There’s a certain moment in many science fiction movies that has fallen out of favor, but which I like quite a bit.
That moment where the protagonist stares at something huge and far away. We see the beauty of the thing far away, and we see the character have a moment of quiet wonder. Any angst or conflict is eased in this moment. The character is able to emotionally ‘zoom out’ and their problems seem small. They are comforted by the larger patterns of life and nature around them, and the reminder that our time is so short compared to the other forces around us.
Think Luke Skywalker staring into the binary sunset. Or Paul Attratese looking over the ‘oceans’ with his father. Or the linguist in ‘Arrival’ staring up into the sky, transfixed. Or Kubrick subverting this idea in ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ by making a tiny human fetus a giant ball of wonder.
Reading a recent article about the psychological effects of ‘awe’* made me think about the potential mental health benefits of these sort of scenes in science fiction films. Seeing a movie in theaters can fill your vision and inspire awe like looking into the Grand Canyon. Or, at least, my anxiety-drenched memories of visiting the Grand Canyon lead me to think this**.
It also made me wonder how our mental health is effected my science fiction movies that do not allow us to pause and feast upon the landscape. So many movies of the last decade lack ‘breathing room’ between action scenes. Are we addicted to the cortisol from endless fight scenes in Marvel movies? Are Michael Bay movies causing untreated anxiety disorders? Is my anger at a podcaster calling the original1977 Star Wars movie ‘boring’ scientifically and medically justifiable?
These are the questions that keep a nerdy therapist awake at night.
But for now, let’s assume that moments of awe in science fiction might have real mental health benefits. It might be small, but it might be real. And as we move into winter, knowing that you can turn on a screen and feel a moment of wonder is a beautiful thing.
* “How a Bit of Awe Can Improve Your Mental Health” by Hope Reese, New York Times, published Jan. 3, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/03/well/live/awe-wonder-dacher-keltner.html
** I hate heights. My mental images of a childhood road-trip to the Grand Canyon have the same feelings as stills from the “Saw” Franchise.