Reviewed by Ken Carman for PGA

I don’t get it. What’s all the kvetching about? Before going to Tomorrowland I read a few reviews: not good. While they praised the special effects, pretty much every reviewer said the script was confusing and inept.

This has been a problem for me. I not a big Disney fan and have reciev ed some scorn, since response to such is usually, “But it’s… DISNEY!!!” It’s like a religion. I prefer WB, Jay Ward and other, darker themed, deep, complex, fare’.

Yes, I find their animation amazing, but also find their scripting often fair to occasionally pathetic. Taking a guess here: I think the mouse does many scripts by committee: “committee” of highly paid, yet not so talented, suck ups who got there because they are human Electroluxes.

I had nothing to worry about here. While Tomorrowland starts a little slow and, yes, confusing, clarity comes relatively fast when George Clooney’s character, as a boy, brings his invention to the 1960’s World Fair.

As an aside: not only did they visually capture the NYC fair, they did in spirit too. And I went several times. I really felt like I was there again.

The basic story is of an alternate plane, another dimension, another reality… does it really matter? … where brilliant people, the best, the brightest, the most imaginative go. But Tomorrowland is broke and Clooney is dragged back as an adult by two precocious girls… OK, one’s an android, though they call her a “robot…” to help fix Tomorrowland which is also affecting this reality, plane, dimension, whatever. Unless Tomorrowland is save lack of hope will destroy us.

Best seen on the big screen: this is a big, amazing, world, not a “Small, Small…” one.

Yes, there’s violence, but mostly androids get destroyed.

While the theme is a tad simplistic, it is executed with perfection, with no little help from stunning visuals. There are a few unexplained glitches, like, “What is it with the weird tube-like clock,” that keeps appearing in the movie with little to no explanation. Reminds me a bit of Frank Baum’s clock that Baum insists on dragging across the stages offered by the various Oz books.

As a former English major I love metaphors, interpretation… but unless we’re talking about theater of the absurd where pointless is the point, like Waiting for Godot, there really should be a point.

But, because of all his brilliance, I can forgive Baum, allow him some leeway to vent a muse. And while I wouldn’t put the script writers here on the same pedestal, I can forgive them too.

Not much “leeway” is needed here, for Tomorrowland, as simple as it may be, is a beautiful, meaningful, uplifting movie.

Welcome to Our End of the New movie reviews. One poster: don’t bother. Two posters: eh, OK, but a lot of problems here. Three: Good movie, just at least one problem. Four: very good. Five: if you don’t go you’re missing out. Added comments at the end: “you could wait for it to come on TV,” “best seen on the big screen” and “good for all screens,” unless other comments are added, refer mainly to the nature of the movie such as special effects, incredible sound or scenery that might make it best seen in a movie theater depending on your set up at home.