Cloud Atlas

Cloud Atlas
This is a monster of a movie – long, convoluted, and beautiful. It’s almost three hours long, and takes place in six different time settings with mostly the same actors in different but theoretically related roles.
I’m good at following complicated narratives, and I’m a sci-fi fan who is accustomed to multi-part story lines of this sort. I was in a good mood and paying attention. The theater was quiet, and most of the dialogue was understandable (not all of it, sadly). So when I say that this movie didn’t make a lot of sense, I think I’m on pretty solid ground.
My best guess at the plot is maybe they were trying to say something about the inherent fallacies involved in the subjugation of one group of people by another on the basis of some presumed innate superiority. Not all the timelines include this theme, however. There was also a lot of talk about love and destiny. Maybe the movie would have made more sense if I was a fruity new age believer in past lives – but I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t. I strongly suspect that the only way this movie would actually be understandable was if I’d read the book. Which I haven’t.
That said, I still enjoyed this movie. It was engaging, entertaining, gorgeous, and at times brutal and heartwrenching. So much so that I’m not overly disappointed that it never really came together into a cohesive plot.
I should note that this movie stars two of my least favorite actors, but I’m reasonably sure that my bias in that regard did not much affect my enjoyment or understanding of the film.
If nothing else, this movie absolutely will be nominated for best makeup. Some really, really great work (and also some not-great work, but only in a couple places).

1. The Avengers
2. The Amazing Spiderman
3. Brave
4. The Cabin in the Woods
5. Looper

6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
7. The Secret World of Arrietty

8. Argo

9. Cloud Atlas
10. The Dark Knight Rises
11. Men in Black 3
12. Prometheus
13. Hunger Games
14. The Lorax
15. Snow White and the Huntsman
16. Total Recall
17. Bourne Legacy
18. Mirror, Mirror
19. John Carter