There are not many genres that tend to stir complete ambivalence, to the point where actively seeking out these films becomes more of a chore than an enjoyable experience. The inspirational sports drama genre is often seen as being one of the most divisive since the tendency towards hackneyed characters, cliched storylines and hokey emotions…
Author: The Postmodern Pelican
The Merry Widow (1934)
No one made films like Ernst Lubitsch, and there is a reason why he is considered the person who inspired many of our greatest directors, with the likes of Billy Wilder and Preston Sturges swearing allegiance to the legacy of this master of cinema. Choosing his signature work is extremely challenging, and almost impossible, since…
Strange Way of Life (2023)
Nearly anyone of Portuguese descent (particularly those of us who grew up with family members dedicated to preserving every piece of the culture as possible) will be somewhat familiar with Amália Rodrigues and her astonishing voice, particularly in her landmark song, “Estranha forma de vida” (“Strange Way of Life”), in which a cursory glance will…
Everyone Has a Summer (2021)
There’s never an inappropriate moment to discuss two of life’s most joyful experiences – the warm, easygoing days of summer, and the process of gradually falling in love. These are two situations that everyone should encounter at least once – and they both factor into the wonderful Everyone Has a Summer (Polish: Każdy ma swoje…
The Joke (1969)
Satire is one of those genres that are not easily definable, and usually adhere to the principle of “you know it when you see it” – and there is generally a misconception that it always needs to be funny, or contain an element of overt humour, which is certainly not the case for many of…
Life of Riley (2014)
One of the most fascinating details when discussing the French New Wave is that, despite being mostly known for their work during this brief but highly influential period, many of the most influential directors continued to make films well into the 21st century, which often deviated from the foundation set during their earlier career, but…
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
The thud of Robbie Robertson’s score underpins the striking landscapes captured by Rodrigo Prieto, whose cinematography presents us with some of the most unforgettable images of the past few years – and helming this entire process is Martin Scorsese, who once again proves that he is arguably the greatest living director currently working in the…
Io Capitano (2023)
The concept of the odyssey has existed longer than just about any form of literature, with the stories of brave heroes setting off on journeys across mystical lands being the foundation for a lot of the themes usually associated with fiction, starting as tales of bravery used to entertain and enrich the lives of ancient…
Young Frankenstein (1974)
You can accuse Mel Brooks of many different artistic misdemeanours – an actor who has a tendency towards ham, someone who is always focused on getting a laugh even when it isn’t quite fitting, or simply that he always tends to go slightly too far on nearly every occasion. Yet, we adore him for these…
Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Defining any cinematic era is a challenging task since while we tend to categorize them depending on movements or periods, choosing a precise start and end to a particular era is not always possible. In terms of the New Hollywood movement, the general tendency is to look at it as having started in the late…
