I am he as you are he as you are me and we are altogether....

I got the DVD of "Across The Universe" today as it was nice and cheap.... just £5. I figured I would enjoy it because I love "Moulin Rouge" and I knew that this film was like that - a surreal musical with lots of humour and a human story behind the glitz.

I wasn't disappointed. The love story running through this film is moving and poignant. It's the story of a young Liverpudlian lad who goes to America to find his father, a man who left home before he was born. Having a university address for the man, he expects him to be an educated man, a professor, but he turns out to be the janitor.

While in the school, he is befriended by a student and falls in love with his sister - who has lost her boyfriend in the Vietnam war.

Against a backdrop of war and love lost and found, this film is wonderful, with lots of Beatles songs sung very well by the cast!

I love the lead actor who plays Jude (a guy named Jim sturgess) and he has a lovely voice.

Bono's part in this is not bad at all. You think that he would be struck with the curse of the "singer turned actor" that historically never works out well. Most musicians who take this path turn out to give a wooden performance, but Bono's is funny and his comic timing excellent. Love the bit near the end of his scene where he gets all petulant about someone not being there to meet him.... his expressions are priceless. His accent is great too, but then Bono has always been a good mimic and is great with different voices and accents.

I was really excited when I knew his scene was coming up, and despite the fact that he is made up to look like some ageing, hairy hippie (nothing attractive about that moustache at all), I felt really proud of him. It sounds funny, but I think of Bono sometimes as you would a close family member! You know, when you feel that pang of pride when they do something, and you support them no matter what and feel fiercely protective!

His rendition of "I am the Walrus" is brilliant. His star quality shines out in the film and his status as a class act amongst the other performers is apparent. Well... it's Bono isn't it? :-)

I think some of the meaning went over my head initially.... when Bono's character, Dr Robert says "You're either on the bus or you're off the bus", I thought he just meant that literally. He had a psychedelic bus and had people travelling with him.

But apparently, it's beat generation lingo for "creative tripping".... so I guess this film had lots of that kind of thing that might not be initially apparent. At least to me.

Despite this though, and all the dancing and singing amid "trippy" colours... the theme running through it is one most people can identify with or at least understand. A "normal" love story with all its angst, and the difficulties facing young men drafted into the Vietnam war.

There is a fantastic sequence near the beginning when one of the characters is drafted, and goes to sign up. Just so cleverly done. I won't spoil it in case anyone decides to watch it.

And one of my favourite people, Eddie Izzard, is in this, and his scene and song is hilarious!

Oh... and the highlight for me, Bono-wise? Hearing him sing the words: "You let your knickers down" during his rendition of "I Am The Walrus"!!! Something a bit naughty about Bono saying "knickers"!!!! LOL

We Had A Ticket To Ride!

And we used it on the train to get to Liverpool today! Keith and I had planned to go during our week off work, but were unsure which day to go. I am sad to say that we picked the worst day weather-wise, because up until today, every day has been beautifully sunny and, though cold, very pleasant. But of course the moment we started out today, the sun decided not to come out, and it was freezing!!!

Still, it was a nice day, despite that. Even though Albert Dock must have been the windiest place in the whole world today!!!

After a stilted start (our train from Crew to Liverpool was cancelled due to some signalling problems at Winsford!) we finally got to Liverpool via Chester and spent some time walking about Albert Dock. We paid a visit to Tate Liverpool to look at some art. Well, they call it art but most of it is just madness. Don't get me wrong, some of it was great and I can actually see the point of some of it. Jackson Pollock definitely had something and daft as it sounds, there is a technique to splashing paint onto a canvas. I can see that. But some of the art there today I could have done myself! A canvas simply painted all one colour and then put in a frame is just taking the piss in my opinion.

But it passed an hour or so and at least we were out of the cold!

After that we went to see "The Beatles Story", which was a fab (no pun intended) look at the lives and careers of Liverpool's famous sons. We got a headset and digital radio thing, and just had to press numbers into it as we walked around all the exhibits. It was a fascinating display, which included mock-ups of a few of the places The Beatles had played, including, of course, The Cavern, and also a replica of Abbey Road Studios.

After the tour was over, it was getting late, so we went to a nearby pub on the docks, and had something to eat, along with a glass of wine. It was nice to sit and reflect on the day. Then it was time to head back for the train after this whirlwind trip. We had planned to take a cruise on the Mersey Ferry, but it was simply too cold and windy for us to even contemplate that.

Still, it was a lovely day though. As we walked back to the station, we walked past the site of the original Cavern on Mathew Street

If the weather had been better, we would have been able to do more and, I am sure, we would have enjoyed it a lot more. But it was a nice day out!