tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52578532011-06-07T23:20:50.470-07:00Essays about The MatrixTomnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2311100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-63564891616544452682008-01-04T00:24:00.000-08:002008-01-04T00:41:29.096-08:00

People who've watched TheMatrix have at one time or other wondered, what if it were real? ...And then quickly dismiss the thought as too improbable you might as well believe you're really a flying superhero and this life is just a dream.But beyond the concept being a mere interesting thought experiment, and because far too many researches have been more bizarre, someone's finally taking the

Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-56136532157414367142007-12-04T22:00:00.000-08:002007-12-04T22:10:01.895-08:00

Daniel Böttger writes of an eye opening reinterpretation that is apparent now that he mentions it:"Something very fascinating I found, which is so obscure it has apparently escaped everyone's attention so far, but is really very obvious once you look at it, is the movie's very close relation to the story structure of "The Fool's Journey", an concept from Western esotericism. It is related to

Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-14450895984646020932007-12-04T21:51:00.000-08:002007-12-04T21:56:48.293-08:00

PD Wood has completed a fourth and final episode Matrix 4- The Super Matrix which answers most of the questions and mysteries set up in the previous screenplay.You can check ou the site and download the document here. (Now in "official screenplay" format.)

Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-70857918188152465972007-05-07T09:04:00.000-07:002007-05-07T09:18:44.507-07:00

No matter what you think about the Matrix sequels, no one will argue the greatness inherent in the story of the Matrix itself. And it's sad to see that with the amount of dissing the sequels got, there hadn't been any truly significant additions to the franchise, and all Matrix fans are left wanting more and more, without our thirst quenched.Fortunately there are still some good folks out there

Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1139189897549360942006-02-05T17:24:00.000-08:002006-02-05T17:42:01.330-08:00

Rickard has called our attention to a piece about a "relatively detailed description of the twelve movies about the Matrix, and how these relate to the esoteric Tradition, and in particular Freedom." [Read More »]

Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1132995928974802792005-11-26T00:17:00.000-08:002005-11-26T01:06:30.793-08:00

Just when you thought The Matrix had ended, along comes another game, more stories, and another site giving a nice lengthy view about the Matrix Conundrum.http://matrix-explained.com/The Matrix lives.

Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1102403301113119942004-12-06T23:07:00.000-08:002004-12-06T23:08:21.113-08:00

There's an interesting entry in MeFi about the ongoing travails of the "Mother of the Matrix" who alleges the Wachowskis bogarted her work. "what if the Wachowski brothers ripped off the ideas for their high-grossing trilogy from an unknown screenwriter who claims to have submitted it in response to a 1981 ad the brothers placed 'requesting new sci-fi works?'" [MOM | MF | SLC]

Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1100262882964699022004-11-12T04:28:00.000-08:002004-11-12T04:34:42.963-08:00

Richard Miller writes: "Like everyone who resonated with the Matrix I saw something special in the Wachowski's work – namely, myself. What amazes me is that although many others have seen reflections of their tradition or religion in the story, I have not found anyone who supports the view that the myth is a portrait of the perennial philosopher-- self. It seems so clear to me-- once the

Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1092430317419756772004-08-14T13:42:00.000-07:002004-08-19T01:21:00.976-07:00

Dr. Sam Vaknin examines the concept and manifestations of reality from the context of The Matrix, including how choice, and the interaction between a system and its participants influence, affect, and ultimately determine its destiny. It is easy to confuse the concepts of "virtual reality" and a "computerized model of reality (simulation)". The former is a self-contained Universe, replete with

Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1092431647822328082004-08-11T13:53:00.000-07:002004-08-13T14:14:07.823-07:00

Over the months we've tried to answer the requests for this site running on the optional (and concurrent) domain name (matrixessays.com), both to match the site's redesign, but also as a special service to visitors, a few of whom have asked that it would be nice to have the option for the shorter but still straightforward domain. The idea was to point, redirect or mirror this site so that

Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1081445769314347902004-04-08T10:27:00.000-07:002004-04-08T10:39:27.606-07:00

UGO has a double treat of pieces on the Matrix films, now that Revolutions is coming out on DVD, with an insightful look into the different aspects of the trilogy, from the choices in the Matrix to the Top 11 Matrix Questions. Note: Dont' forget to find the part about what The Architect has to say of the DVD release.

Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1079156346956581962004-03-12T19:55:00.000-08:002004-03-12T21:44:31.686-08:00

"Neo is the One. Smith is the Many. Throughout history, the battle has always been on whether we must believe in the Truth, or merely the many truths." Marcelle Fabie has two fine essays on the continuing arrival of fresh views about the world of the Matrix. There have indeed been many theories before, including religious allegories and philosophical references. And this is among the many

Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1078205838238357042004-03-01T21:34:00.001-08:002004-03-01T21:39:25.576-08:00

Brian Takle's take and essay on Matrix:Revolutions. "What compelled me to write for Reloaded was frustration. Everyone seemed to be missing the point. With Revolutions, even though many people are still not getting it, I have seen an astounding, deeply gratifying wealth of insight..."

Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1078205690632087552004-03-01T21:34:00.000-08:002004-03-01T21:36:57.996-08:00

Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1078205626413458812004-03-01T21:29:00.000-08:002004-03-01T21:35:53.780-08:00

For those who still need a fix on cloudy issues about the film, or just want more illumination, Brian Takle has an essay about Matrix:Reloaded. It's an evolving document and should fill anyone's need for more on the subject.

Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1076926088985997282004-02-16T02:04:00.000-08:002004-03-21T22:54:35.606-08:00

UbiSoft has a growing list of articles about its upcoming MMORPG MatrixOnline: "In the movies, ingested "code" affected the individual. What of being able to write code to affect or infect other players, either positively or negatively. You don't have to eat in the game, but an injection could be given, etc. or maybe even simulated visual input could have an effect, like encoded strobe light."

Nicholasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1068701801000876092003-11-12T21:36:00.000-08:002003-11-12T21:36:38.053-08:00

An article about Buddhism in The Matrix: Reloaded.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1068420461938140092003-11-09T15:27:00.000-08:002003-11-09T15:27:47.983-08:00

Binary Bonsai has a rebuttal to the negative reviews of Revolutions. Excerpt: What I saw on that screen Wednesday night was the logical conclusion to that childhood dream. It was all that I had built up since I was a kid, and to me it was all that that I had made it up to be. This was it, the dark future. This was where mankind had to make its last stand against the machines, the aliens and all

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1068265522040189582003-11-07T20:25:00.000-08:002003-11-07T20:25:20.030-08:00

"Real Life" (yes I do have one) has been interfering with my blogging. But I will post a writeup of Revolutions as soon as I see it, which will probably be this weekend.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1067483008464247252003-10-29T19:03:00.000-08:002003-10-29T19:03:24.623-08:00

Steven Spencer has an analysis of the Revolutions trailer on his site.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1066022773529535232003-10-12T22:26:00.000-07:002003-10-12T22:28:34.643-07:00

Nick Douglas writes: I found a site for those playing the Metacortechs metagame: ">http://free.pages.at/areku/meta/htm/introduction.htm Unfiction.com’s forum for Metacortechs A third resource. http://www.bole.ca/matrix/index.php The game reminds me of a similar PR campaign for the film "A.I." That campaign began with a credit for "Jeanine Salla, Sentient Machine Therapist:" http://imdb.com/

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1065666473362511862003-10-08T19:27:00.000-07:002003-10-08T19:28:08.916-07:00

Some readers have pointed me towards this additional information on Metacortechs at eHacked.com: The Watchowski (sp?) brothers have started an extremely immersive experience that only hones our hunger for the third installment of this great series. Starting in late September, MetaCortechs's site became active. Within days, people began to realize how deep the rabbit hole really goes, with the WB

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1065581435171862102003-10-07T19:50:00.000-07:002003-10-07T19:50:34.596-07:00

Several readers have pointed out this link: http://www.metacortechs.com/, supposedly the company that Neo works for in The Matrix.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1065581351163233062003-10-07T19:49:00.000-07:002003-10-07T19:49:10.596-07:00

Reader Chris writes: I picked up the current issue of Cinefex (issue 95), and there are a good amount of photos from The Matrix Reloaded, as well as some behind the scenes pictures, like an overhead photo of the fake highway. There is one interesting detail I never noticed before: the addresses on the colliding trucks. They are: Longpath 10101 Metropolitan Street City F.C. US DOT (obscured) MC

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1065581249560566102003-10-07T19:47:00.000-07:002003-10-07T19:47:29.020-07:00

Reader "the sherlock" writes: In watching the Revolutions preview, Neo wakes up in a white train/subway station and on the wall is written Mobil Ave. This is about the part in the preview where (sounds like) the Oracle says Neo is "in a place between this world and the machine world". Mobil is an anagram for Limbo. Neat eh?

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1065071695557054932003-10-01T22:14:00.000-07:002003-10-01T22:16:31.726-07:00

Reader Mike writes, in response to the previous post: The giant spiky thing doesn't grant Neo any Real World powers, he gives him more freedom in the Matrix. If you watch it, you can see a needle behind Neo that gets injected into his head. Second, Cypher doesn't come back, it's Bane, who in Reloaded was infected with Smith. Also as a final note, If you look towards the end of the trailer, you

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1064932386831850162003-09-30T07:33:00.000-07:002003-09-30T07:33:53.010-07:00

Reader "trogdor" writes: The revolutions full trailer is available from the official site. It brings the following analysis: Neo apparently loses his eyes, hence the bandage/dried blood. Symbolic? The matrix system is conscious outside of the Matrix proper, i.e., the sentinels, as we already know, but the large speaking spiky thing is interesting. Cypher/Neo is back, indicating possibly

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1064784709788228782003-09-28T14:31:00.000-07:002003-09-28T14:31:49.630-07:00

I've been very distracted by the Women's World Cup soccer tournament, but I will get back to posting here in the next few days. --Tom

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1064288448729441522003-09-22T20:40:00.001-07:002003-09-22T20:40:48.266-07:00

Comments seem to be broken on this site again.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1064288407822146662003-09-22T20:40:00.000-07:002003-09-22T20:40:07.376-07:00

Mistervader created a point-by-point rebuttal to the Matrix Rejected article.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1063938097257625382003-09-18T19:21:00.000-07:002003-09-18T19:22:23.233-07:00

Also on thelastfreecity, I found a link to a funny analysis of the Revolutions trailer.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1063937112872611232003-09-18T19:08:00.000-07:002003-09-18T19:13:45.223-07:00

[Editor's note: reader "AgentShaolin" submitted this story, which is his edit of a post written by "RapidRabbit" on a forum at thelastfreecity. I added the hyperlinks. The relationship of the Matrix to Joseph Cambpell's structure has been discussed before, but this article does it a little differently, and adds Reloaded into the mix. -- Tom] I've just read this book: The Hero with a Thousand

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1063494516741910572003-09-13T16:08:00.000-07:002003-09-13T16:14:31.750-07:00

A reader who identifies himself as "Not a Wachowski Brother" writes: [. . .] the real question, why is the matrix? Morpheus tells us that it's a system of control. He believes that it was built by the machines to harness the power of humans. He knows this because the Zion archive told him when he watched the Animatrix DVD. The Zion archive was recorded by his ancestors. No doubt a persecuted

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1063254859042681032003-09-10T21:34:00.000-07:002003-09-10T21:34:19.010-07:00

A reader asks: I ran across your website and was wondering if you happen to know what the make and model of the black car with the suicide doors is in the first Matrix movie? I don't know, but maybe one of the other readers does. If you know, please leave a comment.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1063161352881368412003-09-09T19:35:00.000-07:002003-09-09T19:35:52.886-07:00

In Program, two characters have a debate, then a battle over whether to reject the truth and go back into the Matrix. In the end the character who does not want to go back triumphs, but then we learn that the whole thing was just a training program, "a test." What is the point of this episode, besides looking cool artistically? We've already heard the same basic "shoulda taken the blue pill,

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1063069865125354422003-09-08T18:11:00.000-07:002003-09-08T18:11:05.220-07:00

Q. How much money do you make from this blog? Is it easy to make a living from blogging? A. Well, let's see, let me get out of my Matrix Essays hot tub on the deck of my Matrix Essays yacht and walk down to the accounting department so they can get me that figure. Oh, here it is: so far I have not made any money at all from this site. Heck, if I wanted to have even a shred of a slim chance of

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1062980282052211872003-09-07T17:18:00.000-07:002003-09-07T17:18:49.193-07:00

This is not Matrix-related, but a friend of mine runs the H.P. Lovecraft film festival. I went last year and enjoyed it. Check it out if you're in Portland. Also, if anyone has any theories about Lovecraftian references in The Matrix, I'd like to hear them.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1062969692071347162003-09-07T14:21:00.000-07:002003-09-07T14:21:32.106-07:00

From Brad's blog (excerpt): I thought you'd like to know that there is a blog site called The Matrix Essays where your daughter could post her thoughts on how the Wachowsky brothers have altered her view of preschool. That is, if she's not too busy watching South Park.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1062969436228503042003-09-07T14:17:00.000-07:002003-09-08T18:17:26.263-07:00

Maybe when programs do things they're not supposed to do, humans in the Matrix explain it away with stories of werewolves or ghosts. But what are Joe and Jane Q. Public in the Matrix thinking when Neo keeps buzzing past overhead, and moments later there are huge explosions nearby? Why isn't there a panic? Some black-clad sunglasses-wearing goth priest punk looking guy flies around over the

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1062736516939954272003-09-04T21:35:00.000-07:002003-09-04T21:44:13.383-07:00

Somethingawful presents Glitches in the Matrix. (Link sent in by Marcelle.) I like the surfing spoof on the second page, and the TMNT spoof on the third page.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1062735747884688662003-09-04T21:22:00.000-07:002003-09-04T21:45:13.486-07:00

Reader David Chao writes: I've been noticing that, throughout the web of Matrix stories, some share similar images of streets and crosswalks. There are three scenes that I know of, where each one first shows the crosswalk sign changing from 'stop' to 'walk', then a close shot of the pedestrians starting to move, and then a long shot of all the pedestrians crossing. The first scene was in The

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1062474195051349232003-09-01T20:43:00.000-07:002003-09-01T20:44:27.933-07:00

Peter's site about the Matrix has a list of books about the Matrix, Matrix links, and articles.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1062471147407692612003-09-01T19:52:00.000-07:002003-09-01T19:52:56.070-07:00

It's time to announce the winners of the Matrix Limericks Contest. Thanks to everyone who participated! Winner: The plug on the back of my head fills me with sorrow and dread The goddamn thing itches and scares off the bitches before I can get them in bed. by eukodol Runner-up: There once was a gal called the Oracle Whose questions were merely rhetorical Her pie a la mode Could contain

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1062470224651870262003-09-01T19:37:00.000-07:002003-09-04T21:29:12.463-07:00

In the September, 2003 issue of Premiere, Libby Gelman-Waxner opines on The Matrix: I really liked the first Matrix movie because it was incoherent on a deeply appealing level. It was a conspiracy-theory wet dream about a future where machines run the world, and the humans are enslaved in an alternate virtual reality. Lots of people, especially graduate students and 11-year-olds, took this

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1062096001919517222003-08-28T11:40:00.000-07:002003-08-28T20:33:56.436-07:00

From Minding the Planet comes the article, Are We Living in a Simulated Reality? Excerpt: [. . .] start with a simple feedback loop. Clearly that isn't self-aware. Now make it a little more complex -- for example, add a nested loop, or a branching if-then statement to it. That isn't aware either. Now keep doing that, adding a little more logic and complexity each time. None of these additions

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1062049623683354062003-08-27T22:47:00.000-07:002003-08-27T22:54:06.073-07:00

Jason sent in a link to The Culture Industry Has You. Excerpt: The culture industry claims to serve the consumers' needs for entertainment, but conceals the way that it standardizes these needs, manipulating them to conform to what it produces -- the summer blockbuster, the situation comedy, "reality" TV. Variations in consumer income and taste are rationally organized and modifications to the

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1062049138833978972003-08-27T22:38:00.000-07:002003-08-27T22:38:58.810-07:00

Psychle's Matrix Blog is the blog of a fictional character, who tells a story set in the Matrix universe.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1062041346605627822003-08-27T20:29:00.000-07:002003-08-27T20:39:08.580-07:00

Does anyone else find it strange that the machines don't have a leader? Normally in movies when the good guys are faced with an evil army, the army has a leader of some sort: a general, a commander -- someone who can proclaim, "All your base are belong to us!" Why isn't there a CyberGeneral, commander of the Machines? The Architect is not the leader of the machines (that we know of). He is

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1061912897820426502003-08-26T08:48:00.000-07:002003-08-26T08:48:17.956-07:00

Relevant magazine has an article about where Reloaded failed. (Link via Cristop)

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1061912785173878952003-08-26T08:46:00.000-07:002003-08-26T08:46:45.300-07:00

Steve has an essay on his blog about Neo. "Neo is the ultimate mediator for the world."

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1061658508534365662003-08-23T10:08:00.000-07:002003-08-23T10:08:28.576-07:00

[This essay was contributed by reader "lionel zs"] Most of us are scoffing at the idea of using bioheat and bioelectricty from stacks and stacks of people as fuel. You wonder if this absurd arrangement is not solely for energy, of if it's for something else altogether, and you try to come up with all sorts of theories for it. Doesn't anyone ever read the comics? In The Matrix Comics Series 1,

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1061658322168796162003-08-23T10:05:00.000-07:002003-08-23T10:05:34.503-07:00

An analysis of the Neo/Architect conversation. (Link contributed by M. Dixon)

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1061658049770368232003-08-23T10:00:00.000-07:002003-08-23T10:01:22.293-07:00

[This essay was contributed by JP] An analysis of the Revolutions trailer from the point of view of the voiceover. What I am going to try to do here is not a flagrant attempt at some far-out theory, but rather a brief look at the evidence provided in the Matrix: Revolutions trailer that has recently been made public. We have been guided towards examining the names of people and places within

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1061477331720670192003-08-21T07:48:00.000-07:002003-08-21T10:54:51.283-07:00

Revolutions trailer online. (via skittish). BitTorrent link here (via Slashdot)

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1061430523591616472003-08-20T18:48:00.000-07:002003-08-20T18:52:10.503-07:00

Some people have suggested that Revolutions cannot end with the destruction of the Matrix, because the online game which will come out later will still be set in the Matrix. I do not find that reason very convincing, because if the Wachowskis really wanted Neo and crew to destroy the Matrix, they could just position the game as a prequel. But there are plenty of other reasons why Revolutions

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1061264936398598592003-08-18T20:48:00.000-07:002003-08-18T20:49:56.816-07:00

The Journal of Religion and Film has an article, Reassessing The Matrix/Reloaded. Excerpt: Those using Buddhism to understand The Matrix cast Morpheus as a sort of Zen dogen or master. Unfortunately, he’s neither an expert warrior nor very "enlightened." At the end of Reloaded his prophecy has been revealed to be nothing more than a trick; a way to control the humans. Although the freed humans

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1061009747428421302003-08-15T22:22:00.000-07:002003-08-16T11:58:26.383-07:00

It's time for the second Matrix Poetry Contest. The first contest was Matrix haiku, and now the format will be limericks. Here are the rules: 1. Start by reading this article about how to write limericks. It is a pretty good guide. You may also want to consult a rhyming dictionary. 2. Write a limerick about The Matrix, The Matrix: Reloaded, or The Animatrix. 3. Submit your limerick by

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1060924360836655352003-08-14T22:12:00.000-07:002003-08-14T22:20:14.066-07:00

Matrix Essays reader John took my Matrix Rap Lyrics and actually recorded the song! Listen to the MP3. It is a pretty good version, it sure made me laugh. I love the Internet just because of things like this. His version doesn't have the chorus, but it does add some great sound clips from the movie. I especially like his Agent Smith.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1060831560982166162003-08-13T20:26:00.000-07:002003-08-13T20:30:41.316-07:00

Reader Andrew writes: While watching Reloaded again a couple weeks ago, I noticed in the marketplace that Neo walks through on the way to see Seraph and the Oracle, there's a whole lot of things around Neo. There's Buddha dolls and Jesus figurines, and I was trying to gather it all in, but there was too much. Obviously just stuff to add to themes, but imagine there's a lot of hidden things there

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1060831469942731902003-08-13T20:24:00.000-07:002003-08-13T20:29:10.270-07:00

JacowBLOG is a new blog about The Matrix that just started up.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1060830688828498932003-08-13T20:11:00.000-07:002003-08-13T20:20:33.363-07:00

[These notes on Reloaded were sent in by Elrich2k3. Some of these mysterious facts could use further research . . .] Elrich2k3's "Over-analyzing the Matrix" Notes SHIPS: Nebuchadnezzar, Gnosis (Jacob), Icarus, Logos, Vigilant When the movie begins, we fade from the Matrix code out through the time-clock at the building. Before we get far enough out to see the "12" on the phone, there are many

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1060744613020988252003-08-12T20:16:00.000-07:002003-08-12T20:26:38.160-07:00

[Reader Adam Bradley contributed the following.] I was going to write something responding to some of the essays here, but then I read Martin Marprelate's blog and he said everything I was going to say. So I'll just post a link to him here, and say that I think his interpretation is the most logical, sensible interpretation of the films that I have seen. Marprelate, however, misses a few good

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1060743684914147602003-08-12T20:01:00.000-07:002003-08-12T20:02:07.606-07:00

Reader Miguel Ruiz provided a link to a site that claims to have spoilers for what will happen in Revolutions. I do not know if this is real or not, but it seems plausible. I am not going to reproduce it here because if true it is a major spoiler for everything that happens in Revolutions. The bandwidth-challenged should also be warned that the site contains many images. I did read through

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1060742601972918342003-08-12T19:43:00.000-07:002003-08-12T19:47:43.910-07:00

Michelle has a new post up about the Matrix, where she ponders the coppertop concept. Excerpt: As far as the endings do go, I will be VERY angry if we get it "it was all a dream" ending. I also don't like the matrix within a matrix ending, because it seems to easy, and I don't think the ideas in the movie are that pat and simple. As for the theories floating around, I still don't like the "

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1060659961348617212003-08-11T20:46:00.000-07:002003-08-11T20:47:54.296-07:00

Reader John writes: I found something very interesting while watching Reloaded again, during the scene when the Kid is walking along side the Neb crew when they arrive at Zion, it is apparent that Neo no longer has the plug in the back of his head.... we can see both the Kid's and Trinity's plugs clearly, while Neo's either doesnt show clearly or (!) isn't there at all! I don't know what that

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1060659445643070672003-08-11T20:37:00.000-07:002003-08-11T20:40:06.680-07:00

[Reader Kevin writes:] I was examining M2 and noticed something interesting during the collision sequence between the two semi-trucks. The white truck, upon which Morpheus and the Keymaker are riding, has the word LONGPATH on it. On the sides of the black truck, we find the word, GIDIM. Having no idea what GIDIM meant, I did what one usually does in such situations; I typed it into Google.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1060657967496421992003-08-11T20:29:00.000-07:002003-08-11T20:29:23.143-07:00

[Reader Wu Shih submitted this essay. I added the hyperlinks. --Tom] OK. What is the Matrix all about? Based on the Galvatron Paper, which I believe to be most creative and intuitive plot buster so far, I will try to assemble an explanation filling in the holes here and there (and specially where I don’t agree with Galvatron). Regardless of what Galvatron says are the main points of his/her

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1060232164448526772003-08-06T21:56:00.000-07:002003-08-06T21:56:04.340-07:00

Reader Phillip came up with some amusing suggestions for alternative tactics for the main characters: When taking out the nuclear reactor, why not load up a b-52 in the construct and nuke it? A few well placed blades in Trinity's (or anyone's) heels should be able to take down an agent or two - at least once How about a flame thrower here or there? Dodge that? I especially like the last one.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-10600591542620882003-08-04T21:52:00.000-07:002003-08-04T21:52:34.283-07:00

Karun Philip's blog has a long article called Comprehending The Matrix: Reloaded. Excerpt: So the way Zion goes down is that the Agent Smith infiltrator sets off an electromagnetic pulse bomb within the fleet, destroying it before even engaging the enemy. Everyone in Zion, except for one ship, is slaughtered. The Agent Smith infiltrator himself is found in a coma and is taken aboard the

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1060058444768213282003-08-04T21:40:00.000-07:002003-08-04T21:45:37.393-07:00

Reader Merril of Hello Cruel World spotted this Sydney Morning Herald article about the development of "human batteries." The article reads, in part: Power from blood could lead to 'human batteries' August 4, 2003 A device that produces electricity from blood could be used to turn people into "human batteries". Researchers in Japan are developing a method of drawing power from blood glucose,

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1060057559963593042003-08-04T21:25:00.000-07:002003-08-04T21:27:22.786-07:00

Reader Bill Gilliland writes: Did you notice in [Reloaded] that Neo has two extreme closeup kisses (the second kiss with Persephone, and one with Trinity after he brings her back to life) where as their lips touch there's a very faint electric sizzling sound in the background? I went back and watched [The Matrix], and sure enough, when Trinity resurrects Neo, there's also electrical noise as

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1059845896738788702003-08-02T10:38:00.000-07:002003-08-02T11:04:35.986-07:00

[The following was submitted by reader Ted BJ] It has become almost a given that Merovingian is a former One. I believe that he may actually be a former Smith. Many people have said that Smith seems to be different from other Agents. It seems that he may have been created by the Architect to destroy the One. This could be why even though he has been freed he still waits to kill his "savior."

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1059845448298766302003-08-02T10:30:00.000-07:002003-08-02T11:03:03.596-07:00

[Reader Simon submitted the following] In several of the scenes found in the poorer areas of the Matrix (Oracle's apartment, park where Neo and Smiths fight, etc.), there is a considerable amount of graffiti. Upon closer look, this graffiti has several interesting properties, many of them relating to the "Neo as pi" theory (which has been posted on your site). For instance: On the wall to the

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1059544351314874792003-07-29T22:52:00.000-07:002003-07-30T22:01:02.696-07:00

[The following was sent to me by reader Manu Singh, who says that it was originally posted (by someone else) on www.gigpad.com. Update: readers have provided a link to the original post(s). An easier-to-read version is here. The original is longer than the portion reproduced here, so if you have a chance, follow the link and read it. -- Tom] Before we even bother investigating

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1059494782245960122003-07-29T09:16:00.000-07:002003-07-29T09:18:25.783-07:00

Warning: Animatrix spoilers Let's talk about Kid's Story in The Animatrix. In brief, Kid feels there is something wrong with the world, he feels the "splinter in his mind." Everything seems to be against him. Eventually he is chased by Agents. He climbs up on top of a building . He says, "Neo. I believe. I know it wasn't a dream." Then he jumps to his death. We see his funeral. At the

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1059439568738356332003-07-28T17:51:00.000-07:002003-07-28T17:51:56.240-07:00

Thanks to everyone who submitted Matrix haikus for last week's contest. I enjoyed reading them all. Many entries were quite good, so it was difficult to select winners. Here are my selections: Winner I apologize You can never know someone Until you fight them. -- by JP The winning haiku appealed to me with its eerie simplicity. Runner-up not the wind that moves nor does the flag --

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1059240889655605972003-07-26T10:34:00.000-07:002003-07-26T10:34:49.623-07:00

This site's RSS feed is fixed now, I think.

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1059111264556873962003-07-24T22:34:00.000-07:002003-07-24T22:35:15.446-07:00

I heard a short interview on the radio today with a guy who was involved in the making of the Enter the Matrix game (sorry, I didn't catch his name). According to him, they expected that many players might buy the game just because of the movie, and so they could be people who had never played video games before. So the creators simplified some gameplay aspects to make it more friendly for

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1059024147247183712003-07-23T22:22:00.000-07:002003-07-23T22:29:05.403-07:00

[This was submitted by Jason, see the contact info he provided below. --Tom] There's lots of stuff in the Enter the Matrix strategy guide (and considering I'm just in The Sewers in the game and thus have only seen two of the extended cut scenes so far, the game has a lot to offer as well) but one of the most interesting is the timeline they provide on the poster that accompanies the book. The

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1058936703168311302003-07-22T22:11:00.000-07:002003-07-22T22:11:22.826-07:00

[Reader myagikun@yahoo.com submitted this essay. I added the hyperlinks. --Tom] There have been various theories posted as to the purpose of The Matrix, some speculating that there is a Matrix-within-a-Matrix, or along the lines of the more complicated system theory. I would like to propose a prediction, that as far-fetched as it is, could still be a possibility. The Matrix Trilogy is simply

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1058934973506050602003-07-22T21:36:00.000-07:002003-07-22T21:41:26.673-07:00

Enter the Matrix and Reloaded spoilers ahead. Reader "hurdle" writes: Some people complain that the bad guys have no depth to their character. They don't understand that the bad guys are computer programs, they don't have the depth of character that a human person has. They have no emotions, feelings or desires -- just the commands that the Matrix programs execute. The bad guys are one

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1058842903058626542003-07-21T20:01:00.000-07:002003-07-21T20:10:02.180-07:00

I am having a Matrix Poetry Contest. Here are the rules for contest #1: 1. The poem must be a haiku. It must follow the 5-7-5 syllable form. Using the other haiku traditions like a "season word" or a "cutting word" are optional, but may add to the overall impression. 2. The poem must relate to either The Matrix or The Matrix: Reloaded. It does not have to actually contain the words "matrix"

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1058733198642867052003-07-20T13:33:00.000-07:002003-07-20T13:34:18.406-07:00

Well, you could argue that the appearance of the Matrix movies (and all the related merchandise, games, books, anime) is a watershed in the history of human consciousness. Before the matrix, skeptical thinking about the human condition (Are we real? Do we exist? What is existence? And is that real?) was restricted only to an elite number of gifted individuals. Individuals who could alienate

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1058732902821739612003-07-20T13:28:00.000-07:002003-07-20T13:28:22.883-07:00

Star Wars and The Matrix both fit into Joseph Campbell's "Hero's Journey" framework, says this site. (Link contributed by Manu Singh.)

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1058732719380122282003-07-20T13:25:00.000-07:002003-07-20T13:25:32.260-07:00

(Contains Reloaded spoilers) Matrix Reloaded uses a "flash forward" storytelling technique, where we see near the beginning of the movie a scene of Trinity falling. Neo wakes up, revealing this was just a dream he had. Alert viewers might suspect that the dream could be a premonition, especially after Neo talks to the Oracle. Sure enough, much later in the movie we see that scene again. So

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1058502796910583072003-07-17T21:33:00.000-07:002003-07-17T21:34:33.093-07:00

Reminder: This site is still accepting essays submitted by readers. First read the submission guidelines, then email your essay to the address listed in the sidebar under "Contact."

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1058501956505619902003-07-17T21:19:00.000-07:002003-07-17T21:21:05.410-07:00

People have commented, here and elsewhere, that the matrix-within-a-matrix theory cannot be true because various entities (the Architect, etc.) tell Neo he is "human" or "only human." This reasoning makes no sense. If the outer "Zion world" is also a simulation, then there is no contradiction in saying that Neo is a human in that world. It is just like saying that someone "is only an Elf" in

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1058455138760830122003-07-17T08:18:00.000-07:002003-07-17T08:25:16.046-07:00

Michelle writes (excerpt): Perhaps that is a flaw with The Matrix. The characters are all completely admirable, doing their best and giving their all (except for the bad guys) they don't really have depth. The movie itself has plenty of depth, but most of the individual characters don't seem to agonize like the rest of us. Maybe that's why I liked the scene in the bowels of Zion. For once,

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1058419070187172422003-07-16T22:17:00.000-07:002003-07-16T22:27:29.570-07:00

If you're a hard-core Matrix fan, you will love the Enter the Matrix video game. This game really succeeds at putting you into the world of The Matrix. The game contains environments seen in Reloaded, such as the Merovingian's chateau and the freeway chase scene. One of the best features is the "Focus" button, which activates bullet-time. This makes the action go into slow-motion while also

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1058417799893646712003-07-16T21:56:00.000-07:002003-07-16T21:56:39.956-07:00

NeedAnExit.com promotes a Christian interpretation of The Matrix. (Link sent in by reader NeoTheologue.)

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1058324783294569122003-07-15T20:06:00.000-07:002003-07-15T20:06:23.360-07:00

Brad Warner, who wrote a book about Zen, also wrote an essay critical of Matrix philosophy. Excerpt: The philosophy of The Matrix isn't really very deep. It's where you get to when you follow thought just a little bit further than most people are willing to go. You end up seeing that the big questions really can't be answered or even properly addressed within the realm of thought. Or, as

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1058324442414731392003-07-15T20:00:00.000-07:002003-07-15T20:00:42.340-07:00

[Reader Shihab Ansari Azhar sent in these transcripts to the first 10 videos in Enter The Matrix, if you are playing as Niobe (Ghost gets somewhat different videos). Enter the Matrix spoilers ahead. And the scene where Persephone kisses Niobe is #5, below. --Tom] Video # 1: This is the introduction to the game, and starts where Final Flight of the Osiris left off. *********** Close up of

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1058237973961575882003-07-14T19:59:00.000-07:002003-07-14T19:59:33.850-07:00

[The following was sent in by reader Sir Derelor] Perhaps an unintended allusion to the previous five versions of the Matrix... In the original movie, you see the camera pan over the core of the Nebuchadnezzar. There, among other stuff, you see this: NEBUCHADNEZZAR MARK III No. 11 Aside from the reference to the Babylonian king, most of us have figured out that this refers to a passage in

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1057974346783832482003-07-11T18:45:00.000-07:002003-07-11T18:45:46.823-07:00

[This article was contributed by Del. Contains Reloaded and Enter the Matrix spoilers. --Tom] As The Architect stated, Neo is the sixth emergence of The One... Version 6, if you will. From this, we gather that there are five previous iterations of The One who may or may not continue to exist within The Matrix. Many have theorized that The Merovingian is one of these previous iterations. This

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1057973812957058922003-07-11T18:36:00.000-07:002003-07-11T21:26:17.303-07:00

This is another transcription of the dialogue from cinematic sequences in the Enter the Matrix Playstation game. [Ghost, Niobe, and the Keymaker are in the white hallway with many doors.] Ghost: Where'd they go? Niobe: Where are we? Keymaker: The Matrix is structured like a building. It rests atop a foundation that is built on a substructure. We're standing in a programmer's maintenance

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1057902879646836722003-07-10T22:54:00.000-07:002003-07-10T22:54:39.466-07:00

From The Onion: Bowling-Alley Owner Wants TV Ad To Look 'More Matrix-y'

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1057803368378403402003-07-09T19:16:00.000-07:002003-07-09T19:22:46.140-07:00

Reader MorpheusEK writes: As pointed out by commenters on this blog and other sites, there are a few license plates other than the "IS 5416" that appear in the Matrix movies or on the Matrix website. One is given special attention on the Matrix: Reloaded site, "AL887", earning its own closeup photo and a mysterious title. A quick Google search revealed that we were not the first to ponder its

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1057802873771630482003-07-09T19:07:00.000-07:002003-07-09T19:08:37.340-07:00

You have to see this crazy, Matrix-ified ping pong skit. No digital effects or CGI! (Sent in by reader Andrew.)

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1057802298976692202003-07-09T18:58:00.000-07:002003-07-09T19:05:54.736-07:00

This is a transcription of the scene in the game Enter the Matrix where Niobe meets the Oracle. [Niobe, summoned by Seraph, enters the Oracle's apartment. The Oracle looks like a different woman than the one Neo met in the park.] Oracle: Niobe. Niobe: Do I know you? Oracle: You know me, though you may not recognize me. Niobe: Are you telling me that you are the Oracle? Oracle: I know this

Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5257853.post-1057711572858588502003-07-08T17:46:00.000-07:002003-07-08T17:49:54.010-07:00

Hey, Keanuette has posted a new Matrix rap. It's good to see another Matrix rapper out there. Excerpt: Now that the movie is playin' With the bass kickin' it, the screen is displayin' Neo in da joint, in da joint, not faking He's fighting Agent Smiths and da ground is shakin' Beatin' them up coz he's fast and nimble I go crazy 'coz he makes it look simple My heart's racing, going twice the

Tomnoreply@blogger.com