Moon

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Sci-Fi-Guy's Avatar
Beware The Probe!


Saw it today.
Fan-friggin-tastic movie!
I highly recommend it.





It's not some fast-paced action-packed effects blockbuster by any means but it definately does have a great story and some really good characters (including the computer robot voiced by Kevin Spacey).
I won't give the twist away but it is revealed fairly early in the movie and the sad thing is I can see this kind of thing actually happening in real life one day in the future.





Go see it if you get a chance or wait till it comes out on DVD if you have to.
I think everyone would enjoy this one.



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Fear the Probe!



\m/ Fade To Black \m/
I like the different take on the review very cool indeed Sci-Fi, this is one of my most anticipated movies this year, it looks like it is going to be awesome.
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Takes a long time to amble to the turn that finally gives it its own identity, but when it does, it becomes a quite smart, fairly sad movie. A great performance and lovely visuals (I liked the miniature vehicles in particular). Well worth seeing, as long as you don't have to drive too far.



I liked it ...

Originally Posted by meatwadsprite
Sam Rockwell's one man show powerhouse sci-fi isolation picture. It could have easily been a film predicated on it's twists , but it gives you the actual guts - the feelings and the emotions.
and so did Holden.

Originally Posted by Holden Pike
Sam Rockwell gives yet another grade-A performance, and his empathetic portrayal in the convoluted premise makes it very compelling. Its also a movie that follows its own internal logic instead of cheating in major or minor ways to make plot points work.



Saw this over the weekend, but I was a bit busy and had to organize my thoughts, so I just finished my review a few minutes ago. Here's an excerpt, with a link to the rest:

Moon



Moon is a better film than it is a story. A remarkable amount of technical skill went into its creation in service of a tale that doesn't always hold together. ...READ MORE

Impressive film, but I think its refreshing approach is kind of hiding some of its flaws. If you've seen the film, you'll notice I had to dance around a lot of my thoughts to avoid spoiling anything for anyone. It's a little late now, but I'll be back tomorrow morning to expound on some of the reasons I didn't quite love it. I'm actually greatly looking forward to deliving into the specifics and hearing everyone's thoughts.



Thanks meat. I made a few slight edits right after the review went up, and that was among them, actually.

Okay, a few fleshed-out thoughts about the film. First, the plot-hole-type-stuff:

WARNING: "Moon" spoilers below
I have two issues with the film's developments. The first is straightforward: I don't recall them ever explaining his hallucinations. Now, on one hand this is fine, because we can chalk them up to the fact that he's reached his clone expiration date, isolation is taking its toll, etc. I have no problem with that. But he doesn't hallucinate about generic things, or family members...he hallucinates some weird Samara-esque girl. Who was that?

Courtney and I speculated that it might have been his daughter, reflecting the fact that, deep down, he's aware that it's been awhile and she's all grown up, but that's quite a stretch. We came up with some other theories, but all of them required us to speculate to unreasonable degrees. Is there some obvious explanation for that specific hallucination that I missed?

The second issue has to do with plausability: the idea that Lunar would go to the trouble of cloning Sam, rather than paying a real person, strikes me as absurd. First, even in the future, one assumes cloning would be pretty expensive. Certainly enough that it wouldn't represent a massive savings over hiring actual human beings. Second, even if a company were soulless and greedy (and really, that's becoming a very tired villain), they'd still be aware of the PR risk involved in such a decision. We're told they supply 70% of the earth's energy, which means their yearly revenue is probably into the trillions. But they're cutting corners and risking the company's entire reputation to avoid paying a single employee?

Would be interested to hear people's thoughts on these issues. Are there explanations I'm not aware of? Is this an instance where the film's execution is so strong that you simply don't care whether or not these sorts of things are believable?

Something I did like, but couldn't mention in the review:

WARNING: "Moon" spoilers below
Obviously my memory isn't precise enough to verify this, but it seems as if Sam goes through the Five Stages of Grief right in front of us. He certainly goes through Denial, then Anger as the two Sams fight. Bargaining is harder to pin down, but I think some of it certainly qualifies, and Depression and Acceptance are clear as day. Don't know if this is deliberate, or if it's the inevitable arc when someone with any understanding of human suffering sits down to write about it.



WARNING: "moon" spoilers below
I thought the hallucinations were just memories of some woman the original Sam knew to make you feel the clone Sam's perception of time and reality ... that he hasn't just been born 3 years prior.

As for the use of clones , well as ridiculous a decision it was for an insanely rich company to not hire normal employees - just seems a stab at the cooperations we have running around today , cutting whatever corners necessary to make the most money.

If they used real humans for the job they run the risk of someone messing up , or possibly the equipment was hazardous to the human body (which would play into why the clones die so quickly).



I haven't seen the film, but...

WARNING: "Moon" spoilers below
Clones? This is what the movie is all about? Clones??? I am so sick and tired of clones. Clones do not interest me, especially when they're placed on the moon and it's a sci-fi movie. Why can't there be a clone comedy movie? Or a clone porno film -- with multiple Brad Pitts?



It doesn't look like it'll be coming out in my area, so I'll be having to wait for the DVD on this one.



I seriously need to watch this film, now. I'm expecting big things and sounds like it'll be a cult hit, judging by the responses on the site. Sam Rockwell is an incredible actor and felt he stood out in Assassination Of Jesse James , so if this is one of his best performance then I cant' see how this film can fail. I'm going to find out when it's out in the UK and then make some additional comments. Great reviews, Yoda and Sci Guy.



I think it came out last week, Pres.
Did it? Damn, i won't be able to watch it until next week Friday. Doesn't seem like the type of film that plays for more than 2 weeks. I'll look around at listings.



Did it? Damn, i won't be able to watch it until next week Friday. Doesn't seem like the type of film that plays for more than 2 weeks. I'll look around at listings.
Just be thankful that you live in London, Pres. At least you have more than one cinema to choose from. Between HP and The Taking Of Pelham 123, I'd be suprised if this gets more than a week anywhere with less than 3 screens.





With the film Moon, the novelty of a Helium 3 mining setting has been lost. It is very hard to keep ahead of the curve. That said, Moon is a movie I would have loved to have made myself (if I had the money and talent, that is). On many levels it is exactly what I had in mind.

Yoda makes a most valid point; the mining facility is extremely efficient in its design. There is mass driver for launching cargo to Earth. Simple ATVs. Automated harvesters. The station is built to be a minimal expense operation. Then there is a hole in the plausibility - this huge stockpile of clones that must be maintained. Bodies must be kept alive. Not an easy or inexpensive task. Also, as shown in the script, it is a highly unreliable system.

As to Sam's "visions" - The young girl Sam sees sitting in his chair is (for certain) his daughter. Also, Sam sees video feedback on his monitors from earlier recordings he has made - this is from the signal blocking station.

Where this movie might fall short is most certainly covered by where is excels. Ultimately the plausibility of the story does not mater, because the story is not science. This is a story of the heart. This one is a psychological drama.

There is a moral lesson here. What Sam Bell has done to himself by being part of the program is nightmarish. There are no limits to how much damage or self torment the human animal in capable of. This movie gives good example. Sam Bell has condemned a part of himself to hell. And for no reason, because the system does not work. The clone program immediately breaks down, within three clones cycles of program initiation.
Why?
“We’re not programmed, we’re people; you understand that?” Sam tells the computer. The human soul makes any plan slippery.



I would say Moon is one of the best films made in the last ten years. It is exceptional. Overall, very beautiful and very sad.

The film industry is one that continuously grows in hype and diminishes in talent. Moon is one of those rare gems that show us that there are still artists in the business. Some people still make movies that say something, mean something, and will last through the decades. Moon is one of these.
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