We watched this film a few nights ago and the more I think about it, the more it amazes me. The new arrangements of classic Beatles songs are close to perfect (of course nothing beats the original arrangements) and certainly provide a new take on any previous notions of what you may have thought the songs were about. The cinematography was equally impressive. Nominated Best Picture in the Golden Globes, nominated Best Costuming in the Academy Awards, probably deserved more.
I mean, look at the names of the characters: Jude, Lucy, Prudence, Sadie, JoJo, Max...all from various Beatles' songs. The songs become part of the story and weave around the characters. "Hey, Jude" becomes the love song it was most likely intended to be. "Girl" becomes the haunting serenade to a lost love that it was most likely supposed to be. "Dear Prudence" is so well done and the visuals are so simple yet overwhelming.
Links to a few of the videos are here:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_oviETn4J50&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSBbsyOjYO0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMk8GIOQHvY&feature=related
Joe Cocker singing "Come Together" is the best cover of a Beatles song there is! Selma Hyack plays five nurses in the same scene (a nurse is a reference in a couple of Beatles songs) during "Happiness is a Warm Gun". Bono performs as Doctor Robert in "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" and "I Am the Walrus".
Just a great flick with plenty of visuals and beautiful music. It helps if you liked/appreciated the Beatles and understand the era the movie is based in.
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