Midlands Review of Notes From Planet Three
Notes From Planet Three
Directed by Simon Ellis
2026
Film screened at the Beeston Film Festival in the Midlands
Think you know our solar system? Coventry director and videographer Simon Ellis, creator of Notes From Planet Three, invites you to think again. With wonderous shots of solar eclipses, sunrises, and the stars in the sky, Ellis casts his gaze upwards, through the eyes of two young children.
Whilst we watch these fantastic visuals, Eben Harris-Wilby talks to his young sister, Mala Harris-Wilby, about space and our solar system. The two children have a delightful dialogue, with Eben’s knowledge and Mala’s toddler-like attention span making for a genuinely funny yet somehow insightful description of each of the planets from Mercury to Neptune.
By narrating the already beautiful visuals with the children’s voices, what is usually seen as awestriking and almost alien, becomes approachable and human. This is backed up by the film’s title: Notes From Planet Three, which of course is Earth, a planet only distinguishable from others by the life that inhabits it.
Internet comments start to overlay the footage, touching upon conspiracy theories like flat earth and denying the moon landing. These comments provide quite the juxtaposition to the Harris-Wilby children’s fun and light conversations.
What goes from being something that any primary school science teacher should be obligated to show their years five and six classes, becomes something a little unusual with the choice to add the internet comments. It is unclear exactly what wider commentary Ellis is trying to make with this comparison, and the film might have worked better by either developing this premise or just focusing on the children.
Regardless, Notes From Planet Three is still an entertaining piece which shows off Ellis’ fantastic eye for a good shot of space. As if it needs to be said, the film demands to be watched on the big screen. Thanks to the patient explanations of Eben, and the hilarious comments from Mala, we’d all know a little more about our solar system if we got out our notepads and watched.
★★★½
3.5 / 5
Jacob Poole
