Day 19 – MOON
[Film stats: Earned $5M domestically. Got 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and 89% on Flixster.]
Hello, all!
It isn’t typical for the film critics and those of us in the hoi polloi to be pretty much on the same page about a film, but that’s the case with MOON, and for good reason. It might be hard to think that a film that is effectively a one man [and one robot] show could be anything but a bore, but Sam Rockwell puts in yet another great performance, carrying and elevating this movie.
The plot, according to the IMDB, is as follows: “Astronaut Sam Bell has a quintessentially personal encounter toward the end of his three-year stint on the Moon, where he, working alongside his computer, GERTY, sends back to Earth parcels of a resource that has helped diminish our planet's power problems.”
Anecdote time! Once upon a time, back when I was maybe five or six, my brother and some of the other, older kids in the neighborhood were asking if I was going to join them in one of the games that we invented. I said, “No, I’m going to play with myself.” Later, I’d learn the very important difference between “by” and “with.” So, I shared that somewhat goofy personal anecdote to say that Sam Rockwell’s character in this one manages to do both, “by” and “with.” To say any more would spoil the plot arc of this film.
If what I’ve written thus far is sufficient to make you keen to check out a trailer for the film, I’ve embedded one below:
That trailer certainly gives you an idea as to the nature of the “quintessentially personal” encounter Rockwell’s character has as described in the plot summary on the IMDB. It’s unfortunate that that particular element of the film is shown in the trailer, as it’s the catalyst for the entire plot, but at least it doesn’t definitively give away the plot arc. Some trailers, like the one for THE NEGOTIATOR [mentioned because it, too, features a pre-scandal Kevin Spacey], give it away entirely.
It’s easy to spoil some of the surprises for a film like this one, so I’ll just stick with what’s been said – it’s a fairly simple premise that is cleverly told and wonderfully acted by Sam Rockwell. Spacey, too, manages to turn in a good performance despite doing nothing more than the voice work for GERTY, Sam’s companion on the moon. If you decide to watch this one, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Enjoy!
P.S. For those of you who give this one a shot and enjoy it, you may also want to check out GATTACA and EX MACHINA.
P.P.S. The fact that I'm recommending a film titled MOON on Monday [given the etymology of the day's title] is purely coincidental, just FYI.
Other films recommended:
[Day 1 - BARTON FINK; Day 2 - CENTURION; Day 3 - THE BABADOOK; Day 4 - RISEN; Day 5 - CHOPPER; Day 6 - ZERO EFFECT; Day 7 - IN BRUGES; Day 8 - HOUSE OF GAMES; Day 9 - DREDD; Day 10 - THE MISSION; Day 11 - WARRIOR; Day 12 - ANNIHILATION; Day 13 - THE FISHER KING; Day 14 - GOOD KILL; Day 15 - THE HITCHER; Day 16 - SHORT CUTS; Day 17 - THE SALTON SEA; Day 18 - A SIMPLE PLAN]
[Film stats: Earned $5M domestically. Got 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and 89% on Flixster.]
Hello, all!
It isn’t typical for the film critics and those of us in the hoi polloi to be pretty much on the same page about a film, but that’s the case with MOON, and for good reason. It might be hard to think that a film that is effectively a one man [and one robot] show could be anything but a bore, but Sam Rockwell puts in yet another great performance, carrying and elevating this movie.
The plot, according to the IMDB, is as follows: “Astronaut Sam Bell has a quintessentially personal encounter toward the end of his three-year stint on the Moon, where he, working alongside his computer, GERTY, sends back to Earth parcels of a resource that has helped diminish our planet's power problems.”
Anecdote time! Once upon a time, back when I was maybe five or six, my brother and some of the other, older kids in the neighborhood were asking if I was going to join them in one of the games that we invented. I said, “No, I’m going to play with myself.” Later, I’d learn the very important difference between “by” and “with.” So, I shared that somewhat goofy personal anecdote to say that Sam Rockwell’s character in this one manages to do both, “by” and “with.” To say any more would spoil the plot arc of this film.
If what I’ve written thus far is sufficient to make you keen to check out a trailer for the film, I’ve embedded one below:
That trailer certainly gives you an idea as to the nature of the “quintessentially personal” encounter Rockwell’s character has as described in the plot summary on the IMDB. It’s unfortunate that that particular element of the film is shown in the trailer, as it’s the catalyst for the entire plot, but at least it doesn’t definitively give away the plot arc. Some trailers, like the one for THE NEGOTIATOR [mentioned because it, too, features a pre-scandal Kevin Spacey], give it away entirely.
It’s easy to spoil some of the surprises for a film like this one, so I’ll just stick with what’s been said – it’s a fairly simple premise that is cleverly told and wonderfully acted by Sam Rockwell. Spacey, too, manages to turn in a good performance despite doing nothing more than the voice work for GERTY, Sam’s companion on the moon. If you decide to watch this one, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Enjoy!
P.S. For those of you who give this one a shot and enjoy it, you may also want to check out GATTACA and EX MACHINA.
P.P.S. The fact that I'm recommending a film titled MOON on Monday [given the etymology of the day's title] is purely coincidental, just FYI.
Other films recommended:
[Day 1 - BARTON FINK; Day 2 - CENTURION; Day 3 - THE BABADOOK; Day 4 - RISEN; Day 5 - CHOPPER; Day 6 - ZERO EFFECT; Day 7 - IN BRUGES; Day 8 - HOUSE OF GAMES; Day 9 - DREDD; Day 10 - THE MISSION; Day 11 - WARRIOR; Day 12 - ANNIHILATION; Day 13 - THE FISHER KING; Day 14 - GOOD KILL; Day 15 - THE HITCHER; Day 16 - SHORT CUTS; Day 17 - THE SALTON SEA; Day 18 - A SIMPLE PLAN]
