“The action movie was dying in 1999, Arnold was just not Arnold anymore, and there wasn’t a new action star to come and take over the throne. “The Matrix” is where the action movie went techno. Literally, it went beyond the technological and creative limits we thought were set for action. For better or for worse, “bullet time” reinvigorated the genre and shattered the clichés for a whole bunch of new ones to come. This is where the surreal got mixed into the action and canonized a whole bunch of copycats. Imagination and originality crept into the equation and signaled a whole new generation of mainstream filmmaking built on ideas as much as action. “The Matrix” was an inspiration for up and coming filmmakers and the countless camera tricks that were to come. Hell, even music videos changed their style because of it. The film was not just built on getting your pulse pounding, but also on getting your mind blown. Its Asian cinema-inspired leaps signaled the start of something new at the movies. Of note, another triumphant female heroine was introduced in the form of Carrie Ann Moss’ Trinity. The sequels disappointed, but we’ll always have the original.” This isn’t the only landmark movie celebrating 20 years this year, actually quite a few are, most notably because 1999 is well-known as one of the greatest movie years ever. Expect write-ups for the likes of “Being John Malkovich,” “Fight Club,” “The Sixth Sense,” “The Blair Witch Project,” “American Beauty,” “Magnolia,” and many, more to be dished out by film writers over the next year or so. Contribute Hire me
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