Moon (2009)

Moon is an indie film that excels technically. It never once feels like it's shot on a low budget and the lighting isn't just functional, it becomes an integral part of a scene. The film steals liberally from the great sci-fi films of yesteryear, but it does so lovingly, its art imitating art imitating life. On the down side, I thought Kevin Spacey a poor choice for the voice of the computer. A little more emotion from Sam would have helped the film rise above the simple homage that it is. On a technical level it scores a perfect 5 out of 5. However, lacking pathos as it does, it earns a strong:

3½ model miniatures rock out of 5

SOURCE CODE [2011]

Duncan Jones directs Jake Gyllenhaal in the well-paced 2011 techno-thriller, Source Code.  It combines elements of Quantum Leap and The Manchurian Candidate to produce an effective thrill ride that constantly keeps you guessing.  The story line gets pretty complicated which has it's ups and downs. Normally, techno-geek plots like this are too smart and not enough heart, but Jones manages to provide just enough to pack an emotional punch.  Unfortunately the plot has so many layers it collapses in the final act and has a tough time picking itself up again.

3 "Oh boy"'s out of 5