Though everything about the photo above (save for that creepy moustache) certainly suggests a breezy romantic comedy, anyone reading this blog is probably well aware that it's actually taken from a science fiction film that some critics are calling "the best film in years." We haven't been lucky enough to see Spike Jonze's Siri-inflected love story, Her, yet, but the heaps of praise raining down from those who have been lucky enough to catch it early have us intrigued. Is it truly A Warm And Funny Movie That Shows Us How We Live Now? Or, is it just another Spike Jonze film? We'll have coverage here as soon as we can catch up with it.

We're also looking forward to The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Yes, it is clearly not a science fiction film (calm thyselves fantasy enthusiasts!), but Peter Jackson's ongoing experiment with HFR (High Frame Rate) filmmaking is beginning to feel like one of the most potentially revolutionary changes to cinema technology we've witnessed in ages. There certainly were parts of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey that looked like a cheap telenovela when projected at 48fps, but the higher frame rate lent the CGI figures and digitally enhanced action sequences a new smoothness, weight and depth. There are lots of very smart folks out there who think shooting at higher frame rates, and, more generally, making a variable frame rate part of the standard cinematic arsenal, will help revitalize the theatrical moviegoing experience. More on this to come as well.