Hey guys, this is Jim Noland, Stefani’s boyfriend. Just heard the Scott Pilgrim podcast: Loved it! Thanks for the mention in the show, really cool to get a mention like that!
Before you guys get going on the Moon review, just wanted to expand on what I thought about the movie, and maybe explain in detail what I didn’t like about it.
When I first saw the promos for Moon, I thought it would be nice addition to the sci-fi genre, maybe in the same line as, say, 2001 or Silent Running, both of which I enjoyed. And at first, it seemed like it would be close. One man and his robot, coping in an isolated environment. I get a huge kick out of those kinds of movies; bringing in a psychological element to the mix with the isolation. But It’s too obvious whats going to happen.
(by the way: the robot is named Gerty 3000? Hows that for a throwback to 2001? Geek Mode!)
I guessed all of the plot points way before they happened. I knew that they would find the big room of clones, I knew they would figure out how LUNAR was keeping them in the dark about everything. It just seemed boring, like I had nothing to look forward to. I guess I just wanted a bit more mystery.
Let me put it another way. Remember The Island? No, not the good one from LOST. The Michael Bay film with Ewan McGreggor and Scarlett Johansson. Clones that end up discovering they are clones, and proceed to bring down the company that created them; Gun fight, car chase, end credits.
Moon: Billy the Kid discovers he is a clone, and proceeds to bring down the company that created them, with a dying clone in tow. Drives big rover. Flies in shuttle with visual effects similar to 2001(Geek Mode 2!). End credits.
By no means am I saying that The Island was better than Moon. Moon was SOOOOO much better, but still predictable.
That’s why I didn’t enjoy it: It didn’t bring anything new.
(Random Note: Did you know that “The Island” has the EXACT same plot as a movie from 1979? It was called “Parts: The Clonus Horror”. It was also a terrible movie. Cheap. So, so, cheap. But had Darren from Bewitched! )
Sam Rockwell was great in it, acting against himself while still keeping each character different. Kevin Spacey was pretty good as a robot that knew everything going on, and still cared for the crewmen. And the fact that there are only two (three, maybe?) characters in the main plot was a great way to increase the sense of isolation.
But, all in all, I was hoping for something more like a psychological mystery: Don’t show Sam 2 saving Sam 1 from rover accident, Cut immediately to Sam (1,2?) talking with Sam (2,1?) about the accident. Imagine that: Is the second Sam real, or just a hallucination from total isolation? Does Gerty really hide the truth from Sam about LUNAR, or is it just Sam’s paranoia?
Then show that they are clones as Sam 1 begins to fall apart, and they figure out whats really going on (in what would be, hopefully, the third act).
THAT would have made it a film I would like.
Moon isn’t a bad movie. It’s just predictable. At least for me it was.
So, that wraps up what I think. I’m looking forward to your review. Your show is one of the best I’ve ever listened to. Funny, funny stuff.
Thanks for listening to me ramble, keep up the good work!!
So, I know I already sent this message to you drew in a text, but I also wanted to post it on here for Ryan to see!
“So I know it’s been forever since we’ve talked, but I just wanted to let you know that I listen to you and Ryan frequently! Listening to the both of you makes me laugh and smile, and remember the very first day I met the both of you and how much that day changed my movie watching life!”
So, it is nice to hear you guys converse about movies, because I miss that!
Thanks for doing this! I hope you guys are doing well!
Hey guys, this is Jim Noland, Stefani’s boyfriend. Just heard the Scott Pilgrim podcast: Loved it! Thanks for the mention in the show, really cool to get a mention like that!
Before you guys get going on the Moon review, just wanted to expand on what I thought about the movie, and maybe explain in detail what I didn’t like about it.
When I first saw the promos for Moon, I thought it would be nice addition to the sci-fi genre, maybe in the same line as, say, 2001 or Silent Running, both of which I enjoyed. And at first, it seemed like it would be close. One man and his robot, coping in an isolated environment. I get a huge kick out of those kinds of movies; bringing in a psychological element to the mix with the isolation. But It’s too obvious whats going to happen.
(by the way: the robot is named Gerty 3000? Hows that for a throwback to 2001? Geek Mode!)
I guessed all of the plot points way before they happened. I knew that they would find the big room of clones, I knew they would figure out how LUNAR was keeping them in the dark about everything. It just seemed boring, like I had nothing to look forward to. I guess I just wanted a bit more mystery.
Let me put it another way. Remember The Island? No, not the good one from LOST. The Michael Bay film with Ewan McGreggor and Scarlett Johansson. Clones that end up discovering they are clones, and proceed to bring down the company that created them; Gun fight, car chase, end credits.
Moon: Billy the Kid discovers he is a clone, and proceeds to bring down the company that created them, with a dying clone in tow. Drives big rover. Flies in shuttle with visual effects similar to 2001(Geek Mode 2!). End credits.
By no means am I saying that The Island was better than Moon. Moon was SOOOOO much better, but still predictable.
That’s why I didn’t enjoy it: It didn’t bring anything new.
(Random Note: Did you know that “The Island” has the EXACT same plot as a movie from 1979? It was called “Parts: The Clonus Horror”. It was also a terrible movie. Cheap. So, so, cheap. But had Darren from Bewitched! )
Sam Rockwell was great in it, acting against himself while still keeping each character different. Kevin Spacey was pretty good as a robot that knew everything going on, and still cared for the crewmen. And the fact that there are only two (three, maybe?) characters in the main plot was a great way to increase the sense of isolation.
But, all in all, I was hoping for something more like a psychological mystery: Don’t show Sam 2 saving Sam 1 from rover accident, Cut immediately to Sam (1,2?) talking with Sam (2,1?) about the accident. Imagine that: Is the second Sam real, or just a hallucination from total isolation? Does Gerty really hide the truth from Sam about LUNAR, or is it just Sam’s paranoia?
Then show that they are clones as Sam 1 begins to fall apart, and they figure out whats really going on (in what would be, hopefully, the third act).
THAT would have made it a film I would like.
Moon isn’t a bad movie. It’s just predictable. At least for me it was.
So, that wraps up what I think. I’m looking forward to your review. Your show is one of the best I’ve ever listened to. Funny, funny stuff.
Thanks for listening to me ramble, keep up the good work!!
So, I know I already sent this message to you drew in a text, but I also wanted to post it on here for Ryan to see!
“So I know it’s been forever since we’ve talked, but I just wanted to let you know that I listen to you and Ryan frequently! Listening to the both of you makes me laugh and smile, and remember the very first day I met the both of you and how much that day changed my movie watching life!”
So, it is nice to hear you guys converse about movies, because I miss that!
Thanks for doing this! I hope you guys are doing well!
Beth