Escape from Tomorrow (2013)

Entirely film at the Disney World and Disneyland theme parks, without the approval, of Walt Disney Company. Escape from Tomorrow has been called 'the ultimate guerrilla film'. The reasons, why is because of the highly secretly production of monochrome black and white guerrilla-style shooting, in order to avoid lighting issues. Another, is how well, the filmmakers evade attracting attention of park security. Because of the ways, this movie was created. It allows the viewers to see the familiar sights of the Disney parks in a whole new light. Because of that, I really wanted to see this movie. After all, I wasn't sure, if this movie was even allow to be shown. However, I was deeply surprise later by the fact, that Disney didn't sued the movie, for copyrights claims. I guess, Disney thought it was better off, just to ignore it and not feed its trolls for the film negative depiction. Anyways, copyright issues wasn't going to stop me, from watching this fascinating film. However, after watching the film. I doesn't think this movie works at all. Not even in the realm of avant-garde art-house level. It wasn't sophisticated or high-brow. For the most part, it's stupid and gross out imagery was nearly unwatchable. It felt like somebody drug me, with a Mickie and I was going through a bad acid trip. Because of that, it took a lot of sheer will power, to get myself to finish watching this film. Another thing, that bug me about the film is how exposition impaired, this movie is. Normally, I would love to find hidden meaning within this story, but sadly, this movie takes the fun out of it. This movie from first time writer and director Randy Moore was also a bit too confusing for my taste. I really don't get this fantasy horror film, at all. The story about unemployed father, Jim White (Roy Abramsohn), whom sanity is challenge by the over-fantasy domain in which, his family wants to spent time in; just didn't work with me. Without spoiling the movie, too much, I have to say, the film's story and imagery remind me of a mix between 1999's Sam Mendes's American Beauty & David Lynch 1977's Eraser Head with elements of Disney magic. It sounds interesting, but it's badly executed. Trust me! First off, the movie has horrible pacing. Lots of awkward long shots of nothing much going on. Half of the film is really, really boring. Then, there is problems with filming locations. Since, reshoots were nearly impossible. Some scenes were shot against a very obvious green screen background. Its looks so fake. You can really tell, which scenes were filmed in locations, and which were not. Another problem, is its CGI, which wasn't used right. However, the biggest jarring production issue that I have against the film is how content proprietary to Disney, such as the lyrics to "It's a Small World" and footage from Soarin', was removed from the film to avoid copyright infringement, yet others, are kept in. I guess, the filmmakers weren't as brave as they make themselves, out to be. Look, I'm willing to look pass the novelty, to see the truth about Disney, but the film wasn't presenting anything that seem real. Its 'so call' facts like the emu myth and Disney prostitutes, are just as fake as the castles in which, this story takes place at. I get that, this is a fantasy version of the real-life park, but if you going to make Disney seem like an evil company, you should show more realistic tones of that. Not only is the whole message of Disney being an evil company kinda unclear and too murky, but the idea of shaming 'escapism' is also a bit too bitter and joyless. I get that, the word 'escapism' often carries a negative connotation, suggesting that escapists are unhappy, with an inability or unwillingness to connect meaningfully with the realism world, but that idea is taken out of proper context by this first time director, Randy Moore. Not everybody that goes to Disneyland or go see a movie is depressed. Some of them, are just looking for fun and entertainment. However, you wouldn't know it, by looking at this film. All of the main characters, here are just miserable, hateful, and unlikeable. Don't get me wrong, all the actors in this film are fine, but being an escapism movie, doesn't mean, that all of the characters have to be jerks. It just means, that, characters have to be likable enough to connect with the audience. So that their spirits can be uplifting, when we see a character, be able to conquer the problems of his own world. Sadly, you don't see that in this film. Looking for a means of entertainment isn't supposed to be bad-thing, but this movie acts like it does. It's like, telling us, that we should be in shame for liking uplifting epic blockbuster movies and should act more realistic, gritty and downtrodden. I really have to disagree with that mindset. The reason, why, is because movies like this, is all about suffering. It's not a healthy escape for the viewer. If anything, this cruel and spiteful movie, can only make the viewer, colder about their own world. Unpleasant media make unpleasant people. I glad, there are film directors like director Preston Sturges that shows that. In his film, 1941's Sullivan's Travels, he points out, how 'vain and self-indulgent', films like Escape from Tomorrow are. Most people go to the movie for healthy distraction, not to be told, how depressing, their world is. Overall: I felt more disappointed by this weird film, than honestly downright hating it. For the most part, I was all eyes and ears for this surrealism film, coming in, but sadly, after finishing this movie. I can clearly say, it was a very below average film. I can't recommended watching at all, unless you want to be upset.

A few years ago I remember reading some news stories about a film which had been secretly shot at Disney World.Joining an advent on IMDbs Film Festivals board,I spotted the film on a viewing list,which led to me getting ready to visit Disney World.The plot:Taking his family on holiday to Disney World,Jim gets a phone call from his boss telling him that he has been sacked.Keeping the news of his job loss hidden,Jim and the family start to walk round the theme park.Whilst going round the park,Jim finds himself constantly running into two mysterious French teenage girls.Trying to make sense of the girls whilst going on a ride with the family,Jim begins to fear about how magical the "Magic Kingdom" really is,when his family take on a demonic appearance.View on the film:Filmed illegally in Disney World,writer/director Randy Moore & cinematographer Lucas Lee Graham expertly shoot in sharp black and white to give the title a surreal atmosphere,as Moore's jagged shots of the theme park rides gives them a disconnected, otherworldly appearance.Keeping the filming secret,Moore gives the movie dark comedic veins which goes from left-field fellow tourists to the Disney princesses being hookers!Whilst the final 30 minutes dips into jet-black fantasy noir, the screenplay by Moore sadly makes this an event which takes place too late. Limiting the first hour of Jim and his family's tour around Disney World to the odd nugget of weirdness,Moore largely appears to be focused on displaying the location,which leads to the first hour feeling like a mildly hard-going holiday video,in a film which is a long way from entering Disney World.

I just now finished watching "Escape From Tomorrow", and I must say, I was impressed. I didn't expect much. I expected it to be as cheesy as Sharknado, maybe even cheesier. But it was a great movie. But I have no idea how they managed to shoot some scenes in guerrilla format. For example, the part where Jim was imagining Spaceship Earth exploding (I couldn't help but laugh) how could they film a scene like that without some bystander pointing, saying "Hey! How come that guy is filming those people running around like the spaceship earth is rolling around?" I also thought the ending was confusing. It showed him dead with a creepy cat face, but then it showed him still alive and with a new family. What the heck? But overall, "Escape From Tomorrow" was a great movie, and I wouldn't mind watching it again and again.

The opening credits are spliced with a roller-coaster ride, whipping and turning, intercutting with fair like shots, balloons and candy - fun… and ends with a decapitation. Is this setting up the tone for "Escape from Tomorrow" where we may just loose our heads, because it is existential story telling and more about interpretation rather than vapidly force-feeding the story? However, trying to figure it out when there is nothing there is infuriating. Immediately after the decapitation we are introduced to one of the elements that makes 'Escape from Tomorrow' work really well, the overtly disgusting Jim whom attracts more problems than just naturally befall the man. Beginning his day with bad news each step forward gets worse as he comes closer towards a complete mental breakdown. His repugnant persona is what makes this sad midlife crisis trip so fun to watch because the novelty of guerrilla (student film) making in Disney Land begins to wear thin after twenty minutes, although impeccably captured. The story of gross Jim gets boring. The paedophile aspect becomes a little relentless. The cat flu seemed brilliant then became too ambiguous and finally felt like the easy way out. Even the hilarious magic hanging from the witches' neck looses its sparkle. 'Escape from Tomorrow' manages to follow every foul and disgusting set of shots up with impeccable humour where a tongue is planted firmly in a cheek. It manages to let you live in Jim's nightmarish hell of Disney Land with the family and never actually empathise with his apparent conundrums. It evens answers Jim's terrible parenting skills with his brazen paedophilic quandaries. Not forgetting all the boring shots that ties this brilliance together.The last stretch of the film starts to veer towards too much absurdity where someone might have slipped some LSD into David Lynch's mouth and told him to make a dark love story in Disney Land. The problem is that love is not an element that features in this film, strange considering there is a family involved but there isn't even a 'lack of love' theme. So the boring and the weird mix together to form a new kind of waste of time where apparently cleavage lives. Cleavages being the gratuitous aspect that'll help pass the time perhaps but not mind fodder in the slightest. The film does save itself by the bitter end. The witch is something else, the palm shirt is ridiculous, the punishment is apt, he covers semen vigorously and bountifully but the cross bridge to get there proved tedious at points. All in all I have to give it top notches in the category of experimental horror filmmaking regardless of the empty shots. Loving something and hating it can define avant-garde at times and Escape from Tomorrow's unfamiliar territory is eccentric to say the least.