Propaganda meets the Illuminati? They Live features some pretty heavy-handed social commentary. From the television trances to alien control, John Carpenter is a bit all over the place in the way he critiques culture. But there are still some aspects that predicted the society wed live in today. Its true, They Live features surveillance drones that monitor society not unlike the ones youd find today. There are also undertones (and overtones) that chip away at the propaganda from our government and media. They Live asks the audience to see beyond these messages in their own modern world.
4. District 9 (2009)
District 9 narrows down the commentary quite a bit. The setting, in Johannesburg, South Africa, creates a striking scene for a strong metaphor. According to the Christian Science Monitor, the setting relates directly to the message. There are still very ugly habits of thought that remain in South African society, even 15 years after apartheid. The black majority may now have power, and the white technocrat minority seems to have found a place for itself, but both groups have teamed up to wield their power against a new enemy: immigrants. In the case of District 9, the immigrants are literally aliens. This allows enough suspension of belief for the audience to push the agenda aside, if only a little, to enjoy the strange and hyper-real portrait of actual alien immigration and societys response.
Miles Young is a freelance writer who specializes in tech, sports and pop-culture. When he's not busy finishing up his next article, he's walking his dog or catching up on Game of Thrones.
