The Postmodern Pelican

The Night Eats the World (2018)

I’ve got a theory that I stand by relentlessly: the stories that mainstream American films refuse to make are the treasures of the European arthouse. The past decade has seen some truly memorable and unique horror films coming out of Europe, and France, in particular, continues to push boundaries of horror cinema. Moreover, one of…

The Band’s Visit (2007)

Cinema, like all art, has many intentions and has the power to convey any story or theme imaginable. One such theme prevalent in many films is that of current political affairs, with contemporary issues often pervading the cinematic landscape. While many of these films are very effective, writing about them can be a challenge, because…

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)

Ten years ago, my mother took me to see Mamma Mia!, and I was immediately transfixed by this experience. Perhaps not a towering masterpiece (not that it ever attempted to be), but it was an energetic and exuberant musical that paired some of the most iconic songs ever recorded with beyond brilliant performers in a…

Cries and Whispers (1972)

This is quite a noteworthy review, not because of the content necessarily, but rather because of the fact that this is my 600th review, which is a revelation I am still astonished by. I normally celebrate these milestones by reviewing something special to me, possibly a favorite film or a film by a director I…

Life Is Sweet (1990)

Here’s a fact that I have made very clear throughout the years: I love Mike Leigh. I adore his films, and one in particular (as I’ve said on multiple occasions) is Naked, possibly my personal favorite film, and something I revisit often. It may be perceived as poor writing to constantly start my reviews with…

Duck Butter (2018)

I went into Duck Butter not knowing much about the film. I knew that it was directed by Miguel Arteta, who co-wrote the film with the star of the film, Alia Shawkat. I had heard that it was quite a unique film and one that was unlike anything really being made nowadays. The fact that…

After the Storm (2016)

Representing life as it is could be seen as a challenge for many artists, but someone who has the insatiable capacity to understand humanity and convey his unique grasp of the human spirit is Hirokazu Kore-eda, a filmmaker I have praised on other occasions as being one of the finest filmmakers of his generation, and…

Simon of the Desert (1965)

Luis Buñuel is a filmmaker who changed cinema, with his original work persisting from the silent era until the Golden Age of Hollywood. I have extreme admiration for him, and I find him to be one of the most influential surrealist artists to ever work in any medium. He was a filmmaker who made films…

Little Murders (1971)

“Paranoia’s the garlic in life’s kitchen, right: you can never have too much” This humorous but ominous sentiment appears in Thomas Pynchon’s novel, Bleeding Edge. Considering how defiant Pynchon’s work is to the screen (to date, only having a single official adaptation, the brilliant Inherent Vice in 2014, although some may argue that Alex Ross…

Anguish (1987)

I feel like horror may be the most underappreciated genre – not that it isn’t popular (other than comedy and the occasional action blockbuster, there are few genres that are as enduring as horror), but rather that it is too often written off as merely being “scary movies”, and nothing more than just the folly…