Finding the Future: A Science Fiction Conversation

I'm mystified as to who the audience might be for this rough but charmingly enthusiastic documentary about contemporary science fiction fandom. Those already in the thralls of fandom (like, ahem, myself) won't find a single surprising or unexpected thing here—we know we're oddballs who flock to conventions (or “cons”) in search of fellow oddballs who understand what we're talking about when we use words like “singularity” and “filk.” And we're already aware of the concepts the famous talking heads—or at least famous-within-the-science-fiction-community—discuss passionately for filmmaker Casey Moore here: Cory Doctorow on the subversive power of the Internet, David Brin on machine intelligence, and everyone from Nancy Kress to Robert Silverberg to Mike Resnick talking about Mary Shelley's Frankenstein in hushed, adoring terms. Non-fans, on the other hand, are unlikely to be drawn to this film at all. Not a detached anthropological approach to the subject—see fans in their native habitat! (the film was shot at the 2000 WorldCon, the major annual gathering of the faithful)—nor a full-blown geeky insider portrait, there's a neither-here-nor-there-ness to Finding the Future that will ultimately be unsatisfying to all. DVD extras include a deleted scene, image gallery, and fandom glossary. Optional. Aud: P. (M. Johanson)