The Allegory of the Matrix (1999)

"I was looking for an answer. It's the question that drives us, Neo. It's the question that brought you here. You know the question, just as I did."
The above quotation occurs early in the film, and is probably the first indication that this movie has a much deeper meaning than meets the eye. I think when most people watch The Matrix, they see a hard sci-fi action flick with an interesting premise and a guy who can dodge bullets. New breakthroughs in cinematography, a dystopia with the twist that our world is really just a computer simulation, cool black shades and lots of guns. But what these lines spoken by Trinity do for the film is pull the audience into the world of The Matrix and include them in Neo's struggle. Not the struggle against machines that have enslaved humanity, but his struggle against enslavement of the mind - something the Wachowskis are claiming affects us all.
"That you are a slave, Neo. Like everyone else you were born into bondage. Into a prison that you cannot taste or see or touch. A prison for your mind."
Based on Plato's Allegory of the Cave, The Matrix symbolises a life of limited perspective, where an enslaved mind does not recognise its restraints because it knows nothing else. If a person lived their entire life in a cave, chained down, and the only thing they could see were shadows dancing on the wall, they would think that those shadows were the only thing that is real. They would not know anything different exists, the whole world being denied them. Neo lives enslaved within the Matrix, and he has no concept of what it is really like to touch or see anything real, so he does not know that he is a slave, and therefore cannot escape. Following so far? The movie has a third dimension, which is the parallel effect in which the audience is like Neo. We live in a world with very strict rules, a set of expectations and restrictions, and on a day to day basis we do not think of how restraining the rules of society can be.
At the beginning of The Matrix, we relate to Neo and understand that he is unfulfilled with his day to day life, particularly with his 9 to 5 job in which he has not met society's expectations of success. He is not married, he does not have an expensive car, and he lives in a tiny dark apartment in squalor, despite his aspirations to make money as a hacker. We understand what Trinity means when she says that he is looking for answers, for something more, but then something happens where the audience is sidetracked from their ability to relate to Neo by the flashy sci-fi plot of man vs. machine and we almost lose sight completely of what the real message of the movie is.
The Matrix is a conduit for philosophical thinking about the basis of reality, and goes far beyond the Allegory of the Cave in terms of its scope, but when looking for the film's meaning, the most important aspect is the commentary on modern society - that the Wachowskis are saying that we are all enslaved. Whether or not you buy that, or even care, is one thing. I'm not certain I do. But they definitely have a point when it comes to the expectations and concept of success, propagated in particular by the media. In my opinion, one can have a much more fulfilling and happy life teaching English in the third world country of one's choice or dropping everything to move to Paris and become a painter, than someone working their way to the top of a corporation and slaving away for every dollar.
This is a perfect example of a sci-fi movie with a plot that operates both as an entertaining story and an allegory that matches up closely to a reality of the world. There are many books and movies like it where you can either come along for the exciting ride, or dig in to the meaty depths of the philosophy. If you've already watched The Matrix with one perspective, I suggest you drop everything and go watch it again from the other. Both views are incredibly worthwhile.

Taxi Driver: 35th Anniversary Blu-Ray

There are very few films that have had such an impact on me as Taxi Driver, I was in my first year at college doing A-Levels and had a lucky couple gaps in my timetable that gave me periods off in the afternoon. I was studying Drama and English Literature and had got into the habit of buying videos blind to take home and watch on my own whilst my parents were at work and my sister was in school, one such movie was Taxi Driver which I selected solely on the strength of its star Robert De Niro, unaware at that point who the director was.
I remember it was a bright summer's day and I closed the curtains to darken the room, submerging myself into the mire of 1970s New York street life for the best part of two hours, completely unprepared for the terrifying but cathartic bloodbath that punctuates the film's climax. I had seen on-screen violence in gangster films like Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather or Brian De Palma's Scarface but they were very removed from my reality and depicted in an operatic or comic book fashion. Here Martin Scorsese's carnage is all the more shocking because it is so matter-of-fact, almost mundane and yet somewhat arbitrary that you can't help but imagine this just might happen in real life.
Robert De Niro plays Travis Bickle, the ultimate pathological loner, a Vietnam veteran who is so dislocated from society and unable to sleep at night that he takes to working long shifts as a cab driver, a job that leads him to witness the excessive, heinous, underbelly of urban life, two decades before Mayor Rudy Giuliani's "Zero Tolerance" policy cracked down on crime and cleaned up inner-city New York making it a much safer place for both commerce and tourism.
Whilst off-duty Travis fantasises about Betsy (Cybill Shepherd) a young woman who works at the presidential campaign offices of Senator Charles Palantine, he pictures her as a vision in pure white in stark contrast to the many prostitutes he sees working the streets at night, and yet when he finally gets the opportunity to take her out they go to see a Swedish sex education film showing in a porno theatre; illustrating how socially inept and insular he has become, as if his compulsive solitude is dictating behaviour hell-bent on ensuring his isolation.
Bickle refers to himself in his journal, which serves as a narrated voice-over, as "God's Lonely Man", quoting from the essay by Thomas Wolfe, "The whole conviction of my life now rests upon the belief that loneliness, far from being a rare and curious phenomenon, peculiar to myself and to a few other solitary men, is the central and inevitable fact of human existence." Screenwriter Paul Schrader said that he set out to write about the experience of being lonely, after he left his wife for another woman who in turn quickly left him, but instead discovered that loneliness was a disease for which we must actively seek a cure.
Betsy rejects Travis and he loses the one image of chastity which he held above the filth and depravity that's rife on the streets. Before, when Senator Palantine took a ride in his taxi, he had suggested that somebody should clean up the crime and pollution but now he decides that he must take direct action; reverting to his Marine-trained mentally, he arms himself and targets the presidential candidate, primarily because of his association to Betsy. However, Travis fails to assassinate Palantine so he turns his attentions to Iris (Jody Foster) a child prostitute who jumped into the back of his cab one night, he makes it his mission to liberate her from her pimp, Sport (Harvey Keitel) an incredibly violent act of vigilantism which is ironically misconstrued by the press as heroic.
Taxi Driver is one of those rare 'Gestalt-like' moments in cinema history where a writer, a director and an actor come together and the resulting synergy unexpectedly explodes onto the screen; add to that Michael Chapman's resourceful cinematography, given the movie's low budget and short schedule on real locations, and the last score of legendary Hitchcock composer Bernard Herrmann and you have the perfect motion picture hard to conceive how it could be improved in any way.
Not surprisingly Sony Pictures have gone to town with the 35th anniversary Blu-ray editon, presenting Taxi Driver in a full 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer that restores vibrant colour to the neon lit night scenes contrasted, with exceptional clarity, to the inky-black, smoke-filled streets of New York. On it's original cinematic release Scorsese was asked to desaturate the blood to avoid an X-certificate, here the shades of red are gloriously restored. The DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack is also a marked improvement, showcasing Bernard Herrmann's rich jazz score with it's unsettling use of harps but maintaining dialogue quality which was always somewhat muffled on previous DVD versions.
All the extras that were available on prior releases are presented here but upscalled to HD, along with some brand new material including a feature length commentary from writer Paul Schrader, a recent interview with director Martin Scorsese, a suite of short featurettes focusing on different aspects of the production, the best of which is Influence and Appreciation: A Martin Scorsese Tribute presented by Oliver Stone who was a student of Scorsese's at NYU. There is also an interactive script-to-screen option which allows you to follow the original screenplay in detail as the film plays.
Taxi Driver is a visceral and enduring film which was the "coming of age" for three of the most distinctive voices of the 1970s boomtime in American independent cinema, they were to reach their peak and close the decade with another remarkable movie Raging Bull but that, as they say, is another story.

Let Me In - A Vampire Story

Directed (and screenplay) by Matt Reeves, Overture Films, 2010. Starring Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloe Grace Moretz, Richard Jenkins and Elias Koteas.
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery.
Question: Are you tired of movies with vampires - or maybe you are just sick of vampires stories about teen-angst romance and you want to see some horror mixed in?
Well, you are in luck. The movie I just watched is a fantastic, scary and unique vampire story. "Let Me In" is where the vampires don't look or act like Edward Cullen one bit. "Let Me In" finally goes back to the heart and soul of what these monsters are - but all dressed up in a twelve year-old-girl.
This is actually a remake and I saw that one too ("Let the Right One In"). Oh, that one was good as well. They are based on the novel: "Låt den rätte komma in" written by John Ajvide Lindquist.
"Let the Right One In" is a foreign film - and, yes, I said I don't usually watch them but it was a vampire movie! Plus, it was dubbed. "Let Me In" stars the girl from "Kick-Ass" (another great movie, by the way) and she was fantastic in the film. Plus, I knew whoever saw the original would have to make a good remake for us Americans. And they did.
It is creepy, bloody, and it has a great angle on the vampire story, which I won't divulge. I will say there is a theme in the movie that relates to some modern-day issues kids have to deal with today. But just because the story surrounds a couple of 12 year-olds doesn't mean they can watch it.
It is not for the faint-at-heart or for someone who thinks they are going to watch a couple of young kids befriend each other in a sweet way either. There are some sweet moments, and it is not a fast paced movie, which one might assume, but when you tell a story about a real monster, like a vampire, you have to tell the retched side too. Many vampire movies, these days, forget that part and have overly-romanticized it and that's why vampires are everywhere.
So, if you have been missed seeing a great vampire story in film then rent "Let Me In" and "Let the Right One In".
My favorite part: The story.
My least favorite part: Can't really think of anything right now.
Possibility of a sequel? I think it could be open to one.
Did the previews show too much? Nope.
Rating: R
Length: 116 minutes
Review: 9 out of 10

One Week - Movie Review - Starring Joshua Jackson

Directed (written and produced) by Micheal McGowan, Mongrel Media, 2008. Starring Joshua Jackson, Liane Balaban and Campbell Scott.
Genre: Adventure, Drama.
Question: Have you ever come face to face with your own mortality? I have - it has quite a sobering effect. But the real question I should ask - what would you do if you knew you only had a small amount of time left on this earth?
Joshua Jackson, probably best known for Dawson's Creek and, now, Fringe, stars as the man answering that question. When we first meet him, we see he is a man stuck in his own life due to some early rejections. He never really accomplished anything, including getting his first novel published because of his fear of more rejection. However, after discovering his fate, he jumps out of his shell because he must.
I think Joshua Jackson did a fantastic job with a subject matter not many of us have ever had to deal with. His mannerisms and the emotions he shows with just his eyes - allow you to imagine what he is going through. But One Week doesn't always tell you what he is thinking. This is one reason why I love independent films. They let the audience interpret the story. The writer-director must also get a shout-out for creating such a thought-provoking film.
Death is not something many want to discuss let alone have a debate about, and this film doesn't patronize the audience with its moral standing. In fact, it simply chronicles this man's journey as he rediscovers his own country, Canada, while he tries to wrap his head around the fact that he will probably die. As I watched this movie I saw parts of Canada that were truly spectacular and made me want to book a ticket up there.
I stumbled upon this film on a Netflix instant viewing list and was pleasantly surprised at what a good film it was. Yes, I mentioned I was faced with my own mortality and that probably gave me a deeper appreciation for One Week. But I don't think anyone could watch this and not contemplate about what they would do if they were in this situation.
Just as prevalent as the Canadian backdrop was in this film, the soundtrack intertwines itself into this story with several Canadian musicians and bands. It's a pretty good soundtrack with some cameos by some of the artists themselves. There was also narration, by Campbell Scott, in One Week. I am usually not a fan of a lot narration but it worked well in this story.
This movie begs the question: where would you go if nothing held you back?
My favorite thing: Realizing Joshua Jackson is a pretty decent actor - long way since The Mighty Ducks.
My least favorite thing: Reminding me that my own book isn't published yet.
Random thought: Every time I see Joshua Jackson I think he is somehow related to George Clooney. It is uncanny how many of their mannerisms are alike - even those eyes. Spooky!

Movie Geek Manifesto

There are many different opinions on this, all of which would undoubtedly be geeky to discuss at length, but in my opinion, a geek is someone deeply obsessed with a particular field of knowledge, as opposed to, say, a nerd - who excels at all things scholastic and probably ends up owning a Fortune 500 company - or a dork - who most likely spills a drink all over a beautiful woman in his eagerness to buy it for her. Now, a nerd or a dork could also be a geek, but the terms are not interchangeable, nor are "dweeb," "spazz," "melvin," "poindexter," "four-eyes," "putz," or any other similar nomenclature.
There are many different types of geek, and most of us dabble in more than one, but I am first and foremost a movie geek. Now, before you start throwing your figurative panties at me in adulation, let me just say that this is not necessarily an enviable position. Sure, I'm able to hold my own in the arcane movie quote competitions that pass for conversation amongst my fellow geeks, but in other situations, I might say something as recognizable as, "What ain't no country I ever heard of! They speak English in What?" or "I am seriously beginning to doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion!" and be met with blank, uncomprehending stares. If I had a dollar for every time someone has incredulously asked me, "You went to a movie by yourself?" I would take all those dollars and go see a bunch of movies, by myself. Crazy as it may sound to you non-geeks out there, I do not go to movies to hang out with people. I mean, it's not like we can talk or anything.
Or at least, we're not supposed to.
I remember reading in the news about this man who shot another moviegoer who wouldn't shut up during a screening of David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) a few holiday seasons past - the holidays are always so stressful. As the rest of the theater evacuated, presumably screaming and otherwise continuing to disrupt the film, this man calmly sat back down and resumed watching. I wanted to lionize this brave warrior with T-shirts and wheat pastes all over the country.
"Here is a man who would not take it anymore" - Taxi Driver (1976) - a man who struck a blow for all of us true movie geeks who have to endure the idiotic yammering, text-messaging and gluttonous feeding noises of the horrible rejects who populate the average movie theater. Sure, a man had to die, but we're talking about one measly little life compared to the uninterrupted first experience of a new motion picture - let's get our priorities straight, people!
And I swear to Stanley Kubrick, if you bring your crying baby into a movie I actually care about - you know, enough to see it by myself - I will smother that thing like we're in a Cynthia Ozick story - that's right, I read too! (Seek out Ozick's excellent 1981 short story "The Shawl" to find out exactly how tasteless that joke really is.)
Now, some of you might think I'm extreme; to which I can only reply: Hitchcock would understand.

Vintage Designer History, Jean Desses

Jean Desses, was born in Alexandria, Egypt (although his ancestry was in fact Greek) in 1904. He originally studied law, before taking an interest in design and taking up work with a well known Parisian couture house called Maison Jane. He eventually opened his own atelier in 1937, although he didn't become very well known, until after the war had ended.
Early on it was quite obvious that his own family history and back ground had influenced the way he designed. His technical complexity was very similar to Vionnet and Balenciaga, in that, it was all about sculptural aesthetics. He was a master with his 2 preferred fabrics, chiffon and mousseline.
His dresses often featured intricate pleating and beautiful draping, which covered structured formal bodices. He also, often featured, full skirts swept back at different angles, all resulting in visually stunning, beautifully elegant pieces.
These weren't the only materials he used however, he was also extremely adept with other materials, such as rough tweeds and dress wools. When he wasn't focusing on gowns, some of his favorite features were, voluminous sleeves, dropped shoulder lines and draped collars.
Jean Desses designs were extremely popular among the Hollywood elite and much of the European royalty. He designed the wedding dress for princess Sophia of Greece to her marriage to Prince Juan Carlos of Spain. (Juan Carlos. doesn't get any more Spanish than that!)
In 1951, Vogue called his latest collection of dresses, the 'Fords' of his career and indeed they were! (Jennifer Lopez wore one to the 2006 Academy awards, Renee Zelleweger wore one to the Oscars in 2001 and Kirsten Davis wore one to the snore fest that was the SATC2 premier).
Desses continued to operate his clothing house into the 1960s. He did not find the changing times of fashion difficult to adjust to, as his skills lended them selves well to using stiffer fabrics with simple silhouettes. However due to failing health, he closed his couture house in 1965 and retired to Greece, where he passed away just 5 years later. His work and influences were passed on to many other designers, including his two rather well known assistants, Guy Laroche and Valentino Garavani.
Of course anyone in the fashion world is familiar with these 2 names. Valentino would go on to open his own house in Rome in 1959 and LaRoche in Paris in 1957. Both of these men have often referenced Jean Desses as a huge inspiration to them and their collections. The most obvious being, the shade Valentino called Valentino red after Jean Desses started to favor a similar color in his later collections.

Vintage Designer History, Jean Desses

Jean Desses, was born in Alexandria, Egypt (although his ancestry was in fact Greek) in 1904. He originally studied law, before taking an interest in design and taking up work with a well known Parisian couture house called Maison Jane. He eventually opened his own atelier in 1937, although he didn't become very well known, until after the war had ended.
Early on it was quite obvious that his own family history and back ground had influenced the way he designed. His technical complexity was very similar to Vionnet and Balenciaga, in that, it was all about sculptural aesthetics. He was a master with his 2 preferred fabrics, chiffon and mousseline.
His dresses often featured intricate pleating and beautiful draping, which covered structured formal bodices. He also, often featured, full skirts swept back at different angles, all resulting in visually stunning, beautifully elegant pieces.
These weren't the only materials he used however, he was also extremely adept with other materials, such as rough tweeds and dress wools. When he wasn't focusing on gowns, some of his favorite features were, voluminous sleeves, dropped shoulder lines and draped collars.
Jean Desses designs were extremely popular among the Hollywood elite and much of the European royalty. He designed the wedding dress for princess Sophia of Greece to her marriage to Prince Juan Carlos of Spain. (Juan Carlos. doesn't get any more Spanish than that!)
In 1951, Vogue called his latest collection of dresses, the 'Fords' of his career and indeed they were! (Jennifer Lopez wore one to the 2006 Academy awards, Renee Zelleweger wore one to the Oscars in 2001 and Kirsten Davis wore one to the snore fest that was the SATC2 premier).
Desses continued to operate his clothing house into the 1960s. He did not find the changing times of fashion difficult to adjust to, as his skills lended them selves well to using stiffer fabrics with simple silhouettes. However due to failing health, he closed his couture house in 1965 and retired to Greece, where he passed away just 5 years later. His work and influences were passed on to many other designers, including his two rather well known assistants, Guy Laroche and Valentino Garavani.
Of course anyone in the fashion world is familiar with these 2 names. Valentino would go on to open his own house in Rome in 1959 and LaRoche in Paris in 1957. Both of these men have often referenced Jean Desses as a huge inspiration to them and their collections. The most obvious being, the shade Valentino called Valentino red after Jean Desses started to favor a similar color in his later collections.

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How in the world, pink sports bra healthy choice? This question, which may be ringing in the ears. I know I was thinking the same thing. However, when I read why the sports bra was recommended and the effect of pink felt, I quickly realized that the pink sports bra is actually a healthy choice. First, consider why you need to wear a sports bra. Unlike some push-bra lingerie and Lacey is a sports bra to wear with the sole purpose of reducing breast jumping and is intended to store them in this position. This important work helps breast ligaments remain in place, allowing the extension of these bands. This leads to premature collapse and can cause big problems. Key account natural traction on the chest, is becoming increasingly clear that a mechanism to slow down this process is designed to help you. The basic idea here is, of course, to prevent sagging breasts, the inevitable consequence that the age of women.
Then, I understand that most women, pink, made a statement in addition to fashion. Pink will send a message of social and recognize that breast cancer awareness and support research. Pink Ribbon are millions of women, stating its support for the campaign of cancer research. Annual national in hundreds of cities do not go, and includes thousands of women dressed in "Pretty in Pink" clothes, because they participate in the marathon. Well, what better way to show your support than wearing a pink sports bra. In addition, when it comes to sports bras pink, is the number, all inclusive, and can be worn, including, without bra. True, pink sports bra. This can be seen in http://www.pinksportsbras.com and sports bra is traditional for those who do not feel safe with a garment. For its part, can not bra, clothes, which would be like if she looked like a bikini to understand. As you can see, Tonic fan bra that contract with the clothing. All this leads to the nasal gone conclusion that pink sports bras, to help women looking for young athletes to hold, elegant, very trendy and modern. Again, our society encourages you to continue to look for as soon as possible. These facts in support of why the pink sports bra is considered a healthy choice. He is a wise and desirable to wear a sports bra during exercise, and it is conscious of color, promoting research in one of the most well-known diseases of our age to breast cancer. As soon as we learn more about the causes of some diseases, we can adjust their behavior to get more consistent with a healthy lifestyle. Knowledge is power. Go and get your pink bra sports today. Make a statement about your health and your support of "The Cure"

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How in the world, pink sports bra healthy choice? This question, which may be ringing in the ears. I know I was thinking the same thing. However, when I read why the sports bra was recommended and the effect of pink felt, I quickly realized that the pink sports bra is actually a healthy choice. First, consider why you need to wear a sports bra. Unlike some push-bra lingerie and Lacey is a sports bra to wear with the sole purpose of reducing breast jumping and is intended to store them in this position. This important work helps breast ligaments remain in place, allowing the extension of these bands. This leads to premature collapse and can cause big problems. Key account natural traction on the chest, is becoming increasingly clear that a mechanism to slow down this process is designed to help you. The basic idea here is, of course, to prevent sagging breasts, the inevitable consequence that the age of women.
Then, I understand that most women, pink, made a statement in addition to fashion. Pink will send a message of social and recognize that breast cancer awareness and support research. Pink Ribbon are millions of women, stating its support for the campaign of cancer research. Annual national in hundreds of cities do not go, and includes thousands of women dressed in "Pretty in Pink" clothes, because they participate in the marathon. Well, what better way to show your support than wearing a pink sports bra. In addition, when it comes to sports bras pink, is the number, all inclusive, and can be worn, including, without bra. True, pink sports bra. This can be seen in http://www.pinksportsbras.com and sports bra is traditional for those who do not feel safe with a garment. For its part, can not bra, clothes, which would be like if she looked like a bikini to understand. As you can see, Tonic fan bra that contract with the clothing. All this leads to the nasal gone conclusion that pink sports bras, to help women looking for young athletes to hold, elegant, very trendy and modern. Again, our society encourages you to continue to look for as soon as possible. These facts in support of why the pink sports bra is considered a healthy choice. He is a wise and desirable to wear a sports bra during exercise, and it is conscious of color, promoting research in one of the most well-known diseases of our age to breast cancer. As soon as we learn more about the causes of some diseases, we can adjust their behavior to get more consistent with a healthy lifestyle. Knowledge is power. Go and get your pink bra sports today. Make a statement about your health and your support of "The Cure"