MEN (Spoiler-free)
May. 24th, 2022 11:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
singedsunMatt and I went to see the movie Men tonight after work. It was a great time to go because it was later, it's Tuesday, there were only a handful of other people in the theater. I've been a fan of Alex Garland since I first saw The Beach in like 2000 or something? Like I watched it because it had Leonardo DiCaprio (I was an easily persuadable young thing) but fell in love with the beauty of the setting, the bizarreness of the story and was probably one of the first real media that kind of taught me the dangerous of white people playing tourist in spaces (places/communities) that don't belong to us. I know it wasn't for everyone, but I loved it.
So Alex Garland has always been like a much watch for me. But I'd heard some early meh reviews for Men so I was excited but hesitant going in. And now having seen it, I know I'm going to sit in the minority with my feelings on this movie, but I freaking loved it.
If you know nothing, here's the basics: (It is in fact a horror movie.)
Our main character, Harper, who has travelled into the English countryside to stay in a large rental home in a small village after the traumatic death of her husband. During her stay, she encounters a variety of men that are all played by the same actor. One in particular seems to be stalking her. That on its own might present plenty of horrifying or at least troublesome situations for a single woman out on her own. That said, each of these encounters seem a little more off-putting than the next, until the final scene sort of brings it all together.
I've already seen and read some think pieces from men about how it doesn't say/do much, and from women about how they felt meh about it. Me though? I snapped (felt weird to clap), but I would've cheered had I been watching at home alone. Whether he meant to or not, what Alex did with the final scenes felt (to me) very much in line with the rest of the movie no matter how bonkers it might've seemed to other watchers.
Matt left feeling like there wasn't enough narrative thread but I felt like there was a thick, single connective tissue beginning to end.
I'm not going to put spoilers, but if you want to see it and you'd like some content warnings I can provide those. And if you have seen it and want to talk about it, we can do that in the comments.
So Alex Garland has always been like a much watch for me. But I'd heard some early meh reviews for Men so I was excited but hesitant going in. And now having seen it, I know I'm going to sit in the minority with my feelings on this movie, but I freaking loved it.
If you know nothing, here's the basics: (It is in fact a horror movie.)
Our main character, Harper, who has travelled into the English countryside to stay in a large rental home in a small village after the traumatic death of her husband. During her stay, she encounters a variety of men that are all played by the same actor. One in particular seems to be stalking her. That on its own might present plenty of horrifying or at least troublesome situations for a single woman out on her own. That said, each of these encounters seem a little more off-putting than the next, until the final scene sort of brings it all together.
I've already seen and read some think pieces from men about how it doesn't say/do much, and from women about how they felt meh about it. Me though? I snapped (felt weird to clap), but I would've cheered had I been watching at home alone. Whether he meant to or not, what Alex did with the final scenes felt (to me) very much in line with the rest of the movie no matter how bonkers it might've seemed to other watchers.
Matt left feeling like there wasn't enough narrative thread but I felt like there was a thick, single connective tissue beginning to end.
I'm not going to put spoilers, but if you want to see it and you'd like some content warnings I can provide those. And if you have seen it and want to talk about it, we can do that in the comments.
