What a lush, interesting mix of media -- song, old-school psychedelic effects, acting and dance. It's a musical tribute to Rock's most loved British band that plays out in America.

If you're a Beatles fan, as I am, you'll enjoy all the homage, some loud, some subtle. If you've only heard "Yesterday" on some elevator speaker, this is a good chance to get a little more familiar with some of the best songs ever written, pardon my bias.

Either way, any lover of music will appreciate the sweet vocals and harmonies mixed here. These young actors are quite talented, they sing, they dance and they act with strength. I so enjoyed the music video-like singing segments that I became a bit antsy during the admittedly solid acting scenes. But as the film progresses, the two begin to integrate more naturally.

Especially powerful, the Uncle Sam "I want you" recruitment segment that flows profoundly into "She's so Heavy." "Across the Universe" is a musical with the grit of "Once," the sweet syrupy vocals of "Moulin Rouge," and some of that edgy statement imagery of Pink Floyd's "The Wall."

Bono, Joe Cocker, Salma Hayek, Eddie Izzard cameo.

The director said she wanted to create a film that would, "...investigate the '60s. It had to penetrate all levels of the Beatles' songs. From the love songs to the political songs, the music and the film would not just reflect the microcosm of a character's experience, but, from my perspective, would also represent the macrocosm of the events that are happening in the world."

-- Book Contest --