Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 6, 2012

I admit it; I love Netflix. I enjoy the convenience of browsing movies at any hour of the day or night, and having them sent directly to my home or streaming on my TV. Even when they made dumb decisions like the Qwikster debacle, or broke out streaming and disc...   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on March 6, 2012

I admit it; I love Netflix. I enjoy the convenience of browsing movies at any hour of the day or night, and having them sent directly to my home or streaming on my TV. Even when they made dumb decisions like the Qwikster debacle, or broke out streaming and disc...   read more

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

Microcosmos (1996) This French documentary is a fascinating window into a world that most of us ignore. The stunning macrophotography brings us closer than most of us would ever care to be to ants, wasps, spiders, and many other long-legged beasties. Except for the brief narration at the beginnin   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 23, 2012

(1977) Directed by Dario Argento; Written by Dario Argento and Daria Nicolodi; Starring: Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini and Flavio Bucci; Available on DVD Rating: **** ½ What’s It About? Dario Argento is responsible for creating some of the most distinctive films in the horror/mystery/s   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 23, 2012

(1977) Directed by Dario Argento; Written by Dario Argento and Daria Nicolodi; Starring: Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini and Flavio Bucci; Available on DVD Rating: **** ½ What’s It About? Dario Argento is responsible for creating some of the most distinctive films in the horror/mystery/s   read more

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

(2004) Directed by Wes Anderson; Written by Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach; Starring: Bill Murray, Anjelica Houston, Cate Blanchett, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe and Jeff Goldblum; Available on DVD. Rating: **** ½ One of the reasons that I started The Once Over Twice feature was to showcase films   read more

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

(2004) Directed by Wes Anderson; Written by Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach; Starring: Bill Murray, Anjelica Houston, Cate Blanchett, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe and Jeff Goldblum; Available on DVD. Rating: **** ½ One of the reasons that I started The Once Over Twice feature was to showcase films   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 13, 2012

(1981) Written and directed by George A. Romero; Starring: Ed Harris, Gary Lahti, Brother Blue, Amy Ingersoll, Tom Savini and Patricia Tallman; Available on DVD Rating: ** ½ This low-budget curiosity by writer/director George Romero represents a departure from his usual horror forte, bridging t   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 13, 2012

(1981) Written and directed by George A. Romero; Starring: Ed Harris, Gary Lahti, Brother Blue, Amy Ingersoll, Tom Savini and Patricia Tallman; Available on DVD Rating: ** ½ This low-budget curiosity by writer/director George Romero represents a departure from his usual horror forte, bridging t   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 4, 2012

Whaddya know? Someone out there likes me! Elena at Gifts and Dreams has honored Cinematic Catharsis with the Liebster Blog Award! So, what’s the Liebster Blog Award? It’s an award bestowed by bloggers to give special recognition to notable blogs with fewer than 200 followers. This u   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on February 4, 2012

Whaddya know? Someone out there likes me! Elena at Gifts and Dreams has honored Cinematic Catharsis with the Liebster Blog Award! So, what’s the Liebster Blog Award? It’s an award bestowed by bloggers to give special recognition to notable blogs with fewer than 200 followers. This u   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 30, 2012

“What my friends and I have been trying to do since the 1970s is to try and quiet things down a little bit; don't just bombard them with noise and distraction.” – Hayao Miyazaki (excerpt from 2002 Roger Ebert interview) It’s no accident that I decided to kick off the...   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 13, 2012

(1954) Directed by Ishirô Honda; Written by Ishirô Honda, Shigeru Kayama (Story) and Takeo Murata; Starring: Takashi Shimura, Akihiko Hirata, Akira Takarada and Momoko Kôchi; Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Netflix Streaming Rating: ***** What’s It About? Gojira, or Godzilla as it’s known   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 13, 2012

(1954) Directed by Ishirô Honda; Written by Ishirô Honda, Shigeru Kayama (Story) and Takeo Murata; Starring: Takashi Shimura, Akihiko Hirata, Akira Takarada and Momoko Kôchi; Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Netflix Streaming Rating: ***** What’s It About? Gojira, or Godzilla as it&#8217   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 7, 2012

(1968) Written and directed by Kaneto Shindô; Starring: Kichiemon Nakamura, Nobuko Otowa, Kiwako Taichi and Kei Satô; Available on DVD and Blu-Ray Rating: **** ½ Kuroneko, translated as “black cat,” is a somber, lyrical tale of devotion and sacrifice. Poetic and beautifully hauntin   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on January 7, 2012

(1968) Written and directed by Kaneto Shindô; Starring: Kichiemon Nakamura, Nobuko Otowa, Kiwako Taichi and Kei Satô; Available on DVD and Blu-Ray Rating: **** ½ Kuroneko, translated as “black cat,” is a somber, lyrical tale of devotion and sacrifice. Poetic and beautifully hauntin   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 29, 2011

As 2011 draws to a close and 2012 begins, it’s time to usher in a new theme month, focusing exclusively on the output of films from one country. I’ve chosen to inaugurate this first of hopefully many surveys by sampling the expansive and varied body of films of Japan. I...   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 29, 2011

As 2011 draws to a close and 2012 begins, it’s time to usher in a new theme month, focusing exclusively on the output of films from one country. I’ve chosen to inaugurate this first of hopefully many surveys by sampling the expansive and varied body of films of Japan. I...   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 27, 2011

Circus of Horrors (1960) Anton Diffring stars as brilliant but twisted plastic surgeon Dr. Schuler. He has a gift for correcting facial deformities, but trouble follows him wherever he goes. While fleeing the authorities in England, he assumes a new identity in France, and wastes no time cheating   read more

Cinematic Catharsis Posted by Barry P. on December 23, 2011

(1939) Directed by Vincent Sherman; Written by Lee Katz; Story by William J. Makin; Starring: Wayne Morris, Rosemary Lane and Humphrey Bogart; Available on DVD Rating: *** The Return of Doctor X has been maligned over the years as an oddity, mainly notable because it was Humphrey Bogart’s only   read more