Mietkiewicz, Henry. 1994. "Hollywood hides from reality in films of infantile simplicity." Toronto Star, 6 August K3. The following information is taken from the above titled article: "Help! We're being babied to death at the movies! Not just coddled or distracted or captivated by the usual throng of summer trifles. This year, the films are stricken with infantile paralysis -- a refusal to face the world on any but the most childish level. What we've got, in effect, is _Baby's Day Out_ on a massive scale. In John Hughes's one-joke farce, we're treated to the outlandish spectacle of a baby's impromptu and unsupervised tour of the big city, where he crawls merrily from one potential disaster to the next. Though grownups get pulped and pummelled by all the manner of mishaps, Baby Bink safely snuggles up to a ferocious gorilla at the zoo, toddles into heavy traffic, and swings blithely from girders at a construction site. And what is his magic formula? Innocence and blind faith. _Baby's Day Out_ suggests that divine protection is offered to pure- hearted individuals who indulge their basic instincts and primal urges. In fact, nothing is more dangerous than a mature decision that weighs the possible consequences of an act. Which, if you think about it, is also the theme of _Forrest Gump_. Once again, a lovable naif bumbles ahead cheerily (toward fame, fortune and the girl next door), while remaining nearly oblivious to the shattering events (assassinations, wars, racial strife) that swirl about him. True, Gump has a keener understanding of life's darker edges. And it's to Tome Hanks's immense credit that he portrays the title character with wit and compassion. Even so, _Forrest Gump_ is little more than the whimsical tale of a dull-witted charmer. At no time is the hero required to make any of the perplexing choices that are so intrinsic to the human condition. Gump _is_ lucky enough to have a deeply ingrained (albeit simplistic) moral code that steers him in the right direction. But, like Baby Bink, he's largely a product of his most infantile impulses. Clearly, Hollywood is telling us that satisfaction can be won only if we cater to our most childlike whims and blunder dreamily past life's tough choices. Need more proof? Just look at the summer movie screens: * In _The Mask_, Jim Carrey dons a magical mask that utterly erases his inhibitions and unleashes his basest emotions. As a result, he's transformed from a spineless drip into a supernatural trickster who catches crooks and gets the girl. * Similarly, in _The Shadow_, Alec Baldwin is persuaded by a Tibetan mystic to become a superhero by unleashing his murderous fury and directing it at criminals. * After Jack Nicholson changes into the title character in _Wolf_, he dispenses with his civilized facade as a book editor and is converted into a slavering carnivore who excels in New York's publishing jungle. * _True Lies_ is built on the premise that, for years, Arnold Schwarzenegger has indulged his selfish desires as a swaggering, gun-toting superspy. He even lies about his job to his wife, whom he claims to love deeply. Not only are these movies fantasies, they're exaggerated to the point of being live-action cartoons. Even _Forrest Gump_'s pseudo-realism is undercut by hilarious, mock-newsreel footage of Gump meeting a succession of American presidents. Where, then, can we find relief from these petty escapades? Ironically, in an actual cartoon -- the summer's only truly adult Hollywood movie, _The Lion King_. In the lush oasis of Disney animation, an African lion cub named Simba is tricked into believing he caused the death of his father, the king. Overcome by grief, Simba concludes he's unworthy to succeed his father as ruler of the pride. Instead, he slinks away in the middle of the night and finds new friends far from home. Only after Simba has grown to maturity is he faced with a wrenching dilemma: Should he return to rescue his pride from a deadly menace, at the risk of exposing himself to the scorn of the lions he deserted? Here, at last, is a story that examines substantive issues of growth and maturity. What is to be gained from assuming responsibility for others? How can self-recrimination worsen an already grave situation? Is there any way that hope for the future can be salvaged from the misery of the past? Without question, millions of children -- and a good many delighted adults -- are flocking to _The Lion King_ for its fluid animation, its sprightly songs and its effervescent humor. But the movie would not be attracting such an enormous amount of repeat business if its underlying themes didn't strike a chord of such compelling, emotional intensity. Only a Forrest Gump would dare to suggest that _The Lion King_'s box- office triumph will usher in a new era of thoughtful filmmaking. In all likelihood, facile pap like _Baby's Day Out_ and _The Mask_ will remain the favourites of moviegoers whose chief concern is whether the hero convincingly sheds any semblance of adulthood. All _The Lion King_ can do is offer consolation that, somewhere deep in Hollywood, a few mature individuals do exist who believe that good movies don't have to wear diapers." ============================================================================= Life is doing. Life is seeing and hearing, and touching. If you could look upon the strange and unexpected as an adventure, and a challenge to your abilities, then you might enjoy such things. Instead of worrying. - Dalvenjah Foxfire (a dragon), from Thorarinn Gunnarsson's "Make Way for Dragons!" =============================================================================