Movies vs. Capitalism

Latest Episodes:

Capitalism, A Love Story (w/ Harvey Kaye) [PATREON PREVIEW] Jun 26, 2024

Show notes

Rivka and Frank are joined by MVC all-star Harvey Kaye to discuss Michael Moore’s 2009 documentary Capitalism, A Love Story. They talk about the film’s radicalizing potential, its portrayal of the 2008 financial crisis, what Moore could have done better, and Obama.

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Next week’s movie will be Bong Joon-ho’s sci-fi action masterpiece Snowpiercer.

Rat Race (w/ Thalia Sablon) Jun 19, 2024

Show notes

Rivka and Frank are joined by playwright Thalia Sablon for a conversation about the wild 2001 screwball comedy Rat Race. They discuss how the film's celebrity-packed cast represents a dying culture, the shockingly anti-capitalist character arcs, and how the movie may have been an inspiration for Squid Game.

Thalia Sablon - Website

For next week’s movie, we’ll be watching the 2009 documentary Capitalism: A Love Story.

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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

Rosemary’s Baby (w/ Kate Willett) Jun 12, 2024

Show notes

Rivka and Frank are joined by comedian Kate Willett for a conversation about the 1968 horror classic Rosemary’s Baby. They discuss how the film is an overt metaphor for the domination and control of a woman’s body, Mia Farrow’s incredible performance as a woman being gaslit by her husband and neighbors, and how the film’s generational dynamics mirrored the violent political upheavals in the U.S. during the late ‘60s.

Kate Willett: Loopholes

For next week’s movie, we’ll be watching the 2001 comedy Rat Race.

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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

Never on Sunday (w/ Nomiki Konst) Jun 05, 2024

Show notes

Rivka and Frank are joined by investigative reporter, political analyst, and strategist Nomiki Konst to discuss the 1960 revolutionary comedy Never on Sunday. This hidden gem of a film follows a Greek sex worker who makes her own hours and chooses her clients. The trio delves into the film’s themes of alienation from Western culture, its celebration of the revolutionary spirit of Greek culture, and the writer/director/star Jules Dassin’s history with the Hollywood blacklist. Nomiki also shares insights about her new documentary film Losing Puerto Rico.

For next week’s movie, we’ll be watching the 1968 horror classic Rosemary’s Baby.

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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

The Dark Knight (w/ Anthony DePice) [PATREON PREVIEW] May 29, 2024

Show notes

Rivka and Frank are joined by professional organizer and agit-prop creator Anthony DePice to discuss Christopher Nolan’s 2008 Batman movie The Dark Knight. Is Joker a master organizer? Where was the Gotham Rec Center? Does Alfred ever get a break? All these questions and more on this black-pilled episode.

For next week's movie, we'll be watching the 1960 comedy Never on a Sunday.

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Whiplash (w/ Kelly Kaufman) May 22, 2024

Show notes

Rivka and Frank are joined by comedian Kelly Kaufman, to discuss the 2014 jazz thriller Whiplash. This film is Damian Chazelle’s breakout feature starring JK Simmons and Miles Teller. They talk about abusive power dynamics in the arts, toxic masculinity and the dangers of perfectionism under capitalism. Frank and Rivka also discuss the recent rants of comedian Jerry Seinfeld against the left and gen z.

For next week’s movie, we’ll be watching the 2007 iconic Batman movie The Dark Knight.

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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

Margin Call (w/ David Bruin) May 15, 2024

Show notes

Rivka and Frank are joined by theater educator, author, and Executive Artistic Director of Celebration Barn, David Bruin, to discuss the 2011 finance drama Margin Call. The film, which takes place at a fictional investment firm at the start of the 2008 financial crisis, is a fascinating look into the toxic work of finance. They talk about the ins-and-outs of the subprime mortgage crisis, the twisted pathology of finance bros, and how when the ultrarich play games the only losers are the people not playing.

For next week’s movie, we’ll be watching the 2014 jazz drama Whiplash.

🤝 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON 🤝

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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

Oldboy (w/ Julian Elijah Martinez) May 08, 2024

Show notes

Rivka and Frank are joined by actor and educator Julian Elijah Martinez for a conversation about Park Chan-wook’s 2003 masterpiece Oldboy. They discuss the film’s themes of toxic male narcissism and unquenchable vengeance, how the film serves as a metaphor for the violence perpetuated by the carceral system, and how many live Octopi the lead actor had to actually eat.

For next week’s movie, we’ll be watching the 2011 financial crisis-era thriller Margin Call.

🤝 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

Civil War [PATREON PREVIEW] Apr 24, 2024

Show notes

Rivka and Frank share their thoughts about the new dystopian war film Civil War, written and directed by Alex Garland. They discuss the film’s seemingly complete lack of politics, other than its cynical view of war correspondents and journalists in general. They also get into the whole “Red vs. Blue” debate, how the film fails to contextualize our current conditions, and praise power couple Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons.

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Princess Mononoke (w/ Kate Eastman) Apr 17, 2024

Show notes

Rivka and Frank are joined by actor Kate Eastman for a conversation about Hayao Miyazaki’s 1997 masterpiece Princess Mononoke. They discuss the film’s central theme of environmental equilibrium, the groundbreaking animation, some brief history of feudal Japan, the queer-coded love story, and how Ashitaka is the snack we’ve all been waiting for.

Princess Mononoke and History (Jonathan Hielkema)
Radical American Environmentalism and Wilderness Preservation: A Third World Critique (Ramaehandra Guha)

For next week’s movie, we’ll be watching Alex Garland’s 2024 dystopian thriller Civil War.

🤝 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

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