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randall 
"I like to watch."
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 Posted - 07/07/2013 : 00:58:56
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OK, I went through a couple times as carefully as possible, and I don't think there's a previous thread, which is astonishing, because this is probably the single most provocative 2012 film I saw [meaning able to provoke discussion].
This movie is "co-"directed by the Wachowskis and Tom [RUN LOLA RUN] Tykwer. I say "co-" because they've adapted the challenging David Mitchell novel -- which I highly recommend -- in a uniquely cinematic way. There are six separate stories, ranging from a 19th century sea tale to a medieval-style postapocalyptic far future, with stops in the Thirties, the Seventies, the present day, and a sterile Orwellian sf future, just before the "Fall." Where the novel dug in deeper and deeper like an onion, the film uses that great bit of cinema grammar, cross-cutting. Once they've established each story's time frame with a title card, the filmmakers then cut among the stories so blithely that a character may be turning in 1973, and a new one completes the turn a hundred years later [or earlier]. Forget visual effects and production design, which are both spectacular: it's scandalous that awards were not heaped upon the superhuman film editing job done by Alexander Berner and his assistant Claus Wehlisch.
If this all sounds confusing, it's not, which is one of the major achievements of this flick. We have no trouble following the changes because of the utter difference among the stories, in which we're aided by two factors. One, the directing teams divided up the stories, three and three, so you actually have two different cinematic points of view as you cut between. Two, the same actors are continually redeployed in as many as six separate roles, sometimes under heavy makeup, sometimes shifted in gender. At first it's a little game, noticing all the different Tom Hankses, Hallie Berrys, Jim Broadbents, Keith Davids, and especially Hugo Weavings [he gets most of the showier parts]. Then you find yourself settling back into the stories, and by the time each actor takes his or her visual curtain call in the end credits [they didn't have to spend those hours in the makeup trailer for nothing], you'll find you've missed a few.
This inventive, majestic film is about the permanence of the human spirit, even the immortality of the soul [as you're encouraged to ponder by virtue of the same actors continuing to pop up; sometimes you're supposed to recognize them, sometimes not]. I'm not surprised that it didn't attract the mass audience of, say, THE MATRIX; it's almost impossible to summarize to your buddies the next day. But it defeated my skepticism within :15, and I can't wait to see it again. |
Edited by - randall on 07/10/2013 22:06:13 |
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BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 07/07/2013 : 09:04:42
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quote:
Originally posted by randall
and I can't wait to see it again.
Thanks, randall! Just as I suspected. I've been awaiting news of its UK arrival for months. Finally it's hitting this isle - who knows how long it will take to trek its way to Tunbridge Wells! But whenever, i'll be there!
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Sean 
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
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Posted - 07/07/2013 : 09:16:06
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I just saw this last week. Also surprised to not see a thread on it. I was going to start one but got sidetracked elsewhere on the web reading what others had to say about it. I will definitely be seeing it again within a couple of months (very unusual for me to want to see a movie again, movies I've seen very rarely queue-jump ahead of ones I haven't). I'd like to watch it having already settled into the roles without having to go through that character discovery.
To 'get it' on first viewing is a real editorial triumph, as you say, given the complexity. I've read that this movie rewards a second viewing rather than requires it. I'm looking forward to diving into this world... I mean these worlds... again.
8/10 (after viewing No. 1, this may change after No. 2)
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Cloud Atlas
