>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
RELOADED: WATCH IT COLD
Source:
<TheMatrix.com>
Some information from the official site. Maybe they've read the <fan
letter>?:
It seems you can't turn around without bumping into a new Matrix trailer. Many
film trailers traditionally show all the "best" bits, leaving little
new to be seen in the film itself. For those that have braved seeing them all,
have you seen everything? Do you really need us to tell you the answer? Some
have been heard saying, "So we've heard about the VFX, seen glimpses, but
will there be any 'noodle baking' scenes? Yes. In spades. If you have to ask
what a "noodle baking" scene is, it is best you do not download the
trailers. Go to your local rental shop, ASAP, and see THE MATRIX. Or, wait in
front of your FOX affiliate approximately two weeks (quickly turning the TV
off when the trailers air).
Did we mention there is enough material in THE MATRIX: RELOADED to support yet
more than is currently released? Good, because the number of trailers are growing,
daily, and they are in full assault-mode rotation on numerous television stations.
Fast cuts and faster glimpses of things yet not seen are tauntingly found in
each of the numerous spots. Should you see them? No. The best way to see THE
MATRIX: RELOADED is cold, with no pre-knowledge (besides, of course, the small
underground '99 film, THE MATRIX).
However, if you're here, you have likely already seen the spots. Or are looking
for them. The choice remains yours.
Watch the latest TV spot 'No escape' in the <trailer>
section.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
MATRIX XP
Source:
<Matrix-XP.com>
Definitely the most impressive and best realized tribute to the Matrix. It's
absolutely amazing what these guys have created! They even created a big internet
site including storyboards, making of, cast info etc. etc. Go see it <here>.
What is the Matrix XP?
A good question...
an even better question would be "Why all that effort?" " What
for?" . We would like to answer this question with "Well, for the
glory and money and women" but unfortunately the film has not brought us
any of the above mentioned. Instead it ate up our savings and tied us up in
front of the computer for month effectively cutting us of from any social interaction...
(OK it wasn't THAT bad...) Anyway, the honest answer to the question would probably
be "We couldn't help it"... ;-)
First of all there should probably be an explanation about the length of our
film: Yes, this is it. That's all folks, there will never be a "real"
Matrix XP movie. (unless somebody gives us a couple of million bucks and settles
the legal part with Time Warner...). We chose the form of a fake trailer because
it allowed us to incorporate a lot of ideas about the Matrix that had been going
round our heads for some time.
They were good to get a laugh out of but not remotely strong enough to carry
a story. (yes, I know THAT didn't stop big movies like "Dumb and Dumber"
...) Also we think that making a good trailer is an artform in itself by now
and we wanted to have a try at it. Matrix XP is as you will notice not a "fanfilm"
we do like the original movie of course and we deeply respect the work the Wachowskis
did but our little thing aims at dismantling a bit of the Matrix myth. Not out
of disrespect just because a good movie deserves a good spoof.
We hope our little work will be noticed in the vast cyberspace of the internet
and we all look forward to get on with our normal live now. Oh by the way! WE
had the idea with the multiplying agent MONTHS before the first teaser for Matrix
Reloaded ever hit the internet... great brothers think alike ;-) !
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
VIDEOCLIP ROB D.
Source:
<ViralMeister>
Watch the videoclip of Rob Dougan's (on the previous soundtrack known as
Rob D.) 'Furious Angels'. It's a great track with a high Matrix-feel.
Great new QT Skin promoting the world release of Rob Dougan's 'Furious Angels'
(the single from the Matrix Reloaded). The Skin was designed by New York-based
web undesigner Jason Kottke, 'über blogger' and one of the world's Top
25 Web Personalities according to Shift magazine.
Not sure that QT Skins will replace all the sad Flashturbation which passes
off as web design on so many brand web sites nowadaze, but this example is certainly
a little more interesting than most of the other stuff floating around at the
moment!
Visit the source link to download it, you'll need Quicktime to view it.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
MATRIX RELOADED IN 70
MM IMAX
Source:
<Yahoo
Business news>
Imax Says Matrix Film Deal A 'Watershed Event'
By Andy Georgiades, Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
TORONTO (Dow Jones)--Imax Corp.'s latest deal with Warner Bros. Pictures is
a giant leap forward in the company's crusade to make its large- format cinemas
a release window for Hollywood blockbuster films.
Earlier Wednesday, Imax and Warner Bros., a division of AOL Time Warner Inc.
(NYSE:AOL - News) , announced that the second and third chapters of "The
Matrix" trilogy, to be released in the spring and fall, will be digitally-remastered
using Imax DMR - a technology that upgrades live-action 35mm films into the
Imax experience.
Imax has said that the simultaneous release of first-run Hollywood event films
in its theaters is the "holy grail" for the company, and it's something
investors have been anxiously anticipating for some time.
Although "The Matrix Reloaded" will open in Imax theaters two or three
weeks after its general release May 15, "The Matrix Revolutions" will
open Nov. 5 in both conventional and Imax cinemas, marking the first time that
a live-action Hollywood film is released concurrently in both large- and standard-sized
formats, known in the industry as a day-and-date release.
Richard Gelfond, co-chief executive of Imax, said the deal is a "watershed
event" for the company, as securing "The Matrix" sequels begins
to answer Imax customers' questions about content.
He explained that ensuring a steady supply of content from the studios, especially
commerical Hollywood blockbuster films, is an integral part of the overall business
strategy - selling Imax theater systems. The other component is the development
of a product that will lower the costs to exhibitors of installing an Imax system
in their multiplexes, which has already been accomplished with the Imax MPX
system, announced in February.
'A Visual Spectacle'
Gelfond said that "The Matrix" movies met all of the criteria for
the first Imax DMR day-and-date release. "It's a visual spectacle, it has
the kind of soundtrack that will take advantage of our 12,000-watt sound system,"
he told Dow Jones. "And most importantly, they're really the franchise
movies of the year. There wasn't a better film than The Matrix, and in fact,
we got a little lucky that there were two of them."
He said Imax had been negotiating with Warner Bros. for the third installment
only, but when certain executives saw the tests, they were so impressed by the
" visual splendor" that it turned into a two-picture deal.
Unlike the Imax DMR releases last year of "Apollo 13" and "Star
Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones," "The Matrix" films
won't have to be shortened, as Imax reel units can now support film lengths
of 150 minutes.
This isn't the first time Imax and Warner Bros. have made a deal. In February,
the two announced a collaboration on a new Imax 3-D documentary film about auto
racing. Imax has previously announced film deals with Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS
- News) , Universal Pictures, a unit of Vivendi Universal , and 20th Century
Fox, a unit of Fox Entertainment Group Inc. (NYSE:FOX - News) .
"If ever there was an indication that our business is migrating to Hollywood,
I think the fact that more than half the studios will have released Imax films
in a one-year period of time validates our strategy," he said.
Gelfond said research shows customers love Imax, and are willing to pay a premium
and drive further for the experience, which is another incentive for studios
to adopt Imax DMR.
In a statement, Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution for Warner Bros.
Pictures, called the project a landmark in motion picture distribution, "
and one that we look forward to repeating in the near future."
On Nasdaq Wednesday, the stock is up 49 cents, or 8.1%, to $6.55 on about 463,
000 shares.
Company Web Site: http://www.imax.com
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
ENTER THE MATRIX PREVIEW
Source:
<GameSpot>
Thanks
to: Turgay Gun
A part of a preview from GameSpot.com concerning the Enter the Matrix game
mechanics:
[..] Of the three gameplay elements you'll find in Enter the Matrix, the most
scrutinized will likely be the combat, given the jaw-dropping fight sequences
that the film franchise is known for. The game's combat engine manages to offer
a fairly successful mix of style and substance that captures some key elements
from the films. Niobe and Ghost will both have a decent selection of combat
moves that are suitably flashy and easy to pull off. The pair will also be able
to access an enhanced move set by using the "focus" feature, which
re-creates the "bullet time" effect seen in the films. In addition
to martial arts, both characters will rely on an assortment of firearms, some
of which can be used in tandem, like in a John Woo film, when the action gets
hectic. You'll also be able to use the focus effect when firing a gun, which
makes firefights against large groups a bit easier. Anyone hoping to focus their
way past bullets will be in for a letdown, though, as Niobe and Ghost don't
appear to be able to dodge gunfire.
While the combat in Enter the Matrix captures the choreographed look the films'
action sequences, the game doesn't require you to master an arcane control scheme.
You'll move your character with the left analog stick, use the triangle button
to punch, and use the circle button to kick. Holding triangle and circle together
will let you throw an enemy. The L1 button will initiate the focus effect, and
R1 will draw and fire your weapons. The square button will serve as a context-sensitive
action button that is normally used to interact with the environment but can
also be used to disarm foes and perform flashy gymnastics when the focus effect
is engaged. The X button will let you jump. These core controls are supplemented
by the ability to strafe left and right with the R2 and L2 buttons and a first-person
look mode you can switch to using the right analog stick. On the whole, the
control layout works well and is easy to pick up.
The driving sequences in the game are similar to its combat in that they feature
nice bits of flash and accessible controls. The car levels will follow the same
mission-based structure as the 3D action sequences, with Sparks filling you
in on what you have to do. Mostly, you'll be racing around, completing objectives
and taking out the police. In addition to being able to drive like a maniac,
you can have Ghost hang out of the passenger-side window and shoot at the police
at any time.
Although you'll have to focus on completing your objectives, the car sequences
have a very arcade-like feel and are easy to control. You'll move the car with
the left analog stick or D pad. You can accelerate with the X button and brake
with the square button, or you can push up or down on the right analog stick
for greater control. The triangle button will switch between different camera
angles, and the circle button or R1 will serve as the emergency brake. Holding
down L1 will send Ghost out of the passenger-side window, guns blazing. He'll
auto-target any enemies that are nearby. The R2 and L2 buttons will let you
look right and left on the fly, while holding the two together will let you
look behind you. [..]
Read more at the source link.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
ORCHESTRAL SOUNDTRACK
REVIEW
Source:
<Music
from the movies>
RELOADED SCORE TO BLOW FANS AWAY
When Warner Bros reloads the Matrix in about a month, cinemagoers all over the
world will experience one of the most uncompromising orchestral film scores
heard in a major film in recent years. Music from the Movies just got the chance
to hear a preview of Don Davis much anticipated score and we were completely
blown away by the beauty, inventiveness and outstanding modernistic stylishness
of the score.
The work is almost 100 minutes and consists of 38 cues. Fans will easily recognise
the approach upon hearing the first cue, which is based on the "Main Title"
from the first film. Don Davis is, quite naturally, placing the Reloaded score
in the same modernistic, often dissonant setting, with a lot of focus on brass
and percussion. You will, for instance, recognise the ingenious alternating
layers of trumpets and horns that were used to underline the groundbreaking
flying sequences in the first film. But this second score is different in its
scope, it's basically more epic than the first one. Don Davis uses a large orchestra
but to that a choir is added, giving this score an awe-and-wonder feel not heard
in the first Matrix score. The first half of the score - and supposedly the
film - is focused on this material and provides some fantastic orchestral/choral
writing, a lot of it in 'misterioso' style, some of it very beautiful and uplifting.
There is also a surprisingly low-key, reflective theme for alto flute and strings.
The first part of Matrix Reloaded is more of a fantasy score than an action
score, but judging from the second part of the score there is no question about
this film being a very intense and exciting action piece. Some of the pieces
Don Davis has written for these parts are incredible. The music is intensely
dramatic, extremely difficult from a technical viewpoint. We are definitely
hearing some of the best brass players in the world on this recording - some
of the action writing is centered around those stuttering, fast chromatic figures
first heard in the "Trinity Infinity" cue in the first score, and
- you have to believe me - this music is without any doubt some of the most
breathtaking ever written for a film.
The biggest suprise, though, comes in a ten-minute set piece where Don Davis
orchestral forces battles the pounding rhythm and stylistics of raw techno music.
Davis collaborated with both Paul Oakenfold and Juno Reactor on parts of the
score, and there is a piece that is over ten minutes which is the most unusual
combination of techno and modernistic orchestral writing you'll ever hear. A
symphonic mass for the dance floor, if you wish. And it's just soooo cool!
The soundtrack album from Maverick Records includes about half an hour of Davis
score. Let's hope for a clean score release in the future. Although the song
material that is included on the Maverick album has its place in the film and
therefore on the soundtrack, there is a lot of fantastic score music being left
out.
We hope to be able to bring you some audio samples of the score in the future.
Otherwise, keep an eye on the newly redesigned Don Davis web site at http://dondavis.filmmusic.com
for updates.
Mikael Carlsson
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
MORE MATRIX POSTERS
Source:
<TheMatrix.com>
Thanks
to: Chris
We've seen the same versions of Neo and Trinity before and you can still
find these in the pictures section. It's good to see Morpheus in the blue version
as well. It's time to make another round on eBay to complete your collection...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
EMPIRE MAGAZINE HOLOGRAPHIC
COVERS
Source:
<Empire
Online>
Thanks
to: Chris
The new Empire Magazine which will be available from April 25 futures four
different holographic Matrix Reloaded covers.Inside they'll have around 45 pages
of Matrix related stuff. Check out the covers below:
In many film fans opinions - the Matrix Reloaded is the film event of the year.
And who are Empire to argue? This month's issue of the magazine features a whopping
30+ pages of Matrix coverage - and four fabulous holographic collectors covers
that'll make the June issue more covetable than a date with Carrie-Anne Moss.
The magazine were on set in Sydney, lunched the film's main stars in LA this
month, got the inside track on the next SFX revolution from John Gaeta and everything
else from producer Joel Silver. There's also a competition to win tickets to
the UK premiere of Matrix Reloaded.
If you're an Empire subscriber you can expect this issue to be landing on your
doorsteps round about now* For everyone else, join the bunfight at your local
newsagent from Friday 25 April 2003.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
THE MATRIX BACK ON THE
BIG SCREEN
CityWalk will be showing the original Matrix on a big screen 7 times. Read
the press release:
Can't wait to see the sequel to The Matrix? Then come up to Universal CityWalk
Hollywood and catch the original Matrix on the big screen! Show dates and times
are as follows:
- May 9 through May 13 at 9:00pm
- Late shows on Friday May 9 and Saturday May 10
Be sure to come to CityWalk and visit the KROQ 106.7 booth when you see The
Matrix 2: Reloaded for your chance to win a Ducati Motorcycle and other great
prizes!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
MEDIA SILENCE WACHOWSKIS
Source: <Reeves
Drive>
The Keymasters
By Jeffrey Wells
The how, what & whatever behind Matrix alchemists and press dodgers Larry
and Andy Wachowski, the soon-to-be richest Gen-X visionaries in Hollywood
For most of the moviegoing world, the fact that Larry and Andy Wachowski, the
guys behind the Matrix movies, have decided to stop talking to the media (or
at least, have told publicists to say this), is somewhere between a non-issue
and a mild curiosity. Not for me or for the thousands of rabid Matrix fans out
there, but I doubt if many outside this fraternity care very much.
Maybe they should. The Wachowskis aren't just the embodiment of the soul of
these films - what many feel is the first great mythological movie legend of
the 21st century - but are really and truly the stars. All the cool stuff in
the first Matrix (Carrie Anne Moss's patent leather jumpsuit, bullet-dodging,
etc.) was coded, shaped and programmed by these guys, and well, can't some kind
of personal attention be paid?
The answer from "the boys:' as Matrix producer Joel Silver is fond of calling
them, as well as from Warner Bros. and their various reps, friends and colleagues,
is a firm, "Sorry but no."
The Wachowskis' official silence, which kicked in about four years ago after
an apparently trying experience at a Los Angeles press junket for The Matrix,
is certainly no impediment to the financial fortunes of The Matrix Reloaded
(opening May 15) and The Matrix Revolutions (November 7). The Wachowskis wrote
and directed them at a cost of roughly $345 million, give or take. Shooting
began in Oakland, California in March 2001 and wrapped in Sydney, Australia
last August. A total of 270 days.
Their press aversion, which recalls a careerlong policy adopted by legendary
duck-and-hide directors Stanley Kubrick and Terrence Malick (The Thin Red Line,
Days of Heaven), is certainly no concern to the Wachowskis. Not with the cultural
headwind they generated three years ago with the surprise mega-success of The
Matrix ($470 million worldwide). This track record is making the sequels look
like two of the likeliest box-office goliaths in Hollywood history.
Conservative projections (and it could easily go higher) have both films taking
in a combined worldwide tally of at least $1.2 billion, not counting video revenues
and whatever else might be cooked up by the enterprising distribution team at
Warner Bros. Besides, the Wachowskis are dug in, invested, critically sanctified
and holding a handful of aces. Who needs a bunch of cockamamie journalists asking
the usual blah-blah questions?
"But they don't even say that," I was told by producer and former
Silver Pictures production executive Dan Cracchiolo, who was one of the very
few insiders who not only loved but actually understood The Matrix's final script
when it was first shown around the Warner Bros. lot in late 1996. "They
don't say anything. They don't even want to be known. They are so fucking adamant
about that."
Add to this the seeming fact that these married, not handsome, backwards-baseball-cap-wearing,
basketball-loving Polish-Americans from Chicago (referred to more than once
as "Beavis and Butthead" by one of their more powerful Warner Bros.
colleagues during preproduction on The Matrix) have what they want - security,
opportunity, freedom, power - and are too exacting as impresarios to serve up
what they feel is a second-rate show.
Read a lot more at the source link.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
POWERADE MATRIX ADVERTAINMENT
Source: <Method
Studios>
Powerade tries to persuade cinema
visitors into buying their product with a Matrix related commercial. Very odd
indeed. Download the commercial below:
Format: <Quicktime>
Lenght: 60 seconds
<Powerade Matrix commercial>
- 320 x 240 - 2,9 Mb
To download: Right-click and "save target as..."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
WACHOWSKIS WANT REVOLUTIONS
IN JULY
Source: <News.com.au>
Thanks
to: <MatrixFans.net>
Stand-off over Matrix sequels
From Sydney Confidential
April 22, 2003
YESTERDAY we may have been a little premature in declaring the Alexander The
Great stand-off between Baz Luhrmann and Oliver Stone as the biggest in Hollywood.
That honour, it would appear, goes to Warner Bros and Andy and Larry Wachowski,
the brothers behind the Matrix films.
The two brotherly groups are not seeing eye-to-eye over several aspects to the
much-hyped Matrix sequels, shot back-to-back in Sydney last year.
Warners' studio chief Alan Horn has been pushing for the sequels to get a PG-13
rating in the US, but graphic fight sequences – which the Wachowski boys
refused to edit out – earned the first sequel, The Matrix Reloaded an R-rating.
"Horn blames the brothers for not budging on the head-kicking scenes,"
a source told New York's Daily News .
But what's really making things heated is the battle over the release date for
the second sequel, The Matrix Revolutions .
Matrix Reloaded hits US cinemas on May 15, the same day it is screened in Cannes.
Warner Bros are pushing for Revolutions to be released in November or December,
while the Wachowskis are reportedly keen on a July release. The Daily News source
says: "The brothers wanted to give the fans a one-two punch.
"They figured it would be a year dominated by The Matrix" – followed
by a triple DVD anthology released at Christmas."
The Matrix sequels feature original stars Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne,
Carrie-Anne Moss and Hugo Weaving as well as Jada Pinkett Smith and Nona Gaye.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
FRENCH 3D SUBWAY POSTERS
Source: <Allocine>
Thanks
to: <MatrixFans.net>
MatrixFans.net received the following email:
I spotted a cool new video report (windows media) in French on the promotion
campaign of the upcoming film Matrix Reloaded in Subway stations! They have
placed cool 3D posters in the Subway stations (France) of Neo with glasses with
the green Matrix computer code coming over him and they have another 3D poster
in which you see Neo beating up the multiple agent Smiths with a stick (the
same shot that is in the trailer). Furthermore they also have screens hanging
from the inside of the subway exit/entrance with the trade mark Matrix green
computer code being shown on the screens! I wish i could get my hands on those
3D posters! The people they talk, although my french is not good, seem very
impressed by it.
View the video at the source link.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
CREATING A DIGITAL FACE
Source: <Popular
Science>
Sit back while The Matrix Reloaded boots up the next generation of virtual filmmaking.
Perhaps the only thing more outlandish than the rumored $300 million budget
fueling the wildly anticipated Matrix sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix
Revolutions, is the films' new jaw-dropping visual effects wizardry.
When Reloaded opens in theaters on May 15, viewers will spy the most realistic
computer-generated faces ever made, claims visual effects supervisor George
Borshukov. His team at Esc Entertainment in Alameda, California, has spent the
past three years designing digital mugs that precisely mimic the faces of Keanu
Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss and Hugo Weaving, the sequel's stars.
"Creating a believable synthetic face is the ultimate challenge in computer
graphics," says Borshukov. That's because humans are trained from birth
to make and recognize more than 10,000 complex facial expressions, most of them
too subtle to be accurately simulated in standard computer-generated renderings.
To create photo-realistic digital copies of the actors' faces, Esc had to first
invent an ultraprecise facial mapping technique, dubbed "universal capture."
Unlike standard motion capture techniques, in which a camera records facial
movements by tracking painted-on dots, universal capture uses five Sony CineAlta
high-definition digital cameras arrayed around a live, line-reading actor. The
cameras zoom in and track minute facial imperfections, like pores or whiskers.
The 3-D information then streams from the cameras (at about one gigabyte per
second) into a proprietary suite of computer programs that extract the actors'
facial expressions, stretch virtual skin and grow synthetic hair. The results
are impressive: In an epic fight scene, 100 clones of the trilogy's main villain,
Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) battle Matrix hero Neo (Keanu Reeves). Whose face
is real is anyone's guess. "I'll be curious to see how many people realize
that some faces in the movie are 100 percent computer generated," says
Borshukov. "It's going to be a very interesting psychological experiment
for the audience."
by Nicole Dyer
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
PLAYTEST FIRST ENTER
THE MATRIX MATERIAL
Source: <Computer
and Video Games>
Thanks
to: Turgay Gun
HANDS-ON: WE ENTER THE MATRIX
It's one of 2003's biggest gaming events, but how does Shiny's take on the Wachowski
Brothers' startling sci-fi vision play? Head in our full impressions
18:25 Never before has a movie tie-in had such a weight of expectation attached
to it. Films based on movies as a genre have traditionally fared badly in general,
with occasional notable exceptions.
But the tide has been turning more recently, with Electronic Arts in particular
setting the example for others to follow with titles like Harry Potter and the
brilliantly packaged Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers. But Infogrames is insistent
that The Matrix will raise the bar substantially, redefining the movie tie-in
as we know it. And on the evidence of what we've seen so far, we're not going
to argue.
In terms of package and presentation, you've never experienced anything quite
like Enter the Matrix. Tired of all the cliché-ridden, hackneyed scripts
peddled by developers for their supposedly cinematic titles? Well wake the hell
up as the Wachowski Brothers (the guys behind the film) have scripted the entire
game and even directed the cutscenes. Plus all the voices in the game are provided
by the actual actors.
If that's not enough, the game intertwines with the narrative of the film, bringing
the two forms of media closer than they've ever been before. The film, game
and Animatrix CGi movie (created by Square) have all been created to form a
unified whole, with experience of all parts necessary for a complete overview
of the complex Matrix story.
Each is a standalone entity, of course, but Infogrames and Warner Bros. will
be banking on the fact that die-hard Matrix fans will want to see everything.
But underneath the vast marketing bulk and glossy veneer, how does it actually
play? We were fortunate enough to go hands-on with all three next-gen versions
earlier this week, testing each of the different gameplay experiences on offer:
third-person fighting; driving; first-person flying.
The bulk of the game deals with fighting, so we'll begin there. You get to play
as either Niobe or Ghost, new characters associated with Morpheus. Combat is
based on a range of martial arts, with the now infamous "bullet time"
used to provide a greater range of attacking options. Control is straightforward:
two attack buttons, one jump button, one "Focus" button, and a weapon
button form the basis for your attacking options.
When you enter combat, the two attacking buttons can be used to pull off a range
of combination attacks, with a further button employed to disarm opponents in
an ultimately cool manner. All very nice, but the real fighting glory is revealed
when you make use of the "Focus" button.
This puts the game into "bullet time" allowing you to pull off some
visually amazing, gravity defying stunts. Run at a wall while holding Focus
and you back-flip away; run at an angle and you scoot up it and cartwheel off
- couple this with a weapon for a deadly hail of fire. Run, jump and shoot with
Focus and you'll spin like a corkscrew; do the same backwards and you leap away
in slo-mo allowing time to batter the enemy with bullets. All highly impressive.
On the downside, we found the camera a little twitchy, occasionally making it
hard to see where your enemies were. Also, though the fighting is exquisitely
choreographed, some of the blows look as though they don't quite connect giving
a slightly disjointed feel. But it needs to be stressed that the code we saw
wasn't even at the preview stage, so all this will hopefully be sorted in time
for release.
Other than the fighting sections, variety is provided through driving and flying
sections. The driving sections are reasonably straightforward and require you
to scream through packed city streets to a specific point, following an arrow,
while evading violent pursuers. In this stage, the Focus button is used to call
a passenger brandishing a gun out of the car window, who will automatically
shoot at enemies in the vicinity. A first-person, in-car view is also available.
We found the controls for the car a little over-sensitive and the section as
a whole doesn't really offer anything particularly new in terms of gameplay,
but the section's function serves more to provide variety between the bulk of
the adventure.
In a similar vein, the flying shoot-'em-up section can be seen more as a diversion
than a full game-within-a-game. Piloting a craft in a high-speed tunnel chase,
the action is certainly frantic, with hordes of cybernetic creatures desperately
attacking to bring you down. Again, action is quite simplistic, but should serve
as an effective cathartic release between missions.
As stated, the main part of the title is the third-person action section, and
a great deal of time and effort has clearly been spent on attempting to provide
the thrill of participating in the stunning, acrobatic combat The Matrix is
famed for.
Assuming the rough edges are ironed out in time for release, there's a great
deal of potential here, and if you're a fan of The Matrix (and there are one
or two), the package as a whole may be difficult to resist come May 15.
By Johnny Minkley
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
ABBYSHOT RELOADED COATS
Source: <AbbyShot>
ABBYSHOT
FOLLOWS THE WHITE RABBIT; MATRIX FANS LEAD CLOTHING COMPANY TO NEW DESIGN.
(Mount Pearl, NL - April 14 / 03)
AbbyShot Clothiers Ltd., makers of custom fitted movie inspired clothing, announce
the re-release of the 'Lobby Reloaded' trench coat on TUESDAY APRIL 14, 2003.
The Lobby Reloaded was originally released in December '02, however the design
of the collar required re-designing. Vice President, Adam Bragg explains, "We
received several comments that the neckline was not an exact replica."
As a result the coat returned to the pattern drafting tables where the issue
was corrected. "It is not unusual for garments to be made exactly to customer
specifications. Our customers know their movies and they know how
the coat should look." said Bragg. "Because we involve our clients
in the designing of our coats, they consider themselves a part of the company,
not merely customers of it."
As the release of The Matrix Reloaded (May 15, 2003) approaches, popularity
for AbbyShot's 'Lobby' and 'Lobby Reloaded' trench coats is on the rise. Activity
on the company's website forum and from various internet sources indicate that
the 'Lobby' trench coat is the item of choice for fans of 'The Matrix.'
Check out the company and more photos at the source link.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
WIN A TRIP TO THE PREMIERE
IN LA
Source: <Zap2it>
Win a trip to the Matrix premiere in LA @ Zap2it! Here's an email I received:
Zap2it just launched a big promotion in which we're sending a Matrix fan + 1
to LA for the world premiere of "The Matrix Reloaded" on May 7. This
is a virtually impossible ticket to get a hold of but we've managed to score
two from Warner Bros. Our grand prize package includes airfare, hotel, limo
to and from the premiere, spending cash, plus a few related surprises. One major
thing... our official rules dictate that to be eligible, entrants must be 18+
and U.S. residents. (Hmmm, shame - Code 808)
Visit Zap2it <here>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
LISTEN TO P.O.D.
Source: <TheMatrix.com>
Thanks
to: Turgay Gun
You can listen to P.O.D.'s 'Sleeping
Awake' for free in the Soundtrack section on the official site <TheMatrix.com>.
The soundtrack section can be found by clicking on the latest activated tv-screen
in the reloaded menu. You'll need Quicktime 6 in order to play it. Get Quicktime
<here>.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
USA TODAY ON ENTER THE
MATRIX
Source: <USA
Today>
'Matrix': Kicking gaming up a notch
By Mike Snider, USA TODAY
Just as The Matrix broke visual ground in movies, Enter the Matrix is likely
to break virtual ground in video games based on movies.
Filmmakers Andy and Larry Wachowski, both avid video game players, view the
game not just as marketing fodder but also as an integral element of the universe
they unveiled in 1999 with the original blockbuster. (The game is due May 15,
the same day as the first film sequel, The Matrix: Reloaded.)
Their hands-on approach involved going to unprecedented lengths to make the
Matrix game have all the style and snap of the film trilogy:
They wrote a 244-page script with parallel plot twists to Reloaded.
They filmed an hour's worth of live-action footage with stars such as Keanu
Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss specifically for the game.
They filmed an additional hour of scenes for computer-generated animations,
which the Wachowskis are calling "cineractives." They'll help connect
live-action clips to game segments.
The movie's martial-arts choreographer, the stunt team and principal actors
did special motion-capture sessions to provide game action. Actors also did
game-specific voice recordings.
"You would have actors doing this scene from the movie and the next day
this scene from the game," says Rosanna Sun, the interactive producer for
the Wachowskis' production company, Eon. "You had to make sure the costumes
matched from the moment in the film to the game, that the structure of the buildings
matched, that they had whatever (props) they would bring to the scene. All that
stuff was very choreographed and discussed with the (Wachowski) brothers, the
costumers, the set people, everybody."
Behind-the-scenes trailers detailing the collaboration arrive Tuesday on www.enterthematrix.com.
Historically, Hollywood and video-game makers have had a hit-and-miss relationship.
A movie studio typically licenses a film's rights to a publisher who makes a
video game that either mimics the story line or emphasizes one aspect of the
movie (such as dinosaur target practice in the Jurassic Park game).
Games based on movies typically don't have the visual quality of the film. But
the graphics technology built into video game systems such as Sony's PlayStation
2 and Microsoft's Xbox — both of which also can play DVD movies —
now allows game makers to deliver near-cinematic experiences.
As a result, movie-based games are evolving, and filmmakers are more likely
to assist. Electronic Arts' The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers used footage,
models and other assets from the movie, and the game for the third Rings chapter,
Return of the King, will use movements digitally captured from the film. Similarly,
the developers of Activision's Spider-Man game worked closely with director
Sam Raimi to do justice to the big-screen web slinger. The plotline for Vivendi's
The Hulk video game begins after the events in the movie. (The game arrives
June 3; the film is due June 20.)
Nonetheless, Enter the Matrix— which can be played on PlayStation 2, Xbox,
Nintendo GameCube and PCs — represents a new level of synergy between Hollywood
and game developers, says Bryan Intihar of Electronic Gaming Monthly, who played
an early version. "I believe it will have a significant impact on the entertainment
industry," he says. "You're also going to see game companies start
hiring Hollywood writers to give their games more emotion."
Dave Perry, president of Shiny Entertainment, which developed the game for publisher
Infogrames, says the Matrix experience certainly differed from his past Hollywood
pairings. When he helped develop a game based on the first Terminator movie,
neither Arnold Schwarzenegger's nor Linda Hamilton's characters could be used.
Instead, they had to use Kyle Reese, the soldier who came from the future to
prevent the Terminator from killing Hamilton.
"Gamers do not want to be the guy who dies halfway through the movie,"
Perry says.
When Shiny began working with the Wachowskis, Perry's goal was to have some
film footage for the introduction. "It turns out they already had a plan.
They had a script and were going to direct the game themselves and basically
give us movie footage with the score, all edited and ready to go."
The film and the video game start at the same point in time, but while the film
focuses on Neo (Reeves) and the gang, the game brings supporting characters
Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Ghost (Anthony Wong) to the forefront.
[...]
"It's like this string of multimedia pieces that all fit together,"
Sun says.
Says Intihar: Video game players will "know all the nuances in the film
that can only be understood by those that have played through the game. It's
like the Wachowskis are rewarding gamers for simply being gamers."
Please visit <USA
Today>.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
THEATRICAL TRAILER AND
2 TV SPOTS!
Source: <TheMatrix.com>
The final theatrical trailer
for the Matrix Reloaded and 2 TV spots are online! Download this amazing stuff
in the <trailers> section.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
RELOADED TRAILER ON NBC
Source: <Arena
Football>
Exclusive 'The Matrix Reloaded'
trailer to be seen on the AFL on NBC
NEW YORK - April 9, 2003 - Through an exclusive arrangement with Warner Bros.
Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures, NBC Sports announced today that the
new movie trailer for “The Matrix Reloaded” will make its broadcast
network television debut during the Arena Football League on NBC games Sunday,
April 13 at 3 p.m. ET/noon PT. The two-and-a-half minute movie trailer will
be shown in its entirety simultaneously on NBC and in AFL venues in Los Angeles
(Staples Center), Indiana (Conseco Fieldhouse) and Colorado (Pepsi Center).
“The AFL on NBC this Sunday will be the only place outside of movie theaters
that ‘Matrix’ fans will be able to see this highly anticipated trailer,”
said Jon Miller, Senior Vice President, NBC Sports Programming. “This is
a great franchise. It makes an enormous amount of sense for the AFL on NBC to
partner with Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures, as both of
these properties have a very strong following of young men aged 18-34. We believe
that as more and more young people are introduced to the fast paced action of
the AFL, they too will become fans of the game.”
“Our arrangement with NBC is a tremendous opportunity for us to share this
extended trailer for ‘The Matrix Reloaded’ with sports fans, ‘Matrix’
fans and the NBC audience,” said Joel Silver, producer of “The Matrix”
trilogy. “With the release of ‘Reloaded’ just a few weeks away,
we’re excited to give fans a preview of the incredible action, mind-blowing
visuals and innovative storytelling that power this truly astounding film.”
The new trailer for “The Matrix Reloaded” will begin running in theaters
on Friday, April 11. The film will be released by Warner Bros. Pictures and
Village Roadshow Pictures on May 15.
In the second chapter of the “Matrix” trilogy, freedom fighters Neo
(Keanu Reeves), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne)
continue to lead the revolt against the Machine Army, unleashing their arsenal
of extraordinary skills and weaponry against the systematic forces of repression
and exploitation. In their quest to save the human race from extinction, they
gain greater insight into the construct of The Matrix and Neo's pivotal role
in the fate of mankind.
The provocative futuristic action thriller from Warner Bros. Pictures and Village
Roadshow Pictures is the work of writer-directors the Wachowski Brothers; producer
Joel Silver; executive producers Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski, Grant Hill,
Andrew Mason and Bruce Berman; and cast members Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne,
Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Jada Pinkett Smith and Gloria Foster.
The AFL, the fastest growing professional sport, kicked-off its 17th season
in February 2003 with an exclusive broadcast partnership with NBC to televise
up to four games each Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, concluding with ArenaBowl XVII on
June 22. The AFL has 16 teams, whose ownership group includes 10 NFL owners
who own or have applied for AFL teams, as well as the Colorado Crush, the newest
franchise, whose president is former Denver Broncos star John Elway.
The 16 teams competing in the 2003 AFL season are: Arizona Rattlers, Buffalo
Destroyers, Carolina Cobras, Chicago Rush, Colorado Crush, Dallas Desperados,
Detroit Fury, Georgia Force, Grand Rapids Rampage, Indiana Firebirds, Los Angeles
Avengers, Los Vegas Gladiators, New York Dragons, Orlando Predators, San Jose
SaberCats and Tampa Bay Storm.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
COO WARNER BROTHERS TALKS
Source: <Aint
it Cool>
Ain't it cool news received the
following:
I'm in a class where speakers from the film world come in and speak of their
roles industry. Today was Alan Horn - President and Chief Operating Officer
at Warner Bros. Great guy, lots of awesome stories but I'll skip to some of
the more interesting things (which you may or may not already know) he had to
say about the MATRIX movies and the SUPERMAN/BATMAN stuff...
Reloaded is debuting at Cannes this year.
He loves the films and considers them family flicks despite the R rating which
he has always been pissed about. (Implied that the next two would be R as well.
Something about an old school guideline that says a martial arts flick that
features "a kick to the head" equals automatic R. "No one slept
at my house for a week after "The Ring" and that was PG-13 - I just
don't get it")
He's seen Reloaded and says the effects are "jaw-dropping...stunning...no
one's ever seen anything like it"
GM donated 300 Cadalliacs for the shooting of the film - they wrecked all 300.
Neo flies in the film. Horn says it's "very dramatic" and that they'll
really have to go out of their way to match it for the new Superman flick.
Matrix Revolutions is going to open at the same exact moment everywhere on the
planet (So it would open at midnight in the U.S., for instance, and at noon
halfway around the world). First time this has been done.
Definitely a "to be continued" ending to Reloaded. The Brothers wanted
to release the films a month apart but the studio was opposed because they wanted
to allow for the video gross. It turned out the argument was moot because the
effects on the third still have many months to go.
A trailer for Revolutions will follow the END of the credits for Reloaded (the
credits are about 8 minutes long). The Brothers insisted on this - despite studio
worries that the audience won't stick around (they knew that after word got
out they'd have no problems getting the audience to wait).
Matrix Reloaded will be on video by Early November.
Read more <here>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
2 NEW RELOADED POSTERS
Source: <Dark
Horizons>
Two new posters appeared on Dark
Horizons. These time they're blue. Personally I like them very much. Click on
the thumbnails below to view them.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
OAKENFOLD ON SOUNDTRACK
PARTICIPATION
Source: <Killer
Movies>
Thanks
to: <MatrixFans.net>
DJ Paul Oakenfold has been speaking
with The Sydney Morning Herald about the score for the upcoming Matrix Movies.
Oakenfold is scoring two scenes for The Matrix Reloaded, with music he cagily
describes as "more of the same". Scoring, he says, is an involved,
hands-on gig and he's dedicated to it.
"You read the script, you go to the set, every day you're getting sent
rushes over, you go up to the editing suite ... In the film world, you're on
call. You're kind of bottom of the list, in some respects. When they need you,
they just call you and expect you to be there."
It must play havoc with your DJ schedule.
"Yeah, you're exactly right. That's why I've changed my approach to DJing.
I don't DJ every weekend. I go on tour for five weeks and then I take six weeks
off.
"In that period, I'll be based wherever I need to be to do what I need
to do, whether it's music for my album [of his own compositions] or music for
a film."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
2 HOURS AND 18 MINUTES
Source: <Film
Jerk>
According to sources close to the
production, Andy and Larry Wachowski have completed their final cut of their
much anticipated second chapter of their Matrix trilogy. The effects are complete,
the score is done and the final running time including credits will be two hours
and eighteen minutes.
Two minutes longer than the first film, Reloaded finds Neo, Trinity and Morpheus
continuing to lead the revolt against the Machine Army, unleashing their arsenal
of extraordinary skills and weaponry against the systematic forces of repression
and exploitation. In their quest to save the human race from extinction, they
gain greater insight into the construct of The Matrix and Neo's pivotal role
in the fate of mankind.
The Matrix Reloaded will be released in the US on Thursday May 15, shortly after
its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival the day before.
Some of us at Filmjerk.com recently had the pleasure of seeing the nine-part
Animartix shorts at a press screening last week. While we cannot give you our
very enthusiastic review of the shorts until May 15, we can tell you the order
the program will be presented in, and the running times for each of the shorts:
The Second Renaissance, Part I: 9 minutes
The Second Renaissance, Part II: 17 minutes
Program: 7 minutes
Beyond: 13 minutes
World Record: 7 minutes
Kid's Story: 8 minutes
Matriculate: 17 minutes
Detective Story: 10 minutes
The Final Flight Of The Osiris: 9 minutes
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
COMPOSERS ON SOUNDTRACKS
Source: <Music
4 Games>
Incorporating Don Davis' music from
the box-office smash "The Matrix" and its' first sequel "The
Matrix: Reloaded," Erik Lundborg is scoring "Enter The Matrix"
- the first videogame of the Wachowski franchise. We caught up with both composers
in bullet time to discuss their music contributions to the super scifi franchise.
Music4Games: Could you tell us a bit about what you're up to at the moment and
at what stage you're at on the various Matrix projects?
Don Davis: I have just completed scoring The Matrix: Reloaded at this point,
as well as the nine Animatrix episodes.
Erik Lundborg: Resting, composing, reading books and preparing for the next
onslaught, whatever that might be.
M4G: The Wachowski brothers are said to show an incredible amount of interest
and involvement in the musical aspects of their projects. Is this true for the
game as well as the films, and if so, how do they influence the process?
DD: You're right, the brothers are very involved with every music moment in
their projects. They have very specific ideas about what they want each scene
to communicate, and they are tireless in working out each parameter of the process
to that end. For example, when I score their films, we have a pretty detailed
working process by which I demo each scene with an electronic mock-up, and we
can then discuss the success or failure of any particular idea. There are also
moments when a direction that they had given me during the spotting proves fruitless,
and I come to them to discuss what may not have worked from that standpoint
so that a more successful approach can be discovered.
EL: Yes. They wanted to preserve the original music from The Matrix, in addition
to some new music from the Animes and The Matrix: Reloaded. It was my job to
score the game-play music and the cineractives with that precise directive in
mind and to hopefully make them happy. They are a demanding duo.
Read the rest of this big interview <here>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
DETECTIVE STORY ONLINE!
Source: <IntotheMatrix.com>
Download the third Animatrix episode,
Detective Story. The episode is about hard-boiled private investigator Ash who
tries to track cyber-criminal Trinity through the looking glass…
WRITTEN BY
Shinichiro Watanabe
DIRECTED BY
Shinichiro Watanabe
ANIMATION & PRODUCTION DESIGN BY
Studio 4°C, Tokyo
Animatrix
Episode: Detective Story
<Low
resolution - 320 x 136 - 18,5 Mb>
<Medium
resolution - 480 x 204 - 57,7 Mb>
<High
resolution - 640 x 272 - 117,8 Mb>
To download: Right-click and "save target as..."
Thanks to <IntotheMatrix.com>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
NEW ANIMATRIX EPISODE
HIDDEN ONLINE!
This is absolutely great! The
new Animatrix episode "Detective story" is already available for broadband
users behind the hexidecimal pannel on the official site!
How can I watch it?
1) On IntotheMatrix.com you can find a code on the Detective Story access panel.
The code is D487A317.
2) Access TheMatrix.com (high bandwith version) and click in the right corner
of the menu, a popup menu will appear. On this popup menu, you can find a small
square. Click on this square and it will turn green. Click another time on the
green square. A binary access panel will appear.
3) Enter the code 01101111 on the binary access panel, the hexidecimal panel
will appear.
4) Enter the alphanumeric code D487A317 in binary numbers. In binary this code
equels to 1101 0100 1000 0111 1010 0011 0001 0111.
5) Click on enter. Enjoy!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
CARRIE-ANNE ON 'BEING'
TRINITY
Source: <BBC>
Thanks
to: Jen
The long-awaited sequels to "The
Matrix" are released this year. Film 2003 caught up with star Carrie-Anne
Moss on set in Australia.
Film 2003: What was it like getting back together with the rest of the Matrix
team?
Carrie-Anne Moss: It was brutal to end the first Matrix, it took me months to
get over it. But coming back together as a team happened very gradually. It
started out as actors getting together training, we started in San Francisco
so we had time to get to know a San Francisco crew, and we've been here [in
Australia] for eight months, so it's even more intense, it's going to be brutal
to say goodbye. But at the same time I think I'm going to be happy to say goodbye
- I've played this part for a long time and I love it so much but it'll be nice
to hang up my PVC and walk away from Trinity for the rest of my life!
What is it like getting back into the character of Trinity?
It's trippy and it's weird and it's not even anything intellectually I could
explain to you. It's not even something I'm aware of - people around me are
more aware of it, and even just getting into the character again, physically
I start to change and my whole vibe and energy change, as I'm training. Then
when we're shooting and I put the glasses and the outfit on and I'm her! And
I take them off and I'm not her, but I still kind of am her... and... who am
I?! It's actor angst!
It's a very demanding role physically...
It was much harder this time. Because I knew what to expect. Last time I was
just so glad to be there, and this time it was "oh no, I know what my body's
going to feel like next week". We're talking about training to an extent
that any time I sat down - and I would see it with Keanu and Laurence and Hugo,
we were all experiencing the same thing - if I was to sit down to have dinner
and I wanted to get up to go to the restroom, I would have to stand for a few
seconds because I couldn't walk! Because my knees would be so sore. While we
were fighting, there wasn't a moment that went by when I didn't physically ache,
for almost a year really. And that's tough to go through, it's hard on your
body and it's hard on you emotionally. It's great to see the finished product
but while you're doing it it's really hard. I broke my leg, I think Keanu did
something to his ankle, Laurence's wrist, I think Hugo has been injury-free.
I've had a lot of bruises, a lot of aches and pains but I'm fine now.
What kind of reaction do you get from fans of the movie?
I've had nothing but positive - "Oh you're the girl from "The Matrix"
- cool!" Little boys, little girls, men, women, I haven't had any weird
things I don't think - not that I remember, although I may be blocking it out!
Just people who like Trinity and like the movie.
Read more interviews and watch them at the source link.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
VFX SUPERVISOR TALKS
FINAL FLIGHT
Source: <The
Daily Telegraph>
Short flick is flying high
THE Final Flight of the Osiris is already winning fans, writes MICHAEL BODEY.
In Australia, most feature films are made for less than $8 million. Australian
visual-effects supervisor James Rogers and his team at Square USA had $8 million
at their disposal merely to make an 11-minute short film to complement the new
sequels to the modern cult film, The Matrix.
Despite the generous budget, they didn't quite know what their film, Final Flight
of the Osiris, would become.
"We were originally asked to make an instalment for the DVD, The Animatrix,"
says Rogers. "We didn't know at the time it was going to be 'The Matrix
1.5'. We read about that after it was finished."
[...]
As such, it follows on from the original Matrix film, affects events in the
upcoming Enter The Matrix video game and sets off the events in the much-anticipated
first sequel, The Matrix: Reloaded.
For the team of developers at Square USA, this job was exactly what they needed.
"It was a strange assignment but we'd just come off Final Fantasy and we
were a bit sick of the negative coverage we'd got on that," says Rogers.
"To be handed The Matrix, which had this legacy and following, was so interesting
to us."
Interesting because his team was able to push the dream of believable digital
human beings for the screen one step further. On big-budget flop Final Fantasy,
the world was told the computer-generated humans would be photo-realistic, indistinguishable
from the real thing.The developers knew that wouldn't happen. Yet.
"That marketing was frustrating to us," says Rogers, "so Osiris
was a big advance. After we'd done Final Fantasy, we knew exactly what not to
do." They knew not to be too geeky and to focus on cinematic issues more
than computer ones. Also, improvements in speed and process ensured Osiris was
a far more enjoyable, and ultimately successful, experience.
"This time we were more focused," he said. "In Final Fantasy,
the brief was to animate the humans like the humans. In The Animatrix, it was
to make them more anime-like and, funnily enough, they're more realistic."
Already, the positive verdict is in on Osiris. It's a major achievement, a captivating
and humorous adventure that loses nothing from being created digitally. And
Rogers hasn't lost all hope for Final Fantasy. "Box office-wise, it was
a failure and maybe the story wasn't that hot, but it was a significant step
for digital characters, as is this film," he says.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
RELOADED CONFIRMED FOR
CANNES FESTIVAL
Source: <Screen
Daily>
Matrix Reloaded confirmed for Cannes
Staff reporters in London, 03 April 2003
Likely to deliver some of the most spectacular images on the Croisette this
year, Matrix Reloaded has been confirmed as receiving a place in the Cannes
Festival's official selection.
The film, which is the second installment of the Matrix trilogy and is directed
by the Wachowski brothers, will be given a special screening on Thursday May
15. Warner Bros will begin international release of the film immediately after
the Cannes premiere
Cannes said that accompanying the film will be Larry and Andy Wachowski, Keanu
Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Jada Pinkett Smith,
Monica Bellucci and Lambert Wilson.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
JAX CUT OUT OF RELOADED?
Source: The
Daily Telegraph
Thanks to: <Countingdown>
Socratis Otto isn't holding his
breath. The 28-year-old NIDA graduate spent two weeks on the set of The Matrix
Reloaded last year playing the role of Jax.
But he's fully expecting his scene to be sliced out of the final cut so isn't
keen to prattle on just in case.
"I hesitate to even mention it to people until I've seen the final cut,"
says a modest Socratis, known to his mates as Sox.
"There are so many actors today who bang on and on about how they were
in this big budget Hollywood movie and their scene just ends up on the cutting
room floor and they end up looking stupid. Basically I spent about two weeks
on the set, had a blast but probably won't even make it to the final cut."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
RELOADED PROMO MATERIAL
Source: <MatrixFans.net>
Twin wigs? Inflatable Neo's?
Oh men, this is getting out of hand...
According to an anonymous source at Warner Brothers' Exhibitor Relations, Warner
and Joel Silver are really going to give Matrix fans treats, and I mean real
treats.
Some of the promo items that will be available at the theaters in a special
individual package for attendees of the premiere of The Matrix Reloaded include
lifesize Blowup Neo and Trinity, white dreadlock wigs in the style of the deadly
switchblade-throwing twins, Red and Blue Pill M&M candy recipients courtesy
of Gillette, pocket protectors, black clip-on ties and silver tie clips celebrating
the deadly Agent Smith, shiny black vinyl Trinity oven mittens and Persephone
shaped soap-in-a-rope courtesy of Tide.
Apparently some of these items have leaked out of Warner's promo items shop
in North Hollywood, CA and to Warner's execs' dismay can be found sporadically
on Ebay auctions.
Warner's Exhibitor Relations spokeperson Bill Flatscope encourages fans to arrive
early for the premiere, for these rare items are not expected to be available
for long.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
© 2003 Code 808
