Shortly before the COVID-19 epidemic hit, my younger brother asked if I’d be interested in doing a movie-based podcast with him. While nowhere near the movie-buff he is, I thought it would be a good opportunity to spend some time together. We soon developed our gimmick for the “Cinesiblings Podcast” where we would draft films or pieces of cinema fantasy-style. Our first such draft was “Horror Movies.” Two of my five picks were “Signs” and “A Quiet Place.” If you can’t tell, horror isn’t really my preferred film genre… but I’m a bit of a sucker for alien flicks—“Alien” was my top choice.

Alien invasion movies have long been a favorite for me. In these films, humans are forced to confront their limitations and vulnerabilities, both as individuals and as a species. They struggle with questions of identity, purpose, and survival, as well as issues of faith, hope, and despair. At the heart of many of these movies is the idea that human experiences and emotions are universal, and that we are all capable of extraordinary feats when faced with extraordinary challenges. They highlight our reliance on society and each other—and the risks inherent in that.

I considered why “Signs” and “A Quiet Place” felt right and stuck with me from the first moments I saw them. But a little mild spoilery background is in order: In “Signs,” the protagonist Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) is a widower who lives on a farm with his two children and his younger brother. As an alien invasion threatens their community, Graham and his family must rely on each other to survive. The family unit is portrayed as central to their survival, as they work together to defend their home, communicate important information, and provide emotional support. Similarly, in “A Quiet Place,” the Abbott family must navigate a world where alien creatures hunt based on sound. The family is portrayed as tight-knit and resourceful, working together to protect each other and stay alive.

In both films, the family unit is depicted as central to human survival, providing a sense of security, connection, and purpose in times of crisis. However, while “Signs” emphasizes the role of faith in helping the family cope with their ordeal, “A Quiet Place” places more emphasis on the power of parental love and sacrifice. The Abbott parents go to great lengths to protect their children, even at the potential cost of their own lives.

Ultimately, both “Signs” and “A Quiet Place” highlight the importance of strong family bonds, communication, trust, and cooperation in times of crisis. These films remind us that, regardless of the nature of the threat we face, our survival depends on our ability to work together and support one another. They also underscore the power of human emotions, including faith, love, and sacrifice, to help us endure and overcome even the most daunting challenges. In a world that often seems to be growing more complex and divided by the day, these messages are more important than ever.

This divisive nature of American politics cropped up as I perused some stand-up comedy reels where I comedian talked about being personally liberal, but where if the shit hit the fan, he’d jump over to the conservative groups post-haste. This isn’t really a new suggestion in popular culture that in an apocalyptic event, individuals with conservative value-systems would fare better than those who hold more progressive views. It’s usually accompanied by something like “well they have all the guns!” But underlying this is the idea that conservative values prioritize self-reliance, discipline, and the preservation of tradition, which are valuable traits in a post-apocalyptic world. Some argue that progressives, who tend to prioritize compassion, cooperation, and social justice, may struggle to adapt to a world where resources are scarce and survival is the top priority.

Do the films play on these ideas really, or are these ideas more of a facade? For big Hollywood films, both “Signs” and “A Quiet Place” appear to espouse traditional or “conservative” values systems in a few ways. First, as we have already touched on, they both depict the nuclear family as the fundamental unit of society, highlighting the importance of strong family bonds, communication, trust, and cooperation in times of crisis. This emphasis on the family as a source of strength and support is a traditional value that has been championed by many cultures throughout history. One of the issues we often see depicted as most devastating in apocalyptic-type films are traumas from loss of family—whether it’s a parent losing a child, child losing a parent, spouse losing spouse, or the loss of a sibling. “Signs” and “Quiet Place” (and its sequel) play on these losses and potential future losses directly, and how devastating the loss of the nuclear family truly is. How without it, individuals so traumatized are less equipped to survive.

Second, both films also highlight the importance of faith and religion as a source of hope and comfort in times of adversity. In “Signs,” Graham Hess struggles with his faith after the death of his wife, but ultimately comes to see the invasion as part of God’s plan. The film suggests that his faith gives him the strength to endure and overcome the challenges he faces. (Really, this is an idea I should probably cover in a Quinta Columna Calvinista issue as it’s clearly saying something about the Providence and Sovereignty of God.) Similarly, in “A Quiet Place,” the Abbott family prays before dinner and is shown to have a religious shrine in their home, suggesting that their faith helps them cope with the dangerous and uncertain world they live in. Faith is admittedly a far less distinct issue in “A Quiet Place,” but its presence at all suggests at an outlook that is rooted in hope and perseverance.

Third, both films also emphasize traditional gender roles, with male characters in each film taking on the role of protector and provider, while the female characters are depicted as nurturing and supportive. In “Signs,” Graham Hess is the leader of the family, making the tough decisions and taking charge in times of crisis. With the loss of his wife, the family appears unbalanced, and his brother (played by Joaquin Phoenix) takes a bit of a supporting nurturing role—but one that is apparently deficient even if well-meaning. Similarly, in “A Quiet Place,” Lee Abbott (John Krasinski) is shown as the primary protector of his family, while Evelyn (Emily Blunt) takes care of the children and the household. This film is probably one of the most traditional and balanced depictions of a family-unit that I can remember in recent memory.

Overall, these traditional values systems can be seen as appealing to a broad range of audiences, including those who hold more conservative or traditional views of family, religion, and gender roles. The appeal of these films to traditional values systems may reflect a desire for stability and comfort in an increasingly complex and uncertain world. In some sense, they do suggest that when the feces hits the agitator those you can trust are God, your family, and yourself.