Moon

Evoking 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner, Silent Running, and Solaris, writer-director Duncan Jones has fashioned a spooky, meditative sci-fi thriller about a lonely astronaut, set in the not-too-distant future. Mining-engineer Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) lives in solitude on a base on the far side of the moon, where he is completing a three-year contract with Lunar Industries to extract Helium-3, Earth's primary source of energy. Except for perfunctory conversations with the company's reassuring computer, nicknamed GERTY (voiced by Kevin Spacey), Sam works in total isolation—a situation made even more frustrating by a broken satellite that allows no “live” communication with his wife and young daughter on Earth (taped messages are all he can send and receive). Near the end of his tour of duty, Sam's health begins to deteriorate, causing an almost-fatal accident while he's performing a routine maintenance job. While recuperating in the infirmary, Sam discovers another presence hovering around him—someone who appears to be a younger clone of himself. Performing largely alone, Rockwell is impressively believable within this minimalist production that offers a compellingly haunting human tale of survival that just happens to be set in outer space. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include two audio commentaries (the first with writer-director Duncan Jones and producer Stuart Fenegan; the second with Jones, cinematographer Gary Shaw, concept designer Gavin Rothery, and production designer Tony Noble), the short film “Whistle” by Jones (30 min.), a Science Center Houston Q&A with Jones (21 min.), a “making-of” featurette (16 min.), a “Creating the Visual Effects” featurette (11 min.), a filmmaker Q&A at the Sundance Film Festival (11 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a winning film.] (S. Granger)