I love science fiction and fantasy movies. Being a child of the STAR WARS generation (we’re like the Baby Boomer generation, except with a better soundtrack), I slobber at every glimpse of a space ship or a flashy new special effect. I’m a Pavlovian geek, I guess.

It’s too bad that Hollywood doesn’t appreciate science fiction films like I do; for every 2001: A SPACE ODESSEY we have twenty films like SPACEHUNTER: ADVENTURES IN THE FORBIDDEN ZONE. The studio honchos mistakenly believe that having a giant transforming robot step on a birdbath constitutes actual science fiction filmmaking. They would be wrong.

Thank the Maker that the British have yet to be swallowed by American imperialism. Due to a curious British phenomenon known as “intellectual superiority,” America’s English cousins still believe in outdated concepts like character development, story cohesiveness, and logical plotting. Their science fiction shows and films generally explore actual science fiction concepts; one episode of Tom Baker’s DOCTOR WHO probably has more thought-provoking hard-science concepts than the entire STAR TREK franchise.

Which leads me, in an indirect way, to the revelation of the new trailer for the hard science fiction film FRANKLYN. The British film stars RYAN PHILLIPPE and EVA GREEN in a murder story about a man leaping across alternate universes. Here is the trailer:

It looks incredible.

This space/time conundrum featured here reminds me of the last great American science fiction film, DONNIE DARKO. The trailer also shows off a vibe reminiscent of DARK CITY.

Most of all, though, the film looks like it is taking huge chances. It is the work of first time writer/director GERALD MCMORROW, who has created what will obviously become a cult classic among fanboys … just like DARKO. I just hope McMorrow won’t crawl up his own ass like DARKO director RICHARD KELLY with SOUTHLAND TALES, one of the worst films of recent times.

British science fiction fans rejoice: FRANKLYN opens there on February 20, 2009.

Oh, did I mention that FRANKLYN does not have a release date in the United States yet? Ugh … it’s probably being held up due to negotiations for an Aerosmith ballad that can be slapped over the credits in order to make it “acceptable” to American audiences.

Dumb.