Wile E. Coyote has tried out every imaginable contraption in his ongoing and unsuccessful quest to catch the Road Runner. But what if his failures are not due to his own shortcomings, but rather the fault of the Acme Corporation? What if Acme, the company responsible for products like the “Instant Tunnel” and the “Do-It-Yourself Tornado Kit,” simply produces subpar goods?
This is the central premise of “Coyote vs. Acme,” where our bumbling protagonist enlists a similarly inept lawyer to sue the Acme Corporation for the physical pain he has suffered while using their products. The movie is set to premiere in theaters this Friday after a convoluted journey to the big screen. Initially completed in 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery shelved the film as a tax write-off, only for it to be revived when independent distributor Ketchup Entertainment acquired the rights last year.
In honor of the film’s theme, we have compiled a list of our favorite anti-capitalist movies from the past four decades.
“RoboCop” (1987) envisions a near future where a company named Omni Consumer Products dominates the Detroit police force. The film follows the journey of RoboCop, a man-machine hybrid, as he uncovers the ruthless tactics employed by Omni executives to advance their corporate interests.
“They Live” (1988) directed by John Carpenter, reveals a world where aliens masquerade as humans and manipulate society into a cycle of consumption and conformity to exploit Earth’s resources.
“Fight Club” (1999) portrays a disillusioned protagonist who rejects consumer culture and embraces anti-capitalist violence under the guidance of a mysterious figure named Tyler Durden.
“Michael Clayton” (2007) sheds light on corporate corruption and the lengths corporations will go to cover up their misdeeds, as seen through the eyes of a fixer working for a law firm representing a defendant in a high-stakes lawsuit.
“WALL-E” (2008) explores themes of consumerism and environmental degradation in a futuristic setting where humans have abandoned Earth for a life of excessive consumption aboard a spaceship controlled by the Buy N Large corporation.
“Sorry to Bother You” (2018) follows a telemarketer who adopts a “white” voice to achieve success in sales, only to uncover the sinister practices of a conglomerate breeding a hybrid workforce known as “Equisapiens.”
“How to Blow Up a Pipeline” (2022) delves into the story of young activists determined to challenge the fossil fuel industry by sabotaging its infrastructure, showcasing the risks and moral dilemmas involved in radical environmental activism.
