Adam Frank Brings Science to “Doctor Strange”

Over the past few years, Marvel Studios has released some of the most popular films in box office history. The studio’s newest film, “Doctor Strange,” introduces audiences to ex-super-surgeon Steven Strange and his incredible mental abilities that bend the walls between worlds and time itself. A film focusing this heavily on science and philosophy required an expert to help explain the truth behind the concepts, and Adam Frank, an acclaimed astrophysicist, fit the bill perfectly.  I had the opportunity to speak with Frank via conference call, where he provided insight on what it was like working on “Doctor Strange” and the science behind the film.

Frank, a lifelong Marvel and science fiction fan, was contacted early in the filmmaking process by Scott Derrikson, the film’s director, and asked if he would like to work with them as a science consultant. Frank agreed, and six months later he received the “best email ever” that Marvel wanted to work with him.

“My main job was really spending a day out there talking with filmmakers,” Frank said. “It was all of us in a room: Scott Derrikson and a writer John Space, Kevin Fiege [the President of Marvel Studios] and executive producer Stephen Broussard. We just spent the whole day [together] and had an amazing conversation, talking about certain scenes and ideas about consciousness and philosophy.”

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“Paterson” is NYFF’s Hidden Gem

For the 54th consecutive year, the New York Film Festival (NYFF) will introduce cinephiles to the best films of the season from top directors and actors worldwide. One of its feature films, “Paterson,” earned a spot on the festival’s list because of its delightfully simple storyline and excellent depiction of the beauty of everyday life. While some may turn away because of its indie classification, the film definitely did not disappoint.

Directed by acclaimed visionary Jim Jarmusch, “Paterson” is the type of movie that you just have to see to truly grasp its beauty. It tells the story of a man named Paterson (played by Adam Driver) who works as a bus driver in his namesake hometown. He leads a simple life: he wakes up at 6:15 every morning, kisses his wife (played by Golshifteh Farahani) goodbye, walks to work, drives a bus and returns home for the night where he walks his dog and goes to a bar for a pint of beer. However, while many think that this would be an extremely mediocre plot for a film, it was anything but.

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