A true Epic, a true Masterpiece, a true work-of-Art

Rating: Null/10 (23 March 2014)

Written about, praised, reviled, even censored but never ignored, I finally got the chance to watch Cloud Atlas (http://www.IMDb.com/title/tt1371111/combined) on a small big screen tonight (Sadly, but as is typical in at least 1 of the 3 IMAX screens present, this did not have it's IMAX release in my town - Those who can watch it on IMAX uncut, I sure consider you more fortunate).
The audience with me responded very much like how they did to the profundity inherent (but never as obvious) in 'Cogan's trade'/'Killing them softly' by walking out, texting/talking throughout, feeling entitled to do that just 'cause they paid the price of admission (but that's a wasted rant for another day).
In spite of such nincompoops, this/ese tale(s) of inter-connected plots found philosophical coherence with me, based on the atypical use of narratives in certain sequences (voice-overs/perceptive views, juxtaposed against multiple tales, though they form the exposition for one). Most of the time, it works, esp. when the (amazing) soundtrack makes it's presence felt, or when the visuals are so sumptuous that they almost detract from the plot(s).
Hanks (though miscast in certain roles), Berry, Grant get a fresh lease of life playing a role each in all the tales, and they dig deep to find their characters, since the average runtime for each, never mind the inter-cutting among them, is about half hour. Hugo Weaving is given nothing new, but is serviceable, as are Broadbent and Sarandon. Whishaw and Doona Bae stand out, and Sturgess complements that age group as well.
As far as cinematic references go, I sure was reminded (in nice ways) of Blade runner (http://www.IMDb.com/title/tt0083658/combined), Zodiac (http://www.IMDb.com/title/tt0443706/combined) and the Red riding trilogy (more the latter actually - http://www.imdb.com/find? q=red+riding%3A+in+the+year+of+our+lord&s=all), One flew over the cuckoo's nest (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073486/combined), Amistad (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118607/combined), Waterworld (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114898/combined), The postman (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119925/combined) and The 5th element (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119116/combined). Those memories did take me out of the movie while they lasted, but I guess that cannot be helped.
Tom Tykwer (Lola Rennt/Run Lola Run, The international, Perfume..) co-directed with the Wachowskis (Matrices , Bound, Speed Racer..) and have not had good press for a long time, but I somehow think that they have probably outdone everything they did in the past with this one. Bringing it together and shepherding such an endeavor to fruition seemed to me a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and finding independent financing, along with good casting, vfx and production design could not have been easy.
Love it/hate it - do watch it (on the big screen)...and oh, ignore the birthmarks.