OVERVIEW

Urban explorer and Host Gene Kansas contemplates American history and its leadership through the lens of cinema with this “session” of POPCORN THERAPY, our special segment bringing together exceptional people with expert psychologists to explore the characters of a film and their stories. It’s a movie review, but since they’re not film critics, Gene and his guests will be discussing the movie through their own life experiences. Today’s film, Lincoln.

“Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.” -LincolnLincoln the film covers the last 4 months of President Lincoln’s life: the lobbying, the tests of loyalty, and the struggles of a man to deliver equality, win The Civil War and unite a nation.  As viewers we see Lincoln’s relationships with his wife, his children, his soldiers, his citizens, his people. As American’s we experience the relationship of history to the unacceptable alternative in a very intimate manner and throughout a turning point of our existence, watching the President knowingly choose the harder, bloodier road to do what he felt was right.

For this session of Popcorn Therapy, we have two very special guests in the studio, and, as always, two that have particular relevance to this film.  Rickey Bevington is News Director of TV, radio and digital for Georgia Public Broadcasting, a journalist highly experienced in covering both politics and The Civil War.  Also joining is returning guest Jared DeFife, PhD, a clinical psychologist and professor at Emory University with a passion for cinema.

It seemed only fitting to have Ms. Bevington, whose pastime meets her profession, a true authority on Civil War history and a dyed-in-the-wool supporter of our democratic system. And, Mr. DeFife, an expert in human behavior, is also a logical guest to help us understand the relationship between the psychology of the man and the psychology of a President.  So how does Lincoln stand up to legend and legacy?  Listen and see.

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Steven Spielberg directs two-time Academy Award® winner Daniel Day-Lewis in what’s sure to be another award-winning performance.  DreamWorks’ Lincoln opens nationally on November 16th.  Run Time: 150 minutes.  Rated: PG-13.  Enjoy the show!