Is the world that we live in just a simulation? It’s a topic that has fascinated the general public en masse since the release of The Matrix in 1999. From the Simulation Argument put forward by philosopher Nick Bostrom, to parallels between quantum theory and computer game algorithms, there’s plenty of interesting speculation about whether the idea could be right.
So it’s great to hear of an upcoming documentary on this very topic, titled A Glitch in the Matrix – and what’s more, it is by director Rodney Ascher, who has a great pedigree in docos on weird topics with previous releases Room 237 (on hidden meanings in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining) and The Nightmare (on sleep paralysis/Old Hag syndrome).
Here’s the fairly minimalistic trailer for the film, which is scheduled for release through digital and on-demand services on February 5 (synopsis beneath the video):
What if we are living in a simulation, and the world as we know it is not real? To tackle this mind-bending idea, acclaimed filmmaker Rodney Asher (ROOM 237, THE NIGHTMARE) uses a noted speech from Philip K. Dick to dive down the rabbit hole of science, philosophy, and conspiracy theory. Leaving no stone unturned in exploring the unprovable, the film uses contemporary cultural touchstones like THE MATRIX, interviews with real people shrouded in digital avatars, and a wide array of voices, expert and amateur alike. If simulation theory is not science fiction but fact, and life is a video game being played by some unknowable entity, then who are we, really? A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX attempts to find out.
We have previously discussed the “noted speech from Philip K. Dick” here on the Grail (“The Origin of ‘A Glitch in the Matrix’: Philip K. Dick Discusses Déjà Vu and Living in a Simulation, in 1977“), where we noted that this speech also appears to have been the origin of the famous line from the Wachowski siblings’ 1999 blockbuster.
Should be well worth a watch – keep your eye out for it come February 5!
