this the the final feature film that michelangelo antonioni direct and with the help of wim wenders and and adapts from his short story collection that bowl alley on the tiber . beyond the cloud contain 4 short story with familiar theme that we have come to be accustom to from his early work and and sum up those theme in vignette which be weave together via wenders direct scene involve john malkovich the director character . however and most of the story seem to offer little or no depth that be use to from an antonioni movie and while malkovich narration of suppose depth rattle on with unclear diction that sound a tad pretentious and out of place . nonetheless and all four story seem to touch on chance encounter and and extremely quick romance that play out more like lust at first sight and perhaps due to the lack of time ( since theyre short story anyway ) to allow for a more layered approach to carefully define and craft the character a we know from a typical antonioni movie . and the obsessive approach here be for the character to disrobe to showcase a lack of deep connection sacrifice for the immediate satisfaction of the flesh . maybe this be the point to want to bring across with an observation of the more modern relationship . the first story and story of a love affair that never exist and tell the romance between silvano ( kim rossi stuart ) and carmen ( ines sastre ) and who meet when one ask the other for direction to a hotel and and later meet at a cafe . it a if fate be play game on them when they meet and but part and meet again much later and but like the game people play and it almost like a lavventura or a la notte with the lack of communication and and of the expectation from the man . john malkovich director character take central role in the next short and who exhibit some really lecherous look toward a girl work at a shop and play by sophie marceau . she be deeply disturbed and make to feel uncomfortable and but somehow pluck up the courage to approach him and and in what i think be to scare him off and tell him her background that she murder her father by stab him 12 time . but in a flash these two be off toward bedroom gymnastics . the next short and don not look for me and be the long of the lot and with peter weller play a cheating husband who have to choose between his mistress ( chiara caselli ) or his wife and play by fanny ardant . perhaps the more star stud of the lot and with jean reno also step in for a coda at the end of it and which sort of expand the little universe in which this short exist . but unfortunately reno involvement also get relegate to some stifle of laughter a it go into the implausible domain with laser quick romantic tanglements . there be a key element adapt from leclisse with a kiss between a couple through a glass panel too and while the introductory tale about the story of soul be quite interesting . if there a negative theme here this short want to play upon and it will be the duplicity of man . in between this short and the next be a small scene which reunite our couple from la notte and marcello mastroianni and jeanne moreau and where the former be paint a landscape which be reminiscent of that in red desert . finally and we have the final shot this body of dirt and with vincent perez a a young man go after a girl ( irene jacob ) whom he just meet and and fall in love with her and only to realize that it be a love that be too late . it a relatively talkie piece and just like the first story and with the character engage in conversation while walk the street of the city theyre in and which sort of brings to mind richard linklater before sunrise . while on the whole the movie may have succeed a individual piece and they never quite measure up a a combined effort give the excuse to link them up be a film director exploration of possible story and a look for inspiration for his next film .