Moon

Moon
Director: Duncan Jones
Starring: Sam Rockwell

The year of 2009 was quite a whirlwind in the second half for film fans. We were suddenly struck at (what seemed to be) one time with several modern classics instantly falling in our laps. There was The Hurt Locker, Inglorious Basterds, and even a new sci-fi classic in District 9. But, one very amazing science fiction drama dared to take us back to an era that most forget about in the genre. The risque', intellectual 70's era that's most known for with classics such as Planet of the Apes, The Black Hole & of course, Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey.

This was an era that was very special in sci-fi, because it was at a time where you didn't need extreme space alien battles, laser guns or extreme, climactic battles with our model-esque, plucky young hero diving in to save the day in his most swashbuckler of stances of heroism. This was a time when it was okay for our protagonist to be just a scientist, astronaut or even a technician. When getting the job done and going home was the only mission and these characters were very good at their jobs. By creating characters like these, you didn't need any of those sci-fi explosions or chaotic battles. You fell into the psychology of their situations and feared what their fate would be at the other end of their peril. Or even worse, what would they become.

Enter Duncan Jones' debut movie: Moon. Sam Bell, an astronaut that has signed on to a solo, 3-year mining expedition on the(you guessed it) Moon for resources to send back to Earth. While eagerly waiting to finally return home to his wife and daughter, he gains as much comfort as he can find in his robotic companion/space station HIVE mind, GERTY(voiced by none other than Academy Award Winner, Kevin Spacey). The relationship between these two is something special to watch, as it has an aura of familiarity and mutual understanding that can only be developed with time. Considering this is Sam Rockwell acting off of a mechanical object that only has computer screens to emote to him, it's an amazing feat.

While we're on the subject, Sam Rockwell gives the performance of not only his career, but in my personal opinion, the best of 2009. To not even receive a nomination for what should be both Best Actor AND Best Supporting Actor is truly sad when considering the politics that were most likely involved with the previous year's awards. This is an actor who is quite literally giving a one-man show. He is playing off himself and the environment around him and creating such an extreme atmosphere that you fear for the fate of either version of him.

About that... You see, one day, while going through his usual mining expedition routines, he discovers one of his moon rovers mysteriously crashed into a crater outside of the station. While investigating, he discovers an unconcious, suited astronaut within the rover. Upon closer investigation, he gains a surprise so offsetting, it spins the rest of the film into top gear. To say any further the developments of the movie would be to spoil the intensity of the discoveries you're about to endure.

For a first time director, Duncan Jones knocks this out of the park with such a minor budget. The special effects are used as all films should use them: only to advance the story and not to provide extreme spectacle. The sets have an homage to 2001, while maintaining a very enriching "lived-in" vibe that immediately gives you a sense of the character of Sam, his hobbies, his strengths and coping mechanisms necessary for the forced solitude of this 3-year excursion. And the fearlessness in the way Rockwell is filmed is excellent and paid off well in return. With the situations endured by Sam, the slightest mistake from either of these men's performance in front of or behind the camera could have sent this movie off-the-rails so fast that it'd be unwatchable. But they both deliver on an experience that will leave you both breathless and emotionally shaken before the credits.

Sit back and enjoy a classic that you've most likely missed. You're about to enjoy two men who are the greatest at what they do.

FUN FACTS:
A) Duncan Jones is the son of David Bowie. Yes, THAT David Bowie.
B) Moon's poster is an awesome throwback to 70's film. (So, maybe that's more opinion than fact, but... LOOK AT THAT THING! Tell me you don't want that on your wall, somewhere!)