American Beauty (1999 film) as Lester and Angela get closer, finally taking the roses—and thus Carolyn—out of the shot. Lester's epiphany at the end of the film is expressed by rain and the use of red, building to a crescendo that is a deliberate contrast to the release Lester feels. The constant use of red "lulls [the audience] subliminally" into becoming used to it; consequently, it leaves the audience unprepared when Lester is shot and his blood spatters on the wall. Pennington argues that "American Beauty" defines its characters through their sexuality. Lester's attempts to relive his youth are a direct result of his
Men and Women (1999 film) Men and Women (1999 film) Men and Women () is a 1999 Chinese comedy-drama film directed by Liu Bingjian. The film was co-written by Cui Zi'en, one of the few openly gay writers in China. Cui also has a cameo-role in the film, as the host of an underground radio show. One of China's few films touching on LGBT-films, "Men and Women" was cast with openly gay actors. Unlike earlier films like Zhang Yuan's "East Palace, West Palace", "Men and Women" focused on the daily lives of its characters, rather than their underground existence in Chinese society. The film won