 | |
List Price: $19.98 | | Label: Universal Studios
Salesrank: 556
Released: December 16, 2008 |
| Our Price: $11.49 |
| Used Price: $3.38 |
|
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
|
Editorial Review:
Genre: Comedy
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 16-DEC-2008
Media Type: DVD
Description of Mamma Mia! The Movie (Widescreen):
The delirious sight of Meryl Streep leading a river of multigenerational women singing "Dancing Queen" is one of the high points of Mamma Mia!, the musical built around the songs of the hugely popular pop group ABBA. The plot sets in motion when Sophie (Amanda Seyfried, Mean Girls), daughter of Donna (Streep), sends a letter to three men, inviting them to her wedding--because after reading her mother's diary, she suspects that one of them is her father. When all three arrive at the Greek island where Donna runs a hotel, Donna flips out and finds that passions she thought she'd laid aside are coming back to life. But let's face it, the plot is not the point--it's a ridiculous contrivance that provides an excuse for the characters to sing the massive hits of ABBA. Regrettably, first-time film director Phyllida Lloyd (who directed the original stage production) has drawn over-the-top performances from everyone involved, even Streep; every production number hammers its exuberance into your eyeballs. Which is too bad, because Mamma Mia! is a rarity: A middle-aged love story. The kids start things off, but the story is really about Streep and the three guys (former James Bond Pierce Brosnan, former Mr. Darcy Colin Firth, and Swedish star Stellan Skarsgard), as well as Donna's best friends (Christine Baranski, best known from the TV show Cybill, and Julie Walters, Calendar Girls). It's a romantic comedy aimed at the people who were around when all these songs were new, and that's an age group Hollywood largely ignores. For that alone, Mamma Mia! deserves to find an audience. --Bret Fetzer
Stills from Mamma Mia! (Click for larger image)
Mamma Mia! The Movie (Widescreen) Reviews:
Was forced to watch, but loved it 
2009-12-28 - I thought for sure I'd hate it when my wife and sister forced me into it. But surprise, I loved it, so much so that I bought the Blu-Ray and the soundtrack. Looks and sounds fantastic.
Oh Yeah
2009-12-26 - Something is seriously wrong with this movie. Arnold/Bruce/Mel don't shoot bad guys. No monster trucks, bowling alley, deer stand or even a grilled cheese sandwich. So why do I sit watching this movie with a stupid, Cheshire-like grin on my face? Because this is the feel-good movie of all time. I hear about horrible acting- that doesn't register. Choreography-light...looks great to me. Inane arrangement of songs. Nope. And the cast, perfect. This is a musical that rouses the spirits. I don't care about accents. I don't care about age. I don't care about missed singing lessons. What I care about, is grinning ear to ear when I watch this. And a special thank you to Meryl Streep and Stellan Skarsgard. They looked as happy as anyone I've ever seen in a movie.
Mamma Mia
2009-12-26 - This movie is lot's of fun. I had seen it before but wanted a copy for myself. I recommend this movie to anyone who loves musicals and humor.
Ya' gotta love it
2009-12-23 - Anyone who has a shred of romance in their soul, likes good music, and likes Meryl Streep Has got to love this movie. It takes advantage of a cinematic setting and does things the onstage musical could not. If you don't like this you need to get de-Grinched.
Bollywood-Style Jukebox Musical Benefits from Streep and a Game Cast 
2009-12-21 - Let's face it. If Meryl Streep was cast in a Fruit of the Loom commercial, she would still be the standout piece of produce, lending conviction to a one-dimensional part others would easily dismiss as too superficial. That's the way to view this ebullient, featherweight 2008 confection based on the long-running jukebox musical from the prolific songbook of 1970's super-pop group ABBA, all of which were written by bandmates Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. Even though there is barely a part there, Streep throws herself into Donna like it was Sophie Zawistowski, Karen Blixen, or Miranda Priestly. She also gets to perform the lioness' share of the over two dozen songs that drive the flimsy, derivative storyline over its 108-minute running time. If you've ever seen an underrated 1968 Gina Lollobrigida farce called Buona Sera Mrs Campbell, you'll recognize the plot straight away since it pilfers the same basic idea.
This time, we are focused on the upcoming nuptials for Sophie, the beautiful twenty-year-old daughter of Donna, a resourceful hippie-chick who runs a dilapidated inn on a stunning Greek island. To make the chronology work, the story, one can assume, is set sometime in the late 1990's as Donna apparently led a hedonistic lifestyle in the late 1970's when she became pregnant while fronting a girl-group called Donna and the Dynamos. This becomes pertinent because Sophie's paternity is a big question mark and is about to be answered because Sophie clandestinely invites the three men who could possibly be her father to her wedding - staid British banker Harry, adventurous Swedish travel writer Bill, and divorced architect Sam. The inevitable complications ensue when all three show up on the idyllic island, each coming to the conclusion that he is indeed Sophie's father. Meanwhile, Donna invites the Dynamos - now best-selling cookbook author Rosie and multiple-married, cosmetically altered Tanya.
Add Sophie's intended, a hunky beach boy named Sky and his equally tanned and toned pals, as well as her two giggly bridesmaids and a rhythmic chorus of Greek villagers - and you indeed have a musical revue for anyone in the mood for one. At the same time, that's the caveat because you have to love ABBA's music to be enthralled by a movie riddled with flaws. The pacing often feels off, especially when characters belabor their individual dilemmas ad nauseam. Some of the choreography in the production numbers feels amateurish, and the cinematography frequently looks washed out (Streep looks particularly pasty and red-eyed in certain scenes). These lapses probably have to do with the arguable decision to have the Broadway crew of producer Judy Craymer, writer Catherine Johnson, and director Phyllida Lloyd translate all this to the screen, none of whom have any significant filmmaking experience. Perhaps a Rob Marshall could have lent a more polished sheen to the proceedings, but then again, there is a certain camp value that makes you wonder whether the whole venture is meant to be a parody of a good musical. Note the energetic "Dancing Queen" number which feels like a Bollywood production number with all the village women parading down to the dock in exaggerated unison.
In the end, I guess it doesn't matter since a game cast has been recruited to make it all work at the intended level of fun. Streep shines without peer and sings with supple conviction on lighthearted ditties like the title tune and "Money, Money, Money", as well as the more emotive ballads like "Slipping Through My Fingers" and "The Winner Takes It All". She can't help Pierce Brosnan who duets with her sounding like a wounded cow on "S.O.S." (The audience erupted in laughter whenever he sang). However, he regains some of his self-respect when he plays Sam straight-up. The other two actors - Stellan Skarsgård as Bill and the omnipresent Colin Firth as Harry - are also likeable though hardly challenged in their roles. Julie Walters as Rosie and Christine Baranski as Tanya perform petty larceny in stealing their scenes, especially in their specialty numbers. As the hopeful Sophie, bright-eyed Amanda Seyfried is sweet without being cloying and has a bell-like voice which she shows off well on the bookend anthem, "I Have a Dream". The climactic wedding party scene is like watching news footage of Sydney's Mardi Gras festivities, while the end credits flash on a karaoke reprise of "Dancing Queen" complete in Vegas drag-queen regalia followed by a funny encore of "Waterloo" (my personal favorite in the ABBA songbook). Go at your own risk...you may love it.
