Michael’s Review: ‘Tomorrowland’

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“Inspiring people makes the world a better place”, a quote from a young Frank Walker in Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland which opens this weekend in theaters. A film that would like to do just that, inspire young people to dream big and achieve greatness to help better our world and save the future, a noble goal and a powerful message for this generation. Inspired by the Disney theme park on the same name, this film sets it’s sights to become the next great Disney family adventure, but can it win over audiences this summer?

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Frank Walker (George Clooney) opens the movie by saying, “The future can be scary” for which optimist and science enthusiast Casey Newton (Britt Robertson) responds, “When I was a kid the future was different.” Two varying perspectives from two very different generations who will need to work together to save the planet. We flashback to 1964, a young Frank Walker (Thomas Robinson) attends the New York World’s Fair where he  meets David Nix (Hugh Laurie), a judge for new innovations in science at the fair who is unimpressed with Walker’s attempt to create a jetpack. A young girl named Athena (Raffey Cassidy). who is attending the fair with Nix, sees something in Walker and gives him a pin which results in Walker being transported into a futuristic cityscape known as Tomorrowland.

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Years in the future we find Casey Newton (Britt Robertson), sneaking into a former NASA launch site in Cape Canaveral to stop the site from being destroyed.  Her father, Eddie (Tim McGraw), is an NASA engineer who was employed at the site so the destruction vastly effects the Newton family.  She returns home where Athena finds the young girl and hides a pin in her helmet for her to find. After being arrested for attempting another sabotage mission on the NASA site, Casey discovers the pin among her personal items. Casey discovers that upon contact, the pin instantly transports her to Tomorrowland. She briefly explores Tomorrowland, before a timer on the pin expires and returns Casey to her world. Desperate to return, Casey begins to search for another way back.

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Casey hits the road to find answers, but soon finds her life threatened by robots sent to protect Tomorrowland from any more visitors. With the help of Athena, Casey finds Frank, who informs her that the world is coming to an end. Understanding that they must stop this from happening, the two begin their journey back to the place that neither can live without. With hope on their side, even the tinniest of actions could change the future.

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Tomorrowland is a movie with an important message about saving the Earth from our mistakes and director Brad Bird’s ambitious film delivers its point with dialogue and visuals pointing to our demise, but will any of its core audience listen? One of Bird’s mistakes in his delivery is the pacing of the film. In areas the pacing works and the film moves well enough, but there are gaps where young audiences could find themselves “zoning” out which, I fear, will cause the overall message of the film to be lost. Actress Britt Robertson is wonderful as the young science enthusiast. Robertson delivers on her desire to make her character unique and does well to stray her character away from cliche’s that plague way to many of these characters. George Clooney and Hugh Laurie are servicable but not overly amazing in this film. Clooney given more to work with with his character than Laurie, who had the makings of a great antagonist, but fizzled on the development. Raffey Cassidy is charming as the young Athena. Cassidy  Her characters interaction with her co-stars is wonderful and the young actress delivers.

Overall, Tomorrowland is an enjoyable film which will hopefully inspire it’s audience to go out and make the world a better place.  As young Walker said, “If I saw people flying with a jetpack over me. I’d believe anything is possible.”

Stars:

3 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

At the very end of the credits there is a Tomorrowland pin that disappears with the “Tomorrowland flash” after a hand grabs it. Aside from this, there is no stinger after the credits

Trailer:

New ‘Tomorrowland’ Trailer has Arrived!

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Walt Disney Pictures has released the new trailer and posters for Tomorrowland which you can view below.

Disney has also officially announced that a special presentation of the film, featuring more than six minutes of footage to be introduced by director Brad Bird, will screen exclusively in IMAX theatres domestically and in select international theaters beginning May 1st as it will be attached to Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. The footage will play for the duration of that film’s run in IMAX.

Bound by a shared destiny, a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity named Casey (Britt Robertson) and a former boy-genius inventor named Frank (Clooney), jaded by disillusionment, embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory as “Tomorrowland.”

The film also stars Hugh Laurie, David Nix, Raffey Cassidy, Tim McGraw, Judy Greer, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key and Thomas Robinson.

Check out the official website for more information TakeMeToTomorrowland.com

Tomorrowland arrives in theaters May 22nd

 

Disney to Launch “Create Tomorrowland” Nationwide Challenge for 8 to 17 year olds

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SHARE YOUR VISION OF THE FUTURE

 NATIONWIDE CHALLENGE ASKS 8 to 17-YEAR-OLDS TO IMAGINE WORLD-CHANGING TECHNOLOGY OF THE FUTURE

 Inspired by the upcoming Disney movie Tomorrowland, The Walt Disney Studios, Disney Citizenship, and XPRIZE announce a nationwide challenge for young innovators.

Beginning April 22, 2015, Disney’s Create Tomorrowland – XPRIZE Challenge invites kids to imagine themselves in the future and report back to the present through video, imagery or stories about one new and amazing invention or innovation they encounter, how it works, and the impact it has on the future.

In June, six winners will have a once–in-a-lifetime mentorship experience with a leader in their area of interest. In addition, each winner will receive a $3,000 check, a 3D Printer from 3D Systems, and registration for FIRST® LEGO® League for the competition season 2015-2016 in the U.S.

 “‘Tomorrowland’ has always been a place of possibility in our parks and for the creative team behind our new film,” said Sean Bailey, President, Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production. “The future will be steered by the imaginations of our young people, and Disney is thrilled to work with XPRIZE to encourage and inspire the next generation of thinkers and dreamers to build the future they imagine is possible.”

It was added:

“We are excited to launch the Create Tomorrowland XPRIZE Challenge, which gives young people a platform to voice and depict their creative, bold and imaginative problem-solving inventions of the future,” said Trish Halamandaris, Senior Vice President Marketing & Communications at XPRIZE. “At XPRIZE we believe that solutions to the problems facing humanity can come from anyone, anywhere and one of these young innovators just might come up with an idea that can truly turn Tomorrowland into reality.”

Participants will compete in two divisions: Junior Division (8-12 years old), and Senior Division (13–17 years old). All entrants must have prior consent from their parent or legal guardian in order to participate in the challenge. Official Rules and details about the Challenge are available at http://XPRIZEchallenge.org/CreateTomorrowland. Official registration and submission period starts April 22, 2015, and runs through May 17, 2015.

Submissions will be judged on innovation, creativity and presentation. XPRIZE will provide a panel of judges who will evaluate and score all submissions, and six (6) winners will be chosen.

 

About Disney’s “Tomorrowland”

From Disney comes two-time Oscar® winner Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland, a riveting mystery adventure starring Academy Award® winner George Clooney. Bound by a shared destiny, former boy-genius Frank (Clooney), jaded by disillusionment, and Casey (Britt Robertson), a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity, embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as Tomorrowland. What they must do there changes the world—and them—forever.

Featuring a screenplay by “Lost” writer and co-creator Damon Lindelof and Brad Bird, from a story by Lindelof & Bird & Jeff Jensen, Tomorrowland promises to take audiences on a thrill ride of nonstop adventures through new dimensions that have only been dreamed of.

The film also stars Hugh Laurie as brilliant scientist David Nix, Raffey Cassidy, Tim McGraw, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key and Thomas Robinson.

 Tomorrowland is produced by Damon Lindelof, Brad Bird and Jeffrey Chernov and directed by Brad Bird, with John Walker, Bernard Bellew, Jeff Jensen and Brigham Taylor serving as executive producers.

Tomorrowland opens in U.S. theaters on May 22, 2015.

New Trailer for Brad Bird’s ‘Tomorrowland’ Has Been Released

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Walt Disney Pictures has released the new trailer for for the upcoming Tomorrowland which you can watch below!

The movie stars George Clooney, a grizzled inventor, and Britt Robertson, a young teen who is curious about science are bound together by a shared destiny which takes them to a place somewhere in time and space only known as Tomorrowland. Upon arrival, the two quickly realize that their actions there will directly effect their lives, and the world, forever.

The film also stars Hugh Laurie, Raffey Cassidy, Tim McGraw, Judy Greer, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key and Thomas Robinson. It is directed by Brad Bird.

Tomorrowland opens wide on May 22, 2015.

Super Bowl 2015 Movie Teasers & Trailers

Tomorrowland, Furious 7, Seventh Son, Minions, Terminator Genisys, Insurgent, Ted 2, Hot Tub Time Machine 2, Jurassic World – Did I miss any? Pitch Perfect 2 (must have blocked it out) Read More →

Disney & Marvel Movies Coming in 2015 – Info & Trailers!

2015_DisneyDisney and Marvel has put together an impressive slate of movies for 2015. I’m really looking forward to most of them, but if I had to pick one (besides Star Wars) to be most excited about, I would choose Tomorrowland because of Judy Greer and Kathryn Hahn. They are awesome.

Which one are you looking forward to?

  • JANUARY 23, 2015 – Strange Magic
  • FEBRUARY 20, 2015 – McFarland, USA
  • MARCH 13, 2015 – Cinderella
  • APRIL 17, 2015 – Monkey Kingdom
  • MAY 1, 2015 – Avengers: Age of Ultron
  • MAY 22, 2015 – Tomorrowland
  • JUNE 19, 2015 – Inside Out
  • JULY 17, 2015 – Ant–Man
  • OCTOBER 9, 2015 –  The Jungle Book
  • OCTOBER 16, 2015 – The Untitled Steven Spielberg Cold War Spy Thriller
  • NOVEMBER 25, 2015 – The Good Dinosaur
  • DECEMBER 18, 2015 – Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Read More →