Movies vs. Capitalism
A movie-rewatch podcast that explores the politics of your favorite films through an anti-capitalist lens. Each episode, hosts Rivka Rivera and Frank Cappello are joined by a special guest for an irreverent yet critical discussion about a film and how it’s *obviously* a scathing indictment of late-stage capitalism. Fight Club? That’s about the degradation of modern consumerism. Office Space? A stark depiction of worker alienation. Antz? An animated kids movie about the military-industrial complex. Movies vs. Capitalism examines the crucial intersection between pop culture and politics — an anti-capitalist, anti-racist, anti-patriarchal, anti-heteronormative, anti-imperialist analysis of your favorite talking pictures. It’s a middle finger to our rotting institutions and ruling-class proprietors who are slowly driving the human race into extinction. But, like, in a fun way ;)
Episodes
On this week’s Movies vs. Capitalism, Rivka and Frank are joined by Ryan Christian (actor, writer, activist) for a weighty conversation about the 2021 Fred Hampton biopic, Judas and the Black Messiah. The group breaks down how the film leans into its revolutionary politics, how rare it is to see a non-whitewashed version of Black radicalism in pop culture, the history of violence and repression perpetrated by U.S. intellig...
On this week’s Movies vs. Capitalism, Rivka and Frank are joined by comedian, actress, writer, and director Melanie Vesey to discuss Terry Gilliam’s dystopian black comedy Brazil. The group digs into how the film portrays the merger of state and corporate power, how it offers up a TKTK of fantasy escapism, and what “building a new world” actually entails.
Rivka and Frank also discuss filmmaker Charlie Kaufman’s speech duri...
On this week’s MVC, Rivka and Frank sit down with writer and director Adam McKay — their first Academy Award winner (sadly, nominees don’t count). Adam joins the hosts to discuss the movie Office Space, Mike Judge’s comedic meditation on the modern office. The group breaks down the film’s stark portrayal of worker alienation, the brutality of corporate consultants, and how this movie has become even more relevant almost 25...
On this week’s MVC, Rivka and Frank are joined by Pedro Ángel Rivera Muñoz (filmmaker, political writer, and activist) to discuss Charlie Chaplin’s anti-capitalist masterpiece Modern Times.
The group unpacks how this 1939 cinema classic is more relevant than ever with its grotesque depiction of factory working conditions, its satire of the ruling class and state power, and the aspirational message of its ending. They also ...
On this week’s MVC, Rivka and Frank are joined by Ele Woods (actor, writer, and comedian) to discuss the 1988 classic, Working Girl, directed by Mike Nichols and starring Melanie Griffith.
The group unpacks how this movie is the prototypical “girl boss” film, how it brilliantly portrays the predatory male gaze dominant in 1980s cinema, and how Melanie Griffith’s voice is the original ASMR. Ele also shares why “maintain and...
On this week’s MVC, Rivka and Frank are joined by Carla Marie Davis (political content creator, fashion stylist, and co-host of the Sip & Politic podcast) for a nuanced discussion about Ruben Östlund’s brutal 2022 satire, Triangle of Sadness.
The group unpacks how the film is one of the most effective modern commentaries about class politics, even though its ideas regarding gender dynamics aren’t as fully fleshed out. ...
On this week’s Movies vs. Capitalism, Rivka and Frank are joined by Chris Myers (Obie Award-winning actor, organizer, and founder of Anticapitalism for Artists) to discuss Alfonso Cuarón's dystopian masterpiece, Children of Men.
The group discusses how this 2006 film is terrifyingly reflective of today's world and our failing social systems. They also discuss its brilliant cinematography, the theme of “faith vs. chance,” as...
On the inaugural episode of Movies vs. Capitalism, Rivka and Frank are joined by David Sirota (award-winning journalist & Oscar nominee) to discuss everyone’s favorite Reagan-era classic Ghostbusters.
The group breaks down how the film’s pro-business, anti-government messages are baked into almost every scene, which is extra troubling considering this is a movie which was largely marketed to children. They also dig int...
Movies vs. Capitalism premieres on Tuesday, Feb. 7. Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode!
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