Moon

Moon is cardboard sci-fi with a laudable idea, served up in a less laudable dramaturgical package. But the overall impression is positive: Sam Rockwell delivers a good performance and Kevin Spacey’s voice was a great idea. (02/20/2010)

Now that’s exactly what it should look like. A good sci-fi, I mean. A really captivating story, superb atmosphere, decent specially effects (in fact, for the money, wonderful) and the peerless performance by Sam “Bell" Rockwell. And to add to things, the whole time your eardrums are being stroked by the highbrow soundtrack for which Clint Mansell is responsible. It gives the whole picture a soul. Oh, and I want to have a GERTY at home too! (10/25/2009)

This series of monthly walks is clever, at times even surprisingly sophisticated, but it really lacks emotion in the last twenty minutes. Although the plot takes an unexpected turn, the thought processes are rationed and mechanized. What bothers me the most is the excessive stretching of the main idea. As much as it is likable and original, a short film format would suit Sam Bello much better. The pleasant feeling after watching mainly stems from the lunar environment itself. The hypnotic and immersive atmosphere is the only thing that truly sticks in my mind. (05/22/2010)

Danny Boyle is often thought about, but in my opinion wrongly. Jones’s story could easily have been set on Earth, but then it lacked the "Cameron-esque" detachedly cool industrial setting that perfectly supports the film's events. The story isn't rocket science but instead rides along a strong emotional level of a lonely man, which was a challenge accepted by Sam Rockwell, who did his job with incredible grace. Not to be unfair to the director - especially the opening paranoia and the schizophrenic feel of the second half do make us think - but Rockwell's acting, backed by Mansell's excellent score, actually "made" this film. It’s an unconventional film experience, though probably without a significant audience response. (11/09/2009)

In the end it just doesn’t have what it takes for the legendary status enjoyed by milestones in intelligent sci-fi such as Space Odyssey or Blade Runner (the screenplay holds it together, but there are a couple of screaming lapses of logic), but a few times while I was watching it did occur to me that it isn’t that far off. Plus, Moon has huge potential to mature with time. And who knows, maybe there will come a time when I will have to change my comment at the beginning. P.S.: Lots of those lapses of logic may be solved by the theory about radiation sickness, but not all of them by far... (10/28/2009)