Tomorrowland (SPOILERS)

[Simon_Jester]

The big problem there is that it's already mostly gone through its "in theaters" cycle, so making back production costs isn't helpful if it hasn't also made back the (massive) marketing expenses.

[Adam Reynolds]

The point made by this review makes me somewhat sad in light of those numbers.

Bird has made a film that every child should see. And if his $190 million dream flops, he'll be asking the same question as his movie: When did it become uncool to care?

[Simon_Jester]

Part of the problem is that the message of the movie doesn't translate well into marketing.

To take some examples...

Marvel's superhero movies have translated well because as a first-order approximation, the message is "Look at the hero, the hero is awesome." That fits well into a poster or a sixty-second trailer.

Tomorrowland's message is, to first order "if you really TRY to save the world, you can..." which is a tremendously powerful message but hard to put on a poster.

[Adam Reynolds]

That is true, and probably why I enjoyed Tomorrowland and generally somewhat dislike superhero movies lately.

And I think the marketing was bogged down with the mystery elements of the film. While that was interesting, it had little to do with the ideas of the film.

[Grumman]

Tomorrowland's message is, to first order "if you really TRY to save the world, you can..." which is a tremendously powerful message but hard to put on a poster.

Maybe, but it's also a double-edged sword. The other side of that statement is "if you can't save the world, it's because you're not really trying," and young people today hear that often enough to resent their justifiable pessimism being treated like something that is literally going to destroy the world.

[Adam Reynolds]

Tomorrowland's message is, to first order "if you really TRY to save the world, you can..." which is a tremendously powerful message but hard to put on a poster.

Maybe, but it's also a double-edged sword. The other side of that statement is "if you can't save the world, it's because you're not really trying," and young people today hear that often enough to resent their justifiable pessimism being treated like something that is literally going to destroy the world.

While it may be annoying to hear, it is also correct. Deciding that nothing can be done will mean that nothing will be done. Young people should be optimistic, leave the cynicism to the old.

Stephen Colbert, in his address to Knox College in 2006 also made a similar point.

But you seem nice enough, so I'll try to give you some advice. First of all, when you go to apply for your first job, don't wear these robes. Medieval garb does not instill confidence in future employers—unless you're applying to be a scrivener. And if someone does offer you a job, say yes. You can always quit later. Then at least you'll be one of the unemployed as opposed to one of the never-employed. Nothing looks worse on a resume than nothing.

So, say "yes." In fact, say "yes" as often as you can. When I was starting out in Chicago, doing improvisational theatre with Second City and other places, there was really only one rule I was taught about improv. That was, "yes-and." In this case, "yes-and" is a verb. To "yes-and." I yes-and, you yes-and, he, she or it yes-ands. And yes-anding means that when you go onstage to improvise a scene with no script, you have no idea what's going to happen, maybe with someone you've never met before. To build a scene, you have to accept. To build anything onstage, you have to accept what the other improviser initiates on stage. They say you're doctors—you're doctors. And then, you add to that: We're doctors and we're trapped in an ice cave. That's the "-and." And then hopefully they "yes-and" you back. You have to keep your eyes open when you do this. You have to be aware of what the other performer is offering you, so that you can agree and add to it. And through these agreements, you can improvise a scene or a one-act play. And because, by following each other's lead, neither of you are really in control. It's more of a mutual discovery than a solo adventure. What happens in a scene is often as much a surprise to you as it is to the audience.

Well, you are about to start the greatest improvisation of all. With no script. No idea what's going to happen, often with people and places you have never seen before. And you are not in control. So say "yes." And if you're lucky, you'll find people who will say "yes" back.

Now will saying "yes" get you in trouble at times? Will saying "yes" lead you to doing some foolish things? Yes it will. But don't be afraid to be a fool. Remember, you cannot be both young and wise. Young people who pretend to be wise to the ways of the world are mostly just cynics. Cynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it is the farthest thing from it. Because cynics don't learn anything. Because cynicism is a self-imposed blindness, a rejection of the world because we are afraid it will hurt us or disappoint us. Cynics always say no. But saying "yes" begins things. Saying "yes" is how things grow. Saying "yes" leads to knowledge. "Yes" is for young people. So for as long as you have the strength to, say "yes."

[FaxModem1]

UPDATE: I received the Blu ray that I ordered months ago, and there was some cutting room floor stuff that helped fill in a few things.

Via deleted scenes and supplementary materials(such as a Plus Ultra infomercial special filmed with DOCTOR Nix.), we learn that there are humans in Tomorrowland, and they seem to be cowed to Nix. In a deleted scene, Casey is asked by one of the guards just how bad it is out there on Earth, but is quickly reprimanded by Nix, with Frank noting that Nix is acting rather authoritarian, and Nix pointing out that Frank is always the first one to call him a dictator.

So, aside from the machine that Frank built, it also seems Nix got rid of Frank for political reasons as well, due to him challenging his authority.

As a sidenote, there was a sideplot that was removed about how Tomorrowland was stealing all the world's art and treasures so that it wouldn't be destroyed when the world was.

[Adam Reynolds]

UPDATE: I received the Blu ray that I ordered months ago, and there was some cutting room floor stuff that helped fill in a few things.

Via deleted scenes and supplementary materials(such as a Plus Ultra infomercial special filmed with DOCTOR Nix.), we learn that there are humans in Tomorrowland, and they seem to be cowed to Nix. In a deleted scene, Casey is asked by one of the guards just how bad it is out there on Earth, but is quickly reprimanded by Nix, with Frank noting that Nix is acting rather authoritarian, and Nix pointing out that Frank is always the first one to call him a dictator.

So, aside from the machine that Frank built, it also seems Nix got rid of Frank for political reasons as well, due to him challenging his authority.

That isn't surprising. That was also an impression I got when watching it.

As a sidenote, there was a sideplot that was removed about how Tomorrowland was stealing all the world's art and treasures so that it wouldn't be destroyed when the world was.

I can see why it was deleted. It would have added to the runtime for little benefit.