When it comes to schmaltz in music, you can’t find anything that embodies it more than “Ebony & Ivory”, the often-parodied duet by Sir Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, two undeniable musical geniuses that found themselves reduced to a saccharine, heavy-handed message about racism and the importance of finding common ground, regardless of background, proving…
Author: The Postmodern Pelican
Critical Condition (1987)
There are many principles that medical doctors are required to follow, some more practical while others veer towards the philosophical. Yet, perhaps the most important is the pledge to “first do no harm”, which forms part of the Hippocratic Oath that all medical professionals are told to use as the guiding factor into their professional…
Red Eye (2005)
While he is primarily known for his contributions to the horror genre (and perhaps deserves the status as the person who pioneered a new kind of cinematic terror), Wes Craven was not afraid to experiment from time to time, working with different material to create vibrant and interesting films that traverse genre and convention in…
Mr. K (2025)
I often wonder whether Franz Kafka realised that his writing would have such an enormous impact on global culture – not only have his works been formative in the creation of entire literary movements, the very mention of his name evokes particular images and ideas, such as the frustrations of navigating the bureaucracy, endless hallways…
The Iron Giant (1999)
It has become so trite to refer to 1999 as the greatest modern year for cinema; some even view the sentiment as somewhat passé, based on how widespread and commonly discussed this point tends to be. However, there is a reason many consider it to be such a strong period for cinema, since so many…
Lulu on the Bridge (1998)
In addition to being one of the most revolutionary authors of his generation, Paul Auster showed incredible prowess in his scarce but brilliant endeavours into filmmaking. Somehow both a guiding force and disciple of independent cinema, Auster was behind some of the most intriguing works of low-budget filmmaking of the 1990s, particularly in his collaborations…
Our Idiot Brother (2011)
Every family tends to have the designated dunce, the person who is always getting into scrapes and precarious situations, but who we still love regardless – and if you think your family doesn’t have one, I have some bad news for you. We are taught to love our families regardless of their imperfections, but sometimes…
Vox Lux (2018)
Some are born to be famous, others have fame thrust upon them – and while many of us find the idea of being world-renowned and benefitting from living a life filled with wealth and luxury, there are more than enough cautionary tales about the perils and pratfalls of fame to dissuade anyone with these ambitions…
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Every filmmaker has their defining works, and some of them establish themselves as such important voices in the medium, their films can run the gamut from underrated to woefully overpraised. In the case of Steven Spielberg, everyone has a different opinion as to what precisely represents his best work, and the criteria usually range from…
Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (2025)
Every writer at some point feels the urge to be the one to compose the novel that encapsulates the entirety of their country or culture’s history, believing that they are capable of creating the definitive work, whether they are willing to openly admit it or not. In terms of literature from Southern Africa, there are…
The Postmodern Pelican 