Across the Universe
DISCLAIMER : "Review" meant mostly for those who've seen the move before hand. ALSO : I apologize for the rather unfocused attempt at having a critical standpoint in regards to the movie...This was done in my (precious) free time so don't expect newspaper quality.
I recommend this movie but I’ve still got quite a few bones to pick with it. One is that there’s just too many people for us to focus on. Hell I really want to say that there’s one character that wasn’t needed at all…Prudence. I really feel that she added nada to the film and since the film could have benefited from a slightly shorter running time a good option would have been to cut out “I want to hold your hand” and “Dear Prudence” plus all those other little snippets that had her in it the movie. It would’ve raised the movie to being somewhat better. Plus she disappears (did she?) and re-appears in what has to be the most idiotic way possible. It doesn’t help that it’s during the films most cringe-worthy moment. Eddie Izzards shtick grows thin after half a minute and the hyper-active images, while being most definitely original, they distract. I must admit to holding a particular soft spot to the original version of the song but I don't think that factors much into my judgment of the scene.
No matter how open you are to interpretation when it comes to The Beatles material there’s no denying the fact that having a prior knowledge to the musical material WILL affect you in a drastic way. There were moments where I quietly sang to the words only to realize that the delivery was different. Well…that’s obvious.
If they wanted to deliver an accurate portrayal of the 60’s (which, given, is an area of American culture that has been mulled over many times) the movie would’ve had a downbeat ending but this is where The Beatles step in. If anyone has a lick of sense about The Beatles they’d know that the prevalent message is one of peace and love so, I assume, that’s what the filmmakers wanted to channel with the ending.
Julie Taymor…God I love her braveness. Titus and Frida are incredible movies and, going in, I knew that there’d be some “weird” imagery incorporated into the movie. Does that aspect work? Yes and no. It mostly makes me wish she just made a non-linear film. Like a series of music videos because stringing together a story doesn’t wholly work. “I am the Walrus” played pretty much like she went crazy with kodachrome but that just might be the hardest song to adapt into a film and I must applaud her for her well-intentioned but misguided attempt. Congrats also to poking fun at the stupidity of people like Timothy Leary and their so-called movement.
“Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite”, as stated above, was just a huge misfire. What might be the two best sequences also had that “weird” imagery at play again. “I want you (she‘s so heavy)” and “Strawberry Fields Forever”. In the case of “I Want You” it most definitely helps that there’s not much going on lyrically in the song which gives Taymor plenty of breathing room for her to stretch and that she does. The image of underwear clad men carrying the statue of liberty through a miniature jungle to the words “She’s so Heavy” is pretty damn effective.
“Strawberry Fields Forever” is, bar none, the showcase sequence. It comes at a pivotal point in the story where disillusion sets in. God that’s just such a good scene.
The movie attempts to wring a good love story out of the affair and it almost works. There was no way that the love affair couldn’t come out sappy and it did but not on an incredibly annoying level. It also helps, in this instance, that Taymor likes to focus on a million things at once so when you get tired of the love story at hand she’ll suddenly move to another character such as Sadie (damn I wish “Sexy Sadie” was in this one), JoJo, or Max.
The songs, for the most part and shockingly, work. I’m not going to EVER listen to the soundtrack on its own but it works when set to visuals.
Go see this movie just so you can see a filmmaker really taking a chance. Audacity is at an all-time low and this movie offers that in spades. The minute you see waves/paper crash to the sound of “Helter Skelter” you know you’re not in safe territory. I don’t wholeheartedly recommend this movie but I do recommend that you take a chance and be taken aback by something “fresh”. It might go over MANY heads but at least they’ll be able to think.
I’m probably not going to buy this movie or even see it that many more times in my life. I guess it’s like an album in that there’s usually a couple standout songs and there’s a couple stupid songs and there’s also some needless filler.
I like to think that this movie is an excuse to introduce The Beatles to a whole new generation. It seems like every five or so years the Beatles experience a resurgence of sorts and that’s the way it should be. When we live in a world where a fifteen year old doesn’t even know what the song “Strawberry Fields Forever” is (built from a sad soul-crushing personal experience) any attempt to bring even MORE awareness to The Beatles is most welcome. The movie has enough areas to keep the more simple-minded attentive. If the awful marketing and the particular audience we were with are any indicator then they’re doing an ok job. In the end I guess that’s all that matters.
This isn’t a movie in the clear sense but it’s a pretty enjoyable experience. Emphasis on the word experience.
I recommend this movie but I’ve still got quite a few bones to pick with it. One is that there’s just too many people for us to focus on. Hell I really want to say that there’s one character that wasn’t needed at all…Prudence. I really feel that she added nada to the film and since the film could have benefited from a slightly shorter running time a good option would have been to cut out “I want to hold your hand” and “Dear Prudence” plus all those other little snippets that had her in it the movie. It would’ve raised the movie to being somewhat better. Plus she disappears (did she?) and re-appears in what has to be the most idiotic way possible. It doesn’t help that it’s during the films most cringe-worthy moment. Eddie Izzards shtick grows thin after half a minute and the hyper-active images, while being most definitely original, they distract. I must admit to holding a particular soft spot to the original version of the song but I don't think that factors much into my judgment of the scene.
No matter how open you are to interpretation when it comes to The Beatles material there’s no denying the fact that having a prior knowledge to the musical material WILL affect you in a drastic way. There were moments where I quietly sang to the words only to realize that the delivery was different. Well…that’s obvious.
If they wanted to deliver an accurate portrayal of the 60’s (which, given, is an area of American culture that has been mulled over many times) the movie would’ve had a downbeat ending but this is where The Beatles step in. If anyone has a lick of sense about The Beatles they’d know that the prevalent message is one of peace and love so, I assume, that’s what the filmmakers wanted to channel with the ending.
Julie Taymor…God I love her braveness. Titus and Frida are incredible movies and, going in, I knew that there’d be some “weird” imagery incorporated into the movie. Does that aspect work? Yes and no. It mostly makes me wish she just made a non-linear film. Like a series of music videos because stringing together a story doesn’t wholly work. “I am the Walrus” played pretty much like she went crazy with kodachrome but that just might be the hardest song to adapt into a film and I must applaud her for her well-intentioned but misguided attempt. Congrats also to poking fun at the stupidity of people like Timothy Leary and their so-called movement.
“Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite”, as stated above, was just a huge misfire. What might be the two best sequences also had that “weird” imagery at play again. “I want you (she‘s so heavy)” and “Strawberry Fields Forever”. In the case of “I Want You” it most definitely helps that there’s not much going on lyrically in the song which gives Taymor plenty of breathing room for her to stretch and that she does. The image of underwear clad men carrying the statue of liberty through a miniature jungle to the words “She’s so Heavy” is pretty damn effective.
“Strawberry Fields Forever” is, bar none, the showcase sequence. It comes at a pivotal point in the story where disillusion sets in. God that’s just such a good scene.
The movie attempts to wring a good love story out of the affair and it almost works. There was no way that the love affair couldn’t come out sappy and it did but not on an incredibly annoying level. It also helps, in this instance, that Taymor likes to focus on a million things at once so when you get tired of the love story at hand she’ll suddenly move to another character such as Sadie (damn I wish “Sexy Sadie” was in this one), JoJo, or Max.
The songs, for the most part and shockingly, work. I’m not going to EVER listen to the soundtrack on its own but it works when set to visuals.
Go see this movie just so you can see a filmmaker really taking a chance. Audacity is at an all-time low and this movie offers that in spades. The minute you see waves/paper crash to the sound of “Helter Skelter” you know you’re not in safe territory. I don’t wholeheartedly recommend this movie but I do recommend that you take a chance and be taken aback by something “fresh”. It might go over MANY heads but at least they’ll be able to think.
I’m probably not going to buy this movie or even see it that many more times in my life. I guess it’s like an album in that there’s usually a couple standout songs and there’s a couple stupid songs and there’s also some needless filler.
I like to think that this movie is an excuse to introduce The Beatles to a whole new generation. It seems like every five or so years the Beatles experience a resurgence of sorts and that’s the way it should be. When we live in a world where a fifteen year old doesn’t even know what the song “Strawberry Fields Forever” is (built from a sad soul-crushing personal experience) any attempt to bring even MORE awareness to The Beatles is most welcome. The movie has enough areas to keep the more simple-minded attentive. If the awful marketing and the particular audience we were with are any indicator then they’re doing an ok job. In the end I guess that’s all that matters.
This isn’t a movie in the clear sense but it’s a pretty enjoyable experience. Emphasis on the word experience.