This sounds a bit like a midlife crisis.
The main protagonists search for the meaning of life forms the narrative core of Terry Gilliams new film.
Its therefore a huge relief to know that Gilliam is handling this headspinning sci-fi feature.
At least, I hope we will.
Returning to Waltzs philosophical wondering/wandering (weve hit the Homophone Singularity!
), the discover the secret of life objective is overseen by a shadowy figure known as Management.
Maybe its a Zen Buddhist koan.
Ideally this will be accompanied by Terry Gilliam animations.
Monty Pythons The Meaning Of Lifedidnt deliver what its title promised.
On top of the deep and profound dread What is life all about?
inherent in the premise, Im also feeling familiar disturbances in my life forces as I approach the movie.
The Zero Theoremis another future-set science fiction film offering foreboding impressions of times to come.
I love the sci-fi genre but, by the Ping!
of the Machine that Goes Ping!, it troubles me at times.
(More on that last one later.
I will now return to the epic-albeit-possibly-futile endeavour.)
This isnt necessarily a bad thing and it doesnt stop the movies from being entertaining and prevent audience enjoyment.
One taught me that Fear is the mind killer.
Another explained that Fear is the path to the Dark Side.
Fear leads to anger.
Anger leads to hate.
Hate leads to suffering.
Perhaps thats the meaning or, rather, purpose of life.
That eases my mind, as does the fact that the forecast catastrophes are currently fiction.
The rise of antagonistic artificial intelligences and our subsequent subjugation as depicted inThe MatrixandThe Terminatorseries hasnt happened yet either.
If so, the meaning of life is you are a battery powering sentient machines and thats bleak.
Surely theres got to be more to life if, indeed, life has any meaning at all.
That sounds like a Zen Buddhist koan to me.
And the Machine that goes Ping!
I think I may have arrived at the Meaning of Life.
James Clayton is not looking for the meaning of life hes looking for a life of meaning.
Wow, thats deep.
you’re free to visit hiswebsiteor follow him onTwitter.
You canread James last column here.
