There are moments when I genuinely start to believe Max Ophüls may have just been the greatest filmmaker in the history of French cinema, and perhaps even beyond that. These don’t even necessarily occur in the immediate aftermath of watching one of his films, but rather whenever one of the evocative memories of his work…
Author: The Postmodern Pelican
Fire Island (2022)
We are living in an era where queer stories are not only becoming more widespread, they’re actively emerging as some of the most poignant works in contemporary cinema. One of the fundamental signs that a certain kind of story is starting to be readily embraced by a viewership wider than the niche audience that they…
Patrick (2019)
For the uninitiated or those that don’t quite know what to expect from it, Patrick (Flemish: De Patrick) could easily be mistaken for a sobering drama about very serious issues, which could not be further from what Tim Mielants’ gorgeously striking dark comedy actually is. A film that is profoundly European in its sensibilities, whether…
Cyrano de Bergerac (1950)
It’s a story that has influenced art for centuries – the tale of a man who possessed immense poetic talents and a valiant approach to living his adventurous life, but who was always primarily judged for the size of his nose, which brought him just as many jeers as it did cheers over the course…
Hairspray (1988)
If there is a complaint that one can find when it comes to the subject of Hairspray, it would be how inconceivably enormous it has become. Whether it be the elaborate stage musical (which has been produced both professionally and by amateur theatre groups) or the film adaptation that remains one of the most profitable…
Il Boom (1963)
No one captured Rome quite like Vittorio De Sica, whose prolific career is filled to the brim with the most gorgeous and striking depictions of the Italian capital. Perhaps a controversial opinion, especially considering some of his contemporaries, such as Federico Fellini and Roberto Rossellini, are considered formidable challengers for the title, many of their…
Mr. Jealousy (1997)
Lester (Eric Stoltz) doesn’t know who he wants to be, or the direction he intends to take his life. All he does know is that he’s unhappy where he is at the moment – having just turned thirty, he wanders aimlessly through his Brooklyn neighbourhood, cavorting with his fellow artistically-minded (read: thoroughly pretentious) friends and…
Harvey (1950)
You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who has experienced Harvey and not come out of with some degree of appreciation for this joyful little comedy, or at least a certain fondness for its outright peculiarities. Henry Koster’s adaptation of the play by Mary Chase is an iconic and cherished work of the Golden Age of…
Umma (2022)
Representation is an issue that has taken over every sphere of the global culture, and has naturally trickled down into discussions on artistic voices, a long-overdue process that has seen some diverse voices being given a platform on which they can tell their stories. One of the most significant results of this process is the…
Daniel Takes a Train (1983)
Like most Eastern European countries, Hungary was one of the many nations that attempted to fight against the encroaching danger of the Soviet Union, and in 1956 staged an uprising against the Communist government in an attempt to break free of the shackles that were gradually being placed on its people. These protests unfortunately failed…
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