In The Glass Onion, I immediately saw him as an idiot. It was clear that he got to his position with charisma and money. And it is similar to what you see time and time again in the real world. Great examples would be the Fyre Festival and Theranos. They had nothing backing their ideas and received money because they were charismatic and had a general idea.
These are all quite surface-level critiques of capitalism, often on a personal level, through caricatures rather than engaging with anti-capitalism on a systemic level. They seem to imply that those super rich are only undeserving because they are dumb, or selfish, or any other myriad of personal failings, which would also imply that if that were not the case, if they weren't comically evil or incompetent, that their wealth could be legitimate. I feel like these films might only serve to satisfy a need for performative socialism. Instead of eating the rich, these films are more like placating the poor. When anti-capitalist sentiment is at an all time high in young people, those that are unwilling or unable to take more concrete steps towards revolution can just watch these movies, say #eattherich and be done with it, having "satisfied" their quota of anticapitalism. They sell the perceived notion of being part of something transgressive in order to quell any other steps towards systemic change, that just knowing that capitalism is bad is enough. And of course the capitalist class is enjoying all of it. The over the top caricature nature of the super rich in these films allow them to disassociate and disavow those depicted in the film whilst maintaining the legitimacy of their own wealth. In fact, they might actively promote these films. When we are getting casetify Parasite phone cases and expensive box sets of these films, it's obvious how these popular anticapitalist films are still working well within the framework of capitalism. hugely inspired by nicole letterboxd.com/nimuy/film/triangle-of-sadness/ and reibureibu letterboxd.com/reibureibu/film/the-menu-2022/
Incredibly well put. Couldn’t agree more. Why would Hollywood truly want to tackle the mechanism on which it’s propped up? Great films but not enough to actually get people to engage with seizing and redistributing wealth. Squid game spawned one of the most capitalist parodies on CZcams so does anyone truly ever confront the issues at play? 🫠🤷🏾♀️
Very true. None of them really address the root issues with capitalism. I think what's interesting (and why i wanted to make this video) is that the Hollywood tide seems to be changing from one thoroughly in favour of the wealthy establishment to one that is slightly more critical of it. Of course, they could be much more critical, and be truly anticapitalist, but the question is, would such films ever reach such a wide audience, let alone be green-lit? Hopefully in future, that will be possible. Out of interest, do you know any mainstream films that are truly anticapitalist? I might explore them for one of my next videos. Thanks
the reason for this is the writers aren't economists and have little knowledge of macro economics and finance....everything at its core is surface level : "hur hur rich man bad and evil!!"..the thing is once you become economically literate , you cease to become a socialist lol..i recently watched m3gan which people have been raving as being an amazing satire on hyper tech consumerism and ceding control of your autonomy and humanity for comfort and holy shit i was literally cringing on any of the technical details being an engineer/project manager myself.
Hello, I just discovered your channel and you're content is so refreshing, thank you. It brings each time so much joy too find content produced by political camarades. You certainly know the channel popculture detective but if you don't, go check, you'll love it!
I do not think these kinds of movies are very new at all and there has always been a slice of the super rich that are undeserving or dumb or lucky. And movies have reflected that. From the nobles who were born into wealth, to people who married into it, to scam artists and thieves, there has always been movies that made fun of the undeserving rich. There are many many rich people who are very intelligent, worked hard and made something real that caused their wealth. It is the rule, not the exception. But that is why these small underserving are often the butt of jokes, because they are easy targets. The 1930's had a slew of these movies from the Thin Man movies to the Marx Brothers. It is no coincidence the depression was also going on at this time where people did not like the rich. Yes, I grant there was a period from the 1940's until the 1960's where it kind of went away due to the west's belief they were superior due to the second world war and we glorified our "system", but they came back in the 1960's with a vengeance. In the 1980's this accelerated as the Hollywood set did not like the 1980's and most depictions of the rich were they were petty lucky people, evil or sold their souls. See They Live, Big Business, Head Office, Secret of My Success and others. Then in the 1990's they started waning as people mainly felt good in the west and there was a belief that the super rich were actually people who "did things" like with the internet and people like Bill Gates. Then they went away for a while completely after 2001..again reflecting a surge of patriotism where the enemy was not "rich people", but terrorists and people did not feel particularly angry at our own rich. Then in the 2010's this also started coming back again with Parasite, Snowpiercer, The Purge. These movies actually are in a long line of movies but now instead of clueless nobles who only are rich by blood, to clueless socialites who married into wealth, to scheming stock brokers, it is now the new kinds of underserved rich that are being skewed like Instagram influencers, tech bros where people feel that they are more "lucky" than smart and overseas barons (usually russians) who come from crony capitalists countries. It is just the target that changed to reflect the times you live in. Outside of the 1980's, eat the rich movies tend to follow when there are recessions or when patriotism and good feeling about the west is at its nadir. I believe the 1980's were an exception due to the clash of the left not liking Reagan rather than rooted in any reality.
That is such a good point. I also think these movies, and all good stories, ultimately tackle the basic human condition. Which is why with Triangle (not so much the other two) you have the characters who are not on top in the capitalist society still showing money and power driven behaviors (what is money in excess of not power). I’m thinking specifically of the scene with the yacht workers chanting to pump themselves up for tips, the convo the pirate has with the Russian, and the big one - Abigail. All of these movies are, if nothing else, good conversation starters about how money, politics, power, and greed affect us personally and on a societal level. And Triangle throws in a healthy dose of gender role questioning as well. Just brain dumping here after finishing the movie 😅
I just realised all these movies takes place on an island.
In The Glass Onion, I immediately saw him as an idiot. It was clear that he got to his position with charisma and money. And it is similar to what you see time and time again in the real world. Great examples would be the Fyre Festival and Theranos. They had nothing backing their ideas and received money because they were charismatic and had a general idea.
Curious to hear how you think Succession fits into this, since its not quite as absurd but does touch on some of the same themes.
This CZcams video deserves more love and views and this channel in general deserves more attention such an amazing video
The last freaking sentence of this video made me subscribe. Good job!
really great video, beautifully constructed keep up the good work
This is so interesting, as I just recently watched these films and was noticing a pattern in them too. Very good video!
These are all quite surface-level critiques of capitalism, often on a personal level, through caricatures rather than engaging with anti-capitalism on a systemic level. They seem to imply that those super rich are only undeserving because they are dumb, or selfish, or any other myriad of personal failings, which would also imply that if that were not the case, if they weren't comically evil or incompetent, that their wealth could be legitimate.
I feel like these films might only serve to satisfy a need for performative socialism. Instead of eating the rich, these films are more like placating the poor. When anti-capitalist sentiment is at an all time high in young people, those that are unwilling or unable to take more concrete steps towards revolution can just watch these movies, say #eattherich and be done with it, having "satisfied" their quota of anticapitalism. They sell the perceived notion of being part of something transgressive in order to quell any other steps towards systemic change, that just knowing that capitalism is bad is enough.
And of course the capitalist class is enjoying all of it. The over the top caricature nature of the super rich in these films allow them to disassociate and disavow those depicted in the film whilst maintaining the legitimacy of their own wealth. In fact, they might actively promote these films. When we are getting casetify Parasite phone cases and expensive box sets of these films, it's obvious how these popular anticapitalist films are still working well within the framework of capitalism.
hugely inspired by nicole letterboxd.com/nimuy/film/triangle-of-sadness/ and reibureibu letterboxd.com/reibureibu/film/the-menu-2022/
Incredibly well put. Couldn’t agree more. Why would Hollywood truly want to tackle the mechanism on which it’s propped up? Great films but not enough to actually get people to engage with seizing and redistributing wealth.
Squid game spawned one of the most capitalist parodies on CZcams so does anyone truly ever confront the issues at play? 🫠🤷🏾♀️
Very true. None of them really address the root issues with capitalism. I think what's interesting (and why i wanted to make this video) is that the Hollywood tide seems to be changing from one thoroughly in favour of the wealthy establishment to one that is slightly more critical of it. Of course, they could be much more critical, and be truly anticapitalist, but the question is, would such films ever reach such a wide audience, let alone be green-lit? Hopefully in future, that will be possible.
Out of interest, do you know any mainstream films that are truly anticapitalist? I might explore them for one of my next videos. Thanks
That's why Sorry to bother you is not as popular than other movies or TV shows on capitalism.
the reason for this is the writers aren't economists and have little knowledge of macro economics and finance....everything at its core is surface level : "hur hur rich man bad and evil!!"..the thing is once you become economically literate , you cease to become a socialist lol..i recently watched m3gan which people have been raving as being an amazing satire on hyper tech consumerism and ceding control of your autonomy and humanity for comfort and holy shit i was literally cringing on any of the technical details being an engineer/project manager myself.
@@djctai9288 why would you cease to become a socialist then?
The Edge is a movie that turns these ideas on their head. Also, Anthony Hopkins is in it, so it's great.
7:30 best thing I heard in the movie well, one of the best. Honestly the Dogs finally biting back in Glass Onion.
velvet buzzsaw is underratted , funny with similar themes
Hello, I just discovered your channel and you're content is so refreshing, thank you. It brings each time so much joy too find content produced by political camarades. You certainly know the channel popculture detective but if you don't, go check, you'll love it!
Delicious Analysys, well served your neuro Menu.
With your conclusion I would like to raise another question: what restricts those with merit from achieving the wealth they deserve?
One good movie ( Triangle ) and two abysmal ones.
I do not think these kinds of movies are very new at all and there has always been a slice of the super rich that are undeserving or dumb or lucky. And movies have reflected that. From the nobles who were born into wealth, to people who married into it, to scam artists and thieves, there has always been movies that made fun of the undeserving rich. There are many many rich people who are very intelligent, worked hard and made something real that caused their wealth. It is the rule, not the exception.
But that is why these small underserving are often the butt of jokes, because they are easy targets. The 1930's had a slew of these movies from the Thin Man movies to the Marx Brothers. It is no coincidence the depression was also going on at this time where people did not like the rich. Yes, I grant there was a period from the 1940's until the 1960's where it kind of went away due to the west's belief they were superior due to the second world war and we glorified our "system", but they came back in the 1960's with a vengeance. In the 1980's this accelerated as the Hollywood set did not like the 1980's and most depictions of the rich were they were petty lucky people, evil or sold their souls. See They Live, Big Business, Head Office, Secret of My Success and others.
Then in the 1990's they started waning as people mainly felt good in the west and there was a belief that the super rich were actually people who "did things" like with the internet and people like Bill Gates.
Then they went away for a while completely after 2001..again reflecting a surge of patriotism where the enemy was not "rich people", but terrorists and people did not feel particularly angry at our own rich.
Then in the 2010's this also started coming back again with Parasite, Snowpiercer, The Purge. These movies actually are in a long line of movies but now instead of clueless nobles who only are rich by blood, to clueless socialites who married into wealth, to scheming stock brokers, it is now the new kinds of underserved rich that are being skewed like Instagram influencers, tech bros where people feel that they are more "lucky" than smart and overseas barons (usually russians) who come from crony capitalists countries. It is just the target that changed to reflect the times you live in.
Outside of the 1980's, eat the rich movies tend to follow when there are recessions or when patriotism and good feeling about the west is at its nadir. I believe the 1980's were an exception due to the clash of the left not liking Reagan rather than rooted in any reality.
That is such a good point. I also think these movies, and all good stories, ultimately tackle the basic human condition.
Which is why with Triangle (not so much the other two) you have the characters who are not on top in the capitalist society still showing money and power driven behaviors (what is money in excess of not power).
I’m thinking specifically of the scene with the yacht workers chanting to pump themselves up for tips, the convo the pirate has with the Russian, and the big one - Abigail.
All of these movies are, if nothing else, good conversation starters about how money, politics, power, and greed affect us personally and on a societal level. And Triangle throws in a healthy dose of gender role questioning as well.
Just brain dumping here after finishing the movie 😅
the big difference between triangle and the rest is it was a satyre.
while onion and menu was just plain bad
now that i think about it, i feel like hollow onion might be a better name for the metaphor they are trying to convey
Please explain the sociological phenomenon of attributing someone speaking coherently with a posh accent as being very intelligent as well 😂