Across the Universe (Two-Disc Special Edition)

How anyone that calls themselves a fan of The Beatles music can give this "film" anything more than 1 star after hearing the horrendous version/cover/bastardization of one of the greatest Beatles songs of all time,Helter Skelter,should be ashamed of themselves.

Across The Universe should be shot across the universe never to be heard from again.

basically the reason for this movie's existence is that sony acquired the rights to the beatles songs a few years ago.
The 50-50 joint venture -- Sony/ATV Music Publishing -- owns rights to more than 250 Beatles songs.

sony also owns columbia pictures, which made Across the Universe.

so basically all this movie is is a device to popularise the beatles back-catalogue to make some cash for sony, which is stuggling a little in today's download culture.

all Across the Universe wants to do is remind you of the beatles and their tracks - which it does by cramming/culling as many of their songs into the running time as possible - so you go out and buy them.

which is why this movie is bereft of a decent storyline, decent singing, and very little charm and none of the creativity for which the beatles were famous.

I don't think the filmmakers care if Across The Universe sucks or not - Julie Taymor was replaced by the studio and the film was recut by Sony itself to its own specifications - as long as it gets the punters to fork out for old beatles tracks.

Across the Universe is just a cheap and nasty exploitation movie.
fortunately it was not very successful. Bowl Brush HolderSTAINLESS TOILET BRUSH W/STAND

This movie blew me away. I heard mixed reviews, but finally broke down to see it, and within the first 30 seconds I was hooked. Beatles Purists comlpain, but I love the Beatles passionately and felt that this movie only enhanced my understanding of the whole era and their music.

Yes, the plot is flimsy, so don't go expecting to find some amazing dialogue and story line. I do love the way that the movie outlines actual events in history though. It begins with a kid from Liverpool coming to find his father in a very apple pie America. Many of the scenes are just pure fun (and made me wish I could have been in this film) such as the scene in the bowling alley or the one set at Princeton - "I've Just Seen a Face," and "A Little Help From My Friends." We travel through time to the draft for the Vietnam war, the Detroit riots, the Electric Koolaid acid tests and the Merry Pranksters in their magic bus, the disillusionment that came from the violence of the counter-revolution, and finally it all wraps up neatly with the rooftop performance- mirroring the Beatles' own final concert.

The music is for the most part outstanding, and the visual representations of the songs are pure genius at times. Particularly outstanding were the visual representations of the songs "I Want You/She's So Heavy," depicting soldiers being sent off to war with Uncle Sam pointing his finger and singing "I Want You." (How could you not love that?) Also, Bono's psychedilic "I am the Walrus" leads into an underwater version of "Because." It made me feel like I was in an altered state of mind despite my sobriety.

There are cute little Beatles references throughout, such as names of characters, mention of someone coming in through the bathroom window, etc. It gets a little tiresome at times though. The movie was about 30 minutes longer than it needed to be. Still, a huge achievement, and incredibly creative and stunningly beautiful. It's even better to watch the second time when you can skip through all the boring dialogue, and jump to your favorite musical numbers.

I have never been a fan of Beatles music, and yet I love, love this movie. Most of the songs I've only been vaguely familiar with, but the power and emotion behind them in this movie, and the sheer entertainment involved with others, have left a lasting impression on me.
I thrilled at Eddie Izzard's and Salma Hayek's appearences.
I find myself singing "Hey Jude" and one or two of the other songs to myself through out the day.
I caught Across The Universe on Starz I believe (maybe Showtime?) and knew I had to own it.

Across the Universe is just magnificent, especially if you enjoy Beatles songs. Set in both Liverpool, England and the United States, the film provides a view to the Vietnam War era and the challenges faced by those living lives that were impacted by the death of loved ones during a War that many protested, avoided, and / or despised. There is much political and social unrest going on, we see the Rainbow buses, the issues with drugs, and the social unrest that ends in clashes with police and the assasination of Martin Luther King.

The central characters are played by Jim Sturgess, whose name is Jude and Evan Rachel Wood, who plays Lucy, a beautiful young girl who sees her first love drafted and go to war only to then attend her first ever funeral, as she sees her boyfriend, decorated as a hero... but buried...

Her brother Max, played by Joe Anderson, soon is drafted as well, and her anger at losing those she loves, makes her become part of the protesting groups, at some point endangering her life. All characters move to New York City, where they find an apartment ran by a singer named Sadie, played by Dana Fuchs, who is dating a guitar player by the name of JoJo, played by Martin Luther. As you may be beginning to realize, all names lead to some of the best Beatles songs of our times, and as the plot develops, all circumstances result in listening to our favorite tunes.

These young characters are in turmoil over the war, Jude, who is from England, finds that he has no cause and therefore is able to stay outside of the individual turmoil that is consuming his friends, but he falls in love with Lucy and as she gets deeper and deeper into the groups that are protesting the War, Jude finds himself embroiled in the thick of it and because he is in the USA without the appropriate Visa, he is soon sent back home.

They want to change the world, to make the world a better place, to hold on to the belief that it is all about love and that love is all we need. But the reality is that emotions are too powerful, hatred reigns, misunderstandings are powerful, and the clash leaves many suffering the consequences of the War.

If you like a good dramatic romance, we recommend this movie, but if you simply LOVE Beatles songs like we do, we hope that you obtain this DVD and enjoy excellent music, and a plot that puts the times in perspective for us. Enjoy!!