Message picture
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A message picture is a motion picture that, in addition to or instead of being for entertainment, intends to communicate a certain message or ideal about society. Message pictures usually present the message they want to deliver in the form of a morality play, and are usually serious (often somber) works. However, not all message pictures are 100% serious, and there are also films spoofing the genre (Sullivan's Travels, for example).
Many people use the term to indicate movies that put forth a message or idea they don't like; this is because many message pictures portray a socially liberal or progressive viewpoint, and message pictures depicting a more conservative viewpoint are rare.
Dore Schary was famous for his message pictures at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Among these were The Next Voice You Hear, Asphalt Jungle, and Blackboard Jungle. Other famous message pictures by other parties include Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? and In the Heat of the Night.
Needed: More examples of the genre, NPOV checking.