If the movie-going public isn't weary of franchise blockbusters and Marvel releases, it's certainly not for the want of trying. Hollywood has probably never been so cynical or one-dimensional in its summer output.
Into that world, like the moment Charlie Bucket handed the Everlasting Gobstopper over to Willie Wonka, comes Tomorrowland: A World Beyond, a film that almost defies current summer schedule trends, while offering an optimistic view of the future, and of human nature itself.
This is Disney as it used to be, before the suits and marketing heads took over: a time when it was all about Walt and his dreams; his vision; his great films. And of a time when Jiminy Cricket urged everyone watching to wish upon a star.
What we have here is a family adventure that's both retro and futuristic, where an idealistic, smart teenage girl named Casey (played by Britt Robertson, whose CV includes the underrated Life Unexpected), a grumpy geezer called Frank (George Clooney - he's been around), and a girl called Athena (an outstanding Raffey Cassidy) who brings and binds them together.
It takes a while for the film to really take off, as it's got a chunky back story to explore, but once it does it reveals a secret, sealed-off world that can impact on the real one, in a tale that could be an allegory for Hollywood, or even life itself.
Superbly directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles, The Iron Giant), it's a joy to watch, particularly when 12-year-old Cassidy is on-screen, which is often.
Hopefully Tomorrowland also gives younger viewers something to think about other than bland conformity and consumerism. This film, and the people who created it, embody the powerful notion of having dreams and daring to turn them into a great tomorrow.
