Radio Lady Reviews: "Mamma Mia!" The Movie (Now playing at your local theater)

[Radio_Lady]

In case you missed it, the movie debuted at #2 last weekend, second only to "The Dark Knight"

"Mamma Mia!" received Mixed or Average reviews from the critics, with IMDB voters giving it 7.1/10.

So, it had a much warmer reception from the fans who actually paid to see the film.

We loved it and gave it a B+ on Ellen's Entertainment Report Card.

Here's the review:

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Radio_Lady/260

See you on the DU -- and at the movies.

Radio Lady Ellen Kimball

[Cooley Hurd]

1. ABBA. Oh, how I miss the 70's...

...not.

Of course, this is not a pan of the movie, just the music...;)

[Radio_Lady]

3. For this nostalgic mother and grandmother, "Slipping Through My Fingers" just hits me...

A daughter growing up and leaving the nest -- some daughters never to return. :cry: :cry:

The movie's treatment of that song was just so sweet -- I couldn't help but tear up.

I didn't know the group in the 1970s. I was on talk radio and never listened to popular music.

Of course, I DID know "Dancing Queen." What could miss that one?

[KoKo]

6. I can't handle that "daughters slipping through fingers" thingy...I hope the movie

isn't depressing about that since we just had a visit from "daughter slipped through fingers" that we gave a "net underneath" and I don't want to leave the theater crying my eyes out from seeing this movie...

If it isn't "Hopeful" I can't deal. And, I was sort of looking forward to it...but now I will skip it.

[Radio_Lady]

7. I understand completely. You don't know how much I identify with that.

I'm so sorry for your pain. Luckily, we have one daughter left who "slipped" for a couple of years, but then regrouped on our team. She lives in the same city with us.

A book that has helped me is "Walking on Eggshells." www.walkingoneggshellsbook.com



Thank goodness for that book. It gave me a new perspective on adult children.

As for the movie, this may be a spoiler, but everything turns out OK in the end. They all live happily ever after and there's that spirited "Dancing Queen" melody.

Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski and the other singers do a fine job.

The costuming alone and the three campy fathers make it worthwhile.

Just my opinion!

Make it a great day!

[KoKo]

17. and..

many thanks for that book recommend...."Walking on Eggshells." I think I will check it out. Mine is not ready for her "new way of life" and I need some help, coping.

:hug:

[LostinVA]

2. I thought I was in the Lounge for a minute

[Radio_Lady]

5. "Hello, Jack? Come take this person back to the DU Lounge. That's a good fellow. Here you go..."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=105

[livingon]

4. Thank you Radio Lady

[Radio_Lady]

8. Hello Livingon! Nice to meet you and welcome to the DU.

Do you plan to see the movie?

Make it a good day!

Ellen Kimball is a TV and radio pioneer. She was first selected as a co-host of a local, live television show at WTVJ, Ch. 4 in Miami, Florida, during her freshman year in college. She has been working in broadcasting for more decades that she cares to admit! Ellen is one of the first women in the U.S. to host her own daily radio call-in talk shows at AM stations in both Miami and Boston. She and her husband moved to Oregon in 1998. They now make their home in Beaverton. Ellen contributes her reviews on films, books, and theater to KGW.com and here at the Democratic Underground.

[livingon]

15. Thanks for the welcome. I loved your easy going dialogue in your journal. And

yes. i will see it sometime. i like Meryl S.
I tend not to read the critics.

[proud patriot]

9. Thanks , I really want to see it

[Radio_Lady]

11. Hi proud patriot -- Let us know what you think afterwards.

Even though some of the voices are not perfect, I found that very refreshing.

The Greek scenery is just beautiful. It brought back many memories of our cruise from Athens (Piraeus) to many destinations -- Mykonos, Santorini, and Crete, then up river to Istanbul, Turkey.

www.globetrekker.tv has a fantastic PBS program on Greece. It must be out on DVD. I just happened to see it a few weeks ago on our local station.

[proud patriot]

18. I was a high school drama student in a musical

x( I'm not a very good singer , but can hold a note enough
for a small part .

[Radio_Lady]

20. I know what you mean. I was too busy for choir practice in high school.

Now I'd love to sing with the Choristers at our Unitarian Fellowship, but can't make the Thursday night commitment. We have too many out of town trips.

Therefore, I sing in the shower, or by myself in the car, or while making the beds with "Music Choice" channel blaring on our cable TV service. I like to sing along with really talented singers, and try to convince myself I'd have made it if only someone had given me lessons. Occasionally, I'd break into song on my radio show. Someone told me I sounded like Helen O'Connell. Someone else said I sounded like Margaret Whiting. A third somebody said my speaking voice was like Joanne Woodward. One night, I rented "The Three Faces of Eve," and I do sound a bit like Joanne Woodward, by golly!

Thanks for your post.

Make it a great weekend!

[MikeE]

10. I loved it!

Went to see it with 2 Bazillian friends. We went to a pub afterward and after a few cocktails started singing ABBA in the bar, then ended up catching myself singing ABBA all weekend. It waas great!

[Radio_Lady]

13. Thanks, MikeE. SO glad you went and liked it.

Phew. I thought you were going to tell that Brazillian joke once again!

:evilgrin:

Make it a great day!

Radio Lady in Oregon

Ellen Kimball is a TV and radio pioneer. She was first selected as a co-host of a local, live television show at WTVJ, Ch. 4 in Miami, Florida, during her freshman year in college. She has been working in broadcasting for more decades that she cares to admit! Ellen is one of the first women in the U.S. to host her own daily radio call-in talk shows at AM stations in both Miami and Boston. She and her husband moved to Oregon in 1998. They now make their home in Beaverton. Ellen contributes her reviews on films, books, and theater to KGW.com and here at the Democratic Underground.

[MotorCityMan]

12. I saw it last weekend and loved it.

My only problem with it was Pierce Brosnan cannot sing. Meryl was fantastic as always, and has a good singing voice. In addition to "Slipping Through My Fingers", Meryl singing "The Winner Takes It All" got me choked up.

"Mamma Mia" was the last musical I saw on stage. The live show was actually more fun (we were literally dancing in the aisles).

[Radio_Lady]

14. Hey, it's just like parenting... Pierce did his best. He certainly looked the part!

The duet with Meryl was OK.

Did you see him in "The Matador"? That was an incredible performance.

Also, I always recommend "Evelyn" where he plays an Irish father trying to keep his children.

Pierce Brosnan has a lot going for him. No, he's no pop or opera singer, but I accept him in the role. He was much better than the worst amateur! A natural voice. Maybe he needed some more coaching -- the performance is what it is. Kind of like Johnny Depp in "Sweeney Todd."

Stage or screen? Each one has its plusses and minuses. The big plus on screen is getting to have a glimpse of the wonderful Greek Islands. I hope a couple of thousand people get to go there in their lifetimes as a result of the film. We were there before the Olympics and much has improved since then.

My review is kind of cute but some found it tedious -- and the asides about what happened on our Greek trip are humorous.

The movie deserves an audience, IMHO.

[MotorCityMan]

19. Yes, I did like "The Matador"

Pierce did fit the part well ("Mamma Mia"), and looks damn good. I really shouldn't complain about his singing, since I always prefer movie musicals where the actors do their own singing, instead of being dubbed.

Comparing the stage and movie versions is never really fair. There is just a different kind of energy and magic to seeing it performed live.

I thought Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter both did a decent job in "Sweeney Todd", even though neither is a professional singer. I was surprised how gory the movie was, though, even knowing the basic plot ahead of time.

I agree that the movie deserves an audience. I thought they did a great job. Being a huge fan of musicals, I was thrilled when Hollywood started making them again after "Chicago" was a big hit.

[Radio_Lady]

21. MotorCityMan, I agree with you on all counts. Next up, "A Chorus Line" -- opening July 29 --

in Portland, OR.

SeeU@theDU

PS. My son-in-law is from Detroit, and his parents still live there 1/2 the year. My son-in-law and my father went to the University of Michigan, albeit in different decades. I'd love to go to Ann Arbor just to see the campus.

[robcon]

16. I thought it was awful... awful acting, awful singing, not a genuine emotion in the movie.

And I liked the Broadway play.

Didn't anyone tell Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan they can't sing?

[Radio_Lady]

22. Your opinion is shared by many, but not me. No worries.

Did you like looking at the Greek scenery?

SeeU@theDU, robcon.

Make it a great weekend!

[robcon]

23. The scenery was spectacular. The singing was atrocious,

The showstopper from the Broadway play - "The Winner Takes It All" was sung by Streep who has a range of about two notes. It 'stopped the show,' but in an entirely different way.

[Radio_Lady]

24. I certainly could sympathize. We had seen the original Broadway production of

"Sweeney Todd" with Len Cariou as Sweeney and Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Lovett. It was one of the most amazing productions we'd ever seen.


Broadway cast: Angela Lansbury, George Hearn

Later, in Boston, we saw another production with Sweeney Todd - George Hearn and Dorothy Loudin (2nd Broadway Cast) 1981 It was OK, but the staging was not as good as what we had seen in New York.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/82869.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothy_Loudon

Finally, in 2006, in New York for my birthday, we saw Michael Cerveris (Guitar, Orchestra Bells, Percussion) and Patti LuPone (Tuba, Orchestra Bells, Percussion). We thought that amateurish production simply ruined the dark and wonderful musical we had remembered. Cerveris even got a Tony nomination for that performance, but he didn't win.

And then, there is the movie. I like Tim Burton's work a great deal. His imagining of the the tight scenes and that time in London's history were incredible. However, the voices were just OK -- and the movie was a bloodletting beyond belief. As much as I enjoyed Burton, Johnny Depp, and Helen Bonham Carter in other vehicles, I thought they had completely missed the comedic relief that was so necessary to this very trouble tale.

So, I guess this proves that theater and movies are very personal -- and each of us brings his/her own critical eye to the drama.

Thanks so much for posting.

Yours, sincerely,

Radio Lady Ellen Kimball