By David King
You have to be a bit courageous to name a documentary “Boredom,” knowing it will eventually land in the hands of a snarky reviewer looking for an easy joke. Albert Nerenberg, the director behind other documentaries looking at everyday phenomena (“Laughology,” “Stupidity”) wanted to explore this common life experience: what boredom is, how it happens, and what effects it has on people.
In doing so, Nerenberg uses a variety of filmmaking styles, from research presented by experts, to B-roll and stock footage, to dramatizations and “Daily Show” style interviews meant as much to amuse as entertain.
Nerenberg warns us early on that there isn’t much research on the actual topic of boredom. It’s apparently a subject that sparks more curiosity and questions than it does answers.The documentary does pull together a variety of experts, however, from psychologists and neurologists to scholars on topics like education and technology.
You have to be a bit courageous to name a documentary “Boredom,” knowing it will eventually land in the hands of a snarky reviewer looking for an easy joke. Albert Nerenberg, the director behind other documentaries looking at everyday phenomena (“Laughology,” “Stupidity”) wanted to explore this common life experience: what boredom is, how it happens, and what effects it has on people.
In doing so, Nerenberg uses a variety of filmmaking styles, from research presented by experts, to B-roll and stock footage, to dramatizations and “Daily Show” style interviews meant as much to amuse as entertain.
Nerenberg warns us early on that there isn’t much research on the actual topic of boredom. It’s apparently a subject that sparks more curiosity and questions than it does answers.The documentary does pull together a variety of experts, however, from psychologists and neurologists to scholars on topics like education and technology.
- 10/24/2014
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
In the documentary Boredom, “comedic” Canadian documentarian Albert Nerenberg delves into a full study of the concept and condition of boredom. Known for similar documentaries—Laughology, Stupidity—Nerenberg seems to be the ideal filmmaker to tackle such an unexplored topic. This hour-long doc brings some fascinating insight into the debilitating state of boredom.
Boredom results from a combination of three things: an unstimulating environment, a repetitious activity, and the need for constant vigilance of the repetitious activity in an unstimulating environment. But while you may think that boredom results from inactivity in brain usage, it turns out that boredom actually occurs from an over-stimulated mind. In fact, when bored, the brain is moving so fast that it distorts the concept time—hence that feeling that time is going even slower when you’re bored.
Read more...
Boredom results from a combination of three things: an unstimulating environment, a repetitious activity, and the need for constant vigilance of the repetitious activity in an unstimulating environment. But while you may think that boredom results from inactivity in brain usage, it turns out that boredom actually occurs from an over-stimulated mind. In fact, when bored, the brain is moving so fast that it distorts the concept time—hence that feeling that time is going even slower when you’re bored.
Read more...
- 8/21/2014
- by John Keith
- JustPressPlay.net
Petty Officer 2nd Class Daunte Reed has spent 14 years in the U.S. Navy, but his life could change with one giggle this weekend.
Reed is one of a dozen or so people competing in the first-ever American Laughing Championship, which is taking place April 6 in San Diego.
The contest, which is part of the annual conference of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, requires the chosen laughers to face off against each other as the audience determines who has the most contagious guffaw.
Reed is hoping to be a serious contender for the title of top laugher.
"I've been told I have a contagious laugh," Reed, 33, told The Huffington Post. "It doesn't take much to make me laugh."
But he may have a tough time of it. The chosen laughers can't be Johnny-one-chuckles in their snicker stylings, according to the contest's organizer, Canadian filmmaker Albert Nerenberg.
"We will...
Reed is one of a dozen or so people competing in the first-ever American Laughing Championship, which is taking place April 6 in San Diego.
The contest, which is part of the annual conference of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor, requires the chosen laughers to face off against each other as the audience determines who has the most contagious guffaw.
Reed is hoping to be a serious contender for the title of top laugher.
"I've been told I have a contagious laugh," Reed, 33, told The Huffington Post. "It doesn't take much to make me laugh."
But he may have a tough time of it. The chosen laughers can't be Johnny-one-chuckles in their snicker stylings, according to the contest's organizer, Canadian filmmaker Albert Nerenberg.
"We will...
- 4/5/2013
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
Montreal’s Festival Du Nouveau Cinema (10.10 – 10.21) announced their line-up today for their 41st edition and among the smorgasbord of subtitle offerings dating back to this year’s Rotterdam, Berlin, Cannes, Locarno, Venice and Tiff editions, we’re knee-deep in avant-garde world cinema from the established auteurs Assayas, Vinterberg, Ozon, Sang-Soo, Joao Pedro Rodriguez, Larrain, Loach, Reygadas, Ghobadi, Mungiu and Miguel Gomes. Heavy on offerings from Quebec and France, the fest also manages to offer a stellar snapshot of the up-and-comers from all corners of the globe. Among the notable titles in the (Competition category) International Selection we’ve got Pablo Berger’s Blancanieves, Ursula Meier’s Sister, Brian M. Cassidy and Melanie Shatzky’s Francine (which received its theatrical release earlier this month) and Rodrigo Plá’s La Demora. Loaded in Cannes items, the Special Presentations is the fest’s A-list selections (see filmmakers named above) and the one pic...
- 9/25/2012
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
When Albert Nerenberg goes through a family tragedy, he trusts in the old adage “laughter is the best medicine.” To prove this, he goes on a quest to discover why we laugh. The documentary Laughology follows his journey of finding mirth even when you have nothing to laugh at.
To begin, Albert poses the question: where do babies learn to laugh if they never hear laughter in their home? While this may sound like an odd place to start, it’s another aspect of this documentary that stems from Albert’s personal experience, as he had just become a father. His baby daughter learns to laugh, even as Albert has not yet found his sense of humor following his own father’s death.
This study continues as Nerenberg approaches experts on topics such as holy laughter, laughing yoga, and the man with the world’s most contagious laugh. There are...
To begin, Albert poses the question: where do babies learn to laugh if they never hear laughter in their home? While this may sound like an odd place to start, it’s another aspect of this documentary that stems from Albert’s personal experience, as he had just become a father. His baby daughter learns to laugh, even as Albert has not yet found his sense of humor following his own father’s death.
This study continues as Nerenberg approaches experts on topics such as holy laughter, laughing yoga, and the man with the world’s most contagious laugh. There are...
- 10/16/2010
- by Jessica Guerrasio
- JustPressPlay.net
DVD Playhouse—August 2010
By
Allen Gardner
Black Orpheus (Criterion) Winner of the 1959 Best Foreign Film Oscar and that same year’s Palme d’Or at Cannes, Black Orpheus is a modern-day update of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice reset in 20th century Brazil during Carnival in Rio. Director Marcel Camus offers up a visual feast with some of the decade’s most ravishing color cinematography. A classic. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Archival interviews with Camus and actress Marpessa Dawn; Interviews with Brazilian cinema scholar Robert Stam, jazz historian Gary Giddins, and Brazilian author Ruy Castro; Documentary on the film; Trailer. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
The Last Song (Touchstone) Sentimental adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ (by Sparks and Jeff Van Wie) sentimental novel about a father and daughter attempting to repair their damaged relationship. Greg Kinnear, as the dad in question, comes off best, while tween sensation Miley Cyrus...
By
Allen Gardner
Black Orpheus (Criterion) Winner of the 1959 Best Foreign Film Oscar and that same year’s Palme d’Or at Cannes, Black Orpheus is a modern-day update of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice reset in 20th century Brazil during Carnival in Rio. Director Marcel Camus offers up a visual feast with some of the decade’s most ravishing color cinematography. A classic. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Archival interviews with Camus and actress Marpessa Dawn; Interviews with Brazilian cinema scholar Robert Stam, jazz historian Gary Giddins, and Brazilian author Ruy Castro; Documentary on the film; Trailer. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.
The Last Song (Touchstone) Sentimental adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ (by Sparks and Jeff Van Wie) sentimental novel about a father and daughter attempting to repair their damaged relationship. Greg Kinnear, as the dad in question, comes off best, while tween sensation Miley Cyrus...
- 8/29/2010
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Headlined by Universal Pictures' Funny People, the new comedy from filmmaker Judd Apatow starring Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, and Leslie Mann. The darling of last year's Festival, writer-director-producer Judd Apatow is in the spotlight once again this year with his latest comedy. Apatow directs Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann in Funny People, the story of a famous comedian who has a near-death experience. Cult comedy fans are in for a treat when all five Broken Lizard members Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Erik Stolhanske take the stage to introduce the Canadian premiere of their newest film, Broken Lizard's the Slammin' Salmon. Michael Clarke Duncan is former heavyweight boxing champ Cleon Salmon, the celebrity owner of an upscale Miami restaurant. To settle a debt, the Champ offers his wait staff (enter the Broken Lizard boys) a one-night-only challenge: top selling waiter gets ten thousand...
- 7/7/2009
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Every year in Toronto, the Hot Docs Film Festival [1] manages to assemble an exciting assortment of top-notch documentary films from around the world. This year was certainly no different, and a number of the movies have already picked up distribution deals and are well on their way to gaining mainstream attention. However, there are always plenty of diamonds in the rough as well, amazing films that sadly may never find the audience they deserve. So which upcoming documentaries are hits and which are near-misses? Read on for our full report from the 2009 Hot Docs Festival! Best Worst Movie When he was 11 years old, Michael Paul Stephenson was cast in a low budget horror movie called Troll 2. He, along with many of the other actors, thought that it would be their ticket to big time acting careers, but were shocked to find out afterward that the final product was a complete disaster.
- 5/27/2009
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
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