The Fighter: "The Pride Of Lowell"

The Fighter is a true story about boxing brothers Mickey Ward (played by Mark Wahlberg) and Dicky Eklund (Oscar-winning performance by Christian Bale) in the 1990s. At the beginning of the film both are going in opposite directions. Mickey is an up-and-comer training to become the next champion, while Dickey is addicted to crack and living off of his past fights. Both men pride themselves on their masculinity due to the physically demanding nature of their sport. Boxing takes a backseat, however, throughout much of the story as most of the actual conflict in the movie deals with Mickey and his family problems.

The Bechdel Test: "Women In Movies"

The Bechdel Test is an examination of female presence in movies. It was popularized in 1985 by comic artist Alison Bechdel. She sets up three simple rules that a movie has to adhere to in order to pass the test. The rules are: (1) it has to have at least two women in it, who (2) who talk to each other, about (3) something besides a man. While the exam does not mean that a film is good or bad or even sexist, it just demonstrates how male-centric business in Hollywood and media can be. The test shows that masculinity is changing and that it is hard to remove it from long standing institutions.

Spike TV: "Get More Action"

Spike TV, formerly TNN, is a television channel that is specifically catered toward men. The channel focuses on hyper-masculinity through its focus on "violence, toughness, aggression, and dangerous behavior.” They specialize in shows like Tattoo Nightmares and Deadliest Warrior. They also have professional wrestling and MMA fighting. It presents masculinity an ideal purely focused on violence. Even the show about auctions is named Auction Hunters. Spike TV is a medium through which old-fashioned masculinity reaches men who long for the “good ol’ days” of a homogenous masculine power.

Tyler, The Creator: "I Hope You Answer"

 

Tyler, The Creator is a rapper with a devoted cult following. His third album, Wolf, was released in early 2013 and was well-received by critics. Although he has long been known for shocking lyrics, Tyler actually makes a departure from graphic songs and touches on more emotional topics in Wolf. He has been criticized in the past for using homophobic slurs and for making sexist comments, but fans know that it’s all an act intended to mess with society. As mentioned in a previous post, introspective rap is not new; it has been popularized in recent years. Two examples Tyler’s loneliness and the impact it had on his masculinity are the songs “Answer” and “Lone”.

Axe: "Even Angels Will Fall"

Axe is a company that sells men's grooming products. Their target audience is usually young men from the ages of 14 to 25. Axe provides any kind of toiletry product from body wash and shampoo to deodorant and cologne. For years their commercials have specialized in selling the desired effects of their products, but not the products themselves. They essentially proclaim to consumers that if they buy Axe they are buying masculinity in a can. They make young men believe that manliness can be bought at their local pharmacy.

The Wrestler: "I'm An Old Broken Down Piece Of Meat"

Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler is the story of Randy “The Ram” Robinson (played by Mickey Rourke), a washed-up professional wrestler well past his prime. When he was at the peak of his popularity in the 1980s, he was loved by all wrestling fans for his reckless behavior, an example of violent masculinity. Now in his 40s, he lives in a trailer park and does small shows on weekends to make ends meet. After he gets a heart attack due to the strain wrestling and steroids have put on him over the years, he decides to fix his relationship with his estranged daughter. The Wrestler is a thoughtful film about the results of a lifestyle of the pressure of overt masculinity.

Parks and Recreation: "If It Doesn't Have Meat, It's A Snack"

NBC’s comedy Parks and Recreation has a strong female character as a protagonist named Leslie Knope. However, two supporting characters serve as examples for the wide spectrum of masculinity. One is Ron Swanson, a hard-liquor drinking, mustached libertarian. The other is Tom Haverford, a fine-suit loving, wanna-be entrepreneur. While both are completely different embodiments of what they believe masculinity is, they manage to coexist and bring a balance to Leslie Knope’s, and the show’s, life.

Fight Club: "Things You Own End Up Owning You"

1999’s Fight Club is considered one of the greatest movies of all time. Its style, story, and characters are all incredibly memorable. Its protagonist, Tyler Durden, is one of the most popular characters in film history. The film is about how Tyler and the film’s unnamed narrator create a fighting club that grows into something neither of them had anticipated. The movie is filled with ideas that are open to interpretation, but the one that is most important is the theme of the deterioration of man in society.

Dr. Pepper 10: "It's Not For Women"

How does a soft drink company create a “diet” soda for its customers? By alienating half of them, that’s how! In 2011, Dr. Pepper released a new version of their drink named Dr. Pepper 10. The ten stands for the number of calories the drink has. Because the brand already makes Diet Dr. Pepper, the new soda was aimed specifically at men. However, the company’s research found that "men shy away from diet drinks that aren’t perceived as ‘manly’ enough.” To combat their customers’ prejudices, the company released commercials that proclaimed that Dr. Pepper 10 was “Not For Women.”

300: "Tonight, We Dine In Hell"

300 is a film about the story of the 300 Spartan soldiers who fought against the massive Persian army in ancient Greece. The film is extremely stylized and views history through the lenses of a comic book. It is by no means an accurate account but that was probably not the filmmakers’ intentions. The movie presents the Spartan warriors as brave embodiments of pure manliness. It is also a shrine to the male body. Every single Spartan is extremely muscular, toned, and oiled. The camera frames their bodies to take up as much of the screen as possible. 300 is filled to the brim with masculine images and themes, but displays instants of homoeroticism.

Jersey Shore: "Gym, Tan, Laundry"

The MTV reality television show Jersey Shore is about a group of young Italian Americans living in a house on the beach where the show gets its name from. The women wear provocative clothing and party every night and the men are tanned “guidos” with massive muscles. The show has been controversial since its inception due to claims that it is propagating negative stereotypes. The show managed to overcome those claims and became one of MTV’s biggest hits. Even though it has ended, the show still remains an interesting depiction of masculinity that has been infused with feminine features.

The Departed: "What Do You Got Your Period?"

Martin Scorsese’s The Departed is a masterfully made crime drama with a tense story and well-developed characters. However, it also delves into the theme of masculinity within a tough criminal underworld. Scorsese creates a world where men communicate with violence and reject any potential emotion. Throughout the film there are various examples of the subtle masculine façade created by men. The film depicts a world where ideology forces every man to be tough or endure being ridiculed.

The Social Network: "I Believe I Deserve Some Recognition"

In 2010, director David Fincher released the film The Social Network about the creation of the social networking website Facebook. Before it came out many people were skeptical about how the story of the foundation of a website could possibly make for a good movie. When it was released many viewers were surprised by the deeper themes the film discussed like friendship, greed, and, above all, masculinity in the 21^st century.

Kendrick Lamar: "I'm A Sober Soul But I'm With The Homies Right Now"

West Coast Hip Hop artist Kendrick Lamar has come to the forefront of rap and hip hop at an introspective phase in the history of the genre. Rap is no longer about being a gangster, killing people, or being a “P.I.M.P.” Rap, which has always been an extremely masculine medium, has been transformed in mainstream culture artists like Drake and Kanye West. Today, hip hop music is a vessel for emotions, disappointments, dreams instead of ultra-macho posturing. It is only natural that Kendrick Lamar’s album good kid, m.A.A.d city was released during this kind of emotional renaissance for the genre.

Breaking Bad: "A Man Provides"

“And a man, a man provides. And he does it even when he's not appreciated, or respected, or even loved. He simply bears up and he does it. Because he’s a man”

With those words crystal meth kingpin Gus Fring convinces protagonist Walter White to continue cooking meth for him in the critically acclaimed AMC series Breaking Bad. After realizing his bad decisions have caused his family to leave him, Walter decides to leave the meth business he so eagerly entered just a few seasons before. Fring’s stinging words to Walter play on his masculine insecurities. As Jezebel.com details, “Early on in the series Walt is portrayed as a weak, emasculated schoolteacher, whose sole source of power, his scientific genius, buys him nothing in a hyper-masculine capitalist world.”