Movies vs. Capitalism

Rivka and Frank are joined by their dear friend Peter Moses—entrepreneur, creative producer, and co-founder of Rain Delay Media—for a deep dive into the Oscar-winning 1987 classic Moonstruck, starring Cher and Nicolas Cage. They unpack the film’s take on class, family, and a version of New York City that once felt economically possible.

Next week, we’re watching Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2025 film One Battle After Another.

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Editing by John Patrick | Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen

Rivka and Frank are joined by returning guest and pod favorite, award-winning author and professor Harvey Kaye, to discuss the all-time classic Casablanca. The trio dig into why the film truly deserves its legendary status, its striking relevance to today’s political climate amid the rise of fascism in America, and the quietly radical politics behind the filmmaking itself.

For next week’s movie—snap out of it!—we’ll be watching Moonstruck.

 

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Editing by John Patrick | Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen

ust in time for Christmas, Frank and Rivka are back with their second holiday duet—this time breaking down The Santa Clause. The duo dive into the politics of this absolutely unhinged ’90s classic, from the divorced-dad trope to Scott Calvin being a full-on pos, the film’s fatphobic messaging, and Santa as the ultimate capitalist overlord.

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For next week’s movie, snap out of it because we’ll be watching Moonstruck.

In time for the holidays, Rivka and Frank cover the 2000 Jim Carrey adaptation of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The duo dig into whether this Dr. Seuss classic is truly an anti-consumerist tale—or if it ultimately misses the mark. They also unpack Whoville as a surprisingly prophetic preview of our current plastic-surgery obsession and the class aesthetics baked into its cheerfully creepy smiles.

 

For next week’s movie, we’ll be watching another Christmas classic, Tim Allen’s 1994 The Santa Clause.

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Editing by John Patrick | Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen

This week, Rivka and Frank are joined by longtime social studies teacher and progressive activist Ron to discuss the 2005 Depression-era boxing drama Cinderella Man. Ron, who has taught for 23 years, uses the film in his 11th-grade classroom to explore politics on screen, and the trio digs into this classic “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” melodrama starring Russell Crowe.

For next week’s movie, we’ll be watching the 2000 holiday favorite How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

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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 [email protected].

Editing by John Patrick | Artwork by Rufus Paisley | Theme song by JustBen