Walt Disney believed in a positive future, one filled with hopes and dreams. A place where the dreamers would make the world a better place. He even devoted an entire land to this vision in his own kingdom of Disneyland.
Brad Bird and Damon Lindelof took this knowledge and created an epic story involving some of the brightest minds on the planet that formed a secret society to change the world for the better. And when they were about to unveil to the world their greatest creation, it never happened and Tomorrowland was lost except for a very few.
Enter or should we say a flashback to the 1964 New York World's Fair, a fair that Walt Disney himself was a part of and his team created some of the most beloved attractions of the fair. One in particular was "It's A Small World" that was actually a portal into Tomorrowland.
This is where we see a young Frank Walker as he makes his way to the Invention Fair to win a $50 prize. His invention doesn't quite work but he understands that you can't wait for someone to make what you want and you need to do it yourself. He also understands what it means for him to become inspired or for others to become inspired. This is also where Frank meets Athena and she takes a liking to the young optimist.
We then move to the present day and we meet Casey, a young high school student who has a bright mind and is surrounded by those with a cynical view of the world. She wants to change it and realizes that change, no matter how small, begins with one person.
Casey's life becoming intertwined with Frank's and what happens next is a whirlwind of action and adventure. We learn of mistakes made in the past lead one to forget about their optimism in life. But in the end will optimism win or will the cynical nature of the world prevail?
Another fantastic film from Brad Bird who brought us The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol! A film of hopes and dreams and the power of optimism! The cast here is superb with another fine performance from George Clooney. Britt Robertson is superb here but the standout is Raffey Cassidy who plays Athena. At 13, she has more acting chops than many much older than her.
Tomorrowland is a wonderful film for the family with a positive message about the present and the future. A unique spin on the sci-fi genre, this is a film that should not be missed! Tomorrowland is in theatres now and I'm off to visit the future one more time!
