where: CINE ARTS @ PLEASANT HILL in Pleasant Hill, CA
when: Sunday, June 28th, 2009
show: 4:50 pm
auditorium: 4
seat: 4th row, 6th column
Astronaut Sam Bell ( Sam Rockwell ) is isolated on the Moon on a three-year contract to mine it for Helium-3, which has become Earth's primary source of energy. Nearing the end of his contractual obligation, he gets into an accident and wakes up to find a younger version of himself living with him at his outpost. As they put their minds together, they unravel a very disturbing secret.
noteworthy scenes: 1.) The discovery of the secret "cryogenics" room and 2.) The satellite call to Earth in an area outside the jamming towers' reach.
audience reaction: This is a thought-provoking film about Science and Technology's Code of Ethics ( execution, violations and ramifications). The reaction was pretty much cerebral.
recommendation: Go see this movie to know what real science fiction is all about.
spoiler alert! There are neither mega-bots nor pointy-eared aliens in this one. The poster for this movie is stupid: the astronaut is walking on the moon holding his helmet in his arm! (Ahh! a conspiracy in the making.) Three thousand two hundred and eighty-five styrofoam food containers ( 3-year supply) is a lot of styrofoam to eat through! I thought astronauts ate squeeze-tubed and plastic-pouched foods only.
fyi: There are actually two moons shown in this movie: the other one being Sam's backside in a shower scene.
I cannot add more to the synopsis without giving the story away.
Sam Rockwell starred in a 2002 movie titled, CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND, about the secret-agent life of TV host Chuck Barris (who looks more like a Daniel Craig type of spy rather than a Pierce Brosnan one) of The Gong Show. He is great in this movie. See it if you can.
word of advice: Expand on your notion of Science Fiction.
tidbits: For this second movie, the line was only about forty yards long, and it wasn't as hot as it was earlier.
As I waited in line to buy a ticket, I saw this old, flabby white lady ahead in line of me wearing a light-tan shirt and khaki pants with the fabric all bunched-up at her posterior that it looked like she gave herself a big wedgie putting her pants on. And her outfit was almost skin-tone in color so that from far away she looked like she was (really wrinkled) butt-naked! 'Not a pretty sight to behold for my delicate eyes. ( This one's for you, Brett B., my co-worker in Benicia, CA. )
In line at the concession counter with a bottle of Fuze Green Tea to buy, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror behind the counter. I didn't know that I look that scary. It was like I was staring at a pit-bull sporting a mustache!
