Classic Movie Experieince

Rating: 10/10 (23 August 2013)

I have not read the book, but the film is utterly amazing. This is one of the few truly epic movie experiences.
Cloud Atlas is bloody and visceral to the point of excess. There are a few graphic sexual scenes. I count this as a point against the film, because it was not needed and seems like pandering to the masses.
Still, the theme and philosophy are incredible and motivating. I cried for about five minutes straight at one point. I've never seen a movie capture my emotions like Cloud Atlas did.
The Kabuki style of gender and race roles can be weird at times, but I think the directors executed it well and plays into Cloud Atlas' theme.
The separate plots don't come together all that well in showing what effect each timeline had on another, which is odd considering what a great job the script writers did at illustrating that this 'Cloud Atlas effect' is a real force in our lives.
All-in-all, this movie was a tremendous philosophical success. This is the type of thing that changes lives and it needed to be made. There are few movies which operate on this scale. Its mildly disturbing, but it teaches just as much as it disturbs. I feel like I should read the book, as perhaps the movie was good only because the book was excellent.