Cloud Atlas
- 172 min. Rated R.
“I believe there is a another world waiting for us, Sixsmith. A better world. And I’ll be waiting for you there.”
Every year in January/February in the library world, youth services librarians wait with bated breath (at least I do) for the official announcement of the American Library Association Youth Media Awards for best children’s book (Newbery), best teen novel (Printz), or best audio book (Odyssey) which has been published in the past year, and decided by a committee of librarians. There is always controversy over the winners because a committee can’t help but bring their personal attitudes, tastes, and dynamics into their decisions (also worth mentioning is that these materials only have the year they were published to win, no pressure). The movie industry shares many similarities. Recently, after hearing the Academy Award nominees for that year, I was enraged. How did, Cloud Atlas, this beautiful piece of cinema get overlooked by the Academy? Meanwhile, Silver Linings Playbook, in my opinion, a darker Lifetime Channel original movie, was nominated for eight Oscars. Is this an economic time where viewers want a more dark “realistic” reflection of our society dynamic rather than escaping into a fantasy with a positive message? Then what’s The Hobbit’s excuse?
This led me to do some research about how the Academy Awards are chosen. Believe it or not, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has over 6,000 members in all areas of the field from sound editing to directing. These members must fit criteria and be sponsored by an already established member (or just win an Oscar and get an automatic in). They are then separated into of one of the 15 branches, led by 43 members of the Board of Government and Officers. These branches reflect the Award categories and the member’s career. For example, the Acting branch is led by Tom Hanks, coincidentally star of Cloud Atlas. So how did it get overlooked? Well, each branch is only allowed to nominate from within their branch (with a few exceptions of course). Basically, who would know more about who is the best actor than actors themselves, right? Then everyone gets to chose best picture from a list of films that fit certain criteria. The Academy also tries to host screenings and those voting must confirm they actually have seen them (riiight). I also researched what movies came out around that time, that would have competed on October 26th: Silent Hill Revelation 3D and Fun Size, there is no contest there (hopeful agreement?).
I’ll let you be the judge. Somni-451 (Doona Bae), a genetically modified fast food servant in the near future says, “Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others. Past and present. And by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future,” which is the movie at its core. Throughout history, there are a few souls that keep meeting each other, each with the same signifying birthmark, and their choices, good or bad, affect the future. There is a struggling gay composer with the opportunity of a lifetime, a 70’s Pam Grier like reporter in over her head, a genetically modified human who thinks outside her status, a son who becomes ill while carrying important documents back to his father, and a tribesman fighting off cannibals. All the characters tug at your heartstrings and viewers are invested in their outcomes. These characters are played by only a handful of actors with effective make up techniques to change genders and even races. Guess who this is?
It’s Halle Berry as an Asian man, a far cry from 1961’s portrayal of Mickey Rooney as an Asian in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (probably the most racist thing I’ve seen in a while).
