I wonder if this scene from Little Miss Sunshine got similar push back or would in this day and age:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtVmfXnJM80
Main difference that I can think of is that the kid was younger in that movie and so was doing this without understanding its context. Seems like this Cuties movie the kids are older and so they do understand the context of their dancing. I assume the idea is to try and explore how girls of that age understand their femininity and how it fits within society. In the scene from Little Miss Sunshine I don't think anyone assumed that the people making the movie were doing so to get their rocks off, but to satirize the often perverse nature of beauty pageants. I'm ok with giving the makers of Cuties the same benefit of the doubt.
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