In 1999, two science fiction classics changed the movie industry forever: The Matrix and Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace. While conventional wisdom of the time told us The Matrix was looking forward and The Phantom Menace was looking back, you can also make the reverse argument. The Matrix may have been pioneering new types of special effects and telling a brand-new story set on the cutting edge of science fiction, but it also took inspiration from cyberpunk literature and classic anime like Akira and Ghost in the Shell.
