Film
THE FATHER
Fighting To Hold Onto Who He Was
The brilliance, and terror, of Florian Zeller’s The Father, is that we’re living inside the mind of an aging man losing his identity to Dementia. To watch it from the outside is bad enough. I know. I was that daughter too. But to be the one losing his grip on who he was is truly…
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TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Don’t Be Stopped From Speaking Out
The horror of Bobby Seale’s gagging by Judge Julius Hoffman in Aaron Sorkin’s timely film, The Trial of the Chicago 7 is an image of what Black Lives Matter is fighting against. It’s an image of how being silenced provokes rage. The history and trial speak for themselves. But, as a psychoanalyst, I can talk…
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MANK
Why A Man Drinks Himself to Death
Herman Mankiewicz was a tragic figure – in 1940’s Hollywood and in David Fincher’s film, Mank. Sure, Mank stood up for what was right and against what was wrong at MGM and in the political world of the times. He had his principles, expressed too often in self-destructive ways. He was equally hurtful towards those who loved him. In…
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SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
Think Hope Is Dangerous?
7 Reasons to Watch This Film
Dr. Sandra Cohen, Beverly Hills psychoanalyst, writes about Shawshank Redemption, a film to watch during COVID-19, hope, & holding on to who you are & were.
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LOVE ACTUALLY
Love’s Obstacles
How to Keep Hope Alive?
Richard Curtis’ 2003 film classic, Love Actually, is the ultimate Christmas ROM-COM. After all, the Christmas holiday-time is the season of love, romance, and family. But, what if you couldn’t be with family because of the pandemic? Or love isn’t working very well with the stresses of quarantine? Or maybe you’ve run into love’s inevitable…
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A FACE IN THE CROWD
6 Mistakes A Woman Makes
Falling for A “Bad Boy”
Lonesome Rhodes, a brashly-charming-drunken-drifter, is turned radio personality by Marcia Jeffries in Elia Kazan’s 1957 film, A Face in The Crowd. The film explores the climb to power of a rabble-rousing anti-social con man, as well as Lonesome’s ultimate tantruming downfall. Sound familiar? But perhaps the real question lies in why a woman like Marcia…
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