We will first briefly review the environment, The Matrix was formed in, and how anime was developing at this time. We will then analyse one of the key anime films that had an impact on The Matrix, Ghost in the Shell, to look at some of the visual and thematic similarities.

Anime in the 90s

While anime was known in English-speaking markets before the 90s with films like Akira receiving great praise from critics and many anime TV shows being imported for younger audiences, it wasn’t until the anime boom in the mid to late 90s that the medium really began to gain a firm foothold. This time saw several beloved anime series licensed, dubbed and broadcast to great success, such as Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon and Pokemon. This time also saw the breakthrough of more adult-focused anime. One of the most successful films of this period was Ghost in the Shell. After having underperformed at the international box office, it became a cult classic on home video.

It was in this background of anime’s growing prominence that The Matrix emerged. Lilly and Lana Wachowski, the film’s directors, were inspired by several anime projects including Akira, Ninja Scroll and Ghost in the Shell. Meanwhile producer Joel Silver reportedly said the sisters pitched the Matrix by showing him Ghost in the Shell and saying, “We wanna do that for real.”

A Ghost in the Matrix

Ghost in the Shell’s influence on The Matrix is easy to spot. Both have opening credits that use changing code to communicate the focus on technology and AI. Both have a secondary character with a look that foregrounds being unable to see their eyes (Batou and Morpheus). The film’s stories both have moments where the heroes have cables attached to their heads/necks. There are machines that look like animals, scenes featuring machines crushing the hero with an arm-like appendage and both also feature a strong, stoic woman with a great jacket in a central role (The Major and Trinity). They also both have a cold look. Communicating the isolation felt by the main characters.

They also have overlapping themes. Both films discuss the impact of memories. Neo reflects on how his memories of being part of a simulation mean he has never experienced freedom. Meanwhile, Ghost in the Shell shows “false” memories being used to manipulate while also making artificial creations feel more alive. Both also touch on AI creating new life. Agent Smith and The Puppetmaster start as AI programs but eventually begin exhibiting more emotional traits that indicate sentience. Agent Smith hates his duties and The Puppetmaster wants to break away from its function to try and evolve. The films also explore how identity intersects with technology and power systems. Technology can help to realise someone’s true self. Such as helping Neo become more heroic and helping The Puppetmaster claim a real body. However, they also show how systems of power use technology to control people. The Machines and The Service reduce people’s identities to just being part of a machine that shields those in power. Themes that still resonate today.

Giving Back

The Matrix’s success arguably opened the door for more open anime influence in Western cinema. The sequels continued to demonstrate their love for the artform, the Wachowskis even developed a project called The Animatrix as an opportunity to show appreciation to the creators who inspired them, with several anime studios animating short stories based in the Matrix universe, and the revolutionary effects work brought live-action cinema a lot closer to capturing the imagination of anime spectacle. The Matrix was part of a wave that showed that anime was a creative force of its own. Capable of telling their own stories and inspiring others that captured the attention of audiences worldwide. Which helped to inspire many filmmakers today. From James Cameron to Jordan Peele and beyond.

The post How ‘Ghost in the Shell’ Inspired The Matrix: A Cyberpunk Revolution appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

Perhaps the pinnacle of Reeves’ fame came with 1999’s The Matrix, a sci-fi blockbuster that had a huge influence on popular culture. Reeves’ career has had its highs and lows and he has faced criticism over his acting ability (most recently and bizarrely Matthew Perry’s autobiography) but has always been a popular actor.

Yeah…I’m Thinking I’m Back – John Wick

Reeves consistently worked through the 2000s but it was clear he wasn’t the box office draw that he once was; that all changed with John Wick. This was a film with an anonymous title, a first-time director Chad Stahelski primarily known as a stunt coordinator and whatever star power Keanu Reeves had. The film was a huge success. Reeves played hitman-extraordinaire John Wick, who retired but was provoked into work again by Russian mobsters killing his pet dog. In terms of action and fighting it would rank as one of the greatest action films of all time, with spectacularly choreographed fight scenes and a fantastic central performance by Reeves. On a budget of $20,000,000 it made around $86,000,000. On top of that, it was a cultural phenomenon. There have been three sequels, a tv show in production and probably a lot more to come from this world. While none of the sequels have quite captured the magic of the first film they have all been enjoyable and interesting films.

I Admit It…I Didn’t Expect That – Cyberpunk 2077

Another big project for Reeves has been his involvement in Cyberpunk 2077, one of the most anticipated video games of recent years, and while the game was a little disappointing, it wasn’t because of Reeves. In Cyberpunk 2077 Reeves played Johnny Silverhand a huge figure in the Cyberpunk world, a famous musician and rebel activist. To cut a long story short, your character downloads Johnny Silverhand into his mind, and he appears to you, perhaps slowly taking over your body or a helpful ally. It is slowly becoming more acceptable for A-List actors to take on roles in video games where acting is important, and not just their star power (important note – the video game industry is made up of many talented actors who put in great performances, but they are not household names), Elliot Page and Willem Defoe starred in Beyond: Two souls.

This Is The Story Of Our Most Excellent Dads – Bill & Ted Face The Music

Far more important than the latest Matrix sequel was that another Bill and Ted film was recently released with Reeves taking up his familiar role of Ted. Many years have passed and Wyld Stallyns have still not written the song that creates the utopic future they were told about. Reeves seemed delighted to return to the character and world that made him famous, throwing himself into the oddity of the film wholeheartedly. There are a number of very odd pairings of various “Bill and Teds” from different time periods, with usually the future versions being awful ridiculous people. The pair have also had children with their respective princess wives, each having a daughter who is very much after their respective fathers.

One thing that has helped Keanu Reeves over the years is that he seems like a nice guy, known for being relaxed and friendly and coming out with statements like, “I don’t want to live in a world where kindness is seen as a weakness,” and being declared the “internet’s boyfriend” due to his good looks, niceness and plentiful anecdotes of behaving like a lovely and humble person.

Looking on IMDb as for what Reeves has in the future, more John Wick and more Cyberpunk but also Constantine 2 (sequel to the poorly received comic book movie that has since gained a lot of fans over the years) and it’s good to have that the combination of nice guy and action movie megastar will continue for years to come.

Also Read: The Red Pill or the Blue Pill: Matrix Philosophy

The post Keanu Reeves: From ‘Bill and Ted’ to ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ – A Cinematic Journey appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

The most recent iteration of their machine learning-based natural language processor, ChatGPT3 has recently generated furore on the internet as to the possibilities of A.I. In order to test out the A.I tool, we asked the programme to define itself, giving the prompt “What is Chat GPT“? Here’s what it responded with:

“ChatGPT is a large language model developed by OpenAI that can generate human-like text in response to prompts. It is trained on a massive dataset of text from the internet and is able to understand and respond to a wide range of topics and questions. It can be used for various natural language processing tasks such as language translation, text summarization, and chatbot development.”

With that out of the way, it was time for a movie-related question. We asked the question “In your opinion, what are the 10 best movies ever made and why?” The response below is directly from Chat GPT:

“As a machine learning model, I do not have personal opinions or preferences. However, I can provide a list of some critically acclaimed films and a brief explanation of why they are considered to be among the best ever made.

“The Godfather” (1972) – Considered a masterpiece of filmmaking, the film explores themes of family, power, and corruption through the story of a New York crime family.
“The Shawshank Redemption” (1994) – This film tells the story of a man wrongfully convicted of murder and his friendship with a fellow inmate. It is praised for its performances, direction, and themes of hope and redemption.

“The Godfather: Part II” (1974) – A continuation of the story from the first film, this movie explores the early life of Vito Corleone and the rise of Michael Corleone, while also depicting the fall of the Corleone empire.

“The Dark Knight” (2008) – A psychological thriller that explores the theme of good vs evil through the story of Batman and the Joker. It is widely praised for its performances, direction and its exploration of the human psyche.

“Schindler’s List” (1993) – This film is based on the true story of a German businessman who saves the lives of more than a thousand Jewish refugees during the Holocaust. It is praised for its powerful performances, direction and its unflinching portrayal of one of the darkest periods in human history.

“12 Angry Men” (1957) – This film tells the story of a jury deliberation in a murder trial. It is widely praised for its performances and its exploration of themes of justice, bias and the human condition.

“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003) – The final installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, it is widely praised for its visual effects, action sequences, and its exploration of themes of love, sacrifice, and friendship.

“Pulp Fiction” (1994) – This film is widely considered a masterpiece of modern cinema. It tells a number of interconnected stories that explore themes of love, violence and redemption.

“Goodfellas” (1990) – This film tells the true story of a mobster’s rise and fall. It is widely praised for its performances, direction and its unflinching portrayal of the criminal underworld.

“The Matrix” (1999) – This groundbreaking film explores the theme of reality and perception through the story of a hacker who discovers that the world he knows is a simulation. It is praised for its visual effects, action sequences, and its exploration of deep philosophical ideas.”

The above is the full transcript of ChatGPT’s response. It is interesting to note that the machine learning tool clearly states it has no personal opinion. Current A.I chatbots (from ChatGPT to Amazon’s Alexa) function more as a development on Google search i.e. providing information to human prompts than they do as conscious humanoids who develop their own opinions in the way that we do (at least for now). However, it’s still interesting to see ChatGPT’s response. Firstly, it’s very well written and contains films that regularly feature on different movie lists. What is fascinating is why ChatGPT chose these films in this order. How did Chat GPT weigh up what a “critically acclaimed” film was? Why did it only respond with 9 movies? Furthermore, in the future when we look at such programmes to analyse critical acclaim, how do the human biases in the data that are used to train the A.I model play out in its response?

Also Read: A.I Generated Art & Movies: A Collision Course

The post We Asked ChatGPT For The 10 Best Movies Ever Made appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

1. Kevin McCallister is Jigsaw

This theory makes sense the more you think about it. Kevin was of course good at making improvised traps, thus with enough preparation, he could easily make the kind of torture devices seen in the Saw movies. Additionally, being separated from your parents twice and having to fend off dangerous robbers would severely impact your mental health. And he is a master manipulator so who’s to say he didn’t become John Kramer after Home Alone 2? I want to play a game ya filthy animals.

2. Pennywise and Mary Poppins Are The Same Creature

According to theorists, there are many explanations for why Mary Poppins is practically perfect in every way. These range from her actually being a time lord like the Doctor (her handbag being her Tardis) to Mary being a similar creature to Pennywise from It. Except she feeds on happiness instead of fear. Although that implies that she only left the Banks family because she was full from feasting on their energy. You’d need more than a spoonful of sugar to make that medicine go down.

3. Every Scott Bakula Role is actually Sam from Quantum Leap

Rarely has it been theorised that every role an actor plays, across TV and film, is actually a single character. Though, the fact that Quantum Leap was built around Scott Bakula’s Doctor Sam Beckett jumping into different bodies across time and space, all of which are seen by us as Bakula himself, it becomes incredibly easy to buy that theory. Let’s hope he eventually gets home.

4. Holly Martins and Harry Lime were Lovers

Apparently, this theory had some legitimate pull behind the scenes of The Third Man. Producer David O Selznick supposedly said that the only reason why Holly would care so much about Harry after not having seen him for a decade was because they were once lovers. And while said in a very homophobic context this nugget of info, plus the chemistry between Joseph Cotton (who played Holly Martins) and Orson Welles (who played Harry Lime), and Harry seeming to care more for Holly than his “girlfriend” Anna makes this theory seem quite plausible.

5. The Matrix and Terminators

Another franchise crossover theory. And while the Matrix series does not include time travel, and the expansion of the theory which says John Conner and Neo are the same person may stretch credibility, both franchises are about machines battling humanity to near extinction. So, seeing the Sentinals commanding T-800s during the human/machine war wouldn’t be unexpected.

6. Cobb Was Not Exiled From The US

It’s hard to deny the appeal of this popular Reddit theory. Inception already has many fan theories, but this perspective makes the film’s plot a metaphor for Cobb overcoming his emotional issues to be with his family again. This theory also brings Cobb and Mal closer thematically. Showing that fiction can be preferable to reality (Mal) But that it can also help people (Cobb). It’s a theory that works on many levels and deserves to be cannon.

7. Han Solo Triggered Kylo Ren’s Lightsaber

Han Solo’s death already hurt but this theory adds something else to proceedings. Stating that Han knew the only way his son Ben could eventually come back to the light was if he was no longer there. And that Han triggered the lightsaber to start Ben on that path. The surprise on Han’s face indicates this was not the scene’s intention. But that can also be blamed on the pain inflicted by Kylo’s lightsaber. Nevertheless, if you subscribe to this theory it adds an extra tragic layer to Kylo’s arc.

This concludes our foray into the land of film theories. Let us know your favourite movie theories and if any of these have caused you to view certain films differently.

Also Read: Seven Creative Movies Dealing With Memory Loss

The post 7 Interesting Movie Theories From Reddit appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

The Matrix (1999) established itself as the definitive movie of the 1990’s CyberPunk culture. Building on concepts shown in movies such as The Lawnmower Man (1992) and Johnny Mnemonic (1995), The Wachowskis told a surreal story that was different to anything the world had seen before.

What is The Matrix?

The story was written and directed by The Wachowskis. 2 Americans of Polish descent born in 1965 and 1967. The siblings grew up in Chicago, went to separate Colleges in New York and Boston, but both of them dropped out and returned home to run a business together. In 1993 the Wachowskis became writers for the Ectokid comic. By the mid 1990s their first movie script had been purchased and the writers became Directors. Their first movie was Bound (1996), a Mafia inspired crime thriller. Their second movie turned out to be a movie that won them the Saturn Award for best Director, picked up 4 Academy Awards and made over $450 million in the Box Office – The Matrix.

The Matrix is a story set in a distant future where mankind is at war with machines. Unlike the war we saw in The Terminator movies released prior to The Matrix, this war is being waged on 2 planes. One is the real world and the other is a virtual world. By the time the first movie starts, the war had gotten so bad, mankind had been forced underground due to inhospitable conditions on the surface. The machines became desperate for a power source and decided to capture humans to harvest them as a source of bioenergy. Captured humans had their minds thrust into a simulation of the real world. This virtual world is known as The Matrix – The place where the story begins and where we encounter the main characters Neo, Trinity and Morpheus.

The Matrix mythology is vast. So much rich subject matter to explore that the story could be told over various forms of media: A trilogy of movies, video games and a web-based comic series (later condensed into two physical volumes). There is also an animated series. All the forms of media added something new to The Matrix mythology. The Animatrix gave us the backstory before the movies started – The story of how the war between Humans and machines began. That backstory alone made the Animatrix my personal favourite non-movie Matrix media. Check out the following link for a glimpse at the official licensed book which includes incredible storyboards that formed the basis of the mythology: The Art of The Matrix.

Follow the White Rabbit

The Filmmakers are very open about their numerous influences. Alice in Wonderland is an obvious one that likens Neo to Alice – someone going down a rabbit hole to a whole new world. Actors were instructed to read Simulacra and Simulation (1994) by Jean Baudrillard. Amazon’s #1 best seller in Academic Philosophy even appears in the movie.

In a 2013 discussion at DePaul University, The Wachowskis mentioned books by William Gibson had a huge influence on them. Gibson’s Neuromancer (1984) is widely regarded as a pioneering book in the CyberPunk genre.

Blade Runner (1982) vs ET (1982) was an interesting talking point at DePaul. ET was the hugely popular family-friendly movie of the time. Blade Runner was a darker, more niche adult movie. The Wachowskis tell us Blade Runner was initially criticised due to having a completely different aesthetic to what was currently popular. However, it went on to change the happy and family-friendly narrative of Science Fiction movies in the 1980’s. The popularity of movies such as The Terminator (1984) and Robocop (1987) attest to the post Blade Runner shift in Sci-Fi aesthetics.

The Directors continue to talk of how important aesthetics are in their movies. Lana tells us the goal of The Matrix is to be a framework of meaning and the audience is meant to decipher this meaning.

Lilly speaks of ‘genre bending’ in her 2020 Netflix interview. Reflecting on the Matrix, she ponders on possible Trans influences and the character ‘Switch’. A Wiki page has an insight into why Lilly’s character didn’t quite play out with the residual self-image she might have wanted. She also touches on wanting to have moments in the movie that felt like an Anime, a Western, or a Kung Fu movie. John Woo and Hong Kong action movie wire work can also be added to the list of Matrix influences.

The Red Pill or the Blue Pill?

Amongst the numerous other themes, The Matrix addresses the problem with VR and the potential pitfalls facing an entire society plugged into a simulation. Going back to their 2013 interview, the filmmakers talked about an ‘aesthetic genealogy’, which I interpret as a philosophy that builds on other philosophies. So what are these other philosophies?

Should a person have the right to choose or should a person be given orders? Dictatorship or Democracy? Fascism or Socialism? Choice is a continuous theme throughout the Trilogy. A theme highlighted in the iconic scene where Morpheus asks Neo to choose his destiny. The Architect reveals the importance of choice when he tells Neo that previous versions of the Matrix failed until Humans were given a choice. If you think about it, would you like to live in a world where all outcomes were predetermined? Or do you want the ability to choose how things turn out? Choice is important, even if we only have the illusion of choice.

The Merivignan’s conversation with Morpheus delves into the topic of Causality – cause and effect. The Oracle tells Neo not to worry about breaking the vase. This information startles Neo causing him to react. His reaction knocks the vase over causing it to break. After Neo breaks the vase, The Oracle asks him to ponder if he would have broken it if she didn’t say anything. Causality has been accredited to Aristotle. A philosophy that lies in the realm of metaphysics.

Plato’s Allegory of the Cave is woven into this story. Cypher chose the red pill but regrets his choice and wants to return to the Matrix. He is akin to the prisoners in Plato’s Cave. The prisoners do not desire to leave their prison even after one of them breaks free and returns with news of their deception. Adam Curtis’ documentary HyperNormalisation (2016) applies the Allegory of the Cave to modern-day life and discusses how the real world can be hidden away from us. An artificial world can be constructed to keep us compliant. Much like in The Matrix.

From Greek philosophy to Greek Mythology, the subtleties are no accident. In Greek Mythology, Morpheus is a God who takes human form when appearing in dreams. A fitting name for Laurence Fishburne’s character. Rama Kandra (the exiled program) speaks of Karma in his conversation with Neo at the train station. Rama is a Hindu deity known for chivalry and virtue.

Matrix Explained has a great series that takes a deep dive and reveals more philosophical meanings in the movie that casual viewers may have missed. They uncover Hermetic principles from The Kybalion like ‘As above, so below’. This can be tied to the duality between The Matrix and the physical world. Another interesting find is their explanation of the child program with no purpose, whose parents try to save her. That story showcases the themes of love and consciousness.

Reloaded

Neo’s death and resurrection with superpowers draw inspiration from Christianity. It was only through death that Neo could be resurrected with so much power that he could fly. Much like the resurrection of Jesus Christ allowed him to ascend to the Heavens. Christ the Redeemer, the Saviour and Messiah. He died and was resurrected.

The main protagonists Neo, Morpheus and Trinity have similarities to the Holy Trinity of Christianity. The Son (Neo), The Father (Morpheus) and the Holy Spirit (literally named Trinity). Salvation would not have been possible without the miraculous acts of all three characters. The Telekinetic child monks allude to an influence from Buddhism. The link to religious symbolism is a clear and obvious one.

The Desert of the Real

The phrase was coined by Sociologist Jean Baudrillard and quoted by Morpheus in the movie. Fishburne’s character used it to describe the real world, as it has become a post-apocalyptic desert but was also alluding to Baudrillard. However, the Sociologist might use this term in a different context.

You could say there is a dearth of reality on Social Media where people use filters, photoshop images and create a facade – The desert of the real. I believe this is closer to Baudrillard’s original concept.

However, the desert of the real could also be describing The Matrix. A place where nothing is physically real. But of course, Morpheus questions Neo on what real means. The Captain of the Nebuchadnezzar states that the electrical impulses experienced by your brain are what makes The Matrix real and if you die in The Matrix then you do die for real. If nobody lives on the surface of the Earth in the real world and they live in The Matrix, then The Matrix is real and the physical world is the desert of the real.

Simulacra

As revealing as it is, dialogue only contains a fraction of the film’s messages. The team behind Matrix Explained dissect the trilogy and reveal the abundance of visual symbolism. From hand gestures to numerology, lighting, colours and props. Anything and everything can have a hidden meaning in these movies. Even the music.

In his article Simulcara, Simulation and the Matrix (2006), Sven Lutzka wrote ‘The Matrix has triggered off an avalanche of studies focussing on different aspects of the movie’. Some of those studies can be found in Jacking In To The Matrix Franchise (2004). This is an anthology of Matrix writings from a number of contributors. In this book, Matthew Kapell discusses a number of themes that the film trilogy and multimedia story encompasses: Gender, Race, Philosophy, Epistemology, Ontology, Ethics, Post-Humanism, Mythological and Religious Studies, Feminism, Radicalism, Cosmology and Theology. This is not a definitive list of all the themes covered either. One could easily add war, peace, control and rebellion too. The subject matters covered are broad and complex.

Kapell writes of the dark overtone encompassing the Matrix franchise – Human beings being subjugated to a programme of exploitation, treated as commodities and drained of their natural resources by an elaborate system. One could liken this fantasy theme to how citizens feel they are exploited by governments and corporations in the real world today. The Matrix attempts to connect with the audience in this way.

Jean Baudrillard wrote of simulation theory. The Matrix adapts his ideas and asks us the question – is everything as it seems? I remember watching the Matrix in 1999. The movie blew my mind. As I left the cinema I was looking around and questioning reality. Are we in a simulation?

The Architect

In Making of The Matrix (1999) Andy shared his belief that their biggest visual effect came from having Hollywood stars perform authentic Kung Fu like in a Hong Kong Kung Fu movie. Before The Matrix, the norm was to use a stunt man for fight scenes. The Wachowskis actually made the stars learn Kung Fu and perform the fight scenes themselves.

Making of The Matrix is a fascinating watch that gives you the complex ideas of the movie from various people involved in the production. The shots on set give you a sense of the camaraderie they shared. Recruiting John Gaeta to be the Special Effects Supervisor and create the Bullet Time VFX proved to be a wise decision. As was Hiring Yuen Wo Ping to do the Fight Choreography and Gun Fu. Illustrated storyboards cut to narration from the cast and crew help to complete the understanding that a lot of thought went into these movies and everyone felt like they were doing something exceptional.

Laurence Fishburne said they trained in Kung Fu daily for around 6 months. The directors revealed they saw CyberPunk as a way to convey a sense of disconnection or alienation. Such was the mood of the CyberPunk culture. One of the narrators notes how he thought the Wachowskis were unusually meticulous and unlike most Directors, they knew exactly how they wanted things to be.

According to Jonas Ceika, Jean Baudrillard declined the opportunity to work on the Matrix sequels. His involvement could have drastically impacted the final cut of Reloaded and Revolutions. In contrast, Laurence Fishburne said he signed up for Reloaded without even reading the script. Everyone from the first movie signed up again for the sequel and the filmmakers tried to outdo what they did in the original. Sets were bigger and more extravagant than before. Stunts were more ambitious than before. Carrie-Ann Moss said she broke her leg in the 2nd week of training.

The actress who played the Oracle (Gloria Foster) passed away during the production of the 3rd Matrix movie. The script had to be rewritten and another actress (Mary Alice) was brought in to replace her. The 3rd movie in the trilogy contained an epic fight scene between Neo and Agent Smith. They were fighting in mid-air like something you’ll see in Dragonball Z. This was no easy feat. In order to replicate Z fighting in real life, the actors were filmed in a zero-gravity device used to train astronauts.

Resurrection

As mentioned earlier, the Wachowskis were inspired by William Gibson books when they made The Matrix. Gibson is said to believe that The Matrix is the ultimate Cyber Punk artefact. It’s no coincidence that a CyberPunk video game starring Keanu Reeves (CyberPunk 2077) went on to win various awards and became the highest selling digital game launch at the time. This is the legacy of The Matrix. With such a strong legacy in place, why would they need another movie?

In a discussion at the International Literature Festival of Berlin, Lana shares her story of a personal tragedy that inspired the continuation of a once concluded masterpiece. It was the demise of her parents that brought back her connection to Neo and Trinity. Lilly felt like she was done with the Franchise so for the first time, we will see a Matrix movie made by just one of the Wachowskis.

At the time of writing, two Matrix Resurrections trailers have been released. In trailer 1 Neo appears to be back in the Matrix and seeking therapy for bad dreams that he thinks are real. The black cat appears at the start of the trailer. Neo thought he was experiencing Deja Vu in the first movie when he saw a black cat. He meets with Trinity and they appear to not know each other. Have they lost their memories? He meets a younger-looking Morpheus and seems to go through the awakening process all over again.

If it was only a hint in the first trailer, It’s unmistakable that Agent Smith has returned in the second trailer, except he doesn’t look how we remember him. Neo starts to recollect being in the training simulation. We get a glimpse of an aged Niobe looking like she’s been in a war and also speaking of war! Neo displays an ability to manipulate force and Trinity displays powers of her own. It definitely looks like Neo is on a journey to find his memory. Some old characters have new faces and brand new characters appear too. From what I saw in the trailers it looks like Resurrection will introduce new elements but also have a continuity of the old story.

Awaken

In fine Matrix tradition, another form of media has been utilised to give participants an interactive Matrix experience. The Matrix Awakens is a brief and free to play open-world game exclusively available to owners of a Playstation 5 or XBox Series X. Fans of the franchise will be treated to a cinematic intro before they are thrust into some frantic Arcade style action. After completing the mission the open world is yours to explore and it looks fantastic. You can download The Matrix Awakens here.

Keanu and Carrie-Ann discuss a number of topics in a post Resurrections interview by The Verge: The plasticity of images and Intellectual Property, Cryptocurrencies and NFTs, even the use of their likeness in Virtual Reality and Pornography. They also share their thoughts on The Matrix trilogy and the new movie too.

Revelation

More than a movie, The Matrix is a philosophical story told across various forms of media. I found it transformative in the same way a good book can be. I was not the same afterwards. The journey through multimedia is a unique and interactive experience. The story covers thought-provoking themes like reality, faith and the very ideas that societies are built on. We explore consciousness, examine Humanity, Artificial Intelligence and see there may not be that much difference between us.

The Matrix tells a tale that peaks into the future of Transhumanism. Elon Musk’s Neuralink is currently developing Brain Interface technology. Will this tech allow us to download a program to learn Kung Fu, or fly a helicopter like the movie showed us 20 years ago? The timing of the latest instalment in the franchise couldn’t be better. The biggest Social Media company in the world have transitioned into a Metaverse company. The Matrix is a movie about a Metaverse from 20 years ago, resurrected for release in UK cinemas on December 22nd.

Also Read: NFTs For “The Matrix” & “Pulp Fiction” Announced As The Film Industry Embraces Blockchain

The post The Red Pill or the Blue Pill: Matrix Philosophy appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

Given The Matrix’s themes surrounding the “metaverse”, the franchise seems primed to take advantage of a growing NFT space. The digital collection will feature both “red pill” & “blue pill” collectables. Fans of Pulp Fionction will be able to get their hands on seven uncut scenes from the movie, which will be available via auction on the NFT Marketplace OpenSea. This isn’t the first time a film company has entered the NFT space as Lionsgate has already released a series of NFTs for the Saw franchise earlier this year.

What are NFTS?

NFTs stand for Non Fungible Tokens. Much like cryptocurrencies (like Bitcoin) and crypto tokens (like Enjin), NFTs use Blockchain’s distributed ledger technology to provide digital proof of ownership. If you’re old enough to remember the Pokémon card craze of the early 00’s it’s the equivalent of being able to create digital collectables: they can be of pictures, videos, even VR/AR art, which can be accessed via your crypto wallet. Even the NBA has already “minted” and released their own NFT collection: NBA Top Shot. Blockchains are very much in their infancy, NFTs even more so, therefore it will be interesting to see how the minting of these collectables is received.

Whilst protocols that govern how information is shared across the internet is standardised, Blockchains operate on a number of different protocols, often without interoperability with each other, additionally, they often lack wallet solutions that are both secure yet easy to use for the wider public. So whilst fans of Tarantino and The Wachowski’s may want to get their hands on the digital collectables on offer, it may be a while before we see true broader public adoption.

Are NFTs Here To Stay?

Whilst it can be easy to dismiss Cryptocurrencies as a passing phase (and there are undoubtedly some outright scams in the crypto space), The crypto space has exploded since Bitcoin came onto the scene in 2009 to now a total market capitalisation of £2 Billion / $2.8 Billion (at the time of writing). Film studios are always looking for ancillary revenue; as merchandise sales and licensing provide additional revenue (MCU Merchandise generated $41 Billion for Disney in 2020) so digital collectables can be seen as part of the merchandising offering. Additionally, Blockchains are also starting to address environmental concerns of critics: Ethereum’s 2.0 upgrade will reduce the second-largest Blockchain’s energy consumption by 99.95% and carbon-neutral blockchains such as Wax.io have been developed to address environmental concerns – like those expressed by the billionaire Elon Musk.

The possibilities of blockchain use within the film industry are not limited to just NFTs; applications in film licensing and even crowdfunding can allow filmmakers to have better ways to track their work and help to avoid “Hollywood Accounting”. With Facebook’s rebranding to Meta, we can also expect more companies will make use of digital tools and environments to create new ways of engaging fans in the new virtual space. For example, one of the biggest media blockchains currently in the broadcast space is the Theta Network, which acts as an alternative to YouTube, the blockchain network has hosted a number of live stream screenings in collaboration with distributor Lionsgate Films. We’ll continue to see what the future holds for Blockchains & the film industry.

Also Read: Research Shows How Cinema Therapy Helps Reduce Anxiety

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The idea that the migration crisis of the novel is part of the “apocalypse” comes later in the book, when certain cities, such as London or San Francisco, into which many have arrived through the aforementioned magic doors, have been ghettoised. There have been violent clashes between “natives” and newcomers, political policy has failed to control this new influx of people, and the boundaries and borders of countries appear “to be somewhat illusionary”, meaning people are left questioning “what role they to play” in this new order.

Hamid’s description of the apocalypse as terrifying but also not yet quite apocalyptic can be so easily lifted from the novel and applied to the state of 2021. After all, in the past few months, we’ve witnessed horrendous images of men on horseback forcing back Haitian refugees along the American border, the ocean caught fire and burned in a wild fury, and we’re still in a global pandemic that has, to date, killed an estimated 4,771,122 people worldwide. In the UK, we are being led by a government that only sees what it wants to see, that is happy to sit back and watch the country fall apart as their friends line their pockets with money from shady contracts which they will then squirrel away in tax havens. It doesn’t quite seem like the apocalypse we were expecting, and yet it feels like, perhaps, that isn’t too far away. 

Earlier this year, Barack and Michelle Obama acquired the rights to Exit West via their production company Higher Ground, which currently have an exclusive deal with Netflix. It is set to star (one of my biggest crushes) Riz Ahmed as Saeed, and Yann Demange will direct. It is one of many projects, both recently made or in-production, that deals with what might be the end times, in worlds that don’t seem too far from our own. To look back at the dystopias of the previous century is to look at beautiful utopias, years in the future, that turn out to be less than perfect. Now these worlds we seek out that appear so grim are merely a stone’s throw away from our current experiences. As Ed O’Loughlin worried in the Irish Times: “Our reality has overtaken, or will soon have caught up with, many of our best/worst fictional futures.” Why is it, then, that we are so obsessed with these worlds? Why does it appear as if they’re becoming more prevalent as our current times get worse? 

It’s true that genre films and television have often aimed to reflect the issues of their time. Horror, famously, is filled with metaphor while fantasy has often reflected our political systems or histories. Perhaps, in their allegorical nature, those who enjoyed these in the past (or even now) were able to do so as a form of escape, the messages washing over them without be too direct. Yet, it can’t be denied that, in our current times, interest in dystopias has risen, and studios are trying to meet that demand. Production on a television adaption of Emily St. John Mandel’s pandemic novel Station Eleven began before the majority of the world shut down due to Covid-19, and the finished product is due to air on HBO Max later this year. An adaption of the 2013 videogame The Last of Us, set in a post-apocalyptic future, is coming to HBO too. Over at Hulu, The Handmaid’s Tale has just aired its fourth season and is gearing up for a fifth. On top of that, the streamer recently premiered its post-apocalyptic series Y: The Last Man in which, all at once, all the men in the world bar one die mysteriously. Apple TV+ has just premiered Foundation, based on stories by Isaac Asimov, about a new empire, long in the future, that is not all it’s cracked up to be as it’s led by those who are driven by self-interest. As for the big screen, The Matrix is returning, as well as A Quiet Place for a third time. 

This craving speaks to what might be considered “anti-escapism”. In an article for NPR, Jason Heller wrote, “The world feels more precariously perched on the lip of the abyss than ever, and facing those fears through fiction helps us deal with it.” Is this true? That our obsession with the end of the world is more than mere schadenfreude linked with some defeatist mentality, but rather a form of affirmation? Proof that our world is not yet as bad as it is in these shows or movies – that it can be salvaged? For how long will that be the case, though? We seem to be living in the times that novelists and filmmakers of the past warned us about as, day-after-day, the likes of Atwood, Orwell, and Bradbury are proven right. 

Still, I can’t help but wonder if it is better this way. To look the future in the eye and, perhaps, inspire some sort of saviour. I keep thinking of Steven Spielberg’s 2018 film adaption of Ready Player One, in which the opposite is true and citizens of a ravaged world escape into a more exciting, virtual one as a means of coping. In the age of the internet, it might seem like that would be what we want, yet it doesn’t appear to be the case. We are not yet ready to give up on the physical world just yet, we’re not content with disappearing online, and perhaps that is what our appetite for dramas on the end of the world proves. In all the bleakness of the futures they present, we can see the one thing we need most: hope. 

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The Plot

For those who don’t know, I shall briefly explain the plot – Thomas Anderson lived in late 90s America, working as a computer programmer but is secretly the hacker “Neo”. He was approached by sinister government agents asked him to work as a spy. Neo refused and is quickly picked up by the people he was asked to spy against. Their leader Morpheus explained to Neo that what he thought was reality was actually only a computer programme, in reality, AI robots were draining his energy to survive. What follows is a spectacular two hours of gunfights, fistfights and metaphysical pondering on the nature of reality and destiny.

Great Expectations

There was a huge amount of hype surrounding the film especially with the talk of unprecedented special effects – what became known as “bullet time”. The famous “bullet time”. The Matrix was not the first film to use this technique but undoubtedly popularised it. Bullet time is a form of slow-motion photography that will often have the camera moving around the target. In The Matrix, this was used as characters dodged bullets using what would be super-human reflexes. While the technology has moved on a lot since the effects still look great to this day.

The film wasn’t stunning just because of bullet time. The hand to hand fight scenes, such as Neo and Morpheus fighting or the climactic fight between Agent Smith and Neo were amongst the first of the extremely choreographed fights that are the mainstay amongst recent action-films (with perhaps the most relevant example of this being in the John Wick films – starring Keanu Reeves).

The Internet, Computers & Technology

The Matrix capitalised on computers and the Internet in a way few films had before. Neo was a computer programmer by day and hacker by night and you got the feeling that not only Neo understood computers but so did the Wachowskis. The fact that Neo goes by that name, his hacker alias, seemed to reflect an understanding of the Internet, a place where you could be whatever you wanted to be.

Storytelling

In many ways, the storytelling aspects of The Matrix were rooted in old ideas. Robot tyranny, virtual reality, sinister but vague government agencies had all been done before. The idea of Neo being The Chosen One again is nothing new but perhaps they made it their own, in an episode of South Park there is a search for a chosen one they refer to as “The Keanu Reeves child”. By the Wachowskis’ own admission the film is heavily indebted to Japanese anime and Hong Kong action films. But I think the Wachowskis deserve huge plaudits for pulling all of these aspects into one film whilst at the same time combining an over-the-top action-sci-fi blockbuster with an intelligent hard sci-fi drama. Apparently, the Wachowskis had the main actors read relevant books on philosophy and science so they could comfortably explain the ideas thrown around in the film.

Culture

The cultural impact was huge. Like A New Hope or The Dark Knight, The Matrix launched a thousand copycats and its influence can be felt in many more. The Simpsons and Spaced both parodied it while The Onion could write about something being “Matrix-y” and people knew what you meant. Anyone who wore a long black leather coat was imitating Neo. The term “matrix” has been used a lot in sci-fi (in Doctor Who it’s the repository of Time Lord knowledge, it’s the name of a DC superhero and is the name of a 90s fantasy tv show) but if used today would only refer to the film. The choice of red pill or blue pill has become synonymous with choosing fantasy over – an often painful – reality and people can talk about odd events and coincidences as “glitches” in the Matrix, a moment where a person can see something is not right in reality. One such glitch is that the aforementioned Matrix tv show starred Carrie-Ann Moss, one of the stars of the film The Matrix. Weird.

The Matrix 4

The world recently learned that there will be a fourth film in The Matrix franchise. After the huge success of the first film, the two sequels were not well-received but there is already a lot of interest in this new film. Crucially Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Ann Moss and Lana Wachowski are all part of the film. I think the years have been kind to The Matrix, with the sequels being forgotten about and the delight of the original still has a hold over people. I recently rewatched the film and despite knowing every twist, betrayal and cliffhanger still thoroughly enjoyed it, immersed in an interesting world that was glorious to watch.

Also Read: Horror-ibly Funny Movie Titles

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The Matrix – Subway Fight

• Combatants – Neo Vs Agent Smith
• Setting: Subway Station
• Weapons – Briefly guns, then fists

Watching The Matrix again now and you see just how influential it was. So many action films since have similar balletic fight scenes, highly choreographed and done with precision and care but I don’t know if The Matrix has ever been topped. As good as Keanu Reeves is in The Matrix Hugo Weaving is better and in many ways a far more interesting character. Everything about Agent Smith from the way he talks to the way he moves seems like it has been very carefully chosen. Youtube has videos that consist entirely of Agent Smith saying “Mr Anderson”.

Depending on how much you buy into into Neo being The One at this point really effects how likely it is that you think he’ll win. It is specifically said that every person who has tried to fight an agent has died. The fight starts with the infamous bullet-time but quickly becomes a martial arts master class. Agent Smith has a curious conservation of movement and energy and rarely looks like he’s actually trying whereas Neo is battered and bloody and clearly putting his all into it.

The climatic moment of the fight when we think Agent Smith is dead but then steps off the train is genius and also means that in one of the best fights in the history of cinema no one is actually killed.

Body Count – 0

John Wick – Club Fight

• Combatants: John Wick Vs A Lot Of Russian Gangsters
• Setting: A Night Club
• Weapons: Guns and fists

Yes, Keanu Reeves gets two. Obviously, the fight scenes in John Wick are the most important parts of the film and they don’t disappoint – arguably setting the bar for all future action films. There are number I could pick but I often come back to the fight in the night club. This is genuinely a blood bath and I had the body count at around 29 over the space of seven minutes and it showcases all of Wick’s skills – hand-to-hand fighting, shooting, weird kung-fu, all of it. Wick’s prowess at killing people almost seems supernatural but never quite strays over that line. Interestingly despite cutting through so many people Wick doesn’t even win the fight, his target escapes and he ends up being thrown over over a barrier to the floor below. But really with John Wick if he’s not dead you haven’t really won.

Body Count – I counted 29 but I’m not confident in that number.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Elevator Fight

• Combatants : Captain America Vs Various S.H.I.E.L.D Agents
• Setting – A lift (AKA an elevator)
• Weapons – Electric shock weapons, fists.

A brief fight to be sure but perhaps my favourite in all of the Marvel films. I like a fight scene that happens in a place that rather restricts the fighting and makes directors think outside the box and this definitely qualifies. Captain America is set upon by eleven (I think, it’s a little hard to count) men and then for most of the fight has one hand stuck to the wall. So often with fight scenes you feel like you’ve seen it before but I can’t think of another scene quite like this.

Body Count – Nobody dies but I count 11 people on the floor.

Kingsman: The Secret Service – Church Fight

• Combatants – Superspy Harry Hart and various fundamentalist Christians.
• Setting – Church in America.
• Weapons- Guns, knives, grenades, an axe, whatever you can put your hands on

I would go so far as to say this isn’t a good film. This one scene, however, makes it worth watching. Colin Firth is not your typical action hero but he really pulls this off. As all inside the church are essentially brainwashed into an orgy of violence a massive fight breaks out which leaves only one person standing – Harry Hart. Everyone in the church is fighting everyone else with nearly five minutes of utter mayhem in what becomes the Where’s Wally of fight scenes as you search the screen picking out individual confrontations.

Body Count – I have no idea and didn’t even try to count.

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark – Plane Fight

• Combatants – Indiana Jones Vs A Big Nazi (with assistance from Marion and assorted Nazis respectively)
• Setting Air Strip in Egypt
• Weapons: Fists, machine gun, propeller

Indiana Jones does not like a fair fight. Not when he’s fighting someone bigger, tougher and stronger than he is. And is a Nazi. In this fight Indy tries every underhand trick he can think of and in the end he doesn’t really win as much the other guy loses. While certainly not played for laughs there are a couple of moments of real humour, the first time Indy is punched by the Nazi soldier he doesn’t just get knocked over but his legs just give way leaving him dazed and on the ground.

Much of the fight in Indy actually trying to avoid his opponent quickly realising there was no way he was going to win and the legendary moment when his opponent does meet his end is surely one of the best conclusions to a film fight.

Body Count – One of the main combatants and a number of other German soldiers who showed up and got on the wrong side of a machine gun.

The Dark Knight Returns – Batman Fights Superman

• Combatants – Batman Vs Superman (each with a few helpful assistants)
• Setting – A deserted section of Gotham.
• Weapons – Superman’s superpowers & Batman’s gadgets

In writing this article I did some reading around “great” fights and I was surprised to see Batman Vs Superman from Batman Vs Superman, in my view a terrible fight. So instead I have included the Batman Vs Superman fight from The Dark Knight Returns, animation but certainly one of my all time favourite fights and a vastly superior movie. This film handles the idea of why the two are fighting so much better than Zack Synder’s film and you also think that Superman might actually kill Batman, something we all knew wasn’t going to happen in Synder’s film.

Weakened from the detonation of a nuclear missile – just go with it – Superman is not at his best already and Wayne brings everything from sonic weapons to a super-strong batsuit to try and defeat him and in the end, well, he wins. A victory of ingenuity and admittedly billions of dollars over the the near-invincibility of Superman.

Body Count – 0

Also Read: Superhero Standoff: Superheros Vs Art

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