Karen Gillan making her directorial debut

Karen Gillan looked homeward for her debut as a writer-director, and what she saw disturbed her: “The Party’s Just Beginning” examines the alarmingly high suicide rate, especially among men, in the Scottish Highlands town where she grew up.

“I was like wow, this is such a strange contradiction. Because it’s such a beautiful, picturesque place to grow up, yet we have this dark statistic looming over us, and I wanted to know why,” Gillan said on the “Shoot This Now” podcast.

Gillan plays Liusaidh (pronounced Lucy), a young woman coping with the suicide of her best friend (Matthew Beard). Liusaidh’s fatalistic mourning includes booze, takeout food and sex with strangers, until she crosses paths with a mysterious out-of-towner played by Lee Pace.

Gillan and Pace met on the set of the first “Guardians,” in which he played Ronan the Accuser.

“We were villains together,” she recalled.

The film juxtaposes peppy party scenes with the grim crashes that come when you sober up and remember the person you love is still gone. The misty highlands and regal old buildings provide a backdrop that is both alluring and melancholy.

“I don’t think it’s specific to Scotland. I think actually this story is universal, and I think it’s probably specific to remote places that feel a little secluded or cut off from the rest of the world,” she said.

“We have this epidemic now where men don’t feel like they can express themselves and they’re not comfortable talking about their emotions, quite in the same way as women are,” she added. “So I think that is a big contributing factor.”

“The Party’s Just Beginning” makes its theatrical debut on Friday and gets a digital release Dec. 12.

You can listen to the “Shoot This Now” interview on Apple or right here:

Oh: We also talk about Gillan’s desire to move into the horror genre next, her spectacular idea for a witch story (we recorded this close to Halloween) and the many secrecy precautions on the set of “Avengers 4.”

'Avengers: Infinity War' - Here Are All the Pop Culture References (Photos)

"Avengers: Infinity War" is full of awesome and hilarious references to classic films, bands and yes, even ice cream brands. Click through TheWrap's gallery to see what made the cut.
"Footloose"

Tom Holland's Spidey references the 1984 film starring Kevin Bacon in the film. However, this isn't the only time Bacon gets mentioned in "Infinity War."
Paramount Pictures
"Alien" Movies

In the same scene, Peter Parker also uses the "Alien" movies as inspiration to get out of tricky situation.
Fox
Squidward

Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) tells one of Thanos' Black Order members that he reminds him a lot of Squidward Tentacles from "SpongeBob SquarePants."
Nickelodeon
"Arrested Development"

Someone covered in blue, wearing Never-nudes and looking very much like David Cross' character Tobias Fünke from "Arrested Development" is seen in one of the scenes of "Infinity War."
Fox
Starbucks

Okoye (Danai Gurira) references Starbucks and The Olympics (on the next slide) when talking to T'Challa about making Wakanda accessible to the outside world.
Wikimedia Commons
The Olympics
Wikimedia Commons
Grimace

McDonalds' The Grimace gets a shoutout in a conversation with Thanos (Josh Brolin). That's on point, given that many fans commented that exact thing about Thanos' look on the internet prior to the film's release.
Flickr
The Beatles

Tony Stark talks to Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) about the Avengers disbanding and Bruce says, "Like the Beatles?"
Getty Images
Ben & Jerry's

In a scene between Tony Stark and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Stark tells the Sorcerer Supreme: "Well, I swore off dairy but then Ben & Jerry's named a flavor after me."

Wikimedia Commons
"Defender" Video Game

Groot (Vin Diesel), who is no longer a baby but has since grown into an angsty teenager, is seen playing the classic "Defenders" arcade game throughout the movie.
Williams Electronics
Kevin Bacon

Pom Klementieff's Mantis references Kevin Bacon in the film, as well.
Getty Images
"Rubberband Man"

The Guardians sing The Spinners' "Rubberband Man" when flying through the galaxy.
Getty Images
Mr. Clean

At one point, Tony Stark called Drax "Mr. Clean" -- and to be honest, we see the resemblance.
"The Waterboy"

In the movie, Mantis (Pom Klementieff) says the Guardians are there to "kick names and take a--," which is a reference to 1998's "The Waterboy."
Touchstone Pictures

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From classic films to ice cream brands and video games, here’s what you’ll hear mentioned in the latest MCU movie

"Avengers: Infinity War" is full of awesome and hilarious references to classic films, bands and yes, even ice cream brands. Click through TheWrap's gallery to see what made the cut.

View In Gallery