Summary: It's a chick flick with an amazing soundtrack, supplemented with important messages about what it means to be human.

I watched the film Across the Universe for the first time last night. It's okey, but was only half paying attention to it. I watched it again this afternoon and had a much stronger reaction. I haven't been able to get it out of my head. The music was perfectly set, the plot intelligently conceived, and the message was undeniably beautiful. I think I need to share my thoughts about this film, and perhaps ramble about its current relevance to what I'm feeling recently hehe.

Some minor spoilers follow, but I don't think they'll ruin the plot...

The experience of Across the Universe was less trippy than I had expected. Sure, there are moments of warped psychadelic, trippy cinematography and inverted colors, but they correspond with plot elements in a manner that is neither indulgent or openly accepting of hallucinagenic drugs. Rather, they are simply elements of the culture of 40 years ago. And they work!

What impressed me most about Across the Universe was how a moving and coherent plot was formed from unrelated songs. Each piece of the Beatles' classic music is handled with reverence and care, and the movie could easily have been an original musical. This is not a musical revue for nostalgic Beatles enthusiasts. Each song was clearly chosen to further the plot, and adapted to suit the story in unique, often surprising ways. The message of the Beatles is also retained, with a strong emphasis on peace, love, happiness, and all those hippie things. But they are made fresh and relevant, with civil rights, tolerance, pacifism, activism, and fighting for what is right in the world being depicted in realistic ways with real consequences. Contrasting songs are made all the more powerful. The wonderfully carefree rendition of "With a Little Help From My Friends" shows the social bliss of hanging out with your good college buddies, wrecking harmless havoc, and enjoying life. Conversely, the version of "Let it Be" was unexpectedly moving, showing the race riots of Detroit and the funeral for a fallen soldier killed in Vietnam. I very much enjoyed the depiction of the war and its anti-war movement, as each side was shown at times in a virtuous light and at others in a truly negative manner.

The handling of the time period and global events was done extremely well, but at its heart, Across the Universe is a romance. It's a chick flick with an amazing soundtrack, supplemented with important messages about what it means to be human. And the romance sucked me right in, right from Jude's heartfelt goodbye to his (annoying) girlfriend in Liverpool and Lucy's fawning over her soldier beau. When the two romantic leads met for the first time, the chemistry between the actors became apparent. There is a sweetness in their interactions, and a comfort level which ultimately makes their journey together all the more beautiful. It also helps that they each have phenomenal voices, from Jim Sturgess's Ewan MacGregor-esque straight-toned, haunting tenor to Evan Rachel Wood's absolutely genuine mezzo.

The supporting cast is incredible as well, and what a motley band of friends we meet! From Max to Sadie to Prudence to Bono's cameo as the psychedelic doctor, the film depicts the beauty of tightly-knit friendships in a way seldom demonstrated. They are realistic relationships, along the lines of Rent, You believe that these are best friends. Again, this is due entirely to the actors.

And the music. Although I dont really dig The Beatles, but it in a way made me dig them. I have watched, read, listened from others that they were revolutionary, genre-creating, culture-defying, and phenomenally talented, but I'm not much of a fan -- daw ka okey lang. But, if you listen to the Across the Universe versions of the songs on their own, you may prefer some of them to the original recordings. Every cast member has a fantastic voice. They got Joe Cocker, Bono, Eddie Izzard. And cameo. And it added context to the songs and by doing so, added a new dimension to each and every piece of music it included. In many ways, it made these classic songs even more powerful. And that is an epic feat.

I rarely encounter a film that I can't get out of my head. Across the Universe is such an incredible film on so many levels, and I don't even think I've realized how deep it goes. It's the kind of film to watch again and again and notice something new. It's the kind of movie that everybody needs to see.

got a loot from my sister, and since she's the bookish type, another book from mitch albom, which, together with og mandino, she has been an avid follower of this author since the former's tuesdays with morrie.. makes me fall in love, but mind you, its not a story about romance and love per se that you get to see in those telenovelas and in those movies hehe.. basta, truly an Albom style - love is the greatest influence in one's life! daw ma apply mo sa biskan diin na aspect sng life mo, for instance, an unrequited love, a lost person sa life mo, etc etc, either sa nanay mo or sa isa ka girl, etc etc.. hehe

anyway, this book tells the story of a child of divorce who is always forced to choose between being a daddy's boy or a mommy's boy - never both. he grows into a man and starts a family of his own. but one fateful weekend, he leaves his mother to secretly be with his father and she dies while he is gone. this haunts him for years which led to his bout with depression and drunkenness. one night, he decides to commit suicide but somewhere between this world and the next, he encounters his mother again, in their hometown, and gets to spend one last day with her--the day he missed and always wished he'd had. by the end of the day, he discovers how little he really knew about his mother, the secret of how her love saved their family, and how deeply he wants the second chance to save his own.

This movie is about death, the inevitable and Love. This ain't your cheesy, cheepo type of movie. and plus memorable quotable quotes too! although the movie might be overshadowed by having brad pitt in it. but no, this one is less brad pitt the heartthrob and more of brad pitt the dramatic actor. there's this one line from william parish, as delivered by the great anthony hopkins:

"Love is passion, obsession, someone you can't live without.
If you don't start with that, what are you going to end up with?
Fall head over heels. I say find someone you can love like crazy and who'll love you the same way back.
And how do you find him? Forget your head and listen to your heart. I'm not hearing any heart. Run the risk, if you get hurt, you'll come back.
Because, the truth is there is no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love - well, you haven't lived a life at all.
You have to try. Because if you haven't tried, you haven't lived. "

which makes me say what kind of person i wanna meet:
i want to get swept away.
i want to levitate.
i want to sing with rapture
and dance like a dervish.
i want to find someone who i can love like crazy and love me the same way back.

this 10-year-old song is a classic among pinoy rock music lovers. i cant help but mosh to 3 stars everytime i get to hear it and it seems that i would forget all the problems my beloved country are facing. a hard-rocking tune with lyrics that everyone can relate regardless of the musical genre one listens to. i can say that this is the lupang hinirang of the 1990s. together with the master rapper's other song, it makes me feel proud as a pinoy again. second track from francism's freeman album. lyrics + riffs makes it 4 stars.

3 stars and a sun - francism

Three stars and a sun, in one sky, so high,
I live and die and die will I for my
Motherland this is the land of my birth,
No purse is worth the price of this earth
Can we rise, can we all, hell no!,
Or should we all just take the fall?
Bless the man if his heart and his land are one
...3 stars & a sun!
3 stars & a sun! I'm ready to defend the 3 stars & a sun!
Ommision to a mission, transport for the brain,
Packed w/ stacks of tracks built for a train,
I eat lead, but I never let it be said,
"He said, she said," it makes me see red
'Cuz I don't take bullshit & I'm 'a pack it and push it,
And hit you w/ the full clip
Switch to mode lock-'n'-load in the land of Juan (de la Cruz!)
...the 3 stars & a sun!
3 stars & a sun! I'm ready to defend the 3 stars & a sun!
Bahay kubo kahit munti, may pula,
Bughaw, dilaw, atsaka puti
There is a need to sow the seed,
Toil the soil and plod until your hands bleed
'Cuz this land is sacred,
Many a battle have been fought with hatred
Don't tell me that you understand,
It's been 4 hundred years of tears
For the brown man,
Still and all the fight has just begun
...3 stars & a sun!
3 stars & a sun! I'm ready to defend the 3 stars & a sun!