For nearly a century, we have been enraptured by the story of “Ma” Kate Barker – and whether we hear of her story through detailed accounts of her criminal career, or through the song by Boney M that immortalised her within the culture, she has become a figure of American folklore, a fascinating individual whose…
Author: The Postmodern Pelican
The Assessment (2025)
For a species that has often expressed our fear of the end of the world, we do tend to have a fondness for dystopian stories. There’s something about works of speculative fiction that take place in the future in which we are presented with alternative realities that often capture our attention, even when we may…
Wish You Were Here (1987)
One of the more universal experiences that we all seem to encounter during our journey towards maturity is that particularly ambiguous space between adolescence and adulthood, which can be a challenging period for many people, even those who are relatively well-adjusted and responsible. Its the time when we are old enough to be aware of…
The Phoenician Scheme (2025)
No matter how much some may tend to resist it, or the number of times the same trite “style over substance” argument is brought out to diminish his work, we simply cannot deny that Wes Anderson is not only a profoundly gifted filmmaker, but one of the most important filmmakers of his generation. After what…
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
Hollywood’s return to making monster films has certainly been a wonderful surprise, since it has become increasingly clear that these films, while not always of the highest quality, usually contain an element of ingenuity and creativity that is often missing from a lot of other genres. Attempts to make the genre more formal and sophisticated…
Calamari Union (1985)
A gang (consisting of a group of men all named Frank, and then later an additional member named Pekka, all of which seem to lack last names) meets in an abandoned building and begin outlining a plan for their upcoming escape from working-class Helsinki, which they are intending to complete within a few hours, given…
The Probability Factor (1976)
We all deal with frustrating people in our own way – some have a higher tolerance for irritation than others, while some may choose to simply cut someone entirely out of their lives. Neither of these are particularly fascinating when it comes to art, since we’re conditioned as a species to be naturally curious about…
In the Summers (2024)
There is nothing quite like the love between a parent and their child, especially when it goes in both directions. Many of us adore our parents and find them to be the cornerstone of our lives. However, it is also sadly quite true that there comes a point where our relationship begins to change, which…
Frontier Gambler (1956)
Few genres have changed more frequently than the western genre, which consists of clear delineations between periods, with very little overlap unless a film is constructed as an intentional throwback. Another genre in which this has taken place is the film noir, which also reached its peak at some point in the middle of the…
Broken English (2007)
We all strive to be the best version of ourselves, not realising that the only way to improve and lead a life in which we can have pride is to stop defining ourselves by the people who surround us, and instead focus on developing the confidence to love ourselves, regardless of the cost. It’s a…
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