Thursday, July 24, 2008

Mamma Mia!

Last night the kids slept over at Lucinda's house. This meant that H and I had an opportunity to have a mini date night so we elected to go see Mamma Mia. I enjoy Abba music, and H knows more songs than I know, so I figured it would be fun. The funniest part of the whole experience was that H was one of about 8 or 9 men in the entire theater. There were women everywhere, pregnant women, friends, families, loads of them. A lot came with multiple girlfriends. On our way into the theater a man asked what we were seeing and when Harold told said "Mamma Mia, a chick flick" and the guy said, "Maybe next week she'll see Dark Knight with you." Nope, I don't think so buddy. A little too dark for me I think. So H suffered through a chick flick with me. Here's the thing: I don't enjoy musicals. I am pretty sure I will suffer a major blogging backlash from admitting that, but it is entirely true. One of my favorite parts of the movie Sabrina is when Harrison Ford's character asks his secretary to get him tickets to the most popular show on Broadway and she says, "That will be a musical where periodically the actors will burst into song and start dancing." And he grimly agrees to it because he wants to impress Sabrina. I feel as Harrison did, ugh, if I must!

Mamma Mia was a musical, UGH! Of course the Dancing Queen number was pretty good, and Take a Chance on Me was pretty funny too. Other than that, not so much. Plus there are really no morals to speak of in this film. A woman who slept with 3 men all around the same time so she doesn't know the father of her daughter. The daughter desperately wants to know who her father is so he can walk her down the aisle. At one point in the church the girl says to Meryl Streep, "I don't care if you slept with 100 men." Then the camera pans over to the preacher who has a shocked look on his face. Yep, because the preacher is apparently the only person on the planet who might object to such behavior. Ick.

Plus, I hate to pick on someone's singing, because it isn't like I can sing well enough to be cast into a musical, but Pierce Brosnan really can't sing. He can't. He's nice to look at, and his accent is magical, but his singing is awful. Meryl, on the other hand, can sing, amazingly enough. And the girl who played Sophie really had a nice voice too.

But, all in all, I would go with a Ho Hum rating on this movie. Sorry folks!

7 comments:

mom/Janet said...

Bill and I are going to see the movie tonight. BTW Harold - - Bill LOVES chick flicks. I feel lucky. Anyway, from the previews, I am already prepared to be disappointed. The singing does not sound that good to me. We have seen the broadway musical 3 times and have loved it. As much as I hate to admit this - - put aside the moral of the story - - and I love the songs. I always have liked the ABBA music. So, I'm going to see it tonight with my chick flick husband and am prepared to walk away disappointed. Maybe I'll surprise myself.

Jeff said...

James Bond (gasp!) in a "chick flick?" Singing and dancing? Tell me it isn't so! No, I don't plan on seeing it (though I did see the new Batman yesterday). I am totally content to listening to ABBA in the car.

Collette said...

Thanks for the memories comment, you're so sweet!
About musicals...I'm right there with you. Not my favorite.
Harold still gets points for agreeing to go with you to the "chick flick".

Matthew Johnson said...

Pierce's accent is "magical"???? That's funny! You crack me up. Does Harold know you said that? :)

Erin. said...

Feel Grateful for the nice hubby that lets you choose the movies....I had to endure "The Dark Night" a few nights ago and yes, it was dark and creepy. And, I will openly admit that I was not excited to see Mamma, mainly because I know about zilch ABBA songs....it must be my young age!! Ha Ha!

Holley said...

Dane and I had pretty much the same experience. He agreed to take me to the dreaded "Chick-Flick" and was one of only 5 or 6 men in the auditorium. The reason I went to see it is because I LOVE musicals and I had the soundtrack from the play and I listen to it often. But it was sort of ruined for me with the lack of morality and Pierce Brosnan's singing. But the thing that really sunk it for me was the fact that Colin Firth... my top celebrity crush...had to play a gay man. I was so disappointed and immediately had to go home and watch Pride & Prejudice to restore my opinion of him.

mooney said...

I went to see Mamma Mia! last weekend. I saw the broadway show a few months ago and had a great time. After listening to amazing singers at the play, I was dissappointed in the singing in the movie. Yes, the morals are lacking, but I thought the way they integrated the ABBA songs into the plot line was great.