visions and tomorrow

The Divine Mrs. M and I went to see the movie "Tomorrowland" at the local multiplex over the weekend.    Despite the dizzying nature of some of the special effects, the film is a hopeful take on the future and a plea to remain optimistic in the face of disappointments.  Technology can save the world if only we give it a chance.  The film opens with a virtual trip to the 1964 World's Fair in Flushing, New York and the adventures of Frank Taylor, whose attempts to build a working jet pack symbolizes the "can do" ethic the filmmakers want to showcase.  Unfortunately, our hero turns into a bitter George Clooney, similar to Matthew McConeghy's farmer in the film Interstellar.  Both men are rescued by their innate optimism, represented in Tommorrowland by Casey, a NASA engineer's daughter who schemes to stop the dismantling of a Launchpad at Cape Canaveral.   As the clock ticks down to the an unexplained ecological disaster the unlikely duo manage to save the day with their combination of technological virtuosity and plucky attitude.  Hugh Lawrie as the techno-villain and a cute robot who supplies the bridge between Casey and Frank are the other main characters.  The moral of the story is to trust the future and follow your dreams.  Maybe not the most profound movie of the century, but it left us feeling hopeful.  that is no small accomplishment in 2015 America.