The Movie 'IF': Celebrating the Magic of Youth

The film IF, which premiered on May 17th, has surpassed its initial projection of $40 million at the domestic box office. Although Rotten Tomatoes has given IF a 49% rating, audiences are raving over the nostalgic brilliance of this tear-jerking film. The plot follows a young girl named Bea and her investigative adventure with imaginary friends (IF).

What is behind this spark of genius and embrace of nostalgia? If we follow the trail of Jupiter-Uranus-Neptune—the current planetary alignment in the sky—we find ourselves in an oddly similar world to Alice in Wonderland.

Jupiter-Uranus-Neptune: Amplifying the Imaginative Genius

Jupiter is the planetary archetype of broadening horizons, celebration, and abundance. Uranus is the planetary archetype of creativity, eccentricity, and novelty. Neptune is the planetary archetype of imagination, magic, and fantasy. When these three planets come into alignment, the imaginative spirit of the collective psyche reaches new heights.

Lewis Carroll's novel Alice in Wonderland tells the story of a young girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world filled with interesting creatures. The book was published in 1865 during a Jupiter-Uranus-Neptune alignment:

Synchronistically, the first film adaptation was released by Disney in 1951 during a remarkably similar angular alignment between Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune:

This kind of historical rhythm is called diachronic patterning: when the same planets come into alignment, the residue of past transits comes to the surface.

Thus, it is not surprising that IF carries the spirit of Alice in Wonderland. IF, like Alice in Wonderland, was released under the alignment of Jupiter-Uranus-Neptune:

Whether it was a conscious or unconscious decision of director and writer John Krasinski to make one of the main characters in IF look subtly similar to Alice in Wonderland's Cheshire Cat, it undeniably showcases the brilliance of how archetypal dynamics unfold into human creativity.

Both creatures are on the larger side, evoking the Jupiterian essence of abundance. Furthermore, they are both purple in color, symbolizing the playful spirit that comes with the Uranus-Neptune combination.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Ultimately, both films touch on the importance of imagination (Neptune) and the honorable (Jupiter) role it plays in the life of a child (Uranus). Krasinski has shared that he was inspired to create this film because of his two young daughters. He witnessed their imaginative spirit wither away during the Covid-19 pandemic, and thus wanted to remind them and all other kids of the ever-present magical realm.

Synchronistically, Alice in Wonderland (the film) entered into the collective psyche soon after the end of World War II—a time during which the majority of the world suffered and endured a painful day-to-day life. This is eerily similar to the days of the pandemic because both events coincided with a Saturn-Pluto world transit.

When Saturn and Pluto come into alignment, themes of authoritarianism and rigid conservatism come to the forefront of civilization. It can often be periods of immense constriction, which on the other hand, can also forge a spirit of discipline and deep courage. Yet, the most recent Saturn-Pluto alignment which coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic will undeniably be categorized as a time in which death and destruction permeated all of society.

IF is a refreshing and hopeful film that puts us in touch with the chaotically beautiful odyssey we call life. It reminds us not to shun magic away but rather to nurture it, as it so evidently feeds the creative brilliance of our children.