Judas and the Black Messiah (w/ Ryan Christian)

Movies vs. Capitalism

On this week’s Movies vs. Capitalism, Rivka and Frank are joined by Ryan Christian (actor, writer, activist) for a weighty conversation about the 2021 Fred Hampton biopic, Judas and the Black Messiah. The group breaks down how the film leans into its revolutionary politics, how rare it is to see a non-whitewashed version of Black radicalism in pop culture, the history of violence and repression perpetrated by U.S. intelligence agencies, and how the film deftly balances pathos along with its political messaging.

Rivka and Frank also speak about “doomerism” and the emotional and psychological toll that late stage capitalism has on the human psyche.

Next week's movie will be the 1974 noir classic, Chinatown.

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A rough transcript of the episode is available here.

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Artwork by Rufus Paisley