Molli and Max in the Future

Greetings again from the darkness. I'll readily admit that I'm not an expert in outer space-based Science Fiction Romantic-Comedies. If you press me for a description of writer-director Michael Luk Litwak's film, it would be "WHEN HARRY MET SALLY ... in future space". Of course, this low budget flick is no match for Rob Reiner's classic 1989 Rom-Com, yet the mismatched couple and the recurring spontaneous meetups does strike some familiar chords.

Zosia Mamet stars as Molli and Aristotle Athari is Max. Zosia is a quirky actress known for "Girls" and the daughter of renowned writer David Mamet. Aristotle is best known for the season he spent on "Saturday Night Live". This isn't one of those shock-and-awe super special effects sci-fi spectacles. Instead, beginning in Chapter One, spaceships collide. One driven by Molli and one by uninsured Max. Rather than bicker over fault, the two display out-of-this-world chemistry ... unorthodox chemistry for sure ... but chemistry nonetheless.

Beginning with that initial bonding, viewers should brace themselves for non-stop banter whenever Molli and Max are together - something that happens frequently over the 12 years featured here. These reunions occur on various planets, across multiple dimensions, during a relationship with a robot, after joining a cult, and while living as a celebrity. One's enjoyment of the film will surely be determined by how the rapid-fire dialogue strikes - is it charming or grating? Those charmed will likely focus on the friendship/romantic two-step. Those annoyed will likely notice the political angle that filmmaker Litwak tries to sneak in.

With Special Effects intentionally a notch below BARBARELLA (1968) and FLASH GORDON (1980), the green screen images may be cartoonish, but they fit with the overall tone here. This feels like one of those films that will find a very receptive niche following, while others will be baffled by the appeal.

In theaters beginning February 9, 2024.

If you liked the 2006 cult classic Idiocracy then you'll get this as well.

A vehicle for the writer/director to unload on the foibles of humankind (apparently universal themes that apply to alien cultures as well).

There's a presidential election, a plague, a cult, an evil cheese corporation, and two people trying to understand what love is. All this is topical at the moment, but timeless.

Low cost production which adds to the comic effect. A really impressive effort for the writer/director, perhaps his magnum opus - hopefully there's more to come.

The actors played their parts brilliantly, innocently bumbling around until coming to some personal realisations.

I caught this today at the London Film Festival and went in blind, not really knowing anything about it other than that it's been described as a sci-fi When Harry Met Sally. It's so much more than that though, but I don't want to risk spoiling the movie too much by explaining why, so all I will say is that this is a film which is incredibly inventive, and you can see it's a real labour of love as it's so playful and imaginative.

Best of all is the central romance however, and I say that as a die hard sci-fi / fantasy fan who loved the visual elements of the film. The central couple are given dialogue that made me laugh out loud an awful lot, and the performances are so strong that I fell in love with the characters very early on.

I'm a little wary of over praising this to the extent that people might have really high expectations of it, but despite that I can't help myself, and I had so much fun watching this movie that half way through I realised I was grinning inanely, and that didn't stop until the lights went up after the credits.

This is a low budget film so anyone going in expecting Marvel style cgi might be a little disappointed, but in many ways the lo-fi style and occasional stop motion sequences makes it all the more delightful, and as you can tell, I was well and truly charmed by this gem of a movie.

I hate Rom-Coms, but for some reason, this one was different to me. I love the actress that played Molli in pretty much everything she's done and she played her role perfectly.

This felt like a futuristic sci-fi version of When Harry Met Sally in a way.

Like someone else posted, pay attention to the dialog and subtlety because that's where the humor is.

I knew I loved this film when it was over and all I could think was 'this would make a great series'.

Overall well done but definitely you'll want to play attention to the dialog and subtlety of this film or you might not get it. Shouldn't need to state that but there are so many people that don't pay attention and complain a movie is boring.

I'm smiling & laughing the whole way through. This totally deserves a higher score... Low-budget effects just add to the charm. If you like Futurama & Hitchhiker's...then what are you waiting for??? The female lead strongly reminds one of Sarah Silverman in both looks and manner...not that it matters...just sayin.

I'm smiling & laughing the whole way through. This totally deserves a higher score... Low-budget effects just add to the charm. If you like Futurama & Hitchhiker's...then what are you waiting for??????

I'm smiling & laughing the whole way through. This totally deserves a higher score... Low-budget effects just add to the charm. If you like Futurama & Hitchhiker's...then what are you waiting for???