Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Mamma Mia (2008)

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 07-19-2008, 07:15 PM:

I had such hopes for this picture and it kind of works...if only the entire cast could actually oh, I don't know...SING! Shouldn't that be a prerequisite for a musical?

Seriously, every time Pierce Brosnan opens his mouth I cringe along with the audience...I feel their pain.

The film basically tries to stich some sort of story together from the existing lyrics of ABBA's long (so long) list of hit tunes. Many times it works. The movie opens with the great 'I Had A Dream' and gets on with it at telling the story of a young girl about to be married but without a father to give her away at the wedding. Her solution? Steal her mother's diary from the summer she was conceived and send invites to the three guys she bonked that summer in Greece.

Along comes Pierce, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard as the three potential Dads. I'd never heard of Skarsgard before but he's not bad. A Swedish actor I assume he's there as a nod the the Swedish ABBA...maybe he's Benny's favorite?

The audience sings along (to themselves) but they should really all let it rip and try and drown out the guys on screen as I'm sure they could on the whole do a better job of it.

Did I mention it's a musical? People are blaming Woody Allen for making 'Everyone Says I Love You' and having his actors actually sing...but even Woody realized Drew Barrymore sucked and overdubbed her voice with a real singer. Good grief...singing actors do exist.

On the whole I think it really could have worked well with better casting. Meryl Streep is great, but she's just so wrong for this role. Colin Firth plays himself as always. Amanda Seyfried in the main role as Sophie does a great job so they must have lucked out there. The supports of Julie Walters and Christine Baranski as Meryl's long time friends are just there for comic relief but 1) cannot sing and 2) are not funny. Julie's rendition of Take A Chance On Me made me want to cringe.

The director, Phyllidia Lloyd has never directed a movie before and hopefully never will again. It's a complete exercise in how NOT to make a movie with poor set-ups, lazy camera movements and lousy editing.

In the credits there are two songs 'performed' on stage by Meryl, Julie and Christine. First is Dancing Queen and then Waterloo. At the end of the first one, Meryl comes up to the camera and yells at the audience: "DO YOU WANT ANOTHER ONE?" The audience should yell out what I say in my head every time. "Oh, God...NOoooooooooooooooo...! MERCY!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Enjoy the songs and reminisce if you like, but Mamma Mia is better left as a hit tune from the 70's. I wanted to like it...honest I did.

1/5

[ 07-20-2008, 02:10 AM: Message edited by: John Wilson ]

Posted by Michael Barry (Member # 237) on 07-19-2008, 11:22 PM:

Thanks for the heads-up, John. I was thinking of checking this one out, but I will save my time and go watch some more episodes of Veronica Mars instead.

Skarsgard is a great actor - Swedish, yes - whom I first came across in his stellar performance opposite Emily Watson in 'Breaking The Waves'. That's the part I most remember him for. After becoming better known in the original version of 'Insomnia', he crossed over to mainstream movies and was great in 'Good Will Hunting'. It sounds like he's wasted here, though. Pity.

Sorry if this is getting a bit off topic. I cannot review the movie as I haven't seen it, and probably (now) won't.

Next review, please!

Posted by Emma Tomiak (Member # 1862) on 07-20-2008, 01:12 AM:

Just...awful. I felt like I needed to watch Hairspray to make myself feel better after screening this.

Posted by Michael Dolan (Member # 4808) on 07-20-2008, 01:54 AM:

That really sucks!!!

I myself am a huge fan of musicals and really was looking forward to seeing this movie. I'm not sure if I'm going to now.

However I have had alot of people come out saying it was great. So I guess I will see soon and give my review

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 07-20-2008, 02:11 AM:

I knew I'd seen him before when he was much younger. Breaking The Waves, that would be it.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 07-20-2008, 02:17 AM:

I have only seen bits and pieces of this from the booth, fortunately. This movie will make you hate all of the actors due to their character's insipid personalities. The premise of the story itself makes me cringe. The picture is bright and sharp, but the colors are digitally oversaturated and contrasty. Then you add a soundtrack that will make you immensely jealous of deaf people and it only gets worse. This is fantastic movie to contemplate suicide to.

Posted by Carol May (Member # 4068) on 07-20-2008, 08:11 PM:

I saw it this afternoon. Hairspray it was not. It didn't have half the energy.

I never saw the stage musical, but I kept feeling as though it might have, or seem to have, more energy because a large cast would be confined to a small space where they would sing and dance their hearts out live. On the big screen I kept feeling like they didn't know how to use all the space they had, so what were supposed to be big numbers shrank.

While none of the three fathers could sing, I thought it was wonderful casting because there's no question that Meryl Streep, or most women, would be attracted to all three. I loved Julie Walters. I'm not a huge fan of Streep or Christine Baranski, but they didn't bother me any.

What's sad for the future is how bland all the young singer-actors were. Who's going to take over in 20 years when Streep's generation of actors has retired?

Posted by Shane Cooper (Member # 2510) on 07-20-2008, 11:11 PM:

I remember Skarsgard from Good Will Hunting.

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 07-20-2008, 11:28 PM:

Haven't seen it yet but fortunately it sounds like the only good thing to come from the movie is the first public reunion of all 4 members of the group in over 25 years at the Stockholm premiere.

Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 07-21-2008, 12:28 AM:

THis is truly one of the most incompetent musicals I've seen ever! The film looks overexposed in a number of scenes. It's WAY too bright with no subtelty, which I guess matches the "performances." THe girl actually sings well and Meryl Streep is OK,but most of the performances are way over the top. While the boys in their flippers have an excuse for what laughably passes for dancing on the pier, what is everyone else's excuse? The actors play up to the cameras in the style of those buddy comedies where its all wink! wink! patronizing style. (And I want to make it clear that I actually LIKE musicals!

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 07-21-2008, 06:05 AM:

Well. . . . . it's a woman's film, especially, a woman-of-a-certain-age-movie.

All comments above are true, but if you can't relax and enjoy a frothy summertime delight like Mama Mia! with Streep as your cheerleader, then you are to be pitied. Streep never misses. (Repeat after me: Streep never . . . . ) Louis

Posted by Hillary Charles (Member # 769) on 07-21-2008, 07:08 AM:

quote: Paul Linfesty
It's WAY too bright with no subtelty

Didn't you just describe ABBA's music? [Big Grin]

I saw it Friday night (the previous show was sold out) with some female co-workers, so between us women of that "certain age" of 20's 30's and 40's, it was entertaining.

I do agree that visually, it often looked sloppy. The timing from shot to shot was often stunning in how it did not match. And though it was shot in Panavision, the picture seemed softer than I would have expected.

I saw the live show on Broadway in 2005, so I knew what to expect story-wise. It's goofy and over the top, again like much of ABBA's music. But unlike ABBA's tightly produced music, the movie seems very casual and often haphazard. Like celebrities doing karaoke.

Having said that, we did enjoy it, with all its faults. I could go into detail over the various vocal abilities of the actors (upon later listening to Pierce Brosnan on Youtube, he really doesn't sound as bad as all that--I think much of my initial cringing was the incongruity of watching James Bond sing ABBA).

I can easily see this campy film becoming a "Midnight Movie," with a Rocky Horror kind of participation.

BTW, I love ABBA's music.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 07-22-2008, 12:18 PM:

Can't wait to see this. I purely LOVE ABBA!

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 07-24-2008, 12:09 AM:

Just saw this tonight, and wow it was.... interesting. The 2 sidekicks (baranski and what's her name) did pretty horrible renditions of the songs, but Meryl Streep was probably the "best" of all the singers. The colors were nice, but I didnt understand the fakey/contrasty look that most of the film had, it was out of place like the vaseline lense look in Indiana Jones 4. It was great to see the male members from ABBA in the film, I didn't see Frida or Agnetha though.

Posted by Hillary Charles (Member # 769) on 07-24-2008, 05:53 AM:

Unfortunately, Frida and Agnetha aren't in the movie at all. Probably not interested because they haven't made tons of money off the show like Benny and Bjorn.

They all did appear together at the Swedish premiere.

Posted by Jonathan Goeldner (Member # 4854) on 07-24-2008, 08:50 AM:

I thought the whole movie was done so amatuerishly, every thing from the directing, the editing, cinematography came off so weak, add Pierce's attempt to sing... badly...(the near sold out Avalon theatre crowd let out a collective groan) this came off as if the Director was trying to direct another 'Xanadu'(the movie, not the new kitchy stage version). As far as I am concerned she should never be allowed near a film camera ever again, stage director's know how to direct a stage play - NOT a film. Add to the mix, 'The Name of the Game' featured on the film's soundtrack but nowhere in the film version - really pissed me off.

Posted by Robert Crabtree (Member # 4795) on 07-24-2008, 10:05 AM:

quote: Louis Bornwasser
(Repeat after me: Streep never . . . . )

She-Devil anyone?

Posted by Kyle Anderson (Member # 3504) on 07-24-2008, 12:17 PM:

quote: Robert Crabtree
She-Devil anyone?

They already did that movie. [Smile]

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 07-24-2008, 09:38 PM:

Hillary, yeah I saw the pics from the premiere and it was great to see Agnetha come out of hiding. I know that the guys did all the songwriting, but it was still cool to see them make cameos to give the movie "street cred". I just wish a better director had worked on it but I'll probably see it again and hopefully not laugh too hard when Pierce starts singing again [Smile]

Posted by Robert Crabtree (Member # 4795) on 07-24-2008, 11:53 PM:

I actually meant the movie She-Devil (1989), starring Roseanne Barr- that was a pretty shiteous flick. Devil Wears Prada was quite good though.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 07-25-2008, 01:14 AM:

Hey Mike, there's something wrong with your keyboard. When you type V-O-M-I-T it comes out L-A-U-G-H.

Odd, eh? [Wink]

Posted by Hillary Charles (Member # 769) on 07-25-2008, 05:47 AM:

Yeah Mike, I was wondering what Agnetha looked like these days. Really not all that different, nothing worth a Garbo-like exile (what is it with Swedish women?).

I figure that if Benny and Bjorn gave the movie their blessing with those cameos, they must be reasonably pleased with it. Considering its popularity, that's probably what matters most anyway (after all is said and done [Wink]

). After the technical excellence of "Chicago," I'm wondering how Rob Marshall would have handled the movie.

And John, have you ever actually vomited because of something in a movie? I threw up after Peter Jackson's "King Kong," but I think it was something I ate and not necessarily the movie. And I did get queasy during the original "Robocop," primarily because of the characters' cruelty. I'm sure Paul Verhoven would be pleased with my reaction.

Pierce made some in our audience laugh. My shock has worn off, and I do wonder how I'll react when I see it again.

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 07-25-2008, 11:41 AM:

Well John, going by that logic, Ive definitely vomited a lot watching Blazing Saddles [Wink]

And I laugh constantly when I see Dane Cook in Employee of the Month. Go figure. [Wink]

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 07-26-2008, 12:23 AM:

Wife and I went and saw this movie tonite being her B-day. Outside of the decent singing by Streep and others and the story and plot being quite nifty until the end when it sorta collapsed, the real joy was to hear these great ABBA tunes from the 70's in their original, musical arranged form with Bjorn and Bernie having cameos in the movie.

Interestingly enough, a director is like an famous orchestra conductor. The conductor when leading his orchestra, is actually "playing" the orchestra as if it's his personal instrument and he's he's performing a very complicated piece with this instrument. When one hears this, the audience knows that he's well under control of the situation.

..thus, makes one wonder if Joshua Logan, Robert Wise, and the host of other famous directors who directed musicals-what would they have done with "Mamma Mia instead of the director of this movie, who has NEVER directed before, to tackle such an "orchestra" of actors to blend them into the storyline?

One could tell that this was a large project for this director, thus there were some overwhelming segments that could have been better if the director was more in control.

Outside of this, it was an entertaining movie - loved singing along with the songs in the movie (thanks, Tom Hanks, for your Playtone company to help with this movie...), which nowdays, sing-a-long songs are a thing of the past.

-Monte

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 07-27-2008, 02:18 PM:

I'm very sure that this film was not made to be taken too seriously. It makes me wonder if the "critics" got that! Louis

Posted by Andy Frodsham (Member # 4061) on 07-30-2008, 03:53 AM:

ABBA to me conjures-up images of youth and the mid 70s, not a pile of middle-aged somethings in 2008!

As a vehicle for this music, I'd much rather have seen a bio-pic set in the 70s and with four youngish actors playing the relevant parts!

[ 07-30-2008, 10:14 AM: Message edited by: Andy Frodsham ]

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 07-30-2008, 08:09 PM:

I do not understand the universal craze for ABBA. I mean, they had some pretty good songs (and two great ones in my opinion: "Waterloo" and "SOS") and the women were (are?) definitely hot, but other than that their music is just plain old good pop music.

I think if they hadn't broken up when they did, and were still hoofing around the oldies/Las Vegas circuit, they would be a lot less relevant than they are today. Just my 2¢.

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 07-30-2008, 08:56 PM:

I'd definitely agree Mike. I think they were smart to not regroup after their breakup, to make people remember the "kitschy-ness" of the 70s, with the bad hair from the guys, the platform boots, the funny costumes (they tamed that down a bit in their later years). The songs are pretty good I think, and it would be cool if they would do a televised one night only concert of sorts but that probably won't happen. It's the same thing with KISS in a way, I think it's kind of sad now to see Gene Simmon's gut hanging out of his costume. Although the initial reunion tour was cool, I think they should have gone back to being a regular rock band after that without the makeup as they did in the 80s and 90s.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 08-02-2008, 04:42 PM:

quote:
ABBA to me conjures-up images of youth and the mid 70s, not a pile of middle-aged somethings in 2008!

That's us; the youth of the mid 70s. [Razz]

Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 2038) on 08-06-2008, 12:41 PM:

I also don't understand the rush of love for ABBA all these years later. I liked them on the radio, but I didn't worship them.

We've done great business with the movie, a couple of near-sell outs. The audience seems to like the movie. We do well with chick flicks anyway, we held over "Sex And The City" (chick flick from hell IMO) for our regular crowd.

To me, the movoe has too much singing. Too much for a musical? Yes. And it has a story, I think, somewhere...oh yeah, the daughter's wedding!

The two closing songs are awkward...people aren't sure whether to get up to leave yet.

Doing good business with it, that's what really matters.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 08-06-2008, 04:29 PM:

Well, if you guys think you are going to embarrass me into not going to see this movie, let me tell you, those days of me grabbing my ABBA LPs in a panic and hiding them under the bed every time one of my friends rang the doorbell, well those days are over. I am too old to be pretending that I am too hip to like ABBA....now I just leave 'em out right there on the coffee table in plain sight for everyone to see....and those friends all know that they'd better not even raise an eyebrow or they're out the door!

Nope, I am going and I am gonna sing at the top of my lungs --evidently someone's gotta drown out Pierce Brosnan. Yep, I've got my $10.50 already saved up as well as $38.75 for popcorn. Of course, right at the credits I will walk directly to the Manager's office and demand my money back because "The Name of the Game" WAS MISSING?!! Really....how could they?

You have at least got to give ABBA points for longevity. I mean, we just had Bjorn Again, the knockoff group who have been making a tidy sum for over a decade being ABBA reincarnate, down to the accents and inflections when they chit-chat with the audience. We packed the place and I mean standing room only. The audience was very mixed and half way thru, no one was sitting any more, they were up on their feet for the last full hour swining their arms, doing that pointing thing in the air -- which I never understood (it used to be so nice, it used to be so good). Sorry, couldn't resist. This concert turned into on big sing-a-long with 2500 people and amazingly, everyone knew the lyrics!

quote: Mike Blakesley
I do not understand the universal craze for ABBA. I mean, they had some pretty good songs (and two great ones in my opinion: "Waterloo" and "SOS") and the women were (are?) definitely hot, but other than that their music is just plain old good pop music.

Hey, what more do you want from pop music? And like I tell those of my friends who mock me, what accounts for their sustained popularity is : 1) MELODIES....stuff that sticks to your brain cells like mice to a glue pad. 2) HOT, BLOND WOMEN who can sing too, 3) POP MUSIC that had more top hits on the charts thant the Beatles, 4) and of most importance -- you can spell their name backwards and forwards. [Razz]

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 08-07-2008, 07:26 PM:

Personally, I like me some redhead singers [Smile]

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-08-2008, 11:49 AM:

quote: Frank Angel
stuff that sticks to your brain cells like mice to a glue pad

That's no kidding. Every time I even see the Mamma Mia poster, I can't get that damn song out of my head for the next half hour.

Posted by Steve Maggs (Member # 444) on 08-22-2008, 12:09 AM:

Funnily enough, this morning a patron told me she was seeing the movie for the 10th time today. It is mostly the Seniors that are coming back over and over again. There have been many of my regulars who have seen it at least 5 times.
Our morning screening of this film still attracts our largest audience out of the 9 sessions we have at that time.
All those asking what the deal is with ABBA..... should watch ABBA The Movie, directed by Lasse Hallström in 1977. Then you really will laugh (vomit) whatever your keyboard dictates.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-23-2008, 11:12 AM:

We watched this last night. My wife loved it, as I thought she would. I liked it OK - it was entertaining and moved along at a good clip. I was never bored, and I did enjoy the music - I had never really paid all that much attention to ABBA lyrics before so that was a "new" experience for me (and yes I realize they changed a few lyrics for the film).

I agree with most of the sentiments about the singing - although I was hoping for a better rendition of my favorite ABBA tune, "SOS." I thought Meryl was OK for the most part, except she didn't do much justice to "The Winner Takes It All."

I thought the ending concert part felt kind of tacked on, but those two songs are among my favorite ABBA tunes so I didn't mind too much.

3 out of 5 stars from me. My wife gave it a 4.

Posted by Hillary Charles (Member # 769) on 08-24-2008, 08:38 AM:

quote: Mike Blakesley
I thought the ending concert part felt kind of tacked on, but those two songs are among my favorite ABBA tunes so I didn't mind too much.

That's exactly how the stage version is. Apparently, nobody could figure out how to include "Waterloo" in the storyline, so the cast comes out like that as an encore of sorts, along with "Dancing Queen". I would have been very disappointed if that had not been included in the movie version.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-27-2008, 12:32 AM:

Good to know. I figured it was something like that.

Although I thought it was a serious mistake to have Meryl Streep do that "Do you want another one?" schtick between the songs. For one thing she looked drunk. For another, there was obviously no audience there and people are generally conditioned NOT to yell out in movie theatres. (I am sure there are plenty of places where the crowd did yell with great vigor though...right?)

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 08-27-2008, 12:33 AM:

quote: Mike Blakesley
I am sure there are plenty of places where the crowd did yell with great vigor though...right?

Not once.

Posted by Blaine Young (Member # 3992) on 08-30-2008, 09:28 PM:

We started playing the "Sing-Along" version on the 29th, cutting in for 2 of the showings of the regular version.

So far, not too much singing - but it is (oddly) bringing in more people than the "regular" one.

Posted by Stu Jamieson (Member # 4626) on 08-31-2008, 02:53 AM:

quote: Mike Blakesley
Although I thought it was a serious mistake to have Meryl Streep do that "Do you want another one?" schtick between the songs. For one thing she looked drunk.

She certainly does! It's kind of embarrassing but at the same time it's also funny when they start boppin' for Waterloo and they're all WAY out of time. Then there's a sudden jump cut to where they've all got their shit together. I suspect they reshot that after they'd all sobered up. [Big Grin]