Well, dear readers, whilst I sit here listening to more chamber music (Villa-Lobos’ string quartet), I shan’t talk about that, but rather I shall talk about a motion picture I watched last night. I first saw this motion picture on Blu and Ray in October 2015 – at that time, the film had already bombed at the box-office (and I believe much worse than reported) and had received either begrudgingly mediocre reviews or downright awful reviews, with a few brave souls sticking up for the film and understanding it for what it was and its themes. I’d stayed away from it because of all the negativity, which, ironically, is exactly what the film is about. And I found it even more timely and on point six years later than I did back then. So, what did I think about it back then? Well, let’s just revisit that, shall we? Here it is.
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 – some of these “top critics” are merely bloggers who have no business reviewing anything) 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 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, and on and on and on. But those same types and those same “top critics 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” 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. (Update – since then, these same types LOVE all the Marvel universe movies – those are all just fine and they have no problems with the improbability and lousy scripts – in fact, they LOVE them.)
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. Hugh Laurie is terrific. In my opinion, 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. 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 the message of this movie, and, for me, it could not have been delivered 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.
So, watching it again? Even better the second time and even more prescient in its themes. As I’ve been saying during this entire rotten pandemic thing, people seem to WANT to embrace only the negative and never the positive. When things have gotten positive, no one says boo. The second there’s even a hint of the negative, then it’s plastered everywhere. They swim in the negativity, embrace it, and it’s a self-fulfilling prophesy. Johnny Mercer had it right – Accentuate the Positive, Eliminate the negative. And so, I loved this movie all over again. The performances are just wonderful and I’m only sorry not to have named the two young leading ladies, Britt Robertson, and Raffey Cassidy – the latter is especially terrific. The direction, music, effects, editing, script – all stellar. Give it another five years and what happened with A.I. will happen with this. At least, it should. There, I’ve said it and I’m glad and now I’m listening to Paul Creston’s beautiful and very American string quartet. The Hollywood String Quartet was absolutely brilliant and it’s thrilling to hear that musicianship and heart and commitment. They so clearly love what they do what they play.
Yesterday was fine if you consider that nothing really happened. I got nine hours of sleep, so that was fine. I answered e-mails and had telephonic calls, then went and picked up a little package, which turned out to be a return of an extra something we sent to someone accidentally. For food, I went up the street to Popeye’s – I hadn’t had Popeye’s since the pandemic began, so over a year-and-a-half. I got my usual two mild chicken breasts that come with two mild biscuits. I came home and ate all that up and it was excellent. I did no commentary writing, so that’s something that absolutely needs to get done today. I did have a very long and nice telephonic conversation with Crista Moore. Then I watched the movie and then listened to music, which is now continuing with Mr. Schoenberg’s Ferklumpt Night or whatever it’s called – Verklarte Nacht – I was close. This is a very moody piece, but I prefer its orchestrated version.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll definitely write and finish the commentary, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, I’ll eat something fun, and then I suppose I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow is our one and only rehearsal for the Group Rep cabaret – it should last a bit less than four hours and starts in the mid-afternoon. Looking forward to hearing and giving whatever little notes I may or may not have. The rest of the week is preparing for the show, meetings and meals, our stumble-through/tech, and then the two performances on Monday and Tuesday.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, do whatever needs doing, write and finish the commentary, hopefully pick up packages, eat, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What movies have you loved that were loathed by critics and were box-office bombs? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have revisited Tomorrowland and hoping that more people will be finding Tomorrowland.