White People Won't Save You

Still reveling in the Sinners Oscar buzz, we were so excited to speak with someone very familiar with Black horror, the one and only Ezra Claytan Daniels. Author of several amazing graphic novels like Upgrade Soul and his latest, Mama Came Callin', as well as writing for shows like Doom Patrol and Severance, he joined us to talk about a Black horror cult hit, The People Under the Stairs.  Directed by Wes Craven and staring Brandon Q. Adams, it's a movie filled with some very creepy imagery but also a lot of socio-political satire to chew on. We break down what works and what maybe hasn't aged so well, and also discuss the power of horror in Black stories.  Mama Came Callin', a southern gothic horror about family, racial identity, and alligators is a fantastic read. Gorgeous illustrations by Camilla Sucre and of course Ezra's mesmerizing story. Get your copy wherever books are sold!  As for us, find us on socials at @Whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod and check out our Youtube page for some fun extras we're trying out! We'll be back next week with Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans in The Last Boy Scout.

Finally, we're current with our Oscar talk! We give our thoughts on not just the Sinners V OBAO but the night as a whole and wider conversation about the Academy. What were your thoughts on the night? Let us know at @whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod on IG and TikTok. Also, check us out on Youtube where we have additional content coming out! 

If you made it through part one, part two is even crazier. We get into all of the crazy choices this movie made, some VERY interesting quotes from the writer and director, some weird behind the scenes footage, and more! The only thing that got us through is the knowledge that Sinners has 16 Oscar nominations.  Hit us up on IG at @whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod Tiktok at @whitepeoplewontsaveyou  Join us next week as we talk about the 1986 movie Crossroads, or as we call it, White Sinners.   

We're back with one of the most requested and one of the worst films we've ever seen. Neo Ned is a 2005 movie staring Jeremy Renner and Gabrielle Union where *checks notes* a neo nazi and a Black women fall in love in a mental hospital. You're not ready for how bad and offensive this movie is. We had to split it into two parts because it broke our brains.  We'll be back with part two on Thursday! Hope everyone is staying safe. Follow us at @whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod on IG and TikTok! 

We're back! Sorry for the delay, as we all know, a lot going on to start the year. But thankfully we were able to stack a few episodes and we'll be dropping them weekly going forward, starting with the amazing Steven Underwood!  His new book, Forever for the Culture: Notes from the New Black Digital Arts Renaissance, explores the ways in which Black culture shaped the digital age as well as Black digital creators fight for recognition. Speaking of fight... This weeks movie was a battle as we watched Runaway, a Hallmark TV movie from 2000 that stars...Dean Cain and Maya Angelou? We got racism, we got platitudes, we got voodoo, and some wild plot twists.  Go buy Steven's book, available wherever books are sold, preferably at a Black owned bookstore if you can. This Black History Month we'll be celebrating with some mini episodes discussing some corners of the Black film world that don't often get spotlighted as well as running our first Book Club meeting (details coming real soon). Hit us up on the socials Whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod on IG and (for now) TikTok and we'll be back next week with *shudders* Neo Ned. 

A long but worthwhile episode this week as we dive into the recent Running Man adaption from Edgar Wright. It got us thinking about other films this year that have aspired to thoughts about political revolution and fallen short. We cover parts of Wicked: For Good, One Battle After Another, and Caught Stealing and discuss what it means when these movies use revolutionary language and imagery, the role of Black people (women specifically) in these films, and much more!    We've got a few last episodes before the year ends, including Francis Ford Coppola's insane musical Finian's Rainbow and our 2025 year end wrap up! 

This film...wow. The spiritual successor to The Thing With Two Heads, we discuss 1990's Heart Condition, easily the worst film Denzel has ever been in.  In what feels like an attempt to cash in on the success of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, this poorly imagined race comedy inserts Denzel into the Roger Rabbit role and instantly jumps into our worst things we've watched list. An insane film where Bob Hoskins throws out slurs left and right and somehow ends up the father of a Black child.  We ask if this is Denzel's worst role, what even makes a good racial comedy, and invent the role of racism stunt double (Key and Peele call us!).  As always, hit us up on the socials at @whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod on IG and TikTok and write to us at whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod@gmail.com  We'll be back next week to talk about the recently released remake of The Running Man. 

Happy (very belated) Halloween. It's never too late or early for spooky season (what is time in 2025 anyways?) and we're so glad to be joined by one of our favorite guests Shawn Pryor to discuss the eerily bad The Thing With Two Heads. This 1972 monstrosity is at once filled with some of the wildest scenes we've seen and also features what feels like an hour long car chase.  You can find all of Shawn's incredible work at his website (https://shawnpryor.com/) and find him on IG at @theshawnpshow. Find us on IG and TIkTok at @Whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod and hit us up at whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod@gmail.com  We'll be back with the spiritual sequel to this and one of the worst we've seen, 1990's Heart Condition soon! 

We've reached the summit of mount caucacity! It's time to find out, what is the worst white savior film of all time. On one side we have Jordan, arguing for the favorite of middle aged white dads with wrap around sunglasses everywhere, Dances With Wolves.  On the other side we have Cameron going up against one of the worst crimes committed to film, Green Book.  We pit these two titans of white nonsense up against each other to see who comes out on top! Let us know which is your pick @whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod on IG and TikTok or write to us at Whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod@gmail.com 

Back again with our top 20 countdown, this time with 5 through 3. We discuss some of the most notorious offenders in Lawrence of Arabia, The Help, and Driving Mrs. Daisy. So much to talk about and somehow we get sidetracked talking about the California Raisins.  We wrap up our top 20 tomorrow with our final two contenders, Green Book and Dances With Wolves. Who will be crowned worst of the worst, tune in tomorrow to find out! 

Sorry for the delay, life has been lifing, but we're back with our next installment of our Top 20 white savior countdown! We've got 10 - 6 for you, including a lot of the most notorious white savior films we've covered. We'll be wrapping up the countdown this week, as well as putting out a few more original episodes! What will be in our top 5? Tune in tomorrow to find out! 

We're back with a classic! One of the originals, Lawrence of Arabia is considered by many to be the greatest film ever made. It also features Obi-Wan in brown face... We talk about the historical fact and fictions, the depiction of Arab peoples in the film and much more!  Our top 20 countdown concludes this week! We also have some spooky Halloween episodes on the way, including a 30th anniversary look at Tales From the Hood as well as an episode on The Thing with Two Heads. 

Welcome back to our Top 20 white savior countdown! In part two we work through some classics (To Kill a Mockingbird), some most hated (La La Land) and some blockbuster hits (Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom)! We're just getting started, but please hit us up and let us know where your rankings so far. Do you agree? Any movies you would add or remove? Hit us up at @whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod on Instagram or TikTok or at @WPWSY on Bluesky!  We'll be back tomorrow with a new episode all about cinema classic Lawrence of Arabia. I wonder if it will show up on our list...

Apologies for the delay! Between some technical and personal difficulties we had to get right, but we're back with a bunch of great episodes, starting with the return of WPWSY hall of fame guest, Dylan Green (Reel Notes, Hearing Things)! We got together to discuss the newest Spike Lee Joint, Highest 2 Lowest.  We discuss where it ranks in Spike Lee's filmography, the identity politics at play, how messiness makes entertaining art, and rank the all time rappers turned actors.  We'll have much more coming this week, including more of our top 10 countdown and a new episode about one of the greatest films of all time, Lawrence of Arabia! We back! 

We finally did it! Sorry for the delay but welcome to the first of four mini (for us) episodes where we count down what we think are the 20 worst white savior offenders. Our criteria is 1. Critical acclaim (box office, reviews at release, awards), 2. Lasting impact, 3. Caucacity, 4. How strongly do white people still stand by this movie.  With that said, feel free to write in and let us know your thoughts and what your top 20 white savior movies would be at whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod@gmail.com or on IG  and Tiktok at @whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod. We'll have a new episode up tomorrow as well with Dylan Green discussing Spike Lee's newest, Highest to Lowest! 

Apologies for the late episode, but we think the content of the movie will make up for it because...phew, what the hell was this. Cameron asked for something unhinged and he got that and more in 1989's Deadly Breed. Look, the tagline for the movie is "If you're not a white American, relocate or die." Enough said. We also get into a debate about the constant refrain of "seeing both sides" and some of the craziest caucacity to date.  Also, fun announcement! Next week we will be starting our top 20 most caucastic white savior movies of all time. It took a while and some debate to put together but it should be a fun few weeks as we talk through the list. Who will be crowned the worst of the worst? Tune in and find out! 

Sorry for the delay, Jordan was at Comic-Con (Ancestral Recall in stores next week) but we back! And we're so happy to have special guest Shakira Ja'nai Paye of the upcoming Demascus (on Tubi) and her amazing podcast I'm kind of that witch! So of course we're talking about the 90's cult hit, The Craft.  While not a white savior movie per say, there's still lots to discuss. We talk about how Rochelle's story was changed after Rachel True was cast, how Black magic like voodoo is often portrayed negatively, and play a very Baltimore specific game.  Huge thanks to Shakira! Check out her podcast wherever you listen to ours and also watch Demascus on Tubi starting August 7th! And follow her at @Shakirapaye on IG and TikTok.  We of course always have something cooking. We're thinking of doing some live movie streams, so write into us at whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod@gmail.com

I mean....you already know what time it is. As we take the day to boo America and its continued shortcomings and intentional cruelties, we hope we can also provide a few laughs for you here. Staring Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum, 2013's White House Down was the first presidential movie of the Obama era. We talk about our favorite Black presidents on film, the out of control plot, and if 50 Cent would be a good fill in for Jamie's secret service.  We're living in some wild times and it can't be overstated enough that now is the time for people to come together. Please take care of yourselves and your loved ones, but also look out for those in the most need. Our trans family, our immigrant family, our elders are all going to need help so whatever you can do, let's try our best to be good to each other. 

Happy Juneteenth and Happy Pride! We have another WPWSY investigation for you today as we try to decode the confusing but also outrageous Judgement Day starring Ice-T, Mario Van Peebles and a brief cameo by Coolio. The plot: Black Israelites(?) have kidnapped Johnny Cage from the Mortal Kombat movies in order to bring about the destruction of earth from a series of asteroids. It's wild. We break down whatever the hell Mario Van Peebles is going for, a very confusing conversation about chicken and waffles, and if you can recreate terrible cgi on purpose.  Today, we celebrate those who came before us as well as looking toward a future where all people are free. Look after your community today and celebrate with those you love.  Also, be on the look out for Jordan's new comic series Ancestral Recall which you can pre-order at your local comic shop today! 

“See, even in chains we can defeat them. Turn your minds back my people. Remember yourself a thousand, thousand moons ago. Bring your bows!” All of this dialogue was spoken by a white woman in chains standing over an African tribe and that's really all you need to know about 1984's Sheena. Based on the comic book series of the same name, Sheena is a wild ride that made us ask why is the villain an African prince/celebrity/NFL kicker? Is that really how you pronounce shaman? And how unsafe was this set as clearly very real animals where running into very real people.  Guess what! That comic project Jordan has been talking about forever? It's finally on the way! Ancestral Recall will be in stores August 6th wherever you get your comics. It follows an eccentric painter who can tap into the power of historical Black figures and travels time and space to find his wife/fight a sentient AI corporation from the future. All very timely.  Also be on the lookout for our rescheduled book club and movie club soon. Follow us at @whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod on IG WPWSY on Bluesky or write in to us at whitepeoplewontsaveyoupod@gmail.com