Category Archives: Human spirit

Cloud Atlas (2012)

From Netflix:

In this star-studded drama, six seemingly disparate stories take viewers from a South Pacific Island in the 19th century to 1970s America to a dystopian future, exploring the complicated links that humans share through the generations.

In Mitchell’s novel each of the various episodes, all of which are related one to another, continue uninterrupted up to a cliff-hanging point of the episode near its end. At the end of the novel each of the episodes concludes.

In the film, on the other hand, those episodes are shuffled like a deck of cards. You constantly and abruptly flit from episode to episode.

Story alone will get you through the 172 minutes, even if not all the actors (some quite well known, but mum’s the word) excel at their craft.

For me the most unsettling thread was the account of Corpocracy. Could that really happen? In the book names of objects are replaced by their brand names. For example, the word “Lipton” is used instead of the archaic “tea”. Also I found the costumes for that portion eerily appropriate.

Believe it or not, I preferred the film. Enjoy!

Life of Pi (2012)

From NetFlix:

Based on Yann Martel’s best-selling novel, this coming-of-age tale recounts the adventures of Pi, an Indian boy who is the sole survivor of a shipwreck. Pi finds himself on a lifeboat with only some zoo animals for company.

Based beautifully on the book, the photography alone is worth the price of admission. From the very first shot of unusual zoo animals, through a wild storm at sea, and accompanying Pi on his journey in a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, the scenes are exciting and memorable.

Additionally the story is one of determined and remarkable survival. Pi finds a book amoung the lifeboat supplies a book that teaches him to survive shipwreck. He also learns to effectively train the tiger (or at least try to train the tiger).

There are some comic moments but certainly never a dull moment. Hang onto your oars!