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Cloud Atlas

kaytekayte
in General Banter
Hello Everyone,

I've not visited here for a long time and I'm sure I've missed out on some good discussions. I was wondering if you had any conversations about The Cloud Atlas. I really enjoyed the way it illustrated some Buddhist principles- my knowledge is limited- but it really resonated with me. I'd like to open this thread up to comments on the movie if anyone is interested. :)

Comments

  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    edited July 2013
    Could you post a link?
    If it's a film or book or video, it sounds like this should be in the "Arts & Writings" category, btw. Maybe a mod will move it.
  • kaytekayte
    Sure- It's based on the novel- here are links to both:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_Atlas_(novel)

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1371111/
  • BlondelBlondel Veteran
    Since our consciousness transmigrates, I liked the film.

  • kaytekayte
    What did you like most about it? Did it change your point of view in any way? I really enjoyed seeing the characters in different lives and how they affected each other. Is it OK to discuss the movie if we label our posts with "Spoiler Alert"?
  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran
    Overall I liked the movie, though from a Buddhist point of view there didn't seem to be much karmic connection from one life to the next, no one (Tom Hanks) seemed to experience the effects of any karma they created.
  • kaytekayte
    **Spoiler Alert** Don't read this if you are still waiting to see the film :)

    Hi person! I saw karmic threads in a few of the characters- the actor Hugo Weaving appeared in 5 of the story lines and he was evil in every one- he was a slaver, assassin, a sadistic nurse, brutal enforcer, and finally became the discarnate Old Georgie. A soul having many lifetimes to choose evil, good or neutral behavior- he chose evil each time and became a hungry ghost. He could only try to mislead the living in that form.

    Hugh Grant appeared in all six stories. He was a slaver, an enforcer, CEO, Tim's brother, overseer, and finally, the cannibal chief. In each life, he made his money abusing other people. As the overseer, he drank the Soap and then finally consumed people. He devalued people in all his lives and it degraded him more than it did them.

    There are others, too. I had to watch the movie a second time to pick up on the threads of each characters' lives. Too much to take in at one sitting. :)
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    edited July 2013
    I agree with Kayte to an extent. I think there is a karmic message there, but I didn't think it was a Buddhist movie. To me it was no more overtly Buddhist than when I used to tell my students, "If you do that again, I'm going to suspend you", then they did "it" again, and the consequence followed.
  • kaytekayte
    I'm not a practicing Buddhist, but I do respect and try to embrace some of the basic principles- I thought this movie was great for people like me. I'm not sure how it presents itself to others. I think the reviews were split on it. I hope they make more like this one.
  • BlondelBlondel Veteran
    I thought it was great to push people in the direction of accepting reincarnation. After all the Buddha said:
    "Just as a silkworm makes a cocoon in which to wrap itself and then leaves the cocoon behind, so consciousness produces a body to envelop itself and then leaves that body to undergo other karmic results in a new body."
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