What the #$+! do We (K)now!?
U.S.A. 2004

Opening 24 Nov 2005

Directed by: William Arntz
Writing credits: William Arntz, Betsy Chasse, Matthew Hoffman, Mark Vicente
Principal actors: Marlee Matlin, Elaine Hendrix, Barry Newman, Robert Bailey Jr., John Ross Bowie

It’s perhaps symbolic that movie star Marlee Matlin guides us through this film. She is deaf and communicates either in sign language or in computer-like speech. Experts from universities like Columbia, Oregon, Ireland, Thomas Jefferson, Pennsylvania, Georgetown, Harvard, Stanford, UCLA, etc., are similarly difficult to understand. Their topic is quantum physics. They go from “What is reality?” to “What’s happening outside of us?” to “Being in several places at one time.” They claim that words can change the molecules of water and that four thousand people meditating simultaneously lowered crime by 25% in Washington D.C. They want to know why we can affect the future, but not the past. The Matrix seems real to them. Organized religion is humbug, created to give people guilty consciences, something which God would never do because there is no right or wrong. Key words in the film are addiction, spirituality, channelling, existentialism, neurology, philosophy, memory, emotion, and new wave. It’s a fascinating topic, but I was happy when the Polish band broke into a polka and played “You can have her, I don’t want her; she’s too fat for me.” At last something I could relate to. I was relieved when they closed with “agreement is not necessary, but thinking for one’s self is.” This film is a series of interviews among a dozen people who throw out ideas in the hopes that you will catch one and “go down the rabbit hole” with it. How far is up to you. (Becky Tan)