Ma is garbage. Lurid, gaudy and almost as if the entire concept of artistic integrity has been insulted by this grotesque, excessive expression of immorality and unhinged incredulity to everything considered honourable and decent. It also is one of my favourite films of the year, and most certainly the most entertaining film I’ve seen in…
Author: The Postmodern Pelican
Toy Story 4 (2019)
The Toy Story films have always been a part of my life. The first film was released when I was a child, and I eagerly watched the adventures of Sherriff Woody and Buzz Lightyear over the years, seeing them go from one film to another, constantly being captivated by these sentient toys and their charming…
Grass (2019)
“In the end, people are emotions. Emotions are gullible and forceful. Precious, cheap and alluring. And I long for them now“ These are the words appearing, via voice-over narration, towards the end of Hong Sang-soo’s Grass (Korean: 풀잎들), a subtle, meditative film that sees the South Korean maestro revisiting many common themes in his distinctive…
Booksmart (2019)
Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) are on the eve of their high school graduation. The previous four years have been challenging for the two friends, who have prioritized their grades in order to ensure that they get into good colleges, which does work, with the duo being well on their way to starting…
Family Plot (1976)
If any filmmaker deserved to be named the greatest of all time, Alfred Hitchcock would certainly not be a bad choice. There are so many reasons to revere him – his films were always of the highest standard, and his work spans from the silent era, right through to the latter stages of New Hollywood,…
Who Can Kill a Child? (1976)
With his controversial 1976 masterpiece, Who Can Kill a Child? (Spanish: ¿Quién puede matar a un niño?), Narciso Ibáñez Serrador not only shocked audiences, but he also established himself as one of the most profoundly strange filmmakers working at the time, with this film cementing his status as someone who prioritizes subversion of common ideals….
Next Stop, Greenwich Village (1976)
Larry Lapinsky (Lenny Baker) leaves his Brooklyn home behind in 1953, heading to Greenwich Village, which (according to our protagonist) harbours “fame and fortune”, with his perceived destiny to become an actor. Over the course of a few months, the young man finds himself hopelessly out of his depth, but nonetheless resilient and resourceful, doing…
Freaky Friday (1976)
The Andrews are an ordinary suburban American family. They are lead by patriarch Bill (John Astin), a publicity whizz who is chasing after a particularly important contract. The key to earning it comes in the form of his wife, Ellen (Barbara Harris), a tightly-wound housewife, and daughter Annabel (Jodie Foster), a rebellious teenager whose academic…
The Little Mermaid (1976)
I often wonder how the original authors of fairytales would react when presented with the different ways their stories have been interpreted over the years. One writer, in particular, I wonder about is Hans Christian Andersen, who is responsible for some of the most legendary stories of folklore and fantasy ever written, with his work…
Mikey and Nicky (1976)
Nicky (John Cassavetes) is a low-level heavy for a notorious New York City gangster. When a hit goes wrong, Nicky’s relationship with the mob becomes sour, and he develops the notion that he is going to be killed. Paranoid beyond belief, he calls the only person who can help him, Mikey (Peter Falk), who he…
The Postmodern Pelican 