Mamma Mia! Movie
| Resolution | Size | Download | ||
|
1920x800 | 8137.2 MiB | 1080p | |
|
1280x536 | 4477.99 MiB | 720p | |
|
696x280 | 698.85 MiB | divx | |
|
320x176 | 408.41 MiB | ipod | |
Storyline
TAGLINES PLOT SUMMARY
Set on a colorful Greek island, the plot serves as a background for a wealth of great ABBA songs which are used in remarkably appropriate ways. A young woman about to be married discovers that any one of three men could be her father. She invites all three to the wedding without telling her mother, Donna, who was once the lead singer of Donna and the Dynamos. In the meantime, Donna has invited her backup singers, Rosie and Tanya.
| Meryl Streep | Donna |
| Pierce Brosnan | Sam Carmichael |
| Colin Firth | Harry Bright |
| Stellan Skarsgård | Bill |
| Julie Walters | Rosie |
| Dominic Cooper | Sky |
| Amanda Seyfried | Sophie |
| Christine Baranski | Tanya |
| Juan Pablo Di Pace | Petros |
| George Georgiou | Pannos |
| Chris Jarvis | Eddie |
| Philip Michael | Pepper |
| Enzo Squillino Jr. | Gregoris |
| Dylan Turner | Stag |
| Norma Atallah | Irini |
| Phyllida Lloyd |
6.60 out of 10 (43714 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Simply amazing!
posted on 30 Aug 2009Well, what can i say? This movie is one of the best movies i've seen in on a big screen so far! I don't particularly like musicals, but man this one is awesome! All the songs that have been chosen for it are great and popular so it was no surprise that all the time the audience was singing along with the actors :) The whole time the faces of the people around me were lightened up with a smile and everyone was happy! Me..... i had the chills going down my spine pretty much most of the time :) No one stood up before the final credits were shown and everybody was simply sitting down listening to the music, happy by the unexpected joy this movie brought them ;) I strongly recommend this piece to everyone regardless of age and genre preferences, cause i really believe that this movie is so good that there's no way not to fall in love with it! :)
Suck It Mamma Mia
posted on 30 Aug 2009This is the worst movie I have seen, even in my distant memory. The plot was muddled and completely without direction. The music was awful, only equatable to bad karaoke sounding akin to a baby seal being beaten with a bat. The level of acting from seasoned actors is ridiculously bad. The dancing was borderline seizure! Awful, awful, awful from beginning to end, this movie is terrible! Best avoided! This movie robbed me of time I could have spent watching any other movie under the sun and it would have been a better choice. If you are considering watching this movie please do not, 7/10 is a gross misrepresentation of this movie.
Not Enjoyable On Any Level
posted on 30 Aug 2009When this movie came out, it looked so appealing in the trailers. I never got around to seeing it and just recently heard that Mama Mia is breaking all kinds of records in the UK so figured it was time to give it a shot. What a waste of my time. I hated this boring turkey with a passion. Why? I liked the actors. I love ABBA music and I like beautiful scenery. With all these positives, why did I hate this movie so much? If the singing was passable, I could have found something positive to say about it but it really was mediocre. This was so boring and didn't work on any level. Amanda Seyfried was pretty good which is about the only nice thing I can say. Maybe I would have enjoyed the Broadway play more but as movies go, this one stinks. It really and truly does.
A So-So Experience. Sigh...Could Have Been Better...
posted on 28 Aug 2009I never heard about Mamma Mia or any Abba songs until I saw a teaser of this movie. But I have to say I love musical films and I always give it a chance before I judge it. Don't bash or flame me, but this musical film is a so-so experience. I would put Mamma near the bottom of the list for modern musical movies alongside with Rent and Meet the Producers. Chicago, Sweeny Todd, and Hairspray were like WOW. They took me out of this world into somewhere new and enjoyable. Most musical movies I seen always have a spectacular musical number in the beginning. The beginning of this movie failed to entice me. Amanda Seyfield have the sweetest voice, but she have little to no screen presence. Whenever she appears, I don't see any star quality in her. Her facial expressions are horrible and sometimes I can see the stupidness of her character Karen from Mean Girls in certain scenes. There are many dialogues in the film where she failed to deliver it with justice. I can imagine other actresses who could recite lines that would hit it out of the ballpark. Gimme, Gimme, Gimme or Money, Money, Money...whatever that song is called was frighteningly scary. I like cheesy in moderation, but that song number went a little too far and did not fit in with the movie. The director needs to make many of the scenes more realistic. In theater you can go flamboyant and electric, but in movies you need to tone it down a bit. Donna's friends are hilarious and they steal every scene they appear in. Meryl Streep was good in several memorable scenes but her forte is not in comedy. Her feeble attempts at comedy, nice try but go back to what you are good at. I give her credit in her singing though. Dancing Queen number, poorly choreograph. I cringe when Meryl jumped on the bed and when the women all jumped down into the water. They did not take the title "dancing queen" to heart. I don't consider all the Greek women waving their hands, pointing their fingers around, and jumping really dancing. Sophie's love interest acted way to cocky in his first musical number of the movie. Amanda's voice was amazing in that number. But the part with all those swimmer dancers made me want to vomit. I crack out laughing when Pierce (Sam) sang. I can't imagine how bad his singing really is without technology enhancing it. It must be a great deal of ugliness. I wonder if the background music added later on in his song is to somewhat drown out his voice. Christine was a knock out in her song after Pierce's song. But at the end of the number when all the guys collapse into the ground, I cringed at that part. I don't understand why Sophie's fiancé is making such a big deal about Sophie wanting to know who her father is. Sophie and Sky chemistry in the movie is rather weak. I love the song that Donna sang to Sam. It was Streep only decent number, very romantic and sad and emotional. When Sam shouted her name "DONNA" I again cringed in that number. The scene where Sophie's 3 possible fathers give away Sophie was wickedly funny and memorable. But I was like WTF when Sophie axed away the wedding. All the hard work and trouble put into the wedding. I would understand if she doesn't love him, but she is planning to go on a somewhat honeymoon anyways with her fellow. This movie has little to no morals. I would consider before even taking kids to see this movie and if I did...I would explain to them afterwards what the characters in the movie did wrong and how you should not follow their examples with their own life. Sam asking Donna to marry him immediately is non-sequitur. They have been separated from each other for many years, they need to re-date and get to know each other again. This is a horrible clique done in many TV shows. Pierce singing to Donna right when he proposed was dreadfully awful. The song number at the dinner table was hilarious! Colin firth was very charismatic in the film; I wished he was Sam instead of Pierce. I notice that the cast had fun making the movie so I commend them for their efforts, but energy was rather lacking in some parts of the movie. The scenery background was breathtaking. Overall this movie is a forgettable piece of fluff. I would not waste 6-10 dollars for this film at the theater. I would wait for it to come out to DVD to check it out from the library for free or borrowing it from a friend or I guess you can view it online. I wouldn't say this movie is a waste of time but I would only view it once. 2 out of 5 stars. It is a rather generous score. It is just that I love it when the cast put out effort and have fun in a movie regardless of how good it is. I think this movie could have been better with a better director and choreographer as well as replacing some of the actors. Streep was decent in the movie. Amanda Seyfield has a lovely voice, but that is not enough.
A 7, but only because ABBA is in it
posted on 28 Aug 2009Based on the famous, big hit, stage musical written by two gals from ABBA, the plot follows a young girl who is going to be married in a Greek island, where she lives. She never knew her father so, based in an old diary of her mother (Meryl Streep), she send letters to three possible men.The plot is not an important thing, most of all because if the music of ABBA weren't here, the movie would be just a mess. Though the plot is more than stupid, you got a nice interpretations from the cast (In some level) but the film get even the "camp" category in every form you'll see (The acting can be good but that doesn't care when the characters don't think about themselves). Even, the Greek island is beautiful, and songs like DANCING QUEEN, SUPERTROUPER, WATERLOO, OUR LAST SUMMER, LAY ALL YOUR LOVE ON ME (Though this number have the most idiotic dance in a musical in a long, long time), CHIQUITITA, S.O.S and SLIPPING THROUGH MY FINGERS (Though the beautiful THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC can be heard only in the end credits). For the rest, there's northing. I mean, NOTHING.A camp movie musical with one of the best songs of ABBA (Even if my favorite HEAD OVER HEELS is not here). A 7, but only for the music (And the scenery).
Going for my 9th viewing
posted on 26 Aug 2009I have become a "Momma Mia! aholic". The movie is probably the most fantastic movie I have ever seen. I have never seen a movie more than once at a theater. I believe the combinations of music, comedy, near Shakespearean farce, some drama, fantastic acting and unexpected cameos makes this a top, top winner in my opinion. I know it cannot qualify for music awards but it should qualify for other awards. I don't want to spoil it for anyone out there but if you haven't seen it by now, since its been out for over a month, shame on you. Part of the reason why I have gone repeatedly is because I have enjoyed the audience reactions nearly as much as the films multi-talented stars. The audience has been mostly Baby Boomers who can relate to Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan. It has been mostly women but when couples show up, the men hoot with laughter as much as the women. The comments overheard while leaving have always been positive and most are delighted they came; surprisingly so, they say. The movie is also an education in taking chances regarding type-casting. I hope this sets a precedent for the future of all those actors who are waiting for their chance to broaden their scope of their chosen careers. Hurray for this movie on so many levels. Go see it. Now! And again. And again.
lovely, just lovely
posted on 26 Aug 2009Set on a gorgeous Greek island this is the tale of a mother Donna ( Meryl Streep ) who has raised her daughter Sophie ( Amanda Seyfried) alone. When Sophie is about to get married to Sky ( Dominic Cooper) she somehow gets hold of Donna's diary. There are 3 possible fathers, Bill ( Stellan Skarsgaard) Harry ( Colin Firth) and Sam ( Pierce Brosnan) Sophie invites the 3 possible fathers and the day before she is to be married they arrive! The ( still great ) ABBA songs are fairly natural woven into the very thin storyline. It is such a nice experience to see a great actress like Meryl Streep in such a role. And she really can sing. There is nothing this woman can't do. If you are into really deep movies and hate ABBA, this is not for you. If you are into a very light fun-filled and absolutely entertaining movie, this is the one for you! The ladies do a better job at singing than the men. My favorite songs were 'lay all your love on me' and the Winner takes it all! Oh and stay during the titles after the movie finishes for 2 more treats!
Abba-mania & Meryl
posted on 24 Aug 2009I went and saw Mamma Mia on the weekend, as I was in the mood for a pleasant bit of fluff. And it met expectations - a fun romp, with ABBA songs to sing along to (but please, please, please, please restrain yourself and sing in your head not out loud). Most of the cast members give credible performances, although Pierce Brosnan looks and sounds like a fish out of water every time he has to sing (Oh all right, he did an OK job with SOS).But what blew me away was Meryl Streep. Who knew she could actually sing? I mean, *really sing*? If anyone could make singing an ABBA song Oscar-worthy, Meryl has done it with her emotional performance of The Winner Takes It All. Seriously.
Can you spell Oscar?!
posted on 24 Aug 2009Absolutely the best adaptation of a Broadway hit to the Big Screen EVER! My young bride and I saw "Mamma Mia" in 'Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Casino and loved it so much we wanted to go back and see it again. But when the movie was in the works, we waited to see how it came out, and boy are we glad we did! Meryl Streep was OUTSTANDING, especially in her solo of "Winner Takes All" (if she doesn't bring home another Oscar for her mantle after this, the Academy must be on crack)! Amanda Seyfried comes off the bench from "Big Love" and hit's a home run throughout the show. What a great talent this beautiful and talented young lady is and I hope we see more of her on the Big Screen. And Pierce Brosnan brings his charm and good looks to round the movie out. Everybody done good in this production. We didn't know that Colin Firth could sing and dance, Stellan Skarsgård who usually plays the guy you love to hate becomes the guy you love to love, Christine Baranski who stole scenes in "The Birdcage" and "The Grinch" steals the scenes in this too (you gotta see her sing "Does Your Mother Know"- she's a killer!), Julie Walters' character is a complete departure from her usual "Harry Potter" role and is great comic relief... I could go on and on! And the best part- knowing that ABBA not only continues to transcend from one generation to the next, but also has crossed all medias- live concerts, recordings, radio, TV, Broadway, and now the Big Screen- and continues to entertain and wow the crowds. Be assured when this comes out on DVD we're going to by at least 10 copies because we're going to wear them out watching them again and again! Great family movie (mild, VERY mild sexual content) and overall good old fashioned toe-tappin' fun for everyone. It's been so long that we've gone to a movie and walked away so thrilled, excited, happy, and singing all the way home. TOP NOTCH FAMILY MOVIE!
If you want a lift see this!
posted on 24 Aug 2009If you want a lift this summer go and see Mamma Mia! A film I love so much I've been to see it three times, and that is unusual for me.I went not a big ABBA fan at all. But now I've bought the soundtrack and listen to it all the time. The movie is very funny, romantic and full of twists and turns. Streep plays Donna brilliantly and your eyes fill up after hearing 'Slipping Through Mr Fingers' and 'The Winner Takes It All.' Although Brosnan isn't the greatest singer, you have a good laugh. Walters and Baranski are very funny and add a great comic side to the movie. Stellan and Colin are good as well. I heard that they were cast as ropey, middle aged men so they don't have to be great singers.My favourite parts are 'Dancing Queen', 'Super Trouper', 'Waterloo' and many others. The ending is fantastic and not what I thought it would be. When Julie Walters sang 'Take a Chance on me' I cried with laughter.The Must See Movie of the summer!
Put your brain in neutral and just go along for the ride!
posted on 24 Aug 2009I am an unashamed lover of musicals. Always have been and probably always will be, so I was more than willing to enjoy this piece of classic Friday Night Fluff, mediocre reviews notwithstanding. It's unpretentious and frivolous, modestly entertaining and whilst not brilliant, it's not as bad as many people have suggested.Musicals come in all shapes and forms, from the dramatic and dark (Sweeney Todd) to the Sixties Rock variety (Hair) to the utterly brilliant (West Side Story) and all points in between. The best musicals don't date, which is why Oklahoma sounds better than Hair these days. Mamma Mia doesn't readily fit into any usual musical category because the story was written long after the songs first saw the light of day, and it was written to fit (and it's not always a perfect fit) around existing songs. I'm old enough to have been an Abba fan when they were at their height, although at the time I doubt I would have admitted it publicly. Very uncool….. I haven't seen the stage show.Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is very young, pretty and lives with her Mum Donna (Meryl Streep) on a beautiful Greek island. She is about to marry Sky (Dominic Cooper) and arguably anyone who can think seriously about marrying a guy called Sky is obviously far too young to get married. But she wants the works, white wedding, romantic church, all her friends and, most of all, she wants to be given away by her father. But that's the problem, she doesn't know who her father is, although perusal of her mother's pilfered diary, has narrowed the field down to 3 potential studs, Sam (Pierce Brosnan), Harry (Colin Firth) and Bill (Stellan Skarsgård). She invites them all to the island, thinking foolishly that as soon as she sets eyes on him, she will instinctively recognize her father, but she doesn't, and the movie follows the trials and tribulations of the following day or two, against the beautiful backdrop of a Greek island. Donna is less than happy to see the 3 old boyfriends, but very happy to be reunited with Rosie (Julie Walters) and Tanya (Christine Baranski), her old pals from the days when she sang in a girl group. As this is a musical, people launch into song and dance in ridiculous ways and places, and we, the audience, get to revisit most of Abba's old hits.Many, many others have already commented on Pierce Brosnan's absence of vocal talent so I won't labour the point, except to say that it really doesn't detract much from the fun, and I think he's quite well cast overall – Brosnan can carry off almost anything these days. Meryl Streep is simply superb. Is there anything this woman can't do? At the age when most female actors are complaining that there are no good roles for women, Streep appears to be having the most fun of her career. She paid her dues with the harrowing roles in her youth (Sophie's Choice, Kramer v Kramer etc), now she has reinvented herself in comedy drama (The Devil Wears Prada) and a musical. I adore her! Whatever you may think overall of Mamma Mia, I challenge anyone not to be gobsmacked by Streep's performance of The Winner Takes It All just before the wedding scene. It's a showstopper. I was also quite surprised to be genuinely moved by Slipping Through My Fingers, as sung pre-wedding by mother and daughter Streep and Seyfried (possibly it resonated because I have a daughter of exactly that age.) And as a middle aged woman, how can I fail to love the sight of Christine Baranski dancing with twenty or so twenty something males on the beach, while belting out Does Your Mother Know? at the top of her lungs! No it won't win any Oscars, but I make no apologies for having loved it! One thing that struck both my husband and me (yes he came too and hummed along through most of it…) was that the younger members of the cast were simply acted off the screen by the old codgers. Seyfried was perhaps a little weak as Sophie, sweet but rather vapid, although she does bear a striking resemblance to Streep, so made a convincing daughter. Cooper was basically a prop for her cuteness. The rest of the younger cast members I have forgotten entirely, although they danced energetically enough. The middle-agers stole the show, which makes a pleasant change.Not a great movie, but more than adequate. My only real question is what happened to Knowing Me Knowing You, my favorite Abba song? No - on reflection it's probably best that I recall it as my favorite Abba song, rather than listen to Pierce Brosnan strangle it!
fell good movie
posted on 22 Aug 2009just seen film at odeon Leicester sq real feel good film, Abba music is great (Im a queen Fan) all the audience loved the film dancing and singing along, just like the stage show but better the Greek island setting was great good atmosphere I longed for mythos beer Meryl was good, pierce was good Julie was great take my advice take the wife and just enjoy the film, sit back kick off the shoes and soak up the sun and songs, the story is good not great but it carries the plot along at a good level of enjoyment, the actors seem to enjoy the singing and it was great to see non singing stars sing, I love the Greek islands and this made me want to go back and take ABBA on my ipod to enjoy on the beach and at the bar, all I want now is for We will rock you to come to the screen then my life would be complete.
Loved Mamma Mia
posted on 22 Aug 2009Saw Mamma Mia the first day it was shown in the U.S. Found every minute to be quite fun and joyful. Loved the singing, dancing and humor and it made me feel good about life! My husband who was recently diagnosed with alzheimers, felt exactly as good about it as I did...we held hands as we watched it as it made us feel good to be watching and enjoying it together and for those couple of hours we forgot about our problems. A true short time healer for the soul and I recommend it to anyone who needs a little fix of fun in their life. It was made for no other apparent reason that I can imagine...just to make folks feel good to be alive. Will definitely see it again and again, especially when I buy my DVD (can't wait).
Mamma Tanya--Baranski Steals the Show!
posted on 22 Aug 2009I must admit, when I see a good film in theaters, I say "That was good" and wait for it to come out on DVD. I left Mamma Mia! saying "Let's go watch it again!" The casting was perfect--I cannot honestly imagine anyone being replaceable. True, Pierce Brosnan cannot sing, but his looks make up for that. It was nice to see Meryl Streep, after countless Oscar nods and noms for her more serious roles, finally get to just have fun. She has an amazing voice, which she has exhibited in earlier films, but surprisingly this is her first musical. Throughout the entire film, Meryl seems like a giddy schoolgirl; you feel that she didn't really "work" at all. Amanda Seyfried, who cracked me up in Mean Girls, shows herself more than capable of taking the lead. All due respect to this star-studded cast, the show belonged to Christine Baranksi. She stole the show as the serial-bride Tanya. During her show-stopping "Does Your Mother Know", my boyfriend swore to leave me and search for Christine! All around, this is a feel-good movie that will have you singing when you leave."Ma-ma-mamma Mia, here I go again...."
Knowing Me, Knowing You- Is This The Best You Can Do?
posted on 22 Aug 2009Donna Sheridan is an American expat running a small hotel on one of the Greek islands. Donna's daughter Sophie is getting married, and wants her father to give her away. Unfortunately, Sophie does not actually know who her father is. To make matters worse, even Donna (evidently something of a slut in her young days) does not know who Sophie's father is either, although she has managed to narrow it down to a shortlist of three:- Harry (British), Bill (Swedish) and Sam (American, although you wouldn't think so from Pierce Brosnan's accent). Unknown to Donna, Sophie invites all three men to the wedding. That's all the plot you need to know. The rest is just a series of excuses to sing one ABBA song after another. I'm just surprised they didn't make one of Donna's lovers a South American revolutionary named Fernando and thereby tick off another song. I have a confession to make. I am probably the only heterosexual British male of my generation who likes ABBA, or at least who likes them in a straightforward way and not in an ironic, postmodernist spirit of "I know they're naff, but then naff is the new cool!" Even in their heyday in the seventies and eighties it was fashionable to sneer at them as uncool, and even I cannot deny that they wore some seriously bad costumes. (But what seventies pop star didn't?) To my mind, however, Andersson and Ulvaeus were in the same league as Lennon and McCartney, or Simon and Garfunkel, when it came to writing unforgettable pop tunes, even though my interest in the group may also have had something to do with the looks of its two female members. Unfortunately, however, I cannot say I liked this film, and there are three main reasons why I didn't. The first is to do with the basic concept. In all great stage and screen musicals the principle is story first, songs second. The purpose of the songs is to serve the story by illustrating the thoughts and feelings of the characters. "Mamma Mia!" inverts this principle by putting the story at the service of the songs. ABBA's songs, of course, were individual pop songs written over a number of years. They were not written in order to tell a coherent story, so the only way a musical can be based around them is to concoct a very contrived plot.Not all of ABBA's songs were cheerful ones; they also wrote their fair share of songs like "Chiquitita", "SOS" and "The Winner Takes It All", dealing with the pains of unhappy love affairs. "Mamma Mia!", however, like the song from which it takes its name, is quite remorselessly cheerful, the sort of film in which nothing seriously bad is allowed to happen. We hear all the above-mentioned songs, but in the context not of genuine unhappiness but merely of irritation at some trivial upset, which weakens their impact. The second reason why I didn't like the film is to do with the songs themselves. Pop singers, provided the music is good enough, can often get away with dodgy lyrics, but in musicals the words take on greater importance. Benny and Bjorn may have been gifted musicians, but few would have considered them gifted lyricists. Contrary to popular belief, most of their songs were originally written in English ("Waterloo", written for the Eurovision Song Contest, was an exception), but all too often they sounded as though they had been written in Swedish and then translated into English by someone with a less than fluent grasp of either language. (Sample, from "When All is Said and Done":-"In our lives we have walked some strange and lonely treks Slightly worn but dignified and not too old for sex"). Why the lovely Frida, in her mid-thirties at the time she performed this song, felt the need to deny that she was too old for sex is beyond me. Moreover, ABBA's lyrics do not always fit the music well; for example, "Knowing Me, Knowing You" (a song not performed in this film) is about divorce, but one would not have thought so from the catchy, upbeat melody. My third reason has to do with the performances. It has long been taken for granted in the film industry that Meryl Streep can do just about anything demanded of her, but we now know there is an exception to that rule. She can't sing- at least not to the standard normally required of those aspiring to the leading role in a cinematic musical. Dame Meryl's attempt at "The Winner Takes it All", perhaps ABBA's most ambitious song, was particularly wanting. She was, however, not the worst singer on display here- there was some competition for that dubious distinction, but the honour must go either to Brosnan or Julie Walters. The exception was Amanda Seyfried (Sophie), who has a sweet and melodious voice, but she makes up for her above-average singing with some below-average acting. Her only techniques for expressing emotion are to open her wide blue eyes even wider and to flash her large but perfectly formed teeth. (Incidentally, Sophie's dazzling piano-keyboard dentition seems to give the lie to the idea that she has spent her whole life in Greece; Europeans generally do not share the American obsession with cosmetic dentistry). No doubt anyone who goes to this film looking to have an undemanding good time will end up having one. Anyone, however, who is looking for more than that is likely to be disappointed. This is not a film that does great credit to those in it or, for that matter, to ABBA. 4/10
Good fun, but definitely more theatrical than cinematic
posted on 20 Aug 2009I was much looking forward to seeing this film. I am a lifelong ABBA fan, but despite being a Londoner now I have avoided seeing the West End musical on which this film is based, because of the extortionate ticket prices. A cinema ticket, I surmised, would be much cheaper, and indeed it was.It's a simple enough story with Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), a young girl who lives on a Greek Island with her mum Donna (Meryl Streep) who is about to get married. Trouble is she doesn't know who her father is, and a quick rifle through her mum's diary brings in three possible suspects: Sam Carmicheal (Pierce Brosnan), Bill Anderson (Stellan Skarsgard) and Harry Bright (Colin Firth). To her mum's dismay, she invites them all to her wedding to find out which one it is...Loads of fun on offer here, with the campness of all these name actors belting out ABBA songs, some of them rather badly. Doesn't really matter in the end, though, it's all good fun and the scenic backdrop of the Greek Islands is superb. The only weakness is the whiff of theatricality about it all, despite some fancy camera tricks.Still, recommended for ABBA fans, cheaper than going to see the show and is decent night out over all. Make sure you see it with a big audience, though, as that's exactly what this kind of film demands.
My big fat dumb Greek wedding.
posted on 20 Aug 2009I don't know where to begin. Terrible music, poorly arranged. Dance routines that look like a high school musical. A story (?) knit together in a vain attempt to force the songs to make sense in the context of a narrative, but really contrived and horrible. My wife said within 40 seconds, "Let's go". I wish I had listened to her. The audience seemed to love it. They laughed and laughed each time one of the characters fell into the water. This was the worst movie I have seen in a theater since "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" starring Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees. The Greek Chorus! Impressive. I could actually feel the brain cells being pulled from my head toward the screen while the minutes paraded by, one silly, lame joke after another.
A Travesty to ABBA's music
posted on 18 Aug 2009I took my kids (17 & 15) to see this movie & actually looked forward to it, myself, as I've always been an avid ABBA fan. Had the trailer depicted some of the horrendous singing by the likes of Pierce Brosnan, I'd probably have waited until it came to the rental market.When writing, I'm not a big fan of lists, but this movie doesn't warrant the effort of my literary skills, in describing its magnanimous deficits; so, here goes the short list:1)Super shallow script 2)Pitiful plot development 3)People with ZERO singing ability were singing & REALLY shouldn't have! 4)Sorrdid behaviour- (e.g., Tanya puts something between her legs, as though she has a big penis!) 5)Awful ending, as the true father wasn't even revealed & also the bride & groom don't even get married!This movie could have been much more, had the effort been better thought out & put forth. There are sooo many more pitfalls to this movie, but in a nutshell, if you like ABBA's music, just stick to the CDs or Broadway plays...
What a FUN movie!
posted on 18 Aug 2009I saw Mamma Mia last Thursday night with my mother-in-law and my sister-in-law and we all enjoyed it. The theater was about 2/3 full at 7:30 p.m. on a week night. Everyone was laughing, but I didn't see anyone dancing in the aisles. I did laugh out loud every time Pierce Brosnan sang, but hey, he tried hard. The scenery, costumes, jokes, and music were fun even if the plot was a bit weak. My biggest question is "Where was the luggage?" The women who arrived by boat brought nothing with them but their purses. The men, however, were shown pulling their flight bags on wheels across the dock. Now, have you EVER known a woman who went to a Greek island for a wedding with NO luggage? Make sure you stay for the credits because there are some wonderful "extra" musical scenes at the end. I will probably buy the DVD of the movie when it's available. Definitely one I would watch again and again just because it's so much fun.
Cotton candy no good for tummy but sometimes good for heart
posted on 30 Aug 2009I never saw "Mamma Mia!", the play. Never cared one way or the other about ABBA -- though I did enjoy how neatly their music fit "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert." And I understand that in a musical, all you need in the way of a story is just enough to link the production numbers. So I wasn't planning to go see this movie -- until I saw not only was Meryl Streep in it but also Colin Firth and Christine Baranski and Julie Walters and Stellan Skarsgard, and I'm thinking this'll either be a major train wreck or glorious fun.The story's simple -- as it should be. Girl lives on fantasy island but don't know who daddy is. Invites three likely candidates to her wedding but doesn't tell mom. All three come and chaos ensues...along with big production numbers and lots of joy and laughter after all the tears.Well -- it wasn't glorious fun, but I left the theater smiling and humming the music. And that's despite Phyllida Lloyd's nearly catastrophic turn as director. Who the hell decided just because somebody's directed a play on a stage they know how to direct a movie? Her clumsiness came damn close to ruining the film...as did the editor, who really must have been on coke at the time or else has a major case of ADD. I think it works better for a musical if you can see the numbers come together as all of a piece and not four-thousand, three-hundred and fifty seven different pieces, like they do on music videos.But -- and this is the film's saving grace -- the actors barreled right over Ms. Lloyd's mistakes and blasted through the jittery editing to provide performances that can be intoxicating. Meryl was fun and sexy and actually decent as a singer, and Christine and Julie backed her up, bigtime, in the musical numbers -- turning "Dancin' Queen" into an anthem of GRRL power and memories of youth was beautiful. I was shocked at Pierce Brosnan's tinny voice; he's Irish, for pity's sake, and don't ALL Irishmen sing beautifully? But he has charisma to spare and his charm made up for it. Same for Colin Firth and Stellan in thankless roles. It shows what not only talent but experience and professionalism can do with a bad script and characterizations. Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper -- they're pretty and have nice voices, but they still have a lot to learn about commanding a screen.Overall, however, this was a pleasant experience and I did not want any part of my $12 back. It was like going to a carnival and seeing all the sights and eating too much popcorn and cotton candy and getting a bit of a tummy ache...but having had a joyous time of it all, considering. If you go in with that expectation, you'll have fun, as well.But there's no way ANYBODY'S ever gonna say this is in the same league as "Singin' In The Rain."