Well, dear readers, sometimes things just baffle me, and this is one of those times. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, sometimes things just baffle me, and this is one of those times. A few months ago two films were released by Disney – Tomorrowland and Inside Out. Tomorrowland received middling to poor reviews, and even most of its decent reviews had reservations and the reviewers seemed to find something to criticize, almost as if they were mandated to do so. A simple reading of the forty-something “top critics” (yeah, right) on Rotten Tomatoes will tell you the story. That sorry site makes no sense to me – for example, there are two 2.5 star reviews next to each other – one is considered fresh and one rotten. Really? And then there was Inside Out, which got pretty terrific reviews and which I saw at Disney studios and loved. But I stayed far away from Tomorrowland thanks to the reviews and the endless bitching about the film on various chat boards, as well as a trailer that simply didn’t do much to make me want to go. And, of course, the imdb, that site overrun by snarky teenagers. They can’t accept the logic, it doesn’t make sense, act one takes too long (funny how they know all the little “movie” expressions like act one), it doesn’t make sense, the whole thing is too long, it doesn’t make sense and on and on and on. But those same types have no problem accepting and embracing Transformers and Mission: Impossible 12 and reviewers can bestow five stars and audiences can be impressed by the “popcorn flick” “thrill ride” loud bombast coming at them a mile a minute. You used to be able to level that kind of comment only at youngsters, but it’s way beyond just youngsters now.
Last night I sat on my couch like so much fish and watched the damn thing. So, what do we really have in Tomorrowland? Well, I’ll tell you what I think we have in Tomorrowland: A masterpiece. There isn’t a false move in this film, the performances from the two young ladies are wonderful, Mr. Clooney is terrific, Mr. Laurie is terrific. In my opinion (IMO, in Internet lingo), Tomorrowland will stand the test of time. I think years from now people will look back and forget they hated it and embrace its vision and themes, especially the theme of HOPE and dreamers and creativity. Of course it didn’t appeal to anyone NOW because the world is sorely lacking in those types. I don’t know what preconceptions people brought to this great movie or what they were expecting. I was expecting nothing and I got everything – a moving, funny, rueful, beautiful film with a message that people should embrace – but they don’t want to right now. They want irony and dark knights and super heroes and spies and thrillers that are so inane but no one questions the logic in those films. For me, Tomorrowland is a much finer film than Interstellar, which I ultimately enjoyed but which, for me, did seem convoluted along the way. Here nothing is convoluted at all. And I will not discuss logic with anyone who ignores the non-logic of a Bond film or an MI film or a Transformers film. It is to laugh. This should have been a major hit – it needed to be a major hit – we need hope, not despair, not stupidity, not dark, not mindless action and bombast – I’m all for that message and this film, for me, could not have delivered it better. I was emotionally involved from frame one to the final frame. I cannot recommend this film, which I expected to hate, more highly. Give it a try and I’m hoping you’ll enjoy it and respond to it as much as I did. I’m happy to be the one who goes against the tide here – and I do it loudly and vociferously. The Blu-ray is perfect.
Well, I skipped ahead, didn’t I? I just skipped ahead and there was no stopping me, was there? I just went there and that was that. But there was a day that happened prior to that and it was quite an okay day if you ask me. Once again, I fell asleep around one-thirty and woke up at around four. I fell back asleep around six and slept until eleven, woke up and promptly fell asleep for another hour. So, I actually got eight hours of sleep. Once up, I answered e-mails, did some work on the computer and at the piano, and just rested my voice. Please keep sending excellent vibes and xylophones for a healthy, strong, and orotund voice. Then it was time for part two of our first Kritzerland rehearsal.
We began with Adrienne Visnic. First she ran If I Were a Bell and she did a bang-up job with it. Then she ran a put-together of Ooh, My Feet and Standing on the Corner – she played Cleo in The Most Happy Fella so she knows both songs really well and she does them great. Finally it was the tongue-twisting Men from the legendary flop, Whoop-Up – I’ve been threatening to do a song from Whoop-Up for years, and this was the show. And Adrienne is hilarious – and that’s two Susan Johnson songs she’s doing in this show. Then Sami arrived and she ran I Enjoy Being a Girl – she’s been listening to a shorter version done for the revival, so she has to learn one more verse and the second bridge. And we ran her duet with Guy Haines – Together, Wherever We Go. Well, Guy was a no-show so I filled in for him. It’s really cute. Then I ran my dueling What Kind of Fool Am I number – as done by Anthony Newley and Joel Grey – I call it Dueling Fools – I haven’t done that bit since the late 1980s. I also do a quick once-through of Someone Nice Like You.
Then came the force of nature known as Kerry O’Malley. She began with I Ain’t Down Yet – she played Molly at the very first workshop of the new revisal of the show – we’re doing it as a solo. Then she tore up the joint with Everything’s Coming Up Roses, and finally she did Never Will I Marry from Greenwillow. And that was that rehearsal.
I hadn’t eaten anything, so I went and had me another Chinese chicken salad and it was just as good as the day before – I also had a bagel. I got a little Danish to take home to nibble on during the movie, which I did.
Today, we have our second Kritzerland rehearsal with our full cast coming (save for our mystery guest) – so that goes from three to five-thirty and then I’ll relax.
Tomorrow, I do the musical theater workshop at LACC, which I’m looking forward to. Friday I’m hoping to go to Teddy for a haircut, which I desperately need as my hair has become extremely unruly. I do not like extremely unruly hair and I must be coifed. Then I’m attending the opening of Damn Yankees. Saturday is our stumble-through, after which we’ll probably grab a bite to eat, then Sunday is sound check and show.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog if it’s not too hot, eat, have our second rehearsal, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have taken the trip to the marvelous Tomorrowland.