An important question that we often need to ask is whether we can excuse a deeply flawed film based on the value of its message. Objectively, the answer should be resoundingly negative, since art should not be judged more leniently based on the ideas that went into its creation. Unfortunately, we don’t like in a…
Author: The Postmodern Pelican
Dìdi (2024)
Growing up can be a challenge, especially if you are not the idealistic version of what is usually considered successful. The adolescent years can be truly treacherous, and once you reveal yourself to have interests or hobbies that fall outside the status quo, or even come from a community that is viewed as fodder for…
The Great Moment (1944)
It is generally agreed almost universally that Preston Sturges was one of the greatest writers and directors to work during Hollywood’s Golden Age – and when discussing someone whose peers and collaborators include the likes of Ernst Lubitsch and Billy Wilder, it is clear that we are looking at someone quite special. He made several…
Kitchen Stories (2003)
An old man sits silently at the table in his countryside kitchen, quietly drinking his coffee as he watches the sunrise across the idyllic valley in which he lives. Despite the simplicity of his life, he feels a crushing loneliness that he wishes to overcome, patiently waiting for some kind of companionship. It’s a familiar…
Death Wish (1974)
As the well-worn adage tends to say, revenge is a dish best-served cold, which is something that many films have factored into their narratives when it comes to telling the stories of vengeful individuals on the prowl for retribution after experiencing some kind of injustice. Few films on the subject of revenge are more notable,…
The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed (2024)
There comes a point in most of our lives where we feel lost – we’re too young to have developed a clear understanding of where our future is heading but also too old to be able to rely on the folly of youth as a legitimate excuse for not having a clear life plan. This…
Change of Life (1966)
The social and political history of Portugal is fascinating, but also not widely known outside of those who come from the country or make up part of its extensive global diaspora. However, it is extremely difficult to find a work produced in the 20th century (or even to the present day) that doesn’t address the…
I Used to Be Funny (2024)
Over time, we’ve seen the development of a very specific kind of cinematic cliche – a stand-up comedian makes their way to the stage and begins to tell their story, which is usually filled with tragedy or some kind of serious subject matter that they are hoping to filter through a more comedic lens. It…
Popeye (1980)
As is often the case with any cherished property, there is a contingent of devotees who claim that attempting to adapt it to another medium is impossible, which is particularly notable when it comes to film adaptations. While there are instances of certain directors botching attempts to pay tribute to existing works, very few concepts…
Twisters (2024)
Something that anyone who watches the perpetual ebb and flow of cinema and how certain films are received in comparison to others will discover over time is that, given the space and patience, just about any genre can be redefined in some way. Just a couple of decades ago, we emerged from a period where…
The Postmodern Pelican 