Welcome to #FantasyJune. For those that have been with me for a bit you will remember that January was #SciFiJanuary. SciFi is all about science including the softer sciences. Fantasy is all about magic and what is not explained. https://hottakesonfilm.substack.com/p/welcome-to-fantasy-june?sd=pf

For #SciFiJanuary - a review of Rich Horton's excellent Best of the Year Anthology for 2021. https://www.shortsf.com/reviews/horton2021

Let’s cap off #SciFiJanuary with one of my favorite #SciFi #Films The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951 US). This was directed by the insanely talented Robert Wise and released the same year as the classic noir The House on Telegraph Hill which he also directed. Busy guy. A rebuke of Cold War politics this masterpiece is considered one of the best #ScienceFiction films ever and really holds up over time. Keanu Reeves made a remake in 2008 but I like the original. Keanu was like “Duuude your planets going to be blown up” JK! love you Keanu. Wise later directed West Side Story and then in 1979 Star Trek the motion picture. I forgive him for that. It looked good though. #Film #FilmFan #Movie #Movies #Cinema

Let’s cap off #SciFiJanuary with one of my favorite #SciFi #Films The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951 US). This was directed by the insanely talented Robert Wise and released the same year as the classic noir The House on Telegraph Hill which he also directed. Busy guy. A rebuke of Cold War politics this masterpiece is considered one of the best #ScienceFiction films ever and really holds up over time. Keanu Reeves made a remake in 2008 but I like the original. Keanu was like “Duuude your planets going to be blown up” JK! love you Keanu. Wise later directed West Side Story and then in 1979 Star Trek the motion picture. I forgive him for that. It looked good though. #Film #FilmFan #Movie #Movies #Cinema

As we wind down #SciFiJanuary the second transition film to #LoveFestFebruary is A Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021 US). Two teenagers are stuck in a time loop in a small town. Like About Time this has a strong romance and relationship component to it but it’s still solidly #SciFi. I love how it plays with the rules of the genre. I won’t spoil it for you and talk more about that but just to say it’s really interesting that way. I really enjoyed this one and especially appreciated the color work on it. It’s an Amazon original and as such is not available elsewhere at least not right now. #ScienceFiction #Film #Films #FilmFan #Movie #Movies #Cinema

As we wind down #SciFiJanuary the second transition film to #LoveFestFebruary is A Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021 US). Two teenagers are stuck in a time loop in a small town. Like About Time this has a strong romance and relationship component to it but it’s still solidly #SciFi. I love how it plays with the rules of the genre. I won’t spoil it for you and talk more about that but just to say it’s really interesting that way. I really enjoyed this one and especially appreciated the color work on it. It’s an Amazon original and as such is not available elsewhere at least not right now. #ScienceFiction #Film #Films #FilmFan #Movie #Movies #Cinema

As we close up #SciFiJanuary I like to post a transition film into #LoveFestFebruary and the first entry is About Time (2013 UK US). On a man’s 21st birthday he is told the family secret. The men in the family can travel through time. And as you would expect a 21 year old man to do he f*cks around with it and of course finds out. What’s neat is you really see him grow up through his time transgressions. Although, this has a very strong romance element it is still solidly #SciFi. I think this is one of my favorite time travel movies. Star Domhnall Gleason comes across as so very endearing even when he’s being an idiot. Rachel McAdams is a little too much “the love interest” for my taste but I still enjoyed it. Find it on Amazon or for rent on most streaming, #ScienceFiction #Film #Films #FilmFan #Movie #Movies #Cinema

As we close up #SciFiJanuary I like to post a transition film into #LoveFestFebruary and the first entry is About Time (2013 UK US). On a man’s 21st birthday he is told the family secret. The men in the family can travel through time. And as you would expect a 21 year old man to do he f*cks around with it and of course finds out. What’s neat is you really see him grow up through his time transgressions. Although, this has a very strong romance element it is still solidly #SciFi. I think this is one of my favorite time travel movies. Star Domhnall Gleason comes across as so very endearing even when he’s being an idiot. Rachel McAdams is a little too much “the love interest” for my taste but I still enjoyed it. Find it on Amazon or for rent on most streaming, #ScienceFiction #Film #Films #FilmFan #Movie #Movies #Cinema

The Vast of Night (2020 US) students investigate a mysterious signal in 1950’s New Mexico. I like to call this a great little film that could. With a budget of 700k which was spent mostly on costumes and props including cars, director Andrew Peterson did a great job creating tension and just the right amount. It can be a bit of a slow burn sometimes as it gets into the details of radio reception and science. It’s kind of cool that way, but then it picks up. I enjoyed it. Find it on Amazon. I’m not seeing it for rent in my region. #SciFi #SciFiJanuary #ScienceFiction #Film #Films #FilmFan #Movie #Movies #Cinema

The Vast of Night (2020 US) students investigate a mysterious signal in 1950’s New Mexico. I like to call this a great little film that could. With a budget of 700k which was spent mostly on costumes and props including cars, director Andrew Peterson did a great job creating tension and just the right amount. It can be a bit of a slow burn sometimes as it gets into the details of radio reception and science. It’s kind of cool that way, but then it picks up. I enjoyed it. Find it on Amazon. I’m not seeing it for rent in my region. #SciFi #SciFiJanuary #ScienceFiction #Film #Films #FilmFan #Movie #Movies #Cinema