Mamma Mia!

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Mamma Mia!
Topic Started: Nov 15 2008, 03:30 PM (195 Views)
Laughing Gravy	Nov 15 2008, 03:30 PM Post #1
Revered in the UK Posts: 11,069 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: August 31, 2005	20-year-old Sophie is getting married at a beautiful hotel on a gorgeous Greek island, and unbeknownst to her mother, she's invited three men, one of whom is her father. And everybody sings and dances to the hit tunes of Swedish group ABBA. I liked this movie a lot; the songs are bouncy and catchy, and Meryl Streep is sensational singing, dancing, and acting (she plays the mom). There's a lot of beautiful young women (and men) hanging around to sing and dance. Amanda Seyfried as Sophie is lovely and sings beautifully. Pierce Brosnan is one of the possible dads, and he looks great and sings.... he looks great. Christine Baraski as one of Mom's friends is hilarious. And stick around for the closing credits for even more fun. Highly recommended, especially if you believe in angels, something good in everything you see.



Greypilgrim	Nov 15 2008, 03:55 PM Post #2
"Zarkov to Flash Gordon....Come in Flash!" Posts: 8,932 Group: Members Member #171 Joined: February 4, 2007	I like Abba's music quite a bit. My daughter saw the movie with friends 3 times and loved it more each time. I've yet to see it.



Black Tiger	Nov 16 2008, 01:00 AM Post #3
Charter Member Posts: 1,813 Group: Members Member #50 Joined: September 15, 2005	I liked this film, but it doesn't pack the wallop of the live presentation. Meryl Streep never convinced me she was this character. I kept thinking "that's Meryl Streep trying to act and sing like she's this character." Brosnan was the weakest possible choice given his very limited singing "ability". I still don't understand why they sometimes make film adaptations of musicals with non-singing actors. Makes no sense when there are so many multi-talented performers to choose from. The star of the movie to me was the location shooting in Greece. Really spectacular landscapes. How they weaved a coherent story out of the ABBA tunes written as stand-alone songs is brilliant. If you like the movie, hope you get to see the show.



panzer the great & terrible	Nov 16 2008, 02:49 PM Post #4
Mouth Breather Posts: 10,326 Group: Members Member #13 Joined: September 3, 2005	I love the movie and the Grand Duchess ADORES it -- perfect date flick.
	We Wear Short Shorts Flying Purple People Eater


Laughing Gravy	Nov 16 2008, 04:14 PM Post #5
Revered in the UK Posts: 11,069 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: August 31, 2005	Oddly enough, and this is true, when I was watching the darn thing I was thinking, "I'm thinkin' Panzer would love this movie." There's something kinda early '30s Lubitsch musicalish about it.



panzer the great & terrible	Nov 17 2008, 01:29 PM Post #6
Mouth Breather Posts: 10,326 Group: Members Member #13 Joined: September 3, 2005	Yeah, the whole thing has a "let's pretend" feel to it, and does remind me of Lubitsch in some odd way. Of course it isn't as sophisticated. And I agree that Brosnian was miscast -- but I liked Streep a lot. She's a game old critter, you have to admit, to try a musical.
	We Wear Short Shorts Flying Purple People Eater


Laughing Gravy	Jul 28 2009, 11:18 AM Post #7
Revered in the UK Posts: 11,069 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: August 31, 2005	Lordy. Just saw this on HBO (I'm still in NY). Practically unwatchable in pan & scan. I dunno about those of you who never saw it in its correct ratio, but much of the cast is in threes (Donna & the Dynamos, the three father suspects) and you rarely see more than 2 of 'em at a time in pan & scan - one is always cut out of the picture. Most embarrassing at all is the finale to the big "SOS" number with Brosnan & Streep - they're doing a duet and you can only see one of 'em. No way to watch a movie.



panzer the great & terrible	Jul 28 2009, 01:02 PM Post #8
Mouth Breather Posts: 10,326 Group: Members Member #13 Joined: September 3, 2005	Have you ever seen the pan-and-scan version of Its Always Fair Weather? It's just as bad, and that was the only available version for decades. Hurt the movie's reputation, and it's a fine musical with terrific dancing and an original score. Maybe now it'll take its proper place among the top musicals.
	We Wear Short Shorts Flying Purple People Eater


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