Tag: Entertainment

Unlocking the Mysteries of the Brain: What ‘Out of Your Mind’ Reveals About the Human Brain

‘Out of Your Mind: The Biggest Mysteries of the Human Brain’ will be released in January. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

The search to understand how the brain works has been a long-standing scientific endeavor, exploring the complexities of cognition, emotions, memory, and consciousness. Neuroscience and psychology have made significant strides, yet much remains unknown about the brain’s intricate processes. Books such as “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat” by Oliver Sacks delve into neurological disorders, offering insight into brain function. In “How to Change Your Mind,” Michael Pollan explores neuroplasticity and the impact of psychedelics. Meanwhile, Daniel Kahneman’s “Thinking, Fast and Slow” illuminates decision-making and cognitive biases, offering a deeper understanding of human thought processes.

If you’ve always wanted to learn more about the inner workings of the brain but found the subject too complicated, there’s a new book coming out next month that aims to make it more accessible to all readers.

“Out of Your Mind: The Biggest Mysteries of the Human Brain” by Jorge Cham and Dwayne Godwin goes on sale January 28th, 2025. It’s an introductory journey into your own mind—if your inner voice had a Ph. D. in brain science, cracked jokes, and drew cartoons. (Penguin Random House, 2024)

Why do you love? Why do you lie? What makes you happy? Every single thought you have comes from one place: your brain. But what makes it tick? How much of it have we decoded, and how much of it remains an impenetrable mystery?

Join best-selling author and online cartoonist Jorge Cham and neuroscientist Dwayne Godwin on a deep dive into the fascinating world of the human brain, in which they will explore questions such as: What is consciousness? Where is you in the brain? And do we have free will? All while illuminating everything we know (and DON’T know) about one of the most complex objects in the known universe.

Think of it as conversation-ammunition for your next cocktail party, or a quick fascinating read while you’re in the bathroom (don’t worry, the chapters aren’t that long). Centered around questions we all ask ourselves at some point but don’t usually have answers to, “Out of Your Mind” is an illustrated book about the brain that isn’t too brainy. Playful, accessible, and deeply insightful, it’s the one brain book that’s truly accessible and suitable for all brains.

Some of the questions that are addressed include:

  • Where is the mind?
  • Why do we love?
  • Why do we hate?
  • Will an AI take my job?
  • What are the limits of memory?
  • What is addiction?
  • What is consciousness?
  • What makes us happy?
  • Do we have free will?
  • What happens when we die?
  • What makes us human?

JORGE CHAM is the Daytime Emmy-nominated and best-selling cartoonist creator of the popular online comic strip “Piled Higher and Deeper” (known as PHD Comics – phdcomics.com). He is the co-creator, Executive Producer and Creative Director of “Elinor Wonders Why,” one of the highest-rated animated shows on PBS Kids, and the co-author of two popular science books: the best-selling and award-winning “We Have No Idea: A Guide to the Unknown Universe and Frequently Asked Questions about the Universe,”as well as the children’s book “Oliver’s Great Big Universe.” Jorge is also the co-host and co-creator of “Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe” a popular podcast and radio show. He obtained his Ph.D. in robotics from Stanford University and was an Instructor and Research Associate at Caltech from 2003-2005. He is originally from Panama.

DWAYNE GODWIN is a neuroscientist, an educator, and an academic leader who is a professor in the Department of Translational Neuroscience and served as graduate dean at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. His research centers on the cellular basis of abnormal brain rhythms, including active projects on calcium channel function, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injury. His goal is to use emerging insights about the brain to develop treatments and potential cures for neurological diseases. His science outreach includes Mind in Pictures, cocreated with Jorge Cham for Scientific American Mind, as well as blogs for the Society for Neuroscience and the Museum of the Moving Image.

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Peace With a Lion: David Lindes’ Most Personal Album Yet

The Guatemalan-born folk singer/songwriter David Lindes is on a mission to heal with his album Peace With a Lion, produced by Grammy® winner Alex Cuba. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Los Angeles – On his forthcoming album Peace With a Lion, Guatemalan-born singer-songwriter David Lindes looks deep into the meaning of healing. In doing so, he explores two essential phases: honoring wounds and healing them through creation. (Vesper Public Relations, 2024)

With hints of Cat Stevens in his vocals and echoes of the Latin American neo-folk Trova movement of the ‘60s and ‘70s, Lindes collects folk elements from across the continent in this deeply personal album. In it, he delves into his efforts to heal three wounds: leaving his native Guatemala as a child, being abandoned by his father as a baby, and experiencing physical and emotional abuse. As he moves into his recovery from these wounds, he approaches themes like mental health, the healing power of nature, and forgiveness, all while singing his love and heartbreak to his homeland as if it were a long-lost love. His journey from wound to healing is intimate as well as universal, speaking to the many neglected collective wounds society carries, and the need for healing there as well.

The first two singles off the album, Te Vengo a Perdonar (I’ve Come to Forgive You) and Gold in the Ashes, deal with facing childhood trauma and finding a way to accept it and transform it into wisdom, compassion, and even beauty.

Te Vengo a Perdonar uses Caribbean elements to assemble a sort of post-storm celebration. The lyrics put a forceful end to a self-imposed sentence of pain that only ends with forgiveness.

Gold in the Ashes, poignant and introspective, looks to the Blues and Americana for its palette, to take listeners from pain to hope. In its chorus, Lindes celebrates finding gold in the ashes of his past.

The songs have been released, alongside an official video for Te Vengo a Perdonar (I’ve Come to Forgive You), featuring Lindes himself, who acts out, step by step, his own death and burial.

“Maybe that’s why I’m here,’ contemplates Lindes. ‘If I can take my past, exactly as it is, and turn it into a story and a song, maybe that will bring me a little closer to not wanting a different past. And if I like the story, and I like the song, someday, I might even embrace my past,” he states hopefully.

Grammy® Winner Alex Cuba describes his role in producing the album as “a huge responsibility to shine a light on David’s beautiful voice and message, especially in a time like today, when so many are looking for ways to heal their spirits.”

Lindes will kickoff the album launch with a concert in Mexico City on February 8, 2025, at Casa Florecer, a spiritual center in the woods surrounding the city. He describes the show as “an intimate affair that will be part concert and part healing circle. It’ll include songs, stories from my life, and even a ceremonial element.” He’ll also encourage concert goers to talk about their own pain and recovery. An official album launch event will follow in Los Angeles in the Spring of 2025.

Trailer for New Crime Drama Rock starring Omar Gooding

The crime drama Rock will be available on digital platforms in November. Photo: Breaking Glass Pictures, used with permission.

Crime dramas often examine the complex lives of ex-cons trying to reintegrate into society after serving their time. These narratives explore themes of redemption, struggle, and the impact of past choices. Characters frequently face societal stigma, challenging their attempts to find employment and rebuild relationships. The tension between their desire for a fresh start and the lure of old habits creates a compelling dynamic. As they navigate this rocky path, audiences witness the emotional turmoil and resilience of individuals striving for a second chance, ultimately raising questions about justice, forgiveness, and the possibility of change in a flawed system.

In today’s movie news, there’s a new crime drama coming to digital platforms, including Tubi, on November 5, 2024.

Breaking Glass Pictures recently released the trailer for the forthcoming crime drama Rock starring Omar Gooding (Baby Boy, Barbershop) and Lee Coc (The Mule). (Breaking Glass Pictures, 2024)

Rock – Faced with his past, Rock must try to break free from the expectations the streets have for him in order to begin a new life with the woman he loves.

Director: Craig Thomas

Cast: Chris Savage (Rock), Darris Love (Q), Leli Hernandez (Sophia), Lee Coc (Lobo), Wilson Ramirez (Rey), Kevin Phillips (Tiny), Noel Gugliemi (Mario), Omar Gooding (Rio).

Bleeding Love: Ewan McGregor’s Must-Watch Movie of the Year

Ewan and Clara McGregor shine in this family road trip drama. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment is thrilled to announce that Bleeding Love, the compelling indie drama starring real-life father-daughter duo, Golden Globe Winner, Ewan McGregor, and Clara McGregor, will be available on all major digital platforms on July 22, 2024. (Strike Media, Ltd, 2024)

Following its World Premiere at SXSW, the debut feature from Emma Westenberg was selected as the Opening Gala at the 20th Glasgow Film Festival, playing to sell out audiences. Bleeding Love went on to have a successful theatrical run earlier this year where Collider praised the film for its “mesmerising authenticity”. The road-trip drama now heads home for the digital release.

Bleeding Love – In hopes of reconnecting with his estranged child, a father (Golden Globe®-Winner Ewan McGregor) embarks on an impromptu road trip with his now-adult daughter (Clara McGregor) after she has a near-fatal drug overdose. He is planning to take her to rehab – though she doesn’t know that. En route to their destination of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and encountering an eccentric array of characters along the way, the two are forced to confront the issues of their past. The trip proving to be less about the road that they’re on and more about the troubled one from their past.

Bleeding Love plays things close to home with fan favourite, Ewan McGregor starring alongside his real-life daughter Clara, who co-wrote the script with Vera Bulder and Ruby Caster. She has said that though it is fiction, aspects of it draw on her sometimes tricky relationship with her dad in the past.

Where to watch:
Digital Platforms: iTunes / Amazon / Sky / Virgin / Google Play/Youtube Movies / Xbox/Microsoft / Rakuten

Director: Emma Westenberg

Cast: Ewan McGregor, Clara McGregor, Kim Zimmer, Devyn McDowell, Sasha Alexander, Jake Weary & Vera Bulder

Producers: Christine Vachon, Mark Amin, Clara McGregor, Vera Bulder, Greg Lauritano, Mason Plotts & Cami Winikoff

Executive Producers: Ewan McGregor, Emma Westenberg, Tyler Boehm & Brent Morris

Run Time: 96 mins

“Ewan and Clara are electrifying, their close relationship off-screen seeping into their hugely convincing performances” Radio Times

New Thriller Film: The Girl In The Trunk Available for Digital Release

The Girl In The Trunk stars Katharina Sporrer and Caspar Phillipson. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Thriller movies captivate audiences with heart-pounding suspense, intricate plots, and unexpected twists. They explore the darkest corners of human psyche with themes of danger, deception, and moral ambiguity. From psychological thrillers that dig into the depths of the mind to action-packed thrillers with adrenaline-fueled sequences, the genre offers a diverse array of experiences. They are some of the most popular movies because they immerse audiences in a world where nothing is as it seems, leaving them exhilarated and enthralled.

With that said, if you’re in the mood for a claustrophobic thriller, there’s a new movie available now for digital release in the UK, Ireland, USA, and Canada. (Strike Media Ltd, 2024)

You can watch The Girl In The Trunk on:

Google Play Movies & TV
Amazon Prime Video
Apple TV
YouTube

The Girl In The Trunk
Strap in, and let this enigmatic new thriller take you for a ride. Starring Caspar Phillipson (Jackie, Blonde) and Katharina Sporrer (Genius), and written and directed by Jonas Kvist Jensen, this tight tense thriller will leave you on the edge of your seat. 

A woman finds herself kidnapped and entrapped in the enclosed space of a speeding car’s trunk, wearing her wedding dress, and with her phone as the only available tool. The situation deteriorates gradually as a failed escape attempt costs the life of an innocent bystander.

With the clock ticking towards a slow death from heat exhaustion in the Texas desert, a psychotic kidnapper at the wheel, Amanda is forced to make her own luck in the end. A dangerous game of questions and deadly consequences – to be played over the phone with the mysterious kidnapper – seems the only way to maybe discover his true identity, getting help or simply fighting her painful way towards a fleeting chance of escape.

Distributor: Vertigo Releasing / Sunrise Films

Director / Writer: Jonas Kvist Jensen

Run Time: 90 Minutes

Forthcoming movie release: You Can’t Run Forever

You Can’t Run Forever will be released on May 17, 2024. Photo: Lionsgate, used with permission.

Some of the most exciting movies to watch are thrillers. The suspense, intrigue, and adrenaline-fueled plots hold the audience’s attention and immerse them in a world of uncertainty, where every twist and turn keeps them on the edge of their seats. In today’s movie news, if you’re searching for the next exciting movie, the new J.K. Simmons thriller, You Can’t Run Forever, will be released in theaters, on digital, and on demand on Friday May 17, 2024.

You Can’t Run Forever –
Miranda, a young woman already suffering from acute anxiety due to a past tragedy, faces a new terror when a serial killer chooses her as his new target. In a harrowing hunt through the woods, Miranda finds strength she never knew she had as she tries to elude her murderous tracker. Academy Award® winner J.K. Simmons stars in a spine-chilling thriller about the strength of family and the astonishing power of the human spirit. It stars J.K. Simmons, Fernanda Urrejola, Allen Leech, Isabelle Anaya, Graham Patrick Martin, and Olivia Simmons. (EG PR, 2024)

Genre: Thriller
Rating: R for violent content including suicide, language, drug use, and brief sexual content.
Running Time: 103 minutes
Directed by Michelle Schumacher
Written by Carolyn Carpenter, Michelle Schumacher
Produced by Randle Schumacher

“You Can’t Run Forever” is about trauma and survival, and how sometimes we think we couldn’t possibly survive something tragic in our lives, only to realize not only can we survive, but we are stronger. It’s about the love and strength of family. The family you’re born into, and the family you choose.” – Michelle Schumacher

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Book of the week: ‘Karen the Origin Story’ by Andre Johnson

‘Karen the Origin Story’ is the second book in the Amish Sovereignty series by Andre Johnson. Photo: Andre Johnson, used with permission.

Literature and fiction does not always have to be so serious. Humor is essential to lighten life’s heavier moments, especially when dealing with history and everyday life. By now we have all heard of the term ‘Karen’ in modern slang. It usually refers to a middle class white woman who is seen as extraordinarily entitled or demanding. Today’s book highlight is “Karen the Origin Story” by Andre Johnson and it touches on that subject; it is available on Amazon. If you enjoy the lighter side of fiction, consider this humorous title by Andre Johnson.

Andre Johnson is the author of “Karen the Origin Story,” book 2 of 3 in the Amish Sovereignty series which also includes “Amish” and “Karen the Horror Story.”

“Karen the Origin Story” Noah and Anita are fraternal Amish twins. These twins and two of their friends go on their Rumspringa. While on Rumspringa, the group realizes that things are a little different and that they really like chili cheese fries. Midway though Rumspringa, they realize that they need to make a difference before going home. (Andre Johnson, 2024)

For anyone unfamiliar with Rumspringa, it is a rite of passage and period of growth for Amish young people during which they face fewer restrictions on their behavior and are not subject to the usual community norms. It usually begins at age 16 and ends when a youth chooses to either be baptized in the Amish church or leave the community. (Google)

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