CNN iReport

Moon, or "Fun things to do with yourself in space", is an interesting return to the Sci-Fi mystery genre. I was a little hesitant at first to see it, the trailer looked interesting enough, but it reminded me of the movie Solaris. A "Space-Madness" epic that I just didn't like.

In Moon we see Sam Rockwell's return to space. Last time he had two heads. This time he's got a whole other body, and he needs it, as most of the acting he does is with himself.

Rockwell plays Sam Bell, the only human inhabitant aboard a lunar mining base who has almost completed his 3 year contract of duty, and is 2 weeks away from returning to Earth. And as is often the case when a character announces that they are 2 weeks away from retirement. Something goes awry.

The isolation starts to get to him, he reveals that he's been talking to himself more frequently, he also starts hallucinating which causes him to have an accident. The ships computer GERTY, (voiced by Kevin Spacey) is reluctant to let Sam leave after the accident, which he apparently survived unscathed. Sam eventually tricks the computer, and leaves discovering wreckage on the moon that houses a sole survivor. Himself. At first it's not entirely clear whether this is a hallucination. The two Sam's barely interact at first, and GERTY seems reluctant to share any information as to what it knows about Sam's apparent duplication. The mystery hangs in the air for most of the movie, and rather than let it hang there, it moves forward masterfully toward a satisfying conclusion.

As the story progresses, one of the Sam's is beginning to quite literally fall apart, this echoes his mental instability and years of isolation. The other Sam is more hotheaded, and angry at first due to the reveal that he believes he is at the start of his 3 year contract. The two eventually work together to find the truth.

The film seems to borrow quite a number of elements from films like 2001, and Blade Runner. But retains it's own unique flavor. Although not quite HAL 9000, the films Robot, Gerty is able to, through no more than Kevin Spacey's voice and handful of emoticons deliver a performance that is both warm and caring, and chillingly cold. The score by Clint_Mansell is incredibly haunting as well.

Moon is currently playing in select cities. It stars Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey. It is 97 minutes long and Rated R for language.

Kevin Farren

www.bayoucitybeat.org for more reviews of things going on in the Houston area.