Letters to the Editor: From ‘Idiocracy’ to ‘Star Trek,’ climate themes already abound in movies

To the editor: A rating system for portraying climate change in movies is a good start, but it may be missing the whole picture.

The Korean Oscar winner “Parasite” from 2019 encapsulated the equity gap that climate change imposes on the working poor during an impressive cinematic representation of a single rain event without ever making reference to climate change.

Movies franchises and TV series set in space — such as “Star Trek” and “The Expanse” — demonstrate the practical conservation of resources for human survival.

Every movie set in cities with electric trains shows us our future because of the need for greater sustainability and community.

One of the best depictions of the misuse of water is the cult film “Idiocracy,” where in the future, crops are watered with a Gatorade-like sports drink because that’s what’s left.

But if you want a movie that shows us the evil within ourselves, just watch the 1967 classic “The Graduate.” It tells you all you need to know about root of all evil: “Plastics.”

It’s all been written; we only need to see.

Pam Brennan, Newport Beach

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To the editor: This article exemplifies how propaganda starts.

The powers that be decide that information needs to include a certain viewpoint or certain information, and then content providers (they used to just be writers and artists) adhere to these so-called standards. This frightens and horrifies me.

I am a lifelong, ardent, active environmentalist who wants to walk down the street with a sign reading, “The end is near.” But I couldn’t be more against having a test of climate messaging in entertainment.

For goodness sake, all we need is a price on carbon emissions. Honest capitalism, where the damage created by industry and manufacturing is acknowledged and corrected, will do much more to solve the problem of climate change than glancing at committee-approved messaging in movies and television.

Elizabeth Fenner, Los Angeles