I'm certainly a late-comer to Gone Girl. When it first came out it did not appeal to me- it simply appeared to be a film about a couple in a classic whodunnit situation. But as I watched it, my opinions on Nick and Amy shifted, dramatically and almost constantly. The idea of victimization–who hurt who–became almost indecipherable as the movie progressed. First I was concerned about Amy and confused about Nick's seemingly emotionless response to her disappearance. Then I came…

This film is a story about two women, repressed in different ways but both bound by the desire and power of men. To free themselves of that, they'll do anything. The way that men are portrayed–slimy, perverted, "mesmerized" by women and their misunderstood sensuality–makes the well-acted female roles glow that much brighter in an often dim and grey setting. Literally broken into three acts, The Handmaiden is an enthralling film from the get go, although I would argue that Part…