5 Reasons to Run Out and See Tomorrowland This Weekend

Updated on 5/22/2015 at 12:14 PM

There is plenty that will be written about Disney's new Tomorrowland, which hits theaters today, that discusses the underlying messages about creativity and what that means for the entertainment industry. But given the film's PG rating — and all of the promotion the company is doing on the Disney Channel — it's safe to assume that the kids the movie is targeting won't care about that aspect of the story at all.

I walked into a screening of Tomorrowland knowing very little about it. I'd seen the ads with my kids (full disclosure, they're big Jessie fans so the channel is on A LOT!) and knew it involved some secret world that looks similar to Epcot, but that's about it. My 9-year-old son was begging to see it, and my 5-year-old was simply along for the popcorn. A mere 10 minutes into the film, though, I knew we were watching something special.

Without giving too much away — because the mystery is part of what makes it so magical — the movie starts out in the present with Frank Walker (George Clooney) talking to an off-camera audience about how we got to where we are today. Throughout his story, he is routinely interrupted by a girl, who we later learn is Casey Newton (Britt Robertson), who has her own take on the story. The film then flashes back 50 years to a young Frank visiting the 1965 New York World's Fair with his cool invention. His invention leads to meeting Athena (Raffey Cassidy), and he is magically transported — through the "It's a Small World" ride — to the utopia of Tomorrowland. Fast forward 50 years and teenager Casey is arrested for tampering with a NASA spaceship launcher, and she is contacted by Athena (who hasn't aged). Athena brings Frank and Casey together and insists that they must go to Tomorrowland to save it — they are the only two with the qualities who can.

The story is filled with enjoyable characters, fun dialogue, and plenty of age-appropriate action. But the movie's wow-factor isn't necessarily the story. Read on to see why you should add it to your must-see Summer movie list.

It's a Movie About Hope, and Few Films Are

About halfway through the movie, there's one word that kept popping into my head — "hope." I kept my mouth shut, and when it ended, I turned to my 9-year-old and asked him what one word he would use to describe the film's message, and he looked at me and said, "hope!" It was a proud mom moment, but it was also true.

At one point in the film, the camera pans to an Albert Einstein quote saying, "Imagination is more important than knowledge." And that is truly the basis of the film. There is so much negativity in this world, but if we let ourselves believe that things can be better, if we let ourselves imagine a better place, we can actually achieve it. It is a wonderfully positive message that is sprinkled throughout the film and summed up nicely at the end when the baton is handed off to the next generation — a way of saying that children are the future and our only hope (I had visions of Princess Leia's message to Obiwan Kenobi multiple times!)

It's a Disney-Lover's Dream

The film may be called Tomorrowland, but it felt an awful lot like Epcot to me. Anyone who's spent anytime at the Florida Disney resort will appreciate pieces of the rides that make up the utopian world Frank, Casey, and Athena visit. The characters blasting off to Tomorrowland easily feels like you're riding Mission Space, while riding along with Frank on his jetpack is an awful lot like the Soarin' ride. And don't forget the PeopleMover in the film — it is straight out of Disney World's Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. And, of course, the secret entrance to Tomorrowland is a part of the It's a Small World ride. The Disney magic is felt throughout the entire film.

It's Mysterious but Not Scary

My 5-year-old was a bit hesitant to see the film — it looked scary to him. But once it was over, he told me he wasn't scared for a second! Yes, the film is mysterious — that's why no one really knows what the film is about! — but it isn't scary at all. There are a few fight scenes throughout the film, but they're actually more comical than they are frightening, and they're nothing more than what kids see in the average animated flick.

It's a Wholesome Family Film Without Being Afraid to Ask Big Questions

With so many movies about dystopian worlds and kids-killing-kids aimed at tweens and teens these days, Tomorrowland is a nice change of pace. Where so many of those movies focus on negativity, this film rewards positivity and leaves moviegoers thinking about what they can do to make the world a better place. It's a nice message that doesn't feel as "kumbaya" as it sounds! Plus, the characters are so lovable – especially Athena — that you feel a connection to them by the time the credits start rolling.

It Introduces Kids to George Clooney

OK, this one may be more for the moms than it is for the kids, but seeing George Clooney on screen (in IMAX no less) was a sight for sore eyes. He played a curmudgeonly Frank with a certain familiarity that took me a while to place, but once I did, I loved it — he was Dr. Doug Ross back from his ER days. But parents aren't the only ones who'll appreciate him in the role, my 9-year-old asked me who he was and told me he seemed "fun." George's charitable and political initiatives are certainly in line with the film's messages, so the perfect fit is conveyed throughout the film.