Escape from Tomorrow (2013) (Blu-ray Review)
Directed By: Randy Moore
Starring: Roy Abramsohn, Elena Schuber, Katelynn Rodriguez
Rated: UR/Region A/1:85/1080p/Number of Discs 1
Available from Gaiam
The most provocative film from the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, ESCAPE FROM TOMORROW should not exist, and yet it does. Like nothing you’ve ever seen, Randy Moore’s directorial debut is a bold and ingenious trip into the happiest place on earth. An epic battle begins when a middle-aged American husband and father of two learns that he has lost his job. Keeping the news from his nagging wife and wound-up children, he packs up the family and embarks on a full day of park hopping amid enchanted castles and fairytale princesses. Soon, the manufactured mirth of the fantasy land around him begins to haunt his subconscious. An idyllic family vacation quickly unravels into a surrealist nightmare of paranoid visions, bizarre encounters, and an obsessive pursuit of a pair of sexy teenage Parisians. Chillingly shot in black and white, Escape From Tomorrow dissects the mythology of artificial perfection while subversively attacking our culture’s obsession with mass entertainment.
You got to hand it to the people who made this film for doing what they did and where they had to do it to make the movie. You take what is the happiest place on earth and you turn it upside down with some weird black and white fever dream. The end results are very odd and at times equally as awkward, but I still think it is worth a watch based on the insane plot we see presented to us alone. The movie doesn’t always make the most sense and I’m not sure based on a first time watch that I can help to really break down what it all means, but it was at least something different.
I think things start off much better than they end. We open with Disney world and have sudden cuts of people losing their heads and faces turning evil, all the while we try to figure out if our leading man is just crazy or not. By the time we head into the home stretch things do start to slow up a bit and parts of the film do drag on for a bit too long. Still, you have to respect the gorilla aspect of the whole thing and kudos can be given for them at least not getting dragged in court. The Blu-ray looks pretty darn good and give us cripst black and white with good details. Now if you want the Blu-ray, I think you will only be able to get it at Target or at least you will only be able to get it there from April 29th until July 28th.
– Two Commentaries Writer/Director Randy Moore and Cinematographer Lucas Lee Graham
– Actors Roy Abramsohn and Elena Schuber in Character
– The Making of Escape From Tomorrow
– Theatrical Poster Gallery
– Escape From Tomorrow Trailer
