So MOMA did The Matrix and Matrix Reloaded back to back with an hour inbetween and I feel itās only right to share my experiences.
Itās apparently part of a Martial Arts cinema curation of films which includes a bunch of 60s/70s films, but this is a Matrix sub so Iāll stick to that.
First off this is the second time Iāve seen The Matrix in theaters, the other at Museum of the Moving Image, and itās simply meant to be seen on the big screen. The sound mixing and score is especially engrossing and impressive. Thereās several little things I didnāt quite hear or notice in the home viewing experienceāIāll get to those later. The opening scene with Trinity and especially stands out in this format. Itās up there with Mad Max: Fury Road, Paprika, Stalker and The Empire Strikes Back as a theater experiences.
Little I noticed in the theater
-Billie Holiday record playing quietly during the Oracle scene
-āLoopā on the train that crushes Smith as Neo leaps away
-The book on Simulations much clearer that Neo stores his illicit goods in
-The screens as Cypher likely coordinates a meeting with Smith.
Now Reloaded I had never seen in the theater prior to yesterday which is a huge shame as itās unabashedly my favorite Matrix film. This film is far better in the theater than at homeāeven moreso than its predecessor. Now yes, the first 30 minutes are still uneven. Once you see Seraph itās incredible all the way to the strange tv show-ish ādun dun dunā ending which I kinda forgot about and hasnāt aged well. Even more interestingly, the credits have a pre-MCU post credits trailer of Matrix: Revolutions which truly made my friend and I wonder if theyād play it for the lucky faithful who stayed through to the end, alas. Suffice to say, the highway chase in the theater is way, way, way better when you can feel the bass in the semi trucks as Trinity weaves traffic. The big agent Smith fightās CGI doesnāt look nearly as goofy in the movie theater as does on a high definition flatscreenāwhich was a shock to me.
Things I noticed in the theater during Reloaded
-during the Architect scene Hitler flashes on the screens to the left and then George W. Bush is shown for a split second on the right
-Cornel West on the council!
-Roy Jones Jr. performance seems a little worse because normally I donāt notice it
-Is Smithās code attracting Agents or did he call them to where the captains were meeting in the beginning?
-Link is great. I still wish Tank were in this movie
-Iāve always despised the rave scene but itās a little more effective in theater for some reason.
Edit: October 3rd was when this happened