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rock culture approximately

Scrambled Eggs

September 14, 2007 by Tim Riley

Across the Universe
Today’s Here and Now [audio] review of Across the Universe, a movie that’s as impressive as it is disappointing. (At least they don’t have the poor guy sing “Yesterday.”) Reminded me of how poorly served T Bone Burnett was in WALK THE LINE: even material this well arranged and produced can’t support a flimsy script. And why do we keep returning to this material, feeding on it and shoveling money down its well when nobody’s it’s never been improved by any other medium, beginning with Frampton Bee Gees nightmare and on through Beatlemania and that sappy Lennon musical and LOVE, the Vegas sellout blockbuster. It makes you yearn for YELLOW SUBMARINE, which at least didn’t take itself so seriously. How can Taymor (JULIE TAYMOR!) waste an actor like her old Obie pal Bill Irwin (uncredited)? Why is “Max” (Joe Anderson) such a dead ringer for… Kurt Cobain?!? Can rock, conceived to kill off musicals, ever revive the tired Broadway’s form? Does anybody ever want to sit through another choreogrpher who wants to try? It’s Eddie Izzard’s movie, the rest of them mistake oversinging for acting.

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Comments

  1. bitofallright says

    October 4, 2007 at 8:30 pm

    it’s just like some assholes interpeting the bible, which is just a damn book really, your view on this movie is someone who is trying to make it something it’s not. You missed the whole thing and vibe I guess…judge it for what it is…a visually stunning movie which evokes real emotion and gives a true “time stamp” reference for the era and music. It was eye candy for me and alot more…I am Eddie Izzards biggest fan, I adore him and think he is the shit on every level, but this is not his movie, he is a great part of it. See it again, and this time experience it, take a magic mushroom or something and lighten up!

Tim Riley

NPR critic, Author, Emerson College Journalist and Campus Speaker Tim Riley contributes to HERE AND NOW out of WBUR Boston. Read More…

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