Across the Universe (2007)

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0445922/

Official Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43aLbo-Y_W0

BEFORE THE VIEWING

This movie came out during my sophomore year in college. It wasn't a movie that had captured a whole lot of attention from my peers, but the Beatles music featured throughout, the 60's-era setting, and with Julie Taymor's distinctive style appealed directly to my budding, faux-artistic leanings, there was no way I was going to skip it.

I saw "Across the Universe" in an almost-empty theater with my sister up in Lansing, Michigan (the closest theater showing it near her home in northern Indiana). I considered the first half of the film far superior to the second half, because ugh, revolution and acid trips are so. not. fun. But I truly admired how the movie translated old Beatles tunes into lively, artistic moments of storytelling.

Favorite things in this movie include:
- the movie poster, which I still have (a splashed depiction of a juicy strawberry floating in the middle of a dark, starry sky)
- the "I've just seen a face" number, which makes me smile no matter what mood I'm in
- the sudden appearances of Salma Hayek and Eddie Izzard
- the music! I can't even remember how often I listened to this soundtrack!

If memory serves, this was one of the DVDs I sought out the moment it was released at my local Walmart, which was the only place that carried DVDs in my tiny Alabama college town. Although I couldn't say that I watched it religiously, I watched it often; however, it's been at least 5 years since I've seen it (as of June 2016).

AFTER THE VIEWING

I think I love this movie more than I did as a college kid. The social issues displayed in this picture - race riots, in particular, and the lingering war in Vietnam - are a bitter reminder that, although 50 years have passed, American culture is still grappling with some of the same issues it dealt with in the 60s. I'm not afraid to admit that I wept during "Let it be", especially during the funeral of the young, nameless, black boy.

And my appreciation for good, sometimes complex, music has only improved in the 9 years since I first listened to the soundtrack. Some of the Beatles songs I learned to love as a result of this film:
- Happiness is a warm gun (What a dance sequence!)
- While my guitar gently weeps (What an emotional vocal performance for the two men involved)
- Come together (Pimps and whores and vagabonds turning nonsense lyrics into a gritty welcome to the chaotic system that was NYC)
- Blackbird (How lovely and poignant as a slowed-down tune)

I'd almost forgotten that I once read in Entertainment Weekly (or something) that the performers kept as much of the singing live as possible - very little lip syncing took place during filming. I think it helps make the performances crackle with emotion. Not to mention that even the who-oh-ohs ("With a little help from my friends") and the yeah yeah yeahs ("It won't be long") tell a story. The interpretations of the songs remain sublime.

When I was a teenager, I volunteered at my local library, and I ended up seeking out a lot of literature I might not have been exposed to otherwise - like one about fierce women throughout history. One of the passages that stuck with me was a description of Janis Joplin, and the contents of her purse. Even though the Janis-esque character, Sadie, never dumps her purse on a limousine floor, I'm always reminded of the picture that passage painted when I watch Sadie in this movie.

And I'd like to close out this set of observations by talking a bit about the final message of "Across the Universe", which is ripped straight from the lyrics of one of the Beatles' most classic songs: "All you need is love, love. Love is all you need." I used to think that the message here was all about romantic love; some boy and some girl finding each other and never wanting to part. But in the intervening years since my last viewing, I've embraced a truth that love is only occasionally romantic. It is sometimes familial, it is sometimes platonic, it is sometimes vicious or impulsive or unhealthy. And for me, love is spending time with nearly 300 films I've elected to own and keep; it's with love that I share my experiences with all of you.

If that message appeals to you, then here's what I think you should do: find a copy of "Across the Universe", tune in, turn off, drop out, drop in, switch off, switch on, and explode. :)

Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5

2 down. 296 to go.

Accepted (2006)

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0384793/

Official Trailer: https://youtu.be/MZkurgJOP4c

BEFORE THE VIEWING

I'm honestly pretty excited to start off with "Accepted". If my memory serves correctly, this film is a really fun time. Justin Long plays a graduating senior who's struggling to get into college...so he invents one of his own, which his friends (and eventually some strangers) turn into a legitimate institute of unconventional learning.

The high schoolers in this movie graduated in 2006 - just a year after myself. Not knowing of any films featuring the class of 2005, I've embraced this film as a close-enough depiction of my own generation. I've always been pleased with the depiction, too; the kids in this movie are a little stressed, a little crazy, very brave, and delightfully creative.

A quick review of the official trailer has also reminded me of two phenomenal casting decisions: a pre-"Superbad" Jonah Hill, and the seemingly-timeless curmudgeon Lewis Black. I'm already pumped to slide this DVD into my PS3 and let the hilarity ensue!

AFTER THE VIEWING

Nobody at my school got so excited about their acceptance that they screamed about it in our school's courtyard. Was that just my school? I feel like people kept that to themselves and their closest friends.

I love the inclusion of Hands, a jock who lost a lot of opportunity because of a football injury. I think a lot of writers would set up a strong dichotomy of oddballs vs. standards in this kind of movie, like "Animal House" did; the standards are all absolutely wrong and oddballs are absolutely worthy of praise. This film doesn't bash any group of people, just acknowledges that different groups exist. At the end Bartleby asks, "Why can't we both exist?", referring to the established and the unconventional methods. That's such a healthy quest; not wanting to squash what is "other" than oneself...just to coexist.

Although Justin Long is an adorable protagonist (and I've always struggled not to crush on him in this role), I spent a lot of time during this viewing appreciating the supporting characters:

The hyper-active redhead, Rory, is the only reason this whole thing happens. She shows the boys the mental hospital that they convert into the school, she brings "students" from her English-as-a-second-language class to complete the illusion for the parents, and she's extremely organized! Even though she mellows considerably by the end of the film, I'm really glad she was in the mix.

And there are so many one-liners by Jonah Hill! I forgot how funny he was. It's interesting that, for a big person, there was never any humor or cruelty attached to his weight. This movie went out of its way to respect Schrader as a dude, while simultaneously giving us room to laugh at his antics.

Finally, I realized during this viewing that Glen, the idiot-savant cooking whiz, is just about as funny and random as Brick Tamland in "Anchorman". Practically every line he has makes me giggle. I can only think of a handful of performances that have pulled that off!

One character who did not retain my interest is Blake Lively as Monica, Bartleby's love interest. Ironically, I find her just about the least-lively part of this flick. Although I've always thought of her as pretty, I think she's an idiot for overlooking a character like Bartleby for even a second. Maybe I'm biased.

Another fun aspect of "Accepted" was that it had an excellent soundtrack. Grinding rock, high energy, kick ass. There's a great montage set to Green Day's "Holiday", Justin Long covering a Ramones classic in front of hundreds of people, and the final credits roll to a techno song full of quotes from the movie. It's like spending just 2 more minutes reveling in the fun you just had.

"Accepted" is aging pretty well, I think. While the characters do have smart-ish phones, they aren't glued to them. The characters are varied, but not stark stereotypes (for the most part). Writing is solid, plot and pace are tight, and there's enough comedic talent here to guess that some of the funniest lines aren't scripted, but come from a genuinely humorous moment of filming.

Watching it as an adult, it's a little harder for me to suspend my disbelief and have a mindless good time. However, I did spend a good chunk of my viewing with a grin on my face, and you probably would, too.

Overall rating: 4 out of 5

1 down. 297 to go.