“It’s pretty, but its a bit difficult to understand. Somehow it makes me think of all kinds of things, but I’m not sure exactly what” These are the first words the viewer is presented with the beginning of Malpertuis, the audacious fantasy film crafted by Belgian horror auteur Harry Kümel, and one of the most…
Being 17 (2016)
Damien (Kacey Mottet Klein) is a young man trying to find his way in a world he doesn’t quite understand. His mother, Marianne (Sandrine Kiberlain) is a well-regarded doctor who helps out many of the residents of their small town, while still trying to raise her son almost entirely on her own, as her husband…
Dolemite Is My Name (2019)
Eddie Murphy is back, and he’s better than ever, if Dolemite Is My Name is anything to go by. His return to form has been something so many of us have so eagerly anticipated, and he made sure not to disappoint us, giving us one of his very best performances to date, and one that…
A Rainy Day in New York (2019)
Gatsby Welles (Timothée Chalamet) is a young man studying at a small but prestigious university in Upstate New York – he doesn’t have much passion for academic life, thriving on his unexpected talents when it comes to gambling. His girlfriend is the film-obsessed journalist Ashleigh (Elle Fanning), who manages to wrangle an interview with someone…
Louder Than Bombs (2015)
At the risk of sounding insensitive or flippant, there aren’t many themes art loves more than grief. Over the course of the centuries, artists in various fields have taken on the subject of losing someone, and the effects that come with realizing someone important is gone. This is most likely because most of us will…
Shaft (1971)
I sometimes wonder if Gordon Parks knew he was making film history with Shaft. From the very first moments of the film, where Isaac Hayes’ soothingly seductive voice regales the legend of John Shaft, as we see the titular character walk through Time’s Square, it is clear that something very special is happening. This is…
Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)
The Walt Disney Company found itself in quite a predicament around the time Bedknobs and Broomsticks went into production – they had seen the overwhelming success of Mary Poppins, and how this brand of heartfelt storytelling that blended the real world with live-action was captivating to all viewers, young and old alike. In many ways,…
Willard (1971)
Willard Stiles (Bruce Davison) is a reserved young man who works as a clerk for the company his now-deceased father founded, which has been taken over by Martin (Ernest Borgnine), a barbaric businessman who constantly taunts Willard and forces him into submission regularly, as a way of reminding him that he’s nothing more than a…
Death in Venice (1971)
Death in Venice is an anomaly of a film. It is amongst the most beautiful films ever made, as well as one of the most profoundly difficult I’ve ever experienced. Luchino Visconti, to his credit, always made films that were visually sumptuous and narratively complex, and while they could sometimes be extravagant, they were rarely…
The Laundromat (2019)
There are many words that you can use to describe The Laundromat. You could call it a disaster, a misguided attempt at intelligent satire or just a trainwreck in general. You could write extensive essays on how this film tries so hard with nothing less than diminishing returns. However, the best way to describe this…
The Postmodern Pelican 