The War Between Pretty and Plain

There was a time, not too long ago, when the primary conflict of man was good versus evil. In America we seem to have devolved into a war between pretty and plain. Over the last few days, while my Wife traipsed up the east coast, I saw a sampling of new movies out that seem to demonstrate a seizmic shift in the priorities of young Americans:

Shrek 2: In this brilliant parody Shrek and his lady love are forced to choose between being beautiful and ugly with an emphasis on the integrity of maintaining one's true nature---If you ugly, then be ugly. (Although Beautiful is fun while it lasts.)

Mean Girls: This was a pleasant surprise, and the funniest movie of the lot. It had more depth than I expected (I expected none) and had a few priceless moments that I can't discuss on the chance you might see this one. The war is the skanky chics and a flamer wannabe versus the "plastics:" the perfect pretty tarts in the school. A girl from the skank tank infiltrates the plastics and learns it's what's inside that counts.

13 Going on 30: I totally saw this because of the recommendation in a young friend's blog (totally). Here a plain gangly 13 year old girl yearns to be a hot 30 year old and gets her wish, only to learn there's no place like home, there's no place like home... (click your heels three times).

Stepford Wives: I waited in line for this, but it was sold out, and I went to a play at ASF instead. Anyway, it would have, no doubt, continued my theme.

Garfield: This leap from the four panel should have gone direct to DVD. It does not prove my pretty versus plain point except that Odie is a common mut who finds love nevertheless. The saving grace of this movie was Jennifer Love Hewitt who reminds me how fortunate I am to be married to a woman with gorgeous brown eyes.

Admittedly I did not choose action movies like Riddick (although I think the theme there is career life versus career death for our buddy Vin). But the current films with a young adult target audience seem to indicate we are obsessed with becoming beautiful. A couple hours on the tube would convince anyone that the day's priority must be whitening one's teeth. Has our youth and young adult culture gone to the "plastics?" How hard will they fall when they find there is no true satisfaction there? I yearn for an America where the focus is Christ: Christ in us individually and collectively. Someday, somehow...but for now, everyone flick a bic and sing, "I'd like to buy the world a low carb Coke C2..."