Moon

-- First thing I noticed that I liked about the movie was the use of models instead of CGI, or anyways, the predominant use of models and any CGI clearly buckled in. I hate CGI - at least its typical execution in Hollywood films. It's amazing the difference that the use of models makes. There's an atmosphere. The moonscape feels moon-like. No surprise to read later on that the director was deliberately going for a retro look, hearkening back to sci-fi films of the 70s and 80s. I was wondering about that while watching the film.

-- I liked the soundtrack by Clint Mansell. It adds character to the movie.

-- There is a moment later in the film where we see the earth for the first time. We see it from the vantage of the lunar six-wheeler containing the first protagonist, who is lamenting/grieving inside, due to revelations about the corrupt practices of people, of those who are responsible, far away on earth. It is one of those images that only film can achieve, saying a thousand things together, and doing so with an ineffable elegance and grace, without having to lift a finger.

-- (Spoiler) It was at this moment that I realized what a great idea this movie had: clones on the moon as workers (with "implanted" memories of earth life) of the machinery that harvests whatever it is from the moon that supplements energy for the earth. The issue of clones and how a clone is both removed from the marital act and family but still has all the self-awareness and consciousness as any other person, compounded with the horror for the clone to know and digest the revelation that he is a clone, with "implanted" memories - to take this issue and place it on the context of the moon, so that the inherent isolation of a clone from the human race is compounded by the physical isolation of the remote landscape of the moon...that is just, just...freaking genius.

-- And then the story slowly working itself from the inside out, until we see that shot of the earth from the moon, as though to say the inhabitants of earth use technology to remove from their sight (and consciences) their sins. It has many elements of The Island going on here, only better.

-- This film has such a great idea that it caused me grief to see it end where it did. They should have (and I understand they had a low budget) made this movie into an epic. Up to where the films ends, with the protagonist shooting towards earth, they should have made the first part of the film. They should have made its telling more visual, with even less explication. The second part of the story would involve whatever would unfold with the protagonist second clone landing on earth.

-- They could have made this the kind of film that governments would want to ban.

-- This movie cost 5 million. Maybe Hollywood could take some lessons from it?