All You Need is Love

After 8 long months of waiting from the first time I heard about this movie, I finally saw this masterpiece once it was released in Tucson this past week. Across the Universe is an inspiring movie, from director Julie Taymor, taking you back into the culture of the 60's when the hippies were fighting against the war, living for peace and love, protesting for civil rights and fighting against hate, discrimination, and anti-immigration laws.

A rock musical, the movie revolves around the music of the Beatles, very important to the time of the revolution, and each actor performs their songs with no lip-syncing and amazing talent.

Director Taymor, told the Arizona Daily Wildcat in a conference call that " "It's my hope that the movie will initiate discussion about how youth initiated change (in the '60s),"
And rightly so, with many of the issues we face today having been what the children of 60's went through themselves. War, anti immigration and civil rights issues that our so prevalent in our society today.
After watching this film I hope Julie is right. When will we as people ban together and stand up for our beliefs and put and end to this ridiculous war, our hate and prejudices against each other. When will we fight once again for the human race as whole, and the ability to live our lives as freely as we choose?

This film is powerful and raw, as it strips away the layers of the nature of our very souls to reveal the simplicity of the human nature and human heart, soul, and mind. Love is seen as the greatest truth, music as the tool to deliver us from all our fears and light our ways in our darkest hours, and our kinsmen; the glue that holds our world together and is there to support us with a helping hand in our time of need.

"Why do I have to do something with my life. Why isn't it important just being who I am?" asks Max, a character in the film. Any ivy league student who disagree with how he is forced to live and enjoy his life. His family is well of and disagree with his choices.He meets Jude and off the go to New York city to be a part of the magic there. Electric cool-aid acid tests, the Grateful dead, the Beatles, Timothy Leary, love and peace, FREEDOM. Unfortunately, dropping out of college gets him drafted into the Vietnam war, where his mind slowly unravels and changes him until he can get back home and be surrounded by the people who he loves.
Jude, Lucy and Max, in a scene from Across the Universe

I hope one day we can look at each other and see not our differences, but our similarities. This movie also taught me something that is significant to remember. Don;t just stand up for your beliefs, remember not to judge or harm others because of theirs. As soon as we take arms against those opposing forces to us, even as defense, is when we are no better than our enemies.

This movie truly is the epitome of what the 60's were a symbol of. Everything human nature tells us to fight for, was fought for. Ideals beat out prudence and "practicality". The flower children thought with their hearts and not their minds, maybe it is time for a revolution, and a simpler mind set on life.