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C&P Film Fest [ The Happy Hour Archive | obereed.net ] [Happy Hour is Back! 4pm at Charley's ] --------------------------------------- COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY FILM FESTIVAL TO HIT TOWN SOON By E. Stroop Task ANN ARBOR - The public's longstanding fascination with cognitive psychology does not appear to be waning. It has been estimated that the cognitive psychology entertainment industry will rake in nearly $500 million this year alone, and analysts expect that amount to grow to nearly $4 billion by the year 2000. From national best-sellers such as the novel "SOA" by Hal Pashler to public access talk shows like "Reaction Time with Dave Meyer," Cognitive Psychology, or CogPsych to those in the know, has enjoyed an unparallelled popularity among people from all walks of life. "My favorite is Posner's spotlight model," says local housewife Sarah Purcell waiting on line at "The Brain Store" at a local mall. Purcell, along with approximately 150 other mothers and fathers is of course trying to purchase this holiday season's most popular gift, "Left Hemispatial Neglect Ernie" for her children. "Some kids are into that newfangled connectionism stuff, that's what worries me," reports store manager Shane T. "Myelin" Mueller, "but this Ernie character restores my hope in the younger generation." As if the wide array of CogPsych toys, clothing, food products, and commemorative plates weren't enough, Hollywood is getting ready to release a dozen new films devoted to the field. "It's what the people want," says director Heuristic P. Speilberg of the latest offerings. Speilberg was, of course, the director of the box office smash, "The Last Temptation of SOAR." To celebrate the release of these films, a gala film festival is planned for this Friday at 4pm at Goodtime Charley's. The CogPsych elite will be out and about, as will starwatchers straining to get autographs of these hotshots. Although the screenings are invitation only, our own crack staff has compiled synopses of many of these films. 3 Men and a Geon Starring Tom Selleck, Irv Biederman, and Steve Guttenberg. With Suzanne Sommers as the Geon. *** and 1/2 * This film is the much awaited sequel to last year's "3 Men and a Visual Feature." It's a non-stop comedic romp that the whole family will enjoy. The film begins with the men losing their geon in a crowded department store the day before Christmas. The movie revolves around the madcap adventures of the guys as they search for their missing geon - which of course can be literally anywhere in their visual field. The heartwarming final scenes where the geon is finally found are utterly exquisite. And that Suzanne Sommers has some great non-accidental features. The Hippocampi of the Serengheti Documentary **** This wonderful film captures the hippocampus in its natural habitat in the Serengheti plains. The cinematography makes this a masterpiece. The inspiring aerial shots of herds of these majestic beasts in all their medial temporal glory are truly spectacular. The film also includes some incredibly rare footage of the hippocampus mating ritual. The film's overarching message about the dwindling numbers of these creatures highlights their plight. One of the best documentary films in recent years. Thanks for the Working Memories Meg Ryan, John Jonides and Dave Meyer ** This remake of the sappy 1964 film "Thanks for the Short Term Memories" tries too hard. The film stars Ryan and Jonides as a pair of star-crossed psychologists and Meyer as the greedy NSF policy maker intent on keeping the two apart. Although believable performances were given, the attempts by the script's author, Alan Baddeley, to update it fail miserably. This is most evident in Meyer's 12 minute tirade about the evils of immutable structural bottlenecks. Audiences will enjoy the interesting choice reaction time scenes between Jonides and Ryan, but will be left wanting for a plot. EPIC vs. Godzilla Starring EPIC and Godzilla **** This film explores the age old question of whether a boundless working memory is any match against the ability to breathe fire. From the tradition of Cognitive model vs. giant monster films such as "ACT* vs. the Space Monsters," "ACT-R vs. Mothra," and the ill-fated "HAM Saves Humanity," comes a tale of suspense and intrigue. EPIC does a masterful job using its two left hands to defend Tokyo from a deranged Godzilla. A definite Oscar nominee. See you at the opening! 4pm at Charley's. |