Naked (1993)

Dedicated to my friend, Tony, and to the late Anthony Bourdain

Since its inception, this column has championed the notion that films are capable of high artistic merit beyond mere entertainment. Some movies not only speak through plot but also serve as a strong reaction to external forces. The motives aren’t always evident in the film. Whether or not the offensiveness encountered is strict allegory will remain for the respective filmmakers, and possibly for the academics, to decide. Be sure, these masterworks aren’t constructed for shocks alone; they are abstractly reacting to troubling events during troubled times.

Naked (1993) is directed by Mike Leigh. Leigh has an extraordinary way of working. He gives his actors a scenario and lets them develop their characters through long improvisations and rehearsals. This process creates the script, making for incredible moments of truth and realism. Naked follows an educated man as he traverses the city, interacting with old and new acquaintances. He is a troubled philosopher to say the least.

I Stand Alone (1998) is directed by Gaspar Noé. A butcher’s life is drastically altered when he violently tries to defend his daughter’s honor. His life remains on the downturn after a prison sentence, and his bitterness swells. In a final attempt to find a meaningful connection, he visits his daughter at the asylum charged with her care.

I Stand Alone (1998)

Bad Boy Bubby (1993) is directed by Rolf de Heer. A young man is shut in and shielded from society by his overbearing mother. His natural defense is mimicry, and his inclinations lean toward exploration. After he retaliates to the abuse he suffers at the hands of his mother and her boyfriend, Bubby sets out to greet the world. Bad Boy Bubby has a unique underlying humor that is dark and infectious.

Bad Boy Bubby (1993)