Jennifer M. McGregor is a 20 year veteran in the architectural design industry- serving in many capacities, including a role as a former Senior Director of Global Business Development for a renowned hospitality design firm in Chicago. She also serves on the Executive Committee for the Citadel Theatre and the Advisory Board for the Art & Design School at her Alma Mater in Texas.. She serves as a judge for the prestigious Best of NeoCon Competition as well as the Product Innovation Awards through Architectural Products Magazine. Jennifer is an award-winning designer, philanthropist, runway model, photographer, water-skier, but her favorite role is being the mother of three dynamic children.
Jordan Peele has often credited famous horror films such as The Stepford Wives for inspiring him to write and direct horror films with a message, such as Get Out. Many horror and suspense films have mindless plots and cheap scares, but Peele is challenging that with thought- provoking themes and scares that linger long after the credits roll. They also start discussions that are necessary in our current climate, bringing up topics such as race and cultural appropriation without being brass or offensive, by giving black people a platform without excluding other groups and races. His film subverted expectations with a surprising take on racism in America, straying away from stereotypes and outdated caricatures of blackness and prejudice.
I am not the only one who continuously praises Get Out’s ingenuity and originality and I am certainly not the only one eagerly awaiting his new film, Us. For those who have not seen the trailer, Us seems to focus on a black family whose house is being broken into, but throughout the trailer it is revealed that the people breaking in are versions of themselves. By watching myself, I predict that the film will tackle race, public appearances and expectations, along with confronting your fears and flaws, but knowing Peele, I imagine that he will find a variety of ways to surprise me and subvert my expectations. I’m thrilled that he created a new film that looks as though it is going to follow the trend of Get Out, using the horror and psychological thriller genres to tackle the controversial topic of being black in America and the problems associated with it.
Jordan Peele has cultivated a film landscape that addresses race and identity in a way that is both powerful and entertaining. He appeals to lovers of horror and suspense, while sharing a message that stays with each viewer as we mull over the issues of racism, cultural appropriation, and oppression in our current society.
Photo Credit Den Geek