Entertainment

I was really intrigued by “Cloud Atlas” because of its collection of sci-fi and period elements. The wacky, avant-garde feel of the preview sticks through the film, but thankfully, the far-reaching conglomeration follows one simple story. Grandiose as the endeavor is (“Cloud Atlas” follows six stories spanning the centuries), several of the characters struck a chord for me. I found myself rooting for these characters that seem to star in every story that has ever been told.

By Ken McNeely

Marvel Studios hit the jackpot back in 2008. Thanks to the casting of Robert Downey Jr., the first “Iron Man” became a blockbuster and kicked off Marvel’s long road that led to last year’s “The Avengers,” which now holds the record for most money made in the opening weekend (more than $200 million).