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__Across the Universe Review__ //“Across the Universe”// was directed by [|Julie Taymor] and was released in October of 2007, and is expected to be released on DVD February 5th, 2008. //“Across the Universe”// includes a wide selection of cast members. They are; Evan Rachel Wood (Lucy), Jim Sturgess (Jude), Joe Anderson (Max), Dana Fuchs (Sadie), Martin Luther (JoJo), and T.V. Carpio (Prudence).

//“Across the Universe”// is a love story and a musical, which takes place in the 60’s. In the heat of two teens falling in love, there is a war going on; a war on drugs, on music, on freedom, but most importantly peace. And what group best fits this time period and everything these people stood for, but The Beatles. The movie is solely based on [|The Beatles], including over thirty different songs originally made by them.

The main character, Jude starts the movie off by leaving England, and coming to America to find his biological father. While there he meets a college student named Max. Max then introduces Jude to his baby sister Lucy. Lucy and Jude fall in love, but of course it’s not that easy. Everywhere they turn they are constantly reminded of the Vietnam War, which they were all clearly against. When Max gets drafted, Lucy begins to get really serious about protesting. But the drama doesn’t end there; Jude eventually gets deported back to England, leaving Lucy to fight the war on peace all by herself.

Taymor managed all of this in less than two hours, with Paul McCartney and John Lennon singing catchy tunes in the background. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore The Beatles. Who can’t? They paved the way for every rock band or any type of singer for that matter there is. But I think it should have been a little less singing and dancing, and a little more talking and acting.

This movie made you feel as if you were really on an acid trip, which as far as the graphics and special affects are concerned I am impressed. But some points of the movie weren’t really thoroughly explained. For instance, at one point, everyone decided to get on a bus with random strangers they had just met, to go all the way to California. When they arrive, a fight breaks out and half the people go back, taking the bus with them, and leaving all the main characters stranded in the middle of California. Two Beatles songs, and many joints later, the crew was back in New York. No questions asked.

Overall I give this movie a 4. I was not disappointed at all, I thought it was wonderful; it just seemed that at times it was hard to understand, and it kind of just dragged on. What I think Taymor did a great job at, was honoring The Beatles, she portrayed their music and their message in a beautiful way. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone who is a die hard Beatles fan, or just enjoys watching a bunch of stoned teenagers fighting for peace.