In addition to the multi-colored pageant that is Elizabeth: The Golden Age, there is the mind-blowing spectacle that is Across the Universe, which is in limited release in Bangkok. Directed by Julie Taymor, who did the splashy biographical film Frida and directed The Lion King on Broadway, this is a musical, using the songs of the Beatles.

Set during the 1960s, this romantic drama has characters with names like Lucy, Jo-Jo, Jude, Maxwell and Prudence. They break away from the dialogue to belt out such songs as "I Want to Hold Your Hand", "Strawberry Fields Forever", "Let It Be" and "Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" In all, there are more than 30 songs by Lennon-McCartney and George Harrison.

The actors, including Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, Joe Anderson and Martin Luther McCoy are doing the actual singing. Eddie Izzard figures in somehow as Mr. Kite, in scenes that seem designed to make your brain melt. Salma Hayek has a cameo as a singing nurse. U-2's Bono plays Dr. Robert and Joe Cocker plays some street characters.

Critical response is mixed, with a 52% (rotten) rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Mainly, I'm guessing that critics don't really know what to make of this crazy, cinematic spectacle, which is probably a good sign.

Across the Universe made its Asia premiere in October at the Phuket Film Festival, but now it finally opens in Bangkok, where it is playing at the Lido in Siam Square.