Wally Karew (Richard Pryor) and Dave Lyons (Gene Wilder) are two ordinary, middle-aged New Yorkers – they go about their day in their usual way, trying to pick as few fights as they can, all the while trying to stay ahead of those around them, since they’re both not in the most comfortable position in…
Author: The Postmodern Pelican
Malcolm & Marie (2021)
Do critics matter? This is a question that has been asked in some form for about as long as art has been produced. The extent to which we have asked whether a work exist entirely objectively, without the interference of supposed experts in artistic analysis giving their opinion and determining whether something is a success…
A Special Day (1977)
It could’ve been any ordinary day in 1938, but for the occupants of Rome, the 6th of May is one that they’re going to remember for their entire lives, and boast about to everyone they encounter, because it is on this day that Adolf Hitler was making his journey through Italy to pay a visit…
Gilda (1946)
Johnny Farrell (Glenn Ford) is a low-level gambler and petty criminal who has been living hand-to-mouth for a while, having found his way to Buenos Aires, where he engages in any illicit games that can put a few pesos in his pocket. A chance encounter with a mysterious man (George Macready), who saves him from…
About Time (2013)
Perhaps its a sign of having grown accustomed to nearly every kind of emotion embedded in the cinematic form, or maybe just an indication of callousness, I don’t tend to find myself brought to tears by a film very often. There are numerous occasions where I feel my heartstrings being plucked with great ferocity, and…
Local Hero (1983)
Magical realism has been a dominant force in literature, but has rarely managed to break through significantly in the cinematic sphere, since it doesn’t appear to be one that necessarily lends itself to the visual form, despite the fact that numerous artists have demonstrated the joyful results that can come from combining the hope of…
Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)
From “Oh captain, my captain!” to To Sir With Love, and from “Gangsta’s Paradise” to Mr. Holland’s Opus, there has never been a shortage of great films focused on teachers. A vocation that is perhaps not as respected as it should be, there have been many films that have attempted to bridge the gap between…
Pecker (1998)
There was a decade-long period between 1988 and 1998 when esteemed provocateur John Waters did something revolutionary: he dared to become mainstream. This period brought out his most culturally-significant works in Hairspray and Serial Mom, as well as the film that established him as more than just a vulgar filmmaker, but also someone who could…
The Range Feud (1931)
Buck Gordon (Buck Jones) is the sheriff of a small town, and he works exceptionally hard to maintain the peace. Most of the residents adhere to his strict but understandable rules, and there is very little trouble. However, a recent event has come to the sheriff’s attention, whereby two local landowners, Turner (Will Walling) and…
Dating Amber (2020)
Eddie (Fionn O’Shea) and Amber (Lola Petticrew) are two young people heading towards their final days of high school. Their paths have barely crossed, and they hardly know each other – but they soon realise how much they need each other, since they both carry a secret neither one of them is willing to admit…
The Postmodern Pelican 