It is amazing how much money gets sunk into what turn out to be turkeys. Call it the Heaven's Gate effect. There have been attempts to discover and employ algorithms that will lead to blockbusters. The movie - going public is just too fickle for that to work, though.

The Wachowski brothers misunderstood what was the best story of the Matrix.  It wasn't the effects, it was the kick ass story that blew you away.  The effects made the story work, but they weren't the star.  Speed Racer, like Star Wars 1-3, were about the effects, and how hard it was to make them.  But people still go to see the story.

I like wild stuff, but I saw a preview for 'Speed Racer' a couple of weekends ago at an IMAX theater and just about keeled over from dizziness. Not even an obvious plus like seeing Susan Sarandon on the big, big screen made up for that mess of effects. I'm surprised we're not reading about gradeschool kids falling into seizures and getting wheeled out of theaters on gurneys.

The Matrix must be one of the most overrated films of the last twenty years. Ponderous, self-important, pseudo-intellectual mythologizing without the wit or warmth of the original Star Wars films. All that, plus Keanu Reeves.

Androscoggin: I must say that I agree with you. When I saw the Matrix with my then girlfriend in 1999, I was less than impressed. She liked the movie far more than I did. Its premise seemed improbable and contrived.