So, Cote, have you seen Cloud Atlas yet?

[notnowImreading]

What did you think? I saw it last night and really enjoyed it (I 'revised' by reading your thread before watching as it's been such a long time since reading the actual book - big help, thank you!).

I wasn't sure how they would make sense of all the intertwining stories and themes, but I thought the structure of the film worked well and the doubling of parts helped to develop the idea of eternal recurrence beautifully.

It managed to make the tone optimistic, too, and I do like that in a film, even if it's not quite where the book was going.

I have to say I wasn't impressed by the artistic liberty that the directors took with the book. The happy ending has reduced the impact of the story imho.

I'm not quite sure why they used the same actors in every story, but it has made it impossible to present the development and evolution of the reincarnated "character", since Frobisher is clearly not Sonmi, for example.

In all, I liked it because I like the story and it was told (more or less) in a visually appealing way. How anyone who hasn't read the book is expected to follow that film, I have no idea, though.

I agree about the dilution of the ending. I don't really know why I didn't mind it, though - probably that I have different, cosier, expectations of films as compared to books.

I liked the gadgets that the directors have come up with in the Sloosha's Crossing story, though.

Did you understand what they were saying in that story? I think it was a mistake to lay on the thick accent of the book on an unsuspecting movie audience.

No, about one word in three! I just enjoyed the sight of Hugh Grant's make up in that bit.