Amazing. The Matrix is probably my favourite film. The plot. The visuals. The action. The philosophy. The tech. The everything. I love it entirely.
There's something magical about watching The Matrix exactly as it was meant to be seen – through the whirring mechanics of a 35mm projector, in a theater that feels like it's been waiting decades to tell this story. (And has its original, ancient carpet) One night in December, Adelaide's Piccadilly Cinema, that art deco jewel in, transformed into a mecca of both nostalgia and rebellion.
Walking into the lobby felt like stepping through a glitch. Other cinema goers were decked out in sweeping black coats and mirrored sunglasses mingled beneath the cinema's ornate ceiling, more than a few Neos and Trinitys walked among us, and I'm sure there was more than one Agent Smith among the audience, but you couldn't tell by looking, because, of course, he is everywhere, all at once.
The real star of the show, however, was the film itself. Projected from original stock, every frame felt alive in a way that digital simply can't replicate. The iconic green tint of the Matrix code pulsed film grain, and those rain-soaked streets of the city felt tangibly wet and gritty.
What struck me most was the collective energy of the crowd. These weren't just casual moviegoers – these were people who knew every line, anticipated every beat, yet still gasped and laughed at all the points you'd expect; as if experiencing it for the first time.
As the credits rolled and the lights slowly rose, no one rushed to leave. We all sat there, suspended between worlds, letting the film's questions echo through that historic space. In an age of streaming and digital convenience, this screening was a powerful reminder that some experiences can't be downloaded. Sometimes you have to be there, in the flesh, as the celluloid spins and reality bends.
While 35mm grain isn't as sleek as the digital remasters, scaned from the film, it created a grittier, more engaging experience for a film that has themes just as relevant today as when it was released in '99.