Wile E. Coyote has exhausted every possible contraption in his prolonged and fruitless pursuit of the Road Runner over the years. However, what if his constant failure isn’t due to his own shortcomings but rather the fault of the Acme Corporation? Could it be that the company responsible for products like the “Instant Tunnel” and the “Do-It-Yourself Tornado Kit” simply produces subpar goods?
This forms the basis of the movie “Coyote vs. Acme,” where our unlucky protagonist enlists the help of a similarly hapless lawyer to sue the Acme Corporation for the physical harm he has suffered from using their products. After a convoluted journey, the film is set to premiere in theaters this Friday, initially shelved by Warner Bros. Discovery before being revived by independent distributor Ketchup Entertainment last year.
To honor the essence of the film, we have compiled a list of our favorite anti-capitalist films from the past four decades.
“RoboCop” (1987), directed by Paul Verhoeven, portrays a future where Omni Consumer Products dominates the Detroit police force, showcasing the struggles of the titular man-machine against corporate greed.
“They Live” (1988) by John Carpenter follows a working-class individual who uncovers a hidden alien agenda to exploit Earth’s resources through subliminal messaging, highlighting themes of consumerism and conformity.
“Fight Club” (1999), a spiritual successor to “They Live,” delves into societal conditioning to consume excessively and advocates anti-capitalist actions led by an underground fight club against corporate oppression.
“Michael Clayton” (2007) stars George Clooney as a fixer embroiled in a cover-up by a corporation facing a lawsuit over a deadly pesticide, exposing the lengths companies go to conceal their misdeeds.
“WALL-E” (2008) presents a cautionary tale of consumerism through the eyes of a lone robot on an Earth ravaged by waste, juxtaposed with humans living in luxury on a spaceship controlled by the conglomerate Buy N Large.
“Sorry to Bother You” (2018) by Boots Riley features a telemarketer who discovers disturbing corporate secrets, shedding light on labor exploitation and racial dynamics within the corporate world.
“How to Blow Up a Pipeline” (2022) portrays a group of activists taking drastic measures to combat the fossil fuel industry, exploring the consequences of radical environmental activism.
Each of these films offers a critical perspective on the pitfalls of unchecked capitalism and the impact of corporate power on society.