It's true that there's nothing quite like a movie where you can download 'kung fu' directly
into your brain, but there are plenty of other trippy, amazing films out there that you'll
love if you're a fan of The Matrix.
Inception
Since its release, The Matrix really became the gold standard of movies that ask "how
real is our reality?" Everyone who saw it had to question the world, at least for a
moment, and wonder if everything we see and feel every day actually exists, or if it's
all just an illusion.
"There is no spoon."
"There is no spoon?"
Well, folks, let us assure you: we're not living in a simulation, even if there are
some days where we'd actually prefer to wake up in a goo pod and find out it was all fake.
We've just got to make the best of this reality, because it's the only one we have.
Or is it? Director Christopher Nolan's 2010 hit Inception raised this very question and
gave no satisfying answers, but in a very satisfying way. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio,
Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, and other superstars, this film is packed with great moments that
will stick in your memory forever. Even if the plot leaves you scratching your head.
Similar to what the Wachowskis achieved with their masterpiece trilogy, the beautiful filmmaking
in Inception pushes the boundaries of what audiences thought was possible on the big
screen. The question at the core of both Inception and The Matrix is something that's been contemplated
by children and philosophers for centuries, and it's an idea that rolls around in our
human experience, accompanying us our whole lives. How can we know if what we experience
as reality is truth?
There's no way to know for sure, but hey. If this is a dream, a simulation, or some
kid's snowglobe, at least we’ve got some great movies to watch.
Existenz
If you've never heard of Existenz and you give it a watch after this, you might be shocked
that you'd never seen it before, but there's actually a reason for its obscurity. Director
David Cronenberg's mind-bending, body-twisting action flick might've been a major sci-fi
hit, but it was unfortunate enough to be released only a few weeks after The Matrix, and its
similar themes were overshadowed by the Wachowskis' wildly popular, visually stunning blockbuster.
As a result, Existenz has flown under the radar as a cult classic for years, but now
it's time to give this film its due as one of the best, and trippiest, films of the '90s.
Starring Jude Law and Jennifer Jason Leigh, Existenz is set in a near future where game
designers are massive celebrities, and the truth about the world is more complicated
than it first appears. This wild ride of a movie thrills from start to finish, with Cronenberg's
signature gross-out body horror aesthetics, some fun, and weirdly squishy, shoot-em-up
action, and two compelling actors in its leading roles. It's a little darker than The Matrix,
and as hard as it might be to believe, it's a whole lot weirder, too. Beyond that, though,
Existenz definitely has a similar vibe to its more popular genre cousin that will surely
scratch the itch when you just gotta put more twisty, reality-bending plot in your brain.
"Hey, tell me the truth. Are we still in the game?"
John Wick
Fans who love Keanu Reeves for the way that The Matrix redefined action movies for an
entire generation definitely know and love these movies already. If, however, you somehow
managed to miss the bone-crushing, senses-shattering, dog-loving, shoot-'em-up, action of John Wick
and its sequels, get ready for a wild ride.
Keanu is at the helm of these hit action movies, starring as the title character, a former
hitman who leaves his old life of violence behind to find peace with his wife. When the
last remnants of his civilian life are shattered by a group of thugs who steal his car and
kill his dog, John is ready for a fight. Or two. Or two hundred. Basically, it's the story
of a man who loved a woman, and then who loved a dog, and who then goes on the most brutal,
brazen rampage ever to grace the silver screen.
"People keep asking if I'm back and I haven't really had an answer, but now, yeah, I'm thinking
I'm back."
John Wick and its sequels are a brutal love letter to fight scenes, and if you've got
a taste for a bit of the old ultraviolence, we can guarantee this is your jam. Behind
the camera, there's a lot to love about this franchise as well, especially if you're a
fan of Neo's adventures. One of the best and most prolific stunt people in the film industry,
Chad Stahelski, is the director of John Wick along with David Leitch. Before taking the
director's chair, Stahelski was a stunt double for Keanu Reeves in The Matrix, and John Wick
relied on many of the same stunt coordinators that helped reinvent action movies back in
1999. Plus, Laurence Fishburne shows up in the series as the Bowery King, a character
who's every bit as mysterious as Morpheus and might just be the key to guiding Keanu
through another ultra violent reality.
The Animatrix
If you love the philosophical talking points and world-building lore behind the story of
The Matrix, we can pretty much guarantee that you'll also love The Animatrix, the lesser-known
fourth film in the saga everyone remembers as a trilogy. One of the more unique entries
on this list, The Animatrix is an anthology, made up of nine stories that take place inside
and outside the Matrix, set between The Matrix Reloaded and the final events of The Matrix
Revolutions.
Each story is animated in a totally different style, making this film watchable all at once
or as a set of distinct pieces, if that's more your thing. Plus, you'll see some familiar
faces and hear familiar voices like Neo and Trinity, both voiced by their original actors,
Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss.
While it's often overlooked, this is a do-not-miss film for any true Matrix lover, and if you
had the impression that it's just a cartoon cash-in, think again. Four of the short films
in this movie were written by the Wachowskis themselves. Covering a wide array of tales
and emotions on both the human and robot sides of the story, the tales of The Animatrix are
varied in their themes. Some highlight the strange and simple beauty of any world humans
inhabit or explore the indomitable will and spirit that sets humanity apart. Some awesome
shorts fill out more of the history and give a fuller picture of the world before the robot
uprising that eventually led to humanity's underground survival. All in all, it's a collection
of trippy and beautiful shorts that you'll want to watch over and over again.
Speed Racer
In 2008, the Wachowskis took a departure from the tone of their mind-bending Matrix trilogy
with Speed Racer, and used their considerable talents to make a bright, colorful adventure
that the whole family could enjoy. This is, of course, an American adaptation of the beloved
manga turned anime series from the '60s, and while it was a woefully underrated box office
bomb when it was released to theaters, it's absolutely worth watching. It's got all the
gorgeous Wachowski visuals, fun and fast-paced action sequences, and world-building through
visual design without all the doom and gloom of a post-apocalyptic society constantly on
the brink of collapse.
In addition to special effects that capture the feeling of a pop-art cartoon brought to
life, Speed Racer boasts a star-studded cast packed with fan favorites like John Goodman,
Susan Sarandon, and Christina Ricci. Despite its financial shortcomings, Speed Racer has
become a cult classic, and not just because of its unique style. The over-the-top, artificial
look of its world is paired with a sincerity at the heart of its story that's rarely been
matched in a movie for kids, or for adults, for that matter. Put it all together, and
it's easy to see why it won over the hearts and minds of millions of fans since. Plus,
there's a chimpanzee! And ninjas!
"Oh my God, was that a ninja?"
"More like a non-ja."
Tron
Before The Matrix explored the idea of a digital world that existed alongside reality, there
was Tron. Incredibly stylish, wildly fun, a product of pure imagination run wild, the
1982 original is another genre-defining film that paved the way for the Wachowskis to make
their magic. The big difference is that rather than discovering that they're trapped in a
false reality, the designers and programmers who get sucked into the virtual world of Tron
know they're trapped in a simulation. It's getting out that could be deadly.
Disney's cutting-edge cult classic stars Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn, a programmer turned
video game arcade owner turned virtual warrior. He and his buddies are up against an artificial
intelligence seeking to increase its own power and rule the world. If that sounds familiar,
it's because Tron most likely influenced at least a few of the ideas behind The Matrix,
in both visuals and writing. It might be a movie for kids, but Tron explored philosophical
ponderings about the role of technology in our lives, and experimented with what, at
the time, were brand new advances of computer generated images as special effects.
With two Academy Award nominations and a great soundtrack, Tron is a fantastic film that's
stood the test of time. It also got a similarly underrated sequel in 2010 that makes for an
interesting watch, if only to see how its themes were treated before and after The Matrix
redefined these ideas for pop culture. It's worth a watch, and as an added bonus, you
can brag to your friends that you watched the only film entirely inspired by the first
time its creator, Steven Lisberger, saw the video game Pong.
Akira
Set in the dystopian Neo-Tokyo in the year 2019, Akira is a piece of art from start to
finish, and even the most jaded adults who think anime is only for kids will be blown
away by the gorgeous art and come away affected from the masterful storytelling.
Originally, when Akira was released in 1988 in Japan, the movie didn't make much of a
splash. It was released the year after in the United States, and it picked up steam
with critics and fans alike. Today, Akira is considered one of the most important science
fiction movies ever made, not just in anime, but in the entirety of film. It's also regarded
as a landmark piece of animation that set the bar for generations to come and influenced
thousands of other artists and filmmakers, including the Wachowskis.
While it doesn't have the artificial reality elements of The Matrix, the mind-bending story
centers around a young man trying to save his friend from a nefarious government plot.
Plus, there are some extremely cool motorcycles that will make you want to take to the neon-lit
open road, and amazing character designs that will definitely fool you into thinking it's
a good idea to dress in head-to-toe red leather. If you see only one movie on this list, make
it Akira.
Ghost in the Shell
Ghost in the Shell, the 1995 anime inspired by a manga of the same name, was initially,
like many of the movies on our list, a box office flop. As we all learned from Morpheus,
though, sometimes things are not as they seem. Today, it's considered one of the best science
fiction films of all time, and it's absolutely at the top of many best anime lists as well.
Though released in the mid-'90s, Ghost in the Shell is set in the year 2029, in a cyberpunk
Japan where human lives are even more intimately connected with the machines and technology
around them than they are today. Following the life of a cyborg agent specializing in
taking down technological threats, this is a non-stop action thriller where the pacing
and animation will keep you hooked all the way from start to finish. And, just like The
Matrix, it does it all while posing some serious philosophical questions about the nature of
man and machine.
It's no secret that the groundbreaking anime was a huge influence on The Matrix, as it
majorly inspired some of the thinking and visuals of the Wachowskis' film, exploring
similar themes of identity and its existence in relation to society. Even if you don't
want to spend time pondering all that, though, you should still watch it, just for the mind-blowing
action sequences that feature animation that has rarely been equaled.
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