"Skyfall"

Directed by Sam Mendes, "Skyfall" marks 50 years of the most enduring icon in the world of espionage. Daniel Craig ("Cowboys & Aliens") returns as James Bond after four years of hiatus.

After all the flash and flair with Pierce Brosnan, it took a lot of adjustment to get used to Craig, but with "Skyfall," he has finally made the role into his own. A different kind of Bond, Craig gives a more intense and realistic feel to the character.

With a straightforward story concerning a stolen classified list of undercover agents embedded in terrorist cells around the world, the strength of “Skyfall” lies in the relationships. Bond's relationship with M (Judi Dench) is dynamic, touching on elements of duty, betrayal, trust and loyalty. Ben Whishaw (“Cloud Atlas”) makes an interesting Q as the youngest techie in history. Javier Bardem (Silva) is most entertaining as villain, deliriously ruthless and wicked. The Bond girl, Severine (Berenice Marlohe), is a disposable plot device connected to Shiva. The introduction of Ralph Fiennes (Gareth Mallory) and Naomie Harris (Eve) makes sense and leads to a nostalgic transition, smoothly giving way to a renewed chapter of James Bond.

When it comes to gadgets, less is more in “Skyfall.” But action-wise, it's pretty packed. Relentless street and rooftop pursuit on foot, cars and motorcycles. Hard-hitting fight atop a moving train. A derailed tube plunging underground. It all climaxes with Silva's army of men closing in on a trapped M, Bond, and the gamekeeper of his family estate, Kincade (Albert Finney), while the trio also set up traps on their own.

"Skyfall" is luminously filmed, making the most of aerial views of the locales, including closeup shots of the action, or standstill moments. Its use of light, shadow, water, fire and ice is artfully beautiful, especially surprising considering that it's an action flick. Shanghai and Scotland are particularly standouts, where fight manifests in shadows against glowing light and glass walls, or an old chateau set ablaze in the vastness of a remote field in the darkness of the night. The soundtrack by Adelle memorably compliments the scenes.

Compared to “Casino Royale” and “Quantum of Solace,” "Skyfall" is the most personal installment of the superspy franchise. It's back to basic and and the best one yet.

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250 Movies in 2.5 Minutes

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"Cloud Atlas"

“Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to each other, past and present. And by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.”

The word “epic” is often overused. “Cloud Atlas,” a global journey of lives through time and space, is the epitome of epic. Adapted from "unfilmable” novel by David Mitchell, the extraordinary efforts of the Wachowskis (“The Matrix”) and Tom Twyker embarked on possibly the most ambitious film ever made. Main characters (Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Xun Zhou, David Gyasi, Ben Whishaw, James D'Arcy, Jim Broadbent, Susan Sarandon, Hugh Grant, Hugo Weaving) impressively embody multiple roles in different ages, races, gender and gender orientation spanning over 500 years.

Six storylines take place in 1849 Pacific Ocean, 1936 Cambridge and Edinburgh, 1973 San Francisco, 2012 London, 2144 Neo-Soul, 2321 post-apocalyptic Hawaii, creating a brilliant fusion of genres. Period drama, romance, thriller, comedy, action, sci-fi. In 1849, a young lawyer from a privileged background finds a slave stowaway in the ship. In 1936, an aspiring classical composer musters the guts to work with an elderly, temperamental maestro, while carrying a painful, private secret. In 1973, an investigative journalist risks her life to uncover a nuclear power leak conspiracy. In 2012, a publisher finds himself in a bind, on the run from debtors, and trapped in a nursing home against his will. In 2144, a fabricant (clone) discovers the truth about her fellow fabricants, falls in love with the commander of the rebel forces, rises and inspires the masses, and eventually becomes an important symbol for humankind. In 2321, after the fall of civilization, a tribesman struggles with his demon, faces constant threat from cannibal warlords, and teams up with a space traveler to survive and preserve human race.

Cinematography, production design, art direction, score, costume and makeup deserve recognition, but the most outstanding accomplishment perhaps goes to editing. What seem to be insurmountable complexity, moving forward storylines of a massive number of characters in multiple distinct eras, somehow, flawlessly flows. An act in one scene is deftly cut and continues on to the next scene in a different era. By nature, the immense scale of the film, nearly three hours in length, demands full attention and patience. About halfway through, confusion will subside and you'll find yourself immerse in the experience.

There are “forces (that) begin long before we are born and continue after we perish.” Whether or not you believe in reincarnation of souls, there will be things from the film that will stay with you long after. Some storylines may be more compelling to you than others. You'll be touched, awed, horrified, enraptured, wonder and laugh. Be it breathtaking imageries (most notably dystopian Neo-Soul) that stun or lavish the eyes, stirring score that shift emotions, fragments of profound human moments, or recurrent and universal themes through generations of civilization – kindness, love, courage, dignity, oppression, sacrifice, equality, truth, freedom, fate, free will, destiny – and interconnectivity of lives where one's choice has consequences, impacts another life and another lifetime, and reverberates through eternity.

Sit through the credit and see which actors play which roles. Some are obvious, others not so much. Some disguises push the boundaries of imagination and a treat to discover.

It's not easy to encapsulate "Cloud Atlas" into words. This daring, mind-bending soul journey is a spell-binding extravaganza. Its transcendent quality has earned its place in history and will not be forgotten.

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