I apologise, we feel bad, but there's no trailer available. ~Ed.
The notion that music can provide the soundtrack to your life is given a literal outing through the Beatle’s back catalogue in the Romance/Musical Across the Universe. Jude (Jim Sturges) is a dockworker eager to escape the monotony of his native Liverpool and his travels take him to America, where he first meets Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood) and falls into a love that reflects the tumultuous decade of the 1960s. This story and the events that unfold within it are in essence an excuse for the cast to restage Beatles classics in an extravaganza of song and dance numbers with a surreal touch.
Director Julie Taymor has earned fame and acclaim for her stage spectacles as well as her work on film, evident in the string of beguiling wide screen images she offers up to the viewer. The combination of camera work, production design and costume give the film a fantastical stage for the musical renditions to play out on when it hits its high notes. These instances are notable for the presence of star cameos from the likes of Bono, Joe Cocker and Eddie Izzard, who bring personality to what often veer into by-the-numbers performances. When the main cast are carrying the tune it can come across as sickly sweet and the emphasis put on certain lyrics to advance the plot gets grating when it becomes a narrative crutch over the two hour plus running time.
It is obvious that the songs have been selected first and a tenuous story has been shoehorned into place to fit them later. If you’re a fan of musicals you’ll probably find a lot to like in the Across the Universe soundtrack. Beatles fans on the other hand might see the cover versions as sacrilege. It’s one of the most visually interesting films to hit the screens in a long time, but it would have worked better as a greatest hits album, with only the cream of the musical numbers remaining and its clunky failures left on the cutting room floor. Still, I normally hate musicals, but I didn’t hate this.
By Andreas Heinemann, Flicks.co.nz
If the story dont take your fancy then the sound track will one of the best movies ive seen thats been made around the world events of the 1960s era and how it changed people and how music can be part of your life no matter if its good or bad.
Pretty weak acting and "story", but some interesting, and not so, reworks of many Beatles classics.
I have watched this movie several times now and today I cried at the end and was enthralled by the singing, cast, choreography, visuals. And I LOVE the fact that the songs were sung in such a pure way as they were intended and they sound stunning. A must see for Beatles fans
I don't understand why this is playing in theaters, I've had the movie on DVD for about 6 or so months now. I liked the plot, the songs fit in well. [:
What more to say. Combined my favorite music of all time with possibly one of the most beautiful actresses of all times with cameos to die for, a story that retroactively tells itself through that music, and renders that fave music in a powerful and fabulous new way...ok...a failing...probably 20 mins too long.
Here is a bold, beautiful, visually enchanting musical where we walk INTO the theater humming the songs.
1/2 The plot is flimsy and predictable but the film certainly succeeds in reminding the audience how fabulous The Beatles' music was and is _ even when it's sung by somebody else.
It’s haphazard, at times demented, entirely overreaching, and has experienced a tumultuous conflict over the final cut. Nothing about this film should work. Here’s the good news: it’s wonderful.
Somewhere around its midpoint, Across the Universe captured my heart, and I realized that falling in love with a movie is like falling in love with another person. Imperfections, however glaring, become endearing quirks once you’ve tumbled.
Julie Taymor's visual gifts are very much in evidence in Across the Universe, an ambitious, only partly successful attempt to reinvigorate the musical genre.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 19th Jun 2008.
Release date: June 19th 2008.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
