M
ovies
The Hulk's Human Side
Computers combine acting and graphics in "The Hulk" to produce an
emotive monster
Last winter, "The Two Towers" broke new ground by combining live
acting with computer-generated images to create the otherworldly Gollum.
The creature's body, wracked by dueling personalities, was crafted first
by mapping actor Andy Serkis' movements on a computer, then programming
the image to mimic his acting. The outcome: a more realistic
depiction.
June 20 brings another impossible physique to the screen: the
15-foot-tall, one-ton Hulk. Director Ang Lee took a step beyond Gollum by
directing the computer generated Hulk as if it were a live actor. The
monster's performance is based in part on actor Eric Bana's harnessing of
the Hulk's swirling emotions. Bana plays the Hulk's alter ego, Bruce
Banner, whose flawed experiment causes his anger-induced
transformation.
Lee emphasizes character over the action-hero component, exploring
issues of anger expression and inherent rage, as well as the Hulk's
struggle for acceptance in society.
Soldier's Girl
Director: Frank Pierson
A gut-wrenching and provocative work, "Soldier's Girl" chronicles
the true story of the 1999 murder of Barry Winchell (actor Troy Garity),
an Army soldier fatally bludgeoned by his barracks mates for his
relationship with a transgendered nightclub performer. Garity's
performance, uncannily reminiscent of Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin Braddock
in The Graduate, is so strong that it's nearly impossible to react
without sympathy, regardless of your thoughts on homosexuality and the
Army's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. It doesn't hurt that his lover,
Calpernia Addams (played by Lee Pace), is so disarming, or that their
sincere love is disrupted by outside dissenters as well as Addams'
struggle with the sense that he/she is a "freak."
Most affecting are the soldiers' interactions and distinct
personalities as they navigate shared work and living quarters. These
infantrymen--still boys, for all practical purposes--one day may die for
their country, but they have yet to acquire the life experience necessary
to understand the weightiness of mortality. This adolescent temperament,
reactionary and uninformed, is the genesis of Winchell's murder. And
unfortunately, as history reminds us, it's a mind-set not everyone
outgrows.
Envy
Director: Barry Levinson
Synopsis: Tim (Ben Stiller) and Nick (Jack Black) are best friends
in every way. The two neighbors even work side by side at the same
company. But their relationship changes drastically and for the worse
when Tim passes up one of Nick's many get-rich-quick schemes. Called the
Vapoorizer, Nick's invention makes dog poop evaporate into thin air. But
when the gadget hits the big time, Nick becomes stinking rich as Tim
looks on with growing envy.
As the movie portrays, wealth and envy can cause people to lose
control. "We act stupidly when emotion is high. A little envy is
interesting, but too much is stupid," says clinical psychologist Robert
Markman, Ph.D. "Envy is 'magical thinking.' After Tim passes on Nick's
venture, he thinks, 'I should have [gotten in on it].' He then creates a
fantasy world that drives him crazy."
Sweet Sixteen
Director: Ken Loach
Review: Just one year shy of the legal driving age, Liam (Martin
Composton) is preparing to support his mother (Michelle Coulter), who is
scheduled for release from prison on his 16th birthday. To earn money, he
begins dealing drugs, and soon shares his mom's fate.
The movie confronts the pattern of multiple incarcerations within
families. Justice Department figures show that in 2002, 47 percent of
inmates in state prisons had a parent or relative behind bars. True to
life, Liam's good but misguided intentions further break apart his
family.
Radio
The Infinite Mind
Radio's award-winning weekly show "The Infinite Mind" tackles
complex topics, from gambling addiction to the nature of courage,
broadcasting from a studio packed with psychology's luminaries. But this
is not academia for the airwaves. A recent show on domestic abuse
featured musician Suzanne Vega's related hit, Luca; and an episode on
handedness linked lefties Leonardo da Vinci and Oprah Winfrey. Future
episodes will look at the funding crisis in community mental health
programs and unequal public access to quality care. For local schedules,
go to www.theinfinitemind.com.
The Web
Wired for Health
You've heard the tale: A woman walks out of surgery, only to later
return complaining of inexplicable pain. The culprit? Her surgeon's
clamp, left behind during the procedure. Disturbingly, similar errors
happen all too often: A New England Journal of Medicine study recently
found that doctors leave medical instruments inside 1,500 patients each
year. And the Institute of Medicine reports that medical blunders in U.S.
hospitals are the country's eighth leading cause of death.
Tags:
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