Movies vs. Capitalism

Rivka and Frank are joined by comedian and climate activist CJ Koepp for an analytical discussion about the 2007 animated feature and Jerry Seinfeld vehicle Bee Movie. Rivka, Frank, and CJ unpack the status quo-reinforcing themes of Bee Movie. They also lambast the film for being deeply unfunny, and size it up against the other animated bug movies from the same era (of which, surprisingly, there are a lot).  Grief Café for Gaza 🤝 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 moviesvscapitalism@gmail.com. Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen

Rivka and Frank are joined by Francisco Pérez, an activist, educator, and the director of the Center for Popular Economics, who blows the lid off the 1939 movie-musical classic The Wizard of Oz. Francisco explains how L. Frank Baum’s original 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, offered an allegory for U.S. monetary policy and the populist economics movement of the 19th century. Specifically, the Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890 which sought to upend the gold standard in order to ease the strain on indebted American farmers.  Economics4Emancipation.net 🤝 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 moviesvscapitalism@gmail.com. Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen

Max Epstein, Head of Content for Means TV, joins the hosts to discuss Dreamworks' film Antz. They explore themes of class consciousness, individualism vs. collectivism, and question if the screenwriter read Marx. They also delve into the cultural context, character designs, diversity representation, politics, and propaganda in the movie. The speakers express their love for controversial scenes, anti-capitalist values, and discuss building and expanding the platform of Means TV.

Rivka and Frank are joined by Patricia Resnick, screenwriter of the iconic 1980 comedy 9 to 5, for a firsthand conversation about the radical pro-labor film. Patricia describes the history of 9 to 5, including the lived experiences of female office workers she spent time with, and how studio executives were afraid to make a movie about three women kidnapping their boss. They also discuss 9 to 5’s depiction of the intersection of capitalism and patriarchy, and its recent cultural resurgence as a popular anti-capitalist film. Auditions Are Work Unlock Her Potential 🤝 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 moviesvscapitalism@gmail.com. Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen

Rivka and Frank chat about the HBO documentary series Telemarketers, the return of reality TV series Love is Blind and Survivor, the cultural impact of the Kardashians, the historical narrative podcast Blowback, and more. 🤝 TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON 🤝  www.patreon.com/movies_vs_capitalism

Guest: Matthew Donovan, founder of The Future Left and co-host of the Neoliberal Hell podcast. They discuss Heaven's Gate's depiction of law enforcement favoring property owners to eradicate the immigrant underclass. They delve into the film's troubled production and the clash between class traitor and class apologist.

Jon Shelton, a professor of democracy and justice studies at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and author of "The Education Myth," joins the hosts to dive into the iconic film 'Back to the Future.' They critique the film's portrayal of hyper-individualism and its implications for economic mobility. Shelton sheds light on the problematic gender dynamics and the flawed depiction of Doc Brown's character. The conversation challenges nostalgia by exploring the film’s deeper social and political themes, advocating for a more inclusive narrative.

Rivka and Frank are joined by labor historian Harvey Kaye to discuss the classic 1940 film The Grapes of Wrath, and how today’s climate crisis bears frightening parallels to the Great Depression’s Dust Bowl, both man-made environmental and economic disasters. They also explore the film's portrayal of bankers and law enforcement, class consciousness and proletarian revolution, and how itremains one of America’s most optimistic stories about the power of solidarity.  🤝 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 moviesvscapitalism@gmail.com. Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen

Rivka and Frank are joined by journalist Andrew Perez to discuss the existential dread of Paul Schrader’s 2017 climate change drama First Reformed. They discuss the film’s masterful storytelling and performances, how its fictional villain is a perfect stand-in for real-world villains like Koch Industries, and its realistic portrayal of radicalization.  🤝 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 moviesvscapitalism@gmail.com. Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen

Rivka and Frank are joined by the host of the Cocktails and Capitalism podcast, Dr. Erika Okamoto, for a deep (ocean) dive conversation about James Cameron’s 1997 global smash hit Titanic. They discuss the parallels between today’s ecological crisis and the 1912 sinking of the Titanic, in which a person’s societal rank became a literal death sentence for more than 1,500 travelers and crew members. They also debate the internal conflict of Rose’s aristocratic life, the portrayal of the steerage class’ “poor-people party,” and whether or not Jack could have fit on that door. John LaRoche: Titanic's Only Black Passenger (Kelly Carter Jackson, 2020) Cocktails and Capitalism Food Not Bombs Stop Cop City 🤝 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 moviesvscapitalism@gmail.com. Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen