What ought to be the most ambitious, baffling, possibly infuriating movie of the fall is moving faster and faster toward us, with Cloud Atlas now very close to its October 26 release date. The film from the newly dubbed "Wachowski Starship" (a.k.a. Andy and Lana Wachowski, the siblings behind The Matrix) and Tom Tykwer debuted at the Toronto Film Festival last month to some raves and some jeers, and when it appeared as a surprise screening at Fantastic Fest later in September it won a whole new legion of fans-- as well as a few more people who just couldn't get down with its high-flying philosophy and time-jumping narrative.
I'm a devoted fan of Cloud Atlas, and even I think you have to see it for yourself to decide if you like it. Now we've got a lot of TV spots showing up to help you make that decision-- including this new one, which you can see below.
I'm not among the critics quoted here (I know, right???) but I co-sign what all of them saying, while also acknowledging that a bunch of positive adjectives can't really capture what's so special about this movie. With six different narratives set centuries apart and interwoven with some of the most spectacular editing you've ever seen, Cloud Atlas is an enormous story, and comes with the kind of big feelings that so few movies aim for these days. It's really unlike anything else I've seen this year, and even if you think you can't get down with the "everything is connected" story, there are so many strong performances and engaging stories that you might find something worth liking anyway. Let us know in the comments if we've convinced you that Cloud Atlas is worth your time.
