As all good movie buffs know, today is Back to the Future Day…specifically, today is the “far-off” date that Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) journeyed to in pal “Doc” Brown’s (Christopher Lloyd) DeLorean-based time machine in order to straighten out his trouble-plagued family in 1989’s Back to the Future Part II.
While director and co-creator Robert Zemeckis stated that he didn’t want to set too much of the second series entry in 2015 because most time travel movies tend to get their predictions wrong, he and writing partner Bob Gale did manage to concoct a realistic and at times surprisingly accurate look at 21st-century everyday American life. Big-screen TVs and home computers are commonplace, and Google Glasses are not that far off from the video lenses that Hill Valley citizens are sporting (double ties still optional). USA Today is still being published. The good folks at Pepsi, however, have yet to perfect Pepsi Perfect (this month’s limited promotion notwithstanding).
From a cinematic standpoint, today’s revived interest in 3D action and family movies can be seen as a lower-tech parallel of Back to the Future Part II’s holofilms…
…but don’t worry, Marty. 1987’s Jaws: The Revenge pretty much put the last nails in the coffin of that particular franchise (Of course, one has to wonder what a holographic version of Sharknado would look like).
Hoverboards are still a long way from being a part of everyday use, not to mention “power-lacing” athletic shoes (Get with it, Nike!).
And–sorry to say it, Cubs fans–but as of this morning it’s looking like 2015 might not be your year, after all (not that you were going to play Miami in the World Series, anyway).
What are your thoughts, fellow residents of the 21st century? What promised innovation from the Back to the Future series are you still longing for? And in what cinematic future would you be the most interested in living? Sound off in the comments section below.