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A therapist breaks down the miscommunication in Denis Villeneuve's 2016 Oscar-nominated sci-fi epic Arrival. Starring Jeremy Renner as experimental physicist Ian Donnelly and Amy Adams' linguist Dr. Louise Banks, a group of scientists is tasked to learn to communicate with extraterrestrials when gigantic spaceships arrive on Earth.

As a movie that revolves almost entirely around communication, Arrival explores the impact of language on perception and how to foster an understanding between different cultures and realities. The movie grossed over $206 million worldwide against a production budget of $47 million and received eight Oscar nominations, including Best Director for Villeneuve.

Recently, licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright of Cinema Therapy sat down to discuss the 2016 movie and its approach to miscommunication and the movie's theme about knowledge and what it means to be human. In the scene where Louise, Ian, and Colonel Weber (Forest Whitaker) came together to talk about the situation early in the movie,...

Jonathan Decker, a licensed therapist, recently watched How To Train Your Dragon 2 in order to assess whether Valka is a bad mother. How To Train Your Dragon 2 follows on from the 2010 DreamWorks movie, which saw Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) become friends with a Night Fury, changing the fictional village of Berk and its perception of the relationship between Vikings and dragons. The second How To Train Your Dragon movie is set five years later, and sees Hiccup finally reunite with his long-lost mother, Valka, who apparently left her son as a child due to Berk’s mistreatment of dragons.

In a Cinema Therapy video, Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright discussed Valka’s parenting in How To Train Your Dragon 2, stating that “I feel like a lot of people online are triggered by Valka.” The main problem that Decker identifies with Hiccup’s mother in How To Train Your Dragon 2...

20 years after Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright offer their advice to Anakin and Padmé. The love story between Anakin and Padmé lies at the heart of the prequels, and their story has a lot of bumps in the road long before their fateful confrontation on Mustafar. But could the disastrous end have been averted?

The latest episode of Movie Therapy, by Jonathan Decker and Alan Seawright, offers advice to Anakin and Padmé in the hopes of salvaging their relationship - or, at least, saving Padmé's life. The two have very different opinions on the prequels, but they're both agreed that the relationship between Anakin and Padmé is deeply problematic. The key, in their view, lies in the failure to communicate.

Decker offers insight into the whole emotional rollercoaster - including the controversial Tusken Massacre - but he really focuses...

A licensed psychologist breaks down Glinda (Ariana Grande-Butera) and Elphaba's (Cynthia Enviro) relationship in Wicked. The 2024 movie adaptation of the Broadway musical follows Elphaba's journey as she's set on a path to becoming The Wizard of Oz's Wicked Witch of the West, during which she also develops a friendship with Glinda, who's later known as the Good Witch. The dynamic between Elphaba and Glinda has long been a fan-favorite and received renewed attention and praise upon the release of Wicked last November.

In a video by Cinema Therapy, licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright unpack the psychology behind Glinda and Elphaba's enemies-to-besties relationship. Decker explained that Glinda loathes Elphaba at first because Elphaba doesn't worship her like the rest of her friends, and Elphaba finds it unfair that Glinda gets everything she wants. The psychologist also highlightsthe mutual jealousy between the two at the start. However, their relationship changes in the dance scene,...

After it briefly showcased a sympathetic side to the character, a psychologist is sharing why Coriolanus Snow transformed into a villain in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Based on Suzanne Collins' 2020 novel of the same name, the movie was set during the 10th annual titular event and saw a younger version of Snow, played by Tom Blyth, as he mentored District 12 Tribute, Lucy Gray Baird. While his affection for Baird nearly put him on a brighter path, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' ending would see him begin his villainous rise.

In a YouTube video uploaded by Cinema Therapy, licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright unpack Coriolanus Snow's villainous change in the Hunger Games prequel. Decker explains that while Snow genuinely cares for Lucy Gray Baird, it's "a tug of war between self-interest and compassion." In the movie, Snow is also trying to survive during the game,...

Emperor Palpatine manipulates with truth, not just lies, twisting it to his advantage. George Lucas' villain is a skilled manipulator, toying with those around him in Star Wars. Palpatine gaslights Anakin into trusting only him, using real-life manipulation techniques.

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright reveal why Emperor Palpatine, the Star Wars villain, is the ultimate manipulator. Played by Ian McDiarmid in the movies, Emperor Palpatine is the most powerful Sith Lord of all. He is also the arch-manipulator, skillfully orchestrating the invasion of Naboo, the Clone Wars, and the fall of Anakin Skywalker.

Now, licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright have cast a thoughtful eye over Palpatine's manipulation of Anakin. As they note, Palpatine coveted power on every level - both on a galactic one, and in terms of his interpersonal relationships. They identify so many techniques Palpatine used to twist Anakin to his purposes.

A licensed therapist analyzes a Tom Riddle flashback scene in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, pointing out a red flag involving the character hurting animals, which is a sign of psychopathy. In the scene, Riddle is also constantly thinking about ways he can take advantage of others. The therapist argues that Dumbledore shouldn't have invited Riddle to Hogwarts after seeing this behavior. While more flashback scenes could have further fleshed out Voldemort/ Tom Riddle as a character, the few scenes that are present have depth and don't come at the expense of narrative pacing.

A Harry Potter flashback scene involving a young Voldemort gets put under the microscope by a licensed therapist, and he points out a glaring red flag. Serving as an adaptation of the book series by controversial author J.K. Rowling, the eight Warner Bros. movies chronicle the epic conflict between Daniel Radcliffe's Harry and Lord Voldemort,...

This post contains mentions of suicide.

The therapy scene in Ted Lasso is praised by a real therapist for its realistic portrayal and effective approach to therapy. Dr. Sharon Fieldstone's skill lies in asking open-ended questions and allowing Ted to arrive at his own breakthroughs regarding his father's death. The therapist appreciates how Dr. Fieldstone gently corrects Ted's view of his father while allowing him to come to his own realization. By asking the right questions, she helps Ted understand that his father's actions were driven by pain and not solely a reflection of his character. Overall, it is considered exemplary therapy.

Ted Lasso's emotional therapy scene gets assessed by a real therapist. Despite Ted's (Jason Sudeikis) otherwise optimistic demeanor, he was rather resistant to therapy, and even reacted negatively to the idea of it. His reluctance to open up emerges with the addition of Dr. Sharon Fieldstone (Sharon Niles...

Dr. Kinbott's sugary sweet personality on Wednesday may seem disingenuous, but it's ultimately genuine and her way of making people feel comfortable in therapy. The production design and wardrobe of Dr. Kinbott in Wednesday indicate that her sweet and friendly appearance reflects her true self. Dr. Kinbott's caring and affectionate nature make her a potentially effective therapist.

A licensed therapist is investigating the effectiveness of Dr. Valerie Kinbott, the therapist from Wednesday. After being sent to Nevermore Academy after assaulting a classmate, Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) must also see a therapist. Over the course of the show, Kinbott (Riki Lindhome) grows close to Wednesday and even helps her make several breakthroughs. While her personality often grates on the young Addams, Kinbott always tries to help her.

Every member of Wednesday's cast is a bizarre and larger-than-life figure. In investigating Kinbott, Cinema Therapy explored the sheer challenges of a therapist intervening in support of Wednesday.

A new video discusses how Rocket Raccoon's story in the MCU was focused on his healing journey and overcoming trauma, which reached its conclusion in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Through the course of the Guardians of the Galaxy films and Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, Rocket evolved from a hesitant and mistrustful character to a strong leader and valued member of a community. While it is uncertain when or if Rocket will return in future MCU projects, his character development and emotional arc have made him a standout in the franchise.

In unpacking Rocket Raccoon's MCU story, a licensed therapist explains how Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 nailed the ending for the character. Writer and director James Gunn was responsible for bringing the Guardians of the Galaxy to live-action and introducing them to the Marvel Cinematic Universe nearly a decade ago. Ever since the series began, Gunn was adamant that it was,...

Henry Cavill's portrayal of Superman in the Dceu, starting from "Man of Steel," is examined by a therapist, discussing his personal conflicts and journey. The Identity Status Theory is used to understand Cavill's Superman and how his perspective on responsibility as the Last Son of Krypton evolves over time. Despite some narrative choices being criticized, Cavill's work as Superman is widely appreciated, and many feel that Warner Bros. missed out on fully utilizing his potential in the DC projects.

Henry Cavill's Superman is revisited and explained by a therapist. 2023 marks the 10th year anniversary of Cavill's debut as Clark Kent. The actor is Zack Snyder's inaugural hero for the Dceu via Man of Steel and appeared in a total of five films, including Zack Snyder's Justice League on HBO Max (currently called Max). Despite being a fan favorite, Cavill's stint as Superman was tumultuous, resulting in his abrupt...

A therapist breaks down the smash hit horror movie M3GAN and proclaims it spot-on in its psychology, except for one correction. Released in early 2023, M3GAN rode a hugely successful viral marketing campaign to gross $179 million worldwide on a budget of $12 million. It’s since been revealed that there’s more killer doll mayhem coming, as a M3GAN sequel is confirmed to be in the works.

As horror fans await more news on the promised M3GAN 2, a therapist has looked back at the first film and broke down its handling of matters like childhood grief, revealing that there’s more to M3GAN than just a wild horror movie. Appearing on the series Cinema Therapy, therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright tackled M3GAN’s depiction of child psychology, and gave the film high marks for believability. “It’s really smart, really dramatically sound, well-acted, really funny, and clinically spot-on,” Decker proclaimed in his final diagnosis.