ryanboulding Reviews

Moon (2009)

Utterly Fantastic and Inspired

[10/10 · 9 April 2009]

Go see this movie! I've been lucky enough to have an opportunity to see this movie down here at SXSW and I am the better for it.

You don't really stumble upon many riveting, independent, sci-fi films that look beautiful(let alone don't contain aliens and space magic) and capture major emotional themes successfully. Moon accomplishes this, and with very little CGI at that.

Sam Bell is an astronaut working for a corporation on the far side of the moon. His job? Maintaining a lunar facility and the automated machines which are harvesting the moon's surface for Helium 3. The harvested material is then sent back to Earth to use as energy.

Sam is on the very last leg of a three year contract and is quite anxious to return to his wife and daughter. Barring any incidents, Sam will be able to leave his solitude. But something does go wrong.

That said, tremendous acting by Sam Rockwell carries this film - mainly because he is basically the only person in the movie. I'm not talking about Cast Away meets the moon… This film explores loneliness much deeper than that, and with much more emotion as well. Luckily for us there are no pieces of sports equipment on which the lead dotes, but instead we're blessed with a monotonous talking robot(voiced by Kevin Spacey) reminiscent of Hal from 2001 notoriety.

I advise that people go see this film, not only to support Duncan, the director, and Sam, but also to explore to possibilities of space and the humanity of loneliness.

Don't go in expecting to find what I have discussed, but go in expecting to find something inside yourself.

Observe and Report (2009)

Know what you're going to see before you go to a movie

[10/10 · 6 April 2009]

Let me preface this by commenting on what others have said before me. If you went to this movie and were upset because it was crude and vulgar, you obviously had paid no attention to any promotional material regarding this film. If you were at SXSW and you saw the premiere and then complained about Seth Rogen being too serious, you obviously are an idiot for not listening to what the actors and director had to say about this film. And if you compare it to Pineapple and Superbad and Knocked Up, you clearly have no sense of humor and should go back to your art house, snob, BS. You have no business talking about things you're not familiar with.

That said, this movie is vulgar, obscene and downright hilarious. Jody Hill admitted that he wanted Rogen to be serious in this film and Rogen proves that he can act on top of his usual comedy shtick. If you're a prude and don't like naughty words and adult themes, go see Paul Blart.

The cast of this film totally brings the various characters to life. Michael Pena is so different in this performance, you have to wonder how they got any of his scenes done. Faris is finally a comedy character that you hate, which is an indication of a connection with the story. Ray Liotta is outstanding in his dealing with the idiots at the mall and his longing for some real police action.

The audience at the premiere of this was laughing throughout the film. Whether the joke was dumb or so raunchy you couldn't believe Warner Bros. allowed it, they laughed nonetheless. If you like dark dark comedy, or if you like seeing a film that depicts the world the way it really is, without the benefit of rose colored glasses distorting the cruel reality of life and longing, this is a movie for you.