The Vast of Night: Andrew Patterson’s tiny, moody sci-fi film is evidence that an old story can be told in engaging, interesting ways. The story, perfectly set in the 1950s, allows for many roads to be followed, and this film focuses on two attractive young characters, both curious, mildly ambitious, and chatterboxes. Both performers (Sierra McCormick and Jake Horowitz) deal well with the fast-paced dialogue, particularly off each other, both more relevantly, prove to be good listeners and observers, reacting properly and convincingly to the events around them. Gail Cronauer has a long, beautiful monologue, well-delivered. The film has distinctive visuals and is basically in real-time, with cinematographer Miguel Ioann Littin-Menz making heavy use of extended takes, both with a moving camera and an (essentially) static one; it helps create the eerie, uneasy mood the film has at times. The music, by Erick Alexander and Jared Bulmer, is another crucial element in that.