THEreelreviewer.Weebly.com - Dir.

by Mike Leigh (Born in Salford, Greater Manchester, UK) THEreelreviewer.Weebly.com Happy-Go-Lucky (2008) -reviewed on this blog Vera Drake (2004) -reviewed on this blog Cinema16: British Short Films (2003 video) All or Nothing (2002/I) A Sense of History (1992 TV short) Two Mikes Don't Make a Wright (1992 documentary) - (segment "A Sense of History") Life Is Sweet (1990) The Short and Curlies (1987 TV short) Four Days in July (1985 TV movie) Meantime (1984 TV movie) Home Sweet Home (1982 TV movie) The Five Minute Films (1982 TV short) Grown-Ups (1980 TV movie) Who's Who (1979 TV movie) Abigail's Party (1977 TV movie) Kiss of Death (1977 TV movie) Nuts in May (1976 TV movie) Knock for Knock (1976 TV short) The Permissive

 Society (1975 TV short) Hard Labour (1973 TV movie) Bleak Moments (1971) Play for Today (1970 TV series) The Wednesday Play (1964 TV series) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ VERA DRAKE Lower-class British drama shows how a helpful do-gooder can take the fall for society's greatest 'unspoken' ill, but some of the 'slang' may get 'lost in translation' in America!

3 stars [(2004)UK/Fine Line Features/Rated R] - (2 hrs. 5 min.) Written & directed by Mike Leigh Lead Character/Cast Vera Drake - Imelda Staunton Review: If British director Mike Leigh ("Topsy Turvy") has anything it's a gift for casting, and once again he is able to bring a character actor into the spotlight. This time Leigh has collaborated with longtime supporting actress Imelda Staunton ("Shakespeare in Love") and this film is the result of their six months of rehearsal, research, and unique improvisations which have yielded a fully fleshed out, three-dimensional 'secret' abortionist 'Vera Drake', a character that is so realistic one would expect to find her sourced in a history book. Director Leigh is not merely interested in using his imagination to highlight one character or an aspect of the abortion issue per se, but instead shifts of the focus of the film to all of the people in Vera's life from her poor sick mother to the folks she brings soup and a 'hot cuppa tea'.

The kind-hearted Vera would do anything for anyone and though the audience learns later that this includes abortions for girls (and women) who have 'gotten in the family way', it is only a small part of what this film is all about despite what the advance hype seems to indicate. As one would expect, there is also a nod to the middle class folk that employ Vera as a housemaid and use their money and influence to subvert the law and get their abortions in private hospitals. Vera operates outside this world and her service is free (though her partner is secretly skimming the girls for money) and her methods are painless in keeping with a portrait of an angel of mercy. Majority of the film works in this respect until Vera is caught due to an accidental miscarriage and the succeeding arrest, trial, and prosecution are a long labored affair. Here Leigh examines the rule of law and how its strict observance in applied to the poor while those with money are always able to circumvent it. Jim Broadbent ("Moulin Rouge") makes an odd cameo as the man who rules against Vera and sets the sentence to make her an example to other abortionists.

Certainly this is the ultimate hypocrisy, since its men that make babies, but women are left to deal with the problems that follow. In those days, with no 'legal' access to abortion and no proper husband any kind of birth outside marriage was immediately scandalized. Leigh leaves these ideas for the viewer to debate, but its his omission of clemency by the all-male court that speaks volumes long after the final credits roll up the screen. Supporting Characters/Cast Stan (Vera's hubby) - Phil Davis Det. Inspector Webster - Peter Wright Frank (Stan's brother) - Adrian Scarborough Joyce (Frank's wife) - Heather Craney Sid (Vera's son) - Daniel Mays Ethel (Vera's daughter) - Alex Kelly Susan - Sally Hawkins Reg (Ethel's beau) - Eddie Marsan Lily (Vera's 'friend') - Ruth Sheen WPC Best - Helen Coker Very Young Woman - Sinead Matthews Susan's confidante - Fenella Woolgar WEBSITE/Trailer, etc. Synopsis (from NYFF program): VERA DRAKE is one of Mike Leigh’s very best, a shattering drama about the unintended consequences of virtue.

'Vera Drake' (a superb performance by Imelda Staunton), hardworking cleaning woman, fond mother of two, friendly neighbor, has a secret: she helps out women who find themselves "in trouble" with unwanted pregnancies. As this illegal activity comes to light, its ramifications tear apart her family and the world around her. Leigh abjures satire for compassion and moral complexity, employing a meticulously controlled realism in portraying a precise historical moment— Great Britain in the early 1950s, still shell-shocked from World War II, pulling itself up out of drabness and shortages. In the process, the values of decency, stoical restraint, and class solidarity are put to the test, the admirable disentangled from the hypocritical. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Free mike leigh Essays and Papers Color Rating About Mike Leigh - About Mike Leigh Like many of the films watched in class there seems to be an ongoing theme in Mike Leigh’s films of the tragedy that is the life of those living in Britain. Fortunately, Leigh chooses to instead use these tragedies to instead promote the optimism or “high hopes” if you will of the people stuck in such unfortunate circumstances that are displayed onscreen.

His films seek to bring light where there is darkness and truth where there are lies. In the film Secrets and Lies, we are introduce into a family that seems to have quite a few problems that are on the surface and far more that are well hidden to the world as well as those they call family.... [tags: essays papers] 1105 words [preview] Use of Mise en Scene in Secrets and Lies by Mike Leigh - Use of Mise en Scene in Secrets and Lies by Mike Leigh As the narrative unfolds in Mike Leigh’s ‘Secrets And Lies’ we reach the dramatic climax of the film, the barbeque scene. This has significance to the title of the film, ‘Secrets and Lies’ as all the hidden secrets, such as Monica’s inability to have children, and Cynthia’s secret daughter, Hortense are revealed to their families. In the opening sequence the first view of Monica is one of her hovering and stencilling with aggression, connoting to the audience her obsessive nature and how she wrongly prioritises materialistic things to disguise the fact she is incapable to conceive....

[tags: Papers] 949 words [preview] Feminism in Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Aurora Leigh - Feminism in Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Aurora Leigh In Aurora Leigh, Elizabeth Barrett Browning creates an independent, intelligent young woman. Barrett Browning successfully demonstrates the difficult obstacles women had to overcome in the Victorian period. There were preconceived ideas of what "proper" women were suppose to do with their life. Not that this idea has completely been surmounted in our time. Barrett Browning though is optimistic about the goals women can achieve. She wants to demonstrate to women that belief in themselves and their dreams is possible and preferable to the standard.... [tags: Aurora Leigh Essays] :: 4 Works Cited [preview] The Sexual Battle in Browning’s Aurora Leigh - The Sexual Battle in Browning’s Aurora Leigh Women Beware Women, Beware Your Rivals, and most of all, Women Beware Sexual Jealousy all apply equally well to Aurora Leigh, but Victorian society was not ready for such honesty, so these themes all had to be encoded in Elizabeth Barret Browning's epic novel-poem. Aurora Leigh is a sexual battle rather than a battle of the sexes.

Aurora's major problem isn't being accepted in a male world of poetry, but in fending off rivals for her future sexual partner.... [tags: Aurora Leigh Essays] :: 4 Works Cited [preview] Female Rebellion In Aurora Leigh and The Lady in the Looking-Glass - Female Rebellion In Aurora Leigh and The Lady in the Looking-Glass Women of both the ages of Victorian and early Modernism were restricted from education at universities or the financial independence of professionalism. In both ages, women writers often rebelled against perceived female expectations as a result of their oppression. To lead a solitary life as a subservient wife and mother was not satisfactory for writers like Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Virginia Woolf. One of the most popular female poets of the Victorian era, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, illustrated "a woman's struggle to achieve artistic and economical independence in modern society" (Longman P.1858).... [tags: Aurora Leigh Essays] :: 1 Works Cited [preview] Mike Rose's Lives on the Boundary - Mike Rose's Lives on the Boundary Mike Rose’s Lives on the Boundary is an Educational Autobiography. The book begins at the beginning of his life and we follow him up into his adult years.

The book focuses on the “struggles and achievements of America’s educationally underprepared” . The Alien In order to understand Mike Rose, and his book Lives on the Boundary, you must first understand where Mike is coming from and examine his past. Mike was born to a first generation immigrant family, originally from Italy.... [tags: Mike Rose Lives Boundary Essays] 1580 words [preview] Lives on the Boundary by Mike Rose - Lives on the Boundary by Mike Rose The book Lives on the Boundary, written by Mike Rose, provides great insight to what the new teaching professional may anticipate in the classroom. This book may be used to inform a teacher’s philosophy and may render the teacher more effective. Lives on the Boundary is a first person account composed of eight chapters each of which treat a different obstacle faced by Mike Rose in his years as a student and as an educator. More specifically in chapters one through five Mike Rose focuses on his own personal struggles and achievements as a student....

[tags: Education Boundary Mike Rose Essays] :: 1 Works Cited [preview] Satire of Mike Tyson's Biting the Ear of Evander Holyfield - SATIRE When we think of boxing, we usually think of the gloves, the mouthpiece, the ring. When we think of past boxers, we can think of boxers like Muhammad Ali or George Foreman. There are present boxers like “Bite” Tyson and his colleague Evander “Holyears”. Boxing has been considered by many as a brutal sport, a sport for beasts, as many non- boxing fans would say. Mike Tyson has given credit to all this talk by boxing with his mouth and not with his hands. With Mike Tyson’s cannibalism and his boxing license being in jeopardy, his next opponent can be an alligator or a paraná fish.... [tags: Sports Boxing Mike Tyson] 522 words [preview] Mike Tyson: A Case Study - Mike Tyson is one of the most celebrated and notorious professional boxers of all time. Once a ferocious and feared fighter in the ring, Tyson is often remembered by what he did outside of the boxing ring during his career.

His violent and aggressive outbursts have drawn in the attention of the media and fans around the world. Tyson grew up in an environment that facilitated his learned behavior of violence and aggression towards other people. The behavioral model of development will show how Mike Tyson was conditioned by other people and his life experiences to behave in an abnormal and dysfunctional lifestyle.... [tags: Boxer, Biography, Behavior] 1361 words [preview] The Secret of Mike Hammer - What are the attributes of a hard-boiled detective. Apart from his "uniform", including a hat, a gun and a tough attitude, he smokes and drinks. A lot. Mike Hammer, the hero of Mickey Spillane, is the embodiment of this concept. At least in his third novel, Vengeance is Mine, published in 1950. The reader will have a hard time if he decides to start searching for a page without a line referring to smoking. This might seem odd for us living in 2011 when we hear all the time that cigarette is lethal and should be banned everywhere....

[tags: Author, Novel Analysis, Contrasts] :: 4 Works Cited [preview] Heroes and Villans by Mike Alsford - What could make a person transform from a family-man-school-teacher to a weapon-wielding-meth-cook. The first season of the television series, Breaking Bad, shows Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher, beginning to adopt traits and perform actions that would be described by Mike Alsford as those of a super villain. Unlike many characters discussed in Alsford’s book, Heroes and Villains, Walter White seems to lack a definite arc of good slowly giving way to evil in his development. Precisely stated in an article by Sean T.... [tags: breaking bad, murder, freedom] :: 10 Works Cited [preview] Mike Tyson Troubles - As Mike’s fame spread, so did the reports on his background and personal life. Mike fueled a flood of stories with his whirlwind romance and sudden marriage to actress Robin Givens on February 7, 1988. The following eight months were among the most turbulent in Mike’s life; divorce papers were filed on October 8, 1988.

In spite of a trying personal life, Mike continued his dominance in the ring. He reigned as the heavyweight champion for three years, with ten title defenses. Then, on February 10, 1990, Mike met lightly regarded James “Buster” Douglas, in Tokyo, Japan.... [tags: informative essay, expository essay] 740 words [preview] Mike Tyson: A Psychosocial and Biological Analysis - Health Psychology In the past few decades, clinical treatment has moved on from biomedical approach to the biopsychosocial approach. Scientists now believe that health of an individual is not merely due to physiological conditions but may also depend on psychological and socio-cultural perspectives(Engel, 1977). The term health psychology was developed by the American Psychological Association to describe health and wellness issues that arise from psychological problems. Health psychology stems from Systems theory, which says that human events such as injury and illness exist within several interconnected systems, such as our peer relationships, childhood experiences, personality and other...

[tags: health psychology, biomedecine] :: 4 Works Cited [preview] Coach Mike Krzyzewski - There are many names synonymous with college basketball, but none are on the same level as Mike Krzyzewski. LIFE Mike Krzyzewski, born to polish immigrants William and Emily Krzyzewski on February 13, 1947, was raised on Chicago’s north side. Although both parents have passed away, the example of integrity and ethics have never left him. In fact, his mothers influence of a strong faith has kept the ritual of placing her rosary in his shirt pocket before each and every game that he has coached. This positively affected Mike and shaped his future to become one of the greatest coaches in men’s college basketball, and more importantly, an influential leader these young players could look up to e... [tags: biography, basketball star] :: 5 Works Cited [preview] Becoming Mike Tyson - There have been many great fighters throughout history. Many have been very successful in their career and were very popular; however, few have been able to leave there mark on society as well as the boxing community.

Not many boxers took the initiative the make an impact on the boxing world and influence our future fighters. One person who was an excellent fighter and did go the extra mile was the one and only, Michael Gerard Tyson. Many people might not know the struggles becoming what he is today.... [tags: boxing, athletics, determination] :: 5 Works Cited [preview] Denman Leigh, - You have entered into the world where you will further discover the secret behind Denman Leigh, the creator of his “twin.” Behind the curtains’ of Dr. Leigh is his science world filled with suspense that no one can imagine. This movie provides the opportunity for viewers to ponder how and why the “twin” was created. Science fiction opens the doors to imagination and infinite possibilities that keeps the viewers questioning “what if…” This sort of questioning makes people connect the movie to their reality and wonder whether science can really create new controversial innovations.... [tags: essays research papers] 750 words [preview] Postmodern artists Mike Parr and Stelarc - People usually expect to see paintings and sculptures in Art Galleries.

Imagine the surprise one finds when they are presented with a man stitching his face into a bizarre caricature, or connected to a machine which controls the artist’s body. These shocking pieces of performance art come under the broad umbrella that is Postmodernism. Emphasis on meaning and shock value has replaced traditional skills and aesthetic values evident in the earlier Modernist movements. Like many other Postmodern artists, Mike Parr and Stelarc create confronting, shocking, bizarre artworks that provoke a gut reaction from their audience.... [tags: Postmodernism] 1051 words [preview] Compare Aurora Leigh and Neutral Tones - Compare Aurora Leigh and Neutral Tones The frenzied growth and progress of the Victorian Era had worked itself into a ferment at the birth of the Modern Age. Whereas the Victorian authors and poets seemed to attempt to hold onto themes of the Romantics, emulation of the Classical Age and the application of epic format, the Modernists used more conversational language, but similarly to Romantics, turned to introspection as an inspirational source.

However, most striking, is the change of mood of the literature from that of optimism and expansion of the 19th century, to that of early 20th century's "pessimism, sadness, and gravity" (Agatucci, 2001).... [tags: comparison compare contrast essays] :: 2 Works Cited [preview] The Blind Side by John Lee Hancock - The Blind Side is written and directed by John Lee Hancock, and is a true story based on the book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. The storyline features the life of young Michael Ohery. The movie takes viewers on a journey with Oher through his troubled childhood, to his years at Briarcrest Christian School, to his adoption by the Tuohy family, to college recruitment, and finally to a position on the Ole Miss’ football team. The movie is set in Memphis, Tennessee. The Blind Side emphasizes the importance of family, love, acceptance, “doing the right thing” as Leigh Ann Tuohy says, and mercy....

[tags: Michael Ohery, family, love, acceptance] :: 1 Works Cited [preview] Quality Research for Mike: An Illustrative Case Study - Introduction The three research methodology paradigms are quantitative research, qualitative research and mixed research. Each of these paradigms uses different methods for research and collects different types of data. A quantitative research relies primarily on the collection of quantitative data while a qualitative research relies on the collection of qualitative data. A mixed research involves mixing quantitative and qualitative methods. As the research for the study, “Mike: An Illustrative Case Study”, used a qualitative methodology, characteristics of qualitative research and how they relate to the particular study will be the focus of this review.... [tags: Analysis, qualitative, bias, solution] :: 4 Works Cited [preview] Mike Tyson Point Of View - During March 2001, the American heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson and his management expressed a keen interest in visiting Australia to host a boxing bout. The decision about whether or not to welcome Tyson will fall upon the Immigration Minister, Mr. Phillip Ruddock. If Tyson applies for an official visa to enter Australia it should be granted. Australia should seize this great opportunity and ignore the unjustified outrage expressed by some interest groups.

With women and family groups applying pressure upon the Immigration Minister to ban Tyson from Australia they are denying him the opportunity to do his job.... [tags: essays research papers] 366 words [preview] Mike's Weekly Training Plan - I have chosen Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday so it can fit into Mike’s weekly plan. As he has training for his club on Thursday and he is playing matches on Sundays. I set my training sessions to give Mike a rest before his game on Sunday, as I don’t want him tired for his game and also I want to keep his motivation high. Also I have given Mike a rest on Monday after his game. This will keep his motivation and enthusiasm as there enough gap in between each session. Each session will last 2 hours to give me enough time to help him meet his aims, Wednesday training session will only be 1 hour.... [tags: Papers] 407 words [preview] Straight Man, by Richard Russo and Tenure, by Mike Million - William Henry "Hank" Devereaux Jr. and Charlie Thurber are two men lost in the realm of college departmental politics.

The main character in Straight Man, a novel by Richard Russo, William Henry "Hank" Devereaux Jr., the son of an English professor and critic, who wrote a novel, Off the Road, early in his career, but he has produced nothing since. Hank likes to believe that he lives life by Occam’s razor, despite the complexities that continue to beleaguer him. He is the reluctant Interim chair of a small town college in Pennsylvania, who is facing a mutiny of his staff in the face of rumors of cut- backs and layoffs.... [tags: Hank and Charlie Overview] 1128 words [preview] Straight Man by Richard Russo and Tenure by Mike Million - William Henry "Hank" Devereaux Jr. and Charlie Thurber are two men lost in the realm of college departmental politics in similar settings. The main character in Straight Man, a novel by Richard Russo, William Henry "Hank" Devereaux Jr., the son of an English professor and critic, wrote a novel, Off the Road, early in his career. However, he has produced nothing since. Hank likes to believe that he lives life by Occam’s razor, despite the complexities that continue to plague him.

He is the reluctant chair of a small town college in Pennsylvania, who is facing rumors of cut- backs and layoffs, causing distrust and back-stabbing amongst his fellow professors.... [tags: Straight Man, Tenure] :: 2 Works Cited [preview] Film Analysis of The Graduate Directed by Mike Nichols - "Mrs. Robinson, you are trying to seduce me," says Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman). The Graduate, directed by Mike Nichols in 1967 is an influential satire/comedy film about a recent East Coast college graduated who finds himself alienated and aimless in the changing, social and sexual general public of the 1960s, and questioning the values of society. The theme of the film is of an innocent and confused youth who is exploited, mis-directed, seduced (literally and figuratively) and betrayed by a corrupt, self-indulgent, and discredited older generation (that finds stability in “plastics”) that I found to be quite clear and understanding, while also capturing the real spirit of the times...

[tags: film analysis, movie analysis] 2034 words [preview] Mike Nichols' Film, Wit - Mike Nichols' Film, Wit In the film Wit, directed by Mike Nichols, Emma Thompson (Vivian Bearing) is portrayed as a woman professor who had dedicated her life to teaching and studying John Donne and his sonnets. She was about 48 years old and was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer. This film showed us some of the hard decisions that Vivian had to make such as when she agrees to the radical and painful chemotherapy. The film showed us the changes she went through like in her body and mind (hair, weakness, weight, color etc.).... [tags: Film Movies] 560 words [preview] Mike Trisimano - Mike Trisimano was what most would call an average, normal city boy at age 14. It was a tough time for him, partly because he didn’t have the perfect or richest family in the world, partially because he didn’t have all of the friends a kid could have, and partially because he didn’t have the interest in hobbies or athleticism that most of the other kids had.

Now, keep in mind, Mike wasn’t a total loser, for he did have parents and friends and he wasn’t the kid picked last in gym class, yet at the same time, he didn’t really have anything special about him.... [tags: essays research papers] 723 words [preview] mike bloomberg - Mike Bloomberg is running for mayor of New York City. The elections will be held Nov.6. One of the things he says that he will do if he becomes mayor is that he will have the NYPD retain command and control of school safety officers. He says that, “Schools can be used to address the issue of police-community relations. Students and police should get to know each other in non-adversarial ways through the school system.” I agree with him on this issue because many students do not like the NYPD. I think that if they would get to know the officers, they would not feel afraid or threatened by them.... [tags: essays research papers] 359 words [preview] Mike Tyson - Mike Tyson Mike Tyson, the youngest ever heavyweight boxing champion of the world was born in a ghetto in the state of New York.

His Father departed the family home two years after his birth, leaving his Mother to raise three children with very limited financial means. Subsequently, his Mother found a new partner who was abusive and violent. She then turned to alcohol in an attempt to escape from her existence. Michael, now aged five years, felt neglected and unloved by her but at this time he was unaware that his Mother was suffering from terminal cancer.... [tags: Biography Biographies Papers] :: 13 Works Cited [preview] Pools and Riffles Within a River: The River Teme - Using the results gathered from a recent field study at the The Leigh Brook, suggest the morphological, hydrological and sediment differences between the Pool and Riffle. Within a river there are areas known as pools and riffles. The pool is an area of deeper slow moving water, whereas the river is an area of shallow, fast flowing white water. The rocks are also clearly visible at the riffle, but submerged in the pool. A pool is usually found on a meander whereas the riffle is normally seen on the straighter areas of the channel, they tend to be situated very close to one another, forming in sequences....

[tags: water motion, the leigh brook] :: 10 Works Cited [preview] Mike's Friday Training- Original Writing - Mike's Friday Training- Original Writing Before starting the training I will be making Mike do a thorough warm up as I feel Mike will be doing a lot of work in this session. The warm up will involve a slow run, knees up, side to sides, legs up at back and stretching. As before Mike kicks a ball we want his muscles to be prepared for exercise. After the warm up Mike will be training on his long and short range passing as Mike can lack in this area in matches. First of all for long passing, I will set out a target flat on the pitch.... [tags: Papers] 693 words [preview] Iowa Wrestling - Tale of Warriors by Michael Smith - It is the dusk of autumn. Cold wind chills rush in the farmlands, bringing about their bitter and unsaturated cast, a ghastly blue fading into blackness and wilting green, the predominant colors of the time. This is no sign of despair; it's rather welcoming for the people of Iowa. This is wrestling season.

Iowa Wrestling, a documentary directed by Michael Smith and narrated by Dylan McDermott, is produced by ESPN. It was televised in 2003 on ESPN The Season, a series that reveals the rigidity, torment, and triumph of the nation's highest demanding sport groups.... [tags: espn, mike zadick, the season] :: 5 Works Cited [preview] Mike Nichols' Film, Regarding Henry - Mike Nichols' Film, Regarding Henry Life can change in an instant. One second you are a successful and ruthless lawyer, the next you’re a simple man with absolutely no memory of who or where you are. The film “Regarding Henry” shows this perfectly as it travels through the life of a man named Henry Turner. The main focus of the film is how important family life is. Before the accident, Henry hardly even knew his daughter and almost never spoke to her. At the start of the film the father-daughter relationship was very weak, he would never speak to her when he came home from work because he didn’t have time, but when he did he lectured to her - like when she spilled grape juice on his “prize...

[tags: Film Movies] 593 words [preview] Women and Children in "The Cry of the Children" and "The Feminine Education of Aurora Leigh" - In both of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poems, The Cry of the Children and The Feminine Education of Aurora Leigh, the role of gender is evident. Browning brings attention to the causes and nature of women's subordination to men in society in an attempt to remove that subordination through awareness. There were limited educational and employment opportunities available for women, and Browning aims to challenge these issues of gender inequality because she feels women should have equal opportunity as men.... [tags: Comparative Literature] 1262 words [preview] The Underdressed Brand: Abercrombie and Fitch - “I don’t want large people shopping in my store.

I want thin and beautiful people.” (Posnanski) In May of 2013, the issue of the underrepresentation of alternative body types—unusually large or unusually small, big-chested or big-waisted, too tall or too short, and so on—came to a head when Mike Jeffries, the CEO of Abercrombie and Fitch, had an exclusive interview with Benoit Denizet Lewis of Salon Magazine. In it, he answered the question of why he does not carry any women’s sizes above size ten in his store: he does not want any “fat, uncool” people seen wearing his brand.... [tags: mike jeffries, abercrombie, salon magazine] :: 15 Works Cited [preview] Mike Rose's I Just Wanna Be Average - Comparing Mike Rose's I Just Wanna Be Average and the “Report of the French Commission on American Education, 1879' Mike Rose's I Just Wanna Be Average essay sheds light on troubled youth within the public school system. It makes you long for the days of American pride and service. Students placed in “tracks'; to utilize overcrowded and faulty test systems.

Identity lost due to poor instruction and lack of motivation. The influx of shattered images brought forth by the “Report of the French Commission on American Education, 1879'; reminds us of a time long ago when education was for every child, not select few.... [tags: Report French Commission on American Education] :: 2 Works Cited [preview] Mike Harris And The Ontario Conservative Party: Ceos Of The Year? - Private universities, private jails, private health-care and private water testing. What do all of these things have in common. They are all services the Tory government in Ontario has been trying to privatize with some disastrous results and possibly more to come. The Ontario government, lead by Progressive Conservative leader Mike Harris, has been slowly trying to do away with services that are currently administered by the province. The ideology in question, privatization, has been a hallmark of the Common Sense revolution.... [tags: essays research papers fc] :: 2 Works Cited [preview] Review of Mike Rose's Essay Entitled, Tracking - Most students go through high school trying to just get to graduation day. They just want to pass all their classes, nothing higher.

Only a small percentage of students in high school actually have the determination to excel and be above average on their own. Most people need someone to inspire them to excel. The essay "Tracking" by Mike Rose discusses how he needed someone to point out to him that he shouldn't be in Vocational classes. He put into a whole new different situation, and the classes could actually be a challenge for him.... [tags: high school experience] 558 words [preview] Weighing the Right to Own an Embryo by Mike McKee - Writing to a Legal Audience Mike McKee’s article, "Weighing the Right to Own an Embryo," made the front page of the Recorder, a daily legal newspaper published in San Francisco reporting on legal advice and interests of attorneys and legal practitioners. How did he make his article such a success. What made it front page worthy in the eyes of this legal audience. McKee’s article, "Weighing the Right to Own an Embryo," appeals to a legal audience by presenting an unbiased framework and evidence.... [tags: Legal Audience Article] :: 2 Works Cited [preview] Where Would Someone Look to Find Information on Natural Health News and sScientific Discoveries? - The U.S.

Department of Justice website is seemingly more logical for those who want to know information the U.S. Government has backed by government funds. Websites on the internet which are privately funded and ran by concerned citizens of the U.S. might be more appealing to those thinking outside of the box. These sites do not have any government affiliation or funding and are free to research and give information they deem valuable. In looking for sites which disprove many of the government studies one is dominant in a google search, the Natural News website.... [tags: natural news, mike adams, department of justice] :: 5 Works Cited [preview] The Role of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Chronic Diseases - The mitochondria are specialized rod-shaped structures (organelles) found in most living cells. Depending on their specialized functions, cells may contain as few as five mitochondria or as much as 2000 of these organelles. They are often called the “powerhouse” of the cell because they convert oxygen and nutrients into ATP (adenosine triphosphate), a form of chemical energy, which provides substrate to various metabolic processes within the cell. Only mitochondria can perform this function and when mitochondrial dysfunction occurs, normal cellular activities are disrupted....

[tags: healthy diet,cellular activity,leigh's syndrome] :: 4 Works Cited [preview] The Year Was 1992 and Bill Clinton Had Just Been Elected - ... Through today people are standing up for what is truly right and what they deserve. Everyone one is trying to make a difference for the better, so they can stand as one and be their own individual. So no matter what a persons age is, if one person put the effort forward they can truly make a difference. Tiger Woods was asked to golf in his first PGA event at just the young age of 16. From there, there was no where he could go but up. Through all his hard work and determination he officially went professional in 1996 at the age of 26 and won his first major golf event only one year later....

[tags: Tiger Woods, LA riots, Mike Tyson] :: 5 Works Cited [preview] Muted Women in Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own and Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Aurora Leigh - Muted Women in Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own and Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Aurora Leigh In the predominantly male worlds of Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own and Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s “Aurora Leigh (Book I)”, the women’s voices are muted. Female characters are confined to the domestic spheres of their homes, and they are excluded from the elite literary world. They are expected to function as foils to the male figures in their lives. These women are “trained” to remain silent and passive not only by the males around them, but also by their parents, their relatives, and their peers.... [tags: A Room of One’s Own Essays] :: 2 Works Cited [preview] Big Mike's Perspective in When Heaven and Earth Changed Places - One of the events that stuck out to me from this book is when Le Ly agrees to have sex with an American soldier for $400, about eighty times what the usual Danang prostitute gets for the same service.

The person that I see as responsible for this event is Big Mike, an American MP. Here is his side of the story: I had been dealing with this crap my whole life, whenever somebody needs something they call me, Big Mike. Most of the time it's nice because I can get a tidy profit from my dealings. Sometimes, like today, I end up losing out on more than profits.... [tags: essays research papers] 1078 words [preview] The Powerful Words of Amy Tan, Maxine Hairston, and Mike Rose - The Powerful Words of Amy Tan, Maxine Hairston, and Mike Rose The power of words is immeasurable. Words help people to voice their opinions and express their thoughts and feelings. Our everyday lives are shaped by communication and in general language. A persons language can often influence success and happiness. America is viewed as a melting pot for numerous different people and their respective languages. Language is so vital in our society that a person of diverse ethnic background can face many tribulations throughout their everyday life....

[tags: Essays Papers] :: 3 Works Cited [preview] Actors and Actresses of the 50s: Vivien Leigh, Audrey Hepburn, Marlon Brando, Grace Kelly, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Burt Lancaster, Bing Crosb - In the 50s, several things happened to shock and awe the entertainment business; such as the invention of the teleprompter, TV’s first soap opera, “The Little Rascals” TV show, and the “I Love Lucy” TV show. But the most important thing about the entertainment in the 50s was the actors and actresses. Through out the 50s there were hundreds of actors and actresses. To name a few Vivien Leigh, Audrey Hepburn, Marlon Brando ,Grace Kelly, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Burt Lancaster, Bing Crosby, Dorothy Dandridge, Judy Garland, Elizabeth Taylor, and Doris Day.... [tags: essays research papers] 1546 words [preview] vera drake - Vera Drake Vera Drake is a film nominated for several Oscars, and a completely successes for Mike Leigh, who is both director and writer.

The film is set in London in the early 1950s. Vera Drake lives with her husband Stan, and her two grown children Ethel and Sid, in a small middleclass flat. Vera is a domestic who cleans the houses of rich women, while Stan works at a mechanic shop run by his brother Frank. Vera has a heart of gold, and is cheerful at anytime, even though she got plenty of work to do, and lots of people to take care of.... [tags: essays research papers] 684 words [preview] Proper Use of the Term Myself in Please Forgive I; Myself Just Isn't Me Today by Mike Kelley - In Mike Kelley's essay entitled, "Please Forgive I; Myself Just Isn't Me Today," he makes reference to the use of the term "myself." Kelley makes it clear that he does not believe in the use of the term "myself" in such a way as, "Dr. Richards and myself will talk about..." (As if heard on TV).

This sort language is accepted modern usage, but as Kelley reminds us, "I refuse to accept any usage that is defined as modern." He believes this sort of language is what leads to other appalling statements like, "Hopefully it won't rain again today," which should then be answered with such a comment as, "Yes, hopelessly the sun will shine on little children all over the world, you benighted, saliva... [tags: Papers] 637 words [preview] Mike Davis And The LAPD - The general assumption that people make of the role that police officers play is that they are there to “Protect and Serve” the community. What people many times do not realize is that in reality a large percentage of police officers in Los Angels, including the Chiefs of Police, do their jobs with a different intention in mind. Police officers as well as politicians claim to be working hard on keeping drugs off the streets when in reality they are bringing on the violence themselves by instigating problems that are not really there.... [tags: essays research papers] 944 words [preview] king mike - Chapter 1 1) The Four purposes of writing are to: inform, persuade, express oneself, and to entertain.

To inform may be to further educate the reader on a topic of intrest such as taking care of pets. Trying to sway a reader on a topic such as wheather abortion is moral or not is an example of persuasive writing. Self expression is apearent in poetry along with personal essays. And any child who has ever been read to can tell you how entertaining writing can be. 2) When writting a paper the audience is the most important thing to think about.... [tags: essays research papers] 1187 words [preview] Free College Admissions Essays: I Traded it All to Be a Filmmaker - I Have Traded it All to Be a Filmmaker I left a secure job and a lifestyle that would have catapulted me into the upper middle class by age 30. I disappointed my family and shocked my friends, but the applause from the packed auditorium vindicated my decision to pursue my passion. At great expense, I decided to follow my dreams, to refuse to be disappointed or discouraged by life. As I reflected on all the difficulties I persevered through in reaching that point in my life, I felt a hand patting me on my shoulder praising my work....

[tags: College Admissions Essays] 1033 words [preview] Erin Brockavich - At the opening of the film we see Erin struggling: as a single mother, as a human being with potential, courage and individuality, and as a sexual being as well. Erin is a St. Joan of the white underclass, a Green Guerrilla, Mother Jones and Madonna all rolled into one. Unlike the image of second wave feminism which distanced itself from any robust sexuality it felt to be reductive at best or degrading at worst, Brockovich's iconic status is post-"third wave" feminist, that is, eroticized, as it borrows heavily from underground Grrrl culture, aware of being both a body and a mind, and utilizing both to their fullest.... [tags: Movies Film] 1177 words [preview] "A Way of Life" Movie by Amma Assante - “A Way of Life”, set in Wales, depicts a harsh environment where the occupants struggle to find ways to get by. This includes single-mother, Leigh-Anne. While presented as a victim of her current situation, she clearly lives in constant fear.

This repressed fear feeds into the aggression Leigh-Anne, Robbie, Gavin, and Stephen act on with Hassan. My argument will focus on the several forms of social abjection that occur in “A Way of Life” whether to Leigh-Anne, her group, and Hassan (as a representative of racial/ethnic minorities).... [tags: social abjection, welfare queen, racial tension] :: 1 Works Cited [preview] The Blind Side, a Hollywood Film - Have you ever wondered why so many films portray the story of a poor, abused, homeless, colored person that is eventually rescued by a smart, rich, white person. Every few years, there is a new film made that captures this same story, but the way the viewer is affected by the representation of race changes quite often. This idea gets old to many viewers who may agree with the idea of race being addressed in film, but not in the same way all the time. When a rich, white, republican family in the South takes in a homeless black boy to live with them, they struggle with the disapproval of society and their own insecurity....

[tags: poor, homeless, rich, white man] :: 4 Works Cited [preview] A Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert Heinlein - Robert Heinlein is often thought of as one of the greatest science fiction writers of all time. His most popular book; A Stranger in a Strange Land; created a counter cultural revolution. Which resulted in many cults built around his fictitious culture that challenges every axiom of society. *Note that this book was written in the 1960's when "free love" was widely accepted by the younger generations. It arguably influenced the "free love" movement and the "sexual revolution "in general. Valentine Michael Smith (a.k.a.... [tags: Science Fiction Heinlein Strange] 1012 words [preview] Rewriting the Epic Tradition to Reshape the Societal Role of Women - Rewriting the Epic Tradition to Reshape the Societal Role of the Woman In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s epic-novel, she creates a hybrid form. By mixing both the epic as well as the novel, she is mixing a traditionally male genre with a traditionally female genre.

Women, traditionally seen as emotional beings meant to be a man’s “helpmate” as well as a caretaker of children are seen in a new light in Aurora Leigh. Men are also given new roles. As Barrett Browning writes of the epic and poetic tradition, “Their sole work is to represent the age, /Their age, not Charlemagne's,–this live, throbbing age…” (Barrett Browning V.202-203).... [tags: literature, epic novel, gender equality] :: 5 Works Cited [preview] ICT for a Working Adult - ICT for a Working Adult I am going to review a working adult and how he or she uses ICT at work and in their every day lives. My working adult is called Mike he works at Watkin Jones in the offices. Watkin Jones is a company that builds houses and apartments. In Mike's day at work he uses all sorts of ICT such as PC Technology, the Internet and he uses Mobile phones and Pagers. While Mike is at home he uses a lot of ICT. He uses the Internet, Mobile phone and his MP3 player.

Internet While Mike is in work he uses the internet (WWW) to find information for example, reading information of the NHBC standards, getting phone numbers for plumbers, etc., getting direction... [tags: Papers] 810 words [preview] The Bilingual Model of Deaf Education - The search for the most effective way to educate deaf students has long been filled with controversy, due to strong advocacy for conflicting approaches. The bilingual model of deaf education has been in place in many schools for the deaf for the past 20 years (Drasgow, 1998), and while many advocates of a strictly oral approach to deaf education discount its success, it is still a viable and appropriate option for deaf students with severe to profound hearing loss. In this paper I will describe historical perspectives around deaf education and discuss hearing loss and language acquisition for deaf children.... [tags: Education] :: 11 Works Cited [preview] Plot Summary of The Sun Also Rises - T he Sun Also Rises opens with the narrator, Jake -Barnes, delivering a brief biographical sketch of his friend, Robert Cohn. Jake is a veteran of World War I who now works as a journalist in Paris.

Cohn is also an American expatriate, although not a war veteran. He is a rich Jewish writer who lives in Paris with his forceful and controlling girlfriend, Frances Clyne. Cohn has become restless of late, and he comes to Jake’s office one afternoon to try to convince Jake to go with him to South America.... [tags: literary analysis, book report] 962 words [preview] Humorous Wedding Toast by the Bride's Brother - Humorous Wedding Toast by the Bride's Brother Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen. Firstly, on behalf of the bridesmaids, I'd like to thank Mike for his kind words and reiterate how wonderful they look and what a fantastic job they have done today. I would also like to say that Sallie looks stunning - as I'm sure you'll all agree. Which really isn't that much of a surprise given we are related. Sallie is of course my sister, so I've known her much longer than I've known Mike. But I have been sternly warned not to delve into any of her terrible past relationships, her horrible pre- and post-teen attitude, her early problems with alcohol and the short spell she spent in a Singapore jail for dr...

[tags: Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches] 502 words [preview] A Slice Of Life - Thump!Thump. There was a loud noise at the door, "Alright hold on, I'm coming." Tim yelled. Tim was in his early twenties, he had a blue mowhawk, always dressed shabby, and addicted to heroin. Tim walked to the door and opened it, "Yes." he said sarcastically. The man at the door asked if Gwen was home, "Are you Gwen's new boyfriend" Tim asked him. "Yes I am, my name is Tony" he replied. "Nice to meet you" Tim said. "No, Gwen is not here right now. I think she is still trying to get the job at that bar on 6th street" Tim replied.... [tags: Creative Writing Short Story] 1354 words [preview] Dont Care High - Summary - The novel Don’t Care High was written by Gordan Korman. This novel, as well as other novels he wrote were based partly on his experiences in high school, where he says, “the only way to get through high school alive was by laughing”.

This novel relates to teenagers about high school and how their high school is different. Korman wrote his first novel at age 12, This Can’t Be Happening at McDonald Hall. Korman graduated from New York University’s Dramatic Writing Program. He now lives in New York City with his wife and children.... [tags: essays research papers] 1118 words [preview] Comparison and Contrasting Between 3 poems: - The Flea (John Donne), - Comparison and Contrasting Between 3 poems: - The Flea (John Donne), Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer's Day (William Shakespeare), and Jenny Kissed Me (James Leigh Hunt) These three love poems or sonnets were all written pre 1914 but by very different writers. The authors of these poems use different styles of writing love poetry. For instance, John Donny is very clever. His poem, 'The Flea' brings out an angle of smart sayings to get people to have sex. William Shakespeare focuses more on actually love, while James Leigh Hunt focuses primarily on a blunt approach....

[tags: English Literature] 938 words [preview] "Sense and Sensibility" by Jane Austen - "Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen" Jane Austen was born at Steventon, Hampshire, on 16 December 1775. She was the seventh of eight children of Reverend George and Cassandra Leigh Austen. Austen was very closed to her by three years elder sister, Cassandra, who was the only person that Jane wanted read her written work and constantly asked for her opinion. (Magill Critical Survey of Short Fiction 119-120)<p> From about the time she was twelve years old, Austen began writing spirited parodies of the popular Gothic and sentimental fiction of the day for the amusement of her family, but her attempts at more sustained and serious work began around 1794.... [tags: European Literature] 2307 words [preview] Nicholas Sparks' The Guardian - Nicholas Sparks' The Guardian In this book, Julie Barenson is a young widow, whose husband Jim died earlier from cancer. Her husband left her two unexpected gifts.

The first was a Great Dane puppy name Singer (this gift was delivered the first Christmas after his passing) and the other gift was his promise that he would always be watching over her. About four years after his passing, Julie is twenty-nine years old and is too young to have given up on love just yet. She may be ready to risk caring for someone again but she just can't figure out who that person is yet.... [tags: Sparks Guardian Book Review] 1475 words [preview] Comparing and Contrasting Jenkins' Poem "He Loved Light, Freedom and Animals" and Bush's Poem "Pneumoconiosis" - Both poems have been written about death dying and the loss of loved ones, in a once thriving Welsh mining community. The first poem by Mike Jenkins is a reflection and remembrance by a Father who tragically and suddenly lost his son in a horrific and unfortunate disaster that happened in Aberfan in 1966, where many young lives were lost. The second poem by Duncan Bush in 1995 was written when he was riddled with the disease Pneumoconiosis hence the title of his poem.

Pneumoconiosis is a disease contracted by miners who worked underground toiling unaware of the affect the dust was having upon their lungs.... [tags: Literary Comparison, Poetry, Poem Analysis] 1026 words [preview] Comedy in "The Ugly Truth" Directed by Robert Luketic - The ugly Truth directed by Robert Luketic was a delightful and entertaining movie. Katherine Hiegl and Gerard Butler are both well known actors who work marvelously together in this movie. There is something in the movie for all men and women, whether they are on his side or rooting for her. The story of the central couple will grab the hearts of all those who watch it. What makes this movie shine specifically is the script of the storyline and the chemistry between the main actors; however, as a romantic, comedy it could have been better.... [tags: ugly Truth, director, Robert Luketic, ] 852 words [preview] The Night Stalker - Imagine living in Los Angeles and being afraid every night that an unknown man could break in rip your family apart. There were many prolific serial killers throughout the seventies and eighties that struck fear in many people. In that time only one man was terrorizing the greater Los Angeles area.

In the span of one year from June 28, 1984 until August 24, 1985 Richard Ramirez killed sixteen people going as far as seventy six miles south of Los Angeles. He was known as the “Night Stalker”. Richard Ramirez was born on February 29, 1960 in El Paso, Texas; his father’s name was Julian.... [tags: Serial Killers] :: 5 Works Cited [preview] The Hometown Hero - Speech Title: The Hometown Hero Public Figure: Mike Alstott General Purpose: To inform + To persuade= To praise Specific Purpose: To praise Mike Alstott to my classmates as a role model and hero to the Tampa Bay area. Thesis: Mike Alstott is a true warrior, a role model, and an example of a hometown hero. I. Introduction: A. He hasn’t stood in the face of danger for his country. He hasn’t started a new religion. He’s not a Mother Teresa and he doesn’t have his own talk show....

[tags: Persuassive essay] 962 words CINELATION | Movie Reviews by Christopher Beaubien | Movie Review: HAPPY-GO-LUCKY (2008) Movie Review: HAPPY-GO-LUCKY (2008) Written by Christopher Beaubien • October 23, 2008 • 6 Comments Driven Conversations About One Thing Pauline ‘Poppy’ Cross, the title character of Mike Leigh’s winning comedy Happy-Go-Lucky, is a litmus test like determining whether a glass is half-full or half-empty. Is it so unreal for someone to be so good and so strong? In a world that seems to be over-populated with a bunch of sorry-sacks all too eager to pop the bubbles of others, the outcry is deafening. It is rare how a movie directly tells you who you really are. Some audience members will find her infallible sunniness grating, perhaps worthy of envy. Others will want invite her over to their house for drinks and laughs once the movie is over. I am in the latter category. It is important to first understand how and why you feel the way you do about Poppy.

She is the key to how successfully the film will bypass all of your qualms and barriers guarding your heart. You may well find yourself grinning from ear to ear. I did. What Mike Leigh most enjoys is playing with our perceptions of people. We are wired to make assumptions by the initial impressions of our casual acquaintances and strangers who enter our field of vision. Sometimes our hunches are right (to each his own) and most times we are mistaken. Notice what Leigh shows us about Poppy. She has a sense of humour. She’s earnestly social. She goes clubbing with her friends all-night on Saturdays. She’s not afraid to look silly. At the point she is making bird masks with paperbags and colourful felts and feathers, Leigh is practically goading us to see her as a “bimbo”, while giving those who are onto Leigh’s game just enough leeway to hold their verdicts. How this plays out reveals the real themes of Happy-Go-Lucky. What do we really know about one enough? How do we learn to see people for who they are? What makes a good teacher? Character actress Sally Hawkins has a great challenge playing a woman who looks happy, is happy, and remains complex and wise.

Some viewers may argue she deceives them with her depth. There is a prejudice against a smile; anyone who smiles appears shallow and light-minded. Deep thinkers are usually pictured as angst-ridden, haunted, and in great pain. It is a mistake to assume Poppy is a bubbly fool. A mistake that her sullen driving instructor Scott (Eddie Marsen), a Bizarro to her Super(girl), makes throughout. He can’t believe she is an elementary school teacher. He can’t stand how she wears those high-heeled boots while driving. Her insistent joking actually counterattacks his punishing personality. At one point he tells her, “You celebrate chaos!” Eddie Marsen is brilliantly ruthless playing Scott as the kind of man who is forever blaming everyone around him. You’d almost pity him if he wasn’t so irredeemably clingy to his prejudice. He is resigned to his rut. What bitter irony that his job description tempers road rage. He even screams at his pupil.

Mike Leigh has dealt with a similar character in his most bleakest film Naked (1993) — its title character Johnny, played by David Thewlis, was a scuzzy intellectual who aimlessly drifted into the lives of others only to hurt them. Scott has a way of revealing deep emotional scars with silence. One imagines he privately picks at his insecurities like a scabby wound that will never heal. Like Johnny, he uses his book smarts to conceal his hostility to others. Worse, he is set off with fright and hostility when he sees two black teens bicycling across the street. “Lock your door!” What a toxic man. Why does Poppy keep coming back for another driving lesson when a sane person would change teachers? This and many other choices drives her character, demonstrating what indomitable force her unique point of view makes. One wonders how conscious she is of her spirit, despite how well she can read and navigate through a situation. Watch how superbly she negotiates with a very troubled child in her class. The way that episode develops shows just how much command Poppy has. She is never defensive. She is open and doesn’t accept defeat. Together, Poppy and Scott are dynamic foils.

Their quick, incisive dialogue makes their rapport immensely entertaining and also very frightening. Perhaps pity isn’t out of the question for Scott. He hates himself so much, yet he hasn’t quite grasped that insight. Or maybe he doesn’t want to. Hawkins and Marsen are smart enough not to turn their counterparts into easy targets. They understand their characters so profoundly that what ultimately ignites their final confrontation is almost blindsiding, and inevitable. Both of Hawkins and Marsen’s performances are stunning when you look back at their previous supporting work in the last two of Mike Leigh’s films. In Vera Drake (2004), Hawkins played a shy, soft-spoken daughter to rich parents who was later raped by her boyfriend and became more insular while trying to obtain an abortion in 1950s London. Marsen, famous in Britain as a comedian, portrayed a gravely timid and lonely man who reluctantly gets set up by sweet Vera (Oscar nominee Imelda Staunton) with her own daughter (Alex Kelly).

One of the most poignant scenes in Vera Drake depicted in long-shot Marsen and Kelly, a couple in their mid-thirties, walking in an autumn park and they resemble a couple who has been married for forty years. In All or Nothing (2002), Hawkins played a sullen, lower class young woman who is angered easily by her alcoholic mother. Their range is phenomenal. Leigh follows his characters to make up their stories, namely their own lives. Over a couple weeks, Poppy attends flamenco dancing lessons. The teacher teeming with passionate gravitas is played by Karina Fernandez. The presence of this character alone shirks away the inclusion of the scenes as a lark. “My space!” Stamp! Stamp! These scenes linger over great comic interaction but don’t resolve so much as a generic plot would demand. Like life, the most pressing matter at the moment sometimes dissipates away without a compact conclusion. Here, those flamenco scenes are too invaluable to dismiss because they are so much fun. Another scene that seems to come from left field is when late one night, Poppy comes across a man, maybe a schizophrenic, who fervently chants gibberish.

Poppy, so empathetic, foolhardy and brave, approaches the stranger in the shadows. She talks to him. He seems unsettled. We are worried about her. He excuses himself to urinate in private from a distance. At point she asks herself, “What am I doing?” He comes back. Their conversation continues awkwardly and becomes more relaxed. She asks if he has anywhere to sleep. He says he has a bed. It is never confirmed, but I suspect that maybe he does have a home where he rests. However strange and improbable the moment appears, it becomes important and inseparable from the film as a whole. Leave it Leigh to take a chance and like a magician reveal that he knows exactly what he’s doing. Leigh, now 65, takes a radical approach to filmmaking by employing actors of his choice and developing a script from there. For a six month period, Leigh works with his actors to build their characters up through improvisation and study. Leigh shoots the film in chronological order, keeping the finished script to his chest, and films the results.

During the rehearsal period of this film, Leigh lay in the backseat of the Ford Focus while Hawkins and Marsen improvised and refined their scenes while driving in London traffic. Leigh’s last condition is final cut. Every film he has made employs this technique, despite the rewarding results, Leigh struggles to find backers to finance a film without a shooting script in the beginning. I think what makes all of Mike Leigh’s films so emotionally volatile is because he always channels the hardships of the human condition so mercilessly. He never lightens his material unnecessarily. Secret And Lies (1996), for example, contains devastating moments where loved ones say things that make one reconsider the term “loved ones”. For such a quirky film like Happy-Go-Lucky, on par with Leigh’s comic Life Is Sweet (1991), being a comedy doesn’t mean there won’t be honest and harrowing moments. There are moments that feel so right, when one character protests, “I want to go home!” There is also a lovely scene that takes place in a chiropractor’s office; completely vulnerable in her underwear and fishnet stockings, Poppy is getting her back pains popped out.

She is at such ease, ripe with laughter, and cracking jokes that she doesn’t feel nearly naked. The long lens aerial view of her body across the table simply shows a beautiful and happy woman. The issue of happiness here reminds of an underrated indie that probed its mystery, Jill Spreacher’s Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (2002). That film focused on Gene, an insurance adjuster (Alan Arkin), who envied the beaming optimism of an employee nicknamed Smiley Bowman (William Wise). The Arkin character thought he finally found a way to wipe the grin from Smiley’s face…by firing him. What happens then and much later in the film underlines the central mystery of how some people always find the upside while others linger in a despond. There is a familiar dilemma in Happy-Go-Lucky when Poppy and her friends come over to visit her conservative and pregnant sister. Not only are the performances so infectious, but the look of the film by Leigh collaborator Dick Pope is so sumptuous and vivid. Filmed using a newly-developed stock of Fuji film, the colours of the London flats, the blue sky, and Poppy’s colourful attire pop with a sparkling vibrancy.

There is a shot where Poppy looks out a window; white, refined clouds slowly stretch across day-lit town below. It reminded me of a similar composition taken over a Grand Canyon vista early in Godfrey Reggio’s Koyaanisqatsi (1982). The composer Gary Yershon has made a simple, catchy score using horn instruments that’s reminiscent of High Hopes (1988) by Andrew Dickson, another Leigh regular. I ask again, will Andrew Dickson’s haunting soundtracks alone ever be available to the public? This year, Sally Hawkins has realized as great a lead performance this side of Melissa Leo in Frozen River and Kristin Scott Thomas in Il Y A Longtemps Que Je T’Aime (I’ve Loved You So Long). If anything, you’ll never look at chicken cutlet the same way again. Not only does this comedy succeed with wit and empathy, it has much richer undertones that lesser filmmakers would avoid out of fear of transcending genres. It is also the best film I have seen about women since Nicole Holofcener’s Lovely and Amazing (2002).

Poppy never declares it, but she wants to make the world a better place – there is a lot to be angry about (ie. the economy), so that is no easy feat. I can’t wait to visit Poppy again because she is not merely a ‘happy person’. Poppy is able to perform the herculean feat of recognizing your losses, being blind to the offset of things to come and approaching it with enthusiasm. Happy-Go-Lucky deserves more than just three cheers. This is one of the best films of the year.HAPPY-GO-LUCKY (2008) HAPPY-GO-LUCKY (2008) UK Trailer Movie Review: MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE (2011) Jamie Leo Thank you for your really thoughtful, informative, and interesting essay. Your insights on Leigh — and the brilliance and importance of his work — are much appreciated. Christopher Beaubien I’m glad that you, a Leigh-aficionado, enjoyed the review so much. Very soon, I plan on reading Amy Raphael’s engrossing interview-book “Mike Leigh on Mike Leigh” that’s waiting for me on my bookshelf.

For the holidays, I’d like to get The Mike Leigh Film Collection, an eleven-disc box set available only in the UK. It also includes High Hopes (1988) and Bleak Moments (1971), unavailable on Region 1 DVDs. To boot, most of the films include commentaries by Leigh – only the commentary for Naked (1993) released through Criterion is available here in North America. DW An excellent review of this very entertaining movie! I couldn’t agree with you more. I watched it for the first time last night on DVD and I find myself thinking about my own negative attitudes and those I come into contact with at home and work. What a great character. An excellent perspective on the world and all its challenges and stress. Tz Can’t say I’m a big Leigh fan (just watched Naked not 15 minutes ago and I’m still letting it sink in – usually takes me a little while to decide whether I like a movie or not lol). However, one thing I know is that I loved the music. So, I’m echoing your question up there. Does anyone know where I can find the soundtrack to Naked without ripping them off the movie? That music was brilliant and drove right into you.

I’d love to have it to listen to. So, yeah. Any knowledge on this? Christopher Beaubien I’m glad I’m not alone on this one. The music of “Naked” leaks with dread and melancholy while balancing a very tender gentleness at the same time. And you’ve got to love those sickly booms in the soundtrack. I believe every great filmmaker has a truly dark movie in them, like Robert Altman’s “3 Women” (1977), “Naked” is Leigh’s most nightmarish. In regards to the releasing of Andrew Dickson’s score, I’m as much in the dark as the aimless characters in “Naked”. The only official website promoting Dickson’s work has a few samples from his previous films, however, the supplied “Naked” track can also be heard over the main menu of the Criterion DVD release ( ). Film blogger Simon Wilkinson has noted that Dickson “is seemingly impossible to track down.” ( ). If I find more news on this, I will be sure to update the page with further developments. I strongly encourage anyone to forward more about Andrew Dickson. Perhaps we need to petition for a Complete Film Score Compilation of Andrew Dickson.

As a fervent admirer of Mike Leigh’s work, I understand that he is an acquired taste, though he tends to grow on people. Tz Well, this was my first and now, having thought about it a little more, I’m fairly certain I liked it. However, it was very dark and difficult to watch. I have a hard time with rape scenes. Anyway, yeah we should do that petition. I haven’t yet watched more Leigh, but if the music for his other movies is as good as it was for Naked, I buy that stuff up without a second thought. Under new releases on the linked Andrew Dickson page, all it has are the films themselves… PREVIOUS: Another Year (2010) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC A look at four seasons in the lives of a happily married couple and their relationships with their family and friends.

Director: Famous Directors: From Sundance to Prominence From Christopher Nolan to Quentin Tarantino and every Coen brother in between, many of today's most popular directors got their start at the Sundance Film Festival . Here's a list of some of the biggest names to go from Sundance to Hollywood prominence. a list of 25 titles created 06 Jun 2011 a list of 32 titles created 16 Sep 2012 a list of 40 titles created 07 Mar 2014 a list of 32 titles created 06 Sep 2014 a list of 34 titles created 10 months ago Search for " Another Year " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 20 wins & 52 nominations. See more awards » Videos A look at a few chapters in the life of Poppy, a cheery, colorful, North London schoolteacher whose optimism tends to exasperate those around her.

Director: Mike Leigh Penny's love for her partner, taxi-driver Phil, has run dry. He is a gentle, philosophical guy, and she works on the checkout at a supermarket. Their daughter Rachel cleans in a home for ... See full summary » Director: Mike Leigh Abortionist Vera Drake finds her beliefs and practices clash with the mores of 1950s Britain--a conflict that leads to tragedy for her family. Director: Mike Leigh A successful black woman discovers that her birth mother is a underprivileged white woman, but the woman denies it. As emotions run high, everyone's secrets are exposed. Director: Mike Leigh A waitress, her cook husband, & their twin daughters ponder their lives over a few weeks in a working-class suburb north of London. Director: Mike Leigh 2 young women reunite and rekindle their friendship after having said goodbye at their college graduation, six years earlier. Director: Mike Leigh Slice-of-life look at a sweet working-class couple in London, Shirley and Cyril, his mother, who's aging quickly and becoming forgetful, mum's ghastly upper-middle-class neighbors, and ...

See full summary » Director: Mike Leigh Parallel tales of two sexually obsessed men, one hurting and annoying women physically and mentally, one wandering around the city talking to strangers and experiencing dimensions of life. Director: Mike Leigh After Gilbert and Sullivan's latest play is critically panned, the frustrated team threatens to disband until it is inspired to write the masterpiece "The Mikado". Director: Mike Leigh An exploration of the last quarter century of the great, if eccentric, British painter J.M.W. Turner's life. Director: Mike Leigh Moments from the uncompromisingly bleak existence of a secretary, her intellectually disabled sister, aloof and uneasy teacher boyfriend, bizarre neighbor and irritating workmate. Director: Mike Leigh Edit Storyline A married couple who have managed to remain blissfully happy into their autumn years, are surrounded over the course of the four seasons of one average year by friends, colleagues, and family who all seem to suffer some degree of unhappiness.

Written by Anonymous Rated PG-13 for some language | See all certifications » Parents Guide: 4 February 2011 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Medan åren går See more » Filming Locations: £355,626 (UK) (5 November 2010) Gross: It premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. See more » Goofs When Tom explains that the "Ring of Kerry" is an "area", he refers to Tralee and Dingle. In fact these lie on the Dingle Peninsula, and are NOT on the Ring of Kerry. See more » Quotes Tanya : So how long's this been going on for? Janet : I don't know. Four Seasons and a Funeral 25 November 2010 | by davidgee (United Kingdom) – See all my reviews A strange and sad little film beautifully acted by its ensemble cast.

Lesley Manville's agonised performance as Mary, aching with envy at the solidity and comfort of her best friend's solid marriage, must be a shoo-in for awards next year, but Ruth Sheen is also 100% believable as the endlessly patient, almost 'saintly' Gerri. Jim Broadbent's Tom teeters on the verge of hamminess, allowing Peter Wight to steal the male acting honours as Ken, another lonely and alcoholic divorcée. After a sad Spring and a prickly Summer, Autumn brings romance to Tom and Gerri's bachelor son and Winter brings a funeral (not the one we've been dreading). Anchored by the couple's devotion to their allotment, Mike Leigh gives us a film about the seasons in our lives as well as in our vegetable patches. In life, as in the garden, some things flourish and blossom while others wither and decay. Often humorous but mostly achingly sad, this is a very fine film about the Ordinary Lives of Ordinary People. Not to be missed. 41 of 52 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes

Question: The film "Vera Drake" (2004) by Mike Leigh has as a central focus which field of activity in 1950s Britain?
Answer: Abortion