Warning: this is not a popcorn movie! A lot of people like to talk about how The Matrix is about philosophical ideas. It is, but of the "beginners" variety. If you want more depth and breadth to your ideas, you must see this film. It does take a while to get going and there is no way to understand the whole thing in one viewing (over three hours long!). For some this will be a liability, but if you like films that reveal their pleasures over multiple viewings then this is one for you. There is a lot going on; a trip up the Danube river, interviews with archeologists, engineers and ecologists along the river, festivals, ruins, marches, and that's just the simple stuff. A narration sits on top of all of this, provided by three philosophers and a white-haired German filmmaker I had not heard of at the end. They discuss technology, politics and ethics, and it's all woven together in a way that means that you always feel like you are heading somewhere important. Where you end up, well, I found it quite moving. There a lot of layers to this film and if you make an effort to dig you'll be rewarded. NB I saw this at the ICA Cinemas in London last year.
