Movies vs. Capitalism

The Wizard of Oz (w/ Francisco Pérez)

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
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Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen

Antz (w/ Max Epstein)

Rivka and Frank are joined by Max Epstein, Head of Content for Means TV, a worker-owned streaming service, for an in-depth conversation about Dreamworks’ 1998 film Antz. They talk about the film’s depiction of class consciousness spreading throughout an ant colony, the theme of individualism vs. collectivism, and question if the screenwriter read Marx. 
Jewish Voices For Peace
Means TV
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Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen

9 to 5 (w/ Patricia Resnick)

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
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Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen

Telemarketers, Love Is Blind, Blowback, Kardashians [PATREON PREVIEW]

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.
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Heaven’s Gate (w/ Matthew Donovan)

Rivka and Frank are joined by Matthew Donovan — founder of The Future Left and co-host of the Neoliberal Hell podcast — to discuss Michael Cimino’s epic  1980 Western Heaven’s Gate. They discuss the film’s depiction of law enforcement aligning itself with property owners in order to violently eradicate the immigrant underclass, the dichotomy of the class traitor vs. the class apologist, and the film’s infamous production.
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Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen

Back to the Future (w/ Jon Shelton)

Rivka and Frank are joined by Jon Shelton, professor of democracy and justice studies at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, for a conversation about the 1985 classic sci-fi comedy classic, Back to the Future. They explore the film’s focus on hyper-individualism as it relates to economic mobility, and critique the character of Doc Brown for his Silicon Valley style scientific approach, and  the flawed sexual politics ascribed to the movie's only female character.
The Education Myth: How Human Capital Trumped Social Democracy (Cornell University Press, 2023)
The Goldie Wilson Conspiracy (Yo! Black Pop Culture)
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Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen

The Grapes of Wrath (w/ Harvey Kaye)

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. 
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Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen

First Reformed (w/ Andrew Perez)

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. 
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Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen

Titanic (w/ Dr. Erika Okamoto)

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
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Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen

Trading Places (w/ Jamel Johnson)

Rivka and Frank are joined by comedian Jamel Johnson to talk about the 1983 Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd comedy Trading Places. They explore the film's central theme of “nature vs. nurture” debate explored in the film, and its satirical depiction of the crusty upper class. Jamel also attributes the rise of neoliberalism in the 1980s in part to the success of Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
Love Is Blind Exploitation (More Perfect Union)
Bethenny Frankel Reality TV Union TikTok
NOlympics LA
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Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen