GWC Podcast #116

Podcasts Galactic Watercooler
#1

We wrap up our month-long Matrix arc with a discussion of the Animatrix and the tiny Matrix EU. Highlights: we explore the dark nature of the Animatrix, discuss humanity’s culpability in starting the war with AI, ponder the results of man “playing God,” question whether man learns primarily through pain and suffering, debate whether free will is dependent on reality or only perception, note the machine’s use of economic warfare (and recognize some real-world examples of this), enjoy Sean’s excellent commentary on the Animatrix’s various art styles, and note the similarities (and differences) between the Matrix and our next arc: the Terminator franchise.

http://www.galacticawatercooler.com/2008/09/06/gwc-podcast-116/

#2

For Em,

#3

Whoa! Someone getting kicked to the curb. Time to throw away the dogtag.

#4

Does anyone know when the Terminator animated stuff is coming out? I would presume it would be released before the new one with Christian Bale, hopefully it will be frakkin sweet!

#5

Is that anyone in particular, or just miscellaneous arm porn?

#6

So who was the “first time caller”? I don’t think he ever said who he was.

#7

Miscellaneous. I was looking for a guy like that with glow sticks. I’m sure Topgun or Solai could work their magic. Right now I’m using Paintbrush…

#8

With glowsticks? Did I miss something there?

#9

techno music, sleeveless shirt and cowboy hat…I’m downloading GIMP.

#10

I wonder where they got that little monkey from? Do you think that once the machines started hooking up the humans to the power packs, that they did that to all the animals they could get a hold of? Since the monkey had a matrix jack in it already, is that assuming that those humans freed it from the matrix just like they would anyone else?

#11

Gotcha.

baltar

#12

War Journal, week 6 or so. I’ve lost count.

Car stereo still broken. No car stereo, no GWC podcast. No, I don’t have an mp3 player with earbuds. No, I can’t listen while I work (more precisely, I can’t work while I listen). No GWC since like #110.

They said they’d have the stereo fixed in 10-14 days. I’m know how the world works. I know it’s 10-14 business days. Or that’s what I thought. Now I’m starting to think it’s 10-14 days, Sci-Fi Channel time. They might as well have told me they’d have it done “immediately” or “penmediately.”

First couple weeks of radio silence were OK in the car. Good to get some thinking done, clear the head. Now I’m getting the shakes.

Terminator, excellent choice. Can’t wait.

T2 = best movie ever? I certainly think so, in terms of action and effects movie making. It gets no bigger or badder or more kickass. The scene where the two terminators are grappling back and forth in the rear hallway of the mall, check that out with headphones on if you can.

I’ve blocked T3 out of my memory: It’s like the later Planet of the Apes movies. A single neat moment at the end hardly justifies the rest of it.

TV show season II starts Monday. If you can separate it from the movies, it’s OK. Some aspects stink, some are nice. And, hey, Summer “River Tam” Glau. I’ll take it over T3.

#13

You know, it’s surprisingly difficult to find cowboys with techno music that’s not gay porn.

//youtu.be/mRGjYux3ark

On a completely unrelated note, I did find a lot of gay porn with cowboys and techno music, just in case that ever comes up in future podcasts. :smiley:

#14

Getting ready

EDIT: Thanx Solai

#15

If your a huge history/culture dork, such as I and perhaps Ms. Heaslip, you’ll notice many, many frames, images and ideas from the Second Renaissance.

The image of the machines building a pyramid, references the Egyptian empire, slavery, the Million Machine March, the LA Riots, Tiamen Square, the execution of Captian Bay Lop, the holocaust, and the creation of Israel are all visually and narratively referenced through out part 1.

Part 2 continues with it’s historical references, in fact calling mankind’s strategy against the machines “The Final Solution,” and the battle sequences references not only every battle scene since Saving Private Ryan by way the Terminator, but also the Book of Revelation.

After all of this, the truly astonishing revelation of the the shorts is that humanity, at least in part, may have gone willingly into servitude to the machines rather than suffer endlessly in an un-winable war.

#16

Nice. :smiley:

baltar

#17

Audra,

Speaking of Edward Furlong, have you seen ‘American History X’? If not, which I doubt, check that out. Great film. Avery Brooks is in it also.

#18

“Bring out the Shat”

"Shat’s sleepin’ "

“Well, I guess you’re just gonna have to wake 'im up, then.”

…

There are parts of the last two Matrix flicks I really like. Well, the second one. But I think the Animatrix-- though it’s hardly a blockbuster-type kick-arse axtion flick – delivers just as much, in terms of exploring the Matrix universe, at least.

I’ve brought this up before, I think on the Neil Gaiman/Sandman chat, but Wachowskis also commissioned a series of short stories set in the Matrix world, from different big-name authors, with just some basic parameters to work with. I don’t know whether they’re considered canon, but they’re pretty nifty. Here’s Gaiman’s:

http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/cmp/neil_g.html

For the rest, go here:

http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/
– Select, in the top right, in the MAINFRAME grid, the top-left box.

And here’s some interviews with people who worked on Animatrix, in various capacities:

http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/

And if here’s Rolling Stone’s Larry Wachowski story:

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/9138137/the_mystery_of_larry_wachowski/

Talk about the relationship between creator and art…

#19

That’s an awesome movie, well done, very powerful. I cried.

#20

Does this mean everyone is switching their avatars around again? I can’t keep up!