Elinor tells Oscar that her family is located in Wade, in Fayette County, Alabama. The only "Wade" in Fayette County, Alabama, isn't a town—it's an historic cemetery. McDowell, an Alabama native with an academic interest in Southern death culture, was well aware of this.
Some of the familial debate about whether Tommy Lee should attend the University of Alabama or Auburn University is doubtless a reference to the universities' legendary rivalry. Picture a pop culture personality quiz, only instead of labeling you a Rose or a Blanche, you're either a 'Bama fan or an Auburn fan—that's how well-defined the two types are in Alabama.
For the 2007 horror film:
Dueling Movies: With Rogue. Both released the same year, both based on true stories, both about crocodiles.
