I will admit when it comes to movies I don’t want to watch, I can be quite a big mouth. There is no film in recent memory that I was so vehemently against quite like The Fault in Our Stars. It wasn’t without reason – young adult films are generally not very good (nor are…
Author: The Postmodern Pelican
Zodiac (2007)
True crime – one of the most terrifying genres of filmmaking. Maybe not because of the content, but because of the fact that we sit there, tensely remembering how these events actually happened. Most of the time, the films are wrapped up in a neat little bow, giving closure to the audience. Not Zodiac. Zodiac…
Animal House (1978)
The 1970s – an era that helped redefine comedy, and some of the greatest comedy films made today owe it to those made in the 1970s for allowing them to exist. A combination of the end of Vietnam, hippie subculture becoming even more popular, and an increased political landscape allowed for more edgy comedy. The…
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
In my review of The Big Lebowski, I mentioned how the term “cult film” is thrown around very loosely. Very few films that are dubbed “cult films” actually are. Cult films are oddities and are so unique and far-removed from the mainstream canon, they can never truly be considered crowd-pleasers, and therefore a big slice…
Black Snake Moan (2006)
I want to talk for a moment about typecasting – sometimes, earlier in their career, an actor plays a role so well, they are permanently cast in that type of role. Some of them use it to their advantage, and some of them desperately try to expand their career horizons. Samuel L. Jackson has been…
The Big Lebowski (1998)
The term “cult classic” has become quite the buzzword to describe any offbeat, obscure film that isn’t popular by the mainstream, and one that simply does not meet the tastes of most people, despite critical acclaim or box office numbers. However, only a few films can be considered real cult classics, which are simply films…
An Appreciation of…Kathy Bates (1948 – present)
There is something about some actors that is just endearing – they feel more than just performers – they feel like family. To me, there is no actor working today that comes across more likeable and homely like Kathy Bates. To me, Kathy remains one of the greatest actresses to ever live, and is comparable…
A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014)
I think Seth MacFarlane is one of the more divisive figures in the comedy industry right now – some people find him dreadfully unfunny and tasteless, and others think he is a comedy genius. I fall into the latter category – I may not love everything he does, but I do know that there have…
Mary and Max (2009)
What is the purpose of cinema? I’d say above anything else, it is to entertain us. It does that by stirring up emotions in us – joy, laughter, sadness, anger, terror – and I’d argue the stronger the emotions elicited from a film are, the better the film is. Think about it – films we…
Only Lovers Left Alive (2014)
From the very beginning of Jim Jarmusch’s masterpiece, Only Lovers Left Alive, you are drawn into this bleak world and it is impossible for one not to be captivated by the intense brilliance that Jarmusch brings to this story, and you instantly realize you are watching something very special. Vampires have become such a part…
The Postmodern Pelican 