ince their release, The Matrix and its sequels have been the subject of endless debates among those who loved them, those who hated them and those who are still trying to figure out exactly how the heck Neo shut down the sentinels in Reloaded.
The Dictionary of Matrix provides all sides with plenty of ammunition, exhaustively researching and chronicling the minutiae of the films, comic books and video games. The opening section offers entries for main and side characters, places (both real and unreal), hovercrafts and occupations. There's also a "symbols" area, which discusses the importance of certain numbers, names, times and even license plates in the movies.
The "Matrix Universe" section presents an alternative way to drill down through the Wachowski brothers' cyberpunk mythos. Entries are available for every Matrix-related product released, from movies to comic books, and provide information like taglines, cast lists and trivia. Where possible, links to the source material is given.
The dictionary is set up as a "wiki," meaning that anyone who visits the site can add or expand an entry. Those who'd rather debate than write can check out the dictionary's online forum, where fans pick apart the intricacies of the series, and try to answer its remaining questions.
—Ken Newquist
Site of the Week—February 28, 2005
rom the garishly playful Elvissaurus to the visceral and horrifying "A Portrait of Gordy Taber," Frank Wu's illustrations never fail to draw strong reactions from viewers. Winner of the Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist in 2004, Wu's official site, The House of Crunchy Art, is an eclectic mix of images, bibliographic and biographical data, and lighthearted diversions for SF fans.
Wu has made an impressive number of his illustrations available on this site, generously providing visitors with a chance to look over his work in detail. But this Web page is no mere online gallery: It also features trivia games, a political cartoon, movie reviews and even
science fiction, all written by the Wu. Rounding out the site content is a diverse—though somewhat outdated—links section and an archival shrine to influential SF artist Frank R. Paul (1884-1963), Wu's favorite artist.
The House of Crunchy Art is a glorious and chaotic jumble of images and links, one that leaves visitors hovering on the edge of overstimulation, never quite knowing if the next click of the mouse will lead to an amazing illustration, an interview, a political rant or a game. The site conveys a hundred jigsaw pieces worth of insight into its maker, creating a fragmented but nevertheless intriguing picture of one of SF's emerging artistic powerhouses.
—A.M. Dellamonica
Site of the Week—February 22, 2005
s movie-oriented sites go, Hollywood Elsewhere leans to the serious end of the spectrum, caring far more about the substance of films than the buzz that surrounds them. Heavy on text and light on glossy celebrity photos, it is a place where Web surfers can read old-fashioned film criticism from writers like Brazilian film critic Pablo Villaca or outspoken teenage reviewer Jett Wells.
The writers behind this site are a discerning and thought-provoking group, people who look past the hype to a film's true merits and flaws. Well informed, articulate and honest, they offer up quirky features on everything from what constitutes a good "downer" movie (meaning the super-depressing Leaving Las Vegas or Casino genre of film) to religious and anti-smoking themes in Constantine ... and the lack of any truly interesting contenders for this year's upcoming Academy Awards.
Talk of serious film criticism shouldn't scare visitors away, though—Hollywood Elsewhere is never dry or academic. Its snarkily delicious "Trailer Trash" section examines movie previews for upcoming films, while an irreverent news area provides offbeat and obscure factoids about movie projects and filmmakers. The site has a DVD review section, naturally enough, as well as an area for reader rants.
The lack of flash at Hollywood Elsewhere makes it a rarity among movie sites, a calm, uncluttered and eminently readable Web page whose creators have a passionate but clear-eyed affection for movies of all types, and whose reviews will bring fans back time and again.
—A.M. Dellamonica
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