Among Being John Malkovich 's many delights is the way it turns gender-role perplexity into a virtual reality game whose myriad possibilities baffle the male characters and empower the women. Being may be an art-house smash and Fight Club a mainstream miss precisely because they push against different demographics' carnal comfort zones. So far the progress suggested by so many men worrying about themselves hasn't carried over into more multidimensional women. Eyes Wide Shut manifested a depressingly unexamined horror of the sexually self-determined woman. Still, pressure is exerting itself in useful ways.
Treasured illusions can only withstand so much unpleasant exposure.
If gay images on the mainstream big and small screens remain mostly stuck in their transitional Funny Best Friend phase, at least ye olde school straight-up homophobia is very seldom seen these days. Nobody wants to defend the caveman anymore. You the sissy, knucklehead. Dennis's top 10 1.