Cloud Atlas - Review Thread - Page 3

Dracula · 11-04-2012, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deexan

Haha...wait, what? Noel Fielding is in the movie as another character or as the actual Hitcher?

Hugo Weaving plays a character with similar-ish makeup.

Deexan · 11-04-2012, 03:48 PM

Oh, I see.

SnoBorderZero · 11-05-2012, 12:50 AM

Saw this on Thursday and hadn't had time to post a review. Where to start? Well I can pretty much just come out and say the Wachowskis once again disappoint and now have me strongly questioning if they'll ever make another surefire film like "Bound" or "The Matrix" ever again. The film is divided into six stories, and the plot constantly shifts from one to another at times so frequently and without flow you wonder why the directors continue to break their tension. Of the stories I'd say only two are interesting (Neo Seoul and Zachary's story in the far future) while the others not only have very little of intrigue unfolding in them, they don't blend together well at all. The entire stories of the sick lawyer on the ship and the old publisher and his out of place senior escapades are so laughably stupid at times you wonder why there's any time being spent with them at all. Without going into much detail, the worst part of this movie's mess of a plot is that not a single story ends with anything more than a THUD, and with each of the six stories in this overly long and dull film ending on such uninspired "yep, that's it" conclusions you wonder what the hell the directors were plodding us through this whole time for. There are moments of brilliance in the film, especially in some of Zachary's and the Neo Seoul stories, but they are often cut at the peak of their tensions to shift to the laughable story of the gay composer or the useless accounts of the sick lawyer. The worst part of this movie is that it attempts to come off as a film with incredible ideas and astounding revelations, and yet really it's only message is the obvious "life is a circle" theme which to the Wachowskis meant let's just keep recasting the same actors in each story and see if the audience can figure them all out. Why is Halle Berry a slave watching the whipping? Why is Tom Hanks an evil doctor when the rest of his characters are good guys? Why did a plane just blow up and there's no investigation into it? Why do I care about the old publisher? There's so many things wrong with the film it really shows that the Wachowskis can't weave together all the "complexities" into its near 3-hour running time like more capable filmmakers perhaps could have. The themes here as obvious and shallow, and though the film has moments of fun and intrigue its so bogged down by its own ambition and decision to focus on uninteresting and irrelevant plot elements instead of exploring its own strengths in plot. The action in the film isn't even very good, I was at least hoping for some kind of a memorable sequence and it never came. You watch "Bound" or "The Matrix" and you truly wonder how these are the same directors. You watch "The Matrix Revolutions" and "Speed Racer" and it all makes sense. Not only is the film disappointing, it doesn't reward its audience for suffering through the stupidest elements of its messy plot. I am probably being generous with my rating because this film is the true epitome of a beautifully shot but thematic disaster of a movie, but I was at least invested in the film trying to figure out if it gets any better. The conclusion the film draws is one you figure out 30 minutes into the movie, and as you sift through one useless reoccurring character and their outlandish plots after another you start to hope that the filmmakers have more vision and scope for the six plots and their ties than what's being offered. Unfortunately that never comes.

6/10

Daniel · 11-05-2012, 11:40 AM

Haha, no, there is just a demon-like character in the post-apocalyptic future that looks just like the Hitcher.

Daniel · 11-06-2012, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoBorderZero

6/10

Your review read like a 2/10 or a 3/10, yet you gave it an "above average" rating of 6/10?

Daniel · 11-06-2012, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bellad

This is the type of daring film that demands multiple viewings to completely grasp the filmmakers' grand scope

maybe if you're dumb

SnoBorderZero · 11-07-2012, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel

Your review read like a 2/10 or a 3/10, yet you gave it an "above average" rating of 6/10?

Haha Daniel don't you know ol' Sno has gone soft, I understand where you're coming from though. I did basically just point out the negatives, and there are absolutely far, far more negatives with this film than there are positives. That being said there is a lot to write on this film on both sides and I did enjoy some elements. The cinematography was quite striking, and there are certainly some sequences that I was drawn into. Like I said in the review, I realize I'm being generous because I really want to give the film a 5, but then I realize looking back I give both "The Matrix Revolutions" and "Speed Racer" 5's, and as stupid and mind numbingly inconsistent as this movie is I can't say it's as bad as those two. Daniel you're probably right, this movie is a 5, and I can absolutely say I never want to watch this movie again. There isn't anything that went over my head, in fact I was hoping elements would. I truly went into this movie expecting deeper philosophical issues and the need to pay close attention to each detail, and by the end I realized wow the Wachowskis are pretty much blatantly drawing on "life is a circle" and really only show it through laughably recasting characters in ridiculous makeup instead of exploring these themes on levels beneath the obvious surface. There are a lot of problems with the film, and looking back I didn't enjoy a whole lot but in the end I guess it's still not as bad as other films I've seen. To each their own though, I am a huge fan of the original "Matrix" and would love to see the Wachowskis in top form again it's just that everything since that movie makes me believe that will never happen again. I also don't know who will be dumb enough to give them another massive budget after these successive flops.

SnoBorderZero · 11-07-2012, 04:09 AM

And also do you agree with my points Daniel?

Daniel · 11-07-2012, 08:40 PM

I completely agree with all of your points. I just wanted to see someone else hanging out on the low end of the totem pole/poll with me

Neverending · 12-05-2012, 03:09 AM

The critic for Time Magazine may get fired for this:

Worst films of 2012

10. One For The Money
9. The Odd Life Of Timothy Green
8. What To Expect When You're Expecting
7. Alex Cross
6. The Lorax
5. This Means War
4. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
3. Hyde Park on Hudson
2. John Carter
1. Cloud Atlas

Daniel · 12-05-2012, 03:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neverending

The critic for Time Magazine may get fired for this:

Worst films of 2012

10. One For The Money
9. The Odd Life Of Timothy Green
8. What To Expect When You're Expecting
7. Alex Cross
6. The Lorax
5. This Means War
4. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
3. Hyde Park on Hudson
2. John Carter
1. Cloud Atlas

I do disagree with number 4. One of my favourites of the year. Better than Batman.

FranklinTard · 12-05-2012, 11:03 AM

why would he get fired?

Justin · 12-05-2012, 01:17 PM

I don't think Time Magazine is a great resource for reading about film.

Henri Ducard · 12-05-2012, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FranklinTard

why would he get fired?

Naming Cloud Atlas the worst film of the year makes you lose credibility. People are upset about this. I even heard people talking about it on the radio this morning. It's outrageous.

sshuttari · 12-05-2012, 04:46 PM

lol.... idiots, Time Magazine is a joke for films

FVD · 12-17-2012, 06:14 AM

Sadly I missed the opening 5 minutes of the film so I was lost in the story from the get-go. So here I was trying to figure out what the frak was goin' on and I still left the theatre confused!!!! Glad I got to see the movie while I had the chance because it's not coming to Oz til February!!!

Rating: TBD after a repeat viewing.

SnoBorderZero · 12-17-2012, 03:41 PM

Movie certainly wasn't much, but there's no way in hell this is the worst movie of the year.

Justin · 12-17-2012, 08:14 PM

Weird how I haven't seen this yet, but thanks for confirming my suspicions, Sno.

FVD · 12-18-2012, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoBorderZero

Movie certainly wasn't much, but there's no way in hell this is the worst movie of the year.

Um, hell no!!!! That award belongs to the trainwreck that was Project X! Oh how I wanted to punch that dude's selfish mate in the face!!!! :p

MovieBuff801 · 12-18-2012, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FVD

Um, hell no!!!! That award belongs to the trainwreck that was Project X! Oh how I wanted to punch that dude's selfish mate in the face!!!! :p

I'll count myself fortunate not to have seen that movie, then.

Justin · 12-30-2012, 10:30 PM

Yes, Hugo Weaving was the best part.

Rating: B+

sshuttari · 12-31-2012, 12:09 AM

Hugo Weaving in a Nurse Uniform

Justin · 12-31-2012, 12:10 AM

Edit.

sshuttari · 12-31-2012, 12:16 AM

I did like the storyline with the waitress and how she started a Revolution.

shained · 02-24-2013, 06:24 PM

Oh how I wish I could get my 3+ hours of life back that this film has just stolen from me!

View Poll Results: How would you rate this film?
1	0	0%
2	1	7.14%
3	1	7.14%
4	0	0%
5	0	0%
6	1	7.14%
7	2	14.29%
8	4	28.57%
9	4	28.57%
10	1	7.14%
Voters: 14. You may not vote on this poll

11-04-2012, 03:48 PM	#52
Deexan Integral Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 10,328	Oh, I see. __________________ What's the law but a leash? SoundCloud Twitter

11-05-2012, 11:40 AM	#54
Daniel Flawed Design Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,605	Haha, no, there is just a demon-like character in the post-apocalyptic future that looks just like the Hitcher. __________________ Only fear can make you feel lonely out here

11-07-2012, 08:40 PM	#59
Daniel Flawed Design Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,605	I completely agree with all of your points. I just wanted to see someone else hanging out on the low end of the totem pole/poll with me __________________ Only fear can make you feel lonely out here

12-05-2012, 03:09 AM	#60
Neverending sex Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 18,115	The critic for Time Magazine may get fired for this: Worst films of 2012 10. One For The Money 9. The Odd Life Of Timothy Green 8. What To Expect When You're Expecting 7. Alex Cross 6. The Lorax 5. This Means War 4. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter 3. Hyde Park on Hudson 2. John Carter *1. Cloud Atlas* __________________ "Would you like some boob action?" -Conan O'Brien July 13, 2004 12:55 AM "We’re No. 1 in TBS’ key demographic: People who can’t afford HBO." - Conan O'Brien May 18, 2011 "I honestly don't know who gives me a bigger boner: Zoe Saldana OR Chris Pine. Star Trek Into My Pants!" - Kevin Smith February 24, 2013 The Batman Appreciation Thread

11-05-2012, 12:50 AM	#53
SnoBorderZero There is no bathroom Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Kindergarten Terminator Posts: 8,080	Saw this on Thursday and hadn't had time to post a review. Where to start? Well I can pretty much just come out and say the Wachowskis once again disappoint and now have me strongly questioning if they'll ever make another surefire film like "Bound" or "The Matrix" ever again. The film is divided into six stories, and the plot constantly shifts from one to another at times so frequently and without flow you wonder why the directors continue to break their tension. Of the stories I'd say only two are interesting (Neo Seoul and Zachary's story in the far future) while the others not only have very little of intrigue unfolding in them, they don't blend together well at all. The entire stories of the sick lawyer on the ship and the old publisher and his out of place senior escapades are so laughably stupid at times you wonder why there's any time being spent with them at all. Without going into much detail, the worst part of this movie's mess of a plot is that not a single story ends with anything more than a THUD, and with each of the six stories in this overly long and dull film ending on such uninspired "yep, that's it" conclusions you wonder what the hell the directors were plodding us through this whole time for. There are moments of brilliance in the film, especially in some of Zachary's and the Neo Seoul stories, but they are often cut at the peak of their tensions to shift to the laughable story of the gay composer or the useless accounts of the sick lawyer. The worst part of this movie is that it attempts to come off as a film with incredible ideas and astounding revelations, and yet really it's only message is the obvious "life is a circle" theme which to the Wachowskis meant let's just keep recasting the same actors in each story and see if the audience can figure them all out. Why is Halle Berry a slave watching the whipping? Why is Tom Hanks an evil doctor when the rest of his characters are good guys? Why did a plane just blow up and there's no investigation into it? Why do I care about the old publisher? There's so many things wrong with the film it really shows that the Wachowskis can't weave together all the "complexities" into its near 3-hour running time like more capable filmmakers perhaps could have. The themes here as obvious and shallow, and though the film has moments of fun and intrigue its so bogged down by its own ambition and decision to focus on uninteresting and irrelevant plot elements instead of exploring its own strengths in plot. The action in the film isn't even very good, I was at least hoping for some kind of a memorable sequence and it never came. You watch "Bound" or "The Matrix" and you truly wonder how these are the same directors. You watch "The Matrix Revolutions" and "Speed Racer" and it all makes sense. Not only is the film disappointing, it doesn't reward its audience for suffering through the stupidest elements of its messy plot. I am probably being generous with my rating because this film is the true epitome of a beautifully shot but thematic disaster of a movie, but I was at least invested in the film trying to figure out if it gets any better. The conclusion the film draws is one you figure out 30 minutes into the movie, and as you sift through one useless reoccurring character and their outlandish plots after another you start to hope that the filmmakers have more vision and scope for the six plots and their ties than what's being offered. Unfortunately that never comes. 6/10

11-07-2012, 04:09 AM	#58
SnoBorderZero There is no bathroom Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Kindergarten Terminator Posts: 8,080	And also do you agree with my points Daniel?

12-05-2012, 11:03 AM	#62
FranklinTard Damn,ThatsAColdAssHonkey Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 15,728	why would he get fired? __________________ Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well- warmed, and well-fed. -Herman Melville (1819 - 1891)

12-05-2012, 01:17 PM	#63
Justin Executive Producer Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 11,896	I don't think Time Magazine is a great resource for reading about film. Last edited by Justin; 12-05-2012 at 02:34 PM.

12-17-2012, 06:14 AM	#66
FVD The Pineapple Thief Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 10,568	Sadly I missed the opening 5 minutes of the film so I was lost in the story from the get-go. So here I was trying to figure out what the frak was goin' on and I still left the theatre confused!!!! Glad I got to see the movie while I had the chance because it's not coming to Oz til February!!! Rating: TBD after a repeat viewing. __________________ *“I'm an Alien, I'm a Legal Alien, I'm a New Zealander in Perth....”* I do not want what is not mine.... I only need what comes from within....

12-17-2012, 03:41 PM	#67
SnoBorderZero There is no bathroom Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Kindergarten Terminator Posts: 8,080	Movie certainly wasn't much, but there's no way in hell this is the worst movie of the year.

12-17-2012, 08:14 PM	#68
Justin Executive Producer Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 11,896	Weird how I haven't seen this yet, but thanks for confirming my suspicions, Sno.

12-30-2012, 10:30 PM	#71
Justin Executive Producer Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 11,896	Yes, Hugo Weaving was the best part. Rating: B+ Last edited by Justin; 01-01-2013 at 07:46 PM.

12-31-2012, 12:10 AM	#73
Justin Executive Producer Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 11,896	Edit. Last edited by Justin; 12-31-2012 at 12:27 PM.

02-24-2013, 06:24 PM	#75
shained Y.N.W.A Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: liverpool, england Posts: 3,382	Oh how I wish I could get my 3+ hours of life back that this film has just stolen from me! __________________ Liverpool Football Club You'll Never Walk Alone Letterboxd