The Wachowski sisters are one of the most famous sibling directors pairings in modern movie history. To coincide with the 5th of November its only relevant that we speak of the Wachowskis and their films/series currently streaming on Netflix.
The sibling pair is most famous for their work on the Matrix franchise. Overall the Matrix trilogy brought in over $1 Billion at the box office worldwide. While not all their films and have gone to earn critical acclaim, that doesn’t mean Wachowski’s haven’t tried to push new and imaginative ideas to the forefront of Hollywood.
Assassins (1995)
Written by: The Wachowskis
Directed By: Richard Donner
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Banderas, Julianne Moore, Anatoly Davydov
Run Time: 133 Minutes
Assassins were the very first feature-length film the Wachowski’s were credited for as writers. The Wachowski’s sold the screenplay for $1 Million but due to a rewrite of the script and elements to the story were changed the Wachowski had requested for their names to be removed from the film. The writers guild of America formally refused their request. The film was critically panned and a criticism of the plot was a large highlight of this, it is most likely the reason why the siblings had asked to have their names removed.
Robert Rath is a veteran assassin that wishes to retire after he is haunted by the memory of killing his former mentor Nicolai. While out on an assignment he is beaten to his target by new up and coming assassin Miguel Bain. Bain is a psychopathic killer and wishes nothing more than to be the best assassin in the world but to become the best he has to kill the best.
V for Vendetta (2005)
Written by: The Wachowskis
Directed By: James McTeigue
Cast: Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman, Stephen Rea, John Hurt, Stephen Fry
Run Time: 132 Minutes
Based on the Alan Moore graphic novel of the same name V for Vendetta has become one of the most popular dystopian films of the modern era. The film while not critically impactful has become massively influential in real-world politics. The iconic Guy Fawkes mask has since gone on to become a popular symbol for both anarchists and libertarians. In the political spectrum, the most famous use of the Guy Fawkes mask is for the activist group known as Anonymous.
Set in Great Britain in 2027, the oppressive political party Norsefire is the tyrannical political group in charge of the UK. Led by the High Chancellor Adam Sutler, the government make short work of oppressing the people of Great Britain through propaganda and the removal of any undesirables or political opponents.
On the 4th of November Evey Hammond (an employee of the British Television Network) is saved from being assaulted by the masked vigilante known as V. As they ascend to a rooftop V gives Evey a view of the Old Bailey being blown up accompanied by fireworks and the 1812 Overture. V’s destruction of the Old Bailey sets a chain of events in motion that will rock the very foundation of Britain and change the political landscape forever.
Speed Racer (2008)
Written by: The Wachowskis
Directed By: The Wachowskis
Cast: Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox, Rain, John Goodman
Run Time: 135 Minutes
Speed Racer was one of the most famous cartoons of the late 1960’s. The franchise is Japanese in origin as it is based on the manga of the same name. The Wachowskis take on Speed Racer was the first live-action adaptation of the franchise. The film performed poorly at the box office and wasn’t well received by critics.
Speed Racer is the younger brother of the famous Rex Racer. After his brother, Rex dies in a race in the infamous cross-country racing rally Speed endeavors to become the best racer in the world. As Speed’s reputation as a racer grows so does the interest of corporate companies. After declining a luxurious contract in favor of his Dad’s racing company Speed soon learns a harsh lesson that impacts his family and his own racing. Speed must overcome these challenges and race on to qualify for the Grand Prix in the hopes of winning and becoming the best Racer in the world.
Cloud Atlas (2012)
Written by: The Wachowskis
Directed By: The Wachowskis
Cast: Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox, Rain, John Goodman
Run Time: 135 Minutes
Cloud Atlas is loosely based on the novel of the same name by author David Mitchel. The film has become one of the most polarising films in recent history, having appeared on various lists for both best and worst films of 2012 it is a much-debated film within the Sci-fi community. Unfortunately, the film performed poorly at the box office and only grossed $130.5 Million. Despite the universal confusion on whether or not the film was good or bad it was still nominated for a Golden Globe award for best score and received several nominations at the Saturn Awards.
The story takes place over the course of 6 separate stories, each one taking place in a different era in history from 1849 all the way to the 24th century.
The purpose of how the narrative is written was to show how the actions of those in the past can massively influence the future and how each action and consequence sends a ripple throughout history.
Sense 8 (2015 – 2018)
Created by: The Wachowskis
Cast: Aml Ameen, Doona Bae, Jamie Clayton, Tina Desai, Tuppence Middleton, Max Riemely, Brian J. Smith
Seasons: 2 (24 Episodes)
Sense8 is a science fiction drama created by the Wachowski sisters. Many fans of the show are still upset that the series only lasted for 2 seasons, and while Netflix did cancel the show they made sure to conclude the series with a 2 and a half hour finale to conclude the story. While the story has been highly praised its use of alternative look on politics, religion, gender and sexuality have also garnered massive praise. The show also received huge praise amongst the LGBT community due to its progressive story and representation of the community.
The story of Sense8 follows a group of seemingly ordinary humans spread out across the world. Soon eight begin to experience mental and emotional connections to each other. They discover that they are a new form of human known as Sensates and through their connection, they can communicate, share knowledge, languages and their skills amongst each other. Soon the group finds themselves in danger as a rogue sensate named Jonas is intent on hunting them down and killing them using the connection against them.
Other works from the Wachowskis
Unfortunately for any fans of the Matric franchise, you will be disappointed to hear that the Matrix is not streaming on Netflix. The Wachowskis directorial debut Bound is also not on Netflix and neither is the Animatrix, Ninja Assassin (producers) or Jupiter Ascending.
Are you a fan of the Wachowskis? Let us know in the comments below!
