Rating: Summary: Super Magic Reality Review: This movie should be watched alone with tea and candles burning in the dark.
Rating: Summary: woohoo! Review: This film is amazing.It's not for people who want nice little movies that you don't have to think about... It ranks up there as a recent film (that makes you think) with Memento.The graphics are astounding and the points that the characters make are also. Definitely for intellectuals, artists, and people who want to think!
Rating: Summary: Dreams are good for the soul Review: I am so grateful this film exists! We need this film, we need to be challenged - to see and hear what Waking Life has to offer. Intricacies in the dialogue are underscored with thrilling art direction. It's so rich, it's one of the few films I'd be willing to watch many times. For those that don't enjoy talking about time, space, philosophy, art - I'd still encourage you to get lost in the dance of this film's visual gifts. I am sure many people aren't ready for Waking Life's departure from the cozy plots and formulated reality, but so many of us are! This film is a dream and dreams are good for the soul. Thanks, Richard Linklater!
Rating: Summary: I have never seen... Review: Let me start by saying that while I did not really like or dislike this movie I gave it such a poor rating for a number of reasons: one I have never seen more people walk out of a movie then I did when i went to see this one (has to say something), two the lead actors voice just really did not sit well with me for the whole movie, three the movie struck me like philosophy 101 and not taught very well. I did thought think that the animation style was rather interesting; however, I do not think that this movie was the form to be using it in.
Rating: Summary: Psychedelic, Philosophical, Existentialist, and Libertarian Review: This is a masterpiece. At first it seems that the animation is merely an intro; however it carries on and sets a trippy mood. The basic idea is Dreams Within Dreams. Like a chocolate cake, Linklater must dig his way out of multiple layers of dreaming to finally wake. Along the way there is a ton of philosophy dealing with reality, fate, free will, divinity, and existence. When will he finally awaken? Not before passing through an almost hilariously heavy load of mysticism. Characters levitate and light switches won't turn off, lending proof that, indeed, he is in a dream world. The dialogue is very dense here; it almost feels like a book at times. There are very controversial questions that many an intellectual may have asked him/herself at some time: what comes after death? Is life but a dream? Do we have control over our destiny or is atomic physics in control of our decisions and our actions? These heavy questions are sure to open up some mental floodgates. I found it hilarious that Linklater packed the film with dialogue relating to libertarianism. Characters advocate free will throughout. Angry political protesters complain about too much statism. The animation moves about on the screen, suggesting hallucinogenic drug use. And there is talk of using firearms to fight back against tyranny--one of the more revolutionary beliefs held by some modern libertarians. If you share this ideology you'll be cheering and applauding in the theater like the audience did at my sitting. If you like Kevin Smith this is a great choice. If you want an original style film with almost no developed plot, you may vibe here. If you have ever questioned reality or personal autonomy you will find out you're not alone. And if you voted for Harry Browne in the last election I doubt you'll disagree with the political sentiment expressed by the people. I have never seen the same shadow that this movie casts over its atmosphere. Very unique and tending to raise issues; expect to leave the cinema inspired to pursue your dreams and ambitions in the real world.
Rating: Summary: The most mentally stimulating movie I have ever seen. Review: The movie was absolutley fantastic. It proves that film making is still an art form. A none stop tour de force of philosophical ideas and overall great dialog. The visuals are also stunning.
Rating: Summary: One of the Best Films in Years! Review: Waking Life was such an amazing movie it's beyond words. Any individual interested in Philosophy must see this movie. The ideas and concepts discussed are superior to any discusses on paper. This movie will go down in history as one of the great works. I loved this movie and wish there were more like it.
Rating: Summary: Waking Life Review: I've seen this film four times now, and love it. It is as enlightening as it is visually stunning, and fills the viewer up from beginning to end. It's basically a very lengthy deep conversation with people who have a refreshingly grounded sense of reality. It has a good message, without being preachy, and doesn't force any opinions. The web site is also entertaining.
Rating: Summary: WAKING LIFE woke me up! Review: Wow! This movie is so abstract and beautiful. I highly recommend it to everyone. (especially if you love animation) This is very deep. I will definatly buy this.
Rating: Summary: Entertaining on several levels. Review: The problem with most of the promotional and review material associated with this film is that it all seems to take the same starting point: namely, that Waking Life is a prettily-animated philosophical [insert preferred euphemism for "self-abuse" here] session. I'll concede that a large amount of time is devoted to just such activity, but I posit that Waking Life also functions as a Zen adventure story and a rather wry comedy (with humor ranging from black to cute). I took my sister and her BF to see this one at the Capitol (OFS) Theater (Olympia's arthaus of champions), expecting (as various reviews had portrayed the movie) something pretty, largely incoherent, and pretentious enough to provide plenty of unintentional fun. But WL actually posesses both plot and structure, and although some of the individual encounters the main character is involved in carry something of a pretentious air, the overall story is simple, well-integrated into the disjointed structure dictated by the overarching theme of dreaming, and (I thought) rather beautiful. Similarly, the wry humor of the movie should be mentioned in any review of WL. Many of the chuckles are character-based, like the 'go-for-broke' beer salute of the biker/dreamwalker, or the riotous cynicism of the gas-station attendent (neither my sister nor I can even think about microwavable burritos anymore without remembering his story about the vision-quester), but the occasional gonzo visual jest or uncomfortable giggle are sure to make their appearance. Finally, I'd like to say that the Phil 101 course-supplement material should be neither overvalued nor undervalued. In response to those who praise WL as the most! significant! movie! ever!, I'd like to remind that nothing particularly new is presented here, and that enlightenment-seekers would be better off hitting the shelves. To those who write it all off as simply pretentious wankery, I argue that it actually serves a purpose within the spare narrative that the movie is based around, and that although none of it is intended to be accepted at face value by the audience, contemplating the steady flow of 'ideas on feet' can have an overall mind-opening effect that helps us to identify with the drifting main character. Anyhow, I was thoroughly entertained by this movie while watching it, and it left me with a fair amount to talk about afterwards (including the topic of lucid dreaming, which can be a rewarding investigation). Not only that, but it's very much unlike anything else I've seen recently, which makes it a nice palate-cleanser for the entertainment taste buds. 4 stars, and I'm buying it when it hits DVD.
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