My boys, well, men now, but no, the boys inside these men love the Transformer movies. I enjoyed the beginning of the first one, but then it got silly. Here you have these monster like contraptions with unbelievable power trying to be quiet in the main character's backyard. Are they brooding some sinister plot? No, they are trying not to be noticed by the guy's parents. Oh good grief, but I did find the beginning of the movie suspenseful.
There is a delightful scene from Sleepless in Seattle where the men are puzzled as their wives cry together about An Affair to Remember. Then the wives are every bit as puzzled as the two husbands cry over the Dirty Dozen. I love the honesty and humor of that simple gender interaction. I am not making any kind of statement regarding trucks or dolls. It is just a true-to-life scene I can relate to.
But what is with us and our need to break through the limits of the present life? Have you thought about it? Think about all the movies about magic and super heroes. In my day it was John Wayne. Is there any hint or possibility of reality in the Harry Potter movies, Spiderman, Superman, Transformers etc.? Are they just a harmless retreat?
Last night, after the Phillies beat the Dodgers, I saw about thirty seconds of something about witches and Eastwick. It is clear we have an obsession with the supernatural and a desire to proclaim, announce another dimension, or another world beyond the horizon of the one we live in now. In fact, considering all of the disaster movies, I wonder if we have some innate desire to see our world destroyed, or maybe just a premonition that destruction is coming. Where does that foreboding inclination of impending doom and gloom come from?
My soon to be daughter-in-law will get her PhD in Clinical Psychology next year. Maybe I should ask her if there is a name for this obsession to transcend the limits of minds and bodies. I know her groom will gladly talk about 'going where no man has gone before.' I think I got that wrong. That's my generation again. His is Star Wars. Sorry.
We have an ever growing fascination with fiction. I wonder if some folks can clearly see the line in the sand that separates the two. I am concerned it is becoming more and more like a blurry horizon.
Technology and the expertise of Software artists invite us into incredible worlds that seem more real than reality. Many colleges are plunging into the virtual world of Second Life to explore new opportunities for teaching and communicating.
Ever since we discovered fire, every opportunity for advancement is an opportunity for harm. Our toys have advanced much quicker than our compassion.
We have this seemingly unquenchable thirst to move beyond the physical limitations of our human bodies. I wonder about the effects of some of these movies and video games. They blur that shifting line in the sand between real and unreal, human and avatar.
The experts assure us these exciting forays into lost worlds, new worlds, and violent worlds are only pretend. They are only entertainment. They have no effect on our subconscious. OK, if you say so, I guess. Are these the same people who told us tobacco makes you cool?
Potter, Eastwick, Jennie, Transformers all betray a fascination with the other, an escape, albeit short lived, (pun intended) from what many see as a plundered planet, a boring life of under-developed and unfulfilled relationships because of __________________. You fill in the blanks, but under-developed relationships is a clue.
Some folks believe there are no negative effects from playing bloody video games. Movies that make Dirty Harry look like Mr. Green Jeans are innocent and harmless. As I've written before, follow the money.
When our boys were young Lily would not let us watch Clint Eastwood. I eventually prevailed, but looking back I see that too many times I got my way, and that's too bad.
If movies make no lasting impression, why does the 1993 film, Schindler's List, still occupy such a large portion of my heart? If you are a Baby-boomer you probably remember Old Yeller. In 1986 I took Lily to see Aliens. Do you think she still remembers the alien bursting from that guy's stomach? She has forgiven me, but she has not forgotten.
Do you think we have finally gotten past prejudice? Watch the Color of Fear. I certainly agree movies like It's A Wonderful Life have lost the luster that once captivated our hearts. We're a different people now and our choices of entertainment reflect who we are. We're too sophisticated to believe those kind of people could possibly exist, but Harry Potter lives on.
Whatever we think about movies and video games, cell phones and the internet, can we agree they are a reflection of our appetite? Money is negotiable us. It requires time and effort for most of us to get it. After taking care of the necessities of life, where and how we spend what's left, represents the treasure of our heart. It says a lot about who we are and what we think of life.
We have fantasies of reaching a life beyond our physical life. We don't want to think about getting older, of getting old, and we certainly don't want to think about death. We are pleasure seeking dreamers who dream of endless adventure, but then, something as simple as the flu reminds us once again, that God we ain't.
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