Cloudy Between Games

Today was a travel day for the two teams in the World Series (Go Giants!!), so I took advantage of the free day to check out the just released:  “Cloud Atlas“.  Now, as this is the first day of the movies release, I can’t / won’t provide any spoilers.  If you want to know what happens, you need to go see it yourself.
I went to see the movie with my younger daughter, Sarah, and as usual, at the end asked her what she thought…  Her response was telling:  “Other than the cinematography, I need more time to think about what I saw.”  My own reaction was simpler:  “Huh?“
Now, in fairness, this is a complicated movie and neither of us read the book (which came out some years ago) or had bothered to research the plot before going into the theater.
I have done a Wikipedia search since coming home and now understand the gist of the plot of the movie and I believe if you do your leg-work before seeing the movie, you’ll understand it better.  The problem is, that’s NOT what I usually do, nor is it something I expect to do.  I believe the movie should stand on its own, or it’s not a very good movie.  A word of caution to parents:  this movie is rated “R” and contains a few scenes with gratuitous sex and graphic violence.  The scenes are brief, but this movie is not suitable for young children.
The movie is beautifully shot.  The acting is complicated and well done.  The problem is the movie is even more jumbled than “Inception“.  Without being able to pick-up / follow the story thread until near the very end, I wasn’t sure I was following the correct thread. In the end, according to Wikipedia, I kind of / but not really picked up the thread.  I thought the thread was good and bad deeds and love surviving death.  Both of these are the two background themes, but not the “thread”.
I will say this is NOWHERE near the best movie of the century (as advertised) and can think of a dozen which I much prefer (and some of them aren’t GREAT movies).  I won’t list them, but you get my point: disappointing.
Recommendation:  Go see it so you at least know what everyone is talking about.  Not a must see movie and certainly not a highly recommended.  Interesting and worth the matinée price.  After seeing the movie, I would wait to get it on DVD and then watch it several times to make sure I understood it better.  Having said this, recognize each viewing is three hours out of your life…
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On This Day In:
2021	A Message To All The Democrats In Congress
	Where Did You Go In Texas?
2020	Reminds Me Of #LyingDonald
	It’s All Been Rehearsed
2019	The Earth’s Breath
	Family Visit
2018	Forests, Shorelines And Mountain Paths
2017	Reach Down
2016	And Women When You Are 59
2015	Intersections, Explorations And Relationships
2014	[!(±*=)/≠], [!<]
	Orange October (XI) – Giants Win Game 5 (5 To 0)!!!
2013	Hard To Deserve
2012	Cloudy Between Games
	Admiration, n.
2011	One, Two, Three – Blink

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Admiration, n.

Our polite recognition of another’s resemblance to ourselves.
––     Ambrose Bierce
From:  “The Devil’s Dictionary“
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On This Day In:
2021	A Message To All The Democrats In Congress
	Where Did You Go In Texas?
2020	Reminds Me Of #LyingDonald
	It’s All Been Rehearsed
2019	The Earth’s Breath
	Family Visit
2018	Forests, Shorelines And Mountain Paths
2017	Reach Down
2016	And Women When You Are 59
2015	Intersections, Explorations And Relationships
2014	[!(±*=)/≠], [!<]
	Orange October (XI) – Giants Win Game 5 (5 To 0)!!!
2013	Hard To Deserve
2012	Cloudy Between Games
	Admiration, n.
2011	One, Two, Three – Blink

Read Full Post »