Movies, Music

Review: Sturgill Simpson’s Sound and Fury

sound and fury 2

Sound and Fury is what would happen if you added some Tokyo City LSD to Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Jack, and then made it into an hour-long country rock music video.

This is one of the most refreshing, and unusual, tales of a dystopian story with cyberpunk elements that I’ve seen in recent memory. It reminds me a bit of Love, Death and Robots, except the art and story is a lot more connected.

Here’s why Sound and Fury is not your average Anime tale.

Sturgill Simpson is a country singer. Who loves Japan. And decided to go all out in creating the coolest-ever Japanese Dystopian Future tale to go along with his new country rock album Sound and Fury.

To be fair, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen something like this done. Daft Punk famously created “Interstella 5555” as an anime visual realization of their album Discovery. But Daft Punk is a lot more closely aligned to the typical Cyberpunk style. If you don’t believe me, just watch the latest Tron film.

A combination of different sounds and songs.

Sturgill Simpson’s “Sound and Fury” isn’t all Fury, and has many different sounds. Some are slow, for instance. His vocals are excellent, and the rock is great too, but it’s a very different kind of rock compared to the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077’s Samurai-style Punk Rock.

Listening to it on Spotify

Simpson’s album is up on Spotify, so before watching the entire film (which is now available for streaming on Netflix) I saw first a teaser trailer which consisted of a scene from the film, then a proper trailer, and then I listened to the album on Spotify before watching the film.

I would have never imagined the illustrious, imaginative visuals that go along with Simpson’s music. Much like I would have never imagined Interstella 5555, there is very little in way of connection between the actual music and the visuals. But they provide for one hell of a ride.

Unfortunately, the teaser trailer that got me so excited to watch the film probably oversold it, as in my opinion it’s one of the best, if not the best, scene from the entire film.

So what’s it about?

The film follows the story of a Japanese monastery and family within that are attacked ruthlessly by 2 foreigners, who seem to represent corporate greed or cruelty perhaps. The rest of the tale is mostly one of revenge. There are a couple side stories, such as one of a slave uprising in this dystopian future, and one of what appeared to be a homeless person seeking shelter before a bombardment on the city. All stories seem loosely connected, and I am still trying to piece it all together to be honest.

But my favorite tale, the one shown in the trailer, is the main story of course. The main character, a cyberpunk samurai, leads an attack against the corporate villains, with two katana blades forged from the blood and spirits of the blacksmiths who made them.

A Refreshing Surprise

And just as the climax of battle is about to be reached, with an all out battle between the hero and the two villains, what does the anime deliver? If you guessed an impromptu dance routine featuring literally everyone, including foreshadowing what’s to come before the battle even happened, then you’d be…surprisingly…accurate.

Needless to say, this was very confusing to me. After the dance routine more side stories are told, and then THE CREDITS, only after which the battle and its conclusion is finally shown. So don’t worry, the final battle WILL come, you just have to sit through the credits or fast forward to see it. I guess they really wanted you to appreciate the work that went into making this film. Its production value is outstanding.

Catchy tunes that will stick with you

What’s interesting is what happened to me after I saw the film. The music…REALLY stays with you. Things kick into gear with the driving percussion from Remember to Breathe, continuing along into Sing Along, which you might remember as the visual trailer for the film. Next the tracks speed up with a Good Look, also known as When Everyone Breaks Out Into That Crazy Dance Routine. The album then alternates between slowing down a speeding up, tempered beats and slow crooning served next to jarring electronic chords and discordant sounds in a wild feverish mix of electronic-infused country rock gone mad.

Final Verdict: Definitely worth watching and listening to.

So what are you waiting for? Check out the official trailer below:

 

And then see the music video for Sing Along:

And finally, check out the entire film on Netflix, streaming now. You know you want to.

Movies

Review: Edge of Tomorrow

Edge of Tomorrow

Edge of Tomorrow is what happens when Elysium and Starship Troopers meet Groundhog Day. Featuring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, I was happily surprised to rediscover this gem of a sci-fi adventure that I would argue is close enough to Cyberpunk to warrant a review, although I’ll admit it doesn’t fit the CP moniker too snugly.

What’s it about?

Edge of Tomorrow is a 2014 science fiction action flick from Doug Liman (Bourne Identity, Mr. and Mrs. Smith) that is based on the Japanese light novel called All You Need Is Kill from Hiroshi Sakurazaka. It is set in a future where most of Europe has been invaded by an alien race, and major William Cage (Cruise) becomes an unwilling soldier stuck in a time loop reliving the same day’s battle every day, resetting only whenever he dies. Despite a more modest performance in the US, it performed well internationally, which is shame because this is actually a really good movie.

Other than excellent performances from both Cruise and Blunt (I really liked the fact that Blunt is depicted from the very beginning as a complete badass nicknamed the “Angel of Verdun”) the fast pacing and tight direction from Doug Liman make this film a heart-stopping delight to watch, and even despite seeing repeat scenes as a natural part of the time-loop premise, it somehow doesn’t get old.

If you’re a Matrix fan like I am, then you’ll find some similarities in scenes that I haven’t seen in any other movies that get the fast-paced and gritty-world textures just right. The Mimics, one of the aliens, feels very similar to the sentinels in the Matrix.

Image result for edge of tomorrow mimic gif Image result for the matrix sentinels gif

The giant guns, gun turrets on airborne vehicles and mech-suits also feel right at home. The score for this film was also very good, it added to the tension nicely. The special effects were also excellent, and there is a real tension in the air that the enemy is nigh-impossible to kill, along with a fear for the characters being ripped to shreds (again, not unlike the matrix). That is, death is practically guaranteed against this enemy unless if you get to try again. And again. And again.

I wasn’t the only one to really enjoy this movie. Click above to see 5 reasons why you should see Edge of Tomorrow, which is now available to stream on Netflix.

If you like this movie, I’m happy to report that a sequel is currently in the works according to Vanity Fair. I can’t wait to see the dynamic duo of Blunt and Cruise return, and where they decide to take this story in the next installment.

Rating

I would give this film a 9/10 due to excellent acting, special effects, music, direction, and plot. The only reason why I have to take off a point is because this film doesn’t leave you walking away with any deep insights or seeing the world in a different way. It takes you away from the real world for a couple hours, but it doesn’t stick with you like some other films might.

 

 

Movies, Music

Blood Machines: Upcoming Short Film from Synthwave legend Carpenter Brut

Blood Machines Carpenter Brut

Carpenter Brut is Back!

Carpenter Brut is a Cyberpunk classic Synthwave act consisting of Franck Hueso. A French artist hailing from Poitiers, he’s created such Cyberpunk classics as Anarchy Road, Paradise Warfare, and of course the iconic Turbokiller. Carpenter Brut partnered with the visual team Seth Ickerman to create a stunning music video for Turbokiller, which has been the inspiration for Carpenter Brut to continue along the audiovisual route by beginning a short film project entitled “Blood Machines.”

For the First Time, an Original Sound Track to Go With the Film

Blood Machines is a short film inspired by the 80’s films and music, and while written and directed by Seth Ickerman, Carpenter Brut is providing the soundtrack. Production for the film actually began in 2017, and is currently in post-production.

While searching for funding and only having a teaser trailer of late, their official trailer for the short film was just released last week, and oh man does it look good. I’ll let you take a look below.

Teaser Trailer

What We Know About the Story So Far

A Sequel to their music video Turbokiller, Blood Machines follows the tale of two space hunters who are tracking down a machine that is trying to free itself. After taking it down, they witness a chilling mystical phenomenon: the ghost of a young woman pulls herself out of the machine, as if the spaceship itself had a soul. Thus, in order to understand what they had just witnessed, the team begin chasing the woman through space.

Release Date

There’s still no official release date yet, but it should be releasing soon. For more information about the characters in the short film, you can check out their website here.

My Thoughts

Considering that I’m a huge fan of Carpenter Brut and listen to them whenever I get the chance, I’m super excited about this space opera project. I was really impressed by the work Seth Ickerman did for Turbokiller, and I instantly recognize Carpenter Brut’s music any time I hear it in a trailer or a video game. It seems like they are taking the time to do this right and I’m sure it’s going to be an amazing short film.

 

Movies

Top 5 Upcoming Cyberpunk Media

If you’re like me, you can’t get enough of Cyberpunk movies, TV shows, and video games. I also greatly enjoy Cyberpunk literary works but I admit I devour them at a decidedly less voracious pace than those with audiovisual mediums.

So to keep track of everything that’s coming out in the near future, here’s five things to look forward to that are headed your way in the next two years:

terminator dark fate

1.  Terminator: Dark Fate: October 23rd (Europe), November 1st (USA) 2019

Technically the 6th Terminator film in the franchise, this film is a soft reboot to the series, taking off after T2 finished. Tim Miller (Deadpool) is directing, After Terminators one and two, which were both directed by James Cameron, Cameron left to work on other projects, leaving the Terminator saga in the hands of other directors. While T3 had mixed reviews, T4 and T5 had mostly negative reviews. This time, however, James Cameron was directly involved with the production of Dark Fate, which will hopefully bring the franchise back to its roots. Another nice touch is that in addition to Schwarzenegger returning as a T-800, Linda Hamilton and Edward Furlong are returning as well as Sarah and John Connor respectively. If things go well, this movie may result in the beginning of a new trilogy.

Altered Carbon Season 2

2.  Altered Carbon Season 2: February 2020

The second season from Laeta Kalogridis is set to drop on Netflix’s streaming platform. Details are relatively sparse, but we do know that Takeshi Kovacs is coming back but played by Marvel’s Falcon Anthony Mackie. AI construct Poe (Chris Conner) is also set to return, along with Quellcrist Falconer (Renee Elise Goldsberry). It will be interesting to see how they write Poe back into the second season. For more details, check out my more in-depth analysis of what we might see in season 2 here.

cyberpunk 2077 keanu

3. Cyberpunk 2077: April 2020

This entry needs no introduction, as most cyberpunk fans and even the general public are ecstatic about this coming out next year. I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say it’s quite possibly the most highly-anticipated video game release in years. Not only does the name Cyberpunk appear in its title (and has since warped all google searches for the word) but also Keanu Reeves helped fan the hype flames when it was announced he would be lending both his voice and his likeness to Johnny Silverhand, a character in the video game. Check out the latest about the game here.

Akira Live action

4.  Akira (live action): 2021?

As one of the quintessential cyberpunk animes, and a source of inspiration for many CP pieces that came after, Akira is said to be finally made into a live action film, coming to us from none other than Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok). Originally slated for a May 2021 release, sources from Variety and Hollywood Reporter announced in July of this year that Waititi will be directing Thor 4 instead for now, putting Akira on the backburner and also taking Akira’s May 2021 release date. It is unclear when Waititi will be returning to helm this iconic fim, but sources say he had already started meeting with potential Japanese actors to find the right cast.

Keanu and Carrie Anne

5. Matrix 4: Production beginning February 2020, release date sometime in 2021

There are very few details about Matrix 4 so far, but I will be sharing as much as I can as soon as I can. For all the latest news so far, check out what we do know and which Concept Directors are returning, as well as a run-down on where we left off in the Matrix trilogy and what I’m expecting and hoping for with Matrix 4.

Alright, those are the big five films/series I’m looking forward to! Do you know of any others? And are you excited about these releases as well? Let me know in the comments below.

Television

Review: Psycho-Pass

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I’ve seen on many blogs online that Psycho-Pass is high up on the list of must-watch cyberpunk pieces, along with Ghost in the Shell in terms of quality. So I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with Psycho-pass.

What is Psycho-Pass?

Psycho-Pass is a Japanese cyberpunk anime television series from 2012 about a dystopian future society where omnipresent public sensors constantly scan the mental states of citizens in order to determine their threat to society, which determines not only what freedoms they have but also what careers are best suited for them.

psychopass2

The story follows Akane Tsunemori (right) in her first assignment with the Public Safety Bureau’s Criminal Investigation. The series is set in futuristic Japan where a powerful network of psychometrix scanners, called the Sibyl System, actively measure the minds and mentalities of the city’s population using a “cymatic scan” in order to give them their Psycho-Pass. If the coefficient is higher than an acceptable threshold, the individual is pursued, apprehended, and killed if necessary. One of the tools of the PSB’s Criminal Investigation Unit is something called the “Enforcers”, humans (such as Shinya Kogami, left) with higher-than-acceptable crime coefficients who are used as hunting dogs basically to find latent criminals. Both the Enforcers and the Detectives use large handguns called “Dominators” that change their lethality based on the crime coefficients of the targets they are aimed upon, in real time.

dominator

A second season was released in October 2014, with an animated film released in January 2015 and a third season is set to come out in October 2019.

Inspiration

A lot of the inspiration for Psycho-Pass came from various Western films, in particular L.A. Confidential but also from Blade Runner, Minority report, and Gattaca, with the director wanting to explore psychological themes in society’s youth using its dystopian storylines. This is clear as there are a LOT of monologues and long discussions between characters in the anime, which I suppose is pretty common among most animes anyways.

Review:

I liked Psycho-Pass enough to watch it to the end, but I felt it wasn’t as good as other animes I’ve watched like Ghost in the Shell. I liked that its story was more connected than other animes like Cowboy Bebop, and it had a good amount of Cyberpunk visuals. It had some interesting concepts that it explored, such as ethics and morals of delegating who decides whether a criminal is dangerous, and whether that is just. By using a crime-coefficient to judge a person before he or she commits a crime, it definitely felt reminiscent to Minority Report, but streamlined as that judgement is made in the gun itself. I also liked how the series tackles the question of how people would respond to violent crimes if they are not used to the idea of someone being able to do so in a supposedly utopian future where crime doesn’t really exist. But it doesn’t have that “cool” factor of the streets and high-tech of Ghost in the Shell, or of the devil-may-care attitude that Cowboy Bebop had either.

I felt sometimes that the anime could have used more action. It has a high level of detective work and it also has a healthy amount of time invested into developing the relationship between detectives and enforcers, somewhat mirroring different levels of society today. However, the use of the dominators, and the twists and turns the story took the viewer, was very entertaining. Also, the dialogues between characters on the nature of society were worthwhile and interesting as well.

My favorite random scene

There’s one particular scene that I would love to share with you that jumped out of nowhere on me during a not particularly important interaction between the villain, Makishima, and one of his partners. You can watch it here.

makishima physical books

Explained all patronizingly while enjoying some madelines with tea. How sophisticated.

The scene randomly references many different influential works of cyberpunk  (which ones? You’ll have to watch it to find out), and the villain’s love for paper books over datapad e-books because of the feel of turning the pages and the smell of the binding. This inconsequential discussion is one of many different philosophical talks that are sprinkled throughout the season.

So if you like philosophical discussions, you’ll like this series.

Overall, I would give this series 8/10. Its discussions, animation quality, detective work and world building were interesting enough, but its lack of action and sometimes slow pacing bogs it down a little. I also would have liked a little more tech-focused cyberpunk visuals, such as bionic implants or other advanced technologies past simply the dominator gun.

What did you think of the series? Did you like Psycho-Pass? Let me know in the comments below!

 

Movies

Cyberpunk 2077 is back with a new gameplay trailer

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And it has shed a lot of new light on what we can expect from the titular game April 2020, specifically, playstyle.

Some things we have learned:

Pacifica District

pacifica cyberpunk 2077

We got our first look at the Pacifica district, a failed tourist destination where funding was pulled and the migrant workforce fend for themselves. Motorcycle, armored car. Sections of the city unlock as you explore. Night markets rampant in Pacifica. There’s also Imperial Mall, an abandoned mall that houses the juiced up gang called the Animals. Their rivals, the Voodoo Boys, need your help. The Voodoo Boys are the most skilled Netrunners in the district. You get to choose whether to help the Voodoo boys or not. Another cool thing we can see is that subtitles are translated in real time when people speak another language.

Character creation: Choose your backstory from one of three character stories:

cyberpunk 2077 backstory

  1. Nomad (Roaming badlands, grew up in Nomad clan. Honesty, integrity, a love of freedom.)
  2. Street Kid (gangs, fixers, small time pushers, dolls, you were raised by them all. The weak serve the strong.)
  3. Corporate (Bent the rules, exploited secrets, weaponized information. There are only winners and losers.)

Character creator: Define basic physical attributes of your avatar, but also surface wiring.

There will also be an extensive skill tree, allowing for hybrid and specialized builds. There were two different types shown in an example: A powerful solo (guns and melee) and a netrunner (technology who hacks battlefield).

  • The powerful solo build can use enhanced strength to rip off guns from turrets or pry open doors. You can also use enemies as meat shields. Players can also choose no-kill playthroughs
  • Netrunners use subterfuge and sabotage, striking from the shadows. You use your cyberdeck to hack access points with a mini-game. In a world where everything is connected, anything can be hacked (to kill or distract) with varying levels of creativity and amusement (see the video). Nanowire can also hack at a distance.

Cyberspace is a place you can visit by jacking in.

cyberpunk 2077 cyberspace

The space used to be lawless and vast, but after an attack, Blackwall was created. The virtual wall cordons off most of the net, and the Voodoo boys want to break through it. Netwatch is the government organization that wants to stop them. You can choose which side you decide to be on.

The gameplay footage ends with the digital ghost of Johnny Silverhand, the revolutionary turned musician who somehow lives inside your head and is your companion through the game. However, even he could become your enemy, depending on your choices. Keanu Reeves/John Wick/Neo is definitely NOT someone I would want to have as my enemy. Although I literally laughed out loud when Silverhand spoke his line at the end of the gameplay trailer. It’s a sign of good things to come.

Personally, I could not be more excited for this game to come out. I’ve learned the hard way through playing Deus Ex and Dishonored that I much prefer tactical shooting to stealth action, so I will be going with Powerful Solo on my first playthrough and then Netrunner on my second once I know Night City better. I also really like the description of a Nomad, it’s someone who’s from everywhere and nowhere and works with what is given him but keeps his integrity intact. Playing as a corporate might be fun on the second playthrough, though.

So which backstory will you decide on? Which type of build would you prefer, a powerful solo or a netrunner? Let me know in the comments below!

 

 

 

 

Movies

Hopes and Predictions for the path of Matrix 4

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So Matrix 4 is confirmed! But what will it look like? There are so many questions!

No fear: Today I will be reviewing how Matrix Revolutions ended with Neo, Trinity, and the Oracle in the very last scene. Then I’ll be sharing some hopes and make some predictions as to where this story may go in Matrix 4.

Refresher

In the Matrix Reloaded, the architect explained that their matrix was in fact  the 6th iteration of the matrix, meaning there were five different Matrices that all ended for one reason or another, the first one being a “perfect world” that was ultimately too perfect and so most humans rebelled and whole fields of ‘crops’ were lost, a complete disaster. As a result, the architect found a way to reboot the system in cycles with Neo as the inherent anomaly coded into the matrix itself. This anomaly (Neo) has a choice to restart the matrix, or let the whole system crash, killing everyone inside. While his 5 predecessors chose restarting and saving humanity, Neo 6.0 chooses Trinity and love, rejecting the choice and potentially dooming all of humanity.

architect choice

Neo and Trinity then decide to go to the machine city. They ‘surface in the desert of the real’ in Matrix Revolutions and upon their crash landing in the machine city, trinity dies in the ship after getting impaled (this is different from her Matrix death which Neo was able to revive her from in Reloaded, where he reached into her matrix body to remove bullets and then restart her heart).

Neo then makes an agreement with the machines, goes into the matrix, lets Smith copy him, and then allows the machines to kill his physical body and thus destroy Smith.

Revolutions ends ambiguously, watching the sunrise on the new 7th iteration of the Matrix. Let’s take a look at this pivotal final scene, as the Oracle shares some important clues as to where Matrix 4 may pick up.

Oracle matrix revolutions ending

Oracle: Well now, ain’t this a surprise.

Architect: You played a very dangerous game.

O: Change always is.

A: Just how long do you think this peace is going to last?

O: As long as it can.

O: What about the others?

A: What others?

O: The ones that want out.

A: Obviously they will be freed.

O: I have your word?

A: What do you think I am? Human?

…

Oracle: Beautiful! Did you do that?

(Sati nods)

Sati: For Neo.

O: that’s nice. I know he’d love it.

S: Will we ever see him again?

O: I suspect so. Someday.

This final scene tells us that the humans and machines have brokered a peace that might not last forever (thanks to Neo). For now, humans have a choice to be free or to be enslaved. But with Neo and Trinity dead, how will they come back? Why does the Oracle tell Sati she thinks they will see Neo again, eventually?

Theories

Well, here’s one theory: it could be set in a future iteration of the matrix (7+). Maybe it will be titled Matrix rebooted or Matrix resurrected? Since past anomalies probably looked like Neo, it could be that future anomalies will look like Neo again. If so, it’s likely that he will have no memories of his past lives. Connected lives is a theme that we’ve actually seen in other Wachowski works like Cloud Atlas or Sense 8.

Another theory for the conflict could be that in this new version, the war goes from overt to covert.  Humans are supposed to be free, but maybe the machines are thinking of going back on their word, or changing the deal. After all, the Architect never gave his word, since he’s “not human”. So there could be a mystery that needs to be solved, of nefarious actions from the machines or from an outcast program like Smith or the Merovingian.

3 smith

Another question is, how central will Reeves and Moss be?

Will Neo be a main character, or will he and Trinity be supporting characters like J.J. Abrams’ new Star Wars trilogy. Will Neo become the new Morpheus, guiding other humans who want to escape the Matrix? Will he have memory flashes to past lives he doesn’t understand, similar to blade runner 2049? The future story may depend strongly on why Neo is resurrected.

Lana said

“many of the ideas Lilly and I explored 20 years ago about our reality are even more relevant now.”

So what themes is she referring to?

Propaganda and fake news? Simulated realities and conspiracy thinking? How society can function without trust in systems of authority? Maybe matrix 4 will be about the machines trying to lure humanity back into the matrix, to increase their energy output by making the argument that everyone would be better served to see the world as Cypher did, in ignorant bliss.

There’s also the theme of gender identity, a theme the Wachowskis had wanted to explore with the character of switch. She was originally supposed to be a woman in the real world and a man in the Matrix, thus “switching” her gender and the source of her Matrix name.

Switch

Finally, how will this new movie apply cyberpunk philosophy to the modern world? Will there be different levels of simulated realities and matrices, like in Inception?

Unfortunately, I don’t have any of the answers to those questions. But here’s a couple things I hope the writers have done:

Take inspiration from the wider matrix media, such as the Animatrix.

Let’s quickly review what was in the Animatrix, in case you never saw it or you just don’t remember it very well (which is fair, there were nine different stories…)

the animatrix stories

Here’s a list of the general gist of each of the different nine stories from the Animatrix:

  1. The final flight of the Osiris:  A prelude to Matrix Reloaded, it explains how Commander Locke got the crucial piece of intelligence that the machines were digging to Zion and about to lead a full-scale attack.
  2. The Second Renaissance Part I: How the Matrix came to be as well as the origins of the war between the humans and the machines.
  3. The Second Renaissance Part II: continuing the story of part I.
  4. Kid’s Story: How the kid who appears in Reloaded as Neo’s superfan, and opens the gates of Zion for the Logos at the end of Revolutions, was able to unplug himself from the Matrix by believing in Neo.
  5. Program: A story set in a sparring program in Feudal Japan between human members of a ship’s crew.
  6. World Record: An athlete who pushes himself to his physical and mental limits in the Matrix, wakes himself up briefly, and then frees his mind in the Matrix again.
  7. Beyond: When areas in the Matrix glitch, children discover the perfect playground where the laws of gravity don’t apply.
  8. A Detective Story: A human detective in the matrix is tasked with finding trinity, unaware that agents are using him to get to her.
  9. Matriculated: A human team in the real world bait and catch machines, in order to try to convert them to their cause by changing their programming in the matrix.

Final Flight of the Osiris, Program, and Detective Story are great stories for Lana’s team to draw inspiration from. Matriculated also has a lot of potential for the possibility of human/machine identity fusions.

Bring back the philosophy of the previous films, especially Matrix 1

there is no spoon

But what elements of philosophy will they explore this time? This remains a true mystery for me. They’ve already explored free will and fate, as well as reality. Will they explore identity this time? Creating reality, or trusting facts and information?

Will Matrix 4 say one final goodbye to Neo and Trinity? Start a brand new trilogy?

Clues for Matrix 4

I’m surprised that I haven’t read anyone else who have thought about this, but here’s a major relevant place to look for clues for Matrix 4: Cloud Atlas and Sense 8.

Why? Let’s look at who is reported to have already written the script: Lana Wachowski, Aleksandar Hemon, and David Mitchell. Again, the script is already written. It’s the production that will be starting in 2020. Therefore, to glean what this mystery script contains, the best indications of what the story will be about should be by watching the Season 2 finale of Sense 8. Why? Because guess who wrote the script for the finale? That’s right. Lana Wachowski, Aleksandar Hemon, and David Mitchell.

sense 8 finale

I wouldn’t be surprised if Bae Doona features in Matrix 4 as well. She was a pivotal character in the cyberpunk section of Cloud Atlas, and she’s a major character in Sense 8’s series as well. She has worked many times closely with the Wachowskis, so she seems like an obvious choice, especially considering how the Wachowskis seem to like working with people they know and trust.

Doona Bae Cloud atlas

Bae Donna waiting for Lana’s phone call (scene from Cloud Atlas)

I admit I have not watched Sense 8. The premise seemed too confusing for me to want to watch it, but now that I know Season 2 may contain clues to Matrix 4, I may have to watch it after all.

What do you think? Any ideas on what the Matrix 4 will be about? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Movies

Enter the Matrix: the secret footage

enterthematrix

Did you Enter the Matrix in 2003?

If you’re reading this blog then that means that you’ve probably seen the Matrix trilogy. But! Have you seen the secret footage embedded in the 2003 video game Enter the Matrix? Few people know that the Wachowskis shot about an entire hour’s worth of additional footage to add to this video game’s story line, a first of its time.

Enter The Matrix tells a tale that runs parallel to The Matrix Reloaded.

Niobe hallways

Having some Deja Vu?

The Logos

The story begins with the crew of the Logos (comprised of Niobe, Ghost, and their smart-mouthed operator Sparks) as they race to acquire a message left in the Matrix by the crew of the Osiris (whose story was told in the short digitally animated film The Final Flight of the Osiris in the Animatrix). Once their team manage to get their hands on the package, they relay back to Zion a frightening message of a giant machine army digging towards the final human city. As a result, Niobe’s crew will have to assist Neo, Morpheus and Trinity while the rest of the Zion fleet mobilizes outside the city to protect it from the imminent machine attack. You play as either Ghost or Niobe, and the story will change in small ways based on which character you chose, and which decisions you make.

enterthematrix_guide

Unfortunately, since the game came out in 2003 you can probably tell that the graphics haven’t aged very well. However, Anthony Wong as Ghost and Jada Pinkett-Smith as Niobe deliver excellent performances as voice actors, in addition to the live footage the game delivers in between moments of action.

To watch the entire series of footage in chronological order, you can see it here (42 minutes long) or if you lots of extra time and want to see the video game cutscenes as well, you can watch it in its full entirety here (1 hour 16 minutes).

Is it worth the time? What’s new?

If you are a big fan of The Matrix Reloaded, then I highly recommend you watch these extra scenes. It provides a lot of extra information about things like how important the information was of the machines digging towards, as well as Niobe’s relationship with Commander Locke, and Ghost’s relationship with Niobe. It was also incredibly rewarding to see some of the exact same scenes we saw Neo in, with the same characters, but with new main characters going through them.

We get to revisit Persephone, for instance, and the Keymaker, as they interact in very important ways with Ghost or Niobe. We also get to revisit Agent Smith as he interacts with humans inside the Matrix, and relive the fear that he and his fellow agents caused anyone who crosses his path. We even get to see what choice words of advice the oracle gives for both Ghost and Niobe.

Niobe and the Oracle

Will Niobe eat the Oracle’s cookies, or have some of her candy? Does she even have a choice?

Noteworthy elements

I also really enjoyed Sparks’ character, as a much more interesting operator than Link was. While Link never questioned Morpheus and always did as he was told, keeping his fears and thoughts mostly to himself, Sparks constantly is eager to explain why captain Niobe’s decisions are dangerous, reckless, and will surely lead to his untimely demise.

The final thing I want to mention is the orchestral score. It’s just as good as the soundtracks in The Matrix and Reloaded, from Don Davis of course. While some tracks are the same, it occurs to me that the Original Soundtrack for the first and second Matrix movies probably did not include any additional soundtrack work Davis did for the videogame. As such, it’s almost worth it alone just to listen to the soundtrack. But if you want to save yourself some time, you can always simply watch it all on YouTube.

Why you might not have heard of the game

For all its excellence, sadly, the game play for Enter the Matrix is what holds it back. It’s laggy, the controls are difficult to work with as are the angles, and ultimately it makes what would be otherwise a great game of sound and storytelling a slog that isn’t fun enough to keep up with unless you’re a die-hard matrix fan.

A new opportunity

Which is why WB has a real opportunity here at releasing a new video game for Matrix 4 that is up to par with the times. Can you imagine a Matrix video game with the mechanics of the Arkham Asylum series?

Anyways, did you play Enter the Matrix, as I did, way back when? What did you think of it? If not, go watch the cutscenes. Are they a good complement to Reloaded? Let me know in the comments below.

Movies, News

Geof Darrow, Steve Skroce return for Matrix 4 Concept Art

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8 storyboard

Screenrant has recently confirmed that Geofrey Darrow and Steve Skroce will be returning for Matrix 4 to help create the concept art to visualize the scenes for this film, now that the script is mostly already written. In case you don’t recognize these names, This is the duo (with Skroce in particular) that helped draw the storyboard scene by scene to help the Warner Brother executives understand the vision the Wachowski sisters had at the time back in the late 1990s. Their sketches of the opening scene of the Matrix where Trinity is running away from agents was crucial in securing the funding the Wachowskis needed in order to get their film off the ground. It’s great to see that Lana Wachowski will be going back to basics with all these original members of the team that made the Matrix trilogy so great before. It also confirms a pattern of Lana choosing people she can trust, and that she’s worked with before. This will allow fans to breathe a little easier, knowing that Matrix 4 is in good hands. John Toll has also confirmed that he will serve as cinematographer.

While I wasn’t able to find any social media for Skroce, Darrow seems very excited to be back in the project again. He posted on his twitter @DarrowGeof the following on August 22nd: “Never thought I’d ever see my name in a paragraph with these three. YIKES!!” (the three being Lana Wachowski, Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss in this article from Hollywood Reporter).

Darrow isn’t alone in sharing this enthusiasm for returning to the Matrix world.

“We could not be more excited to be re-entering ‘The Matrix’ with Lana,” said Warner Bros. Picture Group chairman Toby Emmerich. “Lana is a true visionary — a singular and original creative filmmaker — and we are thrilled that she is writing, directing and producing this new chapter in ‘The Matrix’ universe.”

Lana, in turn, also had this to say about returning to the project:

“Many of the ideas Lilly and I explored 20 years ago about our reality are even more relevant now. I’m very happy to have these characters back in my life and grateful for another chance to work with my brilliant friends.”

Hopefully Laurence Fishburne and Hugo Weaving will share this enthusiasm enough to return to the world as well. For now, we have to wait and see.

 

Movies, News

Matrix 4 Confirmed! Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss Return

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Keanu and Carrie Anne

Well folks, the unthinkable happened. Variety has confirmed last night with an exclusive report that Matrix 4 has finally been confirmed! And thus today, August 21st 2019, will mark the beginning of what will probably be a year or more of Cyberpunk Matrix reporting to you the latest updates as I get them. So far, this is what we know via Variety:

Returning actors and director

Lana Wachowski

Lana Wachowski will be writing and directing the fourth film in the series, while Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss will be reprising their roles as Neo and Trinity respectively. This obviously raises a lot of questions, since Trinity died via major impaling at the end of Matrix Revolutions, and then Neo died as a martyr in order to rid the Matrix of Agent Smith and free the humans from the machines in a truce to allow them to co-exist. Morpheus, played by Laurence Fishburne, has been noticeably absent from the announcement, which is doubly curious considering he is definitely still active in playing roles (such as with Keanu Reeves in the latest two John Wick films) and he was left practically unharmed at the end of Matrix Revolutions.

Producers

Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures will produce and globally distribute the film again, and  Warner Bros. Picture Group Chairman Toby Emmerich was the one who made the announcement Tuesday about Matrix 4.

Writers

Hemon and Mitchell

In addition to Lana Wachowski, the script was also written by Alexsandar Hemon and David Mitchell. Hemon is a Bosnian-American fiction writer best known for his novel Lazarus Project (2008) which won the distinction of New York Magazine’s No. 1 Book of the Year. Mitchell might be more recognizable as the writer behind the novel Cloud Atlas, which was made into a film written and directed by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer. Mitchell was reportedly very impressed with how the Wachowskis had adapted his novel into a movie, a feat that he never thought was even possible. “Adaptation is a form of translation, and all acts of translation have to deal with untranslatable spots…When asked whether I mind the changes made during the adaption of Cloud Atlas, my response is similar: The filmmakers speak fluent film language, and they’ve done what works” (Wall Street Journal). He later collaborated again with the Wachowskis on the second season of the Netflix show Sense8, and would have continued working on Season 3 had Netflix not cancelled the show.

Mitchell-Wachowski collaborations

Cloud Atlas

Considering how closely the Wachowskis are working with Mitchell, it might be worth taking a closer look at their collaboration with him for Sense8’s season 2, as well as re-watching Cloud Atlas, taking particular note to the excellent Cyberpunk story set in 2144 Seoul surrounding the story of Sonmi-451, a human clone born into slave labor.

Unanswered Questions

Although this news is very exciting, a lot of what we have learned gives rise to countless new questions. What about Laurence Fishburne and Morpheus? When will the story take place, before or after the events of the Matrix trilogy? If it takes place before, it would be focused more on Trinity perhaps, since Neo would just be Thomas Anderson, computer hacker and corporate worker. If it was set after the trilogy, they would have to resurrect Neo and Trinity somehow. It could be possible to resurrect Neo by having his consciousness stored digitally and then implanted on a new host, much like how Smith implanted himself on a human in the real world. Regarding Trinity, she could appear in Neo’s dreams, thus allowing her to be in the movie while remaining dead.

Or, perhaps, it could be a story that runs in parallel to the matrix, perhaps somewhere after the end of Matrix 1 but before Matrix 3 when Smith corrupted the Matrix system with all his clones.

Music

The Matrix music

What about the music? Who will be composing the original score? In the original trilogy it was mostly composed by Don Davis, with Juno Reactor contributing to several tracks. I think they should stick with the same composer, so that they can modify the original Matrix score to bring back the nostalgia vibe, while at the same time modifying parts of it to make it more modern.

Speaking of which, what contributing artists will they be adding? In the first Matrix, for example, they included samples of songs from artists like Rage Against the Machine, Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, The Prodigy, Propellerheads, Rob Dougan, and Rammstein. that reflected a good punk vibe of end 1990s-early 2000s. What would be an equivalent today? Will they want to make it more electronic to match the times, or perhaps add a synthwave element to it? Daft Punk seems like a good possibility, but so does Junkie XL who recently composed for Alita: Battle Angel and is composing the score for the new Terminator reboot Dark Fate.

Thoughts

What do you think about what may happen with Matrix 4? Comment below.

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