Waking Life

Kaebora · Post by **Kaebora** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 4:59 pm

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0243017/

Waking Life is the story of a young man unable to wake from a dream, and is confronted by people living within the dream. They discuss with him the meaning of life, alienation, the concept of dreams versus reality, time as an illusion, and many more very in-depth conversations that really make you think about where your own life is taking you.

This has to be the most profound movie I have ever seen. I'm not suprised I never saw it or heard of it. When it was released in 2001, I was not at a level of intelligence that would allow me to be drawn in towards movies of this calibur. The ideas put forth by this film make you think twice about existance. Rather, not questioning religous belief, but drawing alternate conclusions from the same sources of information. Lately I've been in a mode of self preservation, feeling the need to protect what I beleive in. After watching this, I realize, that I don't need to protect my faith or the faith of others. It is a state of mind we all decide on for ourselves. The influence of others has little or no effect on what out faith in life tells us unless those moments or people are truely profound, impacting the time and place that the idea is seeded so immensely, that we then decide for ourselves what the world around us truely represents... perhaps altering faith, but not eliminating it.

This is a movie that brings forth even more controvercial ideas than this. It says that you can feel free to question life, decide whether you are awake or dreaming, dead or alive, time as a concept rather than a tangible straight line, and yet keep walking forward in the life as we know it.

This is a movie for thinkers. It isn't an action film, and has a plot that is extremely difficult to follow. It is a series of moments that are intended to make you really think hard about what the characters are saying. Almost like listening to stoners ramble random epimphony, but instead makes perfect sense to an open mind. The entire movie is animated in a cel-shaded rotoscope style, most likely copied directly from actual live action sequences. It is similar to that seen in A Scanner Darkly. Absolutely spectacular work.

It made me rethink the way life is lived and observed. It may do something different for everyone. It is extremely rare that a movie lets you draw your own conclusions.

Dreamer · Post by **Dreamer** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 5:53 pm

I agree with all that you just said. However, saying that, the people who made this film were on drugs.

Terastas · Post by **Terastas** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 5:55 pm

Just so everyone knows, it's nothing but conversation and "profound thought" (I personally found most of it droll, tiresome and contradictory). First one guy will talk about the concept of reality. . . Then another guy, and another guy, and another guy, and another, and another, etc., etc., etc. :p

By the time they actually reached the big point, it was more like one great big anticlimax; I didn't even care anymore.

Sorry Kaebora, but I saw Waking Life and filed it away as one of the worst movies I've ever seen in my life, and no, I wasn't too young for it at the time. I got all the arguments, but they spent the full 99 minutes hammering away at those same discussions over and over again, with only brief pauses for little skits that only served to make a mockery of any possible counterarguments.

Rent it first, and don't say I didn't warn you.

Kaebora · Post by **Kaebora** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 2:12 am

For those of us with interest in metaphysics/ philosophy, and the nature of dreams, this movie is highly interesting. Anyone watching it and expecting to be impressed with action sequences and storytelling, indeed will think it sucks. This movie is credited mostly for it's superb experimental dialouge, and extremely fluid and emotional animation. Some of the best animation sequences I've ever seen. It appears as if each scene was done by a different team or individual, and then strung together. Therefore, the style changes as the movie progresses. My first time watching sometimes left me distracted by the unique animation, and having to rewind to listen again to what they were saying.

This movie definately will not appeal to all audiences, but I encourage everyone to give it at least one chance. Sometimes listening to the opinions others have about the meaning of life can be educational experiance. For me it was quite spiritual.

Terastas · Post by **Terastas** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 4:12 pm

Kaebora, please don't try to brush it off as "thinkers only." I loved What The [Bleep] Do We Know?! because they actually kept the discussion progressive; they addressed idea upon idea in progressive layers that built off of each other.

Waking Life does nothing but rehash and repeat the same arguments over and over again. After about fifteen minutes it started to feel like I was being talked down to, like it was "Here's the truth, and in case you were too stupid to understand, let me repeat that for you."

You can be metaphysical, philosophical and thought-provoking without treating your audience like a bunch of grade schoolers.

MoonKit · Post by **MoonKit** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 5:22 pm

Terastas wrote:Kaebora, please don't try to brush it off as "thinkers only." I loved What The [Bleep] Do We Know?! .

I loved that movie! The part with the water was so awesome!

Kaebora · Post by **Kaebora** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:10 am

Ok...Terastas pritty much shut down any chance of anyone wanting to even attempt to see the movie. I seriously encourage everyone to decide for themselves though. There are just as many people who like the move as dislike it. Here's some of my favorite scenes. It's just the characters listening to one another's stories. Very interesting and thought provoking. The point of the entire movie is to listen and draw your own conclusions from the stories they tell. This can give you an idea of what the movie is like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggUv2j1- ... ed&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT4TCQsDWLM

Terastas · Post by **Terastas** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:04 am

If anyone's interested, it's available on on TV-Links.

Waking Life

(Bleep) is on there too, but it's some kind of German dub, so I wouldn't recommend using that one for a final opinion.

Silverclaw · Post by **Silverclaw** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:57 pm

Pretty weird seeing this topic now; I just got back from watching this in my art class

Though I first saw it about three years ago.
Anywho, yeah, I really liked this movie. I think I enjoyed it/understood it a lot better the second time seeing it. All the different philosophies and view points were really interesting to listen too. And the art style was beautiful and different

I'd recommend it, just don't expect to see an action movie or anything. Mostly just interesting talking.

Its weird, I saw What The [Bleep] Do We Know?! a few months ago, but didn't care much for that one. It was mildly interesting, and they would bring up some interesting topics as well. But the actors and the visuals all kindof annoyed me with its cheesyness. I dunno, maybe I have to watch it again or something....

Morkulv · Post by **Morkulv** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:24 pm