"Waking Life" -- R\nStarring: Wiley Wiggins, Ethan Hawke \nDirected by: Richard Linklater\nRichard Linklater's latest film, "Waking Life", is more or less a sequel to his earlier film, "Slacker." In "Slacker" the audience aimlessly follows a chain of characters through the cityscape of Austin, Texas, and there are no main characters. "Waking Life" has the same "stream of consciousness" feel, but is digitally animated in brush-like strokes of color. The entire world vibrates and shifts constantly. In "Waking Life" many of the same people appear again, but this time Linklater or the main character -- his name is never revealed -- is physically present in the film and actively taking part in the dynamic philosophical dissertations of the characters. \nThe main character of "Waking Life" is on a journey to figure out whether he is dreaming or awake. The reality of this question is never revealed. There are sequences when he floats above his bed or revisits characters from earlier in the film who are now living different lives. The characters all espouse different philosophical perspectives about what life is, how to live it, and how to find your full potential. They affirm their own philosophies with the names of celebrity intellectuals like Nietchze, Sartre, Plato and Kierkegaard, and a whole cast of other famous artists and thinkers, such as Lorca, Phillip K. Dick and Buddha - just to name a few. And if the intellectual aspect of the film becomes too deep, the animation provides an entertainment of it's own. It's like being immersed in a montage of sketches and paintings. Although not exact in detail, they provide an ambient outline of the "real" world. \n"Waking Life" was interesting. However, I can't help but feel that its the work of a fortunate bohemian. Throughout all the high-brow philosophy on whether or not we have free will, I was hungry. In wondering whether or not Linklater will ever figure out if he is asleep or awake, my stomach growled with emptiness. And throughout the display of Linklater's precocious ability to ponder the relevance of his existence, I felt that if I never could get food again, then I would certainly die, but, then again, I will die anyway. \nWhat "Waking Life" lacks so much is the simplest things that remind us that we are human -- pain, hunger and suffering. None of the characters experience any ills, they are all self-affirmative and confident in their positions and actions in life. Even the angry prisoner -- the malfeasance, father-hating, cigarette bum from "Slacker" -- seems enraptured by his own criminal psychosis. I can't help but think that the characters have all been blessed with lives so easy that they have nothing to do but ponder them. There is nothing dramatic about the charismatic exploration of who we are, unless you bounce up against the wrong characters or situation. "Waking Life" seems to be a lovely dream of an existence with no ills and no drama. The characters are displayed out of what appears only to be jovial whim.\nIn the end, I have to say, my life and my thinking were little changed or inspired by watching a film about whether the main character will ever wake up or not. For me, "Waking Life" is too far from being real and far too self-centered and trivial to make me care.\n
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