On this week’s
Movies vs. Capitalism, Rivka and Frank are joined by political commentator
Jessica Burbank to discuss Bong Joon-Ho’s 2019 masterpiece
Parasite.
In the midst of increasing wealth inequality and rising poverty across the planet, it’s no surprise that this film — a violent parable about class conflict — became a cultural phenomenon. The group digs into the themes of class relations, failed solidarity, and elitism that run through the film’s complicated social dynamics.
They also break down how the film uses “the smell” as a perfect metaphor for working class disdain, why being stinky in real life is actually a good thing, and how the film gave us one of our greatest
modern memes.
For next week’s episode, the group will be discussing the series finale of Succession.
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A rough transcript of the episode is available
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What is 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 ;)