This DVD item from 20th Century Fox was reviewed on 11-Dec-2008.
Waking Life Reference DVD. Classifications : Feature Films Animation Genres DVD Video General Animation Genres DVD Video General Comedy Genres DVD Video General AAS Family Life Drama Genres DVD Video 4-for-3 Comedy 4-for-3 DVD Custom Stores Spec . Click the following link to view the cover of Waking Life. Related topics: 2001. Feature Films. Animation. Genres. DVD. Video. General. Animation. Genres. DVD. Video. requestid: 8c5fa817-42a9-412f-81fc-9d053c32d228
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1) DVD DVD Waking Life by 20th Century Fox. "Waking Life" is probably not like any other film you´ve seen before: the majority of it consists of philosophical monologues that express different perspectives on the loosely connected ideas which the main character is trying to explore. On the whole, these monologues range from the fascinating to the obnoxiously trite, and even though this film expresses some wonderful concepts, it also manages to present the cliche ideas in a completely serious fashion.
Having said that though, "Waking Life" is still a unique cinematic experience worth watching. Even though the plot line has very little continuity, it´s the ideas that really matter. In some ways, the main character is almost irrelevant; it´s not so much about him discovering these concepts as it is about us discovering them. Unfortunately though, at times the philosophical monologues are thrown at us in such a haphazard manner that we have very little time to absorb, much less intellectualize them. Although many scenes are truly valuable, others are just jarring or distracting (for instance, in one scene a stranger walks past the main character and simply says, "Kierkegaard´s last words were, ´Sweep me up´!").
On the other hand though, I feel like in a way we are meant to be confused, just as the main character is. The animation technique is certainly a good choice for this effect, and is very well-done. Another very positive aspect of this film is the soundtrack, which is superb. Overall, I think this is a pretty decent film, even if its moments of brilliance are broken up by waves of generic pop philosophy.¤ 2) DVD DVD Waking Life by 20th Century Fox. This is an excellent movie if you want to think. This movie had me thinking about life in completely different ways. Not only is the dialogue compelling, but the visuals are trippy - emphasizing even more what the movie is about.¤ 3) DVD DVD Waking Life by 20th Century Fox. Waking Life is a superb loopy deep-dive into a rotoscoped Linklater universe - talking heads made witty & visually interesting, sometimes beautiful, sometimes lurid, sometimes - oh, everything else you might imagine animation can do in the hands of the man who did "Slackers" -- existential, smart, provocative, fun, disturbing & sometimes blindingly articulate: seductive and right the whole way through. Tugs at you multi-dimensionally: teaches you to bring the dream up & go down to the dream: sort of Freud for the new age. Bravo to all of the many who groomed & goosed this into its miraculous being. There´s no waking up from it.
Guy Kettelhack
New York City
¤ 4) DVD DVD Waking Life by 20th Century Fox. this movie covers a lot of ground, things that people need realize or hear at the very least. just a lot of people talking about some very important issues. well presented, well written, properly executed and effectively implemented. should be in every movie aficionado´s collection!¤ 5) DVD DVD Waking Life by 20th Century Fox. I love the thought provoking dialogue I was expecting that I wasn´t completely pleased with the presentation. The way this film is "animated", to me, distracts fom the message a bit...¤ 6) DVD DVD Waking Life by 20th Century Fox. From the director of Slacker and Dazed and Confused comes one of the most imaginative animated features ever made. This funny, ingenious film, which Rolling Stone Magazine calls "nothing short of amazing," explores the fascinating question: "Are we sleep-walking through our waking state or wake- walking through our dreams"? Join Wiley Wiggins as he searches for answers to lifes most important questions in a world that may or may not be reality in the "most visually alive movie of the year." (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times)¤ 7) DVD DVD Waking Life by 20th Century Fox. Waking Life is a film that never settles down. Or maybe it never wakes up. Regardless, Richard Linklater´s animated meditation seems to strike a perfect balance between the plotless meanderings of Slacker and the unquenchable knowledge-seeking of Hermann Hesse´s Siddhartha. Any way you look at it, this is a weird, original movie. As he attempts to figure out what separates dreams from reality, the protagonist (Dazed and Confused´s Wiley Wiggins) hears an earful from everyone he stumbles upon. Ramblings range from the scholarly (Linklater´s former college professor Robert C. Solomon gives a monologue) to the banal (of which there are plenty). Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Steven Soderbergh, and Adam Goldberg all get animated cameos, basically playing themselves. The dream-centered dialogues eventually grow mind-numbing, but that´s OK; the animation steals the show. Each frame of the movie, which was first shot with live actors, was painted over, and the process renders a distorted and trippy collage of sights and sounds. Linklater´s film is ultimately quite poignant, but, as with any good journey, you´ll need to sit through some fairly tedious moments before reaching the destination. --Jason Verlinde¤ Page Updated: Robert N. Goolsby, 8-Jan-2009, 024543040651, 24B-JQB-JGB-1KB-1OB-4CB-Q8B-LWB-8 
Waking Life, DVD, Image © 20th Century Fox
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