DIRECTOR'S CUT: Psychology of a Hero: RISE OF THE GUARDIANS
Added 2022-11-28 15:30:04 +0000 UTCWhat is your center and how do you find it? How do you go from isolation to belonging?
Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are talking about finding your center (purpose) by following Jack Frost’s hero journey in Rise of the Guardians. They discuss Jack’s transition from isolation to becoming a Guardian. Alan complains about Jack’s magic frost powers and memory loss not making sense and why Chris Pine was miscast, while Jono tries to ship Elsa and Jack Frost… Alan doesn’t like that either. But he does love Alec Baldwin's Russian Santa!
Comments
I'm pretty sure when Jack frost blows on the snowball, it's enchanting it with joy. That's how I took it anyway cause it's like it washes over them and then they are super happy and having a fun time.
Hannah
2024-02-02 16:50:21 +0000 UTCWhy Jack loses his memories? My theory is, it's exactly what needs to happen to put him in the position he needs to be to save the day 300 years later. Which would be ridiculously contrived if it was for any reason other than the Man doing it on purpose. The Man in the Moon that is, planning ahead, manipulating his soldiers like the most ruthless General.
All mankind
2023-11-26 04:21:44 +0000 UTCI had a voice slightly deeper and just as raspy as Jack when I was 12
North
2023-06-14 03:49:50 +0000 UTCSomething I love about the fact that Jack shows the kid the Easter bunny in the frost on the window, is that not only is the kid looking for the Easter bunny, the Easter bunny represents Hope. He's looking for hope and Jack shows him a reason to keep hoping and that's beautiful to me. Not only that, but Jack could have tried to tell him specifically Jack Frost is here, so he gets believed in, but he didn't. He knew what the right thing to do was and did it as an unselfish act, even though the Easter bunny was a total jerk to him. THAT'S fantastic storytelling. That's a truly heroic quality.
Kellie Bridges
2023-04-25 18:51:30 +0000 UTCGonna suggest you do Road to Perdition! 1. More “Weird Jude Law” 2. It’s incredible 3. Portrait of a father/son relationship after a catastrophic event. Like it was made for you ;)
Tim Durning
2023-01-31 07:42:08 +0000 UTCTooth Fairy = memory; Easter bunny = hope; Sandman = dreams. I don't recall if the movie ever has any of them declare it outright the way that North does, but you can map their centers onto them pretty easily from the narrative. Sandman is all about dreams, the Tooth Fairy passionately extols the virtues of childhood memory to Jack Frost - and Easter is all about the trope of the hope of spring and renewal/rebirth.
Amy Petty
2023-01-16 07:54:36 +0000 UTCHahah okay on the subject of Jack and Elsa: They both share the trauma of an unwilling isolation; Elsa would never have to fear her ice hurting him, meaning she could be free of her mental prison of anxiety; and of course she would appreciate the fun-loving personality of Jack, since that's like Anna and Christoff too -- she loves warm people. However I think the more compelling case is for fanfic of a platonic, perhaps pat/fraternal bond between the two, to have him as an interjection to the Frozen plot and helping her master her powers and personal growth in her adolescence, and perhaps changing/avoiding the events of the film 030 I think there's a definite case for mutual growth, but to me even though Jack didn't know his purpose, he still knew himself, and didn't fundamentally change over the course of the movie, just his situation did, whereas Elsa's conflict is largely internal, and so more impact able by psychological change, making the relationship somewhat one-sided if we are chronologically in frozen one, which supports a teacher role. In his movie, Jack just kinda got given a job he could have always had, and got un-ostracized, and got his memories back, so he could be coming from during or after and still play this guardian role. Elsa always knew her role, as queen/sister/protector, just wanted to be free of the burden of it, in frozen 1, learning to accept it by the end, and then got a fulfillment arc like Jack did, in Frozen 2, with her spiritual awakening. So what if they both meet after that? Gay best friends?
RandalJandal
2023-01-02 21:29:14 +0000 UTCYou did it. We're intrigued by your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
Cinema Therapy
2022-12-23 09:17:01 +0000 UTCFifteen year old me would fight Alan tooth and nail about Jack and Elsa being a good couple. Except fifteen year old me also shipped them cause "ooo ice powers! they're perfect together!" If I had to say now why I think they would be good together it would have to be because they ARE different. Elsa is almost a recluse, she is timid and doesn't really know how to open up to the people around her and I think that Jack being the exciting extrovert he is, could help her learn how to do that. He could help her open up and learn to relax a little bit more and have, well fun! Opposites do attract and I think them being so opposite is one of the reasons they are such a good ship together. I think they would have this good harmony together where Elsa is the quiet type in the relationship and Jack is the one who talks too much but they adore these traits in each other because they don't have them themselves. Not in a "two pieces completing each other" kind of way because at the end of the day they are their own whole people who don't need someone to complete them but in the "wow you two compliment each other so nicely" kind of way. SO TAKE THAT ALAN. I figured it out!
koree
2022-12-23 01:51:38 +0000 UTCMy center has to be chaos. I love just unleashing it and watching. Mostly at a kid on sugar level of chaos. However, starting an argument between people and leaving is fun too. I am just curious where it will go and what will happen.
taylor garrett
2022-12-09 00:28:35 +0000 UTCFabulous. Please do The Box Trolls!!
Omen the Black Cat
2022-12-05 01:48:28 +0000 UTCAhhh thank you!! I hope so!! It may sound crazy but people like Christopher Nolan give me a lot of hope and are really inspiring because he just started out as a DIY film director that didn't even go to film school and now he's a world class talent. And the fact that he makes BRILLIANT films helps too lol!!! Speaking of which, I know it would be a hard one to do because of all the twists and turns, but would you guys ever consider covering the Prestige?
Kate Larson
2022-12-03 16:49:47 +0000 UTCOh, Alan's good for me too! - Jono
Cinema Therapy
2022-12-03 16:48:12 +0000 UTCYou've got a bright future ahead of you!
Cinema Therapy
2022-12-03 16:46:00 +0000 UTCAs a future filmmaker (I'm in film school) I can say that storytelling is my center as well! I want to bring joy to people while teaching them lessons. Hey, that actually sounds a lot like what you guys do!
Kate Larson
2022-12-02 20:49:02 +0000 UTCWatching on YouTube right now. Great Job Guys.
Shelby Odneal
2022-12-02 01:23:23 +0000 UTClove this episode, and Alan's slight crisis of character - poor thing. Jono you're so good for him. my center? i have always been a fierce friend/strong advocate. so, i felt in my soul the legal profession was calling my name since i had baby teeth.
Lynettra
2022-12-01 03:09:43 +0000 UTCMy 14 yo was wondering what the centers of the others would be, The Tooth Fairy, The Sandman, and The Easter Bunny?
Angie Scheitel
2022-12-01 00:02:28 +0000 UTCIronically the video i hear my name in is the one i needed the most right now. Thank you guys for what you do. Been binge watching your videos since i first discovered you.
Johnny Peebles
2022-11-30 20:47:35 +0000 UTCThanks! Ironically it's a Master's in Counseling that I'm quitting to pursue my own mental health and a better understanding of myself.
Kodie Cummings
2022-11-30 16:14:00 +0000 UTCI mean, the Patreon is kind of that group, with the bonus content I put out here :)
Cinema Therapy
2022-11-30 16:12:23 +0000 UTCYikes! So sorry! You'll come out stronger and with more clarity, I've no doubt.
Cinema Therapy
2022-11-30 16:10:47 +0000 UTCThank you so much for this episode! I'm actually in the middle of trying to rediscover my center after having spent a long time pursuing a degree I don't actually want. So that's been a fun existential crisis for the last two days or so.
Kodie Cummings
2022-11-30 15:46:13 +0000 UTCHow can my center be just one thing? Every part of me has always been me. I have always known who I am. I don't think I would be able to describe myself in words, but I have a hard time describing stuff anyway. I prefer to use a word in a sentence, than giving a definition. I do have an inordinate amount of joy and childlike wonder. Curiosity and mischief. Whimsy and fun. I am a total goofball. I know where I'm going, and what I plan to do with my life, but I am slowly meandering along the different trails that I find. I'm enjoying the journey. I'll get where I'm going eventually. There's just a lot of interesting sights and stops along the way.
Maggie Avilla
2022-11-30 15:16:36 +0000 UTCThinking about my center (and everyone else’s) is a beautiful and grounding thing to ponder. I feel that my center is empathy. Loved this episode!!
Mitsuki
2022-11-30 13:45:54 +0000 UTCFantastic episode: Ace Elsa, Alan's existential crisis, and Eunice. My center = crippling fear. But listening to Jono I've decided my fear, like anger, often comes from love. Love is such an over-used word, though.
Neurotic Cow
2022-11-30 02:22:24 +0000 UTCYou guys included a cut of 'What's Up Doc?" !!! How can I love you guys any more than I already do... I guess getting Jono to be my therapist would be nice... but aside from that :D
Richard Mead
2022-11-29 20:41:35 +0000 UTCI'm not going to lie, I'm a Jelsa shipper, and I know the stereotype is usually that it's just bc they both have ice powers which, imo is a cool aesthetic thing for sure, but I actually think their personalities would complement well. While I generally don't go for "opposites attract," I think her sort of practical, nervous nature would help ground Jack, and Jack's more fun-loving at times recklessness would help her relax and bring her out of her head a bit. I don't think that works for everyone, if she were JUST an anxious lil bean I wouldn't say that, but Elsa's shown a capacity and desire for freedom, fun, and a bit of throwing herself into the fire for what she wants when she lets herself express and nurture that part of herself. At the same time, Jack isn't always just fun and games either. They have core bits that it seems like they share, a capability to be serious especially when it comes to protective instincts. As an extreme introvert married to an extra social person, I also don't think that's a circumstance that just "doesn't work." My husband wants to bring me along to EVERY gathering he goes to with his friends most of the time, but we navigate that boundary well because he understands that I need space sometimes and can respect that. Similarly, while Jack clearly loves hanging out with children and goofing off with others, I think they do share an understanding of what it's like to be outcast and to feel alone that can really serve to foster compassion between them. This is definitely a crack ship for me, I have no illusions that they'll end up in some weird cinematic universe when Disney finally beats Dreamworks into submission and buys them out, and I know there are ways to interpret it where they DON'T work, bc she's TOO serious, and as an ace myself (not aro), far be it from me to want LESS ace representation, but I at least feel comfortable stating that it's not all just "ooh it's a boy and girl with ice powers, they should kiss."
Anya
2022-11-29 19:56:42 +0000 UTCOh I love this episode 😍🤍✨ I went on a date this summer, from a friend of my coworker, cause he thought we could work well together, cause we're both introverted.. Yeah well, turned out he was way more introverted than him & we didn't really have much else in common. Even though I'm pretty sure that a super extroverted person would fit either ^^ maybe someone who's slightly more extroverted than me & maybe with less social anxiety, cause that would be real helpful 😅 And I think my center is Wonder too. Cause I am so easily mesmerized by anything. Especially nature. No matter the season, no matter the scenery, I am just fascinated & could sit and watch the world keep turning. ✨🌍
Veronika Gschwandtner
2022-11-29 17:57:58 +0000 UTCLoved the video! This was my favorite movie as a kid when it came out. As an adult, i can kinda agree that Chris Pines' voice is a bit odd coming out of a character who's supposed to be a kid, but when I was a kid it didn't bother me since it was like viewing an older-brother-like character? Like, you know how as kids anyone who's older than 15 or is a teenager seems ancient by your own kid standards, so the voice seemed fitting to me at the time of the movie's release. 😅
gummi
2022-11-29 16:24:57 +0000 UTCIs there a "Jonathan Decker, Professional Therapist and Certified Badass" mentoring group I could join? You keep dropping these professional knowledge bombs, usually right when I need to hear them. I struggle a lot with the idea of How a Therapist Should Be™️ but usually settle on "well, this is what I got so here we go." My center is probably based around joy or love -- bringing forth as much as I can, helping people find it in themselves, encouraging its rediscovery when people have lost it. There is so much light in the world but it gets hard to see sometimes. (Can we blame Pitch?) Also, the Jack/Elsa ship. I think they would bond over the shared feeling of isolation and finding their place in the world. If I'm remembering my "Frozen 2" correctly, both of them end up in service-oriented roles, helping others after accepting that they play a bigger part than they previously thought.
Kristine Amdor
2022-11-29 02:03:12 +0000 UTCI love this movie! And Alan’s Santa impersonation was 💯 If I had to describe my center, it’s some kind of nurturer/protector. I have a forceful/intense personality (Navy attorney), but I was drawn to my field by the desire to help people get out from under the oppressive forces that prevent them from living safe, happy, and healthy lives. So I’ve also always been drawn to lessons from mental health professions because I want to be able to view all my relationships—professional and otherwise—through the deeper understanding that brings. Apparently, I chose well because all my closest friends/loved ones joke that I would have been a great therapist except for the (allegedly) “terrifyingly intimidating” look I get on my face when I’m really focused on what someone is sharing with me. 😅 On a different note, I’m going to submit another request for a video on the mental/physical tolls of being a caregiver to a loved one suffering from an extreme mental or physical illness. My personal favorite movie depiction of this is Sam/Frodo and Eowyn/Theoden in LOTR, but Alicia/Bill Nash in A Beautiful Mind, and two leads in 50/50 (can’t remember their names at the moment) have also stuck out to me.
Erin Bourneuf
2022-11-29 00:58:13 +0000 UTCI've been wanting to watch this movie for quite a while now but never got to it. It seems really amazing though, so thank you for your reaction! Regarding my center, I honestly don't know because life is just very stressful these days. Then again, I'm still in university, so I believe that I still have a lot of time to figure out what my center is. I'd like to believe that it's similar to storytelling, though (that at least used to be my center, I think)
Lara
2022-11-28 20:27:19 +0000 UTCRight now, I think my center is curiosity. I've always been curious about a lot and wonder why we were put on this planet. I have no idea, but I MAY become an academic researcher to perhaps get some answers. Still on the fence about that one, though LOL
Mollie Justin
2022-11-28 19:13:22 +0000 UTCI love this movie!! When it first came out, I watched it over and over again. Also Chris Pine was the reason I watched it at first because I love him and I loved him as Jack Frost, gosh darn it.
Mollie Justin
2022-11-28 18:22:33 +0000 UTCI think that's a perfect way to put this!
Opal Evergreen
2022-11-28 18:09:59 +0000 UTCSeeing clips of What's Up Doc always makes me so happy! Its my favorite comedy movie!
PalehornTea
2022-11-28 17:38:30 +0000 UTCI feel like Jack Frost would be a better platonic companion for Elsa than a romantic interest/partner. Jack having such a similar power but also having always seen the fun in it could be a helpful, healing force in her relationship with her power. They also share the desire to protect their younger siblings, which is a bonding force. However, I think that Jack’s outgoing nature and focus on fun over responsibility would be bad for her both when she was Queen of Arendelle and now that she’s the fifth spirit.
Catherine Ginn
2022-11-28 16:55:18 +0000 UTCEXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKING
Anya
2022-11-28 15:44:08 +0000 UTCOh I love the books !! And I actually liked the film too. Can't wait to see what Alan and Jono think of it. :)
Meilin
2022-11-28 15:38:36 +0000 UTCOoh, I really like Rise of the Guardians! 😁 Can't wait to watch!
Yani Dodge
2022-11-28 15:32:21 +0000 UTCI feel like this and Soul are the beginnings of a “purpose” playlist
Lauren Wagstaff
2022-11-28 15:31:12 +0000 UTC
