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The Hunger Games (2012) is a film adaptation of the critically acclaimed novel series by the same name, followed by three more movies and a prequel movie that came out this year. The basic concept of the story is a nation called Panem that has been divided into districts, each responsible for a specific need in the nation (electricity, coal, fishing, transportation, etc.). In districts 1-12, number 1 is the richest district while 12, the poorest district, is the home to main characters Katniss and Peeta. Most of the characters in the films are white with the exception of a few characters. Even in the crowd shots in the film the background actors are majority white. 

District 11 is a district made up of mostly black people, with their focus on agriculture. It is said to be reflective of the American south, but Collins received a lot of criticism for putting all the black people in one district and having their focus be crops because it is reflective of slavery. Two Hunger Games tributes come out of District 11: Rue and Thresh, brother and sister. Rue forms a strong bond with Katniss, but eventually dies, which is a driving force for Katniss to rebel against the Capitol later on. When Rue dies, District 11 revolts, and are met by violence from the “Peacekeepers” which are the story’s representation of police. 

Dividing the nation into districts is how Suzanne Collins emphasizes the different identities and different opportunities; the richer districts receiving better opportunities and treatment from the government. But, Collins has received criticism for putting social class/monetary value as the central cause for oppression in this futuristic society, as some critics have argued the emphasis on class complies with the liberal tendency to reduce “class to inequality in order to deflect attention from racial disparities.” Even so, placing all the black people in one district and putting them in the second-poorest district is quite weird. If Collins’ point was being realistic or “color-blind,” it would make more sense to make all districts ethnically diverse. This immediately ostracizes the black characters as the other characters and the film’s audience associates their race with their social standing. 

Men in Black details Agent J’s first mission for the eponymous government agency who regulates alien activities such as the immigration of said aliens to Earth and any threats they may pose. Agent J and his mentor, Agent K, remedy an alien diplomatic crisis and prevent the disintegration of Earth. 

In Men in Black, many aliens pass for humans and have adopted disguises to help them live among humans. However, many of them still have their alien features that set them apart from the human population ranging from double pupils with gills, regenerative limbs, animalistic features, or being miniscule. Once revealed to be alien, however, it is impossible to unsee them as aliens and there is an uneasy horrificness at these strange creatures.  

The main antagonist is a newly landed alien who is portrayed as quite volatile and hostile towards all humans. His species is literally referred to as “bugs.” He adopts a human skin that gruesomely decays throughout the movie and at the end, reveals his true appearance which is of a monstrous, huge cockroach like creature. This is the main alien that is consistently shown throughout the movie despite their depiction of other aliens as overall helpful, intellectual, and peaceful refugees. As a result, the audience focuses on the evilness and non belonging of aliens. This is similar to the typical reactions towards immigrants because current residents are not welcoming to new people especially people of color who are deemed not worthy of a place in the community as they are disgusting or contaminating (like the alien protagonist) and would ruin their current balance. 

Citizens are also scared of immigrants having the same privileges and opportunities as them or even succeeding more than them, thus endangering their own chances which also applies to the aliens in the film. Most of the film’s aliens pass for humans which would freak out Earth’s human citizens as they are being threatened by these new unexpected populations. The Men in Black agency actually already has limited these aliens' success as the agency profits off the technology they confiscate (steal) from the aliens like Velcro. This is representative of how it is the aliens “teachings rather than their continued presence that is vital” especially because Earth is doing them a favor by providing the aliens refuge (Addison-Smith 31). The emphasis of the aliens seeking refuge on Earth is also an example of how the aliens are homelessness and have to rely on New York and its multiculturalism to blend in and survive. However, they are not completely at home and secure. Like human immigrants in our society, they have to build new lives in their new world due to their escape from their legitimate homeland and have to assimilate to the new society and current residents. 

In addition to this migration and passing of aliens as humans (akin to racial passing), Men in Black explores alien invasion and how aliens can lead to the downfall of the very planet that protected them. Firstly, the whole crisis is caused by an unsanctioned alien who landed and started wreaking havoc the moment it got to Earth. This causes an alien species ship to come to destroy Earth, even though Earth was a refuge for one of their royalty. Throughout the film, there are also many aliens who have decided to flee Earth because of its impending doom and leave it to be destroyed even though it was a safe haven for them as refugees. This mirrors the uncertainty of the loyalty of immigrants to their new home or rather their self-preservation or old motherlands. However, it is understood because, like immigrants, aliens “are always overwhelmed numerically by humans” (Addison-Smith 32). As seen in the Men in Black agency, aliens are not in any leadership positions. The majority of the aliens who help the agency are treated very hostilely in return for their services and intel. Aliens are mistreated by the only human group that knows of their existence and could validate that existence. The aliens in Men in Black reflect the opinions of immigrants and refugees in regards to how their differences, their lack of belonging in their new land, and the lack of human empathy is emphasized.

In Jordan Peele’s 2022 film, Nope, the tranquil life of the Haywood family, who train horses for films, is disrupted when mysterious metallic objects fall from the sky, resulting in a tragic incident. Six months later, siblings Emerald "Em" and Otis "OJ" Haywood find themselves entangled in a series of bizarre events involving UFO sightings and the disappearance of their horses. As they document the inexplicable happenings and attempt to confront the alien threat, they uncover unsettling truths about a predatory organism named "Jean Jacket."

The film utilizes human technologies, including film production elements and surveillance gear, to juxtapose the mundane with the inexplicable. The arrival of the UFO disrupts the normalcy of the Haywood family's life, triggering a series of events that thrust them into an alien encounter. The use of cameras, both modern and analog, highlights the human need to document and understand the unknown, creating a dichotomy between the familiar tools of filmmaking and the extraordinary nature of the extraterrestrial presence.

The portrayal of the UFO as a predatory organism presents a fascinating parallel to racial prejudices and discriminatory practices. Jean Jacket's selective attacks, particularly targeting those who directly look at it, reflect societal biases—highlighting the consequences of 'seeing' and being seen. The creature's ability to evolve into a larger form after encountering barbed wire and tarps hints at the biological reification, reminiscent of how prejudices can mutate and adapt.

For the Haywood family, the ranch symbolizes their home—a place where they have a sense of familiarity and comfort. However, the intrusion of the UFO disrupts this notion of home, turning their sanctuary into a battleground. Simultaneously, Jupiter's Claim serves as another 'home' for some characters, albeit one that masks darker intentions and manipulative behavior.

Technology acts as both a tool and a barrier in defining home and land. Surveillance devices and film cameras serve as tools to capture evidence, but they also become hindrances when Jean Jacket disrupts electronic devices. This disruption challenges the human-centric perception of control over their environment, blurring the boundaries between home, land, and the alien.

The interactions between characters reflect anxieties of identity, migration, and invasion. Jupe's exploitation of his traumatic past in the film industry mirrors the exploitation of vulnerability by those in power. The clash between the Haywoods and Jupe signifies the tension between indigenous inhabitants and opportunistic exploiters, reflecting broader societal anxieties related to racial mixing, invasion, and colonization.

Lionheart redefines Nigerian women's roles by showcasing Adaeze's leadership in her father's company, challenging gender norms. The film notably portrays her as a capable leader in a male-dominated industry, breaking stereotypes. Within Nollywood movies, women’s bodies are often used as sacrifice, with “the most efficacious sacrifice seem[ing] to be that of a female member of a man’s intimate circle” (Bryce, 81). The scene where Adaeze's uncle intervenes and punches a bank loan officer who makes inappropriate advances towards her embodies a significant shift in attitudes towards gender roles and autonomy. When asked to sacrifice Adaeze’s autonomy, her uncle physically rejects the request. This moment symbolizes Adaeze's uncle recognizing her right to autonomy and agency. By physically intervening and standing up for her, he not only protects her but also acknowledges her capability and independence in navigating the male-dominated business world. The uncle's action signifies a break from traditional patriarchal norms, showing support for Adaeze's leadership. This scene, in essence, becomes a metaphor for the broader theme of the film: the empowerment of women in a society that often dictates their roles and limits their autonomy.

In the movie Lionheart by Genevieve Nnaji (2018) Adaeze fights to save her husband's failing business. Jane Bryce, in her essay “Signs of Femininity, Symptoms of Malaise: Contextualizing Figurations of ‘Woman’ in Nollywood” posits that Nollywood often paints women as either the epitome of femininity or the embodiment of female malaise. Adaeze's character embodies both aspects, showcasing her strength and resilience while navigating a male-dominated business world.

One pivotal scene exemplifies this duality. Adaeze, dressed in a sharp pantsuit, strides confidently into a boardroom filled with men. The mise-en-scène positions her as an outsider, her attire contrasting with the men's suits. The low-angle shot from her perspective emphasizes her vulnerability, yet her determined gaze and unwavering posture convey her inner strength.

The cinematography mirrors Adaeze's emotional journey. Initially, the lighting is harsh and unforgiving, reflecting the challenges she faces. As she gains control, the lighting becomes softer, symbolizing her growing confidence. The editing intercuts between Adaeze's boardroom interactions and flashbacks of her domestic life, highlighting her ability to balance her roles as a businesswoman and a wife. Sound also plays a crucial role in reinforcing Adaeze's determination. Her voice, clear and assertive, cuts through the room, demanding attention. The score swells during tense moments, underscoring the pressure she faces. Yet, there's a subtle undercurrent of traditional Igbo music, a reminder of her cultural roots and the strength she draws from them.

Whale Rider intricately weaves together the exploration of gendered stereotypes and intergenerational relations within a Maori community. The film artfully presents the clash between tradition and modernity through Paikea, a young girl challenging the deeply rooted gender norms of her culture. The pivotal scene where Paikea saves the stranded whale pod becomes emblematic of her defiance against societal expectations. Paikea's act of climbing onto the back of the alpha whale, steering the pod back to sea, stands as a metaphor for her determination and leadership. This scene subverts traditional gender roles as Paikea, a girl, displays the qualities of a leader despite cultural beliefs dictating leadership as a male prerogative. Her bravery directly challenges her grandfather, Koro, who grapples with accepting her as a potential leader due to entrenched customs. Through Pai's resilience and connection to her ancestry, the film confronts gendered stereotypes, portraying her as a "change-maker that turn[s] the impending implosions towards more constructive and productive directions" (Plooy, 5). The poignant imagery of her steering the whales back to the ocean serves as a testament to her ability to challenge norms and underscores the importance of recognizing individual potential beyond gender.

For this week’s response, I’ll write about the scene where Paikea ties the rope back together, a scene where she proves herself valuable, yet she continues to be denied. He had just explained how the threads of the rope twisted together are the strength of their ancestors, and to demonstrate, he puts the rope in the engine to start it, and it breaks immediately, but Paikea is successful in her repair. In their article “Anthropocene Terror in Two Girl-Centered Narratives: The Leitmotifs of Mythological Time, Colonization and Monstrosity in the Films Whale Rider and Moana,” Belinda du Plooy writes that the film provides an “example of the changing role of, particularly female, youth in contemporary societies and the paradoxical complexities situated at the nexus where popular pedagogy and critical pedagogy merge and conflate” (7). In this early 2000s film, Paikea fights the tradition of only sons being able to succeed chiefs, even if his next direct descendant is a woman. I really loved this scene because she quietly ties the rope back together - not only repairing the motor, but making a symbolic statement that she understands the strength of her ancestors and has the ability to lead her community; she is capable of being chief, despite tradition, despite being a girl.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018) (an adaptation of the novel by Jenny Han) directed by Susan Johnson follows Lara Jean Covey, half Korean half white high schooler. She writes, but does not send, letters to every crush she has ever had, and for some reason, they begin responding to her. Lara Jean realizes that her younger sister, Kitty, mailed them all. Lara Jean has two big crushes: Peter Kavinsky and Josh (her other sister’s ex-boyfriend). Fraught with drama, LJ navigates her (and her family’s) feelings towards the two boys and ultimately decides Peter is the boy for her!

An interesting note is that LJ is played by a fully Vietnamese actress and Kitty and Margot are played by half Chinese half white actresses. This habit of casting people of mismatching races is something that I’ve always struggled to understand. In this film, the Korean identity of the Covye sisters is heavily emphasized, but none of them are Korean? And LJ isn’t even half Asian? Their half-Korean identity also brings into question why they were written as ‘happa.’ Was it to make their “otherness” more digestible for the audience? 

While this very popular mainstream film does portray mostly heteronormative relationships, it is an exception to Kaklamanidou’s argument about race. They write that “mainstream cinema is still reluctant in creating opportunities for starring roles for ‘the other’” (139). The sisters are half Korean, and this is brought up on several occasions. Their Korean mother, who died a few years prior, still very much has a presence in their lives, so much so that they often refer to themselves as the “Song Sisters"; they're first and foremost Korean. Having a half-Asian character that is very heavily characterized as fully-Asian would be a text that contradicts Kaklamanidou’s belief that it’s only “the small screen that proves more open and attuned to the above social reality” (138). 

This film also begs the question of if LJ’s status of “other” is exploitative. When writing about Jennifer Lopez’s role in The Wedding Planner, Kaklamanidou writes that Lopez’s Latin characteristics are retained and exploited to “help the film achieve greater popularity” (142). I would argue that adapting a trilogy written by a Korean-American author and having main cast members who are Asian is a good start to preventing exploitation. However, this is not a catch-all. In the United States, having a white director and predominantly white cast is always a risk for fertilization and misrepresentation.

“Set it Up” is a 2018 romantic comedy directed by Claire Scanlon and written by Katie Silberman. The film follows two tired assistants, Harper and Charlie, who cross paths and decide that they must team together to set up their bosses, Kirsten and Rick. The film was released on Netflix and was received and reviewed relatively well. 

This is definitely a feel good film. It is lighthearted and funny and for the most part you are set up to ultimately be rooting for all the characters. There is not much head on acknowledgement or exploration of racial dynamics within the diverse group of central characters. The non-white stars are definitely positioned in ways that transcend patterns of representation in films like this. Kirsten and Rick are both successful and highly respected people of color. The white characters are working for them and within their respective relationships hold very little power. There is also some subversion from stereotypical gender roles in that Kirsten is a woman who is powerful in the sports world. 

Although we can look at the character descriptions and congratulate the diversity and representation of powerful people of color with white assistants, the actual story hands the white characters and their storyline and relationship much more depth. As the set up progresses, so does Harper and Charlie's relationship. They spend lots of time together and claim they are just friends but have undeniable chemistry and comfort with each other. Kirsten and Rick's relationship is Harper and Charlie's little game. Harper says, "We did it, we made two miserable people happy. I'm proud of us." As Kirsten and Rick's relationship begins to go south, Charlie and Harper's stays strong. When Charlie and Harper finally kiss, it holds so much weight as we have watched the tension build up and wondered if it will ever happen. It feels evident that the relationship we are set up to care about on a deeper level is Harper and Charlie's.

If you look up images from the film, not a single one is of Kirsten and Rick. The poster shows Harper and Charlie each with their bosses and then at the center, the two of them together. When you search clips from the film on YouTube, all you see is edits of Charlie and Harper and things like Glenn Powell and Zoey Deutch "Funny Moments" or "Blooper Real". The story is about Harper and Charlie setting up Kirsten and Rick, but does Kirsten and Rick's story exist just to serve the development of Harper and Charlie's?

With a mostly POC cast, the film’s cast is diverse and inclusive. The characters they play are aligned with the race and/or ethnicity of the actors. Their identity and any form of otherness isn’t the main plot point of the film, although it inherently addresses the racial identity of some characters at one point or another. At times, it is part of the punchline of a joke. The film was written by Ali Wong, Randall Park (the two protagonists) and Michael Golamco and directed by Nahnatchka Khan. The production behind the film also informs the way race is pictured.

The film focuses on childhood friends Marcus and Sasha, who have not been in touch since a brief teenage fling ended badly. They reconnect after Sasha returns to San Francisco to open a restaurant and they discover that the romantic chemistry from their teenage years remains. Marcus' fears and Sasha's fame and demanding career challenge their potential new relationship.

Race is explicitly mentioned a few times in the film, and when it is, it isn’t in the form of “othering” that usually comes with a discriminatory intention. Both our protagonists are Asian but the specificity of their descent isn’t explicitly stated. One of these instances is at the beginning when Judy, Marcus’ mom, is teaching a young Sasha how to make Kimchi-jjigae. They’re cutting green onions with scissors and Judy says that Koreans use scissors for everything. When Sasha tries her hand at the onion-cutting, Judy calls her a natural and asks, “are you sure you’re not Korean?” Marcus’ family welcomes Sasha into their home, since her own parents are away tending to their store most of the time.

Another instance is when Marcus and Sasha get into a discussion at the end of the film. Sasha’s career and ambitious lifestyle is clashing with Marcus’ fear of leaving his comfort zone. Marcus critiques Sasha for her “elevated Asian cuisine.” He says that she’s strayed from the food she used to make with his mom, that Asian food shouldn’t be elevated but authentic. He claims that she is “just catering to rich white people.” Sasha has mostly aligned herself with upper class ideals that are predominantly white after gaining success in the culinary industry. In her ambition, she left behind tradition and her community, distancing herself from her parents and Marcus and his family. At the end of the film, Sasha opens a restaurant in honor of Judy, who passed away when they were teenagers, and the food she taught her how to make. She is still the ambitious chef that she was at the beginning, except now she is embracing her community and its traditions. 

Rye Lane, directed by Raine Allen-Miller, is a British romantic comedy that was released in 2023 and follows the love story of Yas and Dom, primarily through the course of just one day. Their story begins at a mutual friend’s art exhibition, where Yas overhears Dom crying in a stall of the unisex bathroom. Ironically, he is in tears over a video of his ex-girlfriend cheating on him with his best friend, Eric, which turns out to be the factor that steers Yas and Dom’s relationship in a more romantic direction.

They meet officially while admiring one of the weird, quirky art pieces at the exhibition and quickly start to bond over their shared connection. Dom tells Yas that he has a meeting later that day with his ex-girlfriend and best friend to sort of “clear the air” about their relationship and get closure. During an awkward dinner between Dom, Eric, and his ex-girlfriend Gia, Yas butts in, greeting Dom with a kiss on his cheek and immediately pretending to be the new girl he is talking to as a way to make Gia jealous. This tactic ultimately works and embarrasses Gia, and Dom takes an even bigger liking to Yas after she “saved” him from his situation and gave him the ability to move on from that relationship that was taking such a toll on his well-being. They continue to spend the day together, and Yas reveals to Dom that she left her beloved Tribe Called Quest record at her ex-boyfriend’s house and wants to retrieve it. The two have a conflict that causes their falling out but ultimately end up together after months of trying to move on from one another but simply not being able to, which is very common for a romantic comedy.

Coming to America (John Landis, 1988), is a rom-com based on a story by Eddie Murphy (who is also the lead). Eddie Murphy plays Akeem Joffer, prince of the fictional kingdom of Zamunda, who travels to Queens in New York City in search of a woman to marry. 

Within this predominantly African American cast, “otherness” is explored through the fictional country of Zamunda which appears to serve as a stand-in for a stereotype of an African kingdom. The film presents Zamunda as a sort of “old world” with obsolete beliefs regarding women. The film starts on Akeem’s 21st birthday when he meets the woman he has been betrothed to. She is presented to him with what is assumed to be a cultural dance, and as she walks to him, a song accompanies the spectacle that talks about how she is an object meant to serve the king. This ceremony exoticises and fetishizes the traditions of Zamunda (albeit a fictional place, still a stand-in) in an Orientalist manner. Akeem breaks tradition and refuses to marry her, seeking an independent American woman instead. 

In “othering” Akeem and his friend and servant Semmi (played by Arsenio Hall), and everyone else who visits America from Zamunda, the rest of the African American cast does not signify otherness. Akeem’s love interest, Lisa McDowell, is the older daughter of Cleo McDowell: the owner of his own restaurant. The McDowells are well off and have made a name for themselves within the restaurant industry, so much so that McDonalds feels McDowells is a threat. When showing off his spacious home, Cleo describes how he used to live with his entire family in a space no larger than his current living room. His description of working from nothing and achieving social mobility despite the discrimination and marginalization he likely endured, hints at issues of systemic inequality; an idea one might not expect a rom-com to touch on. 

Gender roles are also subverted in that Lisa is smart, capable, and independent; she refuses to live on her boyfriend Darryl’s money and takes pride in working at her family’s restaurant. Darryl and Cleo go behind Lisa’s back and announce that Darryl and Lisa are engaged. This moment sets up a parallel between Akeem’s betrothal and Lisa’s which in turn dissolves the boundaries between the backwards “old world” and the progressive “new world” of America that the film initially presented. 

An interesting note on casting is that supposedly Paramount Pictures insisted that there be a white actor in the cast and gave Murphy and Hall the choice between three white actors and they chose Louie Anderson (who plays a McDowell’s employee) because they liked him. 

"Guess Who" is a 2005 romantic comedy film directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan. The movie is a loose remake of the 1967 film "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner." The story revolves around a young interracial couple, Theresa Jones (played by Zoe Saldana) and Simon Green (played by Ashton Kutcher), who decide to introduce Theresa's parents to Simon during a family gathering. The twist comes when Percy Jones (played by Bernie Mac), is unaware of his daughter's boyfriend's race. The film explores themes of racial and cultural differences, comedic misunderstandings, and the challenges faced by the couple as they navigate their relationship amid family tensions. The movie combines humor and social commentary to address issues of race and acceptance in a lighthearted manner.

This movie differs from the original in the sense that instead of a white girl introducing her black fiancé to her family, a black girl is introducing her white fiancé to her family. Bernie Mac embodies a father figure who deals with universal concerns such as protecting his daughter and grappling with generational differences. He constantly bombards Simon(Ashton Kutcher) with questions such as sports he plays, his credit score, if he has a secure job, and refuses to let him share a room with Theresa during their time at their home. Simon feels as if he is being put under a lot of pressure, Theresa and her mother also pleads with her father to ease up on him. We can see that Percy(Bernie Mac) is having a lot of difficulty coming to terms with the fact that his daughter is dating a white boy compared to Theresa's mother. He tells his coworkers she is dating a Black man who has graduated from Howard and skipped out on playing basketball to become a doctor.

There are certain stereotypes that the film has. Percy is a very overbearing father and Simon is portrayed as the "victim" of his constant badgering. Simon also further victimizes himself because he is afraid of being seen as racist. There is a scene when Simon meets Theresa's grandfather during a family dinner and they ask him to tell "racist jokes", which is takes a weird turn in the scene.