bigbarry-88130
This movie is absolutely amazing. The cast members play a number of different roles as male and females make the movie go by very quickly. So quickly that you may have to watch it second time around just to get the idea of the movie.
There is comedy, satire, drama, revenge and great performances all in one movie. You may even be amazed at the parts the actors play. Until the end of the movie when the end credits are listed, and you are shown all the actors and the roles they play you will be amazed.
The story goes back and forth through time showing how good gets rewarded in the next life and evil gets worse. Each of us have choices in life and those choices shape your future. Excellent stories that weave in and out of the movie make this one unforgettable. Even the music plays a part In Cloud Atlas. I can ramble on how amazing this movie is, but only the viewer can make that decision.
SimonJack
This film is nearly three hours long. It bounces back and forth between half a dozen different milieus in as many different plots. And, those are back and forth between past and future generations. The milieu are Hawaii, London, San Francisco, Seoul, the high seas, a place on another plant in our galaxy, and various other places around the globe at different times. If it sounds confusing, well, that's because it is. I doubt that anyone who sat in a theater and saw this film when it came out, immediately afterwards could write down the different scenarios, varying periods of time for each, and who the main characters were of each plot. My guess is that few people could even list half of the plots, characters and time frames. As for messages, this is a very hodgepodge of mores and morals covering family, creativity, sexuality, freedom, oppression, love, a type of pagan faith, and more. Numerous social issues are included in the movie. Among them are murder and mayhem, corruption and killing, stealing and betrayal, lying and cheating, fantasy and sci-fi, oppression and revolution, slavery and racism, tyranny and torture, fame and fortune, pride and power, music and creativity, superstition and mythology.Seven actors appear as six different characters in the various scenarios and time periods. They include Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant and Jim Broadbent. Another dozen actors have three to five roles. Several more have two roles. Perhaps the filmmakers were trying to set a record for a film with multiple roles. They probably succeeded in that.My guess is that the high rating many people give this film is solely for its entertainment in the plethora of scenes, settings, period costumes, and makeup. That and some imaginative camera work and lots of special effects. If those things are one's idea of entertainment, then "Cloud Atlas" is a winner. But it wasn't a smash hit at the box office. I prefer good stories that I can relate to someone after seeing a movie, with specifics. No one without a photographic memory would be able to do so after watching this film. The various film genres in this movie are mind numbing. There's no comedy, sports or Western, but it has about everything else. Drama, mystery, murder, action, war, sci-fi, horror, fantasy, romance - all are here in "Cloud Atlas." Outside of the music, which received widespread praise, reviews of the film varied. It received a standing ovation for its premier at the Toronto Film Festival, but it wasn't otherwise widely lauded. The movie finally topped its $128.5-million budget with worldwide release that netted a total box office of $130.5 million. The movie was based on a 2004 novel by English author David Mitchell. Mitchell said that he doubted a movie could be made of his book. Well, a movie was made. But my guess is that readers of the book would have far more recall and memory about the stories. After all, who could expect an audience to remember much of a 500-page book, with multiple plots, time frames and characters, crammed into a movie of just under three hours?
smsseattle
Amazing movie. I finally got most of all the details after my 3rd viewing. You ave to be smart and watch, listen to every detail or you won't get it. Very rare where you can get so much more from a movie after watching it several times. The acting, what can you say, no better. The casting 100%. Creating the different time periods, amazing. The make up & wardrobe was great. It is definitely a movie for average to very smart people. It demands your attention all the time because if you miss one little part of the movie and don't follow all the detail you will miss how to put it all together. In my mind one of the best Original masterpieces of all time. And I have watched 1.000 of movies. & am picky. 10+ For Me., It's a Keeper.
