NOW AND THEN

“Now And Then – The Last Beatles Song” is now streaming on Disney+! The 12-minute documentary film, written and directed by Oliver Murray, tells the story behind the last Beatles song “Now And Then,” with exclusive footage and commentary from Paul, Ringo, George, Sean Ono Lennon and Peter Jackson. The last Beatles song “Now And Then” itself will be released worldwide at 10:00am ET / 7:00am PT on Thursday, November 2 by Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe. The accompanying music video for “Now And Then,” directed by three-time Oscar®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson, will be available November 3 on Disney+.

The eventful journey of “Now And Then” took place over five decades and is the product of conversations and collaborations between the four Beatles that go on to this day. The long mythologized John Lennon demo was first worked on in February 1995 by Paul, George and Ringo as part of The Beatles Anthology project but it remained unfinished, partly because of the impossible technological challenges involved in working with the vocal John had recorded on tape in the 1970s. For years it looked like the song could never be completed.

But in 2022 there was a stroke of serendipity. A software system developed by Peter Jackson and his team, used throughout the production of the documentary series “The Beatles: Get Back,” finally opened the way for the uncoupling of John’s vocal from his piano part. As a result, the original recording could be brought to life and worked on anew with contributions from all four Beatles. This remarkable story of musical archaeology reflects The Beatles’ endless creative curiosity and shared fascination with technology. It marks the completion of the last recording that John, Paul and George and Ringo will get to make together and celebrates the legacy of the foremost and most influential band in popular music history.

YESTERDAY

A GEEK DADDY RECEIVED THE FEATURED PRODUCT FOR FREE TO REVIEW

What if you woke up one morning to find that overnight the whole world had forgotten something you cherish? Would you utilize that knowledge to enrich yourself with fame and riches or would that be immoral? That is the dilemma Jack Malik encounters in the theatrically-released movie YESTERDAY which is now available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital to add to your home entertainment video library.

Jack is a struggling songwriter and musician who dreams of hitting it big although no one seems to care for his original songs and the audiences at his gigs are sparse. Then after a mysterious global blackout, he seems to be the only person om Earth who remembers the existence of the Beatles and their music. When Jack begins to perform the Beatles songs he becomes an overnight sensation with the success he has always desired within his grasp.

Jack is terrified though that there are others out there who remember the Beatles and will out him as a fraud. He also struggles with the moral dilemma of stealing other artists work as his own. Plus his new found fame creates a divide with long time relationships as his musical career creates a divide between him and his best friends. Jack ponders whether celebrity and money really are the keys to his happiness in life.

We watched YESTERDAY for a family movie night the other evening and my wife told me this is her favorite film of 2019. She appreciated the originality of the movie's story and the musical performances that play a central part of the plot. We both agreed Himesh Patel provides an outstanding performance as Jack and his singing throughout the film was top notch. I liked that this was a family-friendly movie that served as a nice introduction to the Beatles music for my 10 year old twins.

The positive messages and themes about ethics, integrity and the value of friends and family also stand out earning YESTERDAY a geek daddy nod of approval. The film approaches some heavy topics with levity providing plenty of laughs in this rock 'n' roll romantic comedy. Academy Award-winning director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting, 28 Days Later) has added another hit to his film resume with YESTERDAY.

The home entertainment video release of YESTERDAY has some wonderful bonus segments. These include deleted and extended scenes, live performances at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, an alternate opening and ending, and several featurettes with the filmmakers and cast that delve further into the movie's story. Parents beware though that there is a deleted scene featuring a naked Jack running across a room after a one night stand that probably would have given YESTERDAY an R rating. With that scene left out, the movie has been rated PG-13 for suggestive content and language.



For more information about YESTERDAY go to www.uphe.com/movies/yesterday