Race Equity Initiative (REI) Cultural Celebrations View as Webpage

For this week's issue of October Haunts, we look into how some horror films have challenged audiences to consider that sometimes the true villain may not be a character or an antagonist but a theme or concept. In this case -- capitalism.

“Hey there trick or treaters -- Hope not too many things have gone bump in the night for you this past week. Let’s talk about what we all need to survive this week: money.” -- Melanie Roland

October Haunts: Who is the real villain?

In 'Alien' Horror Comes In The Form of Labor Exploitation By Mary Beth McAndrews · Published on September 20th, 2019 According to 's marketing, "Alien in space, no one can hear you scream." But, in space, can anyone hear you work? Ridley Scott 's sci-fi horror classic gave the world a terrifying alien,... Read more filmschoolrejects.com

Alien Money Most films about America's post-World War II colonialism are remarkably free of greed as a motive. Pro-war propaganda like 2018's 12 Strong show Americans invading foreign nations like Afghanistan in the name of security and humanitarianism, not... Read more medium.com

FRIGHTENING FACT! Fidel Castro once called Jaws a ‘devastating Marxist critique of American capitalism.’ Explore this critique of Jaws and this modern interpretation in light of the pandemic and ask yourself: was the shark really the villain?

The Shark Isn't the Real Villain of 'Jaws' - Crooked Marquee Scary stories are inherently political. How couldn't they be? They tap into our greatest fears, and whatever those happen to be is a commentary on society at any given time. But the most enduring horror films also evolve over time, morphing to... Read more crookedmarquee.com

Jaws: The Politics of Amity Resonate Even More Today Released 45 years ago, Jaws, Steven Spielberg's blockbuster adaptation of Peter Benchley's novel, remains incredibly modern. Contemporary audiences are less worried about sharks attacking thanks to a more advanced understanding of shark behavior, ... Read more www.cbr.com

WATCH: Us (2019)

Did you think I was going to stop talking about Jordan Peele? I will never stop talking about Jordan Peele! He’s a master of the craft and after you watch the movie, please check out all the things you might have missed watching ‘Us.’

The real horror in Jordan Peele's Us: Capitalism and... There have been so many amazing takes on Us, Jordan Peele's latest movie, many of which leave us with more questions than actual answers. When the movie was announced back in December of 2018, many were wondering if this film was going to be... Read more www.syfy.com

How Jordan Peele's Us Deconstructs the American Dream &... We first hear the catchy tune "I Got 5 on It" on the radio as the Wilsons drive to their vacation home. From the backseat Jason asks, "What does 'I got five on it' mean?" and his sister Zora replies, "It's about drugs." Their father chimes in,... Read more geekappetite.com

Available on Prime, Apple

WATCH: They Live (1988)

This is not one of John Carpenter’s more popular movies, but it should be! ‘They Live’ seems like campy film, but it’s actually a direct criticism of Reaganomics. Its stars an unhoused lead, named ‘Nada’, shows brutality at the hands of the state including encampment sweeps, and aliens are responsible for capitalism. What more could you ask for?

'They Live' Is the Most Blunt Critique of Unfettered... They Live was a postmodern pastiche of old-school science fiction that, for a variety of reasons, was too ahead of its time to be properly appreciated. Actually, that's not quite accurate. It was too of its time, in 1988, and it's even more of... Read more www.popmatters.com

'They Live' Is the Most Blunt Critique of Unfettered... They Live was a postmodern pastiche of old-school science fiction that, for a variety of reasons, was too ahead of its time to be properly appreciated. Actually, that's not quite accurate. It was too of its time, in 1988, and it's even more of... Read more www.popmatters.com

Available on Prime, Peacock

WATCH: Attack the Block (2011)

“Before he was in Star Wars, John Boyega landed the lead in ‘Attack the Block’ as Moses. This may seem like a straight-forward creature feature, but hopefully you’ve seen by now that creature features aren’t always what they seem. This movie is more than creatures, it’s more than income inequality, and it’s more than a discussion of race relations in South London, and it’s well worth your time.”

"In the Streets It's Getting Hot": Attack the Block and... Over the weekend, in a spectacular use of time that only goes to show how very impressive my decision-making skills are, I revisited a lot of my favorite Simon Pegg and Nick Frost collaborations. Eventually, through gratuitous use of Wikipedia, I ... Read more ladygeekgirl.wordpress.com

With The First Purge, the Purge series finally says... The Purge series, which began in 2013, has always mixed political messaging with thriller action. But later films in the series - The Purge: Anarchy and The Purge: Election Year - went further in making political statements, linking the films'... Read more www.theverge.com

Available on Prime, Hulu, Redbox

WATCH: Ready or Not (2019)

“This is not a complex horror movie, but it’s fun one! Be careful who you marry, you never know just how they have obtained their wealth.”

Available on Prime and Apple

Law Foundation's REI Workgroup 6 Cultural Celebration is creatively curating content that highlights local heritage celebrations and elevate the diverse cultures represented in our Santa Clara County. Law Foundation has seen that integrating community celebrations as part of the office culture presented an opportunity for our staff to share their heritage and traditions and to better understand and connect with the diverse community we serve. Kindly, Anuja, Melanie R., Nuemi, Christine N. & Vicky

We encourage feedback and recommendations for future celebrations!

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