Remembering Martin Luther King Jr. 1/15/2011

Rating: 9/10 (17 January 2011)

i'm writing this two days late. i meant to write a review on his birth date but i was too lazy and a little depressed about the whole Arizona shootings in Tuscon. you know "happiness is a warm gun. shoot shoot bang bang".
Julie Taymor's brilliant 'Across the Universe' seems like the perfect way to spend the MLKJR weekend. 'Universe' is actually more about the time period of 1967 than it is about The Beatles. as a matter of fact, aside from using the Fab Four's music, it really has nothing to do with The Beatles. The Beatles exist simply as a metaphor and nothing more in the film. which is just fine, since most artists who try to interpret The Beatles music usually fail. remember the dismal Bee Gee travesty 'Sgt. Ick'? unfortunately i do.
Julie Taymor's direction is so breathtaking in this movie that i can't really think of anything in recent times that it compares to, with probably the exception of music videos. but this is not simply an extended music video, it truly has a good story with a very relatable plot. it also features one of the sweetest love stories i've seen in film romances.
all the music is beautifully handled. the scenes that feature the songs "Let It Be" and "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" are real standouts and very touching and memorable. T.V. Carpio gives a soulful rendition of "Hold Your Hand" which is turned into a slow ballad and is sung by a girl who is in love with another girl. one of the best covers i have ever seen and heard.
there is also a hilarious and vivacious scene in a small town bowling alley that has a nod to the audience favorite 'The Big Lebowski'. there is a camera shot of Jimmy Sturgess whistling out a little Beatles tune while he is being tossed down one of the lanes like a bowling ball. Joe Anderson, who is the film's only problem because the performance is way too cutesy, has some funny moments in this scene too.
the whole cast is just remarkable in this amazing film, but the real star here is Julie Taymor's incredible film direction and set designs. i had the privilege of seeing Taymor's 'The Lion King' on stage, and i've seen the vast resources of her superior talent. can't wait to see her film of 'The Tempest'.
Taymor turns 'Universe' into a real spiritual journey that crosses our universe and time. she has genuinely brought the music of last century and into this one. now the younger generation can appreciate the power of social change that the 60's and it's music had.
this review is dedicated to the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. and the victims of the senseless Arizona shootings. who even, in a sense, the shooter was a victim of our troubled times too. God bless.