hit in terms of money or good movies?
I thought Bound was pretty good, have yet to see any Matrix films to the end
I think the first Matrix was their only good film (though not perfect). It had some good ideas in it (even if they were stolen), and was obviously successful financially.
I only saw the first, which I thought was amazing when it came out in the theaters. Other than that, I’ve also had problems watching the other ones till the end. It’s just to much to swallow. The repetitious fights, and all that annoying talk about the “chosen one”.
I agree that they may be a great definition of a cinematic one-hit wonder. At least Richard Kelly is treated like an auteur of some quality, and attention is given to his new films.
Their career is far from over to call them one-hit wonders, not to mention there were enough supporters of Bound, The Matrix as well as Speed Racer to justify their filmography. And the amount of money The Matrix Trilogy made would make them ridiculously successful in many Hollywood circles.
In fact, you could argue that Michael Cimino is as much of a one-hit wonder as they come.
“In fact, you could argue that Michael Cimino is as much of a one-hit wonder as they come.”
I’d disagree with that. Of course he’s got the award winning Deer Hunter, but I thought Year of the Dragon wasn’t too bad. And while Heaven’s Gate has a notorious story behind it, it’s not all that bad of a film, and certainly nowhere near as bad as the Matrix sequels.
At some point, we need to define the term “one-hit wonder,” whether we’re talking about it from a critical or artistic perspective or from the box office angle. Combined, neither Wachowskis nor Cimino may fit.
Cimino’s Thunderbolt and Lightfoot was a moderate success which got him the shot to do Deer Hunter.
Bound would have been a much better film if its cast was up to the script. They ain’t. Artful cinematography, a good plot, and a great score—all dropped a few notches by some horrible readings.
Bound was ok The Matrix is still incredible
Speed Racer elevated them above one hit wonder, and put them back into a positive light for me. Prefer it to the Matrix even.
I think SPEED RACER is dumb as a box of hair, story-wise, but I think it’s one of the most visually accomplished, imaginatively conceived movies I’ve seen in years. The blu-ray playing on flatscreen demo TV in a store window made me literally stop in my tracks and do a jaw-dropping double take, so stunned was I by its look. Don’t know as that’s ever happened to me before.
Anyways, really wishing I’d seen it in the theater, really hope I yet have another chance to see it on the big screen, and REALLY think that based on SPEED RACER, if any director’s have enough imagination to experimentally, innovatively harness 3D’s full potential, it’s these bros.
I’m on board with Ben. Despite my wishy-washies over the sequels to The Matrix (which get everything the first film gets right wrong but become interesting in their failure), Speed Racer is like a movie of the future. I can’t wait until my nephew gets old enough to watch it. Then, I’m buying the Blu and will have an excuse to play the dazzling colors all over my set.
Wow, I wonder how they’ll manage to use cool special effects in this new film.
Speed Racer proves this wrong.
Agreed. Speed Racer is bad ass compared to The Matrix films. And I actually dig Bound too.
I prefer Bound over any of The Matrix films. Crap, do I have to watch Speed Racer now? Never realized there was so much love for it.
Wow, I’m actually surprised to see the resounding support for Speed Racer here. I loved that movie when it came out (saw it twice in the theater, and that visual, big screen experience really was the only one of the year that I found transformative), and caught so much crap for defending it to friends and acquaintances.
I seriously like Speed Racer. For what it is, it’s pretty great. It’s kind of Godard on PCP without the Marxist-Leninists.
I was tempted to see Speed Racer but everyone I knew (all three of them) said “DON’T” though I am not sure in retrospect if the people who said “DON’T” had actually seen it. Now I am going to see it, so if you guys are saying it’s great as some kind of prank.. then… you got me.
I liked Bound but it did strike me as one of those “indie” features people make in order to gain access to Hollywood. It wasn’t bad, but it had a “resume item” feel to it. Anyone else feel that way?
It could be seen that way, speaking of Bound, but I saw it as a really good kind of feminist gangster picture. Probably the first feminist gangster film too.
I thought The Matrix was pretty incredible in synthesizing sci-fi and Hong Kong action, but Bound, one of the most intense thrillers around, is still my favorite Wachowski film and so no, I would not call them a one-hit wonder. That said, all the rest of their movies stink.
Redrum4
With the news that the Wachowski Brothers had a new project out, which is about a gay U.S. soldier and a gay Iraqi man who fall in love during the war (see below article), it occurred to me that the Wachowski Brothers are the best example of a one hit wonder I have ever seen (yes an even better example than Richard Kelly).
http://www.deadline.com/2010/05/larry-and-andy-wachowski-shop-u-s-iraqi-war-tale-with-hard-r-gay-love-story/