In the past 'man movies' have consisted of classics like Ben Hur, Braveheart, Gladiator, and the like. They are about men standing up for what is right and defending good at a high personal cost. Characters may waver in their desire or ability to do what is right, but in the end they make the right choice. Naturally the antagonist is bad and we are taught to dislike his character. Some weakness in him, usually selfishness or greed, is both overwhelming and relatable. We see how devastating it is for him in all aspects of his life that he must be hated, yet we are able to recognize similar tendencies in ourselves. This, I think, helps us to desire the good and hate what is bad even in ourselves so that in a small way when watched correctly, movies may add to our character formation. Perhaps not in a large way, but it reminds us to do what is good no matter the cost. Heroes, even fictional ones, are good for society.
However, I have noticed a recent shift in 'man movies.' I am certainly not a movie critic nor do I have any sense of movie history. Perhaps these movies have existed for decades and I am just now becoming aware of them... but there seems to be a new category of male chick-flick (read 'my best friend's girl' or 'wedding crashers'). Traditional chick-flicks seem to be categorized by a jeopardized romance that goes through difficulties but after several humorous scenes the couple ends up together. The female lead typically learns more about herself and is bettered through the experience. I have been known to enjoy these movies, but I do not find myself at all attracted to the male version. In these movies, there is a pathetic male who is largely socially deviant in some area (usually in addition to being a terrible womanizer). The male meets some woman he is attracted to but they are kept apart because he is a total jerk. Through out the movie the two become close and she eventually shows him that his socially deviant ways are bad. In this way the woman rescues him from his behavior and the two are finally able to be together. Naturally the movie is filled with bawdy humor, plenty of crude language, and a couple graphic sex scenes. While some of these movies may be entertaining, they seem to reflect a downward shift in society.
These male chick-flicks emphasize the social acceptance of weak men. These men not only do not stand up for truth and justice in the face of difficulty but they are downright despicable in normal circumstances. And these are the heroes!! Although the audience is directed emotionally to pity these men, they are not made out to be deplorable but just late bloomers. It makes actual men feel better about living with their parents, sleeping around, or generally being irresponsible. As I am writing this it is becoming evident to me that I am a traditionalist when it comes to gender roles, but I honestly don't see the problem with this. Certainly I advocate fair and humane treatment of women, but this need not mean an equivocation of the genders. I am pro-fairness but certainly not a feminist, but enough on that. The fact that men in our society today are not living up to their God-given responsibilities is even evident on advertisements (when the media must take responsibility to remind men to 'take time to be dads today' we have a serious problem). So let's let men be men and not be afraid of gender differences. Let's realize that as men and women we have different responsibilities that are very difficult (and different) but that when we delegate and don't both try to do the same thing, society runs much more smoothly. Let us replace movies with weak men for those who recognize the cost of doing good but still act rightly. And maybe I'll try to work on watching better movies...
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