But The Falcon and the Winter Soldier came and faded away, the show is back in the news following yet another confusing interview. This time around, actor Anthony Mackie, who shared some thoughts on fans who were disappointed to learn that Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes don’t see him for each other, romantically.
Talk to variety on the importance of Sam becoming the MCU’s new Captain America, and his take on why some of the The Falcon and the Winter Soldierthe fans were keeping the hope that the two main characters of the series could be queer, Mackie pointed out “the exploitation of homosexuality”, a phrase that can be interpreted in different ways.
“It used to be that guys could be friends, we could hang out and that was cool,” Mackie said. “You always met your friends at the bar, you know. You can’t do it anymore, because something as pure and beautiful as homosexuality has been exploited by people who are trying to rationalize themselves.
There is a lot to unpack in this statement, but what Mackie seemed to stumble upon was the complicated reality that the entertainment industry “exploited” homosexuality in the sense that studios like Marvel have spent years telling the public about wait for queer performance only to finally deliver the bare minimum. With no real queer characters featured in one of the biggest movie franchises in the world, people often read and project themselves into the subtext of these stories because that’s a normal part of how all people consume entertainment.
What was really weird about Mackie’s interview was that it pointed to the “Striking Vipers” episode of Black mirror as another example of platonic male friendships that audiences misread. We won’t spoil “Striking Vipers” here, but suffice to say that this is the kind of story Alfred Kinsey would have told. a lot to say about. The thing is, there is a lot real-life depictions of platonic camaraderie between straight guys who are just guys together when a bunch of stuff that isn’t directly related to their guy is happening around them. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is one of those stories, yes, but here are a few more recent ones to reference the next time someone has the audacity to bemoan why there aren’t more straight men on TV and in the movies.
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Wee Hughie and the Boys (The boys)
But The boys mainly concerns a group of social misfits working together to bring down a megalomaniac society, it is also a group of men (and the only silent woman in the group) who hang out and revel in each other’s heckling. For Hughie Billy Butcher, Frenchie and Mother’s Milk aren’t just his friends, they become his family and give him the strength to survive in a world full of overpowered psychopaths.
Vision and the men of Westview (WandaVision)
As much Vision loved his wife Wanda, in her role as man of the synthezoid house in WandaVision, he has spent much of his time in Westview hanging out with his male neighbors as they trim their hedges, get together for neighborhood watches, and attempt to escape the city.
Mobius M. Mobius and Loki Laufeyson (Loki)
But The Falcon and the Winter Soldier never quite managed to become the crime drama buddy he wanted to be, Loki got there almost immediately by mimicking the narrative rhythms of many criminal proceedings and presenting an emotional confrontation between Mobius M. Mobius and Loki. Mobius knows that Loki is in jail in time and that he will likely kill people again and could destroy the universe in the process. But Mobius can’t help but want to give the trickster god a hug and a second chance and turn a new leaf, because that’s what the brothers do for each other.
Luca and Alberto (Luca)
Luca is a prime example of how a movie that has all the assets to be a touching story adapted to the age of young homosexuals the first discovery of their identity may actually be just a pair of European sea monsters who speak a little Italian. Tale as old as the world.
The wrong lot (The bad lot)
While The bad lotclones don’t always get along with each other, they depend on each other to survive in a galaxy where their specific species (see: unique guys, and Omega) face threats from all sides.
Horace and Jasper (Cruel)
Even after Cruella de Vil breathes into their lives at Disney’s new live-action Cruel, Horace and Jasper still retain their childhood friendship that first brought them together as young orphans trying to survive on the streets. Welcoming Cruella into their group certainly changes their dynamic to some extent, but as she becomes their domineering boss and they are his goons, their bond is even stronger. Platonically.
Godzilla vs. Kong (Godzilla vs. Kong)
Godzilla vs. Kong can very easily be played as a movie about two larger-than-life male presences clashing in a way that threatens the entire planet until a new, unknown threat emerges that forces the creatures to put aside their differences and work together. Even if you are not inclined to interpret the film that way, it is also very intentionally presented as such.
Cyborg and Aquaman (Zack Snyder Justice League)
This one should be explicit, to be honest.
That one and Roman (The Fast Furious franchise)
In almost all Fast Furious movie in which they appeared together, Tej and Roman didn’t miss an opportunity to deliver a few brutal punches to each other, with a deep and lasting love for each other that only reads as platonic. It’s the kind of energy that binds the entire franchise family together, but it’s by far the strongest between these two.
Kevin and Daniel (Kevin Can F himself)
Although Kevin Can F himself about Allison struggling to break free from the stifling reality of the sitcom that seems to follow her husband Kevin, the brotherly affection of Kevin and his best friend Neil is one of the most important parts of the subplot of series. Often indoors Kevin Can F himselfsitcom bubble, it’s Neil and Kevin’s antics that end up causing the chaos that infiltrates Allison’s life. Neither Kevin nor Neil can care how their actions affect others because they are having too much fun together, like the pals do.
Suffice it to say that there is a wide range of depictions of straight men enjoying each other’s company with no hints of romance or sexual experimentation in sight. It always has been, and probably always will be, which is precisely why it is so strange every time people take action because the little progress in the industry that has been made to put more fuss strange on the screen is “enough”.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly identified Ludacris’ character in Fast & Furious as Edwin, rather than Tej. We regret the mistake, family.
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