| Bill |
| Ok, what makes me the #1 Matrix fan in the world? Since I saw the Matrix 1 in theatres, that fateful day, my life has completely turned around. I was 13 at the time with no ambitions, no knowledge of the world around me, no idea where the hell I’m going in life. But after seeing that movie all that changed. I began studying philosophy, searching for answers. Becoming somewhat of a usefull human being.So, Matrix has been a big part of my life since 1999. I have collected every piece memorabelia I could get my hands on. I have watched Matrix one probably over a thousand times. I had a weekly schedule I abided to, each night a 8 p.m. I would watch it, take notes, writing down any knew relevations and discussing it the next day with my matrix friends. I bought 3 pairs of Neo glasses off-line in case one broke. And I would wear a pair to school everyday. I earned the nickname “Matrix”.At night when I drive I always wear my sunglasses. My friends say, “You’re going to crash one day.” Interestingly enough, I have adapted to the glasses so that my vision is crystal clear at night. I have read all the books associated with the Matrix. I have memorized every dialogue, scene and music to each scene of all 3 sequels. I re-mixed all the Matrix soundtracks on my synthesizer. Every halloween since Matrix 1, I dressed up like Neo. When kids came to my door I said, “Red candy or Blue Candy?” They got confused… So that about wraps up my obsession with the Matrix. There is probably more than that but I can’t come to think of anymore. But I don’t believe words can really describe my obsession. It’s something I believe burrowed deep whithin my soul. Something that has become more than a passion but something I need to survive. |
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| Eirik (cipher) |
| Ok, let me just define my interpretation of a fan: I’m not the kind that buys the spin-offs just for the sake of popularity, ok, so I bought a leather jacket a week after I saw Reloaded, but that was just a freak coincidence. or was it? Anyways, I’m the kind that saw the philosophical side of the first movie intriguing (by the way, pardon my English, I’m from Norway). After I saw the Matrix, I didn’t understand anything. After the fifth time I understood so much as to call it the best film I’d ever seen. Still is, after four years.I’ve got two sorts of friends, the ones who call me a matrix-freak, and the ones who are like me. The reason that I’m more of a fanatic than your run-of-the-mill fan, is probably that I love the philosophy. My father studies Kierkegaard and Nietzsche and translated, among others, The allegory of the cave to Norwegian (as the only Norwegian edition). Before I saw the Matrix, I didn’t know why he bothered, but then I started reading books of his shelf and now I’ve read quite a few. I can’t say that I understand everything, I’m only twenty years old, but I like to read it anyhow, and Matrix or not, philosophy is really interesting. I’m also a serious aspiring moviemaker (if I may say so). I’ve made eight short films, one of which is a 15 minute documentary about why a philosopher, a movie critic, my father and a friend of mine likes the movies so much. I spent almost eight months on it, as it was a project in school (I got an A by the way). When I worked in the local theatre I got to see the first movie a lot of times, bought the DVD, Revisited and the Animatrix. My father bought me some matrix philosophy books that I read more than one time, like Simulacra and Simulation, exploring the Matrix, Out of control and five other books that are mainly about the philosophical side. Don’t get me wrong, I’m in awe of all the visuals. I mean.. how cant you help but drop your jaw every time trinity jumps from one building to another, or when the machines invade Zion. I love the movies so much that I don’t bother to complain when I see the camera in the Oracles front doorknob, or the thin cord that pulls the bug out of Thomas’ stomach after he was raped. I can’t stay mad at the movie; it has given me so much. When Reloaded came out, I was ecstatic. When people around me said that it was all just another money-machine, I looked for hidden biblical references and saw it as many times as my wallet could allow. And then I cried when Neo says goodbye to Morpheus for the last time, when Trinity died, something that I had read by accident on the net days before. Now that’s a mother of a spoiler, man! I hit myself after reading it. But it didn’t spoil my experience of the final chapter (so to speak). I’ve played Enter the Matrix, I’ve seen the Animatrix again and again (my favorite is Kids story, because I can relate so much of me and the last four years of my life to Kid). The Brothers are on my list over the best directors of all time, right next to Kubrick and Jackson and all my other gods, Amen. I’ve got seven posters in my room, all Matrix, I watch the original Matrix usually every month. and the strange thing (according to my mother) I never get sick and tired of it. In fact, every time I see the film I discover something new, or get a new sensation of something, most probably because I’ve read something new between each session.I guess I can’t convince you that I’m the ultimate fan, because there are a lot of people out there who probably gets more out of the whole Matrix-phenomenon, like the spin-offs, but I can tell you how much it has affected me, personally. After I saw the original, I started meditating; I am no longer a Christian, though I bought myself a bible to read in, I study Buddhist tradition, started with yoga and Nanbudo. I’ve read more books than I can remember in relations with the movies, and I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen them. Every day I check for updates on the internet based chat sites or new articles on the movies. I chat with people on mIRC and discuss the plot themes and the philosophical side of the movies. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of the movies in one way or another. I’m surrounded by it and will never forget it. Not in a million years. I really feel like I’m part of a community when I talk to people about the Matrix concepts, it’s like a religion or a lifestyle, not just a movie. There is so much about it that grabs me by the @£$? and pulls me in to the hole universe of thoughts and ideas, fantastic and amazing images that only a movie with such a broad scope and such a deep and solid backstory can give. But the best thing about it all is the feeling I get when I watch the first part.. the original, untouched testament of moviemaking at its peak. The sheer joy and excitement that, still now, after a hundred times, makes me believe the unbelievable. |
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| Fábio |
| First of all, I must say that I am a gnostic thanks to the matrix movies. I discovered this religion through the movies, so I can truly say the movies changed me…Next, I everyday engage in conversations with my friends about aspects of the movies and their mythology and simbology. I am always trying to find the ultimate simbolism in every aspect, every quote, every picture from the saga. I’m writing an essay about Gnostic Simbolism as the main source on The Matrix Saga for the Portuguese Gnostic Church, and when it’s ready will be putting it online(it’s quite huge!!!) and you guys will be alerted!In regular conversations with people, I often(very often) make matrix quotes, even quotes that are not well known!!! Oh, by the way, I know every single line from ‘The Matrix’ from memory(people tell me its because I’ve seen it more than 69 times, which is actually true) and many lines from the other movies, animatrix and video game( I just haven’t yet got the time to see them 69+ times to memorize everything, lol(“but then, if we do not ever take time, how can we ever have time?”)).
About Memorabilia, well since I live in Portugal it’s kind of difficult to get them, and even the books. But I’m getting them as time goes by(thanks to ebay and amazon ;). I think it is needless to say that I have all DVDs and music CDs, magazines, TV shows, interviews, etc. etc. etc.
When I open my web browser the home pages that automaticaly open up are MFN, thematrix.com and thematrixonline.com (I’m always searching for news about what are we going to get next)!!
I almost had two heart attacks within a 24 hour period. the first was when you posted the news about the matrix as a new tv show. the second was when i learned it was an april day joke(grrrr)Oh, I’ve printed screenshots from the DVDs and took them to a taylor for him to make me a custom Neo Coat from Reloaded. I’ve got it 😉 and now I’ve bought Neo’s Sunglasses for added Matrix feel;) and I’m looking for good pictures of Revolutions Merovingian Coat.
My friends last october made me a surprise. They went to the nearby cinema and asked if they could take that huge(real-size) Matrix Reloaded stand with Neo, Trinity and Morpheus!!!! It was great. I now have it in my bedroom. Well, what can I say more, ah yes, 3 weeks ago I arranged a special The Matrix Saga movie cycle on my home. Me and my friends watched a full, non-stop, 8+ hours of The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions and The Animatrix(with everything in chronological order,i.e. we saw Second Rennaissance first, and so on). It was kind of hard to open my eyes after 8 hours in front of a tv screen but hey, I’m not complaining!!
I often make connections with the movies of stuff that has nothing to do with it. For eg. when helping a friend to study math I saw z1 on the book and started laughing. The joke??? z1 read is “ze” One, i.e. Merovingian saying “Here is is. Neo, the(ze) One himself…” 😀
“Everything that has a Beginning has an End”
– ancient Mandaean saying |
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| Leroy |
Walking into the theater opening night of the matrix, i wasnt expecting a whole lot, just looked like a cool movie with some neat effects and a good way to spend a friday night. I recall after watching Trinity being involved in the first bullet time sequence i yelled holy s***, i was blown away, and continued to be blown away by the fights, the effects, and most importantly the storyline.It made me look at the world in a whole new way, i identified with Neo in a way that ive never identified with any character, or anyone for that matter. Time passed however, and the only theing other than the dvd i had to remind me was a poster and most of the first line of action figures.However…superbowl sunday..i witnessed the commercial for reloaded. After viewing neo spinning on the pole and kicking an army of smiths blew me away, every day i checked the net for new pictures, info, whatever i could find on the new matrix movies. i watched The matrix revisited many a time while waiting for the sequal to come out. After buying my tickets for opening day, my girlfriend at the time screwed me over and cancelled last minute making it impossible for me to see the movie because i was no where near the theater (long story) so after breaking up with her, i went the next day with some friends and was yet again blown away, after watching it in the theater 6 times then getting a bootleg on vhs,(i paid for each of my movie tickets and bought the dvd when it came out so i feel justified in my bootleg purchase) I couldnt stop watching it, even now at least 3 times a week i put in my reloaded dvd and watch the burly brawl, or the chateau fight. They were the greatest fights ever put on film. Not only that but the music was beautiful as well, from the matrix i developed a great love for the music of
rob dougan.When the Thrid Movie came around, i was pumped, nothing would stop me from seeing this as early as possible, i took a group of drunken friends to the 6 am showing at the imax theater, after nearly crashing on the trip and scarring the hell out of the concious people in the car, we made it to the theater, i was dressed in full matrix gear, which got me alot of crap from my friends, and entered the theater. I laughed, i cried, and i left slighty unsure of how to feel…i knew i had loved the movie..i figured it was because i was tired, but after waking up i still felt depressed…maybe it was the fact that there werent enough big fight scenes for my taste…i kept trying to pin my finger on my depression i was feeling..then i relized my problem…it was over..neo..the character i had identified with so much sacraficed himself for the good of mankind…but he was gone…..as was any more matrix movies (as far as we know) and i relized i was in mourning for him and trinity. Ive never felt that way about a movie character…and have gotten over it was i figured what it was.
The movies have changed my life, for the good as far as i can see, i have many action figures, posters, shirts, games, dvd’s and memories of the series.Ive read many a book involved in the matrix universe such as, simulacra and simulation, taking the red pill, the matrix and philosopy, the matrix warrior, ect. As well as my next tatoo is going to be the code in a band of some sort either on my arm or ankle. I have also let my matrix obsession cary over into my film projects. |
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| Mike (Whitedeath) |
| My whole life I have felt different from others. My only really good friend has been my computer. I have had endless nights spent on the internet looking, talking, and wondering. Then came the Matrix, and wow. The film showed a world cast outside another. People living their lives day by day, and in truth solving nothing. Neo represents to many of us that there is more substance then just on the physical plane. Looking beyond the looking glass. Life is not without its sense of irony and the Matrix shows this. Man is its own greatest enemy and these films bring that statement to an unbridled plane. It is a film that is more then simply entertainment, it is a film with a strong point.When I saw all of these amazing things come together I was struck. I saw all three films maybe 30 times each in the movie theater. I took the trilogy to heart and still try to live my life according to Neo, what he would do, etc. The Wachowski’s striving to tell the story their way was perfect. Since the movies began to come out I have been a diehard collector. All of the posters, McFarlane figures, all of the dvds, all of the cds, blinde sunglasses, mini busts, comics, etc. When I say all I mean all. The characters were perfect in the films. Some rare items I have are: the Revolutions screening coin, a 12 signature Neo Revolutions poster, a Reloaded standee, and #3 an #4 Twins mini busts.I live day by day thinking about the matrix. I have been a member of Matrixfans.net for a long time and check the site EVERYDAY for any new updates and posts. Neo is my favorite character but I also see the Twins as the coolest bad guys ever. What makes me a proven hard core matrix fan? I have lived these past years emerged in the Matrix. I read, eat, and sleep the Matrix. I strongly believe that the reason why it was criticized so much is because the bros. told their story and didn’t conform to “selling out”. Still what most people do not realize is that the movies made an unbelievable amount of money, and set precedents in the film industry. The Matrix universe has brought me to a new world and I have met so many people like me. I am a diehard Matrix fan. |
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| Thanatos |
| I can definitely consider myself being an obsessed Matrix fan. When “The Matrix” was released in 1999, I didn’t really put much thought into it. I never saw it in a theater, and I kept hearing more and more about it after the Columbine deaths. I saw “The Matrix” for the first time on VHS on Christmas Eve 1999 at a friends house. After that, I was changed. I had never seen anything like it. It was very confusing to me, but the special effects caught my eye and made me want to see the film more and more. I then purchased the video and saw it about 15 times in approximately 3 months. I understood what the basics of the film and what it was about, and I loved it in every way.I found out about the sequels in the winter of 2002. I was excited to hear about that. The time went by and so did 2002. When the new year came about, I already had my computer and I was able to communicate with people all over the place. I was aware that the Super Bowl would be running a spot for the sequel’s and was waiting with much anticipation. Before it came on, I wasn’t as hyped as I was for anything…a boring life I was having. The ad came and went, and there is when everything changed for me. I was extremely excited for these films. I got into the official website, saw the super bowl ad for about 8 times that same night.February came by and the first Animatrix episode came on. I didn’t know about these cartoon episodes, as I called them at first, and it was such a great thing to see how the matrix began with an illustration such as the second renaissance showed. March and April went by, and in between two new animatrix episodes were released online. May 15th seemed like 10 years from then. Then I discovered MatrixFans.net. So many explanations to the first film and The Animatrix I never knew of, and I stayed there ever since. The commercial spots and final theatrical trailer for reloaded came out and I couldn’t wait anymore. I think I saw “The Matrix” 10 times from that Super Bowl 2003 to May 14th.
May 15th was finally here and I was very eager to get inside a theater. The film was phenomenal. It was something that changed me and my life in so many ways. I don’t want to sound dramatic and say such a statement, but it’s the truth. And by changed, I meant it all in a good way…nothing that I would do crazy stuff over like trying to fly or stuff like that. Once out of the theater, I went and purchased “Enter The Matrix.” I then came online and saw so many explanations for “The Matrix Reloaded” at MatrixFans.net and was overwhelmed at what the smallest details were already being talked about. All around, it was a very good day.
Then I began purchasing my Matrix collection. Between May to September, I purchased about $600 worth of Matrix merchandise. Everyone around me was looking at me in a weird way. I was trying to get every friend I have to see both films and The Animatrix. Few watched and not many were impressed. Obviously there opinions didn’t affect mine since I wouldn’t let them do so. I purchased about 20 posters in that time period, the entire McFarlane Series 1 Toy Collection, The Animatrix, The Art of The Matrix Book, The Matrix and Philosophy Book, a mouse pad, lobby cards for the first film and $40 worth of movie tickets for reloaded and reloaded in the IMAX.
September 13, 2003. Why that date?
The Matrix Revolutions commercial spots were leaked into the net. This was such an unforgettable day since I spent at least 8 hours straight trying to see them. At around 3am on September 14th, I saw the final leaked spot. I was hyped once again, but now for this final film. The final theatrical trailer followed with commercial spots on t.v, and I was ready for the revolutions. The Matrix Comics Book was about to be released but before it was, there was a hex code to be found so people could get a discount on the book. I again spent time online trying to find out what this code was. I guess the hunt for it was the exciting part more than getting a discount.
Before the official release of “The Matrix Revolutions,” I went to the “Disney Hall World Premiere” here in Los Angeles to see if I caught anything with my camera. I was the most obsessed in that crowd since I was the only one there bright and shine at 8:30am on October 27th, 2003. It was such a frustrating day since I saw nothing. The starts came out at 5:30pm and the security moved all the fans across the street an hour before that. I spent 10 hours till 6:30pm to see if I caught anything special at a world premiere…and I came up empty handed…I still remain a fan after that though.
Zero-Hour Global Release. What an exciting time this was. I had the worse time zone to get to at 6am. I was waiting to get at a theater in anyway that November 6th. It was a bad day in anyway since I couldn’t make it at the 6am showing. I did however make it to an 8am show. All around it was a great time. I saw the trilogy end and it was a great ending. I was telling every person I knew to go see this film. I saw it about 4 times that same month…more times I’d ever been to a theater in one year.
I then bought at least 15 more posters and not just any poster….these were the rarest Matrix posters out there. I spent at least $200 in all of these posters. 35 posters in total came to about $450. I now have the dvd’s, soundtracks, posters, books, game…
I’m still missing a lot, but it’s a few more hundred bucks to put in.
So all in all, 2003 was a year I will never forget. It brought me to this thing called The Matrix…made me learn things about the world and my life. I’ve made many good friends over at MatrixFans.net, learn lots from the people there, and I’ve gone out and put a little bit of money in it all. |
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| Eric (snowflakeman) |
| First, I can say that I have always been a huge fan of the first Matrix. I got to know all the philisophical things and all the hidden meanings that I could find, and everytime I watch it I usually find a new one. Plus, I loved the action and bullet-time. About in 2001 my friend and I got together and we filmed about a 4 minute fight scene that took a while to get down right. It was awsome; we did it at school a couple of times too. Back then, everytime I would watch a movie at my house with some of my friends I would always suggest The Matrix, and then they would say no because we had seen it too many times, but for me, a 1000 is still not enough.Then a heard news about the sequals about early 2002. I had no idea when it was going to happen so did not become too excited, but when that teaser came out in late 2002 I believe it was, I became so excited for them. I joined mfn in febuary 2003 to get as much information as I could and talk to a whole bunch of other fans about everything related to the Matrix. I came to MFN for about 4 hours a day looking for news on the sequals. I would talk to all my friends and feed them information about the sequals when I heard the news, even if they didn’t want me to. The superbowl trailer came out and I almost died when I saw it. I downloaded it the next day a wathced it about 10 times everytime I came home, it got better everytime. I was so hyped for the animatrix episodes that were coming out soon. The animatrix episodes came out and I loved them and watched them over and over on my computer, talked over with my friends about them to see how they relate and everything. Everytime my friends talked to me I spoke about The Matrix half the time. I made a countdown chart to Reloaded and told the number to everyone I saw. I downloaded every desktop, every countdown, screensaver, fan trailer, you name it, downloaded it all onto my computer and watched everything tons of times. As the days grew closer I became more and more excited.The last week until Reloaded came, and everyone I knew, and even some I didn’t, knew I was obsessed with The Matrix. I said quotes all the time from the movie, listened to the music, I began to relate the world we live in with it. I bought tickets to go with my friends days before. I watched the trailers more and more, I looked for advertisements all around town, I loved it when I saw some, especially the “this sign is not real” or bus or whatever. We were going crazy on mfn, guessing plot points and drooling action sequences, and doing whatever we could to get more excited. I recorded every special on Reloaded and watched it over and over after taping it. Everyone and their neighbor new I was a huge Matrix fan. I finally went to see it and I was jumping with excitment while waiting. I saw it and it was the best thing I had ever seen! I loved every minute of it! It had so many unbelievable things that I still have trouble understanding in it. I saw it 5 times in the theater and drove an hour to San Francisco to see it IMAX which was also amazing. I would not shut up when talking to people about it. Talking of not only the visuals but of all the points of choice, purpose, control, hope, and all the rest. All my papers I would write in school always had some of the meanings from Reloaded in it. I nearly went insane with joy.
Then after a while I calmed down and it just became a wait for Revolutions. School started again and the countdown began for Revolutions. It was crazy again at mfn and with myself. I would talk of nothing else. I would walk up to people and they would ask me how many days until the Revolution. I wrote on some calenders at school of the Revolution on Nov. 5th. It came closer and it was the only thing I thought about, wrote about, talked about, and would not stop driving people crazy.Though this time, I joined up with Peock with the no spoiler group, and that was the best decision I ever made. When I finally saw Revolutions, it was unbelievable, the most spectacular movie I have ever witnessed. I was in shock for the entire movie. I also saw Revolutions 5 times as well as 1 IMAX.
The Matrix has really changed everything I do, I speak in quotes, write about it and the way I act has always have something to do with the Matrix. I still choreograph fight scenes with my friends all the time, and I usually do it based on the teahouse on the cheateu or whatever fight scene since I have seen it countless numbers of times. In my most recent play I was in, there was a fight scene with swords, and so I used a lot of the moves from the Cheateu scene in my own sword fight, and that really turned out great. Like I said, all my essays and speeches I have to do have Matrix-like things in them. I use words like ‘grotesqueries,’ ‘concordantly,’ and ‘quintessencial’ a lot now in normal conversation. By now all my friends know almost all I know about the trilogy. If someone asked me about it, I can talk for hours just explaining things to them. Sometimes someone does not even ask and I will randomly begin to talk about it. My teachers even warn others, for instance my drama teacher said after I recieved an award, “Don’t ask him about The Matrix.” I look at how people act and how things are and always think to myself all the meanings in the trilogy. I will be in class debating about choice and all of a sudden I will say, “choice is an illusion created by those with power, and those without.” I created the Bananatrix, a parody I came up with when switching ‘banana’ for a word in matrix quotes, which most of my friends find hilarious, even if they do not like the movies. When in a play, I sometimes try to put some of the characters from the trilogy in it. I act mostly like Hugo Weaving, or at least try to. I sometimes argue with people who do not like the trilogy to try and explain to them why it is so good. Woh, that was werid, I just saw the Keanu Reeves’ comercial for the stanley cup and became excited just because he played ‘The One.’
Oh man, that was a good amount so far, but now lets go over some of the things I have bought revolving around the Matrix.
DVD’s I have bought are The Matrix, Reloaded, Revolutions, Revisited, and Animatrix. All which I watched about once, even twice a day after getting each movie for about ten days. I have watched them so many times I have lost count. I own both Matrix albums, the Reloaded album, Revolutions album, and the animatrix album, and listen to those a bunch as well. I have Enter the Matrix video game, watched those videos and played the game tons. In my room I have 3 posters, one reloaded and two revolutions. On display I have the animation that came with the Reloaded and Revolutions DVD, the Matrix comics, Art of the Matrix which I took out almost all of the photos from that book and put them up on my wall. The Cheateu box set, the APU box set, the Neo lobby, the Real World Neo which is facing the box set sentinal in the whole “stop position”, those action figures are also on display in my room. I am reading from the library Exploring The Matrix and Taking the Read Pill to get as much insightful information on the movies. I bought a speaker system for my computer, a new sound card, and a DVD drive for the main purpose of seeing the trilogy with the great sound. I bought a pair of Smith glasses and soon will get Neo glasses. And my favorite of all is my Neo coat, from Lethalgear, called the “Luxury Neo coat.” High collar, covered buttons from top to bottom, made from french picke garbadine and lined on the inside with silk. Flows absolutley flawlessly. I wore it a lot when I got it a couple months ago but now I wear it when it is really cold or on a special occasion like if I am doing a fight scene with my friend. That coat was pretty expensive but extremly well worth it.
All and all, I am a huge matrix fan. Everything I do had something to do with The Matrix. Wachowski brothers are my favorite directors, Bill Pope my favorite Cinimatograhper, Owen Patterson my favorite produtction designer, Kym Barret the best costume designer, R.A. Rondell my favorite stunt coordinator, Don Davis my favorite composer, John Gaeta is the God of visual effects, I think you get the idea. The Matrix Trilogy is almost my relegion, the way I believe in things. I do not know anyone who I have met that enjoys the Matrix more than I do. I can not wait for the future Matrix Online and the Box Set which I am hoping will be filled with extra stuff. I continue to think matrix, act matrix, talk matrix, and believe matrix-like ways. You could call me insane, but I STILL LOVE IT! The Matrix is my favorite of just about any and everything, and you can definatly call me obsessed with the trilogy and everything around it. I believe I am more than obsessed, but filled with a passion of love to the closest bit of insanity.
Int. Construct
Morpheus steps into view as he clicks off the television.
MORPHEUS
What is the Matrix? Control.He opens the back of the television remote control.
MORPHEUS
The Matrix is a computer-generated dreamworld built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this.He holds up a coppertop battery.
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| Melissa (Twin_One) |
Hm, I dunno if I’m as obsessed with the Matrix as some fans are, but I’ll give it a shot. lol! First of all I don’t watch the Matrix movies everyday, but I could if I had the time to. I’ve watched them so much that I could probably act out every line and scene. I love all the Matrix movies, and I still don’t understand why some fans hate Reloaded and Revolutions so much. To me, you can’t call yourself a true Matrix fan if you hate one of the movies. There’s just no way you can be a fan and hate Revolutions or hate Reloaded. When the Matrix Reloaded came to DVD, I had originally planned on going to buy it while being dressed as one of the Twins (except for the razor. lol! I didn’t want to get arrested.). Although my plans were kinda ruined because, after months of searching, I couldn’t find and obtain the pieces I needed for my costume, which was a real disappointment. I was so looking forward to dressing up as a Twin when buying Reloaded. I ended up having to make my homemade Twins t-shirt do.
Since the first Matrix movie came out, I have managed to collect tons of Matrix memorabilia that includes everything from the DVDs to the Rayment twins’ autographs, and everything in-between. If it’s Matrix related, I’ll buy it (that is, if I can afford it). I even have a small scrap book that I’ve put together to hold Matrix related interviews, magazine cut-outs, and odds and ends pics that my friends have saved and given to me. After Reloaded came out, I was determined to add a display item to my ever growing collection. Every store I went into that had some kind of Matrix cardboard standee display, I would ask the employees if they’d save it for me after they were through using it. lol! Some of the ones I put my name in for, I had no earthly idea of where I’d even put it at if I did happen to get it because of it being so big. I probably came close to becoming a dreaded person to see around my town after hounding a couple of stores for a cardboard display standee. It finally paid off, however, when I asked an employee at Borders books if I could have this tiny cardboard display standee of Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus that was used to advertise Reloaded coming to DVD. The employee gladly gave it to me and as he did so, he also gave me one of the pins worn by the employees to advertise Reloaded, which was a real treat and surprise. The pin (which pictures Neo) has become one of the jewels of my collection. I suppose he thought I’d like it since I was wearing my Reloaded t-shirt at the time. Not only do I collect anything officially Matrix, I have also made several pieces to my collection, including a t-shirt with the Twins on the front, a small Twins key chain, and small poster board Matrix Christmas tree ornaments that I made to celebrate the ‘Year of the Matrix’ last year (I made one for each Reloaded poster and one for the Revolutions poster). I wonder if I’m the only person who actually had something Matrix on their Christmas tree? To top off my Matrix collecting frenzy, the guy at the checkout must have thought I was out of my mind when I nearly had to keep myself from screaming with excitement when I saw the 3D Matrix covers on that week’s TV Guide! I remember running to every checkout after that, trying to find all the different covers (I still think it wasn’t fair that they didn’t make one of the Twins phasing into ghosts! That would have been cool!).My computer is always decked out in Matrix (mainly the Twins) from wallpaper to AIM expression and buddy icon.And if that isn’t enough, last year for my 21st birthday, my cake had scrolling green Matrix code all over it (if you want to see a photo of it, I can send you one. I designed the cake myself). And to top off my Birthday, my family and I watched the Matrix Reloaded that night and my parents gave me ‘Enter the Matrix’ for PS2.Since the debut of Reloaded, I have written many Matrix fanfics, most of them having to do with the Twins, that have become well loved and admired by Matrix and Twins fans that visit FanFiction.net and my Twins web site.I’m so obsessed with Matrix, that the least little thing can start me thinking of a scene from the movies. If I see a Cadillac Escalade you can often hear me shouting, “Look! There’s the Twins’ car!” or if I’m driving on the freeway, I almost expect to see a black Escalade come by me with a Twin sticking up through the roof or Morpheus and an agent fighting on top of a truck!I’m constantly quoting from the movies, sometimes not even realizing it. I took a Matrix persona quiz online once, and I turned out to be half Neo and half Twins.I guess that’s about it for me. I listen to my Matrix soundtracks all the time, and my bedroom is completely covered in Matrix, from posters to figures dotted around the room. I’m still trying to think of a way to hang my giant McFarlane Sentinel figure from the ceiling! Of all the things I’ve collected of Matrix, I have to say that the McFarlane Twins figures are by far my most fave pieces! Second is my Twins mini busts, and third is my Twins Reloaded movie poster (both US and UK versions). |
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| Ivano |
| My obsession for the Matrix saga (and everything that’s included in this definition) is very well portrayed by my huge Matrix directory, on this hard disk, where I collect meticolously every bit and piece of information I can get on this universe and the confining ones in the multiverse of thought and fiction. I have a directory with over 200 web links, everyone categorized and named accordingly, a directory for every movie with all kinds of media (trailers, tv shows, magazine scans, specific web links, etcetera), a directory for all the games and spin-offs, and so on… Totalling about 4 gigabytes.I spend daily at least half an hour surfing and chatting about the Matrix, I have the most posts in the most famous italian Matrix message board (www.matrixitalia.com), where I am a moderator, and I use to be active in at least 3 other boards (one specific to the Matrix Online, game that I already love since it incorporates two of my passions, Matrix and MMO games, about which I run an italian site at www.stelledanzanti.sm).And of course I have seen at least 10 times every matrix movie, I’ve read all the comics and love most of them, I am totally in love with the Animatrix and finished twice on pc and once on ps2 Enter The Matrix (I loved that game on the ps2 version, honest, it was not THAT bad, and the way it tied in with the movie was simply awesome), unlocking everything on the Hacker console. I own everything matrix (dvds, books, even videotapes, game guides, special editions, books with “Matrix” on the title, the comic book etcetera), although I don’t define myself a collector (I have no action figures and any other kind of pure merchandise, which in my definition means “anything that is form but not content”, for example glasses, dresses, dolls and such, I’d like to own some of them sooner or later, especially af, but my priority is the stories, the art, the product of minds creating worlds).
I’ve read at least ten books just because they were directly or indirectly matrix-related, I’m a lot into cyberpunk, modern phisics, logic and AI, so there’s just too much on the shelves, the WB actually made me love most of these things.
What more can I say? I was already a big movie, music and literature lover, but after the Matrix my mind is more open than ever, is all of this enough to call me an obsessed? 🙂
BTW, my handle on the MFN forums is Jestas, thanks for reading this far Paul, you’re among the first “matrix persons” (not including cast and crew of the movies) that spring to my mind when I think anything “matrix”, so you and your site have all my respect, kudos, appreciation and best wishes for the future!
I hope it was readable, although english is not my native tongue, thanks again and have a truly nice day! |
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| Jack (Matrixfreak) |
| There are several different reasons as to why I am the ultimate Matrix fan. Many are more significant than others. I do happen to own over $500 worth of Matrix merchandise including the 3D Revolutions poster I ordered off of ebay way before its real release to the public. I have had many articles based solely on the complexities within The Matrix Movies published in our school newspaper. I have been an active member on Countingdown.com’s Matrix boards for around 3 years. Saw Reloaded in theatres 8 or so times, including once in an IMAX theatre that I drove a whole 600 miles just to go see, and Revolutions in theatres 9 or so, including another IMAX show with another 600 mile drive. I have many scenes memorized and entertain friends and passerbies during breaks at school-playing more than one part usually (which involves jumping from one position to a completely opposite position in order to play the roles.) I receive many requests to perform scenes, the most popular being the Smith-Neo conversation before the burly brawl in Reloaded. Throughout my wonderful Matrix years, I have acquired the nickname “matrix-freak.” I stood in line to see the 10PM preview of Reloaded for 8 hours, beaten Enter the Matrix 15 or so times, am an active member on the first Matrix Online Clan on the net (Armada of Zion- formally Shades and Trenchcoats), and even got a hair-cut just like Neo’s so that I could proudly declare that I had a “neocut, or a Keanucut.” I have seen The Matrix way over 100 times, and have seen Reloaded and Revolutions probably 50 times, and love to sit on my ass watching Matrix Marathons. I have seen the Animatrix probably 10-15 times. All though not a member, I visit matrixfans.net every day- making sure to never miss a day of matrix news, and used to visit the official Matrix site at least 4 times daily for the past 2 years up until Revolutions had been out for around 2 months. Overall, I consider myself a huge matrix freak, and am very proud of it thank you very much! |
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| Peter Greenwood (Pretzel Head) |
| Ok why im not obsessed(yes not)I’m not a matrix obsessor. I own The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, The Matrix Revisited and The Animatrix on DVD. I watch them all regularly. Ive seen The Matrix over 35 times and the others ive lost count. I know things about the Matrix that probably even the directors don’t. Here’s a brief list of a few.Neo says 103 questions in the Matrix, and interesting number. By the time Switch says the line “We don’t have time for 20 questions” he has said exactly 20 so far in the film.
Trinity says 30.
On the television in the Oracle’s apartment is a movie called Night of the Lepus, about giant rabbits who terrorize a town. In the old ladies apartment that Neo runs through, the television is showing an old 60’s UK show called The Prisoner.
In the elevator to the Oracle’s apartment is written the word Kym, which refers to Kym Barrett the costume designer.
When we first see Neo he has been eating Captain Crunch.
There are two cameo appearances in Reloaded. The security guard in the power plant(The sleepy one) is Bill Pope, in charge of Cinematography. One of the truck drivers in the freeway chase is Owen Patterson, the production designer.
On top of the lamp post that loses its lamp at the beginning of Reloaded is written Darrow Industries, a reference to Geof Darrow, in charge of concept drawing on all three Matrix films.
The Japanese symbol next to the door through which the Neo goes to visit the Oracle means “1000” or “a very large number”. Fairly soon there’s quite a few Agent Smiths.
In the same scene there is a sign that says “No Brawling”
In The Matrix Revolutions, during the “Super Brawl” there is a sign that says “No Standing Day or Night”
Thats just off the top of my head, it would take much more time than i have to write down all that i know.
Other reasons why im not obsessed. I bought the phone from the Matrix, the five year old Nokia 8110, at the price of a modern phone. I wear a trench coat and sunglasses even when its hot. I tend to not take my sunglasses off in buildings. The song Clubbed 2 Death still goes through my head whenever i cross a road at crossing lights.
I have almost totally memorized the script of The Matrix. I worked out some of the fighting moves from the dojo fight between Neo and Morpheus. One of my prized possessions is a set of 9 Animatrix cards, that i bought off ebay.
I have proved myself to resemble Matt Doran (Mouse from The Matrix) by posting pics of him and myself on the internet and people have not known the difference. I once masqueraded as him for a week, sucking quite a few people in(Matt please dont sue me).
Last of all, and most importantly im a moderator at MatrixFans.net. I’ve been a member 3 years with over 6000 posts. Ive been a part of the site in any way possible, even serving as News Editor during the Reloaded and Revolutions hype. I have made many many friends, some of whom i consider my best. In January i even went to visit one in Wellington, New Zealand for a few weeks. I live and breathe the site, im online every day, chatting or posting with the other members.
I am absolutely psyched about the imminent release of The Matrix Online online multiplayer game. It will be an awesome way for me to continue to interact with other fans all over the world, and have fun at the same time.
The Matrix is the greatest movie ever made, and the sequels are close behind. You may have noticed that ive continually said im not obssessed. The reason for this can be summed up in something another fan once said. “It’s not an obsession. It’s a PASSION!” |
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| Antonio (DissolvedBoy) |
| My obsession with the Matrix began in the summer of 2002. I lurked on the boards of TheLastFreeCity.com (at the time TheMatrixOnline.com) and MFN.com. I registered at TLFC in November 2002. I have about 800 postings there under the screen name DissolvedBoy. I do however check in daily with MFN and TLFC. So now onto the memorabilia. I am always trying to purchase whatever I can on my limited budget. Here is a list of everything Matrix that I own.DVD’s- The Matrix, The Matrix Revisited, Enter The Matrix Bonus DVD, The Animatrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix RevolutionsCD’s- The Matrix Soundtrack, The Matrix Reloaded: The Album, The Matrix Revolutions Soundtrack (I have downloaded almost all the songs from The Animatrix and the movie trailers.).
Games- Enter The Matrix
Books- The Art Of The Matrix, The Gospel Reloaded, The Matrix Comics, Beyond the Matrix: Revolutions and Revelations, Taking the Red Pill, Exploring the Matrix: Visions of the Cyber Present, and The Matrix and Philosophy: Welcome to the Desert of the Real(not pictured).
Magazines- All the magazines I could find having to do with the sequels are pictured except Cinefex issues 95 and 97 which have articles on the VFX of the sequels, but I can not currently locate in my house.
Posters- Matrix Official U.S. Poster, Matrix Official Australian Poster, Matrix Reloaded Code Poster, Matrix Reloaded Neo Teaser Poster, Official Matrix Revolutions Poster, 4 Matrix Revolutions Posters with Trinity & Morpheus, Neo, Smith’s, and Mifunes Last Stand. (The last 5 poster are still in the shipping tube they came in)
Newspapers- All the articles I could find regarding the sequels. Almost all of them are from “The Oregonian” and “The Columbian”
Action Figures- Tank, See-through Smith, Neo and Smith Bullet-time, Mr. Anderson, Neo in Chateau scene, Sentinel, APU, Morpheus Reloaded, Neo Lobby shootout
figure. 12″ Neo and 12″ Trinity from The Matrix.
I can’t take pictures of these items now because we have guests who are sleeping in the basement where all my action figures are located, but let me give you a list and I can take pictures tomorrow if you would like. All the items are mint in box as well.
Random Items: The Matrix Reloaded Movie Cup, The Matrix Reloaded Powerade, Revolutions CD Wallet, The Animatrix mouse pad, The Matrix Reloaded Glasses Case, Morpheus replica glasses. I had Neo and Smith glasses too, but they have sadly been broken and I have yet to replace them.
Handmade Items: I made in ceramics class at school Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus ceramic miniatures as they are dressed in Reloaded. I also made a background wall to try and resemble the one from the movie when they are at the captains meeting. Each figure took about 2 weeks of work and each stands 10 inches tall.
Movie Experiences: Me and my friend waited outside the cinema for 14 hours before Reloaded came out so we could be the first ones in the theater and get the best seats for the midnight showing. I did not attend the zero hour release of Revolutions because that would mean seeing it at 6 A.M. in my time zone, and I am a firm believer that these movies should only be seen when it is dark outside, so I opted for a later showing on opening day.
That about concludes all my memorabilia. I love the Matrix because it really did change my life and how I look at things. It has introduced me to a higher level philosophical and spiritual level of thinking that I don’t think I would have reached for many more years had it not exposed me to it now. I’ve written college entrance essays on The Matrix. I’ve devoted much of my free time over the last two years to The Matrix. I am up at 2:30 A.M. when I have to get up 7:00 A.M. and have spent the last 2 hours writing and taking pictures of all my Matrix things for a reason I don’t know. I love little interesting facts about the production of the films, and I relish useless trivia. I am obsessed with the Matrix and I just thought you would like to know. |
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| Callisto |
| While my Matrix obsession has considerably cooled since November, I still consider myself an avid fanatic of the movies. Sure, I may not own the largest collection of memorabilia, and my DVD collection is still sans-Revolutions, but really, does that matter? My love towards these movies is still incredibly strong. Plus, I own a piece of glass from the window that Trinity fell out of in Reloaded. I mean, how cool is that?!I know that during the past year, I must have easily wasted months of my life on speculating and writing my own theories. During the weekends and summer holidays, I would awaken early before spending the entire day on the internet, talking to other matrixfans and trying to make sense of the puzzles that had been presented to us. After 16+ hours, I’d get off the computer and spend the evening rewatching The Matrix, Animatrix and Reloaded, analysing every scene, re-watching to pick up on new dialogue and information.The movies have been an incredibly important part of my life. Not only have they introduced me to so many different things, but I’ve based what I believe around them. That nothing is really what it seems, and that there is so much more to life. I really can’t put into words how fanatical about the trilogy, because I feel that no matter what I say, it just won’t do justice. |
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| IAN (hasUnow) |
| Well there is a lot to say about me and my obcession for these movies… my collection of memorbillia is unheard of… the movies of course including the super box set for the first one inluding the lobby cards and senitype film… lobby cards from reloaded and revolutions… ranging form ALL of the toys, and i do mean all of them from the original N2, to Mcfarleane, to the Kubricks, the vinyl imports from japan, to the gentle giant busts. Every poster ever made from teasers to finals to internations to promotionals., except the french reloaded one with the holographic one that appears every so often on ebay for 400+ american dollars…. i own and wear 15+ shirts that are store bought, crew only from ebay ebay, and some that i made myself…. to my computer that has 150+ pictures on my computer that cycles on my desktop every hour… most of the pictures are screen grabs of the dvd on my computer to the desktop pics made from the official website…. i own the neo coat from reloaded along with the sunglasses; not to mention i look strikingly similar to keanu himself… i have been a manager in a theater since the first film came out so i have every mylar from the films… i am also in charge of the building the prints so i spliced out about 25 individual scenes each from all 3 movies and took my dvd after they were all released and got those exact scenes from the dvd and printed them out and framed every picture with its corresponding piece of film and matted and framed from all 3 films all on my own cash… had a customized mouse pad made of a drawng from the matrix… had a custom made face plate for me nokia 3595 cell phone made… i check ebay basically everyday for the following items; matrix shirts, stickers, crew memrobillia, japanese imports, props, and anything else that may exist….had a custom made vinyl sticker made of neo flying from reloaded whens he tries to save falling trinity to put on the back winshield of my car… had custom made carbon fiber beveled matrix stickers made for both windshileds on my car…. my xbox has a vinyl sticker on it with green code all over it…. not one days goes by in my life when i dont think about these movies at least once…. i just graduated from the school of visual arts and majored in cartooning (comic book drawing) and one of my thesis projects was a comic of trinity fighting agent smith… i cant eat steak ever again without thinking of cypher… or having noodles without think, “really good noodles’…. im sure theres more im missing but i’m completely obcessed with these films and i check the official site, the last free city and matrixfans.net, etc. everyday hoping for more news, anything with news on the films, the directors, etc hoping for more because it cant ever end… its a way of life and a great philsophy to live by… |
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| M (RUNVSBSO) |
| My obsession obviously started with the first film. The idea that machines control the world, machine manipulate the human mind. The possibility of machines controlling everything in the future. That sounds real. Or, are we all in the matrix now. Maybe the films were release to give our minds a sense of fiction, another type of control. Think about it…Every little thing that makes are lives easier or comfortable involves computers, machines, i.e.- cars, tv, phones, credit cards, etc… I believe in the possibility. There is also the religious and spiritual aspect of the films. Which I won’t go into since there hundreds of beliefs and disbeliefs out there. Since the films, I’ve looked at life a little differently. It the purpose of life.Martial Arts!! Growing up watching and taking an interest in all forms of the art is visually exciting to me in the films. The brothers have a wonderful and brilliant eye (or eyes) when it comes to visualization, let’s not forget the witty characters (Agt. Smith).
I watch the films every week, several times and every time I watch them I gain a different perspective. Oh, I forgot. I have the posters, the McFarlene Matrix series figures, hand-crafted import figures from Japan, the books and I was Neo for Halloween twice. Plus, it helps when friends tell me I have physical similarities to Keanu. I want more Matrix, I need more Matrix. There’s something missing, like a splinter in mind.
We need more films or another Animatrix. I want to see the stories of Morpheus, Trinity, Niobe before Neo’s time. I would love to see something along the lines of a thrill ride. A 3-D amusement park ride similar to Spider-Man or T-2, live action with simulations. I want 3-D bullets flying at me as I stop them with my mind. Get jacked in. Piloting APUs or hovercrafts. NOW THAT’S FUN!!
“I want what you want. I want everything.” |
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| Allison |
| I am like the queen of the matrix movies. I love watching them . I LOVE action movies and these movies do it for me. I have watched all 3 of the movies in one day with out even getting off the recliner (besides changing the movies to the next one). my mom and my family thinks I’m nuts for watching the Matrix’s all the time. they don’t ever get old. my favorite one of the 3 is the Revolution. Every time I watch it I still am like “What’s going to happen!” my favorite part in the movie is at the end when Neo and Mr. Smith are fighting in the rain and they fly up the air and also fight in the air. I am like a movie freak. I can watch movies every single day of the life and still never get bored of watching movies. My favorite character is Neo( Keanu Reeves) I love him in all the other movies he has done in the past. I have some of his movies like Sweet November and Blood Brothers and The Replacements and Chain Reaction and Speed and Johnny Mnemonic ( I don’t know how to spell it). I love watching them. Trinity is my next favorite character because she is a woman like me. and she is very strong and she can take care of her self and she’s not afraid of nothing and she is not afraid to kill if she has to. I think the casting crew made very good choices in their casting. Each of them fit the characters very well I think. I am only 161/2 years old but I already have a huge dream. my dream is to be an extra in a Keanu Reeves movie. Or if I cant do that then I want to work in the movie business. I have always been fascinated by how movies are made and what they do on the set of the movies. my sister and I have the same fascination about movies. I’m just glad that there is a website fan club for these movies, I can actually now talk to people about how I feel about these movies. Because my mom and my friends are not that wild about these movies. Now, my dad and my 2 older sisters like them but not as much as I do. haha! I didn’t even know there were books about the matrix.You know in the first movie “The Matrix” how Laurence Fishburn gives Keanu Reeves the chose in taking the blue or the red pill. the blue pill is to go back to reality and the red is to go to “fairyland” I would think I would go to “fairyland.” because then you get to do a lot more stuff that you know you couldn’t do in the REAL WORLD. You don’t have to really worry about the anxiety of the world or the pressure of the world. All you have to worry about are sentinels and agents. But that is just me. Its been fun talking about these movies to you. Thank you so much for this website also. |
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| Karnaze |
| The Wachowski Brothers are ingenious. I mean, they’ve augmented my brain or something. How else did I develop these extra neural pathways and matrix nodes that are excited whenever someone offers me a cookie or whenever I see graffiti paint on the freeway and have to take a double-take to make sure it doesn’t spell ‘MWAMER’S!’, as some sort of death threat to the very few who even know what the acronym means?My friends and family are very aware of my infatuation with the matrix. They would gladly vouch for me, and they would probably urge you to convince me that I do in fact, need medical help. Although, who can prove that I wasn’t crazy before 1999? Lately I’ve learned to feed off the negative energy my brother generates whenever he says with a disapproving look, “You’re gonna watch it again? Haven’t you seen it a million times already? You’re obsessed.” It’s become a cue for me to grin ear to ear and take it as compliment. Damn coppertops. To them, they’re just movies. Just movies?! Ok, well they literally are just movies. But then again, ‘movies’ is just a word. What matters is the connection the word implies. For me, the matrix is not just a movie. On some subconscious level it’s always in my thoughts. For instance, sometimes when chatting with certain friends who also have an appetite for anything and everything matrix related, the conversation becomes so diluted with allusions and variations on certain quotes that all meaning is lost; it becomes one giant ramble fest on you guessed it, the matrix. If the word inevitable is even uttered once, a whole ‘smith-will-suffice’ tangent undoubtedly ensues…Why am I obsessed? That’s harder to articulate than one would think. It’s just a chemical reaction to movies I guess. Like I said, the brothers have messed with my mind. Not only that, they’ve produced something so profoundly brilliant that the universe they’ve created invites massive amounts of discussion, admiration, and both real life and online noodle-bake-outs. Truly, the collaborative work on the matrix-verse is nothing short of astounding. I am obsessed because no other work of art has spoken to me more than this multimedia masterpiece. I am obsessed because from the first time Trinity defied gravity, I fell in love with her strength, faith, and focus. Because whenever Dan lifts up from his wheelchair an army of chills invade my spine squiddy style. I am obsessed because I feel like Neo does all too often, even though I do have my Cypher moments from time to time. I am an insane, fanatical, matrix junkie because the freeway chase was too cool for words. Because Merv never fails to make me laugh with his little mannerisms. Because if you do a google search you’ll find enough reading material to keep busy for months. Because the kung-fu is perfect, the visual effects of The Matrix are still top-notch after five years, books keep breeding off of the thematic contents of the movies, and because the story is a classic that will transcend time. If Princeton University can include The Matrix in a philosophy course on The Theory of Knowledge, then its intellectual value needs no further elaboration.I still don’t know how I got to be as obsessed as I am.my fascination grows with time and watching the movies never ever, ever gets old. And joining MFN only amplified my obsession! But to prove my fanaticism? I could share with you all my matrix secrets, like how I have this fatty binder with numerous matrix magazine clips, advertisements, and even a few newspaper articles. How once I even bought a head of lettuce just for the wrapping, which sported a white bunny sitting under the label, “Bunny Brand: Organic Lettuce.” Or I could tell you that I wrote about the Matrix in an essay response to the SAT-II Writing section. Or that I once bent a piece of rather malleable metal in the shape of a spoon-boy style bent spoon handle for this composition of a drawing of spoons I did last summer. Or that I have a hefty collection of matrix books and TV show recordings. Or that I sounded like a matrix maniac in this letter I wrote last year that was a joke, all in good jest, as a rebuff to my best friend’s boyfriend’s claim that his friend was a “bigger” fan than I.
So yeah, I could boast about ‘fan fulfillments,’ but nothing can convey how much of an adrenaline high I was on in the months of May and November in 2003. Or how my heart beat raced to one and a half times faster than normal during my first viewing of Revolutions. Or how inspired and wired I was after seeing it that night even though I should have been fatigued from staying up late each night of that week on the official site forum. The truth is, my obsession is just a passion. I’ll admit that I can get carried away at times. But I can’t help it; the matrix is in my bloodstream. And I don’t mean just the movies, but all the detours that extend from the never-ending rabbit hole; all the philosophy, science fiction, Eastern as well as Western mysticism, and the zen koan of our generation, “What is the Matrix?”
So you see, I’m just a girl who has found a work of art that has helped her to identify her true passions in life. For that, I am grateful. No words can express how crazy in love with the matrix I am. |
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| Paddy |
| Why am i? When i first watched the matrix in 2001, i thought of it as just another action flick. I rewatched my fav bits such as the dojo scene and the lobby. But then i started watching the the movie in full, going to forum websites such as matrxfans.net and TLFC.The matrix change the way i thought about the world, how i thought, that to get what you want you have to make it happen, that whatever happens to you might not have anything to do what you have done but someone elses action. I kept watching it for secret meanings, (and also how keanu does the cartwheel thing in the lobby when he shoots the three policemen.)The matrix has changed my life i never stop talking about, using quotes in eveyday life as i thought that The matrix was somwthing significant. The matrix not only changed cinema but peoples lives. I’m obsessed becasue the matrix has changed how i perceive life. i’m obsessed because the matrix has made me more confident in myself, to not care what people think of that just to be myslef. |
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| Josh |
| I was on an LDS mission for 2 years in the Philippines when the hype for the first movie was going on. The Matrix came out a week before I left for my mission, but I was a retard and I took a girl to go see some lame Ben Affleck/Sandra Bullock movie which sucked and I didn’t get any love after the date. I was pissed, but then again I had no clue about what I was missing out about until I got home and my brother and his friend were freaking out with each other and watching an HBO special on the making of The Matrix. I started asking them questions and I then realized that I had missed my chance to see a potentially killer movie.2 years go by with me preaching about Jesus and how he came to the earth to save us all. During that time I had companions that would come into the mission and start telling me about The Matrix, my mom would write me about it, and I kept turning my head and not listening, because I knew I was going to be in for something special and I didn’t want to ruin it. So I get home to St. George, UT and I get to my house. My brother that saw The Matrix opening night ended up driving down from Idaho to meet me. He wanted to see me since we haven’t seen each other for so long. The first thing we did was throw in The Matrix. I watched the movie while everyone else watched me for my reactions. I remember the feeling I had when the movie was over. I still get the same feeling after watching the show. I feel triumphant. I loved the movie so much with the symbolism and how it pertained to my life and things I have taught for years about my Savior.I was then hooked like a junkie that needs his fix. Every day I was at work wasting away at my computer looking for news about the characters, when the next films will come out, etc. And the day started drawing near for Reloaded. I downloaded every trailer and watched all the Animatrix episodes as they came out on schedule online. I remember when Reloaded was only a week away and my workplace decided to buy out the Theatre for Reloaded and use the opportunity to sell our products. I was freaking out. I would not only get to have my choice of seat in the theatre, but I would be able to see it twice consecutively in a row (since I bought tickets to the show after our work screening). We watched reloaded and I didn’t quite catch everything. I remember being so into the movie, I had to yell at a lady who would not take her screaming child out of the theatre. But the second viewing was pure bliss. I loved every second. I couldn’t believe the reviews. Only smart reviewers actually GOT the movie. Everyone else was looking for something to eat their popcorn to and to wash out of their minds the second they left the theatre. I went straight from there, bought Enter the Matrix for my XBOX and stayed glued to that game until I beat it with both characters. I then also bought The Animatrix.
As I waited for Revolutions, I started collecting Movie posters and frames from the movies, I then moved on to expanding my collection to including all the Spawn figures from the Matrix Series 1 and 2.
Revolutions came out. I got tickets early online to the IMAX viewing. We got there hours early to see the movie. And the whole time I was watching Revolutions, I felt down, not because the movie was bad, no, the movie was spectacular. I felt down the whole time because I knew there was nothing to look forward to after this was over. I walked out of the movie satisfied, but bummed. But, now thank heavens, the Matrix Online is coming out and I can pine away into that world that I love so much.
I just recently bought a house and I told my wife that the first thing we will do is decorate my shrine to the Matrix. We painted one room in the house grey with black trim, lined it with posters from all the movies and set up all the Matrix Spawn Figurines.
Every month I have a viewing in my house that starts with The Animatrix, each episode played in chronological order for the Matrix Timeline and I then move on to the Trilogy. Everyone now that comes over knows for a fact how big a geek I am for these movies, and I’m damn proud of it.
Professed Matrix Nerd |
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| Cagey (keanugirl101) |
| First off let me say I didn’t start out liking The Matrix at all, in fact I hated it. I came to that fully biased conclusion without ever seeing the film at all. I was not one of the lucky people to walk into a tiny darkened theater back in 1999 to see the first film; I discovered it far far later. When I did finally partake the opportunity to view the film in the comfort of my own home, I viewed it skeptically, and though I realized that it was truly ‘something of wonder,’ at the end I didn’t understand it at all, and tossed it off as pure rubbish. For some reason though, I continued thinking about the film and that night pondered various uses of philosophies trying to understand the real central underlying meaning of the picture. Films, like all art, say like a painting by Picasso, as Bernard White most aptly put it, must be regarded carefully and perhaps require deeper thought to truly appreciate it’s beauty. By the next day I was determined to watch it again, this time though with pages of quickly scribbled notes. I was hooked; it sucked me into its strange world and never let go.Always look and think outside the box…The film was brilliant, in your face, and edgy — something I’d been looking for that had been all-too-lacking in most pictures those days as I recall. Am I obsessed? Well, after two worn out VHS tapes, two DVD’s, and three thickly bound binders of notes, and well over a thousand viewings of the first film — I’ll let you be the judge. I know a considerable amount of information regarding the mythos, spiritual symbolism, philosophy, allegory and metaphorical iconography. I’ve setup trivia contests, contributed to moviemistakes.com, and written lengthy essays; currently I’m drafting a final essay, which will be available by the end of the year. The scripts are completely memorized, I’ve painstakingly studied every frame in some scenes, and the score at times can be a running track in my head, especially when I am donned in Neo-esque trenchcoat and sunglasses.
Collections? Well I have the entire Trilogy, along with the Animatrix and Revisited on DVD, along with an extensive book collection, comics, artwork, and the entire soundtrack. I still have my original ticket stubs for the Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions, and two film posters, magazine and newspaper articles, along with the Spawn Matrix action figures. I don’t own the Matrix phone, though I know several that do. I have on many occasions dressed up as Trinity, but have not yet perfected the ‘Scorpion Kick.’
Still, I suppose my true fandom did not present itself, till I came into Internet life some three and a half years ago (it’s pushing four by now methinks) and I directed my browser onto the website thematrix.com and stumbled upon, quite by accident, a group of people who literally saved and changed my life. One particular individual and fellow fan who I made a long journey two years later to visit (and you know who you are) I owe everything to and you will forever be engraved upon my heart, spirit, and mind. If there is such a thing as a kindred spirit, then you would embody it. Originally, I lurked on the MFN forums, always read the news, as it seemed to be well kept and up to date, and was a member of TLFC (formerly thematrixonline.com). It was there that many members began to really get in depth to the symbolism to the Matrix and the (then) upcoming sequels.
MFN isn’t just a website community, it’s a family…
When I did finally register on MFN, I found people who are probably some of the most irreplaceable and amazing on the face of this earth. I have been a part of working at MFN as a moderator for over 3 years now. We’ve furthered our own creativity in taking part in the MFNRPG project, which I help archive. The times we’ve shared, the friendships, bonds, and connections will never be severed and never be forgotten. Some truly *are* my brothers and sisters no matter how far away they are. And that is what true fellowship is all about.
I don’t think that there are any other fans on this earth that are as creative, unique, humorous, and spontaneous as we are — from looking at the written work, the poetry, theories, to mere wisdom of thought that comes from the minds of people all sitting at their computer screens, brought together because of one thing — a film.
The Matrix has deepened and expanded my love for mythology, spirituality, philosophy, and writing — and enabled me to use the gifts I’ve been given to help others in whatever way I can, and given me so many opportunities over the years. We are the unknowns, the nobodies, the potentials, the anamolies, and the gatekeepers. We are guarding all the doors and holding all the keys to this wonderful gift we’ve discovered.
Honestly, I’m not even too sure the Wachowski Brothers even know themselves what they have created, the Matrix has become a part of *us* now, an extension of the collective group as a whole, just as tangible and expressive as the hands that glide over the keys to write this. It is indeed a passion to us, not merely an obsession — but a facet of our lives. I’m a firm believer in no coincidences, and the Matrix has only strengthened my faith in this; we were brought together for a reason and a purpose — hopefully someday we’ll figure out what that is.
So in that I thank three people: the Wachowski Brothers, Spencer Lamm, and Paul Martin (the creator of this website) from the bottom of my heart — dear Sirs, you have no idea how eternally grateful I am.
We came to answer the question, and it is still the question that drives us… |
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| Graham (MAJOR) |
| It all started in 1999. A year that most of us will never forget. It’s almost like “where were you when the Matrix was released in theaters?” lolBut I had seen some previews on TV, but not too many. They didn’t really seem to advertise the film that much which is another thing that blows my mind. I went in not anticipating much. And within the first 10 minutes, I was hooked. My jaw was literally on the floor. Having to tell myself to breathe. I got through “The Matrix” and felt exhausted.I left the theater mesmorized. I couldn’t think of anything else. My wife was with me, but I don’t think she realized then the kind of effect that one movie would have on me. I talked with her about it for awhile afterwards. Trying to get my head around it. So like millions of others, I went again, and again. Then after repeated viewings and several hours of complex pondering, I got it. I realized that Neo was the one! lol j/k. I had figured out what the Matrix was. What fascinated me even more was the story behind the Matrix. How it came to be. That’s what my drive was after the realization of what The Matrix was. Which I think is why I was so excited about Animatrix.
It (The Matrix) literally consumed me. It started to affect my personal life. My relationships with my wife and children. My encounters with the public. I literally started to realize just how possible it was for the Matrix to be a real thing. That the Wachowski’s were indeed trying to help us “free our minds”. It was crazy. Eventually I realized that my life is real. ‘I’m not living in a Matrix’ I thought. How insane would that be! lol
My wife then started to realize how important this film was to me. And she started getting interested too. I would tell all my friends about it. At first. I told my mom about it as well. She’s still yet to watch it. But she always tells me that when she does, she’s watching it with me. People are now coming to me with questions about the Matrix films. Co-workers, family members and friends refer to me as “the Matrix guru” or something like that.
I take pride in being an obsessed Matrix fan. It definately makes you feel like a special part of a small family. A family of other Matrix fans. When you find one, you really start talking about it. And that’s when you know.
Finding other fans online was a dream come true. I felt that I had finally found what I was looking for. And everybody was being mentally pictured as a hacker’ish Neo. lol I thought that surely everyone online talking about The Matrix was straight out of the Wachowski’s storyboards. 😛
And eventually that theory was shot down once I started seeing pictures of them and getting to know them on a personal level. lol Not that that’s a bad thing!
After seeing “Reloaded and Revolutions” my questions were answered for the most part. But neither one of them had the effect that The Matrix had on me. I will never *not* posess that movie. On DVD or VHS. I’ve actually had to buy 3 copies of The Matrix because of wearing them out. I didn’t know that was possible, but I guess it is.
Did The Matrix change my life? Absolutely. How? It opened my eyes to the fact that I need to see my World for what it really is. To not be blinded by outside influences. To trust my own instincts. It also helped introduce me to a wonderful group of followers. These people (Matrix fans) are some of the most severely dedicated fans that I’ve ever seen.
The Matrix is something that I’ll be passing down to my children. lol Not only for it’s deep philosophical aspects, but for it’s beauty that put a huge mark on film making for many to follow and immitate. I think it’s such a big piece of film history, that The Matrix will never, ever be forgotten. Especially not by me.
Thanks,
Graham (MAJOR) |
Hi there! I own a car audio store in TUlsa, Oklahoma. Years ago we made a demo car and it is wrapped in The Matrix. It is a 1991 Honda Accord. Like I said this was a demo car and does not drive. Definitely an awesome looking car! We are looking to sell it and I was wondering if you all knew of anyone that might be interested.