The MoFo Top 100 Films Directed By Women: The Countdown

I really just want you all angry and confused the whole time.

I'll definitely get on board the Lost in Translation at #1 train. I think American Psycho will be really high, too, and I think Big cracks the top five.

I'm of a mixed mind on this one. I really liked the first hour of the film. I loved the dark satire of the whole 1980s Wallstreet-Yuppie-Greed thing...it was brilliantly done. It was great how Patrick Bateman's anti-social psycho killings were driven by his deep insecurities, and by his need to be a name dropping rich snob. I loved the whole send up of the 80s stuff, that was cool.

Christian Bale nails it! I liked his character. He's quite charming in an odd way...and that's why I liked the first hour so much. Patrick Bateman was personable just like Anthony Perkins was as Norman Bates. Clearly the movie Psycho has inspired this movie.

In the first half of the movie the killings weren't too graphic, so were tolerable for me as they were done with a tongue in cheek humor, which also reminded me of Heathers.

In the second half the film gets more real and more darker as Patrick goes completely over the edge and the body count rises...And that's where I stopped liking the film, as it then took on the feeling of a slasher movie and I never liked those. Patrick 'eating' the first woman and then naked and covered with blood chasing the prostitute down the hall with a chainsaw seemed like a popcorn slasher scene. Which to me ruin the brilliant narrative of the first half.

You are vile.

My review:[/b]

...In the first half of the movie the killings weren't too graphic, so were tolerable for me...

In this case I should probably suggest that you don't read the book

I saw American Psycho when it was new and didn't really like it but it's one the those films I'd really need to watch again.

American Psycho

My complete favorite moment of the film, that little crazy dance he does before going psychotic is right up with there with Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs dance.


Moments like that, the spouting of album sleeve critiques and those spurts of unhinged instances about mundane things is where this film is at it's best. And, of course, Bale is exemplary at pulling it all off. We see the false calmness of the waters with unfelt concern for fellow human beings and then we witness the waters begin to churn at what is causing it just below the surface as it inevitably rises up in a frenzy.
A great role and one that he truly shined in.

Sadly, the ending and how it really takes you out of everything previously is pretty offsetting.
It's like finishing a meal and you come to realize something and ask: "Wait - what did I just eat?!"
From my limited research even the director thinks she got it wrong, attempting for the vagueness but she didn't want people to think it was entirely in Bateman's head, which, now on my second viewing, it can very easily be construed that way.

And I will leave it at that, since the rest of the film is pretty d@mn brilliant and keeps your attention throughout. Been wanting to revisit this since i finally got to watch it a year or two back and very happy to have done so.