Film is a part of many people’s downtimes. Although watching movies can be relaxing, it can also provide valuable lessons to people’s journey in personal growth. In the article “The Work of Art In the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,” Benjamin Walter’s idea of how film reveals psychology and human truths is especially applicable in the development of therapy and film today. With more knowledge about psychology and its applications in therapy, there are now applications of these experiences intentionally placed in film. People can use the idea of psychology to analyse film which is what created the YouTube channel, Cinema Therapy. There are two hosts in Cinema Therapy where one host, Jono is a therapist, and the other, Alan is a filmmaker. Cinema Therapy displays many examples in support of Benjamin Walter’s ideas. Film will be explored in terms of its influence on changing people’s perception of the world for the better. This is done through multiple lenses of psychology such as the lens of mental health and relationship building.
Film teaches the audience of any age how to better understand and thus process emotions by slowing down the experience. Benjamin explains this concept by making the analogy that “the act of reaching for a lighter or a spoon is familiar routine, yet we hardly know what really goes on between hand and metal, not to mention how this fluctuates with our moods,” (Walter 16). It is hard to be conscious of quick moments that are too fast to process, which may include emotions hidden in the subconscious. This is especially applicable to Cinema Therapy’s movie analysis of Inside Out 2. In the video, Jono and Alan focus on Riley’s first time experiencing an anxiety attack. Jono finds the portrayal very accurate where Anxiety takes control and has “Just this maelstrom of trying to fix it and feeling powerless to fix it.” Alan then comments that visually, “Anxiety is moving so fast, she’s just phasing through everything,” (Therapist Reacts to INSIDE OUT 2 15:25-15:35). They also note how anxiety is not portrayed as the villain in this film and that “she’s doing the best she can,” (Therapist Reacts to INSIDE OUT 2, 15:30-16:10). Through slowing down the rushed and disorientating experience of an anxiety attack, the audience can better understand what is going on every second of the experience from an outside perspective. Through the slowed scene, viewers can also empathize with the character representing the emotion. This then allows the viewers to reframe the experience by understanding that anxiety, although feels scary and painful, comes from intentions for survival. Understanding anxiety can lead people to have a better relationship with their own anxiety and thus practice healthy coping mechanisms to minimize discomfort.
Good parenting can set the roots for healthy lives. Filmmakers can encourage this idea in their films using the technique where “the camera introduces us to unconscious optics as does psychoanalysis to unconscious impulses,” (Benjamin 16). Film teaches concepts of good parenting through dramatizing actions that otherwise would go unnoticed. In Cinema Therapy’s video analysis of Disney parents, the two hosts looked at the movie, Moana. At the beginning of the movie, there is a long conflict between Moana’s determination to save her community and her father’s priority, which is Moana’s safety. Jono brings out the bigger picture from this dramatic storyline about her father’s style of parenting. Although her father has good intentions, he is also sending the message that if she is “doing it the way I would do it…we get along fine” but “the moment you have your own energy, your own dreams, your own style, your own vision,” that is when the father’s love seem conditional (Family Therapist Ranks DISNEY Parents, 7:30-7:50). Another example of film and parenting is in the movie, Encanto. When Mirabel explains her visions to her mother, Jono explains that due to being dismissed by the rest of her family, “Mirabel is annoyed that her mother doesn’t believe her, but also comforted that her mother believes in her if you see the difference,” (Family Therapist Ranks DISNEY Parents, 13:26-13:36). Within the stressful story where Mirabel tries to save her family, her mom’s subtle yet effective parenting is highlighted through intentional focus given to this scene. These are instances where film shows you the nuances lost in the messiness of parenting. Moana’s dad shows that many good intentions can be skewed by bias from the past and is lost in the action of trying to protect Moana. This brings a moment of reflection to the audience as this is a relatable and human mistake. Mirabel’s mom on the other hand displays a moment of good parenting. Although she does not understand the situation, she can still provide comfort through understanding Mirabel’s heavy emotions. This shows an appreciation for this often unrecognized skill parents have. Viewers can learn that even the slightest difference in actions can fulfill a child’s needs in comfort. Through focusing and providing time for scenes with examples of parenting, subtle actions can be dissected. Parents can understand why certain unconscious actions make children feel safe or unsafe in the moment.
Film blends the use of arts and sciences to create more digestible pieces that teach the audience how to maintain healthy relationships. Benjamin claims that films provide “screened behavior item which is neatly brought out in a certain situation, like a muscle of a body, it is difficult to say which is more fascinating, its artistic value or its value for science,” (Walter 15). In this case, Cinema Therapy looks at healthy marriages in movies including the movie Julie & Julia. Jono highlights a moment from Julie & Julia where “her husband could have said, Well, that’s preposterous. You can’t do that. You can’t eat for a living. You can’t… And he just says, you’re so good at it.” He further dissects this scene explaining that couples should help each other pursue their dreams which many do in the beginning, however as time goes on, many forget to check in (7 Movie Marriages that are ACTUALLY Healthy! 3:25-3:32). From only the exchange of a few words that derive from the science of psychology and the art of acting and writing, the audience can see what a healthy marriage looks and feels like. On the other hand, in the movie Up, the art of animation was used to convey findings in psychology. Without words and just a montage of scenes with animation and music, the audience peers into the entirety of the made-up characters, Carl and Ellie’s marriage. Jono brings up the moment in Ellie’s last action before she passed away, pointing out “But what was she trying to do? Trying to help him find his next adventure. And she ultimately does…healthy, successful marriages are partnerships,” (7 Movie Marriages that are ACTUALLY Healthy! 22:12-22:22). Through the little details in animation, music, and story writing, the art is brought to life and sucks the viewers into the world of Up. Viewers can then fully experience the psychology of a successful marriage rather than just being told that a successful marriage entails partnerships. The two movies Julie and Julia, and Up are both examples following Benjamin’s ideas of how art and science in film work together to be compelling to the audience. In this case, the movies increase understanding of relationships.
Film can provide us with a better understanding of psychology for ourselves and our relationships by creating intentional scenes from a variety of techniques that viewers can rewatch and analyze. This then changes our perceptions for the better, creating the possibility for platforms solely for analyzing movies such as Cinema Therapy. Without film, we lose a major outlet for understanding our psychology which is a new, yet life-changing science. Therefore, we should strive to watch more movies and for the initial emotional experience as well as go back for critical analysis. There should also be an emphasis on creating more movies derived from the new knowledge on psychology as accurately as possible, providing the public with new insight and representation. These movies will last to drastically impact current and over time, future generations and their ways of living.
Works Cited:
Benjamin, Walter. “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.”
Illuminations. Translated by Harry Zohn, edited by Hannah Arendt, Schocken
Books, 1969, pp. 1-26.
Seawright, Megan, et al. “Family Therapist Ranks DISNEY Parents.” YouTube, 17
Dec. 2024, youtu.be/AYUE5Bdg7pU?si=f-K8XOzB0ONlBKJf.
Seawright, Megan, et al. “7 Movie Marriages that are ACTUALLY Healthy!”
YouTube, 14 Mar. 2023, youtu.be/OvUWhcODLUE?si=9Pbw3dp40HQIHG-k.
Seawright, Megan, et al. “Therapist Reacts to INSIDE OUT 2.” YouTube, 27
Sep. 2024, youtu.be/R_nv-kAq-Wg?si=bI13zhY-T3QO4iJZ.