I think it largely depends what you think movies are for - I strongly dislike movies with an overt agenda, regardless of what that agenda might be - if the writing isn't good enough to hide the political intentions of the writer, director or producer - then you don't have a movie you have a piece of political propaganda. Theatre and film go through these phases occasionaly and I find them tedious.

It's not that I want pure escapism, nor am I the fictional elderly villain your article paints so vividly, I just love a good story. Often this aspect takes a backseat when an author has 'something to say' - and characters become flacid two dimensional mouthpieces for a given world view. It doesn't even matter what that world view is - I can see all the workings out and it takes me out of the experience.

That's just me though. i can't speak for Bill Maher, mostly because as a Brit - I don't really know who he is or what he does :o)