Moon

Sam Rockwell appears in this under-rated sci-fi film by Duncan Jones. It's interesting to me because it's a "first feature." As such it is excellent. It is difficult to describe the plot without either lying or giving a spoiler. Kevin Spacey plays a computer voice for which he achieves a HAL 9000 without doing an impression of Douglas Rain. The end result simply reminds us of what we knew all alone. Kevin Spacey's usual tone is fairly measured and robotic to begin with, and like his character Gertie here he is someone we initially mistrust or from whom we expect and accept a wide range of possibility. I can't say that Moon is for everybody. It wasn't just a marketing mix-up that led to its fate. Moon involves a technology that is very trendy and mixes that with a third act plot device borrowed from Outland (which I admit I prefer) or High Noon if you like without being too overt about it. But it is closer in tone to Sodderberg's version of Solaris. There are things I like about Solaris, more than the Andrei Tarkovsky version anyway. But unless you are driven to see a wide range of films because you are in the industry or a cinephile, it's not necessary to see any film called Solaris. Jason X includes a space station called Solaris, perhaps as a nod of respect for a much critically-favored story/novel/film or films, but I'll admit I can recommend "Jason Goes to Outer Space" more easily and widely than either Solaris. And I'd much rather boast having made the pop-horror flick than the drifting narrative of a Solaris. Sam Rockwell keeps most of his whimsical side in check with Moon, since it is a more somber situation. But I would have preferred a more silly movie, frankly. Rockwell in serious mode reminds me too much of his unhinged psycho Billy the Kid in The Green Mile which puts up a barrier to empathy with him. But then keep in mind I'm one of the few people who want to see him play Zaphod Beeblebrox again. Most of the movie is a two hander of sorts between Rockwell and the computer voice of Spacey.