JPF Home Page Forums Creative Arts Forums Acting, Theater, Film and TV Forum "G-A-C" Review:"MAMA MIA" Streep, Brosnan, Firth, Skarsgard

Sorry I been In-Absentia here a week or two...Let's just say "The Dark Knight" is, in a Word, "INTENSE" & well-worth your Viewing...and a "9 1/2-Outta-10"...and "Hellboy 2" is an Unexpected Pleasure, too...Beautifully-Filmed, Quite Imaginative, ENTERTAINING, with some GREAT Costuming, Makeup, Sets, & Martial Arts Scenes with good Comedic Moments all-interwoven. Add-in incredible Special Effects, & it's an Un-expected "8 1/2-outta-10" for this Guy-Viewer..(La Femme wasn't as-enthused, but she doesn't Write These Reviews..heh!)

O.K.--here's "Mama Mia", full-tilt Review:
Anybody remember the Euro-Pop Group ABBA? IF not, you're either Deaf or been Sealed-Away the last 30-some years. Now, through their HITS and the Skillful Directing of Phillida Lloyd, & Writing of Catherine Johnson, a fine MOVIE has been made which weaves these Great Blasts-from-the-Past into a Great Evening-Out!

In it, Sophie, (Amanda Seyfried), a beautiful Love-Child, finds Mama's Diary..& invites all 3 "Father Prospects" to her wedding, assuming she'll recognize Real-Dad as soon as she sees him. Mama (Meryl Streep) has managed to survive well-enough on her own, on a small Greek Isle developing a house into a bit of a Bed-&-Breakfast over the years, (with the help of The Locals), ever since Pop-Prospect Number One (Pierce Brosnan) went back to His Original Fiancee (& Mama's Parents said she was "On Her Own" when they were informed She Was Pregnant). Two other Whirlwind Affairs Right-After Daddy-Prospect-Number-One's Departure cloud the Issue of "Who's Amanda's Daddy"...& Sophie wants the REAL Dad to Give Her Away at the Wedding. Miraculously, all 3 arrive!

Along the way, two "Aunts" also arrive, to help with the Wedding Planning..Christine Baranski (As Tonya) and Julie Walters (Rosie).. These Veteran Character Actresses keep things Lively, & sing & dance their way thru many an ABBA Classic between all the Main Events. Greek Weddings are always great Fun, & it's all set in a Very Romantic & Scenic Islands Locale.

Betwixt Many an ABBA Classic, Meryl Streep proves she can sing & strut her stuff with the Best of 'Em~ Pierce Brosnan proves he's good for MORE than the James Bond Roles, and Amanda Seyfield proves she's a Sizzlin'-Star-Worth-Watching! All 3 "Former Beaus" provide a Bunch of Laughs as the Weddin' Planning gets to the Finish Line. Brosnan (Sam Carmichael), Stellan Skausgard (Bill Anderson) and Colin Firth (Harry Bright) come off Quite-Sympathetically as "Missing Dad's"..AND you'll get as big or bigger a KICK watchin' them (& the other Major Cast Members) wearing Glam-Rocker Outfits doin' some Chorus Line Bits during the Credit Rolls!

I don't think I've ever watched a Movie where the Entire Cast seems to be having THIS much FUN during the Filming, and It's INFECTIOUS! It's a Sun, Sand and Seaside DELIGHT, so let's give it a "9 1/2-Outta-10" & a "Hat's Off" to Cast & Crew~

Bitta Trivia: ABBA was formed from the First Initials of the Main Bandmembers: Agnetha Faltskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Anderson (Who penned some "Original Music" just for this Flick) and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The Latter Gal WAS a Love-Child..from Nowway, whose Mom had an affair with a German SGT during WW2. Mama died when she was quite young..after moving from Norway to Sweden. Anni got active in Music when she was 12, & she's the only Non-Swedish Member of ABBA, nicknamed "Norway's Gift to Sweden". Grew up thinking "Dad's ship got blown up on his way back to Germany"...but..in 1977, when the Group was World-Famous, discovered he was very much alive.

The group all got together after 22 years of being Disbanded...JUST for a day..for the premiere of this Movie.

See it...It's a Treat!

JMO...Keep-or-Sweepit!
Big Hugs,
Stan

Wow.. based on this I may go catch this in the theaters... interesting and perhaps your highest rating?

Brian

Stan, you've got to start putting a space in the middle of your title.. it's screwing up the left side bar.

Brian

Hi Bri! You'll get a Thrill flashin' back to the Oldies in this one..& the Greek Scenery is Gorgeous! (Highest Rating so-far was a "10" for "There Will Be Blood"...remember?) Just gave Woody Allen's Latest a "9 1/2"..'cuz it deserved it!

WOULD put a space in...BUT there's no real Space to be HAD in those Header Blocks. (I may have misspelled "SkarsgaArd" to fit in all the credits in THIS one!) (Does force me to be brief...& I haven't spelled out "Gimmie-A-Clue" in Quite a While, eh?) ;-)>

Big Guy-Hug,
Stan-The-Grammar-Crammer