Moon

Starring: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey (voice)
Directed by: Duncan Jones
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Science Fiction, Thriller
2009

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: In the near future, Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is finishing up a solitary 3 year shift on the surface of the moon, mining a valuable source of energy for those back on earth. As he nears the end of his term, he starts seeing things- and soon begins to discover something isn't right.

Review:

Tim: In many ways, I love Moon. I love that it doesn't fit neatly into any genre subdivision we have. It is not a clean, clear cut movie. It is a bit hard to comprehend exactly what type of movie this is. It has some major science fiction elements, but this is not your typical sci fi movie. This is a quiet, thoughtful, provocative character study, which happens to be set in a futuristic time. For those reasons, I loved how different and unique this movie was. Indeed, I was absolutely fascinated by the story and the subject matter. Where this movie doesn't quite deliver is in the emotional department. As I watched, I was very interested- but I never got emotionally invested in the character or the story. I was engaged, but at a distance. I wish I cared more about our characters.

While Moon may not quite be a great movie, it is an incredibly good one. I desperately hope more of these movies are made. This was a welcome departure from so many of the films coming out of Hollywood these days, and we need more of these. I love that this movie felt big, but was in reality a very small, independent movie. It worked for this film.

Much of the credit has to go to star Sam Rockwell. I've never been a big Sam Rockwell guy, but I have to admit that his performance here went a long way to make me start changing my mind. I am disappointed this movie wasn't more critically recognized. Rockwell gives a fascinating, powerful performance. I loved watching him here- I have never seen him more in control of the character or his performance. He seemed completely at ease in the role, which was exactly what this movie needed. Rockwell got the chance here to really display the full arsenal of his acting ability, and he took advantage of it. I also wanted to recognize Kevin Spacey for his excellent voice work in bringing GERTY to life. I can't describe how brilliant this casting choice was, and I appreciate Spacey's willingness to quietly make a huge contribution to this film.

The most amazing thing about Moon is how such a small, easy-to-overlook movie can tell such a fascinating, mind-blowing story. You will be hard pressed to find a more interesting story. It is unlike what you expect, and exceeds any expectations that you may have. As I've mentioned, I felt like first-time director Duncan Jones needed to make this movie have a more emotional impact on the audience. However, despite this obviously being the work of a rookie (as opposed to a master of the craft), Jones still creates an almost startling good directorial debut. With a more experienced director behind the camera, this movie could have been truly excellent. However, as is, Jones still creates a memorable, enjoyable movie.

In many ways, I loved the idea of Moon a bit more than the actual movie itself. However, I am not trying to be too critical here. This is a refreshingly different, enjoyable movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I am grateful and honored to have had the opportunity to watch it. This is a movie that makes me wonder why so many other movies- with bigger budgets, more experienced directors, and bigger stars- cannot even achieve this level of success. Moon is a movie that challenges all other movies to do more with what they have. I really liked this movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: K-PAX, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Matchstick Men, Sunshine