“White men are being addressed in this feminist environment, [such that] they feel like they can’t be themselves, [due to the prevailing notion of] toxic masculinity.

“We can talk about whether or not that’s true or how big of a problem that is, but what I don’t think is really debatable is that if you look at the net amount of images in the culture, there really aren’t that many portrayals of men right now [in which] men both embody classical masculine traits and they’re also pro-social, like they’re not assholes.

“The only exception is when they’re a superhero with blue lightning coming out of their ass.

“This wasn’t always the case,. If you look back [into film history] you’ll see all kinds of portraits in which men are portrayed in a more nuanced kind of way. And I think there’s an interest in that [right now], a hunger for that.” — Mark Boal, 49-year-old screenwriter of The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty.

I haven’t seen Mark since the Zero Dark Thirty days, but he looks more bulked up and alpha-male commando-ish these days. Still soft-spoken, but a different look, different vibe.