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Episode 095: Lucy’s Consolidation is Broken or She Gets Blackout Drunk Everyday! 50 First Dates (2004) with Melissa Maffeo
Join Alex and returning guest host Dr. Melissa Maffeo as they discuss the hilarious memory mishaps in Adam Sandler’s 50 First Dates, also starring Drew Barrymore, Sean Astin, and Dan Aykroyd. Barrymore plays a woman, Lucy, who had suffered brain trauma, and when she goes to sleep, her brain resets to that same day. Sandler’s Henry Roth falls in love with her and wants to create a life with her, despite this very large limitation. Psychological concepts of memory, consolidation, learning, and consent are explored, even through all the hilarious moments that make most laugh out loud! There’s a very real possibility that Lucy’s brain is constantly blackout drunk!…
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Episode 092: Developmental Psychology… In Song Form! The Sound of Music (1965) with Jill Swirsky
Join Alex and guest host Dr. Jill Swirsky as they enter the world of musical theater put to film in Robert Wise’s wonderful adaptation of The Sound of Music (1965)! A musical about a man (played by Christopher Plummer) who treats his kids like sailors and woman (played by Julie Andrews) who just wants to sing with Nazism as a backdrop is a perfect exploration of psychology! From developmental theories, to grief and loss, to identity and relationships, this wonderful musical with amazing songs offers a great exploration of basic psychological concepts. This podcast episode is one of my favorite things!…
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Episode 090: Barton Men Don’t Lie, Except When They Do! The Holdovers (2023) with Ed Hansen
Join Alex and returning guest host Dr. Ed Hansen in a festive discussion of a recent, but to-be-considered a holiday classic, Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers (2023). This is a story of a young, ne’er-do-well (Dominic Sessa as Angus Tully) who meets an immovable force in an old, curmudgeonly boarding school classic teacher (Paul Giamatti as Paul Hunham). They’re both “heldover” the winter holidays at the prestigious Barton Academy, with a grieving mother played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Over the course of the break, the three learn more about each other and how to navigate an unforgiving landscape of adolescence and obsolescence.…
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Episode 089: You Haven’t Listened to this Episode, You’re Forgetful — Gaslight (1944) with Wind Goodfriend
Join Alex and returning guest host Dr. Wind Goodfriend in a discussion of the psychological concepts found in the amazing psychological thriller Gaslight (1944) — THE origin of the word de jour “gaslighting” ! The film stars award-winning Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer, as woman who’s reality is being warped by her conniving and selfish husband, respectively. Within the psychological manipulation of gaslighting, the hosts also explore the ways emotional and psychological abuse is carried out in these kinds of relationships and even discuss a new scale that aims to help folks determining if they/re under the gaslighting spell!
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Episode 086: It’s Not Voyeurism if Your Windows Are Open! Rear Window (1954) with Jane Halonen
Join Alex and guest host Dr. Jane Halonen as they creepily peer into Alfred Hitchcock’s psychological thriller Rear Window (1954). The film stars James Stewart and Grace Kelly, with minor roles from Thelma Ritter, Wendell Corey, and Raymond Burr. Another character in this film is the set, which was a meticulous reconstruction of a small Greenwich Village courtyard, meant to evoke paranoia and claustrophobia. In the addition, the duo reflects on voyeurism, scopophilia, and the various psychological ideas surrounding watching others when you can’t do anything else in the heat of a dreary summer. Perhaps your thoughts will run wild with murder!…
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Episode 085: Everyone Could Use a Little Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy — Good Will Hunting (1997) with Ed Hansen
Join Alex and returning guest host Dr. Ed Hansen in a discussion of cognitive-behavioral therapy and socio-developmental psychology in the Oscar-winning writer/stars Matt Damon and ben Affleck breakout Good Will Hunting (1997). But let’s not forget the runaway star of this movie, the other Oscar-winner of this film, Robin Williams! In a film directed by Gus Van Sant, Matt plays Will Hunting, a troubled but brilliant young adult who eschews therapy but ultimately benefits from Carl Rogers’ ideas embodied in cognitive-behavioral therapy. Join them as they pahrk the cahr at Hahvahrd Yahrd and chat! Wicked ahwesome!
Follow Ed on Twitter: @EdHansen_PhDAD
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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!…
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Episode 075: Disability and Laughing, They Do Go Together — The Fundamentals of Caring (2016) with Crissa Draper
Join Alex and guest host Dr. Crissa Draper as they discuss the the ins and outs of caring for a person with disabilities and the impact of grief in The Fundamentals of Caring (2016)! The films stars Paul Rudd as Paul Rudd playing a guy named Ben Benjamin, a father looking to make a major change in his life, becoming a full-time in-home caretaker. His first client is irascible Trevor, played by Craig Roberts, who has muscular dystrophy and is confined to a wheelchair. The film was written and directed by Rob Burnett, based on the book The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving.…
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Episode 073: Self-Expansion Theory Across the Multiverse! Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) with Mona Xu
Join Alex and guest host Xiaomeng (Mona) Xu as they discuss the multiverse romp Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022), a film by writer-director team Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (the Daniels), starring Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis, James Hong, and Stephanie Hsu. They explore self-expansion theory in identity formation, across the multiverse, as well as the central theme of the film: relationships within the immigrant experience. There’s a lot of silliness to be had here, so wear that googly eye while you listen to this engaging episode, doing your laundry and taxes!
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Episode 072: Gender Expression and The Patriarchy and Toys! Barbie (2023) with Molly Metz
Join Alex and returning guest host Dr. Molly Metz as they jump into the pink land that is Barbie (2023)! There’s so much in this episode that they crammed in, and they didn’t even get to everything. Alex and Molly explore gender expression, gender identity, masculinity, femininity, queerness, relationships, and of course, the role Barbie has had in Western/American culture since her debut in the 1950s. There are lot of great nuggets of info and a lot of laughs, and that’s just in the podcast — imagine what’s in the movie!
Check out these links if you want to know more about Barbie, the film, and gender studies: BinaryThis, Fortune, The Mercury News, and AutoStraddle
This is the podcast episode Molly mentions in the episode: American Hysteria’s “Blame it On Barbie”
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