Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on March 2013

I have less than 200 words to describe this picture, and I couldn’t do it in 2000. And you shouldn’t listen to me anyway, or any other film critic or friend; just go see it. Then we’ll talk. How do you describe six tenuously interleaved stories ranging in time from 1849 to 2346, often featuring the same actors in multiple roles? That’s a lot of spinning plates in the air. There’s outside the box, and there’s outside the multidimensional polygon. This movie is so ambitious that it needed three directors—Lana and Andy Wachowski (The Matrix; Speed Racer) and Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run; Perfume). Though sometimes difficult to recognize through the makeup, the actors include Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturges, Doona Bae, Hugh Grant and Susan Sarandon. It’s magical, insane, enthralling, frustrating, pompous, flawed, perfect, too much, not enough, and bewildering. And though not everything works, never for a second is this visually arresting movie boring. The best way to approach it is to enjoy the moment. A second or third viewing may result in its making some sense. Or here’s an idea: you could read David Mitchell’s book. Big screen, please.