"Moon" as reviewed by Andy

I have to say, participating in this blog is one of my favorite things to do, not because I feel cool doing it (there are only a handful of readers; it's pretty much Jason and me), and not because I particularly like to write. I love this blog because it gives me a forum and reason in which to watch fabulous movies - the kind of movies that make me feel comfortable saying to others that "I watch films."

Bravo is in order for "Moon." Just absolutely brilliant. Probably one of the better screenplays I've ever seen.

Jason said it way better than I could, but I totally agree that what makes "Moon" is Sam Rockwell. I think comparing different roles actors play in different films is a good way to judge the depth of an actor's ability, but even more than that, seeing an actor playing two or more characters in the same movie (and doing it well) is a thing of beauty. The most likely scenario for such a juxtaposition is when a character has multiple personalities (see Edward Norton in "Primal Fear" as a great example) or is a twin. Rockwell's performance in "Moon" is more akin to Nicholas Cage's performance in "Adaptation," and although Rockwell was not nominated for an Oscar as Cage was (Cage lost to Adrien Brody in "The Pianist"), I thought his performance was actually much better.

I think what made Rockwell's performance so great was that, although he was playing clones of the same person, he was able to give convincing separate personalities to each of them. The older "Sam" took the realization that he was a clone much harder than the newer one, going to so far as calling home only to realize that he was several years behind the times. Older "Sam" was also much more of a pacifist, and you easily see how three years of living alone made him a different person. New "Sam" was smart as a whip, tougher than nails, and had an obvious anger problem, and he quickly surmised that there was no going home after the contract was up.

I don't know how they physically shoot these movies, and I imagine that the process has changed somewhat from how movies like "Parent Trap" were originally shot. None-the-less, it still seems to me to be a triumph of directing, acting, and screenwriting when I, as the viewer, believe that I am watching two totally distinct characters up on the screen. So Bravo! Mr. Rockwell and company.

And one quick shout-out to the master Kevin Spacey who had a "Hall"-like delivery as "Gerty." Just a creepy for sure. I fully expected at some point to have "Gerty" say "I can't allow that Sam."

And thanks Jason for always having such cool movies to recommend. I too tuck them in my pocket for when I need to seem really sophisticated in my movie watching. You, however, are.

thoughts by Andy