There has certainly not been any shortage of adoration for Hal Ashby coming from this writer, since Harold and Maude is quite possibly my choice for the greatest comedy ever made, and a personal favourite that I revisit on countless occasions, whether it is for its deep compassion, outrageous comedy or unmistakable warmth. For my…
Author: The Postmodern Pelican
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
Nearly half a century ago, George Lucas had the idea to revive the adventure genre, which had not entirely ceased to exist, but changed into something quite different than the ones he grew up watching, which prompted him to create a character that served as a terrific throwback to the action serials from his childhood….
The Great McGinty (1940)
Satire loves politics (although the feeling may not be mutual), and one could even argue that the very purpose of satire from the start was to lampoon politicians, whether it be their exorbitant lifestyles, varying skills when it comes to governing, or simply the fact that it is a world filled with excess and debauchery,…
You Hurt My Feelings (2023)
It seems to be impossible to discuss contemporary American independent cinema without mentioning Nicole Holofcener, who has been at the helm of some of the most captivating and well-constructed comedies of the past quarter-century, having directed a number of terrific films that all carry the many exceptional traits that make her such an interesting filmmaker….
Pride (2014)
It would be blatantly untrue to say that this conversation coming on this particular day was not intentional, or that it was merely a coincidence that we chose to revisit this film at this specific moment. Now more than ever we see discourse surrounding identity and the importance of showing humanity in the face of…
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969)
One of the great misconceptions about older cinema is that it was puritanical and void of any sensuality, rarely pushing the boundaries that we see in contemporary film. While it is true that we have grown a lot more comfortable with edgier content, this isn’t a recent development, and we can go back to the…
Divine Intervention (2002)
Every filmmaker tends to be driven by a different motivation for the stories they tell, and even those with the most diverse and versatile careers tend to have specific themes or ideas that flow through their body of work, establishing a very clear understanding of what they represent as artists. In the case of Elia…
Late August, Early September (1998)
As the classic adage goes, imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and we’ve seen numerous filmmakers build their careers by mimicking the style of their artistic heroes, some of which have gone on to be highly influential in their own right, and for good reason. One such example is Olivier Assayas, who is objectively…
No Hard Feelings (2023)
Every genre is going to fizzle out at one point or another, which is only natural considering the cinematic landscape in which we exist – audiences are going to constantly shift in what they want to see, and the industry has to comply, or else risk not making a profit, which is unfortunately how the…
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
We’ve spoken often about the formula that drives a strong horror film, which is remarkably similar to the process that goes into the creation of an excellent action film, a genre that we have not explored in nearly as much depth, despite it containing some terrific and unforgettable films. The key comparison between the two…
The Postmodern Pelican 