Description: So perhaps you do not take Psychology with you to the movies, but then again maybe you do. Themes in films are sometimes obviously grounded in Psychology (see blog on The Imitation Game on this Blog site) and other times you may not notice the connections until some later point (hey that’s like…..). There is a LOT of Psychology (good and bad) in films.
Sources: PsycCritiques Blog
Date: Released March 12, 2015
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Links: http://psyccritiquesblog.apa.org/films/
Here is a list of reviews of recent films written from Psychological perspective (usually by Psychologists). Psychology IS all around us!
Awards are given for the better portrayals of psychological situations, conditions, and knowledge (see Mind Media Awards link below)
Tomorrow’s Another Day: Review of – The Theory of Everything http://psqtest.typepad.com/blogPostPDFs/TomorrowsAnotherDay.pdf
When Resiliency Fails, Vulnerability Wreaks Havoc: Review of — Gone Girl http://psqtest.typepad.com/blogPostPDFs/WhenResilienceFailsVulnerability.pdf
The Railway Man: Next Stop PTSD: Review of The Railway Man http://psqtest.typepad.com/blogPostPDFs/TheRailwayMan.pdf
Interstellar Dreams Big: Review of Interstellar http://psqtest.typepad.com/blogPostPDFs/InterstellarDreamsBig_2-26-2015.pdf
Gus’s Hamartia: Review of — The Fault in Our Stars http://psqtest.typepad.com/blogPostPDFs/GusHamartia.pdf
Coded Messages: Review of The Imitation Game http://psqtest.typepad.com/blogPostPDFs/CodedMessages.pdf
If it Bleeds it Leads: Review of Nightcrawler http://psqtest.typepad.com/blogPostPDFs/IfItBleedsItLeads.pdf
Growing Up in America: Review of Boyhood http://psqtest.typepad.com/blogPostPDFs/GrowingUpInAmerica.pdf
What is Left of Creation: Review of Noah http://psqtest.typepad.com/blogPostPDFs/WhatIsLeftOfCreation.pdf
Questions for Discussion:
- Think about a film you have seen that contains psychologically relevant content and think about whether the content is managed in ways which are consistent with our current understanding of those issues from within Psychology.
- Does it matter if films portray psychological issues appropriately or accurately? Think of stigma.
References (Read Further):
Young, Skip Dine (2012) Psychology at the Movies, Wiley-Blackwell, Toronto.
Wedding, Danny and Niemiec, Ryan M. (2014) Movies and Mental Illness: Using films to understand psychopathology, Hogrefe Publishing; 4th, revised and expanded edition.
Mind Media Awards (for responsible portrayals of Mental Health issues): http://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/mind-media-awards/
