Cloud Atlas

Reincarnation is a concept that I will never quite understand. I may be missing something, but if you die and are reborn into someone or something else, but have no recollection of who or what you were, and having to completely rebuild your mind and create new memories, then how is that possibly considered being the same being? To be the same being would mean there would have to be some connection with memory, personality or genetics. Right? I'm no Buddha, though, I've been told our bellies share some similarities.

Cloud Atlas is a film by the Wachowski Siblings (Once Brothers) of The Matrix fame, and the director of Run, Lola, Run, Tom Tykwer. Now, if I tried to explain the plot, I would end up sounding like even more of an idiot than I already am, and confuse you to the extent that you would be immediately admitted into a Psych Ward. And since I'm sure Evan Woss will be the only person to read this (If I'm wrong let me know who you are so I feel further encouraged to write these), I think you've been to the hospital enough this year. So here is the synopsis as written on imdb.com.

An exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution.

Wow, that is so much better than anything I could have written.

The film follows several stories set in several different time periods and each one is connected to the next. One of the great things about this film is the use of the principal actors in more than one character. Tom Hanks plays 6 different characters, as does Halle Berry. And Hugh Grant as a futuristic Cannibal was awesomely terrifying! They all play characters of different races,  and some even genders. And although the film takes place in several different times with several different settings, the transitions are flawless. Technologically and visually, this film was fantastic. The settings and special effects were sound. But story wise, I can't help but feel there could have been more.

I must admit, I was a little disappointed with the movie, but that is my own fault. I expected hyped myself up far too much. I'm also still trying to fully comprehend everything. This film is definitely one you will be thinking about for a long while after you see it. Who knows. Maybe a month from now, it will dawn on me. Maybe I just need to see it a few more times to understand everything and make the connections.

We'll see.

My Grade: B

On a slightly related note: James D'Arcy is going to be a great Anthony Perkins! Look it up!