I just realized I told you the wrong movie. 13th Floor is also really good as an exploration of the "simulation hypothesis," but the movie I had in mind that the Wachowskis may have partially ripped off was "Dark City." It's interesting to note that these three movies were all released within a few months of each other in 1998-1999 . . . almost like someone was trying to tell us about the new layers of Psyop BS that were about to get added to the Matrix after 9/11.
Indeed, although whether that's the power structure telegraphing its moves in advance in order to avoid violating free will according to some esoteric formula, or simply psychic premonition, is an interesting question.
Cloud Atlas was quite good, too. Some interesting ideas in that movie.
Will have to check that one out too. Now I'm wanting to re-watch Dark City, Thirteenth Floor, and The Matrix. Movies like those are to our culture what myths and epic poems were to the ancients, in terms of providing symbols and stories to make sense of intuitions about a deeper reality. I guess that era was a great one for Hollywood. I think Christopher Nolan's Memento was around that time too (also had a couple of actors from The Matrix), with some really interesting issues raised in that film about the role of memory (including false memories) in forming one's identity. Late 90s cinema was like a golden age of psychological and metaphysical metaphors.
Add to that list Ghost in the Shell anime. And if you haven't seen The Animatrix, I highly recommend repeat viewings. A pivotal scene is humanoid robots gaining person status at the UN.
I've heard of it, but never got around to seeing it.
Did you see Jupiter Ascending?
I haven't. Will check it out.
I just realized I told you the wrong movie. 13th Floor is also really good as an exploration of the "simulation hypothesis," but the movie I had in mind that the Wachowskis may have partially ripped off was "Dark City." It's interesting to note that these three movies were all released within a few months of each other in 1998-1999 . . . almost like someone was trying to tell us about the new layers of Psyop BS that were about to get added to the Matrix after 9/11.
Indeed, although whether that's the power structure telegraphing its moves in advance in order to avoid violating free will according to some esoteric formula, or simply psychic premonition, is an interesting question.
Cloud Atlas was quite good, too. Some interesting ideas in that movie.
Will have to check that one out too. Now I'm wanting to re-watch Dark City, Thirteenth Floor, and The Matrix. Movies like those are to our culture what myths and epic poems were to the ancients, in terms of providing symbols and stories to make sense of intuitions about a deeper reality. I guess that era was a great one for Hollywood. I think Christopher Nolan's Memento was around that time too (also had a couple of actors from The Matrix), with some really interesting issues raised in that film about the role of memory (including false memories) in forming one's identity. Late 90s cinema was like a golden age of psychological and metaphysical metaphors.
Add to that list Ghost in the Shell anime. And if you haven't seen The Animatrix, I highly recommend repeat viewings. A pivotal scene is humanoid robots gaining person status at the UN.
Ghost in the Shell is truly excellent.