Sunday, March 23, 2008

Across the Universe

I am watching http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/acrosstheuniverse/ for the second time with the kids. (Second time for me, first time for them). It is a beautiful film that is set in the 60's and is told with an amazing weaving of Beatle's songs that results in a dramatic musical with the coolest cinematography.

It's a true work of art. And like anything thought-provoking and magical, it eclipsed the box charts and went directly to oblivion. I only heard of it because on Oprah, she was interviewing the director, Julie Taymor, in an old episode. I knew it was an old episode because Oprah was thin, and when they showed clips from the movie, I wondered, how did I miss it? I go to see a lot of movies, but really, we are subjected to so few movies through mainstream media -- primarily only the bang-bang-beat-'em-up blockbusters make box office glory. Just another sign of our society.

No depth!

Anyway, I'll stop picking on society long enough to tell you why you should see this movie. Jude (as in Hey Jude) comes from Liverpool to find his father and ends up with an ivy-league drop-out in New York City, who happens to have a lovely blonde sister named ... Lucy (in the sky ... with diamonds). The brother gets drafted into the war and Lucy becomes entrenched in the anti-war movement, while Jude, a shipyard worker in his native homeland which has no draft, just falls in love with Lucy. And makes beautiful art.

The symbolism is thought-provoking -- and with the exception of a few scenes that I presume are acid trips -- it flows very well with the music.

"We're in the middle of a revolution Jude. And what are you doing, doodles and cartoons?"

"Well, maybe when bombs start going off here, people will listen," Lucy screams in frustration.

(Oh yeah, we'll listen.)

All you need is love.
All you need is love.
All you need is love.
Love. Love is all you need.

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