My brother, the studmuffin

"Across the Universe" comes out on DVD soon.

I originally intended to go see it in movie theaters, but forces beyond my control made it so it didn't happen.

You see, the movie, directed by Julie Taymor and starring Evan Rachel Wood and Jim Sturgess, struck me very much as an ideal kind of date movie.

I don't want to complain too much about the single life - it's a lot of fun being able to go anywhere I want, when I want, without having to stop and ask other people for their schedules and opinions about what to do all the time - but every once in a while, it'd be nice to have a girl willing to sit close and watch - or not watch - what's happening up on the big screen.

"Across the Universe" struck me as just that kind of movie, the movie it'd be nice to have a girl to see it with.

Usually I don't let my lone wolf status keep me out of the theaters - I sat in the front row during "SpongeBob Squarepants: The Movie" and was right there singing along with "Alvin and the Chipmunks" - but this time was different.

I wanted a girl to go with me. In fact, as long as we're asking the universe for impossible favors, I wanted more than one. Why not be a little greedy? Why not hang with two girls? Or three? Or nineteen? A busload of cheerleaders?

So then my younger brother called.

He's a little quieter than I am, the type of person people have to work a little harder to get to know. Some people aren't willing to make the effort. It's completely their loss. Those people you need to work a little harder to get to know are often the best people.

Of course, because we're brothers and we talk regularly, he talks quite freely to me. We have a whole bunch of those sibling inside jokes nobody but our parents (and sometimes, simply no one but us) finds hilarious. Like the time he rented "Shrek 2," and I ran out before he could watch it and rented it too, completely stealing his thunder.

Man, did I hear about that for months afterward.

But on this particular occasion, my brother said he happened to be going to a movie with a couple of his friends. Who just so happened to be girls.

The movie? "Across the Universe."

It was my dream scenario playing out right before my eyes, only I wasn't in the dream!

I slid to the floor, out of breath, wondering if there happened to be a busload of cheerleaders making its way toward his college dorm room to boot.

Now, the Weaver boys are pure gentleman, through and through and sometimes to a fault. Heck, our favorite form of flirtation is to be the quiet guy in the room not acting like a hormone-driven jerk, and hope the pretty girl who's the center of attention notices.

It's a system which is not without its flaws, I admit.

But they had a good time and he said he enjoyed the movie quite a bit. I ought to go see it, he recommended. With girls if at all possible.

Sure, I said as I gritted my teeth, just like he used to do when he was in his terrible twos and having a tantrum.

When did my brother become cooler than I am?

Of course, he'd probably say something all younger brother cool and snarky like, "Well, it was inevitable," or "Took you this long to notice?"

Because we're such close siblings, this one hiccup hasn't put any strain on our relationship, although we are in agreement that he no longer has any moral high ground when it comes to "Shrek 2."

But turnabout is fair play.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to devote some time to figuring out which one of his lifelong dreams I want to crush.