Studying the Future Through Film Analysis
[BCM325 Live Analysis Blog Post]
Throughout my time in BCM 325, it's been so eye-opening as we analyse sci-fi films set in the future each fortnight. Now, let's look back on my live analysis work from the latter part of the semester, which included screenings of The Matrix (1999), Ready Player One (2018), and Arrival (2016) as a cohort. In my earlier live analysis blog post, my objectives were to pre-watch the films to gather thoughts and sources in advance and to be more precise with my language. Luckily, with two of the three films I had happened to had seen them already, all that was left for me to watch live was 2018's Ready Player One. Let's dive in to my analysis and discussions shared with peers.
The Matrix (1999) Screening:
When I watched "The Matrix" (1999), I couldn't help but get swept up in its mind-bending themes and visual spectacle. With a clear message which tries to highlight the concept of decision making, the movie dives deep into the idea of reality versus illusion, making me question what we perceive as "real". It's crazy how it touches on heavy philosophical concepts like Descartes' skepticism, all while keeping you hooked with incredible action scenes. The whole notion of being trapped in a simulated reality controlled by AI felt eerily relevant given today's recent developments in our tech-driven world. The film excels at cyberpunk, Neo's journey from a bored computer programmer living a mundane life to becoming the saviour of humanity mirrors the classic cyberpunk narrative. What hit me the most was the theme of seeking truth and the lengths we might need to go for real freedom. "The Matrix" was not just a sci-fi flick; it’s a thought-provoking journey that left me pondering long after the movie concluded. As with all our screenings, the live interaction throughout the cohort was very stimulating but enjoyable and I was pleased that I had actually seen this film in my own time prior to our screening. You can view my live reaction below...
My Live Analysis Thread Link : https://discord.com/channels/1179652660769607730/1179667865520062484/threads/1235015187380178995
Ready Player One (2018)
Image: Los Angeles Times
In this screening is where the difference between ‘real’ and ‘actual’ (Deleuze 2002) started to covey itself to me, allowing me to further my knowledge from the concepts in the screening prior (The Matrix). Watching "Ready Player One" (2018) was a fun ride through a virtual wonderland, though it wasn’t without its flaws. The film's vibrant depiction of the OASIS, a sprawling virtual reality universe, had me hooked from the start. It’s a fascinating commentary on escapism and the allure of alternate realities, especially relevant in our tech-savvy age. I loved how it balanced a nostalgic nod to pop culture with a deeper message about the importance of real-world connections and experiences. However, at times, the plot felt a bit predictable, and the character development could have been deeper. The hunt for the Easter egg in the OASIS wasn’t just an adventure; it was a journey of self-discovery for the characters. I'd have to say out of the six film screenings in this subject, I felt most disengaged during "Ready Player One". Notably, I was absent from the live screening and had to watch this film the following day after the rest of my peers, thus my interaction with other threads was lacking in detail and enthusiasm.
My Live Analysis Thread:
Arrival (2018)
Finally, in our last class, came 2018's "Arrival", by far my favourite film of them all and again, one that I had seen in the past. The beauty in this film is just so understated, from the impressive plot twists (because let's be honest an actually surprising plot twist is pretty rare) to the emotional tone of the scriptwriting. It is worth noting how the director of this film chose to maintain most of the story confined in this isolated place and how all the exterior communication with the rest of the world is through computer and television screens. Postmodernity, a historical period of time which have certainly influenced the construction of reflectivist theories, characterises the evolution of the world through the increase of advanced technology (Palacios, 2016). The plot's twist - revealing that decisions seemed to be based on past experiences but were actually influenced by future ones - raises an intriguing question: Are our decisions rooted in our past experiences, shaped by our future goals, or a mix of both? Time, Death and the Anthropocene are exquisitely sprinkled into the film and left me feeling appreciative for this piece of art. Our live analysis also proved extremely eye-opening as my peers had different reactions to the movie, I definitely feel this was my strongest live analysis.
My Live Analysis Thread:
Discord Conversations with Peers' Threads:
Watch original video focusing on the concept of decisions below:
[Narration and Editing by Me
Script written via ChatGPT]
Final Thoughts -
I've enjoyed the live screenings and feel that I've accomplished the goals I set for myself in the first blog post, I had seen most of the films before and I wanted to improve the quality and depth of my analysis. I've taken a great deal of knowledge regarding future concepts with me from these screenings and can apply this to the remainder of my studies and furthermore my career.
References:
Deleuze, G. 2002. The actual and the virtual. In Dialogues II, trans. Eliot Ross Albert, 112–16. New York: Columbia University Press.
Palacios, R.O., A brief understanding of reflectivist theory of international relations exemplified in the film Arrival (2016).
Torous, J., Bucci, S., Bell, I.H., Kessing, L.V., Faurholt‐Jepsen, M., Whelan, P., Carvalho, A.F., Keshavan, M., Linardon, J. and Firth, J., 2021. The growing field of digital psychiatry: current evidence and the future of apps, social media, chatbots, and virtual reality. World Psychiatry, 20(3), pp.318-335.
OpenAI, 2024. GPT 4 Research. [Online]
Available at: https://openai.com/index/gpt-4-research
[Accessed May 2024].
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