On Sun, 31 Jul 1994, RACHEL BELL wrote: > On Friday night, against the advice of several film buffs, I rented > Mike Leigh's "Naked". I found it to be at times intriguing while at > other times monotonous. This is the first Mike Leigh movie that I > have seen and I am interested in what people have to say about his > other films--"Life is Sweet" and "High Hopes". > > Rachel Bell As a huge fan of "Life is Sweet" and a fan of "High Hopes", I went into "Naked" with trepidation knowing the story somewhat, and seeing that tape box and all. Leigh has shown a fine eye in showing the effect of political systems on everday people. Why would he want to make a movie about psychotics? And I like Woody Allen's movies, but only the "early, funny ones". Anyway, "Naked" seemed to me a meditation on why men are assholes, and why women seem to enable asshole men to exist. That's pretty deep film theory, huh? As such, it does touch on aspects of the British socio-political state, especially the idea that perfectly intelligent, if psychotic, men are denied the ability to use their intelligence in any meaningful sphere. But mainly, they're just assholes. Really psychotic assholes. To tell the truth, the movie left me walking a track near my apartment lap after lap trying to deal with its "reality". Unlike the characters of "Life Is Sweet", who can't express or find outlets for their goals and desires, the two main male characters of "Naked" find an outlet in pure, amoral violence towards women. It's just as bleak as "High Hopes" and "Life is Sweet" are wistful. Personally, I prefer wistful. I also prefer cacti named Thatcher and drunk guys naming off players from the Arsenal side while falling off bar stools. After seeing "Naked" three weeks ago, I still have a bruise from the kick in the stomach I got from seeing it. "Are you with me..." Rachel...BTW, see both "High Hopes" and "Life is Sweet". /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ Scott Key XXXXX "The nerve of some people..." -- Richard Thompson [log in to unmask] OOOOO "Let her finish her dance..." -- W.B.Yeats