Does it go on forever? In a continuous loop of recycling and playing over and over. An endless stream of lives, or only a few? Many cultures talk of reincarnation, but could it be that we do have to do it again? Completing another level towards where you are actually going? There is another idea on that, but will be another article. This one is along the lines of games, films and I guess the simulation theory. Games you play of a simulated world, films you can watch repeatedly, creating the over and again experience yourself. And it is in those games and films, the ideas of the end not quite being the end is put forward time and time again. I thought the way they keep resurrecting ‘dead’ characters was ridicuolous and served no purpose other than to milk it for all they could, or lacked imagination for new characters or ideas. But now I am not so sure.

Jumanji (welcome to the jungle) – the new film, upgraded and computerised, with the twist of having three lives before you die in the game and supposedly ‘expire’ in real life. Bit less intense I guess compared to the first film, where in the manual version, one was it and he was in fear of it the whole time.

Edge of tomorrow/Live, die, repeat. The title is a bit of a giveaway there, but it’s an interesting film. Of being stuck in a repeating loop but with memory each time it starts again and being able to change it.

The Cube (1997) – an odd film, and one very much of levels, puzzles, and a grim outcome if you fail to solve it and move on. Dwindling the ‘players’ one by one.

If you don’t solve the puzzle, learn the lesson, or gain the experience you are here for, you are doomed to repeat it they say. Or it may be there are multiple times or ‘lives’, for different experiences, getting to play ‘different characters’ each time you ‘reset’ to gain said experience. Possibly accounting for apparent past life ‘memories’, or even deja-vu. What some might come call ‘a glitch in the matrix’ these days. Or are we a simulated version already of something that once was, copied and repeated until it recycles down to nothing? They say it’s possible we are in a simulated existence, or we are part of the simulation too and not just a separate entity within in, which is quite outrageous stuff when you think about it. But these are outrageous times, so all avenues of thought are being explored.

(c) K Wicks