The New York Post gave it a one-star review:

Kyle Smith's review of Cloud Atlas

I especially liked these lines:

...which kind of sums up how I think I'll feel about the "everyone is connected" theme.

That's not how it comes across in the movie.

Apology accepted.

Somni's story was the least inspired. It was a hodgepodge of Logan's Run, Soylent Green (which at least gets a mention in one of the other stories), and Blade Runner. And the Somni's boyfriend looks an awful lot like Neo, with a very Neo agenda.

I still like the movie overall.

Yep, that sounds like the Wachowskis. They do love their pseudo pyscobabble. Parts of Matrix 2 and all of Matrix 3 is like that. When the Architect went on his long-winded speechifying, I was thinking to myself "what the hell is this idiot talking about." All the big fancy words strung together was just hilarious.

The more I think about this movie, the less I like it.

I can understand not appreciating what the architect was saying, or disliking the talkativeness, but if you truly didn't understand it, then you need to read a book. It's not as if any of the words he used were obscure.

The more I think about this movie, the more I love it. I need to see it again.

Althought I thought the presentation was pretty clever, I'm curious if the film would've been better received if it was presented as individual short stories.

I have thought about seeing it again. Tomorrow they are adding it to the IMAX screen so am pondering seeing it there.

Neo Seoul in IMAX = I'm there.

Just came back from watching the film.

Wow.

That's the first thing I thought of when I got up from my seat. Whether you liked or didn't like it. It's an ambitious film that deserves to be seen because it felt so fresh among what we normally in mainstream cinema. That alone deserves your time.

I'm not sure what to really think of it beyond that I was amazed at what was able to be done. Which made me admire the film at least. It's not a bad film. That I can easily say. I'm not ready to believe to say that it was a great film either but...just that....I don't know. I was fucking entertained. It was a good movie at least. I just need time to digest this in my head. I'll probably see it again cuz it was a very lovely film. Which...I'm proud of it for being.

Onto my more critical take on it...if I can.

I think people's criticism on the make up on the actors is due that we already KNOW who they are and what they really look like. That can irk some people. As an active physical element to apply on the actor for appearance. I thought it was about 80% good overall. Sometimes some lighting didn't really benefit a certain prosthetic and it may have looked off. Or sometimes a racial origin element in body structure or literal color didn't fit some character played an actor of different race. But overall...pretty good.

Holy crap...Hugh Grant actually having something original for him to do. I was pleased by that. I'm not a fan of him and don't really have much to criticize for his work but..he's pretty safe with his work. I liked what he did here.

Overall...I really liked the thematic elements. And the drama garnered from them. The acting is solid.

I really approve the actors being multiple characters utlizing multiple agendas, ace, gender, etc. I liked it. It worked really well here.

Can't criticize the production design. Very well done. I really really liked Neo Seoul. Especially that chant that the Fabricants did. It was very lovely. Just everything about it. Very attractive to me that story was. In seeing it...certain parts reminded of the visual elements I saw of Speed Racer from it's marketing. Things that can't exist (now or possibly ever) but somehow formatting well in combination. I need to see SR now, I think Rocshemp's commentary on it just interested me a bit more in it. So there's that at least. I'm going to assume that the Wachoski's did that one cuz it felt they did it.

As a narrative I wasn't confused by what transfers to whom or what this or that was. I thought it explained itself rather well. My only possible confusion is that I can't remember everyone's name. That's a lot of characters to remember for me. The less they were on screen the weaker it was for me to remember them.

I think that's as much as I can say about it.

Again...it's a film that can polarize the viewer if they don't allow certain elements (whatever that may be) in them accept something. BUT....it deserves your attention. We don't get something like this a lot. That's worth it alone.

Great film and one that needs to be seen more than once to fully appreciate it. I haven't read the whole thread so if this has been mentioned, sorry...There's a Nerdist podcast with all three directors that's pretty interesting if you liked the film and want to hear more about it. They had to foot a lot of the bill to get this made, which is just ridiculous considering the talent that is attached to it. Also, I had no idea one of the Wachowskis sounded a bit like Truman Capote. Not that there's anything wrong with that but it is unexpected.
edit: just looked it up and that was Larry who is now Lana. Now it makes more sense. She looks much more happy now as a woman.

It doesn't surprise me. Tom Hanks and Halle Berry are not the draws they once were, and after Speed Racer I don't think the Wachowskis have as much clout as they did just after The Matrix. And this wasn't a tentpole movie for mainstream audiences; it's essentially a $100 million art film.

That's not the point. Of course I understood what the individual words mean, and yes, ultimately I understood what he was saying. The point I was making is that is was the hokiest nonsense ever. There's no need to string a bunch of big words together to make something sound intelligent or important. Have you ever really ever listened to that scene? It's hilarious. I saw it the other day on cable. In the words of Harrison Ford, "who talks like this.?"

It shocks... SHOCKS... me that a hyper-intelligent computer program with a disdain for humans would speak in an artificial manner.

Another

And a to stick up The Bus' butt for not liking it more.

I was just stunned that Colonel Sanders ran the whole operation. You can never trust fried chicken chains.

The Matrix sequels are the only Wachowski films I've disliked. And even then, I don't loathe them, because they are ambitious and contain a few interesting ideas. That being said, the Architect scene is a total snoozefest.

He looked like Ike Barinholtz, in Neo clothes to me.

This has made a measly $14 million so far *cringes*

Not surprising...as much as I like the visuals, I never had any desire to see the film. The only reason I'm interested at all, is Tom Hanks. It always screamed rental to me.

Haven't seen the film yet but I am gobsmacked by the low BO returns. Has Tom Hanks and Halle Berry's star fallen that much from the apple tree?

I don't think Berry has ever been that good to get great BO. Hanks obviously but....has Berry ever headlined a movie and gotten good returns. I honestly think it's the type of movie it is. Too much for the mainstream.