I like the ideas, that it had ideas at all, in a time when so few films have real ideas.
See, these kinds of comments are starting to bug me.
There are LOTS of films with ideas that are released...but for whatever reason people don't know about them or don't go see them. "Films" aren't just movies made by Hollywood.
We Need To Talk About Kevin
Red Tails
The Grey
Salmon Fishing In The Yemen
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Where Do We Go Now?
Moonrise Kingdom
Beasts Of The Southern Wild
Take This Waltz
Cosmopolis
Robot & Frank
The Master
Looper
Argo
Holy Motors
...and yes, Cloud Atlas.
These are all well made films, with wonderful ideas, interesting themes and intelligent narratives. And these are just the films I know of. And they're not obscure. I've been able to see every one in the small Canadian city I live in.
That's a lot of movies in one year that have arguably lofty ideas for a time when, supposedly, "so few films have real ideas.
Don't just go see movies you see commercials on the TV for...get out there and discover some.