A modern masterpiece--the best film of 2007

Rating: 10/10 (14 October 2007)

Ever have that experience of a lifetime at the cinema? Walking out having seen a film that truly reached out to you in the theater and grabbed you by the neck and looked you deep in the eyes, making an impression on your life that you won't forget anytime soon...and leaving you speechless for the rest of the night.
There have only been a select few films I've seen that truly gave me that experience, and I'm beyond delighted to say that the newest edition to that category is "Across The Universe," which is in my opinion the only decent film to surface since Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Across The Universe deals with six major characters--a British art student from Liverpool coming to America to find his estranged father. A preppy, pretty, high school senior whose boyfriend has been drafted into the raging Vietnam War. A black guitarist from Detroit whose son has died in a peace rally. A young Asian cheerleader, running away from her home in Ohio to go after her life. A burnt-out, wannabe singer who performs at a small club and wants to show the world her music. And finally, a college drop-out with a passion for drugs, sex, and booze in search of himself.
Somehow they are all brought together by a small apartment in New York and begin to form unique bonds with each other. In the midst of the Vietnam War, and peace movements going on constantly around them, they are drawn to fighting, drugs, pursuing their dreams, finding themselves, and above all, finding true love, which is what the movie is all about.
Across The Universe is by far one of the most unique love stories ever written and unlike other deeply romantic films you may have seen, it is not sappy in the least or aimed toward female audiences. Across The Universe is not for the faint-hearted and is surprisingly gritty, hard-hitting, intense, and even shocking in many scenes. The film is shot in an extremely awkward (in a GOOD way) "Tim Burton" style that will be admired by anyone who gazes upon abstract art at a modern museum, and I was truly mesmerized.
The film seems like it is eight or nine hours long, and in no way is that a bad thing. Coming out of the theater after a 4:30 screening, when my watch showed 6:45pm, I thought it had frozen at some time during the movie. The person I saw it with couldn't believe it either. Across The Universe feels like three or four films--all with separate story lines, and all aimed at different audiences--merged into one, creating a bold fusion of film-making art. I'm being quite literal when I say it has a little something for everyone.
And as if the intricately written screenplay and exquisite direction weren't enough, the film is paired up with astonishing performances by EVERYONE in the cast, most of them largely unknown actors, and everything is hauntingly believable. I'd say a good 60% of the movie are Beatles songs, each song seemingly about the current event of the film, and the songs are sung by the actors, all of them with great voices. A lot of times I find musicals kind of worn-out, washed-up and boring, but never in my life have I been so captured by the beauty of film and music together--as one being. It was the absolute perfect addition to the film and put the icing on an already deliciously tasty cake. If you're a big Beatles fan like I am, you'll pick up on hundreds of intimate, subtle references to the Beatles' music such as character names, locations, and events.
Quite simply, this film is nothing short of a modern masterpiece, and will sweep the Oscars come February. It's a little bit of Moulin Rouge, Forrest Gump, Ghandi, and Titanic merged into one, with a Beatles soundtrack accompanying. See this film on the big screen before it leaves theaters...it will leave you gasping for air.