Mamma Mia reviews

Big Magilla
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Post by Big Magilla »

I don't know, I had no interest in seeing Sex and the City but I am kind of looking forward to seeing this.

I have to assume the film script is tighter than the excuse to just string together the songs in the stage version.

I couldn't stand Abba in he 70s but Muriel's Wedding gave me a bit of appreciation for them and I have to admit that now my feet start to involuntarily do a little dance whenever I hear one of their songs.

The plot of the movie bears a striking resemblence to the late 60s comedy, Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell in which Gina Lollobrigida was an Italian woman during World War II who had affairs with three American G.I.'s all fow hom she conned into thinking they were her daughter's father. They were played by Phil Silvers, Peter Lawford and Telly Savalas. Poor Gina, you would think she do better than those guys!

It would be something of a hoot if Meryl were to be nominated for this bit of fluff instead of Doubt as everyone seems to be predicting.
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Post by paperboy »

I love Meryl , ABBA, Julie Walters and Amanda Seyfried but there's no way I'll be seeing the film. Several years ago a friend took me to the musical and I wanted to claw my ears off to avoid the dreadful script. Never have songs been shoehorned so awkwardly into a storyline (such as it is).

This surprisingly positive review from The Times contains this hilarious bit of snark -

Streep [...] leads her mob of bridesmaids, ageing sluts and lumpy Greek peasant women on a rampage through that sleepy village like a sun-kissed, middle-aged parody of Cyndi Lauper.
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Post by ITALIANO »

No, please. Not ABBA now.



Edited By ITALIANO on 1214997219
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Post by Precious Doll »

I like Abba alot and my other half loves them but we are not going to this film film at the cinema and will wait for video when we can pay $2 to rent it and turn the sound down.

I really don't want to listen to this cast potentially ruin alot of great songs. It's bad enough sitting through the trailer at the cinema.
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Post by Eric »

I love me some synthetic '70s pap too -- The Carpenters, Gilbert O'Sullivan, even a song or two by Barry Manilow (!) ... again, ABBA falls outside of a genre I regard as inside my interests. There's no explaining it, but there it is.
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Post by Reza »

Penelope wrote:
Mister Tee wrote:Let me say that if "the infectious, decades-old ABBA songs on which the film is anchored are the only thing keeping it afloat", I'm not coming within a country mile of this.

I'll be first in line! :D

Pen, that's me right behind you in line!

I read somewhere that Streep could be contender in the best actress race for this film.




Edited By Reza on 1214963909
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Post by Hustler »

FilmFan720 wrote:I'm a straight man and I love ABBA!
I´m straight too and I adore Abba. Who can resist it?
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Post by FilmFan720 »

I'm a straight man and I love ABBA!
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Post by Penelope »

Right on, Flipp! And, as the years progressed (and their respective marriages fell apart), their lyrics became darker while retaining that brilliant musicianship: songs like "The Winner Takes It All" or "One Of Us" still have that incredible pop sensibility, but are also filled with a longing and sense of loneliness that many gay men can relate to.
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Post by flipp525 »

One of the reasons that ABBA is so embraced, by the gay community in particular, is because their songs have that pure joy running through them that Bono states so succinctly in the clip you provided. They're not afraid to be who they are in their songs and somehow, through the lyrics, they make it okay to be who you are. And that's a message that you want to hear over and over again. When everyone else around you is telling you that your lifestyle is disgusting and that you're a faggot, etc and then you turn on ABBA and they tell you that you can dance and sing and have the time of your life, it's comforting and inspiring at a very basic level of acceptance.

And, Penelope, I know you won't let others' denigration of their music affect your love for them. We love soap operas and ABBA. Suck it, bitches! Dance on, you dancing queen!




Edited By flipp525 on 1214958565
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Post by Penelope »

In this short video clip, Bono provides what--for me--is the underlying reason for the irrational hate for ABBA.
"...it is the weak who are cruel, and...gentleness is only to be expected from the strong." - Leo Reston

"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
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Post by Penelope »

Well, let's never go to a party together, eh?
"...it is the weak who are cruel, and...gentleness is only to be expected from the strong." - Leo Reston

"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
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Post by Okri »

Penelope wrote:Why does ABBA engender so much wrath and hate? This is something I'll never understand. They were pure pop craftsmen/women, who combined classical training, incredible vocals, and brilliant musicianship to create some of the most shimmery, purely joyous music ever, and who influenced future musicians from Bono to Kurt Cobain. That's something that should be celebrated, not denigrated.
Because I don't agree with this. Mister Tee said synthetic, but artificial, empty, dull and irritating. It's not like those who dislike them say "well, they're brilliant but I'll hate them anyway." I just don't think they did anything I'd want to listen to.
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Post by Mister Tee »

Well, I'll just say I always found their sound synthetic and dreary -- one of many examples of how the 70s took the glorious pop traditions and turned them into pap.

If for nothing else, for Fernando they should be permanently banned.
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Post by Penelope »

But you could say the same thing about The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, etc., etc. Personally, if I never hear a Rod Stewart song for the rest of my life, I'll be quite happy.
"...it is the weak who are cruel, and...gentleness is only to be expected from the strong." - Leo Reston

"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
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