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Episode 098: Rats Cooking in the Kitchen? Sure, I’ll Bite — Ratatouille (2007) with Shlomit Flaisher-Grinberg
Join Alex and guest host Dr. Shlomit Flaisher-Grinberg as they discuss the neuroscience behind Pixar’s brilliant Ratatouille (2007), directed by Brad Bird and starring the voices of Patton Oswalt as Remy, Ian Holm as Skinner, Brad Garrett as Gusteau, Janeane Garofalo as Colette, Lou Romano as Linguini, and Peter O’Toole as Anton Ego. This lovely movie about following your dreams has a ton of psychological concepts hidden within, from the sensation and perception of food, how Remy controls Linguini, and how Rats just get a bad rap. Shlomit shares her experiences working with rats as a graduate student, postdoc, and university professor — perhaps she wouldn’t want them in her kitchen, though (she says yes but backs off a bit!).…
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Episode 082: Would You Take This Drug? Limitless (2011) with Christina Ragan
Join Alex and returning guest host Dr. Christina Ragan as they continue their tradition of rage (?) watch another movie that has drugs that unlock portions of unused brain matter — Limitless (2011), a Bradley Cooper psychological thriller. Directed by Neil Burger and based on the book The Dark Fields (2001) by Alan Glynn, the film also stars Robert De Niro and Abbie Cornish. Would you take a drug that unlocks amazing brain power, but has a high risk of death? These are important questions that Alex and Christina address, while also explaining the drug actions portrayed in the film AND what amalgamation of drugs could be contained with the NZT-48…
Check out the Neuroscience Teaching Conference!…
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Episode 078: Drugs are Bad, MMKay? Requiem for a Dream (2000) with Melissa Maffeo
Join Alex and guest host Dr. Melissa Maffeo as they delve into the seedy world of drug addiction in one of Darren Aronofsky’s earlier films Requiem for a Dream (2000). The film stars up-and-coming Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, and Marlon Wayans, as well as Hollywood great Ellen Burstyn, as four folks who get caught up in their addictions, fueled by their dreams of better lives and fame. In true Aronofsky form, the visuals and filmmaking get you caught up in these addictions, how they manifest and how they actually destroy the dreams of our four main characters. This film isn’t for the faint of heart, but represents the dark qualities that wait around the corner of drug use and abuse — perfect for dissecting the models of addiction!…