Quite possibly the most unique movie going experience of the last 20 years!!!

Rating: 10/10 (31 October 2012)

Having never read the book that this film is an adaptation of, I entered "Cloud Atlas" with no preconceptions of what it should be. I'd read critical reviews that hailed it as great, and others that called it boring.
After having seen it, I was stunned: what an absolute gem of a motion picture!!! "Cloud Atlas" tells six different stories in a completely non-linear way, so if you go to see this, be prepared: you need to pay attention, otherwise you will not enjoy this film. The stories are entwined together, with connecting individuals, histories and even objects that reappear again and again. I'll attempt to summarize all the stories here, but will not be able to list every connection...for that, you have to see the film.
Adam Ewing (Jim Sturgess) is a young lawyer from San Francisco who is abroad, negotiating contracts for his Father in law (Hugo Weaving), when he witnesses a slave (David Gyasi) being whipped, and falls ill from a "polynesian worm" infection. On the trip back to the USA, he is becoming sicker and sicker, despite receiving treatment from Dr. Henry Goose (Tom Hanks), a physician allegedly familiar with this particular type of malady.
Ewing's journals, are later published and partially read by Robert Frobisher (Ben Whislaw), a gifted young musician and grifter who was apparently disowned by his family because he is a homosexual. Hoping to achieve fame and fortune, Robert offers his gifts to renowned composer Vyvyan Arys (Jim Broadbent), while writing faithfully of his hopes and dreams to his dear love, Rufus Sixsmith (James D'Arcy). When Vyvyan asserts his claims to Robert's work by leveraging the mistakes Robert has made in his life, Robert becomes as desperate as Adam had been, and tragically ends his life after finishing his "Cloud Atlas sextet."
Some 40 years later, an elderly Rufus Sixsmith finds himself trapped in an elevator with Luisa Rey (Halle Berry), a reporter who longs to follow in the footsteps of her Father. Sixsmith attempts to provide Luisa with a report that is suggesting that industry insiders are planning a nuclear disaster, but before he can hand over the report to her, he is assassinated. Luisa realizes that this is the biggest story of her life, but one that could very well get her killed.
Some 35 years later, editor Timothy Cavendish (Jim Broadbent) has barely had an opportunity to read a manuscript about the adventures of Luisa Rey when he is assailed by the brothers of Dermot Hoggins (Tom Hanks), a writer he represented whose book is now much more successful because he threw a critic off the roof at a party. Turning to his brother Denny (Hugh Grant) for help, he finds himself locked away in a nursing home at the mercy of the vindictive Nurse Noakes (Hugo Weaving), plotting his escape.
Over 100 years later, the story of Timothy Cavendish's escape from the nursing home is, for a time, the sole image of the world that fabricant Sonmi-451 (Doona Bae) carries with her. Having watched a fellow fabricant die a horrible death after attempting to escape, she finds herself freed by "pure blood" Hae-Joo Chang (Jim Sturgess), who shows her what awaits the fabricants after they fulfil their contracts and are supposed to be free. Hae-Joo believes that Sonmi will change the world for the better.
And finally, in a future time, after the fall of civilization, a group of valley people try to live their lives according to the lessons handed down by their God, Sonmi-451. Zachry (Tom Hanks) is haunted by the demon Old Georgie (Hugo Weaving), watching his brother in law and nephew murdered by the violent Kona people. When his niece nearly dies, he enlists the help of other world woman Meronym (Halle Berry) to save her, and agrees to take her to the devil's mountain so that she can fulfil her mission.
There is a lot more to this movie than what I've revealed, and although some critics claimed the film's components were pretty thin...I never felt that way at all.
Yes, some elements needed more elaboration...particularly how Sonmi-451 went from vacant fabricant to a more evolved being...but I just can't hold that against this film.
You're not going to see another film like this in a very long time, so my suggestion would be to get out there and see this one while you can. It's easily the best film I've seen this year, and one of the best I've seen in a very long time!