Meh, Baby Jessica is 25 and has her own baby.

WHAT, that means I... Was... Eight... Holy shiat.

and only a few years later, it committed suicide.

/not really
//liked all three
///like slashies too

+1

I remember the Matrix coming out on DVD, which apparently was a big deal, as it was one of the first big movies to be mass produced on DVD

You can tell, it's so horribly dated. . .

I mean, pay phones in public places?

"The Matrix" was a great movie. It's too bad they never made any sequels.

So there should be a crop of kids named Neo and Trinity about to enter junior high.

And that's about the last time we've seen Hollywood push a major/big budgeted R-rated movie. Now all they make is PG-13 movies so they can sell more tickets.
Sad.

pwn3d781: "The Matrix" was a great movie. It's too bad they never made any sequels.

You are now reading this in Morpheus' voice.

hitlo58: WHAT, that means I... Was... Eight... Holy shiat.

I was 16. Oh hey, my high school reunions this summer! And damn you were just a baby then.

Shame they never made a sequel.

LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU

apeiron242: So there should be a crop of kids named Neo and Trinity about to enter junior high.

And they're already sick of Ayn Rand.

KatjaMouse: hitlo58: WHAT, that means I... Was... Eight... Holy shiat.

I was 16. Oh hey, my high school reunions this summer! And damn you were just a baby then.

I know it boggles my mind. I remember... I actually remember when this came out.

Detinwolf: I remember the Matrix coming out on DVD, which apparently was a big deal, as it was one of the first big movies to be mass produced on DVD

Yep. I knew so many people that bought DVD players because of the Matrix.

Flappyhead: You are now reading this in Morpheus' voice.

Good news, everyone!

hitlo58: WHAT, that means I... Was... Eight... Holy shiat.

damn, this makes me feel old

/whoa

Flappyhead: You are now reading this in Morpheus' voice.

Has the 'Woman in Red' now become a lonely old cougar?

Bullshiat. I had this all figured out in my head at least 20 years ago.

ultraholland: hitlo58: WHAT, that means I... Was... Eight... Holy shiat.

damn, this makes me feel old

/whoa

weirdly enough me too... And I'm 20.

pwn3d781: "The Matrix" was a great movie. It's too bad they never made any sequels.

THIS. So much potential, I wonder why they never bothered to make any more movies.

My first date with my fiancee was seeing "The Matrix" in theater. We were in high school and pretty much had nothing to do except see a movie, so we figured we'd see "that crappy Keanu Reeves movie... the one that looks like another 'Johnny Mnemonic'".

We're getting married in June.

Yes, I held out a LONG time.

Oh god, I was 14 years old, freshman in high school, and seeing that movie at the theater was the last thing I did with my friends before my epic 3 month vacation to Europe.

Now I'm 26 years old, stuck in a cubicle, have a 401k, and I'm going to get married in a less than month.

Christ on a cracker I feel old.

/get off my non-existent apartment lawn?

I really liked the entire series. 12 years ago today my fragile little mind was blown.

I watched the original last week(the only good one), and I was forced to re-evaluate the whole concept.

It's the future, where the earth is a blasted, burned out cinder of it's former self, the sky has been scorched, the earth is dark, and machines rule humanity with such totality that almost no one can even conceive of the truth.

The choice-continue living the lie of the Matrix, or else accept "reality" and live in hiding deep under the earth eating shiat food and in constant fear of extermination by cyber killers relentlessly stalking every construct of reality to find you.

At this point, i would say "reality" is overrated.
Any thinking person would choose the Matrix.

Seriously, are they ever going to make a sequel? I always thought there was good material there, but I guess no one ever decided to.

The headline has better acting than the lead character

GoSurfing: Saw The Matrix in the theater. Loved it. I'm sure many farkers saw it in the theater, but that seemed to be a movie that grew a bit over time with DVD sales. I don't believe it had a Star Wars type box office. I choose to ignore the sequels.

Yeah, I was expecting absolutely nothing walking into that theater and ended up seeing one of the best movies of the decade. I remember trying to CONVINCE people to see it afterwards, and people were very skeptical. It took a LONG time to catch on, compared to nowadays where a film is a blockbuster before it's even released. I think the only comparable recent movie is "Iron Man", which I don't think many people expected to be good.

Terrible movie. The first one, that is. Never wanted to see the rest.

vonapathy: Oh god, I was 14 years old, freshman in high school, and seeing that movie at the theater was the last thing I did with my friends before my epic 3 month vacation to Europe.

Now I'm 26 years old, stuck in a cubicle, have a 401k, and I'm going to get married in a less than month.

Christ on a cracker I feel old.

/get off my non-existent apartment lawn?


my 25th high school reunion is this year. talk about feelin' old...

Awesome. Now to crank "Wake up" by RATM.

Infinite Monkey: My first date with my fiancee was seeing "The Matrix" in theater. We were in high school and pretty much had nothing to do except see a movie, so we figured we'd see "that crappy Keanu Reeves movie... the one that looks like another 'Johnny Mnemonic'".

We're getting married in June.

Yes, I held out a LONG time.

Congrats. First date with my wife was for the same flick (though I had already seen it four times). We got hitched last November.

You held out longer, but only because I needed to get on her insurance plan. Romantic, no?

hitlo58: ultraholland: hitlo58: WHAT, that means I... Was... Eight... Holy shiat.

damn, this makes me feel old

/whoa

weirdly enough me too... And I'm 20.

I didn't feel old until once in college, 2005, my friend and I realized that Beauty and the Beast was older than most kids entering high school at the time.

It was immediately followed by him saying "Katja. I fear you and I may be getting too old to be uppity, ironic hipsters."

doubled99: I watched the original last week(the only good one), and I was forced to re-evaluate the whole concept.

It's the future, where the earth is a blasted, burned out cinder of it's former self, the sky has been scorched, the earth is dark, and machines rule humanity with such totality that almost no one can even conceive of the truth.

The choice-continue living the lie of the Matrix, or else accept "reality" and live in hiding deep under the earth eating shiat food and in constant fear of extermination by cyber killers relentlessly stalking every construct of reality to find you.

At this point, i would say "reality" is overrated.
Any thinking person would choose the Matrix.

Cypher, is that you?

Gothnet: Shame they never made a sequel.

LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU

INeedAName: Seriously, are they ever going to make a sequel? I always thought there was good material there, but I guess no one ever decided to.


"There is no sequel to 'The Matrix.'"

INeedAName: Seriously, are they ever going to make a sequel? I always thought there was good material there, but I guess no one ever decided to.

They never made a sequal! LOOOLLOLLO!!!11!one!

*groan*

doubled99: I watched the original last week(the only good one), and I was forced to re-evaluate the whole concept.

It's the future, where the earth is a blasted, burned out cinder of it's former self, the sky has been scorched, the earth is dark, and machines rule humanity with such totality that almost no one can even conceive of the truth.

The choice-continue living the lie of the Matrix, or else accept "reality" and live in hiding deep under the earth eating shiat food and in constant fear of extermination by cyber killers relentlessly stalking every construct of reality to find you.

At this point, i would say "reality" is overrated.
Any thinking person would choose the Matrix.

So it comes to: slave in mediocre world, or free in a hellish world.

The matrix was false to only those who had been outside of it.

There's a great deal to those movies that doesn't stand to scrutiny (like the human battery idea), but they are movies. Not science text books so i'm willing to let it slide.

vlakorados: Awesome. Now to crank "Wake up" by RATM.

I liked the remix of Dragula that they used in that movie. What was the name of that remix? It was f*cking awesome. TO THE iTUNES STORE!!!

Like with many trilogies, the second one was the best.

KatjaMouse: hitlo58: ultraholland: hitlo58: WHAT, that means I... Was... Eight... Holy shiat.

damn, this makes me feel old

/whoa

weirdly enough me too... And I'm 20.

I didn't feel old until once in college, 2005, my friend and I realized that Beauty and the Beast was older than most kids entering high school at the time.

It was immediately followed by him saying "Katja. I fear you and I may be getting too old to be uppity, ironic hipsters."

My 12 yo brother was born the summer prior. He is in jr high now.

It was great times for the black trench coat business too.

I did like the sequel to it (The Animatrix), it was really cool to see all those side stories.

kbronsito: well... its close to 12 years. We can't tell you exactly how old it is.

YOU WIN!

Remember the Matrix screen saver.

/Hated It

I know kung fu.

GoSurfing: Oh, and who else remembers (IIRC) one of the first sorta viral marketing campaigns with:

http://WhatIsTheMatrix.com/

?

That blew my mind more than the spinning Internet Explorer gifs and animated torches on other sites.

Man, I was 18, stoned, and ready to believe that the movie had serious ramifications on reality when it came out.

/whoa

hitlo58: ultraholland: hitlo58: WHAT, that means I... Was... Eight... Holy shiat.

damn, this makes me feel old

/whoa

weirdly enough me too... And I'm 20.

It just gets worse from here.

because good is dumb: It was great times for the black trench coat business too.

Too bad it was still that period of the Trench Coat Mafia paranoia.

Everyone in this thread better know what the Trench Coat Mafia was.

jusbcuz80: Remember the Matrix screen saver.

/Hated It

You can get a Matrix live wallpaper for Android phones!

cicdle: I did like the sequel to it (The Animatrix), it was really cool to see all those side stories.

Yeah... was pretty awesome wasn't it.

KatjaMouse: because good is dumb: It was great times for the black trench coat business too.

Too bad it was still that period of the Trench Coat Mafia paranoia.

Everyone in this thread better know what the Trench Coat Mafia was.

I think The Matrix came out less than a month BEFORE Columbine.

Of course, I guess it didn't get huge until later.

AcneVulgaris: hitlo58: ultraholland: hitlo58: WHAT, that means I... Was... Eight... Holy shiat.

damn, this makes me feel old

/whoa

weirdly enough me too... And I'm 20.

It just gets worse from here.

I'm a farker. I was cynical before I left highschool.
/thanks for the heads up though.

elchip: jusbcuz80: Remember the Matrix screen saver.

/Hated It

You can get a Matrix live wallpaper for Android phones!

Does it bork your phone like the original did for pcs?

elchip: KatjaMouse: because good is dumb: It was great times for the black trench coat business too.

Too bad it was still that period of the Trench Coat Mafia paranoia.

Everyone in this thread better know what the Trench Coat Mafia was.

I think The Matrix came out less than a month BEFORE Columbine.

Of course, I guess it didn't get huge until later.

Oh god... why did I think Columbine happened before Matrix?!

Mulchpuppy: Infinite Monkey: My first date with my fiancee was seeing "The Matrix" in theater. We were in high school and pretty much had nothing to do except see a movie, so we figured we'd see "that crappy Keanu Reeves movie... the one that looks like another 'Johnny Mnemonic'".

We're getting married in June.

Yes, I held out a LONG time.

Congrats. First date with my wife was for the same flick (though I had already seen it four times). We got hitched last November.

You held out longer, but only because I needed to get on her insurance plan. Romantic, no?

Actually, one of the main reasons we're "formally" getting married is that she wants to change her last name to mine (hers is a 13-letter Polish tongue-twister) and felt weird about it if we weren't officially married. Looking forward to it though.

The Matrix trilogy still gets viewed quite a bit by us. We recently watched the Rifftrax commentary for the first one- it's amazing.

The movie hasn't aged a day, either, in terms of how it looks. It's like "Jurassic Park" in that the VFX people just nailed every damn shot. The one weird thing is all the clunky 90's computers- computers look so much cooler these days. But it actually gives it a really good "period" feel watching it now, as the machines were recreating a specific point in history with the Matrix.

Doesn't explain all the CRT's on the Nebuchadnezzar, but...

My confession: I held out. I wasn't a hipster, but I couldn't imagine a movie about kung fu could be that good. I eventually saw the movie sometime between my second semester of senior year and my first semester at college; I think it was closer to the latter.

My parents saw it, enjoyed the kung fu and action scenes, but just couldn't grasp the story, the notion of a false reality executed in cyberspace. I suppose it's taken me a few viewings to absorb everything; you always notice more. The sad thing is, I think I'd seen Keanu Reeves lampooned in "SNL" before I'd seen "The Matrix."

(For the last time, no, he doesn't.)

One of my college TAs commented that Keanu was the best actor to play Neo, because "all he had to do was spend the whole movie looking confused." Sure, we laughed. We also went - in costume - for the two follow-up movies (OK, so we wore a lot of black, and one of my friends wore a suit). I own both on DVD, but I'm not even sure if I've watched the DVD copies.

This doesn't make me feel old, though. Staring 30 down the nose makes me feel old. That, and the time I went to a Spin Doctors reunion concert in college. But I digress.

Too bad they never made a sequel. Would have been epic.

KatjaMouse: I didn't feel old until once in college, 2005, my friend and I realized that Beauty and the Beast was older than most kids entering high school at the time.

Today's college students were born in the 90's. The 90's. I was sucking down Crystal Pepsi and collecting Marvel cards while they were crapping their diapers.

Thank god they didn't make a MMO based off this.

ultraholland: KatjaMouse: I didn't feel old until once in college, 2005, my friend and I realized that Beauty and the Beast was older than most kids entering high school at the time.

Today's college students were born in the 90's. The 90's. I was sucking down Crystal Pepsi and collecting Marvel cards while they were crapping their diapers.

I was rocking out to the Cranberries and Gin Blossoms like any self respecting teenage girl. So long ago...

theflatline: The Matrix was a horrible movie. There I said it.

Equilibrium was much better.

The 13th Floor did the same concept sooooooo much better

I preferred "A fart in the Matrix"

Uchiha_Cycliste: Something over there: Thank god they didn't make a MMO based off this.

there would have been 10,000 variations of neo and the one. a thousand morpheus' and a few thousand fat men prancing around as Trinity. It just would have been silly.

You apparently didn't see the MMO Link (new window)

Didn't Toyota recall the Matrix?

Tentacle: Didn't Toyota recall the Matrix?

........bwahahaha. +1

Andrew Wiggin: KatjaMouse: Oh god... why did I think Columbine happened before Matrix?!

i thought it did too.

columbine = Tuesday, April 20, 1999
matrix = 31 March 1999 (USA)

One of my girl friends spent all her money on this vintage black trench coat from the 40s that previous fall. She wore that thing everyday to school and was so proud of the this look. Then Columbine happened and her jacket got confiscated by an administrator a few days later. She got it back that June.

Andrew Wiggin: KatjaMouse: elchip: KatjaMouse: because good is dumb: It was great times for the black trench coat business too.

Too bad it was still that period of the Trench Coat Mafia paranoia.

Everyone in this thread better know what the Trench Coat Mafia was.

I think The Matrix came out less than a month BEFORE Columbine.

Of course, I guess it didn't get huge until later.

Oh god... why did I think Columbine happened before Matrix?!

i thought it did too.

columbine = Tuesday, April 20, 1999
matrix = 31 March 1999 (USA)

That's why the trench coat industry made a killing (no pun intended) during that time. Neo wannabes and kids with guns all over the place.

elchip: theflatline: The Matrix was a horrible movie. There I said it.

Equilibrium was much better.

The 13th Floor did the same concept sooooooo much better

I liked Dark City.

Take the blue pill

And see a doctor after 4 hours

Loved the movie, but one plot-hole bugged me: Paraphrasing Morpheus after waking up Keanu, "we normally don't like to wake people because reality is too harsh/intense."

Then why the F are you FIGHTING the machines who are providing a decent environment? Your end game is...what, exactly?

Infinite Monkey: Doesn't explain all the CRT's on the Nebuchadnezzar, but...



Why not? According to the full story, society has been destroyed and re-created several times, maybe from scratch. They are using tech they've cobbled together while hiding underground. Actually, from that perspective, it is pretty unrealistic they have any tech at all.

Also, it's a fictional take-off using 1999 as a jumping off point. Tech could have developed differently in this fictional alternate reality.

because good is dumb: It was great times for the black trench coat business too.

That spring/summer, I got the biggest chuckle watching all the young enlisted guys walking around NAS Norfolk wearing their Navy-issue black raincoats and sunglasses.

I've got the strangest feeling that I've read this thread before.

elchip: I think The Matrix came out less than a month BEFORE Columbine.

Of course, I guess it didn't get huge until later.

Actually, it did. Matrix crossed the $100 million mark the day before Columbine, and it continued to be the number one movie in the country for the following ten days. There seems to be this belief that the original film was some kind of sleeper hit, but the numbers really don't support that. The theatre I worked at didn't show it (our brilliant booker opted to book WB's "Goodbye Lover" and "Lost and Found" instead), so I hafta admit that I didn't think it did that well initially either. But it opened with $37 million, which was a damn solid 5-day take for a flick that looked like a bastard mix of Johnny Mneumonic and Dark City.

Uchiha_Cycliste: Is what I guessed, what happened?

Nope, you couldn't play those characters, lots of people came up with names like them, but a lot more lived out their own characters.
Game failed due to being glitchy, repetitive.

KatjaMouse: because good is dumb: It was great times for the black trench coat business too.

Too bad it was still that period of the Trench Coat Mafia paranoia.

Everyone in this thread better know what the Trench Coat Mafia was.

Sure, they're the reason we coulnd't have backpacks for my senior year.

And Star Trek's 25th anniversary special was 20 years ago.

Wadded Beef: Loved the movie, but one plot-hole bugged me: Paraphrasing Morpheus after waking up Keanu, "we normally don't like to wake people because reality is too harsh/intense."

Then why the F are you FIGHTING the machines who are providing a decent environment? Your end game is...what, exactly?

That's the thing that bothered me about how the trilogy ended. Yea I guess the war ended, but the machines are still there. They didn't destroy them and the people will still live with the fear of the machines striking again. Besides the matrix is paradise compared the shiat hole conditions they live in.

elchip: theflatline: The Matrix was a horrible movie. There I said it.

Equilibrium was much better.

The 13th Floor did the same concept sooooooo much better



Must be joking.
That movie reeked like a burning shiathouse

Infinite Monkey:
Yeah, I was expecting absolutely nothing walking into that theater and ended up seeing one of the best movies of the decade. I remember trying to CONVINCE people to see it afterwards, and people were very skeptical. It took a LONG time to catch on, compared to nowadays where a film is a blockbuster before it's even released. I think the only comparable recent movie is "Iron Man", which I don't think many people expected to be good.

I walked into the theatre with NO idea what this movie was about, I hadn't even seen any previews. Thank god, it was one of the best movie experiences i've ever had.

These days with all the ubiquitous advertisements I usually see or hear about the best parts of a movie prior to even going to see them. I saw them all, liked them for the most part (the Rave scene in 2? 3? was super annoying though).

Also, this comic is 2 years old today.

cousndick: And that's about the last time we've seen Hollywood push a major/big budgeted R-rated movie. Now all they make is PG-13 movies so they can sell more tickets.
Sad.

I'm still trying to figure out why it was R and not PG-13 to begin with. Is there an F-word I'm forgetting?

ScottRiqui: because good is dumb: It was great times for the black trench coat business too.

That spring/summer, I got the biggest chuckle watching all the young enlisted guys walking around NAS Norfolk wearing their Navy-issue black raincoats and sunglasses.

The Kempsville area was no different, or Waterside, or anywhere else full of recruits for that matter.

Doesn't that mean it's about time for a reboot?

Andrew Wiggin: KatjaMouse: elchip: theflatline: The Matrix was a horrible movie. There I said it.

Equilibrium was much better.

The 13th Floor did the same concept sooooooo much better

I liked Dark City.



me too...for some reason...

I liked all of those movies. Although I found out about Equilibrium after it had been on DVD for awhile, same for DC & 13th floor.

Hey, what can I say, they're all pretty decent sci-fi flicks.

cousndick: And that's about the last time we've seen Hollywood push a major/big budgeted R-rated movie. Now all they make is PG-13 movies so they can sell more tickets.
Sad.


Is this true (that PG-13 outsells R)?

Back in the day, conventional wisdom was that movies went for an R-rating on purpose because they got better sales.

because good is dumb: Wadded Beef: Loved the movie, but one plot-hole bugged me: Paraphrasing Morpheus after waking up Keanu, "we normally don't like to wake people because reality is too harsh/intense."

Then why the F are you FIGHTING the machines who are providing a decent environment? Your end game is...what, exactly?

That's the thing that bothered me about how the trilogy ended. Yea I guess the war ended, but the machines are still there. They didn't destroy them and the people will still live with the fear of the machines striking again. Besides the matrix is paradise compared the shiat hole conditions they live in.

Exactly! If I had a choice between my everyday job, girlfriend, family, days off, nice weather all in a somewhat happy virtual existence (oh, and a NON-SCORCHED sky) vs. the movie's alternative I'd be more than happy to stay asleep and let them attach wires on me/slap a Duracell logo across my ass.

Snow Monkey:
I walked into the theatre with NO idea what this movie was about, I hadn't even seen any previews. Thank god, it was one of the best movie experiences i've ever had.

These days with all the ubiquitous advertisements I usually see or hear about the best parts of a movie prior to even going to see them. I saw them all, liked them for the most part (the Rave scene in 2? 3? was super annoying though).

MTV Music video sketch was funny Link (new window)

Snow Monkey: These days with all the ubiquitous advertisements I usually see or hear about the best parts of a movie prior to even going to see them. I saw them all, liked them for the most part (the Rave scene in 2? 3? was super annoying though).

I basically have to go into hibernation as any movie I REALLY want to see approaches release. Apparently what sells movies is GIVING AWAY THE WHOLE MOVIE.

When "Star Trek" was coming out in 2009, I basically had to stop using the internet for months before. It was worth it, but it shouldn't be necessary.

Uchiha_Cycliste: CRT's are much much more durable, it's why I use them at home instead of flat screens. You can punch em, spill things on em and draw on them with whiteboard markers and they are fine. It's what I would use for mission critical displays on a ship.

Good point.

doubled99: elchip: theflatline: The Matrix was a horrible movie. There I said it.

Equilibrium was much better.

The 13th Floor did the same concept sooooooo much better



Must be joking.
That movie reeked like a burning shiathouse

Joking.

angryred: cousndick: And that's about the last time we've seen Hollywood push a major/big budgeted R-rated movie. Now all they make is PG-13 movies so they can sell more tickets.
Sad.

I'm still trying to figure out why it was R and not PG-13 to begin with. Is there an F-word I'm forgetting?

People being nekkid when hooked up to the Matrix?

From Cowboy Curtis to Morpheus - whoa

Uchiha_Cycliste: Something over there: Uchiha_Cycliste: Is what I guessed, what happened?

Nope, you couldn't play those characters, lots of people came up with names like them, but a lot more lived out their own characters.
Game failed due to being glitchy, repetitive.

That's a damn shame, if ANY movie/concept lends itself to an MMO it's this one. Lazy SW developing bastards.

But bullet time would be impossible in any multi-player version.

pwn3d781: "The Matrix" was a great movie. It's too bad they never made any sequels.

vlakorados: Awesome. Now to crank "Wake up" by RATM.

Word!

Oh shiat, they must be doing something big for that cat to come around three -

Uchiha_Cycliste: Something over there: Uchiha_Cycliste: Is what I guessed, what happened?

Nope, you couldn't play those characters, lots of people came up with names like them, but a lot more lived out their own characters.
Game failed due to being glitchy, repetitive.

That's a damn shame, if ANY movie/concept lends itself to an MMO it's this one. Lazy SW developing bastards.

The overall concept was good, was a great combat system, upgrading system. Mostly just buggy servers, missions were pretty much all the same no matter how high up you went, and the insides of city buildings are boring enough in real life.

*shakes fist at hawnkee*

Who the fark is Lana Wachowski?

Only good thing about the sequels is that I probably got laid that night by my nerd gf at the time

KatjaMouse: ultraholland: KatjaMouse: I didn't feel old until once in college, 2005, my friend and I realized that Beauty and the Beast was older than most kids entering high school at the time.

Today's college students were born in the 90's. The 90's. I was sucking down Crystal Pepsi and collecting Marvel cards while they were crapping their diapers.

I was rocking out to the Cranberries and Gin Blossoms like any self respecting teenage girl. So long ago...

What, no 4 Non Blondes?

Hawnkee

wyldkard


Considering how often stuff like that gets simul-posted we might just be in the Matrix.

I remember doing a project in science class about the mechanics of a DVD player. We watched the lobby scene from the Matrix as part of the presentations. There ain't nothin' better than watchin' catholic school girls throwin' up their lunch at the sight of blood.


/csb

hitlo58: I know it boggles my mind. I remember... I actually remember when this came out.

Why wouldn't you remember it? It was only 12 years ago, it's not like you were an infant on the Titanic trying to remember what happened.

Actually, we don't know how old the Matrix is.

About time for the remake with Shia Laboeeuf as Neo, I think.

KatjaMouse: because good is dumb: It was great times for the black trench coat business too.

Too bad it was still that period of the Trench Coat Mafia paranoia.

Everyone in this thread better know what the Trench Coat Mafia was.

Hell, I lived through the trench coat mafia era, and i have no idea what it is, probably because I was too busy flunking out of college.

I was 23 when Matrix came out.. already bought a DVD player 2 years prior to it coming out.. still have it actually, it is a Pioneer DVL-919 Laserdisc / DVD player combo.. cost me $1200 back then and had to order it directly from Japan. Yes, I still have hundreds of Laserdiscs.. and I never thought of myself as "old" being 35 but some of these comments are starting to change my mind.. or the Digg crowd has invaded this site. Then again, I have fond memories or writing games on my Atari 400 that I saves to cassette tapes in the early 80's.. how many people here actually used cassette tapes for data storage here?

It's what I would use for mission critical displays on a ship.

Following that logic, it should've been equipped with Macs then...

vonapathy: Oh god, I was 14 years old, freshman in high school, and seeing that movie at the theater was the last thing I did with my friends before my epic 3 month vacation to Europe.

Now I'm 26 years old, stuck in a cubicle, have a 401k, and I'm going to get married in a less than month.

Christ on a cracker I feel old.

/get off my non-existent apartment lawn?

yeah. If I were you I would just go home, lay in a box lined with hefty bags, and wait for death.

Guess I picked a good day to watch all 3 movies Rifftraxxed.

/of course it's a word

Mulchpuppy: Actually, it did. Matrix crossed the $100 million mark the day before Columbine, and it continued to be the number one movie in the country for the following ten days.

I remember some Fox program connecting Columbine and The Matrix.

The reasoning was "Keanu Reeves wore a trench coat and shot the hell out of a bunch of people in a building. The Columbine killers wore trench coats and shot the hell out of a bunch of people in a building. These events occurred close together in time, with the movie preceding the shooting. Therefore, the movie caused the shooting. And the obvious solution is to ban trench coats in schools."

Best. Film. Ever.

Lesbian Trapped in a Mans Body: What, no 4 Non Blondes?

what's up?

epoc_tnac: About time for the remake with Shia Laboeeuf as Neo, I think.

Shut your whore mouth.

bikerific: cousndick: And that's about the last time we've seen Hollywood push a major/big budgeted R-rated movie. Now all they make is PG-13 movies so they can sell more tickets.
Sad.


Is this true (that PG-13 outsells R)?

Back in the day, conventional wisdom was that movies went for an R-rating on purpose because they got better sales.


PG-13 outsells R by a wide margin. If you go to boxofficemojo.com, you can show the highest-grossing films sorted by MPAA rating.

The highest-grossing R-rated movie ("The Passion of the Christ") had lifetime grosses comparable to the #9 PG-13 movie ("Spiderman 2"). And "The Passion of the Christ" was a standout anomaly among R-rated films. The second-highest grossing R-rated film ("The Matrix Reloaded") made less than any of the top twenty PG-13 films.

Memories. I remember I was 18 in highschool, bought a cheap surround receiver to run my 4 old 70's big speakers, and rigged another old receiver laying around off the sub outputs to power my 12" ported car subwoofer to shake the house for the explosions. Very good times.

Ace25 2011-03-31 01:40:52 PM

I was 23 when Matrix came out.. already bought a DVD player 2 years prior to it coming out.. still have it actually, it is a Pioneer DVL-919 Laserdisc / DVD player combo.. cost me $1200 back then and had to order it directly from Japan. Yes, I still have hundreds of Laserdiscs.. and I never thought of myself as "old" being 35 but some of these comments are starting to change my mind.. or the Digg crowd has invaded this site. Then again, I have fond memories or writing games on my Atari 400 that I saves to cassette tapes in the early 80's.. how many people here actually used cassette tapes for data storage here?


Me - Commodore Vic-20 - used to type in the code for games out of magazines and save them to my cassette tape drive. Good Times
(I am old!!!)

Yeah, I remember when The Matrix came out. My best friend and I, along with my girlfriend at the time, skipped class to go see it at the theater down the street from the university. We were really speechless afterward, not having the perspective of now to notice how flawed it was as a film and story. Then, I went back to my apartment and farked my girlfriend. A lot.

captain_heroic44: Mulchpuppy: Actually, it did. Matrix crossed the $100 million mark the day before Columbine, and it continued to be the number one movie in the country for the following ten days.

I remember some Fox program connecting Columbine and The Matrix.

The reasoning was "Keanu Reeves wore a trench coat and shot the hell out of a bunch of people in a building. The Columbine killers wore trench coats and shot the hell out of a bunch of people in a building. These events occurred close together in time, with the movie preceding the shooting. Therefore, the movie caused the shooting. And the obvious solution is to ban trench coats in schools."


I say we ban buildings, surely this sort of thing wouldn't happen in the open.

It saddens me to this day that Episode 1 was a bigger hit than The Matrix. I stood in line for hours for tickets to Episode 1, when I should've just saved my $ and saw the Matrix a couple more times in theaters.

First thing I'm doing when I get home tonight is putting that soundtrack cd on very loud.


/so good
// especially loud.

pwn3d781: This doesn't make me feel old, though. Staring 30 down the nose makes me feel old. That, and the time I went to a Spin Doctors reunion concert in college. But I digress.

Staring 30 down the nose makes you feel old??? I've got two effing grandchildren, and the grey hairs are starting to creep in, and I don't feel old. I'm happier, smarter, and even in better shape than at any other time before now. Hell, the year I turned thirty, that was one of the best years of my life. I laid more pipe that year than Tiger Woods. It doesn't get worse as you get older, it gets better!

Let me set the scene for Matrix in my life. As with anything, it's just a movie (a cool one, but I don't get obsessed with entertainment) - but many of use have memories of movies and music because of where we were in our life.

1999:
1. Our first boy had just been born
2. I was but a lowly marketing account manager... making stupid money.
3. My company was HQ'd on the east coast, they flew us all over the world
4. Profits everywhere. I once got a 12K bonus for my department exceeding goals. Remember Bonuses?
5. 9/11 had not yet happened.

Sure, a little shallow - but the late 90's were pretty friggin' nice in retrospect. I feel so sorry for kids graduation over the past few years. In 1995, recruiters came to our campus and were bidding on us like cattle. Actually had a recruiter bad mouth another company "no, their signing bonus won't pay off your credit card balance. We will - what is it? What do you need right now to be debt free".

Anyway - when I think Matrix, I am teleported to a pretty nice place. :)

Uchiha_Cycliste: The *ONLY* part of the movie that doesn't make sense (from a computer science pov) was Neo being sucked into the matrix from the Squiddy confrontation

The "real world" presented in the movies is another simulated reality. You've got a simulated reality where 1% of all subjects must be let out or risk cascade failure of the entire system. Easiest fix is to transfer them into another controlled (read: simulated) environment.

Chewlies Gum Representative: It saddens me to this day that Episode 1 was a bigger hit than The Matrix. I stood in line for hours for tickets to Episode 1, when I should've just saved my $ and saw the Matrix a couple more times in theaters.


Considering the content of the movie, I really think the Wachowski brothers should have fought for a PG-13 rating on "The Matrix" - I think its grosses could have ended up in the all-time Top 20, and possibly even the Top 15.

too bad every game based on the movie(s) sucked.

/enjoyed the first one, thinks its slightly over rated but still fun.

Purdue_Pete: Let me set the scene for Matrix in my life. As with anything, it's just a movie (a cool one, but I don't get obsessed with entertainment) - but many of use have memories of movies and music because of where we were in our life.

1999:
1. Our first boy had just been born
2. I was but a lowly marketing account manager... making stupid money.
3. My company was HQ'd on the east coast, they flew us all over the world
4. Profits everywhere. I once got a 12K bonus for my department exceeding goals. Remember Bonuses?
5. 9/11 had not yet happened.

Sure, a little shallow - but the late 90's were pretty friggin' nice in retrospect. I feel so sorry for kids graduation over the past few years. In 1995, recruiters came to our campus and were bidding on us like cattle. Actually had a recruiter bad mouth another company "no, their signing bonus won't pay off your credit card balance. We will - what is it? What do you need right now to be debt free".

Anyway - when I think Matrix, I am teleported to a pretty nice place. :)

Seeing The Matrix (and watching it now) is the only time I ever feel okay having purchased 2 separate mini-disc players.

/damn you Sony!

KatjaMouse: ultraholland: KatjaMouse: I didn't feel old until once in college, 2005, my friend and I realized that Beauty and the Beast was older than most kids entering high school at the time.

Today's college students were born in the 90's. The 90's. I was sucking down Crystal Pepsi and collecting Marvel cards while they were crapping their diapers.

I was rocking out to the Cranberries and Gin Blossoms like any self respecting teenage girl. So long ago...

Andrew Wiggin: KatjaMouse: ultraholland: KatjaMouse:

fark, i was in college then.

/lawn, off it.

My kids were starting college then, rookie.

/My lawn says, "Get off my lawn"
//My first computer was that VIC-20...
///and I was workin' for a living

Silverstaff: You can tell, it's so horribly dated. . .

I mean, pay phones in public places?

Covered in the plot. In the Matrix story universe the late 1990's was the "peak" of the humans' civilization, before machines started to rise. It's in the dialog and everything from Agent Smith.

Sure, Agent Smith might have been lying, but in this case I doubt it.

Knara: In the Matrix story universe the late 1990's was the "peak" of the humans' civilization, before machines started to rise. It's in the dialog and everything from Agent Smith. Sure, Agent Smith might have been lying, but in this case I doubt it.

dragonchild: Knara: In the Matrix story universe the late 1990's was the "peak" of the humans' civilization, before machines started to rise. It's in the dialog and everything from Agent Smith. Sure, Agent Smith might have been lying, but in this case I doubt it.

In The Matrix there is no math

Detinwolf: "was a big deal, as it was one of the first big movies to be mass produced on DVD . . ."

What are you, ten years old?

Not. More like 1996. And there were a *lot* of movies those three years you were sucking your thumb.

pwn3d781: "The Matrix" was a great movie. It's too bad they never made any sequels.

We do not speak of That-Which-Shalt-Not-Be-Named!

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

I saw it 3 times in the theater and I had the lowest view count of my friends at the time!

Wadded Beef: Loved the movie, but one plot-hole bugged me: Paraphrasing Morpheus after waking up Keanu, "we normally don't like to wake people because reality is too harsh/intense."

Then why the F are you FIGHTING the machines who are providing a decent environment? Your end game is...what, exactly?

He said he didn't like to pull them out of the Matrix at Neo's age because they were too settled into the Matrix. That is why they had those kids at the Oracle's house, they were in training.

At the end of the 3rd, they said they would let those out who wanted out. Some people would want to live in a world that they have more control in their destiny and is not just a simulation, but some would not.

Andrew Wiggin: me too...for some reason...


ME TOO!

dragonchild: Knara: In the Matrix story universe the late 1990's was the "peak" of the humans' civilization, before machines started to rise. It's in the dialog and everything from Agent Smith. Sure, Agent Smith might have been lying, but in this case I doubt it.

[www.treasury.gov.au image 477x303]

And this has what to do with the fictional universe that the story took place in?

Chewlies Gum Representative: It saddens me to this day that Episode 1 was a bigger hit than The Matrix. I stood in line for hours for tickets to Episode 1, when I should've just saved my $ and saw the Matrix a couple more times in theaters.

Although I love how the Matrix pretty much redefined science fiction and made the Phantom Menace obsolete and irrelevant before it even came out.

marduk411: Detinwolf: "was a big deal, as it was one of the first big movies to be mass produced on DVD . . ."

What are you, ten years old?

Not. More like 1996. And there were a *lot* of movies those three years you were sucking your thumb.


To be fair, most of the titles released on DVD between the first ("Twister" in 1997) and "The Matrix" in 1999 were pretty much "shovelware" - other than the higher resolution and the occasional director's commentary and/or gag reel, they didn't offer very much beyond what you got on the VHS release.

"The Matrix" made much better total use of the new format than anything released up to that point - better audio, lots of extra content, easter eggs in the menus (remember the "follow the white rabbit" bit on the DVD, where you would press a button on your remote when you saw the rabbit on the screen?)

Also, it was released on DVD during the run-up to the 1999 holiday shopping season, which was also when the price of DVD players entered the realm of "reasonable" for most people.

I have cool Matrix screen saver in Ubuntu Linux.

/That's an alternative operating system, in case you don't know.

Pick: I have cool Matrix screen saver in Ubuntu Linux.

/That's an alternative operating system, in case you don't know.

I don't care what anyone says, I still love that screensaver.

Knara: And this has what to do with the fictional universe that the story took place in?

I'm saying. . .

IT'S.

REAL.

(dum dum DUMMMMM!!)

dragonchild: Knara: And this has what to do with the fictional universe that the story took place in?

I'm saying. . .

IT'S.

REAL.

(dum dum DUMMMMM!!)

Sadly, no matter if I take the blue or red (or orange or green) pills, I always wake up in the Matrix again, I guess.

leonel: pwn3d781: "The Matrix" was a great movie. It's too bad they never made any sequels.

We do not speak of That-Which-Shalt-Not-Be-Named!

What are you trying to tell me? That I can dodge bullets crappy sequels?

jaggspb: leonel: pwn3d781: "The Matrix" was a great movie. It's too bad they never made any sequels.

We do not speak of That-Which-Shalt-Not-Be-Named!

What are you trying to tell me? That I can dodge bullets crappy sequels?


No, I'm telling you that when you're ready, you won't have to.

One Bad Apple: A question about the plot of "The Matrix" : Agent Smith refers to Neo as "Mister Anderson" pretty much as a running gag and Cypher is "Mister Reagan" but Morpheus is just Morpheus. He's not "Mister _____". Why ?

We never did learn that Morpheus' given name was, did we. But then again, we never learned most of them, I guess.

Knara: dragonchild: Knara: And this has what to do with the fictional universe that the story took place in?

I'm saying. . .

IT'S.

REAL.

(dum dum DUMMMMM!!)

Sadly, no matter if I take the blue or red (or orange or green) pills, I always wake up in the Matrix again, I guess.

You are doing it wrong! The red pill is actually a reusable suppository.

Okay, I've had enough of this:

No, the first Matrix movie was NOT good. It was shallow moronic slopisism dressed up in vaguely new action movie techniques (for the US anyway) and relied heavily on deus ex machina and the entire plot hinges on fatalism and this concept of a messianic figure.

StochasticLife: Okay, I've had enough of this:

No, the first Matrix movie was NOT good. It was shallow moronic slopisism dressed up in vaguely new action movie techniques (for the US anyway) and relied heavily on deus ex machina and the entire plot hinges on fatalism and this concept of a messianic figure.

It must be horrible for you to be in a world where people are permitted to think that certain things are good when you disagree with their assessment.

Knara: One Bad Apple: A question about the plot of "The Matrix" : Agent Smith refers to Neo as "Mister Anderson" pretty much as a running gag and Cypher is "Mister Reagan" but Morpheus is just Morpheus. He's not "Mister _____". Why ?

We never did learn that Morpheus' given name was, did we. But then again, we never learned most of them, I guess.


Is there anything in the canon that tells us when Cypher was first released from the Matrix? Neo was released as an adult, while Morpheus was released as a child. Perhaps that's why Smith doesn't call Morpheus "Mister"?

StochasticLife: Okay, I've had enough of this:

No, the first Matrix movie was NOT good. It was shallow moronic slopisism dressed up in vaguely new action movie techniques (for the US anyway) and relied heavily on deus ex machina and the entire plot hinges on fatalism and this concept of a messianic figure.

Knara: It must be horrible for you to be in a world where people are permitted to think that certain things are good when you disagree with their assessment.

Whatever. It's not like I'm knocking down doors looking for Matrix sympathizers, and yes, I do think that everyone is free to think whatever the hell they want to about anything.

But seriously, I've have to listen to "Well, the first Matrix movie was good" for YEARS now, I can't take it anymore.

Also, my troll-fu is weak.

ScottRiqui: Is there anything in the canon that tells us when Cypher was first released from the Matrix? Neo was released as an adult, while Morpheus was released as a child. Perhaps that's why Smith doesn't call Morpheus "Mister"?

I'm sure there's a Matrix wiki, but I couldn't tell you off the top of my head.

Personally, pulling stuff out of my ass, I think that Agent Smith used the formal titles for Cypher and Neo for very different reasons.

I think for Neo it was to play with his mind, trying to remind him of his old life and make him doubt the whole thing / himself.

For Cypher he was just kissing the guy's ass in order to get to Morpheus.

StochasticLife: Okay, I've had enough of this:

No, the first Matrix movie was NOT good. It was shallow moronic slopisism dressed up in vaguely new action movie techniques (for the US anyway) and relied heavily on deus ex machina and the entire plot hinges on fatalism and this concept of a messianic figure.


Well, the movie did raise some interesting philosophical questions, at least for most people that hadn't already read Plato's "Allegory of the Cave", or read about any of the various "brains in vats" thought experiments.

blonde Brunette red head

Knara: ScottRiqui: Is there anything in the canon that tells us when Cypher was first released from the Matrix? Neo was released as an adult, while Morpheus was released as a child. Perhaps that's why Smith doesn't call Morpheus "Mister"?

I'm sure there's a Matrix wiki, but I couldn't tell you off the top of my head.

Personally, pulling stuff out of my ass, I think that Agent Smith used the formal titles for Cypher and Neo for very different reasons.

I think for Neo it was to play with his mind, trying to remind him of his old life and make him doubt the whole thing / himself.

For Cypher he was just kissing the guy's ass in order to get to Morpheus.



That makes sense - In the case of "Mister Reagan", Smith would be playing on Cypher's desires to be inserted back into the Matrix and become "Mister Reagan" again (or at least a "new & improved" Reagan.

theflatline: The Matrix was a horrible movie. There I said it.

Equilibrium was much better.

The gun kata movie was better?! Yeah, go with that.

marduk411: Detinwolf: "was a big deal, as it was one of the first big movies to be mass produced on DVD . . ."

What are you, ten years old?

Not. More like 1996. And there were a *lot* of movies those three years you were sucking your thumb.

I sense much anger in you.

fifthhorseman: The gun kata movie was better?! Yeah, go with that.

It was certainly cool, but in a different way.

I know of one or two folks that just didn't buy the "probability" basis for the gun kata conceit that had no problem with the Matrix conceits.

Detinwolf: I sense much anger in you.

I remember going to a theatrical showing of Wing Commander just to see the Phantom Menace trailer.

In retrospect, I would have been better off without both.

The Animatrix.

/The only nerd approved post Matrix work.
//The Second Renaissance was awesome.

Knara: fifthhorseman: The gun kata movie was better?! Yeah, go with that.

It was certainly cool, but in a different way.

I know of one or two folks that just didn't buy the "probability" basis for the gun kata conceit that had no problem with the Matrix conceits.

I am not referring to the conceits. I'm referring to the acting, plot, direction and sets around the conceits. You know, the movie. I am also not saying I hated Equilibrium. But better? C'mon, really?

Knara: Detinwolf: I sense much anger in you.

I remember going to a theatrical showing of Wing Commander just to see the Phantom Menace trailer.

In retrospect, I would have been better off without both.


"Wing Commander" as a game was freaking awesome and was probably responsible for more PC sound card sales than any other game up to that point (except maybe KQIV). "Wing Commander" as a movie was basically a waste of an hour and a half.

fifthhorseman: Knara: fifthhorseman: The gun kata movie was better?! Yeah, go with that.

It was certainly cool, but in a different way.

I know of one or two folks that just didn't buy the "probability" basis for the gun kata conceit that had no problem with the Matrix conceits.

I am not referring to the conceits. I'm referring to the acting, plot, direction and sets around the conceits. You know, the movie. I am also not saying I hated Equilibrium. But better? C'mon, really?


Maybe the concept of "The Matrix" would have seemed painfully derivative to me if I'd had a stronger background in philosophy at the time, but the setting of "Equilibrium" *definitely* seemed trite to me - it was as if the writers sat down and re-read "Fahrenheit 451", "Brave New World" and "1984" right before they started writing the script.

fifthhorseman: I am not referring to the conceits. I'm referring to the acting, plot, direction and sets around the conceits. You know, the movie. I am also not saying I hated Equilibrium. But better? C'mon, really?

For my part, I really like the Matrix in general, have all sorts of stuff from it and loved the MMO before Sony Online Entertainment ruined it.

I've seen Equilibrium twice, and it was a few years back.

So, yeah, I guess.

GoSurfing: Saw The Matrix in the theater. Loved it. I'm sure many farkers saw it in the theater, but that seemed to be a movie that grew a bit over time with DVD sales. I don't believe it had a Star Wars type box office. I choose to ignore the sequels.

I saw The Matrix in the theater, and it completely and utterly blew my mind. You see, somehow I had managed to miss every single piece of advertising and trailer on this movie. My girlfriend saw it, loved it, and then dragged me over to see it, without telling me absolutely anything about it. So I sit watching this movie, ok, this is nice, then the UPS-cellphone scene, pretty cool, and then the "Y U WANNA CALL U NO HAVE MOUTH MR ANDERSON?" thing and my skin pretty much crawled off my body and ran away. Watched the rest of the movie on the edge of my seat. Not having any idea or preconceived notion from the trailer made it a zillion times more enjoyable.

To make a long story short: WHOA.

That DVD killed my first DVD player. Manufacturer said it was some defect in the firmware that they were aware of and they refused to replace my DVD player. Jerks. Damn things were expensive back then.

Andrew Wiggin: KatjaMouse: elchip: KatjaMouse: because good is dumb: It was great times for the black trench coat business too.

Too bad it was still that period of the Trench Coat Mafia paranoia.

Everyone in this thread better know what the Trench Coat Mafia was.

I think The Matrix came out less than a month BEFORE Columbine.

Of course, I guess it didn't get huge until later.

Oh god... why did I think Columbine happened before Matrix?!

i thought it did too.

columbine = Tuesday, April 20, 1999
matrix = 31 March 1999 (USA)

Hmmm - that means that while Columbine was happening, I was in a theater watching the Matrix for the second time (It was my 420 holiday movie that year)

/

ScottRiqui: fifthhorseman: Knara: fifthhorseman: The gun kata movie was better?! Yeah, go with that.

It was certainly cool, but in a different way.

I know of one or two folks that just didn't buy the "probability" basis for the gun kata conceit that had no problem with the Matrix conceits.

I am not referring to the conceits. I'm referring to the acting, plot, direction and sets around the conceits. You know, the movie. I am also not saying I hated Equilibrium. But better? C'mon, really?


Maybe the concept of "The Matrix" would have seemed painfully derivative to me if I'd had a stronger background in philosophy at the time, but the setting of "Equilibrium" *definitely* seemed trite to me - it was as if the writers sat down and re-read "Fahrenheit 451", "Brave New World" and "1984" right before they started writing the script.

I think you'd have more of a point if they were writing an Equilibrium book, which would have made it a poor copy of the aforementioned books. But a movie is not on the same level as a book. Equilibrium did a good job of getting many 1984 and Fahrenheit 451 ideas across to people who might not of otherwise read the books. So the movie is heavy in tropes. So what. So are most movies, and books for that matter. Even now you're saying that you might have enjoyed The Matrix less if you knew more about philosophy. I think that's a wrong attitude to take. You're basically saying that you can't look at movie on it's face and evaluate it for what it is. You spend your time watching Equilibrium comparing it to great books and never took time to just watch a neat movie, and you would have done the same with The Matrix That's a shame.

taurusowner: ScottRiqui: fifthhorseman: Knara: fifthhorseman: The gun kata movie was better?! Yeah, go with that.

It was certainly cool, but in a different way.

I know of one or two folks that just didn't buy the "probability" basis for the gun kata conceit that had no problem with the Matrix conceits.

I am not referring to the conceits. I'm referring to the acting, plot, direction and sets around the conceits. You know, the movie. I am also not saying I hated Equilibrium. But better? C'mon, really?


Maybe the concept of "The Matrix" would have seemed painfully derivative to me if I'd had a stronger background in philosophy at the time, but the setting of "Equilibrium" *definitely* seemed trite to me - it was as if the writers sat down and re-read "Fahrenheit 451", "Brave New World" and "1984" right before they started writing the script.

I think you'd have more of a point if they were writing an Equilibrium book, which would have made it a poor copy of the aforementioned books. But a movie is not on the same level as a book. Equilibrium did a good job of getting many 1984 and Fahrenheit 451 ideas across to people who might not of otherwise read the books. So the movie is heavy in tropes. So what. So are most movies, and books for that matter. Even now you're saying that you might have enjoyed The Matrix less if you knew more about philosophy. I think that's a wrong attitude to take. You're basically saying that you can't look at movie on it's face and evaluate it for what it is. You spend your time watching Equilibrium comparing it to great books and never took time to just watch a neat movie, and you would have done the same with The Matrix That's a shame.


Don't get me wrong - I enjoyed both movies for what they were, but I thought "Equilibrium" went well beyond "tropes" and dove straight into cliché. I didn't feel like the writers added anything at all to the idea of a dystopian future - instead, it felt like they took a stock dystopia off the shelf and used it instead.

Like I said earlier, I might have felt the same way about "The Matrix" if I had just finished reading Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave" or Descartes' "Meditations on First Philosophy" before watching the movie. But I hadn't, so "The Matrix" was far more philosophically engaging and interesting for me.

I bought a Bluray player for Dark City, a superior movie to The Matrix in many respects - unless you think gunfights are all that matters in a film.

Equilibrium is probably the most deeply flawed movie I will admit enjoying. That movie had plot holes I could fly the Nebuchadnezzar through. The entire premise of the movie was control through emotion manipulation. There sure were a lot of excited situations considering the emotional muting that was supposedly taking place. But I guess most nerds don't understand emotion, so yeah I can see it being appreciated on the same level of The Matrix.

So, the Christ story it's based on is over 2000 years old.

radioman_: I bought a Bluray player for Dark City, a superior movie to The Matrix in many respects - unless you think gunfights are all that matters in a film.

They count for something. Dark City and The Matrix are both enjoyable flicks.

sotua: GoSurfing: Saw The Matrix in the theater. Loved it. I'm sure many farkers saw it in the theater, but that seemed to be a movie that grew a bit over time with DVD sales. I don't believe it had a Star Wars type box office. I choose to ignore the sequels.

I saw The Matrix in the theater, and it completely and utterly blew my mind. You see, somehow I had managed to miss every single piece of advertising and trailer on this movie. My girlfriend saw it, loved it, and then dragged me over to see it, without telling me absolutely anything about it. So I sit watching this movie, ok, this is nice, then the UPS-cellphone scene, pretty cool, and then the "Y U WANNA CALL U NO HAVE MOUTH MR ANDERSON?" thing and my skin pretty much crawled off my body and ran away. Watched the rest of the movie on the edge of my seat. Not having any idea or preconceived notion from the trailer made it a zillion times more enjoyable.

To make a long story short: WHOA.

I think The Matrix was probably the last big-budget film that I saw completely spoiler-free and without any knowledge of the plot. That is probably why I also enjoyed it so much when I saw it at the theater.

DAMN YOU INTERWEBS!

sotua: To make a long story short: WHOA.

That's exactly what happened to me.

How will Our Heroes get out of the Matrix when no one knows what a land line is anymore?

cousndick: And that's about the last time we've seen Hollywood push a major/big budgeted R-rated movie. Now all they make is PG-13 movies so they can sell more tickets.
Sad.

That's not universally true. Of course, the sweet spot for profits is PG-13, especially for an action movie, but that's always been the case, and if you are spending $100 million or more on a movie, you pretty much need to go for the lowest common demoninator. Zack Snyder has managed to get two very expensive, effects heavy R rated movies made recently (300 and Watchmen). Of the top 20 R rated movies, eight were released since The Martix (including The Matrix Reloaded). #1 overall is Jesus Christ Chainsaw Massacre (The Passion of the Christ). #2 is M: Reloaded. #3 is The Hangover. #4-6 are older, but #7 is 300 and #8 is Wedding Crashers. #9 is older, #10 is Gladiator.

Link (new window)

Tax Boy: sotua: GoSurfing: Saw The Matrix in the theater. Loved it. I'm sure many farkers saw it in the theater, but that seemed to be a movie that grew a bit over time with DVD sales. I don't believe it had a Star Wars type box office. I choose to ignore the sequels.

I saw The Matrix in the theater, and it completely and utterly blew my mind. You see, somehow I had managed to miss every single piece of advertising and trailer on this movie. My girlfriend saw it, loved it, and then dragged me over to see it, without telling me absolutely anything about it. So I sit watching this movie, ok, this is nice, then the UPS-cellphone scene, pretty cool, and then the "Y U WANNA CALL U NO HAVE MOUTH MR ANDERSON?" thing and my skin pretty much crawled off my body and ran away. Watched the rest of the movie on the edge of my seat. Not having any idea or preconceived notion from the trailer made it a zillion times more enjoyable.

To make a long story short: WHOA.

I think The Matrix was probably the last big-budget film that I saw completely spoiler-free and without any knowledge of the plot. That is probably why I also enjoyed it so much when I saw it at the theater.

DAMN YOU INTERWEBS!

Meh, the trailer spoiled it enough for me. From the trailer, I deduced it would be "Somebody is trapped in virtual reality and then they start using cheat codes," which is an accurate description of the film.

ScottRiqui:
Like I said earlier, I might have felt the same way about "The Matrix" if I had just finished reading Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave" or Descartes' "Meditations on First Philosophy" before watching the movie. But I hadn't, so "The Matrix" was far more philosophically engaging and interesting for me.

Much of the underlying philosophy of the movie comes from French Philosopher Jean Baudrillard's "Simulacra and Simulation". It's an interesting read.

RollingThunder: Detinwolf: I remember the Matrix coming out on DVD, which apparently was a big deal, as it was one of the first big movies to be mass produced on DVD

Yep. I knew so many people that bought DVD players because of the Matrix.

I did exactly that. Went to a friends house and saw it on his tv on DVD and went out and bought one and a copy of the Matrix that day.

prgrmr: ScottRiqui:
Like I said earlier, I might have felt the same way about "The Matrix" if I had just finished reading Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave" or Descartes' "Meditations on First Philosophy" before watching the movie. But I hadn't, so "The Matrix" was far more philosophically engaging and interesting for me.

Much of the underlying philosophy of the movie comes from French Philosopher Jean Baudrillard's "Simulacra and Simulation". It's an interesting read.


I have a copy upstairs, but I'm only about halfway through. I don't know if it's because it's a translation or because of the subject matter itself, but I'm having a hard time slogging through it. I should give it a try again.

Loved so much better when it didn't have all the kung fu and was called Tron.

Flappyhead: You are now reading this in Morpheus' voice.

I read EVERYTHING in his voice.

Matrix in 5 seconds (new window)

Tax Boy: How will Our Heroes get out of the Matrix when no one knows what a land line is anymore?

That's one of the most glaring plot holes of the movie, actually

So it's possible for a ship to "broadcast" human minds as a wireless signal into the Matrix without the need of a landline phone at the other end, but a landline phone is required to bring the mind back to the ship?

Also, those "landline" phones are just as simulated as cellphones in the Matrix... there's no actual physically wired link that occurs when someone picks up the phone to go back to the ship

Geotpf: ...snip...

Link (new window)

Just checked out the link...why is Rain Man "R" Rated. I can't even remember anything in the movie that would make it pg-13.

Tentacle: Tax Boy: How will Our Heroes get out of the Matrix when no one knows what a land line is anymore?

That's one of the most glaring plot holes of the movie, actually

So it's possible for a ship to "broadcast" human minds as a wireless signal into the Matrix without the need of a landline phone at the other end, but a landline phone is required to bring the mind back to the ship?

Also, those "landline" phones are just as simulated as cellphones in the Matrix... there's no actual physically wired link that occurs when someone picks up the phone to go back to the ship

The landline phones in the Matrix are 'hacked' somehow to serve as 'exits' in the film. Not every landline phone in the movie is a way out of the Matrix; the rebels have somehow hacked the 'reality' of the simulation so that those specific landline phones aren't just simple phones. Remember that near the end of the movie, when Neo is running from the Agents and trying to get out, Smith remembers the exit at the 'Heart O' The City Hotel' from earlier in the film (from the opening sequence with Trinity), figures out where Neo is headed, and manages to beat Neo there (and blow a few holes in his chest), so obviously it's not just any ol' landline.

I imagine it as something akin to those secret 'backdoors' in Reloaded that are accessible via the special keys made by the Keymaker, that serve as instant portals from one location in the Matrix to another.

In short, it's some sort of trojan horse, inserted in the programming of specific landlines.

Goddamn, I love those movies. All three.

In short, I imagi

Ignore that last fragmented sentence. It's a glitch in the Matrix. It happens when they change things.