working construction. But when his boss’s daughter, who is like family to him, is taken by human traffickers, his search to bring her home uncovers a world of corruption far greater than he ever could have imagined.

harlie Heller (Malek) is a brilliant, but deeply introverted decoder for the CIA working out of a basement office at headquarters in Langley whose life is turned upside down when his wife is killed in a London terrorist attack. When his supervisors refuse to take action, he takes matters into his own hands, embarking on a dangerous trek across the globe to track down those responsible, his intelligence serving as the ultimate weapon for eluding his pursuers and achieving his revenge...

Written and directed by Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland (Civil War, 28 Days Later), Warfare embeds audiences with a platoon of American Navy SEALs in the home of an Iraqi family, overwatching the movement of US forces through insurgent territory. A visceral, boots-on-the-ground story of modern warfare, told like never before: in real time and based on the memory of the people who lived it.

The last one (Warfare) kinda stands out, but see the pattern? "Ex black ops protag" is super popular, and I posit that, on average, it's a turn-off for leftists.

military-themed movies turning off more leftist moviegoers? I feel that way to some extent

Maybe but not because I’m liberal, because we’re shit. The fact that “The Covenant” exists is FUCKING INFURIATING to me. I signed up to put my ass on the line, knowing any flight out of CONUS had a return ticket. We not only told the terps we’d take them to the American dream but made them put their lives on the line…then flew away and made a fucking movie about how it’s too bad they’re all stuck in the suck.

All quiet on the western front was a pretty good war film

Eh… I think most viewers like compelling characters when they find them, even in comfort entertainment. And putting them in interesting situations is part of what makes them compelling.

I guess this is why influencers (using that term very broadly) are so popular. That format cuts out all the plot and fluff and goes straight to characters.

Bingo.

Ugh, that's exactly what's going to happen, isn't?

Also, I hate how people ponder why stuff like this is happening and miss the elephant in the room. Guess engagement optimization isn't a trending topic...

Minecraft is only technically an original movie. Video game "franchise" popular with kids is usual "formula slop" leveraging past pop culture.