Movies & TV

Some that come to mind that might fit the request:

Shoplifters

Burning (edit: or maybe not since you said no downers. That narrows the field.)

District 9

Good Night and Good Luck (explicitly about red scare shit, but very normie-friendly + George Clooney)

Matewan (similar issues to above, not very subtle)

The Motorcycle Diaries (about Che of course but still just a beautiful film for anyone who isn't already anticommunist)

The Wind that Shakes the Barley (Though that one is very heavy/downer, maybe could still work for the later showing)

But I also want to mention that it's always a good idea to talk to libs (or just people who aren't leftists) about the film afterward and emphasize the stuff that was actually leftist. I dont mean blatantly explain to them the left messaging in the film, but just casually mention a left-leaning theme or even relate a scene to something political irl "weird how much reminds me of <y current/historical event>. Because the sad reality is that most "apolotical" people and definitely libs will take the exact opposite message from what was intended, often relating the bad guys to communists (Star Wars' Empire was the Soviet Union!) or misinterpreting something satrirically critical as being an endorsement (Starship Troopers shows us how important it is to have a strong military!) etc. To be effective with your film choice, you also have to goad them in the correct direction (leftwards) or it will go over their head or have the exact opposite effect.

Here's an old comment from @dead@hexbear.net that I spotted saying the same sort of thing and also includes more suggestions:

The problem with movies that are not explicitly leftist is that wormbrained viewers will misunderstand the message or side with the bad guy. You can't radicalize somebody with consumption.

dr strangelove - satire of the cold war

they live - I am eating the trash all of the time

starship troopers - openly fascist america begins interplanetary imperialism and starts a war with a bug planet

network (1976) - news network controlled by evil corporation

full metal jacket - in case you ever wondered how films get access to film with military equipment or military bases, the USDoD provides equipment to movie studios in exchange for censoring and propagandizing the script. the USDoD has altered hundreds of films since the early 1900s. if you've seen a hollywood film with military equipment, the USDoD probably had their finger in it, including most of the capeshit. full metal jacket was not approved by the USDoD. Kubrick acquired the military equipment from military surplus stores and foreign militaries.