Cloud Atlas (2012)

Not that I've talked to a lot of people about this movie, but all of those that I have mentioned needing to watch it more than once so that they could understand just exactly what was going on. It's kind of like before I saw Fight Club and everyone was saying things like, "I didn't figure it out until the end" or "I knew during the breast exam" (trust me that makes sense in the context of Fight Club). So, I went into it knowing that there was a puzzle to be aware of, and since I knew this, it revealed itself nearly immediately - it has to for the flashback, "ah-ha!" scenes toward the end of the film. The same thing had happened with my viewing of The Sixth Sense. No one actually spoiled it for me in the sense that they told me the twist was, but they (you know, 'them') kept telling me it was going to be such a surprise and that I never would guess what the twist was, and then I watched it and thought it was obvious from the very beginning - but because I was hyper-aware of some twist. I went into this screening the same way, mind like a steel trap, ready to tuck away any clue. But, um, it's just a movie with it's story being told through glimpses of stories that reflect each other.
I didn't find the film confusing in the least. There. I said it. All of the six stories are structured the same way so that all six climax at the same time. Try some Magic Realism if you want to get confused, or follow any popular comic book hero, as their story gets told across multiple titles each by a different author, usually more than one, and then they get rebooted at times. Or hell, just try reading a George R. R. Martin book or perhaps some Robert Jordan. Perhaps my previous media choices have prepared me for a story told like this better than theirs had?
While I enjoyed all of the stories, I particularly like the Ordeal of Cavendish storyline and the Neo Seoul storyline. The Ordeal of Cavendish starts of hilariously with Tom Hanks playing an in your face author, Dermot Hoggins who while being a total animal lives' out many a writer's fantasy by throwing his main critic over the balcony of an apartment that is a couple of dozen stories up. Hugo Weaving in drag as Nurse Noakes later in this one is priceless and looks like he must have had a fun time playing her. The Neo Seoul story is the most straight sf of the lot and is the most noble of the six. IN all of them, people do things for the people they love, but in this one, the main character Son Me sacrifices herself so that others might love, which is a pretty romantic ideal.
My only complaint about this movie is that not all of the prosthetics were created equally. I don't mind seeing this actor or that looking nothing like themselves, I just should see the seams between the real them and the rubberized them. It's not all of the many heavily made-up characters, just a couple of really obvious ones. I won't tell you which actor or which character, I've just set you up to be a super sleuth like I was. It's a vicious cycle apparently.

Cloud Atlas at IMDb

Robot and Frank (2012)

I've been waiting all of these years for Cyclops to team-up with Dr. Betsy Braddock! Somehow I thought more mutants and super villains would be involved. This story of a new kind of Sentinel had a lot less of things blowing up than I thought it would and virtually no enslavement of the mutant or any other population. I would have loved to have on camera just one shot of Frank posing and screaming, "Hulk smash!"
This is a cute and touching film. You already knew that from the trailer, I suspect. It certainly won't disappoint you in that respect. And just like that I'm implying that it'll let you down in another way. This is not a cutting edge film - sci-fi as a laser lense on society. This is a small film that tells a small story without any surprises. But, and that is a big but - even a wide-ass but if you will - this is a good film. There's some social commentary, but it's mostly human interest. Frank Langella is charming, almost adorable as Frank, a retired cat burglar. James Marsden plays Frank's son, Hunter and Liv Tyler plays Frank's daughter, Madison. They love their dad, but aren't close to him. As he's getting older and starting to have some problems living on his own, they both step up to try and take care of him in the way they think is best. Add in Susan Sarandon as Frank's librarian, Jennifer and you have a lovely ensemble.
The movie is really made by the robot, voiced by Peter Sarsgaard. If I had any complaints about his performance, and I don't, it would be that at times I found myself thinking, "is he trying to sound like Kevin Spacey sounding like a robot, or is that just me?" The robot has no face to read the expressions on, so all lines are deadpan - some straight and some humorous.
This film is as titled, all about Frank and his robot companion who comes to be his friend. While this film never calls into contention what it is to be human on the human's side, it does ask what helps us lead a fulfilling life. As humans do we need interaction with other humans, or will interaction with human facsimiles, whether they be robot or the internet or whatever, prove as fulfilling, and if not will they prove at least ot be adequate. I think about this a lot. I have several people I count as dear friends that I have never met - we only know each other through the internet. Chatting or emailing with them is not the same as with a 'face-to-face' friend. Even the most casual ftf friend leaves behind images and imporessions that I can access whenever I want, especially when communicating online. I can remember what she looks like, the time he through in my bathroom, etc. and it makes the emails and chat more real. But what about the friends whom I've never met or even seen a "real" picture of? I certainly can't augment my interactions with them in quite the same way, but they don't seem less human, nor does the interaction seem less genuine or less fulfilling. What if I found out my friend Jane, who I have only seen as her zombie fae avatar, were really a sophisticated AI? Would I feel ripped off? Would I stop emailing or chatting with her? What if I did stop the interaction and then she kept emailing me asking what was wrong? To be honest that's more than I get from most of my ftf friends. Yet, I think I would somehow feel dirty and misused. At first. Then, I would try out the AI - test it to see how it would respond to anything I could think of. In all likelihood, I would probably eventually go back to the interaction, because I find it worthwhile, but maybe not in quite the same way any longer. When I think of how many hours, likely thousands, I've spent playing solitaire on the computer just because I can, because it's interactive, because it's low impact, I think maybe I already have a robot companion.
If you want your heart strings tugged at gently, watch this film. It will make you smile. It will make you a little sad at place. It will remind you that good movies do not need an action hero or explosions or gratuitous t & a.

Robot & Frank on IMDb