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fallon_ash at 03:23am on 11/08/2008 under movie
fallon_ash at 03:23am on 11/08/2008 under movieRandom movie commentary. A few spoilers, but nothing much.
Mamma Mia!
Saw Mamma Mia! in the theatre last week, and it was pretty much what I expected. Lots of sunshine, lots of beaches, and lots of ABBA. People can say whatever they want about it having a dumb plot, or being unrealistic with people standing around on sandy beaches (not bitches!) and suddenly bursting into ABBA songs, and it being over-the-top super-duper lovey-dovey whatever, I don't care. Seriously. It's the ABBA musical, don't go see the ABBA musical if you don't like people randomly bursting into song and dance.
I will say this; I don't remember the last time a movie made me this happy. No big huge emotional anything other than HAPPY. Come on. 40 hunky dudes singing and dancing on a beach while wearing flippers and snorkels? If that doesn't make you happy, there's something wrong with you. It made ME happy. 40 hunky dudes in little tiny swim trunks, and I was still happy. The movie is that happy.
And like Baby Bridget said; duh, Meryl Streep! And I agree. Meryl Streep was fantastic. That scene towards the end when she sings The Winner Takes It All in the twilight with the setting sun, and all the lights in the background. OMG. That was the only time I felt like crying, but most of that was because she's so beautiful, and that's my favourite ABBA song of all times. And she sang unexpectedly well. Most pleasant surprise. I had no idea she sang. I have to admit, though, that I went straight home afterwards and put The Hours in the DVD player, because that's what Meryl Streep is *supposed* to be like. Kissing Allison Janney and all... *ahem* Most similar to watching Pirates and then going straight home and watching Lord of the Rings because that's what Legolas is *supposed* to be like.
And kudos to the movie for letting the older actress-trio look their age. We know they're 50 years old, that's why they're beautiful, they've lived 50 years and they have lines on their faces, and their bodies don't look 18 any longer (thank goodness)... That's what women are *supposed* to look like, and it's eternally more attractive than some artificial ugly combination of nip/tuck and a computerized make-over. Yuck. Of course everyone knows I have a thing for older women, but when Amanda Seyfried was running around in that little bikini with her three dads I kept wanting to cover my eyes and shout 'OMG, *child*, put on some *clothes*!'. I felt un-clean just looking at her. She's not that much of a child, she's barely younger than me, but still. Eeek. I'll *much* rather be looking at Meryl Streep.
Anyway, happy happy movie. I shall buy it as soon as it's out on DVD and watch it Every. Day. Exaggerating a whole lot there, but if ever one has a petty upset, this movie will instantly rid one of it. (It almost got me over the Earth Final Conflict Christina-killing upset, and now that's saying something...)
eta: I wanted to at least say something about the differences between the movie production and the stage production I saw two years ago, but I forgot. Mostly, there weren't any huge differences, but the one thing I have to admit to is how much of a difference it makes which actress I happen to be most into when I watch. When I saw it on stage I couldn't care less about the mom, I mean, she's great and all, but OMG Charlott Strandberg as the mom's cradle-robbing friend stole the entire stage whenever she was on (at least she did for me...) Does Your Mother Know slayed me. Seriously, I wanted to be that kid *SO* badly. I felt like the entire song could have been directed at me. Whereas in the movie that was just a fun song, but instead it was Meryl Streep I couldn't keep my eyes off, and suddenly that was the storyline I was following... Just a side-note. I shall go look at my autographed picture of Charlott Strandberg now.
An Unexpected Love
I don't really have much to say about this, it was a pretty standard lesbian romance piece. As film in general go, nothing much, but as lesbian film go, above average. Standard issues, but then again, issues faced all the time, still, by lots of gay people, so they're never irrelevant, but it has still been done before. Liked the kids, how they fought and weren't perfect, like TV kids tend to be (I still get so pissed off when I read The Hours and Clarissa's daughter is this bad-ass punk chick, and then in the movie Claire Danes with her cute outfits and perfect college-girl look... blerg). The mother was amusingly similar to Emily Gilmore.
However, the reason I even mention it, is because *GOSH* Wendy Crewson was hot in it. OMG. Those snazzy black suits and the wide-collared white shirts and the hair. So. Frickin'. Hot. Of course, whenever they pulled in really close I kept going 'OMG CREEPY it's Maggie's MOM', but whenever the shots were wider and covered more than just her face, she was so different I don't know if I would have noticed at first if I hadn't known. Her mannerisms and her voice and her looks were so different. Quite amazing. Nice enough romance story, but so totally worth watching just to look at Wendy.
Mamma Mia!
Saw Mamma Mia! in the theatre last week, and it was pretty much what I expected. Lots of sunshine, lots of beaches, and lots of ABBA. People can say whatever they want about it having a dumb plot, or being unrealistic with people standing around on sandy beaches (not bitches!) and suddenly bursting into ABBA songs, and it being over-the-top super-duper lovey-dovey whatever, I don't care. Seriously. It's the ABBA musical, don't go see the ABBA musical if you don't like people randomly bursting into song and dance.
I will say this; I don't remember the last time a movie made me this happy. No big huge emotional anything other than HAPPY. Come on. 40 hunky dudes singing and dancing on a beach while wearing flippers and snorkels? If that doesn't make you happy, there's something wrong with you. It made ME happy. 40 hunky dudes in little tiny swim trunks, and I was still happy. The movie is that happy.
And like Baby Bridget said; duh, Meryl Streep! And I agree. Meryl Streep was fantastic. That scene towards the end when she sings The Winner Takes It All in the twilight with the setting sun, and all the lights in the background. OMG. That was the only time I felt like crying, but most of that was because she's so beautiful, and that's my favourite ABBA song of all times. And she sang unexpectedly well. Most pleasant surprise. I had no idea she sang. I have to admit, though, that I went straight home afterwards and put The Hours in the DVD player, because that's what Meryl Streep is *supposed* to be like. Kissing Allison Janney and all... *ahem* Most similar to watching Pirates and then going straight home and watching Lord of the Rings because that's what Legolas is *supposed* to be like.
And kudos to the movie for letting the older actress-trio look their age. We know they're 50 years old, that's why they're beautiful, they've lived 50 years and they have lines on their faces, and their bodies don't look 18 any longer (thank goodness)... That's what women are *supposed* to look like, and it's eternally more attractive than some artificial ugly combination of nip/tuck and a computerized make-over. Yuck. Of course everyone knows I have a thing for older women, but when Amanda Seyfried was running around in that little bikini with her three dads I kept wanting to cover my eyes and shout 'OMG, *child*, put on some *clothes*!'. I felt un-clean just looking at her. She's not that much of a child, she's barely younger than me, but still. Eeek. I'll *much* rather be looking at Meryl Streep.
Anyway, happy happy movie. I shall buy it as soon as it's out on DVD and watch it Every. Day. Exaggerating a whole lot there, but if ever one has a petty upset, this movie will instantly rid one of it. (It almost got me over the Earth Final Conflict Christina-killing upset, and now that's saying something...)
eta: I wanted to at least say something about the differences between the movie production and the stage production I saw two years ago, but I forgot. Mostly, there weren't any huge differences, but the one thing I have to admit to is how much of a difference it makes which actress I happen to be most into when I watch. When I saw it on stage I couldn't care less about the mom, I mean, she's great and all, but OMG Charlott Strandberg as the mom's cradle-robbing friend stole the entire stage whenever she was on (at least she did for me...) Does Your Mother Know slayed me. Seriously, I wanted to be that kid *SO* badly. I felt like the entire song could have been directed at me. Whereas in the movie that was just a fun song, but instead it was Meryl Streep I couldn't keep my eyes off, and suddenly that was the storyline I was following... Just a side-note. I shall go look at my autographed picture of Charlott Strandberg now.
An Unexpected Love
I don't really have much to say about this, it was a pretty standard lesbian romance piece. As film in general go, nothing much, but as lesbian film go, above average. Standard issues, but then again, issues faced all the time, still, by lots of gay people, so they're never irrelevant, but it has still been done before. Liked the kids, how they fought and weren't perfect, like TV kids tend to be (I still get so pissed off when I read The Hours and Clarissa's daughter is this bad-ass punk chick, and then in the movie Claire Danes with her cute outfits and perfect college-girl look... blerg). The mother was amusingly similar to Emily Gilmore.
However, the reason I even mention it, is because *GOSH* Wendy Crewson was hot in it. OMG. Those snazzy black suits and the wide-collared white shirts and the hair. So. Frickin'. Hot. Of course, whenever they pulled in really close I kept going 'OMG CREEPY it's Maggie's MOM', but whenever the shots were wider and covered more than just her face, she was so different I don't know if I would have noticed at first if I hadn't known. Her mannerisms and her voice and her looks were so different. Quite amazing. Nice enough romance story, but so totally worth watching just to look at Wendy.
sleepy
nothing to see here
Oh, she was fabulous! I mean, we all know Meryl Streep can act, but I think what that scened showed me was why. She just gives it everything. And I really did cry.
But you're right about the happy. We loved it! Sure, we laughed, and laughed and laughed at Pierce Brosnan's singing, but that just added to the fun. And I still think the place to see it is totally in Sweden!
nothing to see here
And oh, thanks for that comment about where to see it, now I remember what I forgot to write (*edits post*) :P . Although I might argue that the place to see might totally be Greece... it's interesting how the setting really doesn't matter or influence the movie at all; really, it could have been set anywhere and it would have been the same, and still it's such a big deal in the movie.
Yay Meryl Streep!!!
nothing to see here
But have been a Streep fan since "Bridges of Madison County", and Julie Walters forever. *grins* yeah older women can still be appealing!
Never realized Brosnan couldn't act....but what the heck.
The Greek isles topped it all off.
nothing to see here
The Brosnan thing was a bit of a surprise. I've been a fan of his since Remington Steele, loved him as Bond, and even liked that movie that everyone else hated, The Tailor of Panama, or whatever it was called, and, like you, I never realized he couldn't act. He just looked a tiny bit constipated when he was trying to look emotional and sing at the same time, didn't he?
nothing to see here
And I think I'm used to my musicals having a bit of a break between songs, but that said, Mamma Mia! was absolutely fabulous about being what it was supposed to be, the casting was great, and yay for it.
nothing to see here
Amanda Seyfried can sing! I didn't know that. I knew her from Mean Girls, where I can't say I paid particular attention to her (or anyone except Tina Fey, really), but she was really great. And I <3 Meryl.
nothing to see here
Amanda Seyfried was from Veronica Mars also! I loved her from there, then saw her in Mean Girls. And who doesn't love Meryl?