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PODCAST

Movies vs. Capitalism

Movies vs. Capitalism

MOVIES VS. CAPITALISM explores the politics of your favorite films through an anti-capitalist lens and the crucial intersection between pop culture and politics. Each episode, hosts Rivka and Frank are joined by a guest for a critical discussion about a movie and the ideological messages baked into it.

tv & film politics

All Episodes

59:28

John Q (w/ Nina Turner)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/08/08

Rivka and Frank are joined by former Ohio state senator and congressional candidate Nina Turner for a heartfelt discussion about the Denzel Washington health insurance drama John Q, the story of father who holds an emergency room hostage after learning his health insurance won’t cover his son’s heart transplant. Even though the film was made in 2002, its message and themes remain as relevant as ever. Nina shares her personal experience with the American health care system and talks about the

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01:14:16

Barbie (w/ Jessie Kahnweiler)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/08/01

Rivka and Frank are joined by filmmaker Jessie Kahnweiler for an off-the-walls discussion of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. They discuss the full-blown cultural phenomenon and how its overall message is emblematic of “plastic feminism.” They offer their conflicting feelings about the film’s success: how it is both a win for female filmmakers but an even bigger win for a toy company. Jessie also talks about her experience being on strike, as a member of the Writers Guild of America (WGA), and what’s at stake

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01:13:18

Robocop (w/ Mike Benner)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/07/25

Rivka and Frank are joined by TV writer and producer Mike Benner to discuss Paul Verhoeven's Robocop. They talk about how the film’s evil corporation, Omni Consumer Products, serves as a perfect stand-in for consolidated corporate power. They also unpack Verhoeven’s depiction of homoerotic male aggression as a metaphor for capitalist competition, and how the iconography of Robocop has been misappropriated by police officers who think the character is "cool" “badass” rather than “a cautionary

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01:06:50

Dr. Strangelove (w/ Matthew Cunningham-Cook)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/07/18

Rivka and Frank are joined by journalist Matthew Cunningham-Cook to dig into Stanley Kubrick’s dark satire about nuclear war, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. They explore the historical parallels between Dr. Strangelove and what actually transpired during the Cold War. Matthew explains how one of the film’s main characters was loosely based on eccentric anti-communist Air Force General Curtis "Bombs Away" LeMay. They also also touch on the influence of the

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01:03:42

Dude, Where’s My Car? (w/ Devon Young)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/07/11

Rivka and Frank are joined by Devon Young, organizer and founder of the performance venue Little Secret LA, for a truly mind-altering conversation about the 2000 stoner comedy Dude, Where’s My Car? They discuss the concept of “male amnesia” and how the film’s protagonists, Jesse and Chester, progress through their adventure as unbiased babies. While the film remains immensely offensive upon a rewatch, Devon mentions a thesis by queer theorist Jack Halberstam that explores the characters’ latent

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01:18:10

A Soldier’s Story (w/ Jason Myles)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/07/04

Rivka and Frank are joined by musician, writer, and This Is Revolution host Jason Myles, to talk about the 1984 military drama, A Soldier’s Story, which depicts a racially motivated murder at a Louisiana Army base during World War II. They unpack how the film. based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play A Soldier’s Play, presents the complex perspectives of the Black community on morality, respectability, and violence. 🤝 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON 🤝 www.patreon.com/movies_vs_capitalism MVC donates its

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01:14:12

Good Burger (w/ Andrew Ti)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/06/27

Rivka and Frank are joined by comedy writer and podcaster Andrew Ti to unnecessarily analyze the 1997 Nickelodeon original movie Good Burger. They talk about Good Burger’s central theme of “good capitalism” versus “bad capitalism,” and how the film propagates the myth that some businesses are “nicer” than others. They also explore the bizarre racial dynamics of this kids movie written by middle-aged white men, starring Black teenagers, marketed to white children. Wild. 🤝 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON

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01:30:42

The Matrix (w/ Wren Mack)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/06/20

As we celebrate Pride month, Rivka and Frank are joined by actor, director, and educator Wren Mack for a deep-dive conversation about Lana and Lilly Wachowski’s sci-fi masterpiece The Matrix, which has become a meaningful film for the LGBTQ community since its release in 1999. They discuss how The Matrix has been misappropriated by online right-wingers who believe they’ve been “red-pilled,” while completely misunderstanding the film’s central metaphor. They also unpack how the Wachowskis

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01:07:51

The Succession Finale (w/ David Sirota)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/05/30

Rivka and Frank are joined by David Sirota to break down the series finale of HBO’s Succession. Now that the show has ended, will it be entered into the great television pantheon? Who was the most sympathetic character in the series? And who ultimately won? Presumably we answer these questions. 🤝 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON 🤝 www.patreon.com/movies_vs_capitalism MVC donates its ad space to progressive or leftist causes and organizations. If you’re interested in promoting your work, email us at

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01:08:40

Parasite (w/ Jessica Burbank)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/05/23

Rivka and Frank are joined by political commentator Jessica Burbank to discuss Bong Joon-Ho’s 2019 masterpiece, Parasite, digging into the themes of class antagonisms, failed solidarity, and elitism that run through the characters' relationships. Also how the film uses “the smell” as a perfect metaphor for classism, and why being stinky in real life is actually a good thing.. 🤝 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON 🤝 www.patreon.com/movies_vs_capitalism MVC donates its ad space to progressive or leftist

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01:17:36

You’ve Got Mail (w/ Robin Johnson)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/05/16

Rivka and Frank are joined by filmmaker and activist Robin Johnson to talk about Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan’s deranged rom-com You’ve Got Mail, arguing that the movie’s plot is essentially a pro-capitalist psychological thriller about a woman who is manipulated and subdued by her corporate oppressor. They discuss how film's characters are emblematic of 90s liberalism that uses racially coded language and casually jokes about falling in love with fascist dictators, and how the character of Joe Fox is a

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01:15:25

V for Vendetta (w/ Evan from LOTP)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/05/09

Rivka and Frank talk with Evan from Left of the Projector, a podcast that explores film from a leftist perspective, to discuss the Wachowskis’ 2005 graphic novel adaptation V for Vendetta. They ask questions like: How is V able to take down the English government all by himself? Where does he get all of his supplies? How did he inspire an entire country to revolt without a comprehensive organizing campaign? And when did he find the time to set up that elaborate domino run?? Rivka also points out how

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01:27:54

Newsies (w/ Harvey Kaye)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/05/02

This week, historian Harvey Kaye joins the show to gab about the 1992 live-action musical Newsies. They question how it was possible for a major studio like Disney to produce a movie about labor organizing in which police officers literally punch children in the face. They unpack how the film’s two main characters represent the dichotomy between labor “activists” and “intellectuals," and Harvey provides additional historical context about the Gilded Age, the Bonus March, and the “neoliberal turn” of

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01:16:00

The Social Network (w/ Jordan Uhl)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/04/25

Rivka and Frank are joined by progressive activist and political commentator Jordan Uhl for a discussion of David Fincher’s 2010 cultural touchtone The Social Network. They get into how the film portrays Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg as a sharp-witted outcast, even though the real-life Zuckerberg is best described as, “if vanilla pudding was annoying.” They also break down the film’s misogynistic gender politics (cough, Aaron Sorkin, cough), and whether or not ordering two rounds of appletinis is

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01:16:10

Josie and the Pussycats (w/ Shannon Amabile)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/04/18

Rivka and Frank are joined by psychotherapist and cinephile Shannon Amabile for a deep dive into the 2001 cult classic Josie and the Pussycats, taking a nostalgic trip back to the days of body glitter and zebra prints. They talk about the film’s sharp satire of late 90s consumerism, the influence of corporate propaganda, and the hyper-exploitative nature of the music industry. 🤝 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON 🤝 www.patreon.com/movies_vs_capitalism MVC donates its ad space to progressive or leftist

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01:10:02

Chinatown (w/ Julia Rock)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/04/11

Rivka and Frank are joined by journalist Julia Rock for a conversation about the 1974 neo-noir classic Chinatown. They dig into the film’s near-perfect politics regarding institutional corruption, LA’s history of gentrification and real estate expropriation, and Frank finally figures out what the “Chinatown” metaphor actually means. 🤝 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON 🤝 www.patreon.com/movies_vs_capitalism MVC donates its ad space to progressive or leftist causes and organizations. If you’re interested in

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01:10:46

Clerks (w/ Branson Reese)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/04/04

Rivka and Frank are joined by comedian and illustrator Branson Reese to delve into the working class politics of Kevin Smith's 1994 indie classic, Clerks. They discuss how the film effectively depicts the soul-crushing aspects of the service/retail industries, how the film places occupational blame on the individual rather than the system, the movie’s problematic sex politics, and the commodification of Kevin Smith. 🤝 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON 🤝 www.patreon.com/movies_vs_capitalism MVC donates its

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01:21:11

Judas and the Black Messiah (w/ Ryan Christian)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/03/28

Rivka and Frank are joined by actor and activist Ryan Christian for a conversation about the 2021 Fred Hampton biopic, Judas and the Black Messiah. They discuss the film's 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. intelligence agencies, and how the film balances its pathos along with its political messaging. 🤝 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON

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01:19:40

Brazil (w/ Melanie Vesey)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/03/21

Rivka and Frank are joined by comedian, actress, and director Melanie Vesey to discuss Terry Gilliam’s dystopian black comedy Brazil. They dig into the film's depiction of the merger of state and corporate power, the themes of fantasy escapism, and how hot Robert DeNiro is as a revolutionary plumber. 🤝 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON 🤝 www.patreon.com/movies_vs_capitalism MVC donates its ad space to progressive or leftist causes and organizations. If you’re interested in promoting your work, email us at

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01:12:32

Office Space (w/ Adam McKay)

Movies vs. Capitalism ·

2023/03/14

Rivka and Frank are joined by writer and director Adam McKay — MVC's first official Academy Award winner, no big deal. Adam joins the pod to unpack the 1999 movie Office Space, Mike Judge’s comedic meditation on the modern work environment. 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 years after its release. 🤝 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON

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126 results

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