The Matrix: De-booted

[@EmperorLemon]

The Downward Spiral of Cinema is brought to you by BESPOKE POST!!! New Bespoke Post subscribers get 20% off their first box of awesome - go to bespokepost.com/emplemon20 and enter code EMPLEMON20 at checkout.

[@kachucho872]

Cool.

[@bonechovah]

get that $ king

[@VoxVenatoris]

Okey

[@PPP_473]

No

[@MALT_youtube]

Let’s goooooo! Emplemon uploading made this crappy day 100% better!

[@shartercam]

My favorite moment in movie history was when Morbius was brought back because of a meme only to lose more money for the studio

[@wisemage0]

_"Does he really say It's morbin' time?"_ _"I don't know, I didn't actually watch the movie."_

[@Rpodnee]

@@wisemage0 WELL DOES HE???

[@WuchtaArt]

that was a grade A moment. I love when Morbius said "It's Morbin Time" and morbed all over the box office.

[@John.McMillan]

Didnt the meme come about from the show?

[@alverdeo965]

The most forced meme since "x fictional character saying trans rights".

[@Zaden_KT]

“Despite all the concerns of machines acting like us, no one could anticipate just how much we start acting like machines.” Love this quote

[@SamTheEnglishTeacher]

It is a bit frustrating hearing him constantly talk about automation taking jobs. Automation creates jobs. In my own career, every single team for which I've implemented automation solutions has increased their headcount in subsequent years, without exception. For one example: Instead of wasting their time scraping images of vehicles they've bought and uploading them into their system, these people are instead focussed on finding good vehicles to buy or building relationships with people they sell cars to. So their budget increased, their headcount increased, satisfaction increased, etc.

[@sexylazercatwizard]

@Sam A seems like you described removing one field of work for more work in sales. Automation can take away one type of work, saturating other trades. Even if I'm wrong your example is really anecdotal to work in sales.

[@SamTheEnglishTeacher]

@@sexylazercatwizard and purchasing in this case yes. I took away useless busywork and replaced it with value-add work. Or rather I made the tools that allowed the team to make that change. Another tool I made gives self serve access to product information, so instead of getting a phone call every two minutes just asking them to look something up, that team is working on projects, or placing bids on jobs, or one of a dozen other things that generate more value. It's anecdotal sure, the plural of anecdote is data and the accumulation of anecdotes is maybe called wisdom or experience. Edit: also it's not just anecdotal because I have objective measurements behind all my claims in my reporting database

[@Jury4318]

just ask chat gpt

[@NeoWish]

@@SamTheEnglishTeacher yes, but people are only trained for one job and now that it has been automated they have to start from beginning(kind of).

[@SoraZ2112]

“You take the green pill, and I’ll show you how deep the Downward Spiral goes.” - NeoLemon

[@soup985]

I cant believe he would do that 😭😭😭😭

[@otoniq]

@do not ...what?

[@purestress2597]

Maybe it should be LeMorpheus. Kinda fits the Frenchy philosophy in the matrix

[@burritomusollini6372]

you take the yellow pill the story ends and you Believe what you want to believe or

[@johnnymartinez478]

Do not lose your ego on the green pill. That’s a trap

[@bullmonty764]

Bad news: They’re making another Matrix movie, even despite the bomb of Resurrections, because a) Studios will never learn, and b) Zaslav will do literally *anything* if it means not putting money into animation So yeah, I’m rewatching this video for that reason

[@ejm1225]

Any updates?

[@qi_kayon]

I liked it tbh

[@fortynights1513]

@@qi_kayona new film came out?

[@petergriscom3431]

Reminds me of We ♡ Katamari. The creator of Katamari Damacy, Keita Takahashi, didn't want to make a sequel, but Konami gave him the ultimatum of "make it or we'll get someone else to", so he made We ♡ Katamari a lampooning of unnecessary sequels. In the first game, the King of All Cosmos was hard to please, but with enough effort, he would genuinely praise and congratulate you for your highest scores. In We ♡ Katamari, your Katamari is graded by _the fans_ of Katamari, who no matter how close to perfection you get, will still be mildly disappointed at best. EDIT: It was Namco, not Konami.

[@unkono]

I thought that was a good game. At least the soundtrack improved from the first game.

[@petergriscom3431]

@@unkono It wasn't an intentionally bad game, but the whole narrative of it revolves around how the King of All Cosmos has a huge fanbase, and they want _more_ Katamari, and it needs to be bigger and better. And even if you get a perfect score, the fan commentary afterwards just says the equivalent of "8/10, could be better". And the neat thing about the music in Katamari is that Takahashi mainly just wanted to use it as an opportunity to elevate underrated artists that he enjoyed.

[@YamiZee]

Nothing you've described sounds bad.

[@Dayashii]

it wasnt konami it was namco btw

[@fortynights1513]

What kind of video game?

[@MDJeez888]

My biggest movie related fear is a Back To The Future remake. It's impossible to make it work without downright changing everything. It's a product of its time and a really good one.

[@AchedSphinx]

they'll find a way.

[@ocean_monster1]

Every single successful 80ties and 90ties movie will be eventually rebooted.

[@ruffusgoodman4137]

@@ocean_monster1 "Give up! Re-sist Is fu-tile!" BEEP! BOOP!

[@timewarpdrive77]

Thankfully the creators own the rights to make more of those, so we should be good for another 40 years or so.

[@Beunibster]

@Max GC You mean literally the guy who made the new Pinocchio?

[@gdfauxtrot]

Only you would find a way to compare The Matrix to Freddy Got Fingered. Godspeed Emp

[@brayanargandonaflorentino548]

I'll admit to Tom Green, he has more balls than any TikTok creators or any prank channels (i.e Paul brothers) who are a complete menace to society

[@dontevenlook]

Him and red letter media.

[@Jury4318]

tom green would be a menace if he was gen z too

[@merucrypoison296]

Someone show coryspazkid this video lmao

[@merucrypoison296]

@goofyyah emp should make a video talking about how cancer you bots are on this site

[@pellejger1412]

The Freddy Got Fingered allegory made me so damn happy. Just the possibility of the new Matrix being intentional sabotage warms my heart.

[@Canalbiruta]

It was pretty much a self sabotage. The movie keeps name calling corps involved in the revival and use a game company (funny enough) as the stock of jokes for half of it while putting a bunch of 4th wall breaking dialogs that are basically saying "i don't want to exist, i was revived against my will so they could get your money. So guess what? I'm gonna shit on this script". The movie being this bad and outrageous for long time fans was a genius move because than other movies in the franchise that could ruin it even more can't exist lol. Gotta say that move was pure art.

[@RickReasonnz]

@@CanalbirutaHad to be, didn't it. The references were too prevalent, too obvious, for it NOT to be self sabotage. So for the first half the the film i was feeling rather bitter, and when I suddenly twigged, I enjoyed the chaotic destruction of her own movie Lana seemed to be making. Glorious.

[@Canalbiruta]

@@RickReasonnz i came out of it feeling robbed and even telling my friends not to watch and spoiling the movie. One of them didn't believe me and went to watch himself and also discouraged the rest to not watch it aswell. I just got less pissed with the movie months later when discussing with them about the movie in a drink party i said something like "it was like not only she wanted to make her message clear of not wanting to make the movie, but she also tried not to make a movie at all and just waste our times" and than one of them (the most sensible to be honest) said "maybe not waste your time but the time and money of the company and theaters that had the movie playing" that moment it clicked to me that all of the middle fingers (both figuratively and non figuratively) weren't for me the fan, but for the company who was extorting my money over a cash grab. That made me reconsider the movie as a smart move to protect the franchise from shit like what happened with star wars.

[@RickReasonnz]

@@Canalbiruta That's a good take, realizing that Lana wasn't necessarily making fun of us, the fans, but of those who were demanding a sequel. Hell, I only watched it because it was available; never had I ever been pining for a sequel, but thought, oh why not see what this turns out to be. Then i remembered how they seemed to struggle to promote the film, and I do have to wonder if Keanu, Carrie-Anne, etc were "in" on the joke....

[@arthurbarbosa8204]

​​@Teddy-bk5re Necroing a yt comment thread to be transphobic, just lovely.

[@adudecalledtony3731]

What a world we live in that the death of a franchise is seen as mercy

[@TurtleShellProductions]

Are they going to butcher back to the future or have they already done that?

[@rumblebird9888]

The creators won't allow another back to the future movie to happen, which is good

[@TurtleShellProductions]

@@rumblebird9888 Until they die lol

[@orlandomoreno6168]

@@TurtleShellProductions We have Rick and Morty

[@TurtleShellProductions]

@@orlandomoreno6168 I know, but that's more of it's own thing rather than the film's.

[@liamsmith7753]

A generation trying to re-live a moment has prevented another one from ever experiencing it.

[@FringeSpectre]

Oh the zoomers experienced it... With Minions. It's so sad.

[@shira_yone]

@@FringeSpectre most zoomers and millennials got plenty in other media such as video games and Japanese anime. Big budget games however, is on the downward spiral trajectory nowadays.

[@DaydreamOrca]

You say that like Boomers don't get nostalgic over mickey mouse, Betty boop or anne of green gables

[@marshalllenhart7923]

​@@shira_yoneI mean, we got some stuff. Fromsoft is the champion of the masses, and CDProjekt, despite a recent stumble, have been consistantly writing solid gold.

[@agoatheadbaby3512]

I got Binding of Isaac but other than that, I'm at a loss.

[@doarner]

One wise person once said: "We don't hype for remakes and sequels of our favorite shows, we hype for relive that feeling we had back when we first saw them".

[@hippopilot6750]

isn't that the same function with drug addicts?

[@The_Hylian_Link]

@@hippopilot6750 sometimes

[@big_sea]

yes

[@Iffy350]

So when zoomers get into power all we’ll have for entertainment is remakes of TikTok videos. We really are all screwed!

[@youtubeviolatedme7123]

That's not wisdom, that's called understanding what addiction is, and if you underwent the American education system like me, then you understood the concept of addiction as early as middle school. It's not that deep dude.

[@montgomeryfitzpatrick473]

Keanu Reeves was well known from Bill and Ted, as well as Speed being one of the top grossing films of '94

[@L_Train]

And point break. I remember knowing exactly who Reeves was when the matrix came out even as a teenager. He was a decent sized star.

[@mr.pavone9719]

Johnny Mnemonic too.

[@Tsaier]

Seriously. I had to stop and comment that Keanu was indeed very very well known. lol can’t believe he said that in the video

[@sealingtruth]

He failed bad with that remark. KR was already famous and a lead in all his films well before the Matrix. He starred in Bill & Ted, Point Break, Bram Stokers Dracula, Speed, Johnny Mnemonic, Chain Reaction, The Devils Advocate and others films and he was not just a supporting actor but the main guy.

[@CokeZorro]

Ooof it hurts when you make HUGE boos boos like saying Keanu was unknown. Honestly its puts every emp video into question. I wonder how many liberties he takes to make videos jsut a little more interesting

[@WorldTravelerTrivia]

Amazing video essay as usual Emp, I just had to say that Keanu Reeves was nowhere near a "mostly unknown" actor at the time The Matrix was released; movies like Speed, Point Break, Dracula, Devils Advocate, and more made him an A+lister. The Matrix made him an icon.

[@JohnBender1313]

And Ted Theodore Logan of Bill and Ted! Which, of course, was also recently rebooted.

[@mattimus13]

Everyone forgets Babes in Toyland kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGOneJhvnp6ffbM

[@alaundrasochia6663]

I was about to say the same thing. Devil's advocate was still on fire really. I remember that was all I heard about.

[@user-vi4xy1jw7e]

@@JohnBender1313 It wasn't rebooted. It got a sequel. Sequels and reboots aren't the same thing.

[@JohnBender1313]

@@user-vi4xy1jw7e oh ffs. Don't "well actually" me here. 1. You should know what I mean. 2. Rebooted is actually the very specific word that applies to this. Google it. And even if we disagree on its meaning, let's not get bogged down with semantics.

[@mazda9624]

You were 100% right about The Matrix: Resurrections being completely forgotten. This video is the only thing that even reminded me of it's existence and I genuinely couldn't even remember when it came out. When you showed that it came out in December of 2021, my only thought was, "Really? It was *that* recent? I completely forgot it was *ever* even a thing!"

[@miguelzurita3216]

True, when I think of the Matrix, I only think of the trilogy, now to be fair I only remember the first movie, and that Codename KND did a shot-for-shot recreation of a scene from the Animatrix. I haven't seen Matrix Resurrection's even though a big finger to WB is something I support

[@Limbaugh_]

@@miguelzurita3216it was mid, no real point to watch it though

[@jesustyronechrist2330]

2021 was a year that has completely escaped my memory. Kinda like 2017

[@hiimmeurnot]

Based on this video's message, I'd say you supported it by NOT seeing it

[@Algorithm_Poison]

Lol I watched it while I had a 102° fever thanks to the virus of unknown origin. It was the worst part of being sick.

[@reccollect]

I really respect your skill of grabbing visuals during storytelling portions. Your ability to fit a movie/ tv show/ video game scene to narration is really impressive. And of course I love the way you connect your stories together, it's always unique and clever.

[@cheezburgrproduction]

@@danjoredd I was going to mention this. It’s quite ADHD in nature but his story telling is legendary enough to make it not only work but thrive in this format

[@mrswb]

"Tom Green had to be dragged offstage after brraking out a never ending harmonica solo." Is like a code to make me laugh

[@yggdrasilsaltar]

cant believe they dedicated a whole series to that one scene where the dude dodges like 20 bullets in slow motion

[@StalinkTz]

cant believe they dedicated a whole series to that one scene where the dude dodges like 20 bullets in slow motion

[@qjames0077]

Like Neo, I think something went over your head pal

[@xXx_Regulus_xXx]

@@qjames0077 can we get an obnoxious redditor in this thread? I need somebody to do the woosh thing

[@SamTheEnglishTeacher]

Don't forget the two serieses of video gameses (the other being Disgruntled Maximillian)

[@gustave7619]

@@qjames0077 yeah the bullets because the dude dodged them with his mind powers thing

[@jiijijjijiijiij]

Bro Keanu Reeves was very well known at that point. Speed and Point Break were huge movies in the early '90s.

[@myronsanders4563]

Yea, I was about to say. His "Whoa" in the 1st Matrix film is literally an ode to the Bill and Ted Series in the Late 80s thst made him a household name

[@christopherh]

Yeah I was gonna make this comment, Keanu Reeves was far removed from an “unknown actor”.

[@waxmeltfan]

Don’t forget Johnny Mnemonic

[@bobojenkins5805]

Keanu was born in '03....

[@shadowling77777]

@@bobojenkins5805 wat

[@atruepanda1782]

I really love that idea that Emp just has a green aura around him that has always been there and never been questioned.

[@ratedr7845]

damn, he stink that badly?

[@thelostmessenger]

@@ratedr7845 nah, he just stayed in a downward spiral for a little longer than healthy

[@Monkey_30000]

Too many green Simpsons YTPs do that to you

[@merucrypoison296]

Hard to believe this all started from a extremely obscure Simpsons Ytp nobody watched except for us veteran fans

[@sunburner_ray]

i find it funny how you say “never been questioned” because the whole reason why the green thing stuck is because people kept questioning it

[@mattsipe8963]

Man, the problem is never the technology on it's own. It's who distributes it and who is allowed to utilize it.

[@TheWingus]

The story of John Henry is a little more than just "A man races a machine". The company was going to bring in a steam shovel or whatever the thing is called and replace the entire workforce, so John Henry proposed a wager. He would race the machine and if he won, all the workers would get to keep their jobs. So they raced and he ended up winning, making sure the workers got to keep their jobs, but he himself died of exhaustion right there on the job site.

[@daTribbleMaker]

I read this but heard Alanis Morissette.

[@Newt2799]

I think he chose to cut down the story to just the main point he was getting at, that it was a man vs a machine, rather than taking the time to explain it in an already 41 minute video. Plus most of the other man vs machine examples didn’t go in depth and got to the main point quickly, so explaining the whole John Henry story may have proved awkward with the flow of the video

[@SilverLining1]

He also didn't go into detail about isaac asimov's laws of robotics, the supposed "solution" to stopping evil robots even though all his books on the matter explore how flawed such a ruleset is and criticize it

[@Crabbadabba]

It's kind of symbolic, maybe man has worked himself to near death and that we should relax and lean on our intelligence a bit more.

[@667Agent]

Dude, watching Star Wars with your dad is apparently a family tradition for mine. My dad told me stories of his dad dragging him to see the first movie. I say drag because my dad was somehow convinced that Star Wars was going to be a campy competition between Holywood Stars. Needless to say, we owe our Grandpa big for that.

[@jmentone]

It seems like Star Wars and other universally great movies are always better when watching with someone we love.

[@merucrypoison296]

So glad I didn’t grow up with Star Wars

[@peenywallie]

@@merucrypoison296 more like soy wars amirite?

[@merucrypoison296]

@@peenywallie I’m just glad I didn’t get to see my childhood get gutted like that

[@rickkroll]

My moms mom took her to the first star wars, my mom took me to episode one, and when my boy was a baby my mom and i took him to episode 9. He was too little and ended up cryin so we left but now that hes old enough we watch star wars and its so cool

[@NunyoBidnus]

no-one turns smashing rocks into points to hunt animals into a elaborate discussion of Freddy Got Fingered as a grotesque underlining of the pure glue-munching culture of modern hollywood films as nothing more than harvesting dead soil when the grass is so much greener not 10 paces away. You've managed to honestly give such a perfect understanding as to why films are the way they are now. The only way to make better films than Hollywood is to do it yourself, make it your own and never fall to the temptations, and goddamn man, your films have been top notch. Keep up the good work, and always make brands regret sponsoring you.

[@szturmeo]

As a scholar on Freddy Got Fingered I am very sad to let you know that the film was not a result of a studio obligation. In Green's autobiography, "Hollywood Causes Cancer", you can read that the transition from TV star to film star was always in Tom's plans. In fact, Freddy is not exactly a self-sabotage movie; while it's a dadaist, surrealist, blah blah blah masterpiece, it was made in a convivial, cooperative atmosphere on set and in fact the film's producer, Arnon Milchan (who worked with Scorsese and Gilliam in the 80's and produces hits till this day), called it "the best debut a young director could make". Freddy lost money at the box office because, indeed, the public wasn't ready for him - but the movie was not engineered to be a flop. Still - I think those facts only highlight how purposeful Matrix 4 is in the quadrilogy. We get an introduction to the world (M1), further depictions of the world both inside (M2) and outside the simulation, along with rebooting the universe (M3) and a post mortem video essay on the trilogy coupled with the ultimate effort to keep it dead (M4). 2 out of the 4 movies in the series suck - but, as you said, every film has a purpose to it.

[@creamgreg]

The Rise of Skywalker had the exact same effect on me. I've never felt so dead inside watching a film. I felt absolutely nothing. Nothing

[@vavra222]

Same, i got drawn to the cinema by my friend to see it. Halfway through the movie, i started coughing because the air was dry, what a lucky excuse to leave and wait in the car.

[@teamextremepk]

Best movie of our time imo. Orginal starwars graphics look like shit momwmt cringe ah

[@user-vi4xy1jw7e]

@@teamextremepk What are you even trying to say

[@ryang.5094]

@@user-vi4xy1jw7e that the new movies are better because the cgi is updated

[@qwertyiuwg4uwtwthn]

​@@teamextremepk guy watched the special editions and thought that's what the ot was 💀💀💀

[@whatamanhastosay]

You hooked people in with a thumbnail of one of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time, and got them to stay with compelling looks into some of the darkest fears of the human element. As always, splendid work.

[@Aviii11]

This is what makes EmpLemon an artist. He finds a unique way to merge topics you wouldn't have thought at first were connected into one very well detailed video that capitivates the audience at every second. There's a line in Spectacular Spider-Man that goes "In nature, everything is connected. As scientists, we explore and expand on those connections". Artists can also explore and expand these connections (in this case human nature) by mastering the art of presenting these abstract connections to an unfamiliar audience.

[@krusher181]

It just came on auto play cuz I’m subbed and for most of it, I’ve been confused. But his videos always come together. One of the best.

[@SirBlackReeds]

Eh, eXistenZ is better.

[@mateobalmelli9242]

"Despite all the concerns of machines acting like us, no one could anticipated just how much we would start acting like machines" damn, that goes hard 🚬

[@DoctorCyan]

This comment gave me cancer

[@mateobalmelli9242]

@@DoctorCyan good

[@angel_of_rust]

ikr, some artists on twitter are no better than the AI they complain about

[@youluvana]

Science says that there is no choice or free will. That living beings act automatically, just like machines would. What I find stupid is when people argue that machines cant make choices. But forget to examine humanity in comparison.

[@TheRedHorseman1208]

@@youluvana "Science says" lmfao no it doesn't. If you want to believe that then fine, just know its not actually a fact but a belief

[@planescaped]

I am glad Tom Green's influence on comedy is finally receiving some recognition. There'd be no Tim and Eric if not for Tom Green. And it's crazy how amazing Freddy Got Fingered has aged. An awful movie when it came out... that 20+ years later was a hidden masterpiece all along, a great big middle finger to Hollywood and the execs who have ruined it.

[@AddMoreQuarters]

Tom Greene was absolute garbage. He isn't funny. Nevsr was, never will be. The only ones he appeals to is the lowest common denominators of society.

[@SirBlackReeds]

Or is it? 🤔

[@charlesbird2897]

You seen Tim and Eric billion dollar movie?

[@benweaver9151]

There’d be no Tim & Eric without Mr Show with Bob and David, either

[@freeaudiojungle4407]

its incredible how your ytp skills translate into these works of art. this shit is beautiful, you are such a talented video editor

[@mathphysicsnerd]

Emp has been telling people for years now that YTP is an art form itself. Have you seen the works of @aruxash , @krazeddonut or @JeffLindblom ? Those and other video makers, even ones whose content is far more peripheral to the content of YTP demonstrate that it is an art genre, albeit one that will probably be given a new name someday

[@youtubeviolatedme7123]

Considering that the standards for editing have so quickly escalated over the last few years, it's astounding that EmpLemon can compete with the quality of editing provided by large online media companies. I guess the tradeoff is less frequent uploads from EmpLemon, but still the point stands that his editing is impressive.

[@nardinyouryard]

And WRITER!!!

[@freeaudiojungle4407]

@@nardinyouryard you know youre not wrong, he is a great writer. but sections of this video's editing give me heavy ytp vibes and it fits perfectly, its like a window into emps past or where hes come from. i wanted to give props for that specifically.

[@deprosport7254]

What is ytp?

[@nipunbhalla]

This video was so good, I think I need to see a sequel to this.

[@avh6170]

quick! Let's pump out 3 more and get a spin-off going pronto

[@MikeRehfuss]

Spin off channel too! We’ll call it “EmpLime”…yeah. Then, let’s put it behind a paywall and make people pay to see all the recycled product!

[@ts4gv]

whenever emp decides to quit i'll be looking forward to his nonsensical essay parodying everyone else on here

[@darkmoon1289]

I want three reboot scripts on my desk by Monday

[@shreddedWheatz]

Rise of Skywalker felt like a direct to DVD sequel, something Disney is actually quite familiar with.

[@luichinplaystation610]

And should have stayed there

[@mrlevinielsen]

I walked out of the theatre saying it was like the Star Wars dungeon crawler RPG and never watched it ever again…

[@jnerdsblog]

Disagree, but to each their own.

[@DepravedCoTApologist]

Every day I'm glad that I never bothered to watch that garbage. After TLJ, I haven't put any money into a Star Wars product. And I'm gonna keep that way

[@DanielSAN383]

Underrated comment

[@jacobsmith686]

"All the way back to 1999" I turned 30 not too long ago and that phrase makes me feel like I should be in a retirement home.

[@ano_nym]

Mate, you should hardly remember 1999. I'm soon 30 and if someone said "all the way back in 2005" I would totally agree with that assessment. Things that feel really spooky is that I were to write that "2030 is closer to us than 2010", just to realize that 2030 is actually closer than 2016...

[@FreshTillDeath56]

lol

Because zoomers have no sub cultures and to balance their sense of time and talk about the 90s like we talked about the 50s

[@kingbranden1369]

I remember going to the theater the day that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire released. I'd been to a packed theater before but this was different. Everyone was excited. The line stretched out of the building and down the street. There were people dressed up in Hogwarts costumes. I even remember someone who managed to match Hagrid's look perfectly. He was even acting the part while everyone was waiting in line. And of course the movie itself was everything I could have hoped for. There was magic and dragons and brooms and Voldemort. Yeah I don't think anything like that is ever happening again. People just aren't as excited about movies anymore. And I don't blame them.

[@ZemanTheMighty]

You can smell the 'corporation' on modern movies.

[@tree1214]

that type of stuff happened w marvel during infinity war and endgame

[@GataZGinkgo]

@@mrttripz3236 yeah, this story and emp's recollection of the hype around the star wars prequels kinda made me realize how inherently insincere that so much of this kind of fan movie hype feels nowadays. Fans back then exhibited this kind of behavior of their own volition, to participate in the moment. Now its hard to see people acting so vocal without the cynical feeling that everyone's doing it to post about it on social media, exchanging the ephemeral real life experience for cheap sensation online that will live forever. And of course, when corporate social media accounts themselves encourage this kind of fan behavior, it feels odd, like its no longer something that fans do for themselves, but to fulfill this need that the corporation expects out of them. It's sad considering that the whole act of dressing up and interacting with people back then was such an inherently social, communal act. To an extent, maybe it still is, but with the way that corporations have invaded these spaces, it feels so artifical and insincere.

[@minority86]

I had this feeling seeing dragon ball super botg it was so long since the last original Dragonball content and you could tell and feel that everyone there was an og Dragonball fan

[@ruffusgoodman4137]

@@tree1214 endgame to me felt like a party thrown to celebrate divorce with cinema. It was respectful and contained much anger successfully, but everybody knew it would go downhill from there and respect was a courtesy left in that movie from there on.

[@TalleyBellum]

Purposely making sure the sequel you didn't want to make but were basically held at gunpoint to do be a bad movie is a powermove in my eyes

[@fortynights1513]

Definitely a power move. Side note: I remember someone argued that part of why Hollywood film studios took more risks up through the 2000’s was because even if an experimental film flopped, it could still recoup some of the losses on rental markets. But since streaming replaced physical rentals for a lot of people, those same projects were less likely to make money through rentals because a consumer would have more options as opposed to choosing from what was on the shelf. And as such the person argued that studios don’t take risks out of fear that a project would flop and they would potentially lose more money than before. In addition, reboots are likely less time consuming to make since the characters and settings are already made, in addition to the possibility of prior viewers returning on brand recognition alone.

[@nob2243]

@@fortynights1513 Wasn't that the interview with Matt Damon? I remember him talking that back in the day, production companies and film studios would have an additional stream of revenue, after the movie would hit the DVD/VHS sales (and yeah, rental services too, when physical copies were still somthing most people used) about 6 months after the theatrical release. Maybe we're thinking of the same thing.

[@fortynights1513]

@@nob2243 It was a UK Guardian article I looked up. I’ll have to look up the Matt Damon interview you mentioned. Who interviewed him?

[@awandererfromys1680]

@@nob2243 Yea, that was Matt Damon on Hot Ones. Physical media still exists but it's more a collector's thing nowadays. Like vinyl in music. It's nice but you won't get rich off of it.

[@VulpesHilarianus]

​@@fortynights1513 If you want a fully contained example of how rentals enabled cult films and then hurt them, look at Full Moon Pictures. Masters of quintuplet sequels for horror films where the budgets somehow got higher with each new property that debuted. By 2001 they were basically dead in the water and were licensing already made films. Newline is another example. Struggled all throughout the '70s, and then rentals enabled them to more than triple in size in the '80s to the point where they had a dedicated straight to video art house wing. Then in the mid '90s they got sold off and used like a skinsuit to make licensed adaptations Warner Bros. didn't want their names directly on. They've basically been used as the filler mark by Warner ever since then to get around royalties or dump films they have no faith in.

[@mpowerness92]

Rich: How does it feel to have lived long enough to see all your favorite franchises go down in flames? Mike: …Feels great.

[@garrettmetting6938]

I love rlm so much

[@audiosurfarchive]

I fucking love that clip, so much.

[@bluemutt9964]

Every year I feel more like both Rich and Mike

[@TheArtis4n]

*laughs ensue from both sides*

[@galleryofrogues]

Feels great, man.

[@Wvlfmane]

I never really thought much about the meaning of Freddy got Fingered (I mean obviously theres not much to think about). Growing up it was that movie friends of mine would quote all the time cause it was so stupid. Now looking back realizing why he made it as a middle finger to the studio its kinda genius. Say what you will about it, its not a forgettable film. He went out of his way to make a bad movie, but the kind of bad movie that would become legendary. Like its a comedy but the movie itself and the fact that it exists (and made audiences and studio execs mad) is the joke. Tom Green was way ahead of his time and you can definitely still see influence from him in a lot ways today.

[@pgtmr2713]

Anyone seen Cabin Boy? The description of Freddy Got Fingered here reminded me of that movie. I really don't think there was any genius behind that movie, genuinely think Chris Elliot went full mildy retarded because that's what he does. I bought it in case anyone wants to see the worst movie. Might have to check out this FGF movie.

[@consonantsandvowels1]

Proud?

[@ano_nym]

"This time you can't change the channel." is a great slogan for such a movie XD

[@JamesUsill1]

Proud.

[@SirBlackReeds]

That's one theory. Another is that it's simply a bad movie.

[@misterbig97]

I absolutely love the idea of self-sabotaging your art so you can move on from it! Amazing video as always, Emp.

[@jaredponder4149]

It is like r/MaliciousCompliance and i'm here for it.

[@RabidChasebot]

I've heard of musical artists doing this when they had contracts to produce x amount of albums and they either couldn't get out of it or wanted to try something different and were literally sued by their label for delivering material that wasn't in line with what was expected. Here is a snippet from when Neil Young was sued by his label Geffen Records: (to this day it's still unclear if he deliberately trolled the label with out-of-character albums or was sincere and got shafted by his label...) This is a well-worn story, but it’s always worth another airing. In the early 80s, Young signed to David Geffen’s new label, which expected - not unreasonably - that it would take delivery of more of the classic American rock records that Young had made in the 1970s, such as Harvest and Tonight’s the Night. Instead, executives were rather alarmed when the first Young record for Geffen came in the electronic form of 1982’s Trans, an experimental synthesiser album which Young later explained was a reflection of his attempts to communicate with his young son, who was born with cerebral palsy. When Shakey then turned in Everybody’s Rockin’ - a rockabilly collection - this was just too much for the incensed label, which sued him for the unprecedented and rather hilarious crime of delivering “unrepresentative” music - ie not sounding like Neil Young. Young counter-sued, claiming that his contract allowed artistic freedom, and won an apology. He recorded two more albums for Geffen, before returning to Reprise and delivering - yep, you guessed it, classic-sounding rock. Never let it be said that the angry great man doesn’t have a fantastically dry sense of humour. Meanwhile, anyone fearing for his blood pressure should take heed of his 2010 song Angry World, in which he assures us: “Some see life as a broken promise / Some see life as an endless fight … It’s an angry world, and everything is gonna be all right.”

[@everope]

Kill your darlings

[@Paratroopersteark]

you can see it all over the place, even in games, see what happend to MGS franchise, after MGS 3 Kojima already wanted to end the franchise, 4 brought back characters from MGS1 for no reason, and 5 has the most disjointed and inconclusive story ever seen, its almost like a fever dream from a schizophrenic crackhead. Peace Walker was a continuation of 3, that was a prequel, a story that starts even before the Metal Gear from the SNES, in the end, Kojima ran out of ideas, and decided to run the name of the game into the fucking soil, didn't work and somehow once he was fired, that's when the whole thing went downhill, you can notice that after you reach the middle point in the campaign on MGS5: The Phantom Pain, the original MGS 5 was supposed to finish what happened to Peace Walker, rescuing Chico, Paz And Sorting out things in Outer Heaven and how it got destroyed in the first place, setting the motivation for FoxHound to move on to new places, thats how Big Boss originally got into Zanzibar, and the events of the first game(SNES Metal Gear) happened, triggering everything from MGS1-2-4 along with a few spinoffs. In the end, nothing fucking mattered, since Not Kojima Launched Metal Gear Survive and it was so fucking bad it killed the franchise for good, the signs could have been observed on the previous games campaigns and how Kojima Just wanted to end things, but Konami wanted money. Konami could have Kojima, being a talented writer and director, to work on any other project, about literally anything. To this day, in my mind, the only solution for corporate greed would be rampant violence and corporate espionage and terrorism, and i don't care if i get into a watchlist, i want greedy people to bleed money and guts alike

[@ynraider]

Hideaki Anno... did it first. AGAIN. Evangelion: EoE & then the recent NGE: Reibuild films... Pun intended. He's Japan's, Stanley Kubrick/Jodorowsky

[@perks8334]

I didn’t expect a history lesson in the industrial age and robotics when clicking this video, but even at 40+ minutes you know I’m watching this whole thing

[@LazloSoot]

Literally one of the best video essayists on the platform. I always come away from an EmpLemon video more educated, maybe a bit more nihilistic, but thoroughly entertained. Feels good, man.

[@EpicGhostShadow]

SAME

[@shreknskrubgaming7248]

KZbin has an insane amount of incredible creators when it comes to video essays. Emp, Jon Bois, Folding Ideas is one that I've been hooked on lately (some people may not enjoy the things he covers or some of his political stances but he has undeniable talent in terms of writing and delivery.) And that's just three that I can think of immediately, I know there's more that aren't coming to mind at the moment. Any one of those three on their own are great, but we really are spoiled by the amount of talented people that decided to say fuck it and make a KZbin channel.

[@EpicGhostShadow]

@@shreknskrubgaming7248 don't forget j Aubrey

[@merucrypoison296]

I miss his edgy KZbin rant era

[@fortynights1513]

@@merucrypoison296 He had some very good points, but as he said in his video last year upon making it to a million subscribers, he wasn’t happy making those, so he switched his focus.

[@ArmandoMan]

The growing distaste for reboots and sequels is completely justified and reasonable but I feel like people are ignoring the solutions. There ARE original movies being made even today. A24 continually produces inventive and original stories that allow the director full reign on the project. MUBI is a streaming service that literally curates movies for you that you ordinarily wouldn't have heard of. It may be asking too much of the general public, but the solution to this problem is to simply seek out the better content that you keep asking for.

[@TheVicenteSilva]

I'm surprised you didn't mention the role of the VHS and DVD in all of this. I think it was Matt Damon who explained it once, he mentions how many of the more original films he and other used to make were, most of the times, only profitable after the film went into the domestic market

[@angel_of_rust]

those are just formats of selling movies. and they mean nothing without the movies to put into them.

[@RicardoDirani]

But did that change a lot from now, when the movies go into streaming later?

[@not_my_fn_real_name2689]

@@RicardoDirani Hard to say if streaming is as profitable as movie sales, but there has been many musicians that speak out against streaming music since it is a far less profitable way to distribute media. I would guess that this is also true for streaming video, especially in the earlier days of streaming where it was just a few companies that probably didn't really share their stats with the license holders. Maybe it is easier for studios to track their return on each film today since they all have a streaming platform.

[@fortynights1513]

@@not_my_fn_real_name2689 The theory that some seem to imply is that in the old marketplace of getting a rental at a DVD store is that a consumer who wanted to rent a film would be choosing to rent that movie over only the films that the store had on its shelves, whereas in a streaming marketplace, the film could theoretically be competing with far more films, including many successful ones before it.

[@chenchen6150]

I remember Finding Nemo was one of the profitable animated movie for DVD release back in the day, we never see this kind of thing alot anymore.

[@josephjames9090]

This is one of those channels that I don't really care what the title or thumbnail is about cause I know it's going to be a good video no matter what

[@IgnorantWeed]

He could make qulity video about brushing teeth if he wanted to

[@elucidator1277]

this video suckeddddd

[@merucrypoison296]

Went from ytps to edgy KZbin speeches/rants to now documentaries on anything he wants to talk about

[@josephjames9090]

@@elucidator1277 lol

[@Ramsey276one]

Fully agree

[@paulo_m6344]

Not only in Movies this is exactly what's happening to Games as well.

[@btdforever9389]

Disciples 😭😭

[@erdalguclu]

I would argue this only holds for AAA games. The weakness of movies is that the indie / middleware scene (AA for games) seems to be completely invisible, which means that hollywood gets to dominate. On the flipside I would argue that there have never been so many good games in the history of gaming.

[@illusioNery]

Media as a whole actually...music is uninspired garbage that's directly ripping off the success of previous creatives. (Just look at all the songs that are sampling Elton John in one form or another) ...games are suffering from "We'll fix it later" and "surprise mechanics" because we've accepted it just like how we accepted reboots and sequels/prequels as a form of filmmaking now. We honestly are in an alternate timeline and the end doesn't justify the means...it'll only get worse and worse until you finally want to remove yourself from the equation altogether.

[@eduardofernandes9881]

Care to cite some examples?

[@michealdrake3421]

Yeah the AAA game industry is long overdue for an implosion. Because people have started equating a game's potential quality with its budget, largely because of studios bragging about how big of a budget their latest game has, creating a feedback loop, studios are forced to spend more and more on their games, and when you're spending that much money to develop a game, you can't afford to try new things, because new things aren't proven to work and if one game flops it'll sink the whole company. Which incidentally is why the implosion is inevitable. Gamers are losing interest in buying the same games over and over. I even talk to sports gamers who have finally started to figure this out. It's completely unsustainable and it's coming to a head.

[@_go0n502]

I always revisit your vids when I’m home sick or whatever emp. Hope the next ones a banger

[@xNickTheBrickx]

Legendary content as always. I was lucky to be a 15 year old in 99. It did feel like an inflection point. All the movies about false realities and being trapped by modern life aligned with a sentiment that was hidden under the surface everywhere.

[@heyjeySigma]

yea man.. kids born in the mid 80s were born in the good times. born to see movies at their peaks but also GAMING growing from the old NES and gameboy days to ps5 and vr today. kids born in the past 10 years were born into the ps3/ps4 and will never exprience the AWE we had seeing the insane evolution in technology

[@krusher181]

Ye then 2001 happened

[@That_One_Xatu]

Kids these days, they don't know. They missed out...

[@joshhickson7551]

The matrix is all around us. It is the system of mind control that we are trapped inside. Freedom truth and morality on a foundation of love is the way out. Watch Mark Passio's analysis of the matrix trilogy.

[@krusher181]

@@joshhickson7551 oh shut it

[@L3pToad]

EmpLemon videos are an event, bro. Every 2-3 months, you are guaranteed to have 30-60 minutes of some top-notch content

[@HannyDart]

indeed. theres only a few at the top of youtube who can make you watch for an hour glued to the screen!

[@RabidlyTaboo]

Facts. Reminds me of the old content cop days. Before icuccckz went down in flames

[@IgnorantWeed]

@@RabidlyTaboo to me idubz was very unlikable from the start. Emplemon clear

[@IgnorantWeed]

Yeah I think emp is the best right now, second best for me is turkey tom, not as great but still realy good

[@albertocecchetti2378]

@@IgnorantWeed internet historian?

[@danielhandschuh4402]

Your videos are so enthralling that I didn't even remember the title of the video being about The Matrix until it finally reached that point. Your storytelling is excellent and inspirational.

[@orangebottle9657]

I love to consume products. I am a proud consumer. If it is good, I will consume product for I am one with the product.

[@Ramonatho]

To me this movie felt like a deliberate "if you didn't get it the first time, you certainly won't this time" so I'm glad you got it at least in one way.

[@ryderdopp8145]

The hand touch at 9:45 to show only Emp is green and everyone else is normal skin tones. So great

[@user-vi4xy1jw7e]

Inanimate objects are green too. I don't get the logic of this green world.

[@ChillinLikeAVillain-k4q]

@@user-vi4xy1jw7e probably it's the aura around Emp

[@IamBrixTM]

@@ChillinLikeAVillain-k4qbut why

[@sikViduser]

Keanu Reaves was not unknown at the time of the Matrix. He was pretty well established by that time.

[@AlexWellbelove]

True - even if you weren't a fan of Bill and Ted, Point Break was great. Still doesn't take away from the overall message of the video

[@gonelucid]

Absolutely

[@illusioNery]

@@AlexWellbelove I think "Speed" is what really brought him to the limelight...it also made a star out of Sandra Bullock

[@conzmoleman]

Exactly. He was extremely well known.

[@AlexWellbelove]

@@illusioNery True, completely forgot about Speed

[@bigmetalhead1210]

As a massive Matrix Trilogy fan, I really appreciated Lana Wachowski for being the one to intentionally bury the Matrix "franchise". With all the hints scattered throughout the film, it's really clear what the director's intentions were. It was just painful to see how most people did not recognize the intent and just looked for stupid ways to throw meaningless criticisms at Lana. With that being said, your vid really shows that Resurrections is actually great in how well it serves its purpose. It absolutely bombed, convinced Warner Bros that the Matrix should never have been "resurrected", and became completely forgotten, further cementing the Matrix as a Trilogy. The "f the system" spirit still lived on in the movie in a weird but intentional way, and it's great to see that the Wachowskis still got it. Or maybe we Matrix fans really are hyper-copium-blue-pilled to death or something i dunno lmfao. Anyway, amazing vid.

[@MadWatcher]

Maybe the movie is just shit? Just because the movie is self aware at being bad doesn't make the movie good. Freddy Got Finger was also a F you to the movie industry, doesn't mean it's a good movie, hell even Tom Green would agree it's not good. It's not people "not getting it" it's people looking at this film as a film, and as a film it's not good

[@Gwafey]

EmpLemon is the type of person who actually remembered everything he was taught in school.

[@big_sea]

yes

[@adem1781]

*Is the type of person who listened in school and realised most of what they tell you is either bullshit or things you are supposed to copy paste and instead used their time outside of school to expand their mind.

[@dallas4855]

Simultaneously an English teacher's favorite and least favorite student.

[@robbyducey]

@@adem1781 ,makes you smart either way.

[@PHRCpvh]

Well, he said once that he used to take studies seriously, so much that his school gave him a parking spot in the honor students area...only to be taken away in his senior year for no valid reason 😂 That really happened, search for his rant video from 2016 about his school.

[@unfunnyjuice]

Lets just hope that this channel never loses its passion

[@Sound557]

We will always prefer quality over quantity. Great video, Emp. Worth the wait 👍

[@restingraven2649]

Agreed.

[@RedGenesectNinja]

Indeed

[@fortynights1513]

Emp has done a lot of great, deep uploads. Especially the past five years or so. This is another great entry to that pantheon.

[@pravkdey]

Succeed

[@timberwolfmountaineer873]

We wouldn't be here if we actually did prefer quantity over quality. What i mean by that is i personally never watched anything past Terminator2, Aliens or first and only Ghostbusters. I know that everything that comes afterwards is shit and i simply don't watch it. How do i know? By waiting a day for moviegoers reaction. To me a franchise isn't "dead" or "killed" if i only watch the good part. Im not a cow that is forced to graze until my belly is full and i can be milked for my money again and again. I truly hope i'm not alone like this.

[@hydriumstudio]

man, what a journey. you lived up to the lilly wachowski quote, and did not allow us to know what we were going to sit down and watch. this video was refreshing, engaging, funny, and non-pandering, perfectly complementing the theme you emphasize. also freddy got fingered is a masterclass in not selling your soul. tom green is a mad lad.

[@eliotguerin192]

Amazing video as usual. I would correct your comment around 11:00-Keanu Reeves wasn’t mostly unknown at the time. His performances in the two Bill & Ted movies as well as Coppola’s Dracula film made him an A-lister already, although it was certainly the Matrix that turned him into the icon he is now

[@youtubeviolatedme7123]

I'd like to mention _Speed_ (1994) as well.

[@jonatan192]

@@youtubeviolatedme7123 And Point Break and the Devil's Advocate.

[@stupid90able]

This was the comment i was looking for

[@R-Lee-]

@@youtubeviolatedme7123 speed made him a super A Lister. Even The Simpsons talked about that movie

[@duffman18]

Yeah maybe Emp is a bit too young to remember, cos he says he's a zoomer. Cos yeah Keanu was already globally famous by the time he made the Matrix

[@GabAssbreaker]

No matter what Emp is talking about, he always find a way to make a Prog Rock reference, musically or thematically. EMPmerson, Lake and Palmer rules.

[@thelocrian9043]

Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends We're so glad you could attend, come inside, come inside...

[@iWork3d]

It’s because he builds on eclectic theory to manuever narratives; whole tone interpretation of media.

[@eramo607productions6]

Oh my god it all makes sense now…

[@casedistorted]

My dad just passed last august of 2022, but when he was in high school and the FIRST Star Wars came out (before it was called A New Hope, just Star Wars), he told me he went to see it in theaters about 50+ times. Literally 50 times at least. Then I remember him showing the original trilogy to me as a kid, long before the prequel trilogy had come out when I was about 12 The Phantom Menace was such a big deal my best friend and I went to see it together alone, I still remember around age 12 seeing it in theaters and it was so packed it was the only time I had to sit in the very front row at a large screen movie theater. We could barely see anything but I still remember how insane the pod race was while being that close lol. I still remember watching every Star Wars film as a kid on VHS, before the special edition changes. I couldn’t tell each film apart but I knew they were all part of the same epic sci fi story that changed my dad and my own life. The Matrix came out when I was 12 or 13.. it changed my life and was around during high school. I took my other best friend to see the matrix on my second viewing and his first, i still remember his jaw dropping during the pill scene when Neo first wakes up. My god nothing was more satisfying than watching someone that stoic have their mind physically blown. The Matrix is the one film I remember going to the theater to watch that was nothing like I was expecting, and was completely different but everything I wanted in a film. It is still one of my favorite films of all time. It is always a joy to watch. Sadly like in EmpLemon’s video, that East Gate Cinema no longer exists where my dad and friends and I grew up watching ALL these films. It still stands there abandoned as a monument to all of our sins.

[@blockstacker5614]

We need to save our small local theaters, the best ones have been open since the 20s or 30s.

[@frysco5927]

Lel nice halo 2 reference

[@nubbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbin]

@@frysco5927 first thing i thought of too lol

[@antonydrossos5719]

My condolences, fam. My mom actually passed in September of ‘22, so I definitely empathize with you. I was in Kindergarten when the first Star Wars came out, and it absolutely changed pop culture in a way that’s hard to describe

[@palereaper]

Lemon, I like how your channel has become a place for these longer, video-essay style videos.

[@AvenirRacing]

This video really hit me close to home. I've been a fan of yours for years, but this one video targeted something I've found myself worried and stressed about for quite a while now, and it all hit when you started talking about the year 1999 and it being our peak. I'm old enough to remember a world that was optimistic, original and not ruled by an ever-increasing form of surveillance capitalism, backed by big government and social media giants. I've been unable to shake the feeling that our society is rapidly moving into a state of affairs that I am incompatible with, and I feel powerless to stop it... and I know that I can't. Call it nihilism, call it defeatist, but I can't see us coming back from the mistakes we've made. Human beings, by and large, love convenience, even at the cost of our own autonomy, privacy and dignity. I don't want to live in the kind world we're fast becoming. I didn't mean for this to get so bleak, your videos just always leave an impression on me (your Never Ever on Homer's Enemy being one I show all my friends), and I've found myself ruminating for the last few years on this very topic. The downfall of cinema isn't a problem unique to Hollywood; rather it is a symptom of an overall sick, tired and overworked society being exploited by large corporations and government because escape is more and more sought out when one needs relief from reality - a reality that has been slowly twisted and manipulated to drive profit. We really are living in a manufactured 'simulation'. It's just hard to keep going when you're aware of it.

[@EmoDKTsuchiya]

Jesus is coming

[@funx24X7]

You are not alone. I feel like a lot of the magic has disappeared and there are no more secrets left in the world thanks to the internet. Like you mentioned, the early days of the internet were pretty great but now we have nothing but social media platforms that employ every trick possible to keep you plugged in.

[@miguelzurita3216]

A lot of it is because we live in a post modern world, culture is changing. The internet has redefined what it means to be a community, instead of it being the people around you its the people you chose interact with, that changes everything which is why the political divide is more rabid(it's either that or because is with the internet its more easy to share this information.

[@awsomesauce97]

@@miguelzurita3216 Hasn't community always been this way though? Even in small rural areas like my hometown there were other people around you sure, but you only chose to engage with so many of them, others you avoided or even ostracized if enough people don't like them for whatever arbitrary reason you wanted that let you still have a social life.

[@rapidoso2120]

If you really feel that way, why not do something about this? Like you said yourself, talk like that just ends up with you losing by default. Start a discord group or something similar and organize some action or a protest around it. Produce media / pamphlets that you can spread around online. Anything is better than nothing. I don’t say this to undermine your your suffering or pain. I just don’t like seeing cynicism (even as someone who thinks we’re headed for a pretty bleak future), the moment we give into despair and take the future as set and stone we’ve already lost. (Set in stone, I was typing this on a cell phone, so please excuse the grammar)

[@Lucroq]

Thanks for vindicating me. While watching the newest Matrix film I couldn't help but think that it was A) made deliberately bad so there would be no chance of any sequels (how did the studio not notice lol) but B) provide so many references and callbacks so that die-hard fans would at least get something out of it while C) being *painfully* self-aware the whole time, from acting to directing to cinematography and ofc the script itself. I knew this had to be on purpose and I commend Lana for powering through this to guide us with a wink and a nod to The Matrix' well deserved last rest. This is honestly the most humane way to desecrate a franchise that I've seen in a while

[@laurenmartinez55]

I feel like no one can appreciate what the movie was trying to do unless you're trans, it's really quite sad. A lot of the movie was dedicated to reclaiming the matrix from the people who turned the red pill into a dog whistle against progressivism. It also says a lot about trans people being forced back into their assigned gender by society that wants them controlled and breaking free from that to be who they really are. It was sincerely spectacular and emotional, to say it was bad is just patently wrong unless youre not paying attention to the movie. They were going to make a sequel without Lily and Lana and I'm glad they decided to say something with it and took back their own art. If you wanna talk about unnecessary sequels, talk about gremlins 2 but don't talk about matrix 4 like it isn't absolutely a work of art despite the studio

[@redvodka1933]

​@@laurenmartinez55 cringe

[@TheGreyShaman]

I’m not even an SJW and it was pertinent to my experience at the time so the movie was a hit for me. There were things I wanted to get mad at but I had to let go of my ego and get the message instead of judge the experience, I was to just experience.

[@Kramerica962]

@@laurenmartinez55 Yeah those poor trans people, they really are being held down by the constant shilling by media companies 24/7.

[@Damian_1989]

"no one can appreciate what the movie was trying to do unless you're trans, it's really quite sad. A lot of the movie was dedicated to reclaiming the matrix from the people who turned the red pill into a dog whistle against progressivism" If this is the case, then that's why most people dislike it. Almost nobody likes movies being smug and preachy.

[@kontrabanned]

The exact theater in which your hope for Star Wars died was coincidentally my favorite one to visit

[@pickachuman2802]

youtube doesn't need to recommend me your videos, I'll remember you, search your name and sit down for another hour. I can only hope you continue posting, and more importantly keep finding interest in new things to research and documentate. happy monday.

[@braisdiaz-yx5ut]

IIRC Animatrix wasn't intended as a sendoff, but as filling some narrative voids between Matrix and Matrix Reloaded, like the gathering of the information discussed in the opening scene of reloaded, and the rescue of the Neo superfan who dosent shut up about carrying his bags when they get to Zion. It was released along the game Enter the Matrix, which itself introduced Niobe and carried on the Animatrix story about the information on the coming machine assault on Zion.

[@b1nary_f1nary]

You are a genius emp. Honestly the new matrix movie was so depressing for me as I've held the original so highly since my childhood. But this theory that Wachowski bombed the movie on purpose is giving me so much solace. I can't believe I never noticed how telling some of those new agent smiths lines were. I am accepting this as the new reality :) Thanks for another top quality documentary. Inspiring.

[@awandererfromys1680]

I thought it was pretty on the nose about it all really LOL especially in the first half, like when the game company employees started brainstorming. Or wannabe-Morpheus fanboying over Neo. "Oh, it's _that_ kind of movie." It lost steam in the last act though.

[@AltimeterAlligator]

Recent films use that kind of dialogue to say, "Haha, we're so smug. That means we're hip and cool! (Now give us money)" WB editors probably thought Wachowski's script was a genuine attempt at zoomer humor.

[@croisaor2308]

It's actually my second favourite movie in the franchise with how perfectly meta it is. A fourth Matrix shouldn't have been made, but the way it was executed was a perfect fuck you to the studios who won't let franchises die when they should.

[@LvkeLavish]

I cannot believe an Emerson Lake and Palmer album made into an Emplemon video. Not only that but uses their music as backing for the section. Absolutely beautifully crafted.

[@Pundit07]

He’s used their music in the background in some other videos too, along with some King Crimson here and there. Emp sure has great taste!

[@SplendidCoffee0]

ELP fans rise up

[@wibbles7263]

I can't remember which one, but he also mentioned Jethro Tull at one point

[@shafterx8133]

He used Close to the Edge on his YTP days

[@mrspandel5737]

Emp has been vocal about his passion for Prog rock for a loooong time. And I don't blame him

[@ElEscolta]

Only ever watched it when it was available on stream after hearing bad things, but honestly ended up loving it just for that. its the most beautiful "fuck you" ever put on film, the fact they even let Lana use the ACTUAL name of Warner Brothers feel crazy, like, she convinced an entire board of suits probably saying things like "this is gonna be so meta guys, people gonna love it" and the suits having their heads so far up their asses just believe it, oh, to be the fly in that meeting...

[@SouveraineMiaa]

Lana said she did (the last) matrix only for the money and she had no intent on doing it but since she had no choice to either make it or they'd let someone else make it.. So yes, this WAS a middle finger to Warner Bros

[@luichinplaystation610]

Surgery money

[@All4Tanuki]

he*

[@cookieface80]

The problem is: the movies the Wachowski's try to make good also suck.

[@Ludamus]

All that money and they still will never be women

[@SouveraineMiaa]

@@cookieface80 so you're saying matrix 1 and 2 suck ? While I agree the 3 is meh, the 1, 2 and animatrix are pure cult classic and you objectively are wrong to think otherwise because every body on this planet is agreeing on this point

[@Johode97]

The funny thing for me is the original Star Wars was always about the money and toys. The reason Hans Solo survived the original trilogy and was not killed was that his toys would sell better if he was still alive.

[@amberbaum4079]

I'm really glad that you mentioned the Animatrix. This little short story collection has so much creativity and diversity going on. With diversity I don't mean the political or social term. I mean art-style, direction, music, colors and themes. Any Matrix fan should watch them. Any animation fan should watch them. Pretty much any burned out film-fan who can't stand the modern gruel should watch it. Edit: I forgot to mention that the best part about them is that you can watch them bite-sized. They are short-stories that aren't connected except for a 3 parts that tells the tale of how the Matrix came to be with uprising of the enslaved machines. Personally at this point in my life I am turned off by TV series or mass universe film sequels/prequels/blah, because they ask for so much time and I don't want to invest my time in them only for the series or film universe to fizzle out. It's emotionally draining to invest yourself into these worlds when it turns to shit or they crank out the filler. The Animatrix short-stories are beautifully crafted animated "blurbs". It's both engaging and easy to watch. They don't waste your time and they end up satisfying you without eating up hours and days of your time. It's a "tight" experience.

[@angel_of_rust]

i miss when the 9-letter D word wasn't used for contrived social validation.

[@mikeyreza]

@@angel_of_rust You just love writing shitty comments don't you

[@angel_of_rust]

@@mikeyreza whatever 8-letter word that hates Republicans

[@1thevm1]

Right? Isn't it sad to see so many words get polluted that the ability to spell itself becomes so convoluted?

[@red_ford23]

Animatrix makes it

[@thunderheadcinema6743]

I really appreciate this video. I'm glad you managed to re-contextualise Resurrections as one last act of rebellion from the story about fighting against the system for me.

[@alboxvcysgp]

The matrix but the song “Dupe- Shum Zero “ keeps on playing at everyone’s radio 🤪🤪🤪

[@EnergyBurst2]

I didn't even realize they made another Matrix movie; this is quite literally the first I'm hearing of it, which I think is very fitting and funny.

[@SirBlackReeds]

You didn't miss much.

[@liammcnicholas918]

Good because it was bad

[@Belowone]

it was decent. people dont like the romance aspect of the matrix. even tho its the reason why neo got his powers cus of "love"

[@grfrjiglstan]

Beautiful ending - I was smiling, and I didn't expect to be. If the Wachowskis are willing to leave their own creation behind, we should all be able to.

[@youtubeviolatedme7123]

WB basically said that they were going to kill the franchise with or without the Wachowskis. The Matrix IV is basically us witnessing Lana Wachowski take the injured horse behind the barn and putting a bullet in its skull.

[@derrickmcadoo3804]

@@youtubeviolatedme7123 Yeah, but WB are necromancers, just like disney.

[@Heidegaff]

Matrix Resurrections is the movie equivalent of capitalism killing the punk ideology by turning punk into a trendy, marketable fashion.

[@jonasastrom7422]

That's just how trends work, it has nothing to do with economics

[@Darunia_s]

​@@jonasastrom7422it has everything to do with economics and consumerism

[@jonasastrom7422]

@@Darunia_s Are trends permanent in socialist economies? What is in your opinion the driving factor for trends dying or becoming less nieche?

[@It-Will-All-Be-Okay-I-Promise]

@@jonasastrom7422 That’s the thing though, Punk was not attempting to be a trend. In fact, it’s whole purpose was to be in direct opposition to the system that births and kills trends on a regular basis. It was as anti trendy as you could be within reason, making it all the more tragic when it was taken to the slaughterhouse and processed down into something meaningless, passive and profitable. A direct inverse to its own ideological ideals.

[@jonasastrom7422]

@@It-Will-All-Be-Okay-I-Promise It was a trend, in every sense of the word

[@lookarabbit2888]

That star wars story, was wayyy to relatable. The horses on star destroyers, sent me over too. Much whisky was consumed, but not enough. I can still remember...

[@fortynights1513]

The sequel trilogy has its moments but is nothing exceptional, and I can see why it wouldn’t appeal to people who enjoyed the six films before them. I didn’t react the same way he did, but if I grew up with Star Wars, I wouldn’t be surprised if I did.

[@Krunschy]

Ikr. I haven't watched a single star wars movie in my life and seeing this scene still made me cringe.

[@starcrystyl9599]

Ironically though, The Last Jedi is a case where the studio gave pretty much full control to an auteur director to do whatever he wanted and the fans hated it so much they demanded more studio interference.

[@DepravedCoTApologist]

Tbf, with how he completely fucked up any cohesion in the trilogy, that also feels like sabotage

[@starcrystyl9599]

@@DepravedCoTApologist I’m not so sure about that claim. Carrie Fisher’s death certainly threw a wrench in things, and Trevorrow was fired and his script for the finale scrapped entirely. TLJ moved every single character forward and set the stage for a thrilling uphill battle to victory. If anything feels like sabotage to me it’s JJ Abrams walking back most of the development from that movie. It’s like if in Return of the Jedi we learned Luke actually isn’t Vader’s son and that Han and Leia just aren’t feeling it anymore lol.

[@dash_r_media]

In 1975, Star Wars was the brainchild of an auteur. It had yet to pass through the hands of other creators or be perceived by audiences. At that time, it was appropriate for the creator - George Lucas, in this case - to make the choices he felt best suited his idea. In 2015, Star Wars was vastly different. It was a product with an established lore, a specific tone, a specific aesthetic, etc. In such a case, the director of such a product cannot serve as an auteur - he is a caretaker. He must work within the established boundaries of the works that came before. I don't blame Rian Johnson for what took place in the Disney trilogy. He was given too much freedom and he made the choices he saw fit. I blame Disney - Kathleen Kennedy, primarily - for not planning this trilogy. It was a trainwreck born out of a refusal to take the SW franchise seriously.

[@zidanelionheart]

Woah

[@acepirosu5871]

The entire point of allowing auteurs to exercise their creative visions is that failure is possible, but so is unimaginable success. Some movies like TLJ will be disasters as a direct result of the writers' decisions. Other movies will have amazing writing potential only to fail due to poor execution. Some movies will be mediocre, others will be favourites of a niche audience but ultimately forgotten by the majority of viewers. And finally some movies will become timeless classics that go on to inspire the next generation's great writers and filmmakers. The point is to avoid endless mediocrity even if it means taking risks. Great successes are great because they overcame that chance of failure.

[@shagarumedic]

In regards to marvel movies, a big issue I’ve had with them since the start is the “one villain, one movie” archetype. Most of their antagonists only appear in one movie and die at the end, nor do they ever defeat the protagonist. That’s so many characters that could’ve been fleshed out, brought back, or given something else to do just killed off immediately with their potential cut short.

[@therealpentap5266]

Thanos, magneto, dr doom, green goblin… I mean it’s just not true my man!

[@choobs8511]

The MCU hasnt even dabbled much in a "Empire Strikes Back" moment where the Villains win, out of what 30 Films and TV Shows so far, only thanos won briefly for one film. Only the heroes get to be recurring characters and the rare case of a redemption arc like Loki, surprise surprise is one of the most popular characters in the franchise, anyone i still talk to with interest in the MCU isn't bothered by new movies, but they are interested in shows with more complex characters like Loki. Even then I'm waiting for them to ruin Deadpool somehow and to masterfully ruin Daredevil when Born Again releases with changes to the cast.

[@HawasGames]

@@therealpentap5266 Exceptions prove the rule - especially since only one of those examples is actually MCU, the rest are either Fox or Sony properties. I mean, okay, Green Goblin did make a cameo in the MCU but in either appearance it was "one and done" kinda deal. And as much as I liked No Way Home, villains there weren't fleshed out - they were just brought back because of nostalgia and that's about it.

[@ano_nym]

It's sad that we can't get more superhero movies like Watchmen.

[@EnzoDraws]

After hearing about "the machines" in this video, I need an ENTIRE EmpLemon video about Artificial Intelligence.

[@briancuevas1091]

I highly recommend the movie "Everything everywhere at Once", its the exact kind of movie that you would love that you can't get from Hollywood.

[@fortynights1513]

What kind of film, and why don’t you think it would occur to them?

[@Tw0DrunkGuys]

EEAAO made me have hope for cinema again. I strongly second the recommendation for people to go watch it!

[@mrFredmaestro]

that film was not very good

[@JingleJoe]

when the writers strike failed was when it all changed, also when dvd and video sales died. Left us with a combination of: no actual artists in hollywood and no small-time movie making enough money anymore.

[@clouds-rb9xt]

writer's strike?

[@ThatGuy-ky2yf]

@@clouds-rb9xt It occured in 2009 in the American Film industry afaik. It notoriously impacted the writing quality of Transformers Revenge of the Fallen to the point it's script was rushed to be written in around 2 Weeks.

[@applesauce9982]

amazing video once again. I couldn't help but be reminded of the sobering ending of the Jon Bois MMA documentary. "What was once a weird refuge for those who needed it, is now eroding into just another thing that's as formless and indistinct as everything else. Fighting has rid itself of so much of its magic it doesn't transcend our world anymore, it is our world. Nothing you like will remain untouched and it will get monetized further and further into meaninglessness."

[@Т1000-м1и]

It is our world because it is not the new thing anymore

[@FunkyFlunky2332]

Fighting in the Age of Loneliness is probably the greatest KZbin documentary ever

[@fortynights1513]

@@FunkyFlunky2332 Haven’t gotten around to watching that one by Jon Bois yet. Emp has cited Jon as an influence.

[@trygveplaustrum4634]

*To be fair, Infinity War killed main characters and ended with a victorious villain.* *And then Endgame reversed all that...* *My Marvel head-canon ends in a victorious Thanos.*

[@davinpaz1871]

I did not even know that this movie was made I think that's pretty poetic

[@Notarealchannelok]

It's still a bad forgettable movie. So not really worth watching.

[@merucrypoison296]

They did not pass the trans test lmao

[@sunburner_ray]

@@merucrypoison296 what’s the trans test?

[@merucrypoison296]

@@sunburner_ray it means if you pass looking hot or sexy as a trans female, the brothers did not

[@kiara-kh7nh]

@@merucrypoison296 Ah yes, two people who've spent their lives making art from behind the camera, reduced to their attractiveness. A double combo of misogyny and transphobia.

[@ChaosPootato]

I came expecting a movie retrospective, I got existential dread instead... I'd say it was worth it

[@JK-gm6kk]

All hail the Emp!!! 40+ minutes of content have graced our senses this day!!

[@tahfy1615]

Yessir

[@merucrypoison296]

Heil

[@JaquesBobe]

Matrix Resurrections is the one and only movie that I fell asleep to IN THE MOVIE THEATRE.

[@FreeRadicalX]

Great coverage of the 90s -> 2000s Hollywood arc, and god damn what a great epitaph you've wrapped it all up into at the end.

[@tongatapu7325]

Many of the things you talked about in this video were also talked about during the 80's by movie scholars. Movies as corporate joy-rides came to be during the 80's and all thats changed is the franchise system.

[@fortynights1513]

What was an early example of a “corporate joy ride”?

[@fortynights1513]

What was an early example of a “corporate joy ride”?

[@fortynights1513]

What was an early example of a “corporate joy ride”?

[@fortynights1513]

What was an early example of a “corporate joy ride”?

[@tongatapu7325]

@@fortynights1513 The Star Wars & Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, etc.

[@FrankLeeYoung]

One can argue that Keanu Reeves was already decently known before the The Matrix. But the movie definitely cemented him as a household name.

[@tomfurstyfield]

Yeh he was in Speed which was massive at the time

[@mafiousbj]

Point Break and Dracula were big box office hits too...I mean Emp tried to make a point of fresh original vs bloated franchise and went a bit too far on downplaying the Wachowskis and Keanu either out of ignorance or to appeal to a very casual and younger crowd who weren't there when the movies released.

[@UniqueHandles]

@@mafiousbj He started his career making YTPs, most of his audience is probably semi-young and wouldn’t know Keanu Reeves from any movies older than the Matrix. This isn’t excusing his lack of research, though.

[@rumblebird9888]

I still like this vid but sometimes he can over do it with the dramatization

[@ResidentRaccoon]

he was a household name since Bill and Ted, Speed, Point Break, Dracula.. he was a huge star

[@mifaro2255]

Just watched the 4th Matrix movie. Your theory seems to hold up. I can't understand how anyone approved of this movie with so many obvious signs. While every Matrix film had deep philosophical themes, the fourth one didn't seem to have anything new except saying that everything starts again and that it's forced, without choice. The choreography felt like it was made with the least effort possible, with the camera shaking all over the place. Neo uses the force everywhere without any semblance of style like in the trilogy, like it's his only power. He even does it a lot better than in the other films, but somehow doesn't have a mastery of the Matrix's code that would make him fly or dodge stuff. And the ending where Trinity flies felt like a mockery of Leia's flying scene in The last jedi. The ending quote also made me feel as confused as the "Rey Skywalker" scene in The rise of Skywalker. It's like the heroes never learned everything and are redoing the same things, just like it's told in the beginning of the film. It's weird how this film makes a lot more references to the first film than the other two. Just like the Star Wars sequels tried to milk the OG trilogy while disregarding the prequels until episode 9 because they were too criticized. Edit : I just realised that the shockwave that happens when neo and trinity touch hands could be a parody of the " dyad in the force" from episode 9

[@at0micl0bster]

You can bet that the next matrix thing won't even bother asking Lana or Lilly back :^)

[@Canalbiruta]

@@at0micl0bster if it exist at all.

[@drsjamesserra]

Maybe it was all parody and satire.

[@retroruben2672]

I'm beginning to notice that most of Emp's song choices seems to be the same ones that I'd hear in another video of his, and yet he manages to place them in parts of his videos that are not only unique but present a different feeling than the one used in a video before. It's really resourceful and effective use of music to convey a feeling in his videos.

[@fortynights1513]

Part of the reason why he probably reuses the tracks he does, (apart from the moods they illustrate), is that he knows that those tracks will help him comply with KZbin’s copyright bot.

[@steamingpileofspaghetti9755]

i noticed the same thing. it reminds me of vsauce

[@illusioNery]

It's like poetry, kinda...so that they rhyme. Every stanza rhymes with the last one.

[@lordfriedrick7911]

It's really strange how the underlining theme of Freddy Got Fingered is more relevant in the entertainment industry today than when it came out... It's honestly a paragon that i would have never thought...

[@luigi55125]

In the world of remakes and reboots, I'm honestly surprised it's left a few untouched. Like the Goonies and BTTF for example.

[@xenomorphilo1415]

Emplemon, you're something else! H.R Giger is my favourite artists! You mentioning and acknowledging him here made me extremely happy! You, my friend, are something else! No one gives better breadth-first-search as well as depth-first-search insight into media and art as good as you do! Please never stop making videos! And take all the sweet time you need, dear friend!

[@lutkuttaja2298]

EmpLemons videos are one of the rare videos which I will watch without doing anything else at the same time, because I want to be immersed in it

[@taylorcourville9193]

It's a shame you didn't mention Villeneuve who is single handedly keeping ambitious auteur sci-fi afloat. He is a true genius

[@moonasha]

his movies are great, but I don't think he's reached anywhere near his true potential. Blade Runner was meh, Dune was great, but still just Dune. I want to see more movies like Sicario. Enemy was a good movie too. So to me it's sad to see him stuck making reboots and book adaptations, when he's capable of things like Enemy and Sicario.

[@theblobconsumes4859]

​@@moonasha When he's capable of making Enemy, Sicario, Prisoners and Incendies, definitely he's got way more potential. Also, what's wrong with Dune being "still just Dune"? Also also, Blade Runner 2049 was pretty good and nuanced. I do prefer the original in a lot of ways (More noir, stronger atmosphere, better soundtrack) but 2049 tells a better story.

[@Puppy_Puppington]

He is great.

[@moonasha]

@@theblobconsumes4859 dune is a pretty boring story in my opinion. At least the first book. Dont get me wrong, the movie is great, it's just not something that's going to make you think.

[@GeneralGrievous-1138]

Arrival was spectacular too

[@flyboy5500]

Having not thought about it in years, that Leia scene really still hits different

[@ano_nym]

Still just as ridiculous XD Someone thought this was a good idea...

[@The_Ballo]

They should have dug up her corpse and dragged it across the studio for better effect

[@petertenuto9604]

Jeez it's well established in SW lore that Jedi and Force sensitive people can survive space for a short time. Ffs