Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Some thoughts on Cloud Atlas (2012) New Yorker Festival 2012


The Wachowski's and Tom Twyker teamed up to film David Mitchell's puzzle box of a book and the process turned in a flawed masterpiece of a film.

Following six related stories, though how they are related is not easily explained, the film travels from 1849 to the far flung future. It has a cast of big stars all playing multiple roles, frequently in heavy heavy make up to the point of being unrecognizeable. The film has a lot to say about love and how we are all interconnected past present and future. It period, modern and a science fictional set future where the visuals never overwhelm the characters.

I have no idea what to say about the film except that it's rare that Hollywood or anyone else would finance such and ambitious and adult film. This is a film you have to work with, and stay with since many plot points don't come together and pay off until late in the game. I mean it wasn't until a late in the game statement about belief that the film didn't fully win me over.

You have to admire that anyone would try to tell what amounts to six stories at once and manage never to lose any of them.

You don't need to know about the film's themes and arguments about how we are all inter-connected and how what we do really does matter and most touvchingly how love is worth the risk. Other people more clever than I will do those justice.

For me what you need to know is that it's a very good film, possibly even a truly great one. It's something you will want to see on a big screen where you can fall into it.

It's not a perfect film, things are a little too neat in how they are tied together, some of the make up is bad and one some level it can be preachy, but some how by god it all works, occasionally to the point where I had tears running down my cheeks.

This is a film that will touch you in unexpected ways.

See it when it comes out on October 26th on a big screen. Trust me it belongs there.

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