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Q: Cloud Atlas, the Film.... Your Thoughts
I know the film didn't get the recognition [that some seem to think it should have]. I would like to hear from the folks that have the Intellect and education to dissect the movie. Ive seen the trailer, and was "blown away" by it. I havent seen it yet, but I so look forward to it.
8 years 19 weeks ago in Arts & Entertainment - China
Don't watch movies by the Wachowskis. It just encourages them to make more.
Cloud Atlas is incoherent garbage (see also: the Matrix sequels and Jupiter Ascending).
I read the book about 10 years ago. Its structure is pretty interesting (stories end literally mid-sentence and the book moves on to a different time period and characters), but that doesn't translate well into film. Movies need narrative cohesion. It's impossible to feel involved with anything that happens in the movie because it jumps around too much. You can't develop an emotional investment in any of the characters.
The Sci-Fi part with the Chinese girl is pretty exciting (maybe that was in the trailer) but the rest (especially the post-apocalyptic part) is vomit.
silverbutton1:
My sister said something similar, that it was too hard to follow. The trailer for the movie is pretty good, and does spark interest. oh well.
Don't watch movies by the Wachowskis. It just encourages them to make more.
Cloud Atlas is incoherent garbage (see also: the Matrix sequels and Jupiter Ascending).
I read the book about 10 years ago. Its structure is pretty interesting (stories end literally mid-sentence and the book moves on to a different time period and characters), but that doesn't translate well into film. Movies need narrative cohesion. It's impossible to feel involved with anything that happens in the movie because it jumps around too much. You can't develop an emotional investment in any of the characters.
The Sci-Fi part with the Chinese girl is pretty exciting (maybe that was in the trailer) but the rest (especially the post-apocalyptic part) is vomit.
silverbutton1:
My sister said something similar, that it was too hard to follow. The trailer for the movie is pretty good, and does spark interest. oh well.
Yeah, read the David Mitchell book and struggled to finish it. Only my OCD about needing to finish any book I start reading saved it.
I thought it was a bit of a try-hard wank, but what would I know? An ambitious story for a writer but nevertheless a try-hard wank.
As to the movie, I didn't even bother. For starters, Tom Hanks, Halley Berry and Hugh Grant as the lead actors. It has to be a piss-take.
silverbutton1:
ah, ok. thanks for your opinion about it. so much for the awesome trailer about it. the music in the tailer was deep, as was the narrative. What a disappointment, but ill watch it anyway just for the sake of it...
[many thought the 80's Dune was trash, but as a teen, i really liked it, so there may be hope yet]
iWolf:
I liked all the Dune books very much and the movie was OKish. That's the trouble with reading a lot....great books are often made into pedestrian movies that fall short of your own imagination.
I may watch Cloud Atlas now that you have stirred a little interest in it. Perhaps it won't be as disappointing as it could be. Surely the stories will need to be made suitable for a theatre audience. After some of the rubbish I have watched recently, my opinion may change. I'll let you know.
I saw it and really liked it. Its one of the select few films I keep on my server for repeated viewing. But I highly recommend viewing it in a proper environment with a discreet center channel and quiet room or else with headphones. The dialogue can be tricky to follow at times.
"Nice work on the graphics, I'm sure it was supposed to mean something but too long, too arrogant and boring for a second watch".
Watchowski's whole filmo minus one movie.
This thread has moved me to watch this film again. Did you enjoy "The Hours"? This movie has a striking resemblence to it in the way it uses time and connections between people to advance the plot. The Hours is one of my favorite movies so its not surprising that I enjoy this one.
silverbutton1:
I havent seen nor heard of "The Hours", but ill look into it since you have piqued my interest. Come to think of it, if you like movies about time and such, might I suggest "Memento" if you havent seen it yet. but i warn you, the timeline on how it is set up is brilliant, but confusing (so you will probably have to watch it more than once). Actors/Actresses in it include the fella who played the villain in "Count of Monte Cristo", and "trinity" from the matrix.
xinyuren:
Yes, I have seen and enjoyed Memento (it's also on my server) but it is in an entirely different discussion from The Hours. Don't go into Time Atlas thinking Memento. You will be disappointed. Memento is a thriller. Films like Time Atlas and the Hours try to connect with viewers on a spiritual /philosophical level. They are not everyone's cup of tea, but I can definitely appreciate what the stories are saying. They both touched me in much deeper ways than Memento.
icnif77:
Memento is a thriller? I couldn't take anymore an hour into the movie. It's keep going how he's loosing his memory, and making notes on his skin, and again....How can you make good movie, if main role is loosing his memory evening to the next morning?
They should include some medical breakthrough (the most potent weed
), what get's his head back after few puffs....
I'm thinking, weed will soon 'become so healthy' the poems and movies will go off....
I watched about an hour and a half of it two or three years ago and had to stop so I could ponder what it was that I had been watching. Reading this has had an effect.
icnif77:
I got it last night too, but I fall asleep. Berry is also oldish looking, I miss that 1999 look of her.
I think I saw it on a long flight back home or something.
I had seen a trailer, but didn't really know what it was about. And so, I was totally confused til about 2/3 of the way through (I figured there was something going on that would explain everything... and it did).
I would watch it again.
But, perhaps like Xin above, I do like intellectual philosophical films (sometimes).
Tom Hanks was annoying! But, he did some very good roles in it!
If you're basically aware of the plot, it should be pretty easy to follow - conspiracy theories across millenia (and space??)
I enjoyed the movie, but I really hope that Asian people never look like Korean Hugo Weaving. The creepy-ass Soonmi Worship reminds me of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Mao Zedung thought.
