Movie Trilogy Wikis

The Matrix

Matrix, released in 1999, is an action film written and directed by Andy and Larry Wachowski and starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, and Carrie-Anne Moss. The reality in which humans passively go about their day is actually a simulated reality, meant to pacify humans so that machines can harvest their warmth as an energy source. Once Neo is freed from the Matrix (some people actually believe in this concept), he embarks on a quest to fulfill his destiny as "The One" that will lead the rebellion against the machines.

The Matrix uses a visual effect technique called "bullet time." Here's an example (warning: lots of violence):

Matrix Reloaded

This is the second film in The Matrix franchise, the plot picks up six months after the events of the first film. Neo, Morpheus, Trinity, and the other rebel leaders must come to the aid of Zion, the last human city that lies deep within the Earth. The machines have discovered Zion's existence and aim to destroy it. Amid the tension of an impending war, Neo is discovering his superhuman capabilities (he can fly!) and battling his nemesis Agent Smith, played by Hugo Weaving. 

It received generally favorable reviews, and it features some of the most epic fight scenes ever. Observe:

 

Matrix Revolutions

The final film in the trilogy centers around the ultimate war between humans and their oppressors, the machines. Neo realizes his destiny as the One is to be sacrificed for the sake of humanity (side note: the Matrix movies are bursting with Biblical allusions, Alice in Wonderland references, and inspirations from dystopian fiction). As if being saddled with the fate on humanity wasn't enough, Neo must also defeat his enemy Agent Smith in a very rainy battle. 

Of the three, Matrix Revolutions received the lowest critic rating, described as "a disappointing conclusion." Filming began immediately after the conclusion of Matrix Reloaded, and it was released six months after the second installment. 

Batman Begins

Batman Begins is the 2005 reboot directed by Christopher Nolan featuring the DC Comics superhero, Batman. The film's stars include Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, and Liam Neeson. The plot revolves around Batman's genesis; his fear of bats, his martial arts training, gadgets, Bat-suit, and of course, the Batmobile. The story is told in a dark and realistic style, setting the stage for a flawed hero who protects the city of Gotham. 

In regard to his casting of Christian Bale for the part, Christopher Nolan said, "I chose Christian to play Batman based on the idea that, in trying to create a realistic version of the story, you need an actor who has sufficient intensity and focus in his eyes to make you believe that someone without superpowers could, through sheer force of will, change himself into a superhero." (read the rest of the interview here.)

The Dark Knight

Released in 2008, The Dark Knight is the sequel to Batman Begins set six months after the events in the first film. Gotham is in turmoil once again when it is faced with an entirely new kind of threat. The Joker, played by Heath Ledger, makes his villainous debut as an unstable criminal who feeds on chaos. The film received huge amounts of hype because of elaborate marketing campaigns and was also in the press when Heath Ledger died six months before the film's release. It was his last completed role, and he won an Oscar posthumously. 

Nolan shot much of the film's action sequences with IMAX cameras because he believed it enhanced the experience. Despite all of the explosions, turbulent car chases, and face-to-face standoffs, only one of the four IMAX cameras was destroyed. 

The Dark Knight Rises

The highly anticipated third installment of The Dark Knight trilogy is due for theatrical release on July 20, 2012. The events in The Dark Knight Rises take place eight years after the conclusion of The Dark Knight   with Batman's reputation stained after he took the fall for Harvey "Two Face." Now Batman is called to protect a city that doesn't trust him against a villain that has been described as, "a terrorist in mentality as well as brutal action" (source). 

Countdown to the release.

News about the upcoming movie, as well as behind-the-scenes pictures and clips here. 

Presentation on the History of Film

Click here to view my group's awesome presentation on the history of film.

The Cloud

While justifying the educational value of our second group project, Rob said the best way to learn something it to teach it to someone else. I have to agree with him there. So if you were like me in class on Wednesday, and you mentally checked out during the discussion of the ambivalent "Cloud" and still want to know more, this post will hopefully clear things up.

A cool e-book was one of the first things to pop up when I began my search. I pulled this quote because I think it illustrates the power of the Cloud:

If you upload your photos, store critical files online and use a web-based email service like Gmail or Yahoo! Mail, an 18-wheel truck could run over your laptop and all your data would still safely reside on the web, accessible from any Internet-connected computer, anywhere in the world.

I still didn't how it worked, so I kept hunting. I came across a technology blogger named Jay Lee who explained it like this, "In the most layman of terms, cloud computing simply refers to resources and applications that are available on the Internet from just about any Internet connected device." He used email as an example of information that is stored in the Cloud and accessible though any device connected to the Internet, and suddenly it all made sense.

Peter Diamandis and the X Prize

Even as early as 2005, Peter Diamandis possessed a rare thing: a optimistic outlook on our future. In a world where theories of our eminent destruction outnumber theories on how to overcome, Diamandis' ideas become spots of light in a sea of grey. He delivered a TED Talk in July 2005 discussing space exploration, our "next great leap," and how it is humanity's "moral imperative" to do so. How did he plan on accomplishing this? He made a competition out of it.

The X Prize Foundation was created by Diamandis in 1995. It's mission is to "bring about radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity" in the field of technology with categories that include exploration, life sciences, energy and the environment, and education and global development. Today, the foundation is regarded as one of the leading innovators of scientific research. And this isn't some nerdy, global science fair. The developer of the winning prototype receives 10 million dollars.

Shattered Glass Ops: Proof That New Jersey is Run By People Without Souls

The New York Times ran an article concerning the ever-pressing issue of the volume of the music played by ice cream trucks. Citizens of Stafford, New Jersey are beside themselves with anger over the apparently offensive music, stating that "... [it] should be considered as much a nuisance as the roar of a low-flying jet or the screech of a car alarm," not a joyful reminder that life has meaning.

The issue went before the Stafford Town Council and the ordinance was passed by a vote of 4 to 2. The law states that drivers are forbidden to "use a sound device, mechanical bell, mechanical music, mechanical noise, speakers, amplifiers or any other similar type of sound device." After much contention, drivers were at least permitted to use a handheld bell.

Some weeks later after the smoke cleared, an interesting insight into the case was revealed: Mayor Block's lactose intolerant daughter reportedly launched into "hysterical fits" when the chiming music of the approaching truck could be heard.

(source).

Five Spider-Man Wikis

The Amazing Spider-Man

The Amazing Spider-Man is a comic book series created by Stan Lee and published by Marvel Comics in 1963. It is the debut of Peter Parker: nerdy photographer by day, web-slinging crime fighter by night.

Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider, empowering him with arachnid agility, strength, and a sixth sense that forewarns danger, a.k.a. "spider sense." After the murder of his Uncle Ben, Peter vows to use his new-found powers to combat evil. The chief conflict in the series is not just between Spider-Man and supervillians, but between Spider-Man and Peter Parker.

"With great power comes great responsibility."

Spider-Man films

The first film in the Spider-Man franchise was released in 2002. It was directed by Sam Raimi, who also directed The Evil Dead, and starred Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and Kirsten Dunst as his love interest, Mary Jane Watson.

The film was a box-office smash, and it received an 89% rating at RottenTomatoes.com. The movie's plot is more closely aligned with the Ultimate Spider-Man comic books, a reboot of Stan Lee's original series, made in 2000. The chief difference is the nature of Spider-Man's web-shooters. In Lee's comics, Peter invented the contraption that allowed him to shoot webs; in the movie and Ultimate Spider-Man series the ability is granted to him when he is bitten by the radioactive spider.

Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark

The rock musical based on the Spider-Man franchise began production in 2007. It was a risky project that was met with numerous setbacks. The notable ones being the resignation of the director, Julie Taymor, the life-threatening injuries sustained by five cast members, and the ever-increasing budget.

The opening preview on November 28, 2010 attracted huge amounts of media attention, but reviews were mixed. Audiences responded well to the score, written and performed by Bono and The Edge, and the play has been described as "One of the most technically elaborate Broadway musicals of all time."

The Amazing Spider-Man (film)

An unreleased film based off the Marvel Comics' hero, Spider-Man. It is a reboot of Sam Raimi's films, and is intended to be more faithful to the original comic series. An article in Entertainment Weekly said the reboot would reinvent the franchise, just as Christopher Nolan did with Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. The decision to make the film was in response to the production company axing Raimi's "Spider-Man 4." It is rumored that this movie will be a "more gritty, contemporary redo of the series."

It stars Andrew Garfield, who also appeared in The Social Network, as the title character, and Emma Stone of Zombieland and The Help as Gwen Stacy. Set for release on July 3, 2012. Check out this blog for lots of info and behind-the-scenes extras.

Comics

The term "comic" comes from the Greek word komikos, meaning "pertaining to comedy." The comic strip as a medium arose in 1889 and gained popularity in the 20th century when they began to be published in newspapers and magazines. There are short panel comics whose visuals and text are mutually dependent on each other and combine to produce a (usually) humorous situation.

Comic strips were compiled to create comic books (sometimes referred to as "graphic novels") and they divided into sub-genres such as adventure, war, and superheroes. Competing publishers Marvel Comics and DC Comics control over 80% of the market.

National Debt

Odds are that you, at this moment, owe the government almost $50,000 because of their overspending. Check out the constantly accumulating debt clock if you feel like being overcome with despair.

Thomas Jefferson got it right when he said:

"I, however, place economy among the first and most important republican virtues, and public debt as the greatest of the dangers to be feared."

The United States attempted to create a central bank twice, but these attempts failed. In 1913, a secret meeting between the nation's top finance magnates took place on Jekyll Island, just off the coast of Georgia. Interesting choice for a location considering that in the novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the character Dr. Jekyll represents the dark, deviant side of human nature. But the fact that X-Men: First Class was filmed there redeems the island's reputation a little.

Anyways, this secret meeting was the origin of the Federal Reserve System. The House and Senate voted in favor of this bill on December 23, 1913 and President Woodrow Wilson signed it later that day. The primary duty of the Fed is to manage the nation's money supply and maintain financial stability (source).

The sad part about this system is that is flawed and corrupt, and what makes it worse is that everyone knows this and little has been done to change it. There are petitions, such as Audit the Fed, that strive to force the institution to be upfront and accountable for where money is actually going. It is becoming harder and harder to ignore the site's claims: 

"Over its nearly 100 year history, the Federal Reserve has presided over the near-complete destruction of the United States dollar while Congress has kept its hands off and its eyes closed.  Since 1913, the dollar has lost over 95% of its purchasing power, aided and abetted by the Federal Reserve’s loose monetary policy"

The most apt description of the National Debt Crisis comes from Cracked.com: 

"A National Debt happens when governments spend more than they actually have, and everyone getting the money agrees that's absolutely fine."