1289 – Akira (1988)
timespace coordinates: AD 2019 Neo-Tokyo (31 years after ww3)
Akira (Japanese: アキラ Hepburn: Akira) is a 1988 Japanese animated post-apocalyptic cyberpunk film directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, based on Otomo’s 1982 manga of the same name. The film had a production budget of ¥1.1 billion ($9 million), making it the most expensive anime film of its time.
Set in a dystopian 2019, Akira tells the story of Shōtarō Kaneda, a leader of a local biker gang whose childhood friend, Tetsuo Shima, acquires incredible telekinetic abilities after a motorcycle accident, eventually threatening an entire military complex amidst chaos and rebellion in the sprawling futuristic metropolis of Neo-Tokyo. While most of the character designs and settings were adapted from the manga, the plot differs considerably, and does not include much of the last half of the manga. The soundtrack, which draws heavily from traditional Indonesian gamelan as well as Japanese noh music, was composed by Shōji Yamashiro and performed by Geinoh Yamashirogumi.
Akira premiered in Japan on July 16, 1988 by Toho, but was initially unable to recoup its budget. It was released the following year in the United States by pioneering animation distributor Streamline Pictures. It garnered an international cult following after various theatrical and VHS releases, eventually earning over $80 million worldwide from home video sales. It is widely regarded by critics as one of the greatest animated and science fiction films ever made, as well as a landmark in Japanese animation. It is also a landmark film in the cyberpunk genre, particularly the Japanese cyberpunk subgenre, as well as adult animation. The film had a significant impact on popular culture worldwide, paving the way for the growth of anime and Japanese popular culture in the Western world as well as influencing numerous works in animation, comics, film, music, television and video games. (wiki)
1288
What did Baudrillard think about The Matrix?
“a film about the matrix that only the matrix could produce”
1287
1286 – Idiocracy (2006)
timespace coordinates: 2505 Washington, D.C.
Idiocracy is a 2006 American science fiction comedy film directed by Mike Judge and starring Luke Wilson, Maya Rudolph, and Dax Shepard.
The film tells the story of Joe Bauers (Wilson), an American soldier who takes part in a classified military human hibernation experiment, only to accidentally awaken 500 years later in a dystopian society where mankind has embraced anti-intellectualism and commercialism has run rampant, and which is devoid of intellectual curiosity, social responsibility, and coherent notions of justice and human rights.
The film was not screened for critics, and distributor 20th Century Fox was accused of abandoning the film. Despite its lack of a major theatrical release, which resulted in a mere $495,303 box office, the film received positive reviews from critics and has become a cult film. (wiki)
imdb / Themes / Commentary / Spin-offs
1285 – Source Code (2011)
timespace coordinates: 2010, Metra commuter train headed to Chicago
Source Code is a 2011 action/ mystery & suspense/ science fiction thriller film directed by Duncan Jones and written by Ben Ripley. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a U.S. Army captain who is sent into a computed reality to find a bomber. Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, and Jeffrey Wright play supporting roles. (wiki)
1284
Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)
timespace coordinates: winterfest ’86 – Kodiak Valley Ski Resort
Hot Tub Time Machine is a 2010 American science fiction comedy film directed by Steve Pink and starring John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Crispin Glover, Lizzy Caplan and Chevy Chase. The film was released on March 26, 2010. (wiki)
Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (2015)
timespace coordinates: alternate 2025 New Orleans
TimeSpace Warps 