Author Topic: "Cloud Atlas"... Some advice if you plan on seeing it  (Read 3424 times)

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"Cloud Atlas"... Some advice if you plan on seeing it
« on: October 29, 2012, 06:52:26 PM »

Offline LarBrd33

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So I thought "Cloud Atlas" was AWESOME, but I think I know why some viewers are going to hate it and why it's getting such mixed reviews. If you plan on watching it... I suggest reading my mild spoiler:

The "Cloud Atlas" novel is a linear. So you have one story happen in the 1800s... his story is read by someone in the 1930s through a journal. Then that person's story is read by someone in the 1970s through letters... then that person's story is read by someone in the early 2000s through a manuscript... then that person's story is watched by someone in future through a movie... then that person's story is watched by someone in the post-apocalyptic future via a holographic message. Those MAIN characters are supposed to be reincarnations of one another (this is made blatantly obvious through the use of a birthmark).

There are two reasons people are going to get confused/frustrated by it:
#1 - They chose a non-linear method of bouncing around between the stories. Might make it challenging to follow.  It's also long.  It's not for everyone (kinda like "Tree of LIfe" and "The Master").
#2 - Each actor/actress plays up to 6 different characters... and viewers are going to automatically assume that each character an actor plays represents a "reincarnation" of one another. They then will frustrate the **** out of themselves trying to find the connections that don't exist.

So my advice to anyone who wants to watch this... Ignore who is playing who. It's going to throw you off if you assume every character Tom Hanks plays is a reincarnation of the other Tom Hanks character. Trust me on this.

Re: "Cloud Atlas"... Some advice if you plan on seeing it
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2012, 07:02:22 PM »

Offline Valentines_at_Popeyes

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So I thought "Cloud Atlas" was AWESOME, but I think I know why some viewers are going to hate it and why it's getting such mixed reviews. If you plan on watching it... I suggest reading my mild spoiler:

The "Cloud Atlas" novel is a linear. So you have one story happen in the 1800s... his story is read by someone in the 1930s through a journal. Then that person's story is read by someone in the 1970s through letters... then that person's story is read by someone in the early 2000s through a manuscript... then that person's story is watched by someone in future through a movie... then that person's story is watched by someone in the post-apocalyptic future via a holographic message. Those MAIN characters are supposed to be reincarnations of one another (this is made blatantly obvious through the use of a birthmark).

There are two reasons people are going to get confused/frustrated by it:
#1 - They chose a non-linear method of bouncing around between the stories. Might make it challenging to follow.  It's also long.  It's not for everyone (kinda like "Tree of LIfe" and "The Master").
#2 - Each actor/actress plays up to 6 different characters... and viewers are going to automatically assume that each character an actor plays represents a "reincarnation" of one another. They then will frustrate the **** out of themselves trying to find the connections that don't exist.

So my advice to anyone who wants to watch this... Ignore who is playing who. It's going to throw you off if you assume every character Tom Hanks plays is a reincarnation of the other Tom Hanks character. Trust me on this.

Have you read the book?  It's been on my list for a while but I keep placing it aside cause I have trouble with that style of narration.  Film looks interesting, must have been challenging to adapt for the screen. 

Re: "Cloud Atlas"... Some advice if you plan on seeing it
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2012, 07:03:23 PM »

Online Roy H.

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Wait...  They chose to have a bunch of reincarnated characters, and they repeat a bunch of the same actors / actresses...  but those repeating actors don't match up with the reincarnated characters?

Yeah, that sounds needlessly confusing.  Why have Tom Hanks play multiple characters, if the characters aren't linked?


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Re: "Cloud Atlas"... Some advice if you plan on seeing it
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2012, 07:10:16 PM »

Offline nickagneta

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I saw an interview of Halle Berry who played a bunch of different characters including an Indian lady, an African American lady, a white Jewish lady and an old Asian man. Yes man. Her white Jewish character looked like Madonna and her old Asian man character, you would never recognize as Halle Berry.

But she said every character was the same reincarnated soul.

Re: "Cloud Atlas"... Some advice if you plan on seeing it
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2012, 07:11:38 PM »

Offline LarBrd33

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Wait...  They chose to have a bunch of reincarnated characters, and they repeat a bunch of the same actors / actresses...  but those repeating actors don't match up with the reincarnated characters?

Yeah, that sounds needlessly confusing.  Why have Tom Hanks play multiple characters, if the characters aren't linked?

That's what I'm saying.  And that's why I think people are going to be confused.  You may be able to find connections between the characters, but I don't believe it's relevant.  For example... Hugo Weaving plays multiple characters with the same kind of motive.

But yes... if you assume every character Tom Hanks plays is a reincarnation of another Tom hanks character, you're going to confuse the crap out of yourself.  The "main" characters (an American notary in the 1800s, a young musician in the 1930s, a journalist in the 1970s, etc) are intended to be "reincarnations" of one another and they are all played by different actors.  1800s Notary = Jim Sturgess.  1930s Musician = Ben Whishaw ... 1970s Journalist = Halle Berry.   

What's confusing is that in each of the stories, you'll see Halle Berry.  She's a slave woman in one.  She's a white jewish woman in another, etc...   But it's not relevant.

Re: "Cloud Atlas"... Some advice if you plan on seeing it
« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2012, 07:14:37 PM »

Online Roy H.

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Wait...  They chose to have a bunch of reincarnated characters, and they repeat a bunch of the same actors / actresses...  but those repeating actors don't match up with the reincarnated characters?

Yeah, that sounds needlessly confusing.  Why have Tom Hanks play multiple characters, if the characters aren't linked?

That's what I'm saying.  And that's why I think people are going to be confused.  You may be able to find connections between the characters, but I don't believe it's relevant.  For example... Hugo Weaving plays multiple characters with the same kind of motive.

But yes... if you assume every character Tom Hanks plays is a reincarnation of another Tom hanks character, you're going to confuse the crap out of yourself.  The "main" characters (an American notary in the 1800s, a young musician in the 1930s, a journalist in the 1970s, etc) are intended to be "reincarnations" of one another and they are all played by different actors.  1800s Notary = Jim Sturgess.  1930s Musician = Ben Whishaw ... 1970s Journalist = Halle Berry.   

What's confusing is that in each of the stories, you'll see Halle Berry.  She's a slave woman in one.  She's a white jewish woman in another, etc...   But it's not relevant.

Just reading this makes me want to pound my head into a wall.

But, it's already in my Netflix queue for when it hits video.  (The idea of seeing movies in the theater with a baby is unfortunately laughable.)


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Re: "Cloud Atlas"... Some advice if you plan on seeing it
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2012, 07:17:53 PM »

Offline LarBrd33

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I saw an interview of Halle Berry who played a bunch of different characters including an Indian lady, an African American lady, a white Jewish lady and an old Asian man. Yes man. Her white Jewish character looked like Madonna and her old Asian man character, you would never recognize as Halle Berry.

But she said every character was the same reincarnated soul.
And that just adds to the confusion.  As far as I know, in the novel only the main protagonists are intended to be reincarnations of one another.. and the main protagonists are all played by different actors/actresses.  Still.. you might be able to see connections... YOu'll say "well Halle went from a slave to a the savior of humanity" ... and maybe the film's directors intended that...but I'd suggest ignoring it and just trying to follow the stories independent of the actors.

Perhaps that quote from Halle is referring to every "Main" character being the reincarnated soul of another.  For instance... her 1970s character is clearly intended to be the reincarnation of the 1800s notary played by Jim Sturgess.  Again, this is made blatantly clear through the use of a birthmark.  I'm not sure how she could be the reincarnation of that Jim Sturgess character and also be the reincarnation of the slave she makes a cameo as in that storyline. 
« Last Edit: October 29, 2012, 07:23:33 PM by LarBrd33 »

Re: "Cloud Atlas"... Some advice if you plan on seeing it
« Reply #7 on: October 29, 2012, 07:48:56 PM »

Online Donoghus

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Thanks for the head up. 

Its one of those film I definitely hope to catch in theaters.


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Re: "Cloud Atlas"... Some advice if you plan on seeing it
« Reply #8 on: October 29, 2012, 08:48:16 PM »

Offline Evantime34

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Has anyone read the book? The book sounds like it will be much better, but I want to see the movie very badly despite the lukewarm reviews.
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