Cloud Atlas - An Intense Fulfilling Adventure

After an intense day of writing, I slammed my laptop and ran to the Cinerama Dome to watch a film on the top of my list, Cloud Atlas. Catching the tail end of the Gangster Squad trailer, I closed my eyes, gave thanks and awaited my 2001: A Space Odyssey moment.

Well, what else could I compare it to?

The trailers and promos looked amazing:  snippets of Sci-Fi drama, romance, passion, inner-space, death. And who wouldn't want to see a movie behind the filmmakers of Run Lola Run and The Matrix?

The film did not disappoint but exceeded my expectations (Yes, I had many cynical expectations!).

As I sat in The Dome I experienced a profound baptism of stories that traveled through the ages: past, present, future. Stories that hit on many themes with a subtle touch of melancholy. I was so immersed in each story, that it was hard to transition from one story to the next (but that was the intent). The film was crafted in a way that you only received bits of story lines at a time. One segment dealt with a report's search for the truth in 1973, while another story told the tale of a small tribe's struggle to survive. As I struggled to find a breath of air, I was held down to witness one relentless scene after another. Every scene crafted eloquently allowing for character's to develop their journey. We explored the stories as each character explored their journey. These moment had archs rarely seen in popular films today. I'm a sucker for plot driven films, but I am more intrigued by how much we are aloud to get involved with a character's life. Even the plots have conclusions in such a complex film as Cloud Atlas. My hats off to the filmmakers for putting such a well crafted story together with rich character development. Having the Wachowski's and Tom Tykwer collaborating in this intense film, was a match made in heaven. Love endures throughout the ages indeed.

http://cloudatlas.warnerbros.com/