November 2003 Archives

Powerful
Patriotic
Outrageous
Cute
Hopeless

Philip B. Gaines announces the completion of an independent multimedia commentary project, "Firefly: A Special Feature", a DVD based on the FOX television series created by Joss Whedon. A free examination copy of the project is available for those willing to provide feedback about this media experiment. "Firefly: A Special Feature" is a 3.5 hour multi-module review of Whedon's innovative space western series. The interactive review features a variety of interpretive and analytical components--all intended to further discussion of this seriously underappreciated show. The bottom line of the project is dialogue, not promotion. If you have seen "Firefly" before and found it intriguing--or even if you haven't--this project will make you think, argue, and perhaps even learn a bit.

So I figured I'd weigh in on The Matrix.

Not Revolutions, or even Reloaded... just the Matrix. The whole experience.

The whole experience. That means all three movies, plus the significant bits of the Animatrix collection (and there are several) -- that's really the way I think I need to see the story, because taken in it's individual parts, there are lots of not-strong elements -- mostly because it's not three stories, it's one big story.

I imagine that if I'd read The Two Towers first back in junior high, I'd have thought it was a confusing mess of plot.

I think if I'd read The Return of the King first I would have thought it was obviously messianic and inconclusive and sentimental.

Hmm. Draw a parallel between the the three parts of the Matrix and the three parts of the Lord of the Rings, then a parallel between the 'filler' tossed in for the real fans in the Animatrix and/or the Silmarillion. Acknowledge that LotR is very probably a better story (but with weaker female characters), and you'll get to where I am on this whole thing.

Was the ending not much of an ending? Sure. It's meant to be a beginning, and beginnings generally suck as endings. That's --

It wasn't an ending. True. I agree. It was a coda.