Netflix has given a home to content – whether it is television shows, stand-up comedy specials or films – that would otherwise not be given a second look by many studios. Even if studios like Sony Pictures Classic and A24 are giving some really offbeat and original films a chance, Netflix has given some of…
Author: The Postmodern Pelican
A Night to Remember (…to Double-Check the Envelope): Looking Back at the 89th Academy Awards
Well, that was quite something. I think for everyone who watched the Academy Awards live, we can all agree that we just witnessed history being made. For those who haven’t watched it yet, don’t let me spoil it for you, but it was one of the most shocking moments in live television history. I don’t…
XX (2017)
I sometimes start to think horror films are becoming a parody of themselves. Crowd-pleasing horrors are starting to become too cliched and dull, and distance themselves from their predecessors. Of course this is not true for all horror films, because very often something comes along that is unique and brilliant, in either its story, execution…
The Best Films of 2016
I can’t believe that it is already that time of the year again. The Academy Awards are this Sunday, and as always, I release my annual list of the Best Films of the Year. The reason for releasing this list, which covers the 2016 year of cinema, at the end of February is a simple…
20th Century Women (2016)
Mike Mills is one of the more fascinating independent filmmakers working today, and I base this on only three films, which are also the only three narrative films he has made. Many know him from his 2011 comedy-drama, Beginners, that brought out an absolutely exquisite performance from the legendary Christopher Plummer. However, I first took…
I, Daniel Blake (2016)
I’ll start out by saying this – I hated I, Daniel Blake. That isn’t to say that it is a bad movie. It is actually a brilliant movie and one of the best of the year, and I adored it. But I hated it because it isn’t fair that a film this sad exists. Just…
The Salesman (2017)
I try and avoid talking about politics here, because sometimes I feel politics just doesn’t have much of a place in cinema, which is often supposed to be escapism, and not somewhere for political discourse, but I just say need to say something – the recent travel ban on the USA that is keeping the…
Gimme Danger (2016)
There are two things I love in this world – the films of Jim Jarmusch and the music of Iggy Pop. Also, the universe can be extraordinarily kind every now and then, and in this case, we were blessed with a combination of the greatest independent filmmaker of all time making a documentary about the…
Ranking the 89th Academy Award Nominees for Best Picture
In order to judge them fairly, I have taken it upon myself to watch all the nominees for Best Picture, Best Director and the acting categories, and I have to say that this year has some incredible nominees, most of which are deserving of their nominations. I will be ranking them category by category in…
Ranking the 89th Academy Award Nominees for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
In order to judge them fairly, I have taken it upon myself to watch all the nominees for Best Picture, Best Director and the acting categories, and I have to say that this year has some incredible nominees, most of which are deserving of their nominations. I will be ranking them category by category in…
The Postmodern Pelican 