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Episode 105: Defying Gravity is the Self-Actualization Anthem We All Needed — Wicked (2024) with Jill Swirsky
Join Alex and guest host Dr. Jill Swirsky as they enter the world of musical theater yet again, this time traveling to the land of Oz in Wicked (2024)! The film is an adaptation of the Broadway play, which was an adaptation of the novel by Gregory Maguire. We follow Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo, the eventual Wicked Witch of the West, on her journey as a child and young adult. Along the way, she learns about her true magical abilities but ultimately becomes the villain of Oz when she uncovers a terrible secret. Along for the ride is Ariana Grande’s Glinda (Galinda at the start!),…
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Episode 100: The Past Six Years and Episodes of Shows and Psychology Squeezed into Three Hours — Worth It!
Join Alex in a celebration of the past six years of CinemaPsych Podcast content and 100 episodes! It’s been a journey, with so many films and guests, and so what better way to highlight that time with a clip show! In this double-sized episode, explore some of my favorite moments and discussions, from great films, actors, and directors to awesome psychology content and critical thinking in art. In addition to the past episode clips, Alex describes the new additions to the website, a reimagined resource for this show and the larger aim of film pedagogy in psychology. The film and clips discussed are grouped by broad psychology category.…
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Episode 088: I Wasn’t Expecting to Be in This Movie! Inside Out 2 (2024)
Join Alex as he takes a solo look at the sequel to a film that lives in our hearts and our heads, Inside Out 2 (2024). While the film has a lot to live up to from its predecessor, this new entry into Riley’s head isn’t a slouch. A new dynamic and new emotions enter the picture as Riley turns 13 years old and beings puberty during a summer hockey camp. Of the new emotions, Anxiety (voiced by Maya Hawke), butts heads with Joy (voiced by Amy Poehler), and well, lots of wild and crazy events happen as they try to put the best self-concept of Riley forward.…
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Episode 076: The Technosocial Commentary isn’t So Subtle — The Circle (2017)
Join Alex as he takes a solo look at the prophetic alternate reality in The Circle (2017), a film about a tech company and social media conglomerate that is parts Apple and other parts Facebook. The film, directed by James Ponsoldt and starring Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, Karen Gillan, John Boyega, and Patton Oswalt, explores the chaotic world of a tech company that creates technology to link everyone together and put cameras all over the world. You know, your typical data-farming and unregulated surveillance we’ve all come to integrate into our lives 24/7. There are a ton of psych concepts easily accessed through the blunt, low-hanging fruit conundrums our characters find themselves.…
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Episode 065: Milgram’s Conclusions on Obedience are Shocking! Experimenter (2015) with Sophie Halliday
Join Alex and guest host Sophie Halliday as they chat about the historical and psychological impact of Stanley Milgram’s famous experiments on obedience and social influence in Michael Almereyda’s Experimenter (2015), the other historical psychology movie that came out that year. This biopic stars Peter Sarsgaard as the titular character, with Winona Ryder, Jim Gaffigan, and several other star appearances as participants in the obedience studies. This witty drama-comedy takes the audience into the creation and data collection of the shock studies, but also other social influence experiments Milgram conducted over his 30ish year career. There are so many fourth wall breaks, you feel like Milgram is talking directly to the audience, to get his side of the story that followed him throughout his career.…
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Episode 038: Men Can Get Really Angry! 12 Angry Men (1957 & 1997) with Jordan Wagge & Jason Spiegelman
Join Alex and returning guest hosts Dr. Jordan Wagge and Jason Spiegelman as the three dissect and discuss the two major American versions of the stage play and short story 12 Angry Men! The first major release was in 1957, written and directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Henry Fonda. The second, made-for-TV movie, was released in 1997, and starred several great actors, including John Lemmon, William Peterson, James Gandolfini, Mykelti Williams, Tony Danza, and the venerable George C. Scott. We explore social influence, persuasion, racism and prejudice, confirmation bias, and toxic masculinity. Wouldn’t this be a better scenario if it were 12 Angry People, instead?…
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Episode 027: Honey, Where’s My Dinner? Pleasantville (1998) with Will Ryan
Join Alex and guest host Dr. Will Ryan in a discussion of the psychological concepts in the whimsical fairy tale, Pleasantville (1998)! This film has so many lovely allegories, so we explore as many as we can in a short amount of time. Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon are fantastic in these early roles of their careers, with William H. Macy doing a great job asking… “Where is my dinner?”
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Don’t forget to check out our Paypal links to contribute to this podcast and keep the lights on!…
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Episode 005: On Podcasts, We Wear Pink—Mean Girls (2004) with Olivia Aspiras
Join Alex and Olivia Aspiras in discussion of the psychological concepts in Tina Fey’s masterpiece Mean Girls (2004), starring Lindsay Lohan, Tina Fey, Rachel McAdams (Amy Adams), and Amanda Seyfried in her first film role. The limit does not exist on the amount of social psychology we can discuss. We thank you for being so obsessed with us!
Please leave your feedback on this post, the main site (cinemapsychpod.swanpsych.com), on Facebook (@CinPsyPod), or Twitter (@CinPsyPod). We’d love to hear from you!
Don’t forget to check out our Patreon and/or Paypal links to contribute to this podcast and keep the lights on!…