New Matrix trailer

[barsoomcore]

I hear you. There are just some story elements that don't belong in movies. Mind battles are one of them.

People experiencing virtual reality is another. They always look so dumb with some thing strapped to their head while they act like they're seeing stuff.

Computers. Just don't put computers in your movies. Nobody wants to watch people type, and Hollywood's efforts to make computers more interesting only make Hollywood look incredibly stupid.

I just don't think there are good solutions to these problems. Just don't do it. Please.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

My apologies Barsoomcore, my post probably did seem hostile or pretentious. Didn't mean it that way. Sorry.

I would like to clarify a bit.

Huh. Sure, it's safe to say that. Since we weren't given any evidence one way or another, why not? I think it's safe to say it's pointless to even talk about Neo as though he were meant to represent a particular human being.

I disagree. I thought the initial shock was pretty clear and was only made more so by the fact that he dropped to his knees and puked.

I loved the fact that I could identify so well with the character. Maybe it was my particular mindset at the time, but throughout the most of the movie, I was saying in my head "Wow. That would suck if it happened to me." Oddly enough, it was when Neo gained his "super powers" that I my identification began to fade away. By the end of the movie, I had switched more over to sympathy, though maybe not entirelly.

Have you heard of a French effects company called BUF?

Well, it doesn't sound familiar. That is kinda the point though. The Matrix was the first to bring it into the public's eye. I know it was definatly the first place I ever saw bullet time.

I think the idea you're reaching for is that the Matrix appeals to people like you. I'm unsurprised that you think people who share your tastes are a higher calibre of person.

You thought wrong. Perhaps I was generalizing too much. I was just saying that if two people approached me, one wearing a Matrix tee shirt, the other wearing a Britney Spears tee shirt, I'd be more inclined to listen to the Matrix fan. Of course, that Britney Spears fan could be a rocket scientist for all I know, but it in my experience, this is very rarely the case.

but if I can recognize the goofball sophomoric spouting that the Matrix pretends is philosophy for what it is

Yes. There is some "goofball sophomoric spouting" in the movie. I also happen to think that their are some lines in there that can carry some legitamate philosophical weight. I mean, they aren't spouting Shakespear, but I didn't go to see that.

Well, on that we agree.

The reason I said you didn't "get" the Matrix comes from the fact that you sound like you where looking for something else in the movie. The Matrix was a special effects powered action movie wrapped in a nice little pseudophilisophical package to hold it all together.

I don't watch Dumb and Dumber in hopes of finding the meaning of life.

 

[John Crichton]

The Matrix was a special effects powered action movie wrapped in a nice little pseudophilisophical package to hold it all together.

I don't watch Dumb and Dumber in hopes of finding the meaning of life.

I don't mean to poach.

That description is exactly what the movie was. But by looking at the first half of the movie, it could have been more. Much more. Now I'm all for a good shoot-out, don't get me wrong. It just seemed to me that the movie was aiming higher than just "action movie." With the exception of a few easily ignored plot points they had some pretty heady topics going on there. Now, I couldn't really relate in general but they definately got my brain going. It reminded me of (as mentioned) Dark City which I adored. Maybe I just wanted more from it and maybe I like it when movies go all the way with a concept rather than just cutting out at the end.

I still don't excuse it for falling short at the end but I do acknowledge that I enjoyed what they showed me. And because I was entertained, I am looking forward to these next 2.

 

[Viking Bastard]

Wait, you didn't like the mind battle in Dark City?

It's one of my favourite fight scenes in all of moviedom. I love
psionic stuff like that. Makes my skin crawl in Holy GEEKiness!

Perfect ending of a perfect movie. Well, nearly perfect...

.

As for the Matrix, love the movie and I can understand Chrichton's
'more potential' statement, but I didn't feel cheated, I saw 'to be
continued' written all over it since the first major battle scene.
That's fine by me. I like serials, prefer them if anything, the problem
is of course of how adept Hollywood studios are to screw them up.

I've never seen The Matrix as outstanding in anything plot wise,
but that doesn't make it a worse movie. I like the before mentioned
Magnolia a lot, it really moved me, but I still think The Matrix's the
better movie, because when I weight the things I liked about the
Matrix (powertrip, kewlness, fun) against the things I liked about
Magnolia (script, character deapth, drama) I got more out of the
Matrix.

And I can't stand most Kung Fu crap. I'm soooo annoyed by all
the Kung Fu mania that's followed The Matrix... and that bullet
time stunt just makes me gringe. I love the movie, but I can't
stand the flood of Hollywood copycats since. I've never been a
fan of martial arts movies (there's a bunch of 'em I like, but it's
usually despite the kung fu, not because of it).

The Matrix however, made me like it.

 

[John Crichton]

Wait, you didn't like the mind battle in Dark City?

It's one of my favourite fight scenes in all of moviedom. I love
psionic stuff like that. Makes my skin crawl in Holy GEEKiness!

Perfect ending of a perfect movie. Well, nearly perfect...

It just didn't feel right the first time I saw it (in the theater). I didn't hate it but it just rubbed me a tad wrong. But upon later viewings, that feeling has lessened mostly because I couldn't think of any other way Proyas could have shown it and made it better.

 

[RangerWickett]

I saw Dark City a few years ago, so I can't recall it perfectly, but since the whole point was that he gained psychic powers to reshape reality a bit, couldn't they have been making changes in the world around them? Bad guy starts to make the room dark and creepy and deathly, but then the hero counters by reshaping those dark things into something beautiful or less frightening. It could be kinda like psychic judo. He pushes, and instead of you pushing back, you just take what he does and move it a little in a different direction to get the result you want.

Anywho, good point about that kick. It would've been cool if they could've had the kick continue through the scene.

 

[Viking Bastard]

That would've been rather hard to do for good effect methinks.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

And I can't stand most Kung Fu crap. I'm soooo annoyed by all
the Kung Fu mania that's followed The Matrix... and that bullet
time stunt just makes me gringe. I love the movie, but I can't
stand the flood of Hollywood copycats since. I've never been a
fan of martial arts movies (there's a bunch of 'em I like, but it's
usually despite the kung fu, not because of it).

The Matrix however, made me like it.

Oddly enough, I am a martial artist and I agree with you. The way martial arts is usually portrayed in movies makes me sick. For instance I freaking HATED Crouching Tiger, Squating Dog. If you are going to fly around like idiots, at least give me a REASON why I should accept it as possible.

The Matrix had a semi-believable explaination for why the people in it could do the things they did. At least, it was enough for me to suspend disbelief. CT,HD and many others since havn't been able to do that.

Bullet time has been overused since The Matrix and so has wirework.

 

[Viking Bastard]

I loved CTHD actually.

My problem with Kung Fu/Ninja/thingy movies is not that it's
unbelievable (not something I tend to complain about, unless
it's something stupid like how cars keep on blowing up for no
real reason) but rather that it's dull. For me, what drives any
fight scene is drama, which is why I prefer (for example) the
Vader/Luke fight in RotJ over the Maul/Obi/Jinn fight in TPM.

Most martial arts films are completely drama-less. That is,
they have a lot of drama until the fight scene. The movies
have drama leaking out their ears until it's time to fight and
then it's all about technique. It kills the moment completely!

 

[John Crichton]

I saw Dark City a few years ago, so I can't recall it perfectly, but since the whole point was that he gained psychic powers to reshape reality a bit, couldn't they have been making changes in the world around them? Bad guy starts to make the room dark and creepy and deathly, but then the hero counters by reshaping those dark things into something beautiful or less frightening. It could be kinda like psychic judo. He pushes, and instead of you pushing back, you just take what he does and move it a little in a different direction to get the result you want.

Hmm, not bad. But what about the life and death situation the two were locked in? I guess it could have been done on the ground with objects flying all over the place like Luke/Vader in ESB and have them manipulating things down there. Yeah, that may have worked better for me...

And as for that kick, I never really had an issue with it or really noticed. * shrugs *