Millennial Masculinity

"The comprehensive themes of cinema, and its dependence on audience appeal to achieve success, make movies the ideal medium through which we can better understand how men in contemporary culture have been changing."—Timothy Shary

"A successful film anthology hinges upon three characteristics: strong editing, a sharp focus, and articles that substantially contribute to the field. One of the strongest volumes on contemporary cinematic masculinity in years, this anthology compiled by Shary (Clark Univ.) has all three qualities. The collection includes articles on familiar and popular films (Brokeback Mountain, Fight Club), but also unexpected subjects such as Philip Seymour Hoffman, Adam Sandler, and neo-retro heist films. There is not a trivial article in the book. . . . Helpful supplemental materials include a list of US films since 1990 that address masculinity, and an exhaustive bibliography. Summing Up: Highly recommended."—G. R. Butters Jr., Choice Reviews Online

"How do we see affective, political, and sexualized masculinity in recent film? What is at stake in these particularly American representations? Timothy Shary brings together a group of writers who thoughtfully, provocatively, and cogently address these questions. From matters of performance to genre, from violence to 'bromance,' from 'fat studies' to class, and from race and sexual identity to patriarchy's cultural reach, Millennial Masculinity offers important analyses for film and masculinity studies."—David A. Gerstner, Author of Queer Pollen: White Seduction, Black Male Homosexuality and the Cinematic and Manly Arts: Masculinity and Nation in Early American Cinema

"A book for its time in more ways than one, Millennial Masculinity presents the state of the art in feminist-masculinity film criticism. This is a compendium of varied, incisive viewpoints on what made a man, according to American movies, as the twenty-first century began. Here is a valuable addition to stand alongside Wayne State Press's definitive film studies anthologies."—Dennis Bingham, Author of Acting Male: Masculinities in the Films of James Stewart, Jack Nicholson, and Clint Eastwood