March Madness: Across the Universe

Hello, welcome back to 'reel scribbles' where my thought are recounted and recorded in stimulation of a movie.

Continuing the female director trend, today's movie is Julie Taymor's 2007 movie, Across the Universe.

We start with a man sitting a beach Is this James Blunt? No, this is actually good. Man starts to tell a story about a girl... like Lord of the Rings? Paper and waves and military in collage. The scene coalesces to a disco ball in a 50's dance. Turning to 70's rave Showing the universality of Beatles... I get it Taymor... Two love story... different aesthetic, same story.

Liverpool? Dockyard. A man is getting his last paycheck... because he's going to America! The boy scretly opens a box... mother and father in WWII. The girlfriend is little pissed, but a song makes it better. This is slightly uncomfortable at this moment. Other boy is gone to war... Dayton, a cheerleader starts the next song. It's the other boyfriend, the quarterback... typical. Hey, look out... stop your nonchalant walking here... this is not a... oh, okay carry on. The girl is now hitchhiking... or is it the boy? Boy is in college? Well, a different boy is rushing and a meet that boy hitchhiking. The boy meets... well, his father, it seems.

Jude and Mr. Huebert gets a awkward conversation. Blonde boy brakes a window using a golf ball and runs to the boy again. Blonde boy is Max... after little college Newsies... I like this use of convention of musicals. Also, why is Joe Crocker song on a Beatles musical (little late for that joke, son.)

Who are you (Insert Shuffle line here) and what with adoption. Lucy? Who's Lucy? Oh, that girl... I forgot. After a typical song... we cut to Jude and the Hold Your Hand girl then back to Lucy. Okay... Lucy is Max's... sister? Heartwarming... much like real Thanksgiving. (Joke was lost there.) Good job... anger is awkward... Taymor has a weird arguing scene. Lucy and Jude talk that earlier storyline. Normal... hahaha... it got awkward, again.

Bowling scene song okay... I like the acoustic setting... then this is weird. Bad CGI! New York. Grimy tenant. The house is nicer. Hi, Sadie? Aspiring fox... I guess. Nice subversion!! Is there a alien attack? Well someone's dead... race riots... U2 will crying with joy with this... promo piece? Lucy's boyfriend, I think is dead. Is this Vietnam... Korea, maybe? Black boy is lying in state. This already four storylines, it's too much.

Fade to black boy riding a bus. Always interesting how the singer is always announced and everywhere? Taymor can definitely lead a several people. Jude likes drawing. After introducing 60's New York... black guitarist plays for Sadie. Jude give prints. A husky pimp and a nice work. Jo-Jo and Jude talks music and Prudence pops in to merge the story. Masterful work, Taymor. Lucy wants to flees to New York... true... I can see the Gilligan cut. Sadie is the main singer. That was... weird. Thanks. It's a good enough intro. Free love and stuff... (Michael Aranda non-existence is the term... you need to dig for the reference.) Deli. Max gets the induction. Prudence... thank you. Max burns and... dodges.

He won a medal... thank you for that info. Emotion flees to awkwardness for some reason. Well, Jude is exempt... and painting. Great Unwashed... what a term. Abandoned place and throwing the cop off. Again, the song just popped... like give a transition. So, that's the conflict... that was a haphazard one. You have a weird penchant for jump cuts. So... Max... your sister with your friend? Little pissed. Max goes for inspection. It was imposing then it got funny so that's that. Am I in a Terry Gilliam movie again. That was just too much... Taymor. Learn French or die. Sadie and Joe are together with reprise and Prudence just wants revenge. You should check your psychiatrist with this behavior.

Dear Prudence... funny. Am I in Harry Potter now? Peace march... I see. Washington Square... LBJ is a long way there. Are you Steve Jobs? What with Max? Sadie and the manager gets a meeting. Okay, maybe the manager is more of a executive. The big party for the tenants... pink punch is new? (Also, Prudence just written out... just have to point that out.) Awful... slowly turning. That's your trip sequence... just feels weak. No, no, no... That's the film developed. Summer house? HQ of summer stuff. Stop with the face. Just... oh, he left. Oh, it's Lucy who's talking 'stone'. (Nice twist.) I'm still thinking this is Terry Gilliam. Not you.

Well, this is just silly... with a silly person. Prudence??? Ah, don't... I'm not in the 60's, I'm in the bad part of the 90's... uk. So we found Prudence (what a coincidence) now we're in Louisana. Or in Signs. This is the multiple couple sing the same song trope thing... is this supposed to be renaissance? Get to the chopper... (too apropos?)

Max in Vietnam... Jude still drawing. Lucy serving and working. Something disappeared... Jude sings... well. Lucy's a busy women... destined to death... Sadie and the PO Boys are doing well. Jude worry without Lucy. I really hope this is a stage fight... nope, nope, this is real. Well, Joe can carry on his own. Daniel's supports... I don't know. Hmmm... I hint that this might be setting up for a very classic plot. Sadie hits the road home. Jude has a road block. Oh, there's Steve Jobs... Liverpool got strong over the year... Living-work room, like that combo.

This is really awkward conflict but it feels real, so that's nice. Jude smokes hard... (Ooh, I know what song is coming) Look at that art. Vietnam is Nebraska-y this year.Ah, I see the red. There's a... it's a metaphor. I get it. Don't need to press it... Don't press it. Zoom out washing machine. Lucy zoning out. Jude got a job. Parker or Jobs... Laundromat... I lost my thought. I mean, it's not that kind of war... There is 49 women...  this argument scene is quite nice actually... You never see him... period. You kind of... whatever.

MLK assassination. Now we finally get the timeline. So, it started in '64... It must have been. Joe sing to a empty lounge. Sadie is such a diva... Jude goes to drinking. See the mess... seriously that's the face. does the baby want a lollipop? Least Jude is hanging out with a friend. Well, Lucy left. Look at that mustache... alternate universe... I see. Nice composition. Nihilism and passion. Three POV colliding in a dangerous way. Well, Lucy is going down and Max... still fighting. It looks like a stage. Oh, that's blood. Well, that was a BLAM... yes, the floating heads... nice.

Jude is locked in. (Irony? Coincidence? It's something.) Oh, it's the father, you know from a hour ago. Oh, also Jude is going back, so that thread is going to tie. Liverpool, once again. Hey, girlfriend is married. That's nice. Again, awkward. But needed awkwardness. Liverpool is grimy but so nice. Max is severe shock and Lucy is visiting. That is a shock. Nice. Also, Max didn't really change a bit.  (Oh, that must have hurt.)

Fade to, another demonstration. Hello, mom. You still talking about Daniel... Stay in the box. Just you won't die... I think. Max looks on. Joe is playing somewhere. Lucy return to that fateful room. What is with the original music...? Okay, but yeah bombs... not good. Jude is back working in the docks. Too fast. Is Lucy dead? I don't think... well we're now back to the frame. Lucy and Max look out to the world. Jude look back. What's he going to do...

Down a pint for Jude and Max. Hey Jude ends the story and for a better ending. So, Jude goes back to find the love... least for the last time. Come on, Eileen? Jude and Max finally meet. Sadie is on the chart. ON the rooftop back with Joe. Oh, look at that design. Oh, everything is coming back together. Don't try to drawn out and Jude? Jude? Don't end like this... oh, okay. Please do end like this. Are you ripping off Love Actually... seriously. Okay, I'm fine with that! That is quite a nice touch.

Lucy's song come at the end.

Final thoughts: It's cheesy at some points and stupid at others but overall it's nice. Also, if don't like musicals and someone else just like it and want you change your mind... this might be the one to start. Just saying. Overall, a nice production. (Also... yeah, that's what I thought, also huh.)