'Waking Life' - A Profound and Intellectual Experience

It was a profound moment seeing this film for the first time, that left me wondering if all of this is really nothing but a dream? A unique, philosophical, non-commercial animated film with the movement and sound that have an effect that is eerily lifelike. I thought, is this one of those weird films filled with ramblings and boring conversations with nothing actually happening. I felt like I was just wasting my time. But as I moved from one scene to another, the conversations are really getting interesting, then I realized, this was the kind of film I’ve been looking for.

For me, this film is dreamy, trippy, wildly invigorating and unexpectedly thrilling, certainly not for everyone. I felt like I am the main character, a young man who has returned to the town, feeling like he was in a dream and cannot be awakened. He was hit by a car and for the rest of the film, he spends his time in this dream state.

He went from one place to another having those intellectual conversations with very strange people, discussing reality and the nature of existence. He wanders around and found himself listening to different people from all walks of life discussing theories, ideas and life’s purpose. He was looking confused all the time as people tried to explain to him their beliefs, and he was overwhelmed. The scenes quickly change, taking you to existentialist conversations and other ramblings. The hero of the film realized that to not ask questions is a crime against your own mind, and that the answer is curiosity itself.

This is all about existence and reality, no violence, no sex interest and no story. Just talk. This is a film with characters talking about the meaning of life. And it is not supposed to be funny or ironic. It makes you think and pay attention to the conversations in each scene. It makes you question things.

I certainly felt the same, I found myself waking up and wondering if yesterday was a bad dream and today is just another dream. This thinking that I felt I could discuss during my younger days with a good friend over a beer, while watching the sunset or staring at the stars. Now in this adult life, there seemed to be no time for intellectual conversations anymore. And how I crave those moments again!

This film reminded me how I miss those times when I had more time...more time to think. But it is not too late to focus on this moment and wander again from one place to another, to search for the meaning of life through other people’s lives.

I believe that it is fine not to have the answers to those big questions as our minds are finite. I could go on and on and spend my time trying to find the truth and the meaning in all of this, but what is really important? Those close encounters, conversations, commune with nature, human connection, dream or not, the present moment is the only thing that matters.

One of my favorite scenes is when the hero meets this man on the train, talking about the dreamers. The man said that this is the most exciting time of our lives. I see people are too busy with their everyday routine, turning each into a robot, incapable of feeling and dreaming anymore. Boredom is our enemy these days. One day, we'll all just resign to oblivion. There is no time to feel bored, this is the time to start living and appreciating what we have, and do whatever we can to enjoy our lives. The duration of life is too short to waste it on things that we will only lose in the end. New life experiences are what we need.

Soap Opera Woman: Hey. Could we do that again? I know we haven’t met, but I don’t want to be an ant. You know? I mean, it’s like we go through life with our antennas bouncing off one another, continuously on ant autopilot, with nothing really human required of us. Stop. Go. Walk here. Drive there. All action basically for survival. All communication simply to keep this ant colony buzzing along in an efficient, polite manner. “Here’s your change.” “Paper or plastic?’ “Credit or debit?” “You want ketchup with that?” I don’t want a straw. I want real human moments. I want to see you. I want you to see me. I don’t want to give that up. I don’t want to be ant, you know?

The conversation with the soap opera woman is also my favorite scene. As I take the metro to work, I see these ants going up and down the escalators really fast. I see the same scene everyday, and I just feel more alone in the middle of the crowd. I don’t want to be just another ant.

This is certainly a life-changing, superbly cerebral state-of-the-art, idealistic film. In these times when I find it hard to connect with people who are willing to have these type of deep conversations about life and existence, watching this film made me feel like the characters are my friends, that I get to connect with them and discuss the meaning of life in this seemingly dream-like state.

The idea is to remain in a state of constant departure while always arriving.

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