Across the Universe (7)

Across the Universe is a trippy, hippy film. I'm glad that I had no idea of what it was otherwise I probably would not have seen it. As soon as the characters began singing, which is right from the very start, I thought "Uh oh, a musical". Delightfully, it turned out to be a musical of Beatles songs which is not about the Beatles. Instead it tells a simple, shallow story of story of boy-meets-girl, but it goes off a weird little psychedelic side trips.

In the 1960's, Jude (of course) goes to America to find his father and meets Lucy (again, of course). He ends up living with her, Sadie and Prudence (of course of course) and others in New York. There's not much of story, some politics, some travelling, and love and war, but the rendition of songs are brilliant. I've never heard them so good. The gospel version of "Let it be" sent shivers down my spine.
And then there are the dreamy hallucinogenic film sequences, like the hospital and water scenes (the animation and live action circus scene was very weak).

Don't watch this for an in depth story, don't watch it for a critic of the Vietnam war, just watch it for the music and stunning trippy scenes. It is art but like most art, it is not perfect - it has it's flaws. Next time I see it, some wine, and a little help from my friends, would be in order.