| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Carole R. |
Posted - 30/06/2008 : 17:41:45
Tonight,The Odeon Leicester Square is hosting the World premiere of Mama Mia the movie...
Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Julie Walters and ABBA are expected to attend.
They have made Leicester Square look like a Greek Taverna..
...and anyone who is anyone will be there... That means that nobodies who are nobodies won't be there ..
The upside is... we can all get to see the film.
D'ya fancy it?.. The film, I mean..  
Carole R xx |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Earthbound Gypsy |
Posted - 21/07/2008 : 21:45:42
My review of Mamma Mia…
I’ll start by saying I really enjoyed the movie. Although, the exact story line was followed from the play, it still was very different. The play was all about the music and dancing, not the case with the film, as the movie was about the story.
I’d have to say that the negative about the movie is the singing. Meryl Steep’s acting is excellent, her singing is better than I expected, but that doesn’t say very much. I thought that the movie was perhaps miscasted. I would have preferred actors that could actually sing. I never heard of Amanda Seyfried until seeing the movie. She played Sophie and I thought did an excellent job and had the best voice of the entire cast. The movie brought lots of laughs and a few tears. It is a very nice entertaining movie and a pleasant story. Nice to be entertained and see no violence.
None of the men could sing. Pierce Brosnan looked much older than his James Bond/Remington Steele days. I much prefer Colin Firth in his Mr. Darcy rolls.
The scenery was beautiful and I wondered how much of it was filmed in Greece and how much was filmed on a sound stage. In the play, everyone was dancing at their seats. I don’t think one person was left seated. Since the music did not carry the movie, this was not the case. You were not left with that tremendous “feel good” feeling when it was over as the play, but again that might be due to seeing something live vs. film.
I saw the movie with five friends and two of us saw the play; we all enjoyed it very much. My friend saw it on Broadway and I saw it in Las Vegas. One person commented that they liked it much better than “Sex In The City”. I felt you were comparing apples to oranges and making a comparison just is not possible.
I will probably buy the DVD when it is released. After the movie, the group of us went out to eat; it was a fun day out!
Guess it is difficult for me not to write something without leaving Dusty out of my comments! Mamma Mia made me think of a Hollywood movie about Dusty, if Dusty did not do the singing but someone like Nicole Kidman playing Dusty and did the singing. Good, but not Dusty. This movie is good, but not ABBA.
I thought it is unfortunate that Mamma Mia opened the same day in the US as the new Batman movie, leaving all the hype to Batman, which just is not my cuppa.
I’ve read quite a few poor reviews, IMO it sounds like these people have nothing better to do than complain and do not know how to enjoy themselves! Bottom line, if you are thinking of seeing the movie, go for it. I think you will enjoy it.
Marty |
| Motown Diva |
Posted - 20/07/2008 : 21:03:37
Originally from Janie:
quote:
Just good fun......you should have seen us bopping in the back row!
....Oh so t'was you lot... I wondered who it was! . Should have gone for the aisle instead Janie- much more room to express yourself, me and my friend were swaying along to Thank You For The Music at the end
I hope that is an opportunity for Oscar nominations- surely the lads deserve one just for managing the costumes and platforms! ...lots of sequences and feathers going on there...reminded me of a typical night at our local club!
Emz xXx |
| MICBO |
Posted - 20/07/2008 : 20:47:17
Some like cheese I have to say...some don't. All a matter of taste though I would admit Meryl did her best at singing and I am not sure many of us non-singers [or actors/actresses] could come close...something to do with standing in others' shoes I think! By the same token, when Pierce filled his lungs and belted his songs out....one did squirm a little in one's seat! Hats off though for any actor/actress who goes outside their normal boundaries or 'typecast' role....because if no-one 'had a go' at anything other than 'their thing', why Julie Walters, for example, would remain forever a comedy actress in our minds, when we all know how fantastic she is at serious roles......and Arnie would never be more than a muscle man...but he is actually good at comedy.....and Kieran Bracken would never have left the rugby pitch to become a professional ice skater if he had stayed on the field.....maybe Mamma Mia was a little hyped for sure...but when watched with all the 'givens', a good laugh, whether at the cheese or the more meaty bits! Also a nostalgia trip for anyone who actually remembers Abba on the TV or went to their concerts....certainly the audience I was part of were of a certain age to appreciate the memory jolt. So thanks Abba for the music and giving it to me. I personally would pop on a plane to Greece, just to taste some of their cheese...I quite like Fetta as it goes!
Life's too short and all that!..............
Moi!
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| Janie |
Posted - 20/07/2008 : 00:40:51
Thoroughly enjoyed it - saw it at the local flicks tonight (Sat). VERY corny but to my mind that was part of its charm. A real feel-good film, not meant to be taken too seriously.
I thought Meryl Streep was superb, followed a close second by Julie Walters. Real turn up for the books if they end up nominated for an Oscar - go down like a lead balloon in Hollywood would that  . Just good fun......you should have seen us bopping in the back row!
Janie x54 |
| Motown Diva |
Posted - 19/07/2008 : 11:47:18
Tough call I think Carole ... they were all good in their own way. I think for me, the top 2 were The Winner Takes It All and possibly Chiquitita?
...as I say, I think it is tough- as some of the songs had more 'acting' involved rather than just a vocal performance if you know what I mean?
So, which song did you feel came over the best?
Emz xXx |
| Carole R. |
Posted - 18/07/2008 : 18:25:07
So, I gather you enjoyed it then, Emz?
Which song did you think came over best?
Carole R xx |
| Motown Diva |
Posted - 18/07/2008 : 10:36:18
OMG!!! Well, what can I say?... I absolutely LOVED it! It was, as Carole has mentioned, a bit cheesy imo. However, the sight of the leading guys in tight-fitting costumes and platforms at the end was really funny...
Meryl Streep for me, was the best vocally, but Julie Walters had some of the best lines throughout and was hilarious as always! . I especially enjoyed the Donna & The Dynamos sequence- they looked fab!.
It seemed as though we went on a good day, as nearly everyone were either singing along- myself included, or shedding tears! (mostly tears of laughter, but there was the odd 'Awwww' moment)
All in all a real treat, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Emma xXx
...it's on my Xmas list now |
| reputation |
Posted - 16/07/2008 : 13:38:15
I just read that it's already broken the box office record for a musical film.
A friend of mine enjoyed it better than the stage version but said neither Pierce Brosnan or Colin Firth can sing - why do they persist in putting actors who can't sing into musicals? Maybe they would have been better with John Barrowman, at least he's a singer. |
| Carole R. |
Posted - 16/07/2008 : 13:30:00
No... I didn't see the TV prog Emma..But I can understand their sentiments.
.. It was abit peculiar to see Mr. Darcy and James Bond, at one point, wearing the most camp costumes ever.
Don't rush out of the cinema..There are a couple of extra songs at the end, after the closing credits.
Its very possible to miss them.
I look forward to reading your opinion.
Carole R xx |
| Motown Diva |
Posted - 16/07/2008 : 13:22:21
I'm off to see it tomorrow with my friend, and I'm really looking forward to it!. Although I agree Carole about it being over-hyped- did you happen to see 'ABBA- The Mamma Mia Story' on t.v t'other day? Crikey, both Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth both,to me, appeared to some extent be regretting doing the film. Surely they knew what they were taking on when they were offered the parts?
...anyhoo, I'll let you know how I get on after seeing it.
Emma xXx |
| Carole R. |
Posted - 16/07/2008 : 13:12:18
Saw the film the other day... And my opinion is that its cheesy with a capital CH...
It isn't as good as the stage musical..And I think its because of the famous faces trying to sing, the beautiful scenery etc..
Somehow the stage version was more acceptably corny, whereas a big bold effort at a very thin storyline with songs thrown in, seemed a little ludicrous to me.
So, although I'm glad I went to see it and even though I knew it'd probably be slightly disappointing.. It has very definitely been over-hyped.
Warning signs for famous faces in a Dusty Musical???..I think so.
Carole R xx
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| Mark |
Posted - 16/07/2008 : 13:08:34
quote:
Originally posted by reputation
It's like with Dusty they very rarely play an album track and Abba recorded a lot of good songs on their albums, so give us a break from the hits and let's hear an album track once in a while!
Absolutely!......all the Abba songs I listed on the faves are album tracks!
As for the Movie I think I can hang on until the DVD release......I'll buy it for Barbara for Christmas, I'm 'they'll' release it in time, Kerching!!
Mark |
| reputation |
Posted - 05/07/2008 : 14:39:53
Am I the only one who is sick of hearing about Abba?
I did like the group but I think things are going too far with Abba-esque, Abba The Musical, Abba The Movie etc; I am sure they are played more now on the radio than they were when they were together as hardly a day goes by that I don't hear them.
It's like with Dusty they very rarely play an album track and Abba recorded a lot of good songs on their albums, so give us a break from the hits and let's hear an album track once in a while! |
| Carole R. |
Posted - 04/07/2008 : 23:49:04
I really like that song.... I haven't heard it before... Corny but nice.
Carole R xx |
| Sweetbaby |
Posted - 04/07/2008 : 03:36:39
If you'd like to hear the movie version of Our Last Summer I've posted the link in the What's the Theme 2 thread in the Forum Games forum: it's in the ninth post at
http://dustyspringfield.forumco.com/topic~TOPIC_ID~3326~whichpage~8.asp
Rather than just posting the link to the Youtube clip here I'm gently pressuring you to visit the Forum Games thread & perhaps join in!
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| Carole R. |
Posted - 03/07/2008 : 23:56:55
I saw Meryl Streep trying to get her tonsils around 'The Winner Takes It All' on a clip from the film.
Let me just say...Take your ear plugs!...
No, I'm being abit unfair.. She 'talks'it at first, the rest sounds like Dusty did at the end of 'Sometimes Like Butterflies'..
Carole R xx |
| Earthbound Gypsy |
Posted - 01/07/2008 : 23:22:51
BTW, "Sex In The City" also opened in London about two weeks earlier than it did New York. I did go see it several weeks ago and really enjoyed it.
Marty |
| treking |
Posted - 01/07/2008 : 21:13:07
I shall definately be going to see it ..it sounds a hoot.
Loved the stage show
Trek
Also known as Carole. |
| Motown Diva |
Posted - 01/07/2008 : 10:15:13
Definitely going to see it!, I can't wait- I saw a clip from the film on the news last night, I didn't realise how good Meryl Streep was at singing!. Julie Walters is in there too- love her, brilliant actress. Some eye-candy for the ladies in the form of Colin Firth and Pierce Brosnan- not my type btw.
...don't ya just know it's gonna be a smash hit even before you've seen it?.
The 'Dancing Queen' xXx |
| Earthbound Gypsy |
Posted - 01/07/2008 : 02:40:06
Carole when it opens in the UK on July 10th, please let us know what the critics have to say about it. As we have to wait for the July 18th opening in the US.
I just read that it is now the longest running and most successful play in Las Vegas. I saw it there about three years ago (Mandalay Bay).
Marty
quote:
Originally posted by Carole R.
It opens here July 10th, Marty.
I don't know why there's such a gap between the Premiere and the country-wide release, maybe tonight was the only time all the 'Stars' could show up!..
Carole R xx
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