Moon (2009) | BIFA Winner: Best Picture

By
Dale Cooper
 – December 6, 2009Posted in: Movie Review, Movies
Moon (2009) | BIFA Winner: Best Picture

moon Moon (2009) | BIFA Winner: Best Picture
Sony Picture Classics
Starring Sam Rockwell
Written and Directed by Duncan Jones

Update:
“Moon” won 2009 BIFAs for Best Picture and Best Debut Director. Although I’m bummed that Rockwell did not pick up Best Actor, the win for Duncan Jones and “Moon” may precede gad tiding come Academy Awards time. Here’s a Guardian article about Jones and the 2009 BIFA awards.

This movie has been on my radar since February or March of 09 I think. Probably longer than Mystery Team (which I am beginning to wonder if I will ever see before its DVD release?). I was told by a guy I know who saw “Moon” early that it is, “something to watch out for. Like really watch out for.” I’ve kept that in mind and periodically checked in on the movie to keep up to speed on release days and so forth. As it seemed less and less likely I would ever see it, my desire to see it escalated to an insane level.

Finally it was released in Ann Arbor on a Friday in mid July. It’s only about a half hour drive for me and A2 is a nifty college town that’s good for Jacksonites to visit when they feel a little too Third World Countryish (or Gary, INish).

With my anticipation at a nearly unbearable level, I caught the early show.

There is little that I can do by way of review. There is a minor REVEAL a third of the way through that, though it would not ruin the movie , would ruin some of the cumulative effect of the subtly clever tale.

Sam Rockwell plays Sam (for some reason I love it when that happens) who is a one man show on a moon mining base for a Big Energy Company. He signed a three year contract and he is two weeks away from going home to his wife and small child.

Kevin Spacey’s voice gives life to GERTY, the helpful corporate robot. GERTY expresses himself with emoticons which are chuckle inducing.

The brilliance is that writer/director Duncan Jones (son of rock idol David Bowie) lays delicate red herrings at various points where the viewer is suddenly convinced that it is going to be THAT type of movi… er, no, I mean ok, we saw that in 2001 it… er, no, that’s like Solar… hmm.

As I mentioned, The Reveal comes pretty early, but this is not a M. Knight movie, so The Reveal is not what drives the film. After The Reveal the movies turns into a quiet and contemplative commentary, maybe, or perhaps an extensional wrapped philosophical study. I’m not sure, actually, which is why the movie stays with you. It allows one to read quite a bit between gratuitously wide-spaced lines, take it at face value, or approach it in the abstract. It is more ambiguous in its purpose than something like 2001 which was purposely extensional and ambiguous, if that makes any sense. Jones’ love of sci-fi and and deft tributes to many giants of the genre are well placed and touching.

I must also add that the movie made me very, very sad. It’s hard to explain why for the movie did not have a classic “sad ending,” but the effect that it had on me bordered on profound. This is by far my favorite movie in a long while.

And lastly, Sam Rockwell was absolutely amazing.

The fact that my anticipation was so high for the film and still did not disappoint probably means it is even better than I am claiming. Do yourself a favor though: See it any way you can.

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[All Posts] Dale is the founder of PopBunker.net. He also serves as an administrator and editor. He has written professionally for newspapers and broadcast news. You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, or contact him via eMail.