To and fro, back and forth...

Rating: 8/10 (26 October 2012)

"Cloud Atlas" is an epic film that left me breathless, speechless, and wanting more. The films' virtuoso craftmanship beckons, nay, returns to an era long gone where the writers and the directors, not the studios, were given complete creative control over how their movies should look, feel and be. The fact that this film is nearly 3 hours in length shows the film's brilliant refusal to compromise itself for the sake of marketability.
As the films' six main story lines strongly weave together like a cane basket, we progress from a number of different genres, from period adventure, to forbidden period romance, to conspiracy thriller, to slapstick black comedy, to futuristic/post-apocalyptic science fiction. Many characters weave to and fro, some will meet again in the next timeline in the most unexpected of waves. So is life. How ponderous.
Such extraordinary and introspective screen writing is handled perfectly along with top-notch filmmaking skills by Lana and Andy Wachowski, and Tom Tykwer. Yes, three filmmakers. Lana and Andy, responsible for "The Matrix" trilogy, and Tykwer, famous for "Run Lola Run" and "Perfume" have triumphed with supremely ambitious, visionary and focused filmmaking. "Cloud Atlas", the trio's labour of love, is as good as any film they have made, perhaps far more better. This film is Terrence Malick mixed with Ridley Scott. Probably.
This is the work of great artists who have collaborated artistically and professionally to create this one-of-a-kind movie. Supreme visual effects and good cinematography interweave with great variable performances from the impressive ensemble (Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Doona Bae, Jim Sturgess, Ben Whishaw, Jim Broadbent, Keith David, Susan Sarandon, Hugh Grant), flawless production design, interesting make-up effects and terrific music by Tykwer, Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek (Pale 3, a favourite of mine). A lot of hard work and effort went into this film and it pays off, with Tykwer and the Wachowskis transforming David Mitchell's novel into a daring, complex, intelligent and intriguing Grade-A work of cinematic modern art.
Good movies are ones that leave you satisfied and memorable. Great movies will leave you wondering long after the movie is over. Excellent movies are the ones which leaves you speechless and makes you want to discuss its philosophies with almost everyone you see on the street. Are we all connected by the fabric of time? Do we remember each other in previous lives? Are we all indirectly connected to each other, this life of the next? And so on.
I truly cannot say more for this extraordinary film. This film is a work of genius(es), and I cannot wait to see it again. 3 hours have never gone by so fast. May this film be rewarded richly in the coming years.
Overall: 95%