A Storming Thought

     The novel “American Psycho”, published in 1991, was a harsh criticism of American capitalism and consumer indulgence prevalent in the late 1970s and 1980s. Its 2000 film adaptation served the same purpose but in a more satirical light. This newer critique goes beyond pointing out the vain, insecurities, and fears of the one percent common within yuppie horror. It acts as a close examination of how the overconsumption of media and the false allure of the American dream can warp a person’s perception of reality and morality. The media that we consume informs our identity and shows us what is acceptable in society. This combined with the demanding restraints of hegemonic masculinity create a hollow version of what the ideal man is supposed to be. This ideal version of success has really only been attainable for a very select group of people in America, people like Patrick Bateman. Bateman is the perfect protagonist for this type of film. As a born wealthy, straight, whi...

     On first viewing “Pet Sematary” could be seen as a story about the damage that the grief of the death of a child can cause a family. But on a deeper reading, it becomes obvious that the film has much to say about gender and how different genders deal with the problems and struggles presented to them in life. The film does not present a universal message about grief applicable to any parent going through the loss of a child. The male gender of the protagonist is not coincidental or without greater meaning. The film presents the subject of grief as a very gendered experience that men and women go through differently. Even the responsibilities of a parent to the rest of the family are gendered. The things that a man is expected to do in order to protect and provide for his family are fundamentally different from what is expected from women. Those responsibilities and the connections to the family are seen as burdens that threaten Louis’s idealized version of masculinity...