Beyond the Clouds

Michelangelo Antonioni's lovely, if characteristically elusive, Beyond the Clouds (1995) presents several vignettes dealing with contemporary variations on the theme of unresolved or thwarted romance. Co-directed by Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire), the film features a noteworthy international cast (Vincent Perez, Sophie Marceau, Jean Reno, Fanny Ardant, Irene Jacob, Peter Weller, et al.) engaged in sundry romantic entanglements amidst lyrically shot European locales gorgeously rendered on disc. John Malkovich plays the director's alter-ego--an itinerant filmmaker who provides narrative observations about the nature of love and art. A revealing "behind the scenes" documentary is also included. Recommended. (T. Rich)