Cloud Atlas is a collection of various tales spanning time from the 1850s to a post apocalyptic future. The story is based on a 2004 novel by David Mitchell.

No word has been given as to how the story will be told in the film, but in the book, there are a total of six stories told through a rather inventive storytelling technique. Essentially, the first half of the book is in chronological order, while the second half is in reverse chronological order. During the first half, each story is interrupted at some point and is revealed to be either read, seen, or otherwise experienced by a character in the next story. So characters in story 2 are reading a book based on the characters of story 1. Characters in story 3 read about story 2 characters, and so on.

The first story is during 1850. It is the tale of a man on his way home from the Chatham Islands. The second story is in 1931 and is about a poor Englishman living in Belgium, working for a composer. The third tale is in 1975, and follows a journalist in California. The fourth story is in roughly present day and follows a publisher who is running from the mob. The fifth story is in the future and it is about a robot working at a fast food restaurant. The sixth and final story is set in Hawaii after an apocalyptic event takes place and follows one of the last remaining people alive.

Doesn’t sound complicated at all.

Cloud Atlas

Cloud Atlas will be directed by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer. All three are collaborating on the screenplay as well. Obviously, the Wachowskis made The Matrix trilogy and Speed Racer, but it’s kinda odd that Tom Tykwer is listed in the credit as well. I just looked this up on IMDB for the first time, and while I’ve been following the news of the film for some time, I’ve never heard of anyone else being involved, at least in terms of directing and writing, than the Wachowskis. Interesting. Also interesting is that Tykwer has relatively little experience, outside of writing some music for other films. Hmmm…

As of now, it appears that Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, and possibly Natalie Portman will be in the film. I have no idea which timeline they’ll be a part of, but it seems like they’ll be separated.

Cloud Atlas Trailer

CA – EFL Trailer by TheMovieBox

Movie Release Date

TBA 2012.

Pictures

Who’s In It?

Tom Hanks
Halle Berry
Natalie Portman
Hugo Weaving
James McAvoy
Hugh Grant

What’s Good About It?

The Wachowskis are, oddly, both overrated and underrated. Overrated because of how big and awesome The Matrix was, and underrated because of how terrible the rest of their films have been. I don’t blame them completely for The Matrix, and I’d even like to give them some credit for giving such an ambitious project a shot, but at the same time the second and third films were terrible, and Speed Racer was crap. Still, they’re good at making nice looking films.

What’s Bad About It?

I wish I knew more about the style of the film. This could be really weird.

Our Clever Prediction

It’s a bit too early to give my opinion. But I will anyways. Cloud Atlas will look amazing, but be terrible.

Nailed it.