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We know this is a shock to some people, but movies are make-believe. They’re just actors playing pretend, not real nuclear physicists or secret agents or mall cops. By “some people,” of course, we mean renowned directors, who don’t seem to understand that actors can display emotion without being relentlessly harrowed.

5 Paul Thomas Anderson Scared Mark Wahlberg With Firecracker Noises for Three Days

A huge reason why the drug deal scene in Boogie Nights is so unbearably tense is the random explosions of firecrackers thrown by a boy whose presence is mercifully never explained. It seems like that would be bad enough in the moment, but to get Wahlberg really on edge, Thomas Anderson made a habit of slapping two-by-fours together to simulate the sound even when Cracker Boy wasn’t around. That’s a real Pavlovian response we’re watching.

4 William Freidkin Slapped and Shot at Actors While Filming ‘The Exorcist’

Apparently,...

Leonardo DiCaprio has spent years delivering one stellar performance after another, yet for the longest time, the Oscars kept slipping through his fingers. It wasn’t until The Revenant that he finally took home the gold, but let’s be honest, his vast library of work with Martin Scorsese alone could have earned him one ages ago.

Leonardo DiCaprio in Shutter Island | Credits: Paramount Pictures

Now, the iconic actor-director duo is showing no signs of slowing down. Because, out of DiCaprio’s six upcoming films, four are with Scorsese! Safe to say, the filmmaker isn’t letting go of his favorite leading man anytime soon.

Why DiCaprio-Scorsese fans are in for a treat!

From the very start of his career, Leonardo DiCaprio has been a force to be reckoned with, and that fact still stands true to this day! If a movie has his name on it, one thing is for sure,...

The second season premiere of the Apple TV+ sci-fi thriller "Severance" offered plenty of things for its dedicated fans to obsess over. Did Lumon really celebrate the core four members of the Macrodata Refinement unit for attempting to rebel against their masters and tell the truth of the world of the innies? What exactly happened in the outside world when people found out about what it means to be severed? All of these questions feed into the various fan theories people have about "Severance" and what its intense mythology all means. Are the innies unknowingly working on a way to transfer human consciousness from one body to another? Maybe the goats seen in the first season are being bred to take over as humans in the outside world. And so on. But one specific theory -- that the innies are cogs in some grand simulation, one that may impact both...

The legacy sequel has become one of the most profitable and prolific sub-genres in recent movie history, banking on audience nostalgia and a perfect screenplay to add to the lore of a classic franchise. The best legacy sequels provide a measure of closure or a deepening of the themes of the original work, adding something to a beloved film rather than detracting from what made the first entries so special. Films like Blade Runner 2049, Mad Max: Fury Road and Creed deepen the meaning of the original film while adding their own characters and stylistic flair that help them stand on their own.

The Matrix Resurrections was unsuccessful upon its release at the end of 2021, bombing at the box office when put up against the much more crowd-pleasingly nostalgic Spider-Man: No Way Home. The film also left many critics and audience members who did see it perplexed, assuming that the...

Right before the start of the second millennium, the Wachowskis made cinematic history with their groundbreaking movie, simply titled The Matrix. Although the franchise's later installments were less well-received, the first film easily stole the thunder of the hotly anticipated Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. All four movies — mostly the original — became science fiction landmarks that challenged viewers to question the metaphysical differences between destiny and free will. Protagonist Thomas Anderson aka Neo embarked on the virtual journey of a lifetime, asking and finding the answers to many deep questions that still feel relevant today.

By now, most sci-fi movie fans know the basic premise of The Matrix franchise, such as who the main villains are, what's at stake, and, of course, when the best action sequences take place. Still, The Matrix franchise is a complex, philosophically dense narrative that takes time to fully grasp. Today, plenty...

Neo has a plethora of powers in The Matrix movies, from flight to telekinesis, but what those powers are, how he controls his powers, and the way he acquired these powers gets pretty complicated. When audiences are first introduced to Neo in the first Matrix movie, hes a bored office drone named Thomas Anderson. But the character is better known by his hacker alias, Neo, which becomes the name he goes by when hes liberated from the Matrix and brought into the real world to rage against the machines.

When Neo takes the red pill and awakens in the real world, hes told that what he knows as reality is actually a computer simulation. The laws of physics arent hard-and-fast rules; theyre just written into the Matrixs code, and Neo can train to ignore them. This ends up giving Neo a wide-ranging roster of superpowers with a lot of complex lore behind them.

From Keanu Reeves to Laurence Fishburne, the cast of The Matrix trilogy is full of great movie stars who made unforgettable icons out of their characters. The Wachowskis assembled one of the best movie casts of the 90s when they were putting together their groundbreaking sci-fi actioner, and brought in even more screen legends when they came back to direct the sequels. They recruited actors who were already big names in Hollywood, like Reeves and Fishburne, and they also gave some new actors their big break. Carrie-Anne Moss first gained international attention with her role in The Matrix.

The Matrix almost had a very different cast. Will Smith was approached to play Neo and Sean Connery was approached to play Morpheus. Janet Jackson came close to clinching the role of Trinity, but she had to turn it down due to scheduling conflicts. With these original choices in the roles, The Matrix...

Fans of The Matrix may be surprised and/or depressed to realize it's been a whole 25 years since the groundbreaking first film was released to the masses. What followed were some legitimate sequels, video games, and other franchise goodies that have kept the beloved universe alive and well in Hollywood all these years later. Sure, there's Keanu Reeves as Neo who's led the charge but what about those equally scene-stealing supporting players? Carrie-Anne Moss has always been a fan-favorite as Trinity, the gun-wielding badass who helped bring Thomas Anderson to the real world.

MovieWeb caught up with Moss recently as her latest film Die Alone was released, another apocalypse-centered feature that sees her equipped with all sorts of weapons. She also weighed in on the future of The Matrix franchise since, following The Matix Reloaded and Revolutions, it was a hoot seeing her reteam with Reeves for Resurrections a few years ago.

Daniel Day-Lewis is returning to acting in his son's first movie.The 67-year-old stat stepped away from the camera after making 2017's 'Phantom Thread', but after he was spotted filming in Manchester, North West England, earlier this week, it has now been confirmed he will be starring in 'Anemone', which he co-wrote with his offspring Ronan Day-Lewis, and which the artist will also direct.According to Deadline, the film examines the relationships between fathers, sons, and brothers, and the dynamics of family bonds, and will also star Sean Bean, Samantha Morton, Samuel Bottomley and Safia Oakley-Green.Focus Features and Plan B are making the film.Focus Features Chairman Peter Kujawski said in a statement: “We could not be more excited to partner with a brilliant visual artist in Ronan Day-Lewis on his first feature film alongside Daniel Day-Lewis as his creative collaborator. "They have written a truly exceptional script,...

One of Hollywood's most acclaimed thespians is making a comeback after announcing retirement in 2017. His next film is proving to be a passion project with his son at the helm.

Daniel Day-Lewis is starring in the upcoming film Anemone, a family drama helmed by first-time director Ronan Day-Lewis. The father and son co-wrote the screenplay under Plan B and Focus Features. The film confirms Daniel Day-Lewis' return to acting after 2017's Phantom Thread, his last project before officially announcing his retirement. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Anemone's premise will focus on familial relationships, specifically the bond between fathers, sons, and brothers. Day-Lewis leads the ensemble along with Sean Bean, Samantha Morton, Samuel Bottomley, and Safia Oakley-Green.

Related Martin Scorsese Teases 'One More' Project With Retired Actor Daniel Day-Lewis

Martin Scorsese is trying to bring Academy Award-winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis out of retirement.

"We could not be more excited to partner with...

Starting his career as a musician under the hip-hop group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, Mark Wahlberg has since transformed into a successful and acclaimed Hollywood actor. And he attributes his successful career to Penny Marshall’s 1994 comedy-drama, Renaissance Man, which marked his silver-screen debut.

Mark Wahlberg | Eva Rinaldi/Cca-by-sa-2.0/Wikimedia Commons

As the film celebrates its 30 years, Wahlberg reflected on starring in the movie, noting how the comedy-drama became the turning point that altered the course of his life and career.

Mark Wahlberg Credits His Film Career to Penny Marshall’s Renaissance Man

Mark Wahlberg has starred in numerous successful and acclaimed films throughout his career, even landing roles that Leonardo DiCaprio regrets passing on, such as the lead in the Oscar-nominated film Boogie Nights.

Mark Wahlberg in Renaissance Man | Credit: IMDb

However, the film he attributes his successful career as an actor is the 1994 comedy-drama Renaissance Man.

The Rise of a Phenomenal Actor Few actors have had as diverse a filmography as the great Paul Dano. From comedic and lighthearted films to dark and emotionally driven roles, his ability as an actor and his performances in these movies are like no other. Alongside acting, Dano is also a director as he made his directorial debut with the 2018 film ‘Wildlife’, which is an adaptation of the Richard Ford novel of the same name and stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan. The talented actor first started out on Broadway at a young age and made his debut on screen for the film, ‘The Newcomers’ in 2000. Since then, Dano has appeared in many notable movies and television series and earned several awards for his performances. Here is a look back at his best roles and the films he has starred in. Things to do: Subscribe to The Hollywood Insider’s YouTube Channel,...

Keanu Reeves says ‘The Matrix’ "changed [his] life".The 59-year-old actor starred as Thomas Anderson/Neo in the hit sci-fi trilogy - which ran from 1999 to 2003, as well as the legacy sequel ‘The Matrix: Resurrections’ - and has now reflected on how the first flick shaped his Hollywood career and left its mark on fans in a retrospective look at the film for its 25th anniversary. During an appearance on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’, Keanu said: "‘The Matrix’ changed my life. And then, over these years, it’s changed so many other people’s lives in really positive and great ways. "As an artist, you hope for that when you get to do a film or tell a story. And so when you say these years and the amount of people I’ve met who have said to me and been touched by ‘The Matrix’ in such a positive way … it’s the best.

The movie that launched a million memes has lost none of its conspiratorial power, and its action sequences still dazzle – but was it actually trying to tell us something we’ve all missed?

To paraphrase Apu in The Simpsons, this was the year filmgoers were partying like it was on sale for $19.99; it offered the vintage of American Beauty, Fight Club, The Sixth Sense and more. But The Matrix seemed to me then – and seems to me now – more exciting than any of them, first among equals in the previous century’s final graduating class. Rereleased for its 25th anniversary, this barnstorming sci-fi paranoia thriller, produced by action veteran Joel Silver and written and directed by the Wachowskis, holds up tremendously well. The martial arts sequences choreographed by Yuen Woo-ping are gripping and nothing about the bullet-time effects or production design feels dated. Even the ringing payphone – an unexceptional detail...

Ron Howard has been part of our collective consciousness for as long as I can remember. Or at least he looms large in mine. Born in 1954, he was on many of the TV series I grew up watching and had his own starring role on “The Andy Griffith Show” by 1960. And his father had the idea that little “Ronny Howard” should play a good kid, not the wise-guy type popular in those “Dennis the Menace” years. He’d be nice. It stuck. He’s been known as “nice” ever since.

That made him much too easy to dismiss. However prominent he was — as a principal star of “American Graffiti” in 1973, top-billed “Happy Days” actor the next year and then as a director debuting with “Night Shift” in 1977 — we could take him lightly. By then I was reviewing films, and I overlooked him to a fault. I didn’t even give...

The Matrix Resurrections admits to being a corporate cash grab by Warner Bros, lacking new story. Storytelling in The Matrix Resurrections feels aimless and undercooked, lacking cohesion. Action scenes in The Matrix Resurrections are underwhelming compared to the original's iconic moments.

Its been nearly two years since The Matrix Resurrections came along and torpedoed the franchises canon, and the unnecessary sequels most glaring flaws really stand out on a rewatch. Directed and co-written by Lana Wachowski, The Matrix Resurrections picks up 60 years after the events of the original trilogy with Thomas Anderson back in the Matrix, working on a video game based on his experiences as Neo (which hes been convinced are all fake). This story buried the franchise in several layers of meta as Anderson begrudgingly created a sequel to The Matrix trilogy at the behest of Warner Bros.

When it arrived in theaters in 2021, The Matrix Resurrections bombed...

Cyberpunk 2077's Night City is full of media references, including several to Keanu Reeves character and other roles. Keanu's character, Johnny Silverhand plays a major role in Cyberpunk 2077's narrative. Reeves' existence as an actor in-universe adds meta layers to the game. The inclusion of the Matrix-esque John Anderson and ORPH3U5, a John Wick Easter egg, and Keanu Reeves' in-game existence add complexity and meta fun to Cyberpunk 2077.

Cyberpunk 2077's Night City is full of references to other media, with its own version of the Batmobile found within a cave, to one of the fastest bikes in the game, the Yaiba Kusanagi Ct-3X, which is also known as the motorbike from Akira. Some details, however, open up a multiversal can of worms, mainly surrounding the works of actor Keanu Reeves, who also portrays Rockerboy Johnny Silverhand in the game.

Silverhand is one of the main characters in the game,...

Drew Goddard helms The Matrix 5, but to continue the story, Neo, Trinity, Agent Smith, Bugs, Kid, & the Oracle must return. Neo and Trinity have unresolved stories to explore in Matrix 5. Morpheus was crucial for guiding Neo and others to freedom - so he should return for this role in The Matrix 5.

While little has been revealed about the upcoming The Matrix 5, helmed by Drew Goddard, development is underway for the unexpected sequel, but to properly continue the story, some characters will need to return. The Matrix was first released in 1999, and the film immediately became a cultural phenomenon thanks to the exceptional vision and direction of the Wachowskis. Following the first film's success, a number of sequels built on the world established in the first film, but it's fair to say that none made quite the same impact as the original.

In 2021, The Matrix Resurrections continued the story that had...

The Matrix played a key role in reshaping the sci-fi landscape in Hollywood. It was one of the most influential sci-fi projects and established Keanu Reeves as one of the biggest action stars. The fans are in shock as Warner Bros. has announced a fifth installment in the franchise. Following the failure of The Matrix Resurrections, nobody expected them to take a risk with The Matrix 5.

Several reasons led to the downfall of The Matrix Resurrections, with one of the primary reasons being the absence of Hugo Weaving. Although Jonathan Groff played the role of Smith, it was nothing compared to Weaving’s charismatic aura as the Og antagonist. While the fans have started brainstorming the possibilities of the events for the fifth film, Weaving’s return is undoubtedly crucial.

Why do we need Hugo Weaving back for The Matrix 5?

Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith

The Matrix, made by Lana...

The Matrix franchise is one of the most beloved ones when it comes to the action film genre. Predominantly known for revolutionizing the action genre with well-choreographed action sequences and slow-motion effects, the franchise has a cult following with fans from across the world.

With its ensemble cast led by Keanu Reeves, the franchise has four movies so far. However, that is about to change soon if recent updates are anything to go by. While it is no secret that Reeves’ potential attachment to any project is enough for fans to get excited, this time around, that does not seem to be the case.

The Matrix Catapulted Keanu Reeves to Stardom

Keanu Reeves as Neo in The Matrix films

Keanu Reeves ventured into the film industry with the Canadian film Hangin’ In and had his Hollywood breakthrough with the sci-fi comedy Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. By 1994, he had...

Burt Reynolds didn't appreciate Mark Wahlberg laughing at him during their characters' first meeting in Boogie Nights. Wahlberg was not only surprised by Reynolds' Irish accent, which made him bust out laughing, but also the veteran actor's reluctance to embrace the movie's potential. Reynolds' performance as pornographic filmmaker Jack Horner earned the actor the only Oscar nomination of his illustrious career.

“Don’t you ever laugh at me, kid!” This is how the late Burt Reynolds reacted when Mark Wahlberg chuckled at one of his lines of dialogue in Boogie Nights (1997). Reynolds was at one time a preeminent Hollywood A-lister, but his career was in a bit of a funk when he joined the cast of director Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights. And when Reynolds decided to use an Irish accent for his character, porn filmmaker Jack Horner, Wahlberg made the mistake of laughing at the veteran actor.

Wahlberg...

Mark Wahlberg, formerly known as Marky Mark starred in the 1997 film titled Boogie Nights which was a great film. Being the breakout film for Wahlberg, the actor has fond memories of the movie but not so much for his co-star Burt Reynolds.

When he was at the height of stardom, Reynolds starred in the film alongside Mark Wahlberg but he didn’t quite enjoy it. In an interview, the Ted actor talked about how the 1997 film was Reynolds’ worst nightmare because of reasons that were purely selfish!

Mark Wahlberg in Boogie Nights

Mark Wahlberg’s Breakthrough Film Was A Nightmare For Burt Reynolds!

The film, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, narrates the story of a high school dropout who goes on to become a highly successful p*rn star. His career takes a hit, however, when he gets addicted to drugs. Being a comedy/drama film, Boogie Nights received great reviews and high ratings.

It has been two years since Regina King’s only son Ian Alexander Jr. took his life, leaving the Academy Award winner in a state of grief ever since. Known for her work in films including If Beale Street Could Talk, and Boyz n the Hood, the actor rose to mainstream prominence after starring in Jerry Maguire, and would later go on to excel as a director.

However, tragedy struck when she lost her only child in 2022 to suicide, which led to the actor completely disappearing from the public limelight. But finally, King has broken her silence, giving an insight into how the loss turned her life around.

Regina King | Credit: Watchmen

Regina King Opens Up About How Grief Reshaped Her

Only two days after his birthday, Ian Alexander Jr. took his own life on 21 January 2022. Grief-stricken by the loss of her only son, whom she shared with ex-husband Ian Alexander Sr.

Filmmaker Jim Sheridan says three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis will remain retired. Sheridan also expressed Day-Lewis' disdain for all the poor options offered on streaming services. Phantom Thread was Day-Lewis' final film, which opened in 2017.

“Don’t call it a comeback,” because three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis isn’t coming out of retirement. At least that’s the word from prolific filmmaker and playwright Jim Sheridan. Day-Lewis and Sheridan collaborated on three critically acclaimed films — My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father, and The Boxer, which was less adored but still scored well with critics (and holds 81% on Rotten Tomatoes). While discussing Day-Lewis' retirement, Sheridan also revealed Day-Lewis’ disdain for all the poor choices “streamers” offer. Sheridan said in an interview with Screen Daily:

“He says he’s done, I keep talking to him. I’d love to do something with him again. He’s like everybody else,...

When a World War II drama series about airmen features the likes of Austin Butler, Barry Keoghan and Callum Turner, it’s reasonable to presume that one of them would be playing the story’s quintessential hotshot pilot. Instead, that honor belongs to Nate Mann, who portrays Lieutenant Robert “Rosie” Rosenthal, one of the most decorated real-life B-17 pilots to serve in WWII, on Apple TV+’s Masters of the Air. Rosie had already established a successful career as a lawyer in New York until the attack on Pearl Harbor eventually led him to Laredo Air Force Base, where he developed his crack piloting skills.

Knowing full well the significance of Rosenthal both on the screen and in real life, Mann refused to gloss over the details of the B-17 and the many responsibilities that a bomber pilot has before, during and after a flight. So he took the words...

The Wachowskis' 1999 cyber-thriller "The Matrix" took the world by surprise. Although cyber-thrillers and V.R.-inflected sci-fi films were de rigueur throughout the '90s, the Wachowskis' unique blend of black-trench coat cool, overloaded action, and trippy pop existentialism shook the zeitgeist in unprecedented ways. The premise was powerful: in the distant future, humanity will be enslaved by intelligent machines and bodily stuffed into goopy cocoons. The electrical impulses in human brains are used by the Machines as a power supply, and every human being has a needle plugged into their skulls. In order to keep those impulses pulsing, the Machines have created an elaborate virtual reality for its living batteries, an electric realm called the Matrix. The Matrix is what you or I might call "the real world." 

The notion that our perceived lives are merely an illusion is quite ancient, and even the sci-fi spin on that philosophy...

Movie character deaths are rarely final, with major characters often finding a way back to life. Characters like Professor X, Neo, Michael Myers, and Superman have died multiple times, only to return. Horror movies, like the Halloween and Friday the 13th series, often bring back villains after seemingly killing them.

When a major character dies in a movie, the general idea is that they don't come back, but some franchises play fast and loose with those kinds of rules. A character death in a film is usually used to spark some kind of emotional response from the audience. If the character is a hero, viewers could be shocked and saddened at their passing, but if the character is a villain, it could provide a sense of relief. However, with the nature of movies being grounded in fiction, death doesn't always mean the same thing as it does in real life.

The Matrix movies are known for their deep philosophical themes and reflections on reality, and The Matrix Resurrections continues this tradition with its self-referential reboot. The controversial ending of The Matrix Resurrections leaves the storyline open to interpretation, emphasizing the franchise's deeper themes instead of over-explaining everything. Agent Smith's cryptic line, "Anyone could've been you, whereas I've always been anyone," highlights the conflict between embracing personal power and conforming to the system. The franchise suggests that while anyone could break free, most will choose to remain within the simulation.

In The Matrix Resurrections, Smith hits Neo with a bizarre truth bomb that has a surprisingly deep hidden meaning about the larger franchise. The Matrix movies have always been filled with dense symbolism, worldly philosophical diatribes, and ruminations on life, the universe, and existence. For an action-packed sci-fi series, The Matrix movies are surprisingly full of thoughtful meditations on the meaning of reality itself.

The original Matrix movie trilogy helped set a new standard for science fiction cinema, like Star Wars did back in 1977. Starting with 1999's The Matrix, sci-fi movie fans were treated with a whole new kind of sci-fi action storytelling, including intriguing philosophical and religious themes, cutting-edge special effects, classic dialogue, and stylish setpieces. This led to countless iconic scenes in the first three Matrix movies that fans still enjoy today.

Both then and now, the best scenes in the Matrix movies hyped sci-fi fans because they involved not just cool action sequences, but a sense of hope and excitement. Despite the grim cyberpunk setting, the first three Matrix movies are all about the stubborn persistence of hope, with human heroes like Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus leading the way. That made it all the more inspiring when the Matrix's heroes won the day in the series' most memorable scenes.

When...

The Matrix sequels introduced several fascinating new characters that added depth to the franchise's ensemble. Memorable characters like The Analyst, Bane, and The Trainman were introduced in the sequels, showcasing their unique traits and contributions to the story. Persephone, The Architect, and Bugs are standout characters who brought intriguing layers and compelling performances to the Matrix universe.

The Matrix sequels are considered to be drastically inferior to the classic original movie, and that’s an astute assessment, but they introduced some fascinating new characters into the franchise’s ensemble. The most iconic Matrix characters were introduced in the first film. Neo is the messianic figure destined to save humanity from the Machines; Trinity is one of the most badass female action heroes in movie history; Morpheus is the wise, noble warrior who introduced Neo (and the audience) to the truth about the universe; and Agent Smith is an unforgettable villain...

The Matrix Resurrections uses the red pill/blue pill motif as a meta commentary on the original movie, adding depth to the story. The confusing conversations with the Oracle continue in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, baffling audiences. The Matrix Resurrections recreates iconic scenes from the original movie, like Morpheus visiting Thomas Anderson at his office, with some added twists.

The Wachowskis filled The Matrix sequels with callbacks to the original movie to remind fans why they enjoyed it so much. When it arrived in 1999, The Matrix was instantly hailed as one of the greatest sci-fi movies ever made, with a thought-provoking meditation on the nature of reality and a mind-blowing narrative that suggests the entire world might just be a computer simulation. The Matrix sequels continued this story with one foot stuck in the past. The fourth movie is a meta, self-aware commentary on the original movie itself.

The acquisition is part of the Irish exhibitor’s ambitious expansion plans.

Ireland’s Omniplex Cinema Group has acquired the five existing Empire Cinema locations in the UK as part of its ambition to become a major player in UK exhibition.

Cinemas in Birmingham, Ipswich, Sutton, Clydebank and High Wycombe will open this month, with more to be announced in 2024. The Group is making an investment of £22.5m over 18 months to acquire and renovate these existing locations and has confirmed it has secured 150 jobs.

Staff members at the sites will be taken on at their existing terms.

Three of the...

It’s the final month of 2023, and Hulu is just saying goodbye not just to the year but also to dozens of its top film titles. This December, the streamer will lose multiple franchise collections, including “Men in Black,” “The Matrix,” the “Bourne” collection.

At the end of the month, Hulu is wasting no time and will also clear out many of the titles in its holiday collection, meaning Dec. 31 will be your last opportunity to watch favorites such as “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” “National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation,” and “The Polar Express” on the streamer.

Bid farewell to 2023 by watching The Streamable’s Top 5 picks for what’s leaving the streamer this month, and check out the full list to make sure you catch your favorites one last time before they leave!

30-Day Free Trial $7.99+ / month hulu.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Leaving Hulu in December 2023? “An Education” | Sunday,...

The Matrix Resurrections fixes the underwhelming death scene of Trinity in The Matrix Revolutions, giving her a more important role in the franchise. The reboot retcons the idea of "The One" prophesy to include Trinity, acknowledging that the Matrix saga is as much her story as it is Neo's. Unlike other pointless retcons, Trinity being The One (or part of "The Two" with Neo) makes sense and gives her the recognition she deserves.

The most egregious scene from the original Matrix trilogy was finally fixed nearly two decades later when the polarizing reboot retconned the franchise. While The Matrix was universally praised as one of the greatest science fiction films – and one of the greatest action films – ever made, its sequels were met with a much more mixed reception. What was once a thought-provoking meditation on the nature of reality devolved into a series of baffling exposition dumps broken up by CG-riddled action set-pieces.

The Matrix franchise has been both celebrated for its unique art direction and criticized for its plot holes and inconsistencies. Questions are raised about the nature of reality and the morality of living in a simulated world, as seen through the betrayal of Cypher. Many plot holes and inconsistencies exist within the Matrix movies, such as the unrealistic physical abilities of characters immediately after waking up and the questionable reasoning behind the machines' need for the Matrix as a power source.

The Matrix kicked off a science fiction movie franchise that has suffered from mixed reception and plot holes. Spanning over 20 years of media, The Matrix has been supplemented with video games and short films to help fill out its universe. Thanks to its unique art direction, stellar action scenes, and thought-provoking questions, it became a pop culture phenomenon that permanently changed the landscape of sci-fi and action movies.

However,...

Action movie heroes often survive injuries that defy belief, like falling from a cliff or being shot in the head, showcasing their incredible resilience. Characters like Neo from The Matrix franchise and John Wick defy death multiple times, emphasizing their strength and importance as action movie protagonists. Jackie Chan's real-life stunts in movies like Project A and Police Story demonstrate his bravery and ability to recover quickly from extreme falls and dangerous situations.

Action movie heroes have often escaped some truly harrowing injuries and encounters with death, defying the entire reality of mortality in their films. When it comes to being the protagonist of an action movie, injuries are simply part of the job. Car chases, gun fights, martial arts smackdowns, and incredible stunts call upon every hero or heroine in an action film to put themselves through genuine punishment, and that naturally extends to the action movie leads playing them.

The inclusion of the book Simulacra and Simulation in The Matrix hints at a deeper, more pessimistic message about reality and simulation. The book serves as a roadmap for Neo's journey, as it discusses the idea of living in a hyperreal era where symbols replace actual things. The Matrix itself is a distraction from the fact that even the "real world" of Zion is just as fake, suggesting that Neo's quest to escape the simulation may be futile.

The Matrix made viewers question their own realities when the Keanu Reeves flick was released in 1999 - but one key detail in the Wachowskis' sci-fi means that the rabbit hole goes even deeper for Neo. While the movie reveals that Neo is living in a simulation that he must escape with the help of Morpheus' red pill, a prop at the beginning of the film hints at an even darker story and more pessimistic message.

Smith's powers have significantly weakened in The Matrix Resurrections compared to his previous appearance in The Matrix Revolutions. He has been assimilated into The Source and acts as a pawn under The Analyst's control, monitoring Neo and keeping him in check. Smith's ability to manipulate the Matrix and his overall influence has been restricted, but there is a possibility that some of his powers could be restored in Neo and Trinity's new Matrix.

When Agent Smith shows up in The Matrix Resurrections he's considerably weaker than he was in The Matrix Revolutions. Played by Hugo Weaving in the Wachowski Sister's original Matrix trilogy, he was replaced by Jonathan Groff for the fourth installment, presenting himself as the head of a video game development company that oversaw the games made by Thomas Anderson, who has used all of his memories of the Matrix as the basis for his latest video game.

The Matrix franchise's legacy has been tarnished by underwhelming sequels, with scenes like the rave in Zion and the Architect's exposition dump contributing to the disappointment. The Matrix Resurrections insults legacy sequels by rehashing iconic moments for cheap fan service, while recasting characters like Agent Smith falls flat compared to the original. The Matrix Reloaded's "Burly Brawl" was hindered by terrible CGI effects, and The Matrix Revolutions' literal Deus Ex Machina and pointless return of the Merovingian dragged down the overall story.

The legacy of The Matrix franchise has been tarnished by increasingly underwhelming sequels filled with terrible scenes that ruined the movies. When it was released in 1999, The Matrix was hailed as a masterpiece and became a cultural phenomenon. It masterfully blended thought-provoking philosophical themes with mind-bending visuals and high-octane action. But all three sequels that followed struggled to replicate that success. The Matrix Reloaded was praised for its action scenes,...

Several Matrix characters escaped the simulation by themselves, as in without external help like Keanu Reeves’ Neo received. While Thomas Anderson could feel that there was something wrong with reality, it was only thanks to Morpheus and his crew that Neo woke up from the Matrix. Neo was offered a choice between the Blue Pill and the Red Pill, the latter of which worked as a tracking program. Neo was just one of many people Morpheus and the humans from Zion helped escape from the Matrix.

The process through which a person wakes up from the Matrix without external help is known as self-substantiation. No case of self-substantiation happens on-screen in any of the Matrix movies, yet the expanded Matrix universe has many examples of it. Here is a breakdown of every Matrix character who escaped the simulation by themselves.

The First “The One”

In The Matrix, Morpheus tells Neo...

Warning: Contains potential Spoilers for The Matrix ResurrectionsThe Matrix Resurrections cast features some familiar returning faces along with new ones, including some extremely controversial roles being recast. The Matrix Resurrections is the long-awaited fourth installment in the Matrix franchise and given the sprawling nature of the Matrix saga, the long list of characters is expectedly complex. The movie follows Neo as he assesses the reality of his new state of living and faces off against new and old foes in the process. On his new journey, Neo reunites with old allies as well as a fresh slate of new faces, who aid Neo on his latest mission of self-discovery.

Lana Wachowski's ambitious sequel takes a very meta approach to its story, deconstructing the original Matrix trilogy while also telling its own personal tale with Neo and Trinity. The latest entry follows what happened in the Matrix trilogy and tackles...

The Matrix director Lilly Wachowski opens up about how the film wasn't intentionally written as a transgender allegory, but that it could be interpreted with those themes in mind. Wachowski, who is trans herself, has previously opened up about trans themes within The Matrix. This has led to increased analysis of the film through that lens in recent years.

Speaking with Them, Wachowski clarifies her previous comments, explaining that The Matrix was not intended to be a trans allegory when it was in production. While she acknowledges the movie's strong trans themes, she says the ideas came about naturally, without intention on her or co-director Lana Wachowski's part. Check out what Wachowski had to say below:

No, I didn’t [confirm The Matrix is a trans allegory].

Yeah, so that came from an interview I did for Disclosure. They had a bunch of Matrix questions. And the question they asked me was about Switch,...

Los Angeles, April 25 (Ians) Hollywood star Keanu Reeves didn’t tell anyone about his spinal injury so he could star in ‘The Matrix’.

The 58-year-old actor agreed to play Thomas Anderson/Neo in the 1999 sci-fi action film and recalled how he had to keep the problem secret through four months of training so he didn’t lose the part, reports aceshowbiz.com.

“I met with the Wachowskis and I loved the script, and they showed me pre-vis for bullet time which was extraordinary, and one of the things they talked about in the meeting was training in Hong Kong-style martial arts and asked if I was okay with that, and that it was over four months and I was like, ‘Yeah, that sounds okay, ” Keanu said on The Art of Action podcast.

“The only problem – I was dealing with a neck issue which was getting worse, I’d spent a...

Keanu Reeves hid a spinal injury so he could star in 'The Matrix'.The 58-year-old actor accepted the role of Thomas Anderson/Neo in the 1999 sci-fi action film and recalled how he had to keep the problem secret through four months of training so he didn't lose the part.Speaking on The Art of Action podcast, Keanu said: "I met with the Wachowskis and I loved the script, and they showed me pre-vis for bullet time which was extraordinary, and one of the things they talked about in the meeting was training in Hong Kong-style martial arts and asked if I was okay with that, and that it was over four months and I was like, 'Yeah, that sounds okay.'"The only problem – I was dealing with a neck issue which was getting worse, I'd spent a couple of years fighting it off, I was getting tingling."I had...

The Matrix Resurrections left eight big questions for a potential Matrix 5 to answer. Assuming it moves forward with one or both of the Wachowskis, it could provide even more world-building for the beloved franchise while at the same time telling new stories around characters not directly related to key players like Neo and Trinity. The end of The Matrix 4 saw the powerful pair defeat The Analyst and devote themselves to giving people free choice and reshaping the digital world.

Certain plot lines were introduced only to be forgotten about, and inconsistencies across the movie itself left a lot of unknown variables available for future storytelling. Since it's one of the most original franchises in cinema that has revolutionized action, sci-fi, and other genres for the last several decades, it has a lot of life left in it in terms of storytelling potential. Given how poorly The Matrix 4 was received,...

The Matrix franchise includes many characters with vast physical and cerebral powers. The Matrix took the world by storm in its 1999 theatrical debut, telling the story of Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves), a man who comes to learn that the world he lives in is nothing more than a simulated reality. Under the tutelage of his wise mentor Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), Neo also unlocks his power as "the One."

While the reception to The Matrix movies would be more mixed with its subsequent sequels, the landmark the series represents in both sci-fi and cinema overall remains historic. With so much of The Matrix franchise taking place inside a computer simulation, the Wachowskis were also able to showcase astonishing superhuman abilities on the part of both Neo and other characters. At the same time, the highly cerebral nature of the Matrix also includes characters with equally vast mental powers, as well. Here...

One of very few Valentine’s Day-themed horror movies, 1999 slasher Lovers Lane is back in the conversation this week, with Arrow Video announcing a brand new Blu-ray release.

Lovers Lane comes to Blu-ray on April 25, 2023.

There will be a Standard Version and an Arrow Exclusive Slipcover Limited Edition.

Arrow Video previews, “Passions are aroused and old wounds reopened in this sassy post-Scream teen slasher based on the urban legend of The Hook.”

Special Features include:

Brand new 2K restoration from a 4K scan of the original 35mm camera negative High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation Two versions of the film: the widescreen 1.85:1 version and the full-frame 1.33:1 version Original lossless stereo audio on both versions Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing Brand new audio commentary with writer-producers Geof Miller and Rory Veal Screaming Teens: The Legacy of Lovers Lane featurette with Geof Miller and Rory Veal and actors...

Despite offering the highly anticipated return to a franchise with clever philosophical themes, The Matrix Resurrections was ultimately too meta for its own good. With almost two decades between it and The Matrix Trilogy by the time of its release in 2021, Resurrections had the chance to explore new aspects of the thought-provoking sci-fi world created by the Wachowski sisters, as well as determine what happened to the peace between the humans and machines, but it became mired in the conscious referencing of its own subject matter. Rather than focus on the sacrifices made by Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus in the previous films, it struggled to find its direction and settled on being a movie about a movie.

Lana Wachowski returning as writer and director, as well as most of the principal cast, seemed to indicate that it would faithfully and respectfully continue where The Matrix Revolutions left off. Reboots, remakes,...

Neo was the savior The Matrix Resurrections got, but Carrie-Anne Moss' Trinity was the hero it needed. Arriving almost 20 years after the Wachowski sisters' original The Matrix trilogy concluded, The Matrix Resurrections released to hype aplenty, and that excitement can be partially attributed to the returns of two beloved characters in Keanu Reeves' Neo and Carrie-Anne Moss' Trinity. Set 60 years after peace fell upon Zion, The Matrix Resurrections sees Neo reawaken in a new Matrix simulation built by the villainous Analyst. Tasked with freeing humanity from enslavement once again, Neo discovers Trinity has also been remade, and saving the world depends on her taking the metaphorical red pill.

Even considering the burden of anticipation, The Matrix Resurrections bombed, releasing to a disappointing reception. As well as failing to impress at the box office, critical reaction veered between warm and tepid, with a unanimous agreement that yet another The Matrix sequel...

The Matrix trilogy might have completed its arc twenty years ago, but it still has a better ending than the unexpected fourth installment, The Matrix: Resurrections. The Matrix: Revolutions wasn't a perfect conclusion to the Wachowski sisters' epic sci-fi saga, but it got the job done, and fans thought they had entered the Matrix for the final time when Neo sacrificed himself to the Machines. However, in 2021, Resurrections premiered and took audiences by surprise, especially since the trilogy's many threads had more or less been tied up.

As its title suggests, Resurrections brought back characters from the original trilogy and placed them in new contexts. Thomas Anderson was a game designer with vague memories of the Matrix, Trinity had no idea about their connection, and Morpheus was a younger incarnation. Resurrections changed the Matrix movies by reviving old threats (like Smith) alongside new ones (like The Analyst) and forced Neo,...