10.24.07 Across The Universe
Becky and I went on a date last night - dinner and movie I’ve actually been looking forward to, which is rare. This is a sort of review of that movie.
Synopsis:
Across The Universe is about a group of early twenties Americans and one Brit from Liverpool living during the Vietnam War and civil rights movement. It’s a musical, the Beatles loving child of Jesus Christ Superstar and Moulin Rouge. It blends the psychadelic rock and roll moments of the former and the pristine pop orchestrations and vocals of the latter while pumping out nothing but Beatles hits like Helter Skelter, Want You, Dear Prudence, I Am The Walrus (sung by Bono), Hey Jude and Revolution.
Visuals: *****
Across The Universe is directed by Julie Taymor, best known to some of us for creating the broadway version of Lion King. Like the Lion King, there’s more to see in Across The Universe than there is to hear or be moved by much of the time. The army induction scene full of cloned soldiers with chiseled jaws, a boy crouching behind a burned out car while race riots roar around him, a transition from a jungle explosion in Vietnam to churning soapy clothes in a washing machine are all mental images that I wish I could have rewound and rewatched. So much of this movie looks painted that anyone with even a slight interest in visual art would enjoy watching with the sound off.
Music: ***
It’s hard to go wrong with a soundtrack made up entirely of Beatles tunes but somehow this film did. In between standouts like Hey Jude, Let It Be and Revolution were songs the plot had to turn to meet up with, songs with overtuned mediocre unemotiional and unbelievable vocal performances and songs that were written for an acid drenched era and not a fully sober crowd movie theatre crowd. Pretty much anything Luci, the female lead played by Rachel Evan Wood, sang didn’t fit the film’s or the song’s character. I could hear the tuning on her vocals, the transitions between notes being too quick, and her vibrato was annoying. She sounded to me like a very very good church soloist. The thing is, this wasn’t church. This was Vietnam, New York City, a smokey club, a protest and in the middle of it sang Snow White with artificially perfected vocals. The best performances were by Jim Sturgess, playing Jude from Liverpool. His voice was perfectly imperfect, like a slightly grunged up Paul McCartney and I believed him when he sang. His songs weren’t breaks in the dialog but they were dialog and he sang like it.
Plot: **
There isn’t enough plot to merit two and a half hours of film. It seemed as if the writers began dreaming up this movie by making a list of songs they loved, then made a short list of dream guest singers (Eddie Izzard, Bono, Joe Cocker), then picked the social issues they wanted to preach about (homosexuality, war, race relations, noncomformity and the superiority of artsyness over a regular job) and then sat down to figure out how to get all that stuff into a film. The plot was shaping up nicely for the first half hour, I was riveted, until Bono showed up. Then the plot took a hard left for about an hour into an LSD trip inspired bunch of beautiful but superfluous weirdness before veering back on track to wrap up the loose ends from the first part. Chop out the middle and I would love this film (though the plot would still be a story we’ve heard before). As is, it’s only two thirds good and sometimes great but always something amazing to watch.
Crystal Renaud said:
loved the music, loved the artist visuals… didn’t love the plot. but i would recommend it.
ralph said:
I liked the movie but i hate bono. Folks can see the preview at this movie site
Shaun Groves said:
HATE Bono? Hate? In this movie or in general as a human being?
said:
Our youngest son is named Jude. Needless to say, he gets sung to ALOT!
He just refers to it as his song (he’s 4).
UHMM how do you hate Bono? There have been some questions raised on this site that have caused me to think, but really how can anyone HATE Bono?
I’ve to go listen to Joshua Tree now. . .
said:
I concur ralph. I’m not a Bono fan, I’ve never been a Bono fan, I never will be a Bono fan. I don’t know if that means I hate him. Maybe hate is too strong of a word. How about not crazy about, don’t really like, or abhor? Abhor would be a good word to use with Bono. Detest even, but hate that’s a little too much use of energy on such a specimen. Anyway, here’s my reasoning of why I don’t like Bono...everyone else does. Everyone else thinks he’s such a great humanitarian and makes great music. Puuulease. Opinions people, opinions! Just because a bazillion people love Bono doesn’t mean I do. Thanks so much.
Cynthia said:
I’m with Aims and ralph on this one. I’m not a Bono fan and I don’t care for his music, but I wouldn’t say I hate him.
cap said:
Wow.
That’s a lot of unexpected Bono-hatin’, right there.
Shaun Groves said:
I’m considering banning all of you from this site. I don’t understand not understanding Bono. He’s not perfect sure. But the man wrote Where The Streets Have No Name and Pride and One. I’m perplexed on this one. Next thing you’ll tell me is you respect Clay Aiken’s artistry.
said:
At the risk of being banned, at that would definitely ruin more than just my day, I have to say I’m not a real Bono fan either. I do like some earlier U2 music (ie Pride and One), but not really a fan of him personally.
Beth
Michiel said:
Just for the sake of balancing things a bit…
...I’m really impressed by Bono…
Ehmm… but… I wish we, as the church, the people of God, would take a stand for justice and mercy, for the least of these… To the glory of the God of the Universe and not in Bono’s name…
Anyway, Bono’s definately carrying out the second part of Hebrews 13: 15/16, the part where it says “...And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
Michiel
said:
I don’t care who wrote what song I’m still not fond of him. What has Bono ever done for me? I’m sure he’s a great guy and all but I have no cause to like him or Clay Aiken for that matter. Bono hating no, Bono disliking yes very much so. It’s my opinion that’s not worth me being banded over that’s for sure...coughshuancough :p
Oh wait is the sticking your tongue out at someone emoticon not allowed even though it’s not spam or name calling? Hmmm…
said:
Of all the things posted lately and even in this very post is anyone else shocked that it’s about Bono and apperantly hating him. Which, you know, I still don’t get?
Interesting, very interesting. . .
ralph said:
Bono… I dont know why I hate bono but i just do. I’ll get back to you.
ralph said:
I do like a lot of his music.... I’ll grant yall that
lorijo said:
saw it last night. yeah, the walrus song was so out of place...and ridiculous. as was his ridiculous mustache and fake accent. it was different that’s for sure. then again, i don’t know a whole lot about the seventies...so *shrugs* it was interesting and strange. and the homosexuality theme was awkward. i just looked at my sister and said, not again.
lorijo said:
oh and I agree with everything you said above, with the exception of your dislike for the character of Luci. I liked her and her voice...but maybe because I’m a girl. and i sing in church...hehe. But your thoughts were interesting. i agree, Jude’s songs were the best.