Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 19, 2013

(1971) Directed by Hal Ashby; Written by Colin Higgins; Starring: Ruth Gordon, Bud Cort, Vivian Pickles and Charles Tyner; Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Netflix Streaming Rating: **** ½ “I haven't lived. I've died a few times.” – Harold It’s interes   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 11, 2013

(1993) Directed by Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton; Written by Parker Bennett, Terry Runte and Ed Solomon; Starring: Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper, Samantha Mathis and Fiona Shaw: Available on DVD. Rating: * ½ Q: “What is the worst job you've done?”   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 11, 2013

(1993) Directed by Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton; Written by Parker Bennett, Terry Runte and Ed Solomon; Starring: Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper, Samantha Mathis and Fiona Shaw: Available on DVD. Rating: * ½ Q: “What is the worst job you've done?”   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 7, 2013

Hot on the heels of Japan-uary II comes… a breather. I never intended to take a break this month, but it’s been a little tougher getting motivated than I anticipated. Rest assured, however, I’ll be back shortly with more reviews, rants and who knows what. Last year,   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 7, 2013

Hot on the heels of Japan-uary II comes… a breather. I never intended to take a break this month, but it’s been a little tougher getting motivated than I anticipated. Rest assured, however, I’ll be back shortly with more reviews, rants and who knows what. Last year,   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 31, 2013

(2004) Written and directed by Makoto Shinkai; Starring: Hidetaka Yoshioka, Masato Hagiwara and Yuka Nanri; Available on DVD. Rating: *** Does the universe dream? Writer/director Makoto Shinkai raises this intriguing premise in the beautifully animated, but ultimately hollow exercise,   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 31, 2013

(2004) Written and directed by Makoto Shinkai; Starring: Hidetaka Yoshioka, Masato Hagiwara and Yuka Nanri; Available on DVD. Rating: *** Does the universe dream? Writer/director Makoto Shinkai raises this intriguing premise in the beautifully animated, but ultimately hollow exercise,   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 26, 2013

(1949) Directed by Yasujirô Ozu; Written by Yasujirô Ozu and Kôgo Noda; Based on the novel Chichi to musume by Kazuo Hirotsu; Starring: Chishû Ryû, Setsuko Hara and Yumeji Tsukioka; Available on DVD and Blu-Ray Rating: **** ½ How many choices are truly our own, and how many ar   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 26, 2013

(1949) Directed by Yasujirô Ozu; Written by Yasujirô Ozu and Kôgo Noda; Based on the novel Chichi to musume by Kazuo Hirotsu; Starring: Chishû Ryû, Setsuko Hara and Yumeji Tsukioka; Available on DVD and Blu-Ray Rating: **** ½ How many choices are truly our own, and how many ar   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 21, 2013

After Life (1998) Writer/director Hirokazu Koreeda’s quietly reflective near-masterpiece delivers effortlessly on a simple premise: when people die, they enter a way station of sorts where they must choose a favorite memory that will be interpreted into a film. This film will serve as the onl   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 15, 2013

(1968) Directed by Ishirô Honda; Written by Ishirô Honda and Takeshi Kimura; Starring: Akira Kubo, Jun Tazaki and Yukiko Kobayashi; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: *** ½ Movies can serve to lift the spirit or hold a magnifying glass to our world’s ills. We can marv   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 15, 2013

(1968) Directed by Ishirô Honda; Written by Ishirô Honda and Takeshi Kimura; Starring: Akira Kubo, Jun Tazaki and Yukiko Kobayashi; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: *** ½ Movies can serve to lift the spirit or hold a magnifying glass to our world’s ills. We can marv   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 3, 2013

(1964) Directed by Masaki Kobayashi; Written by Yôko Mizuki; Based on the collection, Kwaidan, by Lafcaido Hearn; Starring: Rentarô Mikuni, Michiyo Aratama and Misako Watanabe; Available on DVD Rating: ***** Note: This review refers to the 163-minute Criterion Collection version, not t   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 3, 2013

(1964) Directed by Masaki Kobayashi; Written by Yôko Mizuki; Based on the collection, Kwaidan, by Lafcaido Hearn; Starring: Rentarô Mikuni, Michiyo Aratama and Misako Watanabe; Available on DVD Rating: ***** Note: This review refers to the 163-minute Criterion Collection version, not t   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 29, 2012

The American Scream (2012) Halloween may be over, but for a small group of dedicated individuals known as house haunters, planning for October 31st is a year-long process. This surprisingly insightful documentary by Michael Stephenson (Best Worst Movie) follows three families in Fairhaven, Mass   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 25, 2012

(1974) Directed by Bob Clark; Written by Roy Moore; Starring: Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, Andrea Martin and John Saxon; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: **** Note: The following is an expanded version of the capsule review from last year’s feature, “Have   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 25, 2012

(1974) Directed by Bob Clark; Written by Roy Moore; Starring: Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, Andrea Martin and John Saxon; Available on Blu-ray and DVD Rating: **** Note: The following is an expanded version of the capsule review from last year’s feature, “Have   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 19, 2012

Much has already been said about the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in 48 fps* (also known as High Frame Rate, or HFR), with critics and film enthusiasts sharply divided into “love” and “hate” camps. Before 48 fps and The Hobbit became a moot point and (gas   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 19, 2012

Much has already been said about the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in 48 fps* (also known as High Frame Rate, or HFR), with critics and film enthusiasts sharply divided into “love” and “hate” camps. Before 48 fps and The Hobbit became a moot point and (gas   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 16, 2012

(2012) Directed by Elias; Written by Elias; Starring: Jason Vail, Nicholas Wilder and Sarah Schoofs; Available on Amazon Instant Video Rating: ** ½ At one point or another, we’ve all probably watched something that we wished we hadn’t. Wouldn’t it be great if we cou   read more