h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A677513

This is very useful to anyone doing Science Fiction for their GCSE Media Studies Coursework! Also, quite interesting for anyone else who has, or is planning to see the film.

Very good entry. No that is judgemental. It was my opion that your essay on The Matrix was well written and insightful. I am personly interested in the different ways movies and other meediums of present day relate to the story of Jesus. I didn't see the corralation in The Matrix.
Thanks

heart of Darkness

This is a good start, and an entry on this movie would be a good addition to the guide, but in it's present form, this won't get accepted. Your writing seems to stretch to forcefully include some big words, presumably from the questions, which are then used rather meaninglessly, i.e. "equilibrium then disequilibrium, then equilibrium again"
A good entry on this subject will need, at the very least, a plot synopsis, something about the cast, and maybe a description of the camera techniques used in the filming.

Sorry to be so harsh, but this will need some massive revamping before it will get accepted.

p.s GuiteML always impresses reviewers, too.

I am not particularly fond of this entry for a number of reasons. As Theanthrope said, there are times when you appear to use big words for no reason.

Also, you barely mention some of the main themes of the Films, in particular reality, and the idea that reality is not what it seems.

Basically the problem with this entry seems to be that you haven't told us what the film is about. You have referred to some of the references made in the film, and some of the stylistic point. This would probably made it difficult to understand for someone who has not seen the film.

You also reveal things that happen in the film, that might spoil the plot for those who have not seen the film.

Also the references to the structure and style of the film (equilibrium, and disequilibrium), probably not be very interesting to the layman.

Maybe you could mention the other influnces on the movie: such as 'reality philosophies' (see above) and hacker folklore and in-jokes (The Matrix is a term for the internet, first used in cyberpunk fiction).

I think that this entry does need quite a bit more work, but don't be put off by criticism... keep writing!

I think that there's some good content in here, but it needs to be structured properly. If there was someone reading this who wasn't familiar with the film, they would probably be lost pretty quickly. My advice would be to start with a brief introduction to the plot and characters of the film, followed with comparisons to mythologies. Then perhaps a section on intertextuality. As it stands, it's jumbled and disintegrates into the first person.

Rework it, and hopefully you'll have something guide-worthy. I'd like to see something intelligent on The Matrix go into the guide

The information regarding the film in a Christian subtext is interesting and informative. However, the entry in general is flawed.

It seems to take as read that the reader knows the film. To someone who has never seen the film, this would be a confusing entry. Also, as an entry on a film, there is little information about the cast etc. The entry also needs to be "broken-up". It's all one block at the moment.

Is suggest you read some other guide entries on films and take some inspiration from these

The Matrix is an excellent film that needs a guide entry. Keep plugging away and you may well get it

Brilliant entry, a few too many long words. I believe that the text should been broken down into more 'edible' chunks. Tho as it is, I believe it is well written. Well done.

OK, thanks for all your comments. I'll be taking them on board.

Please tell us when you've implemented the comments.


Dancer

*** THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS TO THE FILM ***

Hi Hotblack, love the name!

Here's my two-penneth-worth:

On the subject of names, 'Neo' means 'new' in Greek. This, with its implication of 'the new; change' seems to me more relevant than a stretched anagram of 'one'. Likewise, I think that Cypher has more obvious meanings ('hidden, code, encrypted') than Lucifer (itself a name with hidden meaning). I found the film to be a confusing mixture of heavyhanded Christian and more subtle Greek imagery. Works well though! But 'Agent Smith is Pontious Pilate' - really? Why?

Is this film much different in its portrayal of women to many others? Alien, Aliens, GI Jane, Thelma and Louise, 12 Monkeys, Crouching Tiger... all have strong, independent female characters. Surely it was far more revolutionary in its camera techniques?

I don't know what 'disequilibrium' means in this context.

You may have gone too far in trying to avoid revealing the big plot twist - that 'reality' is all artificial. I think that that is what several people were saying in earlier posts. As long as you put a spoiler-warning (hell, the film is 3 years old, most people who care should have seen it by now!) there is no need to be quite so circumspect.

You might like to divide your article up into headings; it's a little jumbled at the moment. And if you still feel it is confused, try to rewrite it rather than just adding an NB to draw attention to that fact!

I know that that is a lot of points, but with a little work, this could make a good article on a film I liked far more than I expected to. It's nice to read a review that doesn't concentrate on the stunts for a change.

Gif

* agrees *

however, Hotblack has unsubscribed from this thread

Oh dear. Hope it wasn't my post that put him off; there were some interesting points in this article, it just needed a little more work.

Gif

hmm...

does that mean that in the FM it goes?

hmm...

does that mean that in the FM it goes?

The author will hit the 3-month AWOL mark next week, so probably yes.


Mikey

Darn

AWOL?

FNG, KIA, certainly not!

I've been out in the field.

Thanks for your ideas - I'll try to find some time to work on the entry.