I have no idea what this movie was about

Rating: 4/10 (26 August 2013)

I'm pretty sure that I have no clue what Cloud Atlas was about, and oddly enough I feel very comfortable living the rest of my life accepting that. Perhaps there's some type of existential point to the film, but I didn't get it nor want to. My best guess is that it was about the limitations of death or how we all have multiples lives, but both of those points were already accomplished to perfection with Albert Brook's Defending your Life, and at least that had Rip Torn. I truly believe that the idea behind Cloud Atlas was to have a really cool title and only five actors playing fourteen different parts. And of course Tom Hanks, because God's knows he can't pick horrible movies, i.e. The Terminal, The Ladykillers, You've got Mail, The Bonfire of the Vanities, etc. Also his son that wasn't in Band of Brother's is a rapper, which is hilarious in itself. But in his defense, Hanks was Ray Peterson in The Burbs, so I have forgiven him for the insults above. However Cloud Atlas went too far.
I'm not even sure what the movie was about, I think a book or a song or something that travels through time, and to be honest that could be a spoiler but I honestly have no idea. Maybe there's something that really makes this film rewarding, but I don't get it and I am a huge fan of cerebral flicks like Pi and Memento, though I did think Being John Malkovich made as much sense as cooking Paula Deen's fried chicken and collard green recipe. That should anger like seven different groups off.
I'd love to understand the point of Cloud Atlas, though it clearly shows that LSD is still able to be purchased within our continental United States. Furthermore there were actually some really solid actors in it, which makes me question whether they were reading the script. Personally the whole thing stinks of the church of Scientology of which I have no idea if the Wachowski Brothers/Sisters are a member. Remember they directed a little movie called The Matrix that redefined cinema, and then completely destroyed the franchise with the sequels that followed.
I could understand if Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, Ben Wishaw and the beautiful Bae Donna saw a film directed by proved directors (there are three of them by the way, including the excellent Run Lola Run's Tom Tykwer) with an actor of Hank's caliber on board, but the exact same thing happened to Jeanne Tripplehorn in Water World because she believed in Kevin Costner's 1990's ego, and she never made a movie again (ed. note- citation needed). If Hanks has succumbed to the nonsense of L. Ron Hubbard, then he should call Travolta and see how well people respect his accent in Killing Season.
If you understand anything about Cloud Atlas, please post a comment, and I'm down to re-watch it. But it was confusing and seemed like beginning of some new science fiction religion that will just ruin Barry Pepper's career again. And I will never forgive you for that Hubbard, go audit your clay tables and leave Forrest Whitaker alone!!