Blog #3 - Matrix

For this 3rd and final blog we were allowed to pick a movie off of a short list of films. My film of choice was The "Matrix". The Matrix came out in the year of 1999. Starring Keanu Reeves as Thomas Anderson aka Neo and Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus. In this Sci-Fi thriller Neo starts off living a normal life with a desk job. Until one day he is sent for by a girl named trinity (pictured on the right of the cover). Soon after he meets her he meets Morpheus who is basically the leader of the free world. Morpheus then explains to him that the world he knows is a façade controlled by sentient programs aka agents. Neo is then offered a blue or red  pill. The blue pill will take him back to his everyday life and forget about all he was told. The red pill will let him explore the free world and live up to his potential as the "one". Neo takes the red pill and then joins forces with Morpheus in the fight against the agents.
     In this film in the world they knew it was the year 1999, but in the free world it was more like 2199.They lived on some type of underground space ship where from there they plugged them selves into a computer software simulation "Matrix" also referred to as the real world. They called it the real world because they were no longer being controlled by anyone. As a matter of fact they could now control things with their mind. In the film this meant with a free mind and a strong belief you could do anything.

     I compared that concept of being able to do anything with a free mind in the film to online/virtual gaming. I think that's the idea with virtual games you adapt the idea of being able to do the things you think of with no restrictions. As well as controlling your character in a different world with just your mind. As you could see in this picture from the film their bodies are laying still but their mind is controlling them in the matrix. The only difference between them an virtual gaming is they can actually die in real life if killed in the matrix.
     Another interesting concept was the fact that their real world was being controlled by sentient programs. I saw that as a play on the way our world is today in a sense. By that I mean the way the government has a way of making us believe certain things as well as have the power to control just about any aspect of our existence. Just to add on to that idea there was another scene in the film that was interesting. In this scene Neo went to see the oracle (fortune teller or psychic) and while seeing her she said don't worry about that vase as he turns to see what vase he knocks it down. She then says basically if you think that's crazy ask yourself would it have happened had I not said anything. That scene even made me think. Then I wondered how many times throughout our life our we told something's will happen? Then because we go looking for it, it actually happens. Then the same question applied if we weren't told certain things would they ever happen? Something to wonder about.
    On another note during the film I did notice a positive correlation. A message was spread to Neo several times about opening his mind and believing he can do anything. From the allusion of bending a metal spoon to stopping bullets. Now it was clearly stretched to outrageous extents. But I do believe the root of the message which was open your mind and believe in yourself was very valuable even todays world as well. Another positive correlation in my eyes was the idea of him having the ability to change the plan that was given to him by the oracle. I thought that represented beating the odds In the sense of allow yourself to believe you have the power to change your life even when others see it headed for destruction.
   Overall I thought the film was good. I saw some purpose behind things that I never noticed before. I think these blogs allowed me to really see the meaning behind the film which goes a little deeper than just what we see. I mean it is usually exaggerated but the root of the idea is usually dead on, whether we notice it some what at the time of watching it or years later. I can honestly say I have a different view and understanding on sci-fi films. I believe if you read some of these blogs and watch the films you will notice the same and maybe even more concepts now that you are aware of the big picture within these films. They correlate with our everyday life more than I could have ever imagined. Add  the fact that this movie came out 15yrs ago and still make sense just shows the accuracy of the thought even over a long duration of time. That's the part I find most impressive.