Your Brain on Film
By Colossus
Your Brain on FilmJul 05, 2019
First Reformed: Some Advice From F. Scott Fitzgerald
The stress of holding contradictory beliefs—also known as cognitive dissonance—is a common struggle everyone experiences. Just...not everyone can cope with it. First Reformed is the cinematic encapsulation of what can happen when we allow that dissonance to consume us.
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BlacKkKlansman: Between the World and Spike Lee
Gone With the Wind and Birth of a Nation are two films that depict the America many white men would like to live in. Spike Lee uses BlacKkKlansman to cinematically survey the decades-long fallout from those racist attitudes, recalling concepts and truths from Ta-Nehisi Coates' book "Between the World and Me" to depict African Americans' ever-present struggle to exist comfortably in their black bodies.
If you'd like weekly movie recommendations from the Colossus team, join our Colossus Movie Club.
Mid90s: Jonah Hill Summons Yeezus
Filmmakers are often heavily influenced by other artists, including musicians. And that musical influence guides the way they tell stories. I'd like to make a case that there's a deeper story to Mid90s than what appears on the surface—and it largely stems from Jonah Hill's infatuation with Kanye West.
If you'd like weekly movie recommendations from the Colossus team, join our Colossus Movie Club.
Crazy Rich Asians: Game Theory 101
At the beginning of Crazy Rich Asians, Rachel is teaching a class on the art of game theory. It's a craft studied by the top athletes, economists, and psychologists in the world—and it can improve the way you approach any situation in life. In this episode, we explore how Rachel uses game theory to win love.
If you'd like weekly movie recommendations from the Colossus team, join our Colossus Movie Club.
The Favourite: Queen Anne & Her Rabbits
The rabbit-filled ending of The Favourite is, indeed, a strange one—but it's also an ending that's easy to track if we think about the movie's true story. Abigail and Sarah’s power struggle not only ruins Queen Anne, but puts the entirety of Great Britain in jeopardy. In effect, this period piece becomes a timeless, cautionary tale about the ugly effects politics can have on everyone.
If you'd like weekly movie recommendations from the Colossus team, join our Colossus Movie Club.
Introducing: Your Brain on Film
This is Your Brain on Film, where we form a deeper connection to our movies.
During the week of July 1, we’ll release a five-episode pilot season to give you a taste of the kind of analysis the Colossus team performs. Then, each quarter, we’ll release new episodes focused on movies released in the past year.
To kick things off, we’ll focus on these five movies: The Favourite; BlacKkKlansman; Mid90s; First Reformed; and Crazy Rich Asians.
Our hope is that everybody can come away from this show with a heightened appreciation for how impactful and beautiful movies can be. So next time you walk out of a theater, you’re not confused or bewildered or completely lost—you’re one with the movie.