Cloud Atlas explores the actions and consequence of five separate but loosely connected narratives that, when woven together from past to present, affect the outcome of a sixth on a future post-apocalyptic island. From a nineteenth-century clerk to an aspiring composer to an investigative journalist to a best selling publisher to a clone created for slave labor back to the island, the story follows a single act of kindness that ripples through time to inspire a revolution. No dialogue summarizes this better than when a character is told that his life amounts to “no more than one drop in a limitless ocean,” he asks, “Yet what is any ocean but a multitude of drops?”

Roger Ebert describes Cloud Atlas as “one of the most ambitious films ever made. You will want to see this daring and visionary film. Anywhere you go where movie people gather, it will be discussed.” HSX predicts that the movie will open at $19M this weekend.

Check out the official Cloud Atlas page to see the extended first look, director’s commentary, photo galleries and other miscellaneous media.

Rating: R // Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi // Runtime: 2 hr. 52 min. // Starring: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, Keith David, James D’Arcy, Xun Zhou, David Gyasi, Susan Sarandon and Hugh Grant // Based on the Novel by: David Mitchell Wriiten for the Screen and Directed by: Lana Wachowski & Tom Tykwer & Andy Wachowski, // Produced by: Cloud Atlas Productions / X-Filme Creative Pool, Anarchos Pictures, A Company and ARD Degeto // Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures