The reappraisal of Ryūsuke Hamaguchi as not only one of the most interesting directors working in his native Japan, but one of the most important artists of the current generation on a global scale has been wonderful. He has been working steadily for over a decade, but has only recently managed to achieve a level…
Author: The Postmodern Pelican
Attenberg (2010)
When it comes to making cinema that redefines the limits of artistic expression by filtering it through the most absurd and deranged stories imaginable, no one comes close to the work being done in Greece over the past two decades. Some of the most fascinating and provocative films have been produced by a range of…
The Quiet Man (1952)
One of the benefits of being a notoriously prolific artist is that there are occasions where one has very little choice but to step out of their comfort zone. John Ford’s name often evokes one of two images – classical westerns, or intense character-driven dramas. It doesn’t often lead one to think of gentle romantic…
Pat and Mike (1952)
Patricia “Pat” Pemberton (Katharine Hepburn) is something of an enigma – she has spent most of her professional life working as a physical education teacher at a range of high schools and universities, where she is helping nurture the next generation of athletes, despite the fact that she herself is good enough in a variety…
Juniper (2021)
Age has always been a fascinating theme when it comes to art, with the dynamic between those of different generations being the source of many interesting stories, several of them being quite touching. The problem with these stories is that not only do they sometimes veer towards controversy (especially when some of them dare to…
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)
When we look at them critically, there’s nothing quite like an artist’s mind. In order to be creative, one needs to possess some kind of madness, even if it is one that is borne from obsession with a particular subject. We all create art for different reasons, some having more motivation to do so than…
High Noon (1952)
When it comes to classics of the western genre, you can’t really go wrong with High Noon, the fascinating film by Fred Zinnemann, who directs the story of a semi-retired US marshal who is forced to defend his town (and his honour) from the encroaching danger of a gang who are in pursuit of revenge…
Bad Influence (1990)
There’s a pivotal scene in Bad Influence where the main characters are engaging in a violent crime spree, while the song “Downtown” by Lloyd Cole plays over their antics, which grow increasingly more dangerous the more they become inebriated by both substances and the sheer power afforded to them in that moment. The song contains…
The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice (1952)
Many critics and viewers consider the peak of Yasujirō Ozu’s career to be Tokyo Story, an opinion that is difficult to go against, with the general consensus being that not only is this one of the prolific Japanese master’s finest works, but it is also one of the greatest films ever made. However, Ozu was…
South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)
Whether you like it or not, South Park has left a lasting cultural impression on the world of entertainment, with the quirky animated comedy about four foul-mouthed pre-teens in the fictional titular Colorado town having been a constant presence for nearly a quarter of a century now. I am in no way a firm adherent…
The Postmodern Pelican 