http://www.filmcritic.com/reviews/1999/the-matrix/

The 10-disc Matrix DVD box set is an exhaustive set containing 35 hours of bonus material alone. Each of the three films contains numerous commentary tracks, and each film is buttressed by a feature length documentary like The Matrix Revisited. The Animatrix is also included along with three additional discs full of archival material, interviews, philosophical inquiries, trailers, and extra footage. Any Matrix fan will want to own this set and keep it on the top shelf, where the cat can't get to it.

Not even she can tell you what the Matrix is.

This Matrix fan does own this set, and does keep it on the top shelf indeed. The cat doesn't need to get to it; he's seen the trilogy more times than some film critics.

And I can tell you what the Matrix is: a test which you, filmcritic, failed.

but wait, it gets worse:
http://www.filmcritic.com/reviews/2003/the-matrix-reloaded/index.php
http://www.filmcritic.com/reviews/2003/the-matrix-revolutions/index.php

that. that.

To say that I love the trilogy would be a huge understatement. Those movies saved my life. It was the year 2004, I was just emerging from a mental cave (a job in a middle-sized company which turned corporate and was eating away my soul and energy) and at a birthday party I was attending someone had the bright idea of playing the Revolutions DVD. I watched Neo die without knowing the slightest thing about the first two movies. That was the moment my life changed for eternity ;)

My journey in understanding the trilogy led me here:
http://blogs.wylfing.net/coronas/the-matrix-reloaded-explained/
http://blogs.wylfing.net/coronas/the-matrix-revolutions-explained/
this is a new addition to Brian's blog; looking forward to see where it leads
http://blogs.wylfing.net/coronas/the-inventor-god/

I have a hard time 'letting Neo go' and I refuse to accept that he died. I understand that this is probably what happened, but I can't accept it. I have to just believe he's immortal.

This entire trilogy changed how I think about the world and the things around me. I adore it and the story. It kicked me off a cliff to self exploration and really questioning a lot of what I know or perceived to know. It was enlightening and simultaneously confusing and depressing. Come full circle, it was amazing and I'm so glad for it. I'm a different more evolved person because of it. I just appreciate what the brothers did with this and the story they wrote. I know it's all sci-fi and fantasy, but it was probably the first time I really allowed philosophy to open my mind and to help me feel comfortable thinking about things differently. (Which was a huge tone of the movie itself, so I say it succeeded to do what it intended to do with me).

Never say never...especially since Bill & Ted 3 is in the works. Who'd have thought?

the way I understood this (and the whole ending), "Neo", as in the sixth 'incarnation' of the anomaly, died. So did Smith. "The One" resulting from their merging, on the other hand... he lives forever. You see, it was only at the very end, when Neo embraced his 'shadow', his 'negative', that he truly became 'The One'...

and it's 'The One' (as in 'the essence') who will return someday. Because the peace will last as long as it can and one day human nature will raise its ugly head and the war between humans and machines will start again... in some form or another. The One will be needed again. But not sure if he will remember that he was Neo, once...

As for 'letting go'... it's one of the lessons I have to learn myself this lifetime. ;)

http://brightwalldarkroom.tumblr.com/post/14172410294/keanu-reeves-week-the-matrix-1999

I have one objection to this blog post thingie: she just can't keep herself from the knee-jerk criticism of Keanu's acting skills. *Hate!* It's particularly in-your-face because she doesn't mention the acting skills of any of the other actors.

I qouteth as follows:

Perhaps it was Keanu Reeves’ one-expression-fits-all acting here, but Neo doesn’t seem too perturbed by a future run by sentient robots once he realizes he can learn kung fu in a matter of minutes. But none of this keeps him from being a wonderfully accessible hero—a nerd, like I said. It could be a side effect of Reeves’ questionable skills, but Neo is so awkward.

I'd like to know which actors she would rather see as Neo, if Keanu has such "questionable skills". I'd ask, but I don't bother to register with Disqus just to comment to yet another Knee Jerk Fish (a species that perhaps needs to be added to the Database of Fish, because it seems to be different enough from the Blindfish to merit a name of its own.

The Knee Jerk Fish doesn't seem to have any personal opinion of Keanu, it will just copypasta the run-of-the-mill opinion that Keanu has one facial expression only and no acting skills whatsoever, because this fish believes that it won't be taken seriously as a "real film critic" by its readers - who are supposed to be non-fans of The Anu and thus have good taste - if it doesn't include a standardised "he can't act" statement.

I noticed the same thing you mentioned. But decided to ignore it because, given the general tone of the post and the repeated 'don't judge me', I thought... just what you wrote. because this fish believes that it won't be taken seriously as a "real film critic" by its readers - who are supposed to be non-fans of The Anu and thus have good taste - if it doesn't include a standardised "he can't act" statement. Personally I guess this fish does have a personal opinion regarding Keanu's acting, just chose to disguise it behind the regular back-handed compliments.

What a difference from the Street Kings review - the one Joke posted the link to. One is a reviewer who knows what he likes and can argue his point of view. The other is an insecure reviewer who just follows the trend.

... this reminds me of two lines from my favorite comic book series ever:
[JC] : I know a lot about art, but I don’t know what I like .
[Nicole] : I’d like a T-shirt with that on. Could give it to critics at openings.

But, as I said, she describes so well the greatness of the Matrix that I forgave her ;) Should she have started bashing the sequels... it would have been a completely different story.

http://i.imgur.com/vKyl4.jpg

(Due to the size of the image I enclosed the link as an URL, not an IMG.)

(R)Edit:

Reddit finds the price of the Carrot & Ginger soup more interesting than the fact that The Matrix has them!

http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/njfgp/most_receipts_just_say_something_like_have_a_nice/

1.The studio insisted on a great deal of explanatory dialogue as they described the screenplay as “the script that nobody understands”.
2.In the combat training program before Keanu Reeves starts his furious attacks on Morpheus, he rubs his nose with his thumb and finger, like Bruce Lee before he attacks his opponents. The move was improvised by Reeves.
3.For the cell phone conversation scene between Neo and Morpheus in the Meta Cortechs office Keanu Reeves actually climbed up the window without a stuntman, which was 34 floors up.
4.By the middle of 2002, the famous “Bullet Time” sequence had been spoofed in over 20 different movies.
5.The Wachowski Brothers harboured their vision for five and a half years, working through 14 drafts of the screenplay. The final concepts took up 500 storyboards.
6.Neo is often referred to as the “One”. One is an
anagram of Neo.
7.Nicolas Cage, Tom Cruise and Leonardo DiCaprio were considered for the role of Neo. But they turned it down. So did Will Smith, but he turned down the offer in order to star in Wild Wild West. Also, according to Don Davis, Johnny Depp was Larry and Andy’s first choice for Neo, but Warner Bros.wanted Brad Pitt or Val Kilmer. After Kilmer and Brad Pitt said no, Warner Bros. had to choose between Depp and Reeves and the latter won .

'the script that nobody understands'? Warner, stop insulting your audience. :(

and Depp as Neo? HELL, NO !

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and Depp as Neo? HELL, NO !

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For the cell phone conversation scene between Neo and Morpheus in the Meta Cortechs office Keanu Reeves actually climbed up the window without a stuntman, which was 34 floors up.

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I`m truly amazed!!!!

Neo/Smith, explained ;)

The Matrix (1999)

The Studio Interference: Executives took matters into their own hands regarding just one detail in The Matrix.

In the Wachowskis’ original script, 'the Matrix' is a massive neural network computer that humans are hooked up to.

Believing this idea was too difficult to understand, execs insisted that it was changed. Instead, we’re told that humans are being used to generate electricity.

If They Hadn’t Stepped In: The Wachowskis’ explanation would’ve been more sound on a scientific level, but definitely would’ve left most of us scratching our heads.

And as we learned from the sequels, the more complex The Matrix got, the more our enjoyment levels suffered.

http://www.totalfilm.com/features/40-movies-made-better-by-studio-interference/the-matrix-1999

http://www.whoaisnotme.net/articles/1998_0331_kea.htm

now it's no fun any more.