PRETTY SCARY

I was glad to see Peter Rainer’s article, for I, too, had noticed a slough of exploitation movies and thought them more than a coincidence (“Feel Better. See a Scary Film,” July 23). The real conflict behind these films is not just the literal fear of mutant viruses, nor the thrill of a real-life space adventure. Their popularity stems from America’s increasingly amorous relationship with nationalism and xenophobia.

The real concept here is not simply “fear,” but “fear of the other.” With Prop. 187, the dismantling of affirmative action and the current isolationist tendencies of Congress, these films offer yet another example of the cocooning of America and our mistrust of anyone outside of our genetic and ideological borders.

MICHAEL HERNANDEZ

Playa del Rey