Good morning and a happy Monday to you. I am trying to think when
the last time I wrote one of these on a Monday. The last reviews have
been mid week after last week after Tuesday ($7.50) when I saw Argo.
Anyway, this weekend (last night) I went out to see Cloud Atlas which
I had purposefully NOT read the previews to set any expectations. I
had seen the Roger Ebert really liked it and talked about seeing it a
second time. So I felt that it would merit the viewing.
Interestingly this was at the AMC chain and NOT Cineplex and I saw it
at Interchange. That theatre which was enormous and help 30 screens
is downsizing by HALF!! Not sure what they are going to do about it.
But they had closed off the northern half to access it. We will see
what comes in there.
This movie has an impressive cast with Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim
Broadbent, Hugh Grant (when did you see him last?) and Hugo Weaving.
Others too. They have heavy make up in some cases and play various
characters in a myriad of different stories from different times.
They interact (in some cases) and stand alone in others. This a
movie on a higher plain. It is dealing with the human condition and
asking questions as to why we keep doing the same things to each
other. In different times and places, but the same behaviours. It
also talks about the nature of existence and how we all inter relate
with different people. We are not alone and not islands. Some
souls, some people, just manage to find one another. And have impact
on our lives. There are other messages as well, like not everyone is
all good or all bad. And that in life there are the strong and the
weak, and the weak are meat and the strong always eat. Strong and
“rich and powerful” are meant to have similar meanings here.
It is a long movie (2:38) and near the end I was feeling it. It kept
my attention. Can I recommend it? Not completely. But it was good
and I am glad that I saw it. Grumblings as I left the theatre were
mixed. There was this english-speak for the early section where you
had to pay attention to it to get the meaning. There were hints at
other movies like Blade Runner, the Matrix (the Wachowski brothers
were directing part of these stories) and there was a mishmash of
other stories here that you have seen before. I do like Hugo
Weaving. He is a presence and a great bad guy. Some make up changes
the skin colour and the eye shape and even sex of the principal
actors. There is some humour but it is mostly pretty deep and
dramatic.
Not since Prometheus has a film garnered this much discussion, but
Cloud Atlas is doing much the same:
http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2012/10/a_riddle_wrapped_in_a_mystery_.html
I am actually impressed by the Ebert review here because he does not
try to explain the film, he talks about experiencing it. My goal in
NOT reading reviews before going was to see this with my own fresh
eyes and no formal opinion about the content. I am glad that I did.
There are, indeed, moments and stories that did not work as well as
others. But there is a thread of truth (or my perception of truth)
that makes this an engaging and interesting film. I am not convinced
yet that I need to see it a second time. Perhaps a viewing on the
same screen may suffice as the special effects such as they are do not
make the film.
Mondays With Robbie 