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Post by showgirl on Jul 24, 2018 3:39:44 GMT
As several people have mentioned the absence of the adult Donna, it won't be a spoiler if I say this, but did I miss something we were actually told, in this film or the first, or did we just have to assume she had died?
I thought it was interesting that in this one, so many people referred to her as being "brave" for going it alone, especially being a single parent. Well OK, it wouldn't suit the narrative to say otherwise but an alternative view might have been "feckless" and "promiscuous"!
And just in case anyone thinks I am being unfair to a woman when it takes two, we see the young Donna's behaviour with the 3 suitors but though Bill is described as a "stud", that could just be the speaker trying to annoy the person she is telling, and whilst another had a fiancee, again, that's all we know. But all 3 certainly appear at least to have been more single-minded about Donna than she towards them.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2018 6:32:16 GMT
As several people have mentioned the absence of the adult Donna, it won't be a spoiler if I say this, but did I miss something we were actually told, in this film or the first, or did we just have to assume she had died? We were told in this film -
there's a conversation between Sophie and Sky (if I remember correctly) where he says "your mother died a year ago" |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2018 8:34:10 GMT
I also didn't get the point of Donna not really being in it, did Meryl Streep not really want to be in the film? I don't think it really added to the story her not being there. As I said at the beginning of this thread when this sequel was first announced, Meryl was filming Spielberg's The Post at the same time as this was being made, which ended up getting her another Oscar nomination, so probably the correct decision. Mamma Mia 2 didn't start filming until August last year and The Post was released in December. There were no clashes in filming. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2018 10:42:22 GMT
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Post by justfran on Jul 24, 2018 11:41:24 GMT
Interesting article, thanks for posting 😊 |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2018 12:31:01 GMT
As I said at the beginning of this thread when this sequel was first announced, Meryl was filming Spielberg's The Post at the same time as this was being made, which ended up getting her another Oscar nomination, so probably the correct decision. Mamma Mia 2 didn't start filming until August last year and The Post was released in December. There were no clashes in filming. While they may not have directly clashed, no actor wants to go from one film to another film to straight into an Oscar campaign. |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jul 24, 2018 12:40:50 GMT
I was underwhelmed by the vast majority of the film.
I know I am part of a tiny minority who gets annoyed when films and tv get Oxford wrong - but there is no such thing as a class valedictorian at Oxford. Graduation doesn't include a speech from any student. I know it is a piece of fiction but it isn't difficult to do the research and given that Richard Curtis (who co-wrote the story, if not the screenplay) was at Christ Church so knows how these things actually work. It was done because that is how things happen at US universities. But even so, making that sequence at least vaguely correct from an Oxford perspective would have been nice. It certainly set me on edge for the rest.
OK I liked the arrival of Cher, the Waterloo sequence and loved the final song with all the characters interacting. But the rest was distinctly meh for me. Comes down to a script that just doesn't work well enough to justify what they tried to do with it.
I would have been happier with a full-on prequel or a full-on sequel. Trying to meld the two was not dramatically satisfying for me.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2018 13:40:26 GMT
Mamma Mia 2 didn't start filming until August last year and The Post was released in December. There were no clashes in filming. While they may not have directly clashed, no actor wants to go from one film to another film to straight into an Oscar campaign. Actually i think 99% of all actors would love to be able to do exactely that. |
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Post by ensembleswings on Jul 24, 2018 15:14:30 GMT
Went to see this last night, absolutely loved it. Can’t wait to go and see it again in all honesty! I love both the stage show and the original movie adaptation so I wasn’t too sure on this one heading in but it didn’t disappoint. I’d managed to avoid all spoilers (except for the song list) which I was very pleased about, even if it did mean having to block certain people on twitter, mute words and avoid this thread for the whole weekend. Can’t say I was expecting to cry during this but I did, I tried to fight it to begin with but then just let the emotion take over (and that was way before the final scenes)
I was expecting to laugh, but nowhere near as much as I did. Christine Baranski and Julie Walters are absolutely hilarious, not that I expected anything less from them, I just wish they were involved more than they are but they certainly make the most of the scenes they do have. Angel Eyes was certainly one of the highlights for me.
Did anyone else play spot the theatre actor during the ensemble scenes?! Or was that just me 😂
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2018 15:46:51 GMT
I know I am part of a tiny minority who gets annoyed when films and tv get Oxford wrong - but there is no such thing as a class valedictorian at Oxford. Graduation doesn't include a speech from any student. I know it is a piece of fiction but it isn't difficult to do the research and given that Richard Curtis (who co-wrote the story, if not the screenplay) was at Christ Church so knows how these things actually work. It was done because that is how things happen at US universities. But even so, making that sequence at least vaguely correct from an Oxford perspective would have been nice. It certainly set me on edge for the rest. Give them a bit of credit where it's due, they did at least get the academic dress spot on (gold boots aside obviously), and the student gowns were correct as well in terms of undergraduate graduation gowns. And it was properly filmed in Oxford at least in part, I recognised the streets. The student room scene wasn't far removed from reality either! Celia Imrie's outfit was more a doctorate gown though. Yes, the valedictory speech thing did annoy me a bit, but it's such a minor part of the movie that in the grand scheme of things it's irrelevant, and a bit irreverent, so I chose not to let it put me off the rest of the movie and just enjoy it for what it is, which was easy to do. |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jul 24, 2018 17:27:25 GMT
I know I am part of a tiny minority who gets annoyed when films and tv get Oxford wrong - but there is no such thing as a class valedictorian at Oxford. Graduation doesn't include a speech from any student. I know it is a piece of fiction but it isn't difficult to do the research and given that Richard Curtis (who co-wrote the story, if not the screenplay) was at Christ Church so knows how these things actually work. It was done because that is how things happen at US universities. But even so, making that sequence at least vaguely correct from an Oxford perspective would have been nice. It certainly set me on edge for the rest. Give them a bit of credit where it's due, they did at least get the academic dress spot on (gold boots aside obviously), and the student gowns were correct as well in terms of undergraduate graduation gowns. And it was properly filmed in Oxford at least in part, I recognised the streets. The student room scene wasn't far removed from reality either! Celia Imrie's outfit was more a doctorate gown though. Yes, the valedictory speech thing did annoy me a bit, but it's such a minor part of the movie that in the grand scheme of things it's irrelevant, and a bit irreverent, so I chose not to let it put me off the rest of the movie and just enjoy it for what it is, which was easy to do. I could have overlooked it if it had been an all-American production as they never understand Oxford. And yes, I spotted various bits of Oxford that were real. But there could have been a way of being very Oxford without just making stuff up. Yes, I could have overlooked it but it tainted things for me. It didn't annoyed me as much as the errors that have been made over the years in Morse/Lewis/Endeavour. They really have zero excuse for some of the ridiculous things they have done. But this film got off on a bad foot for me and then the rather odd construction of the narrative just didn't engage me. I do accept that many others enjoyed it. But I won't be rushing for the soundtrack or the DVD. I will, however, probably listen to Cher sings Abba when that gets released! |
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Post by theatremadness on Jul 24, 2018 17:57:04 GMT
Who's gonna go tell her off first?  |
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Post by vabbian on Jul 24, 2018 18:17:12 GMT
I wonder how many people will scream along to Defying Gravity when the Wicked film comes out
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Post by justfran on Jul 24, 2018 18:23:37 GMT
I would have been happier with a full-on prequel or a full-on sequel. Trying to meld the two was not dramatically satisfying for me. I agree with this comment and personally I would have preferred a full prequel, as I thought the new younger cast were the stronger half. |
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Post by missbabs on Jul 24, 2018 18:59:59 GMT
Well, I thought that this was pretty wonderful.
I'm a huge fan of the stage show and first film, so I went in expecting to enjoy it. Even so, I was really impressed by the young cast and how they crafted a prequel and sequel in one.
I don't think everything quite worked: 'Waterloo' was a step too far, even for me, and I think that Sky is a bit of a redundant character so his storyline didn't really interest me.
Highlights were Lily James, who is just so charming, Christine and Julie, 'My Love, My Life' (I'm still emotional), and, of course, Cher. I wish that her cameo had been kept secret as that would have been extra special.
I thought it was pure joy.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2018 21:26:37 GMT
While they may not have directly clashed, no actor wants to go from one film to another film to straight into an Oscar campaign. Actually i think 99% of all actors would love to be able to do exactely that. Let's not be snarky, you know what I meant. Most actors in her position. |
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Post by karloscar on Jul 25, 2018 11:00:49 GMT
Who's gonna go tell her off first? [/quotef] Considering the homicidal version of I Know Him So Well she did at the Tim Rice tribute a couple of years ago, I'd be telling her to pipe down for sure! ;-) |
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Post by digipal on Jul 25, 2018 19:18:46 GMT
Well I loved it. I went with zero expectations and found the whole thing a great couple of hours escapism. I started gettng a bit misty eyed, unknown for me in public, and listening to the soundtrack in the car yesterday, it started me off again. Stay right to the end as there's a bonus scene after all the credits have rolled
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Post by dontdreamit on Jul 25, 2018 21:53:57 GMT
So Iwent back to see this again with Young Dream, even though we saw it 4 days ago because there was nothing else that was worth seeing, according to them. I enjoyed it more second time around and it seemed to drag less in this middle. Cher still steals it for me though!
I am hoping that next week’s film we see is something different, although judging by how many times the Greatest Showman dvd has been played on our house we may well be going back for a 3rd time. I can safely say that Young Dream at aged 10 is falling down the musicals rabbit hole, much like I did at a similar age...
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Post by dizzieblonde on Jul 26, 2018 11:12:28 GMT
I saw the film last night and enjoyed it. I'm not sure I liked it as much as the first film - that plot was all over the place, and wafer thin - but the songs are incredible, and the cast were clearly having a whale of a time! Lily James carried that film all the way from beginning to end, she was a revelation to me! I've not liked her in almost everything she's been in, and I'd written her off as an entirely one-note actress, trading on her prettiness rather than her ability! Not any more - she was great, and captured a lot of Meryl's essence in her performance, as well as having the best voice in the cast (save for Cher - obviously!).
Cher was hilarious, and the segue into Fernando was ridiculous and perfect! I wish we'd got more of her - it felt like there was a missing plotline with her and the young Donna - but I suppose the grand entrance, and the camp value dialling up to 100 at that exact moment, was enough for the film! I knew about Meryl's cameo beforehand, and still cried, I'm such a sap! Best number of the film was Andante Andante - I'd entirely forgotten about this gem of a song, and instantly remembered it from my mum playing the ABBA albums throughout my entire childhood! Gorgeous song, really well done. I did have some gripes about the music production values - a few of them sounded slightly 'cheap' if that makes sense - but that was a song that felt true to the original, and worked well because of it.
Just one last thing - when will Hollywood films employ men who can really sing (excluding Hugh Jackman, obviously)?! Broadway and the West End are packed with outstandingly talented men, young and old, and still they choose guys who can only just passably carry a tune (and Pierce is still a croaking frog, bless him!). Part of me wants to believe it's deliberate, and that it's a film designed to specifically showcase female talent, but it's so depressing when I see so many outstanding voices on stages around the country, and almost none on screen!
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Post by callum on Jul 26, 2018 15:11:18 GMT
Thought this was a hoot - obviously total rubbish but extremely enjoyable! The plot makes zero sense - we all know what happens because it's the first five minutes of the first movie! But this time with added Cher! Totally surreal but an excellent time.
I went to my local cinema at 21.10 last Saturday in an attempt to avoid kids that will have been dragged along with parents and ditto old biddies that won't have seen a film without Judi Dench since the last Mamma Mia! Very well behaved and no singing so that time of day might be a tactic that I would suggest.
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Post by grannyjx6 on Jul 26, 2018 21:55:29 GMT
Thought this was a hoot - obviously total rubbish but extremely enjoyable! The plot makes zero sense - we all know what happens because it's the first five minutes of the first movie! But this time with added Cher! Totally surreal but an excellent time. I went to my local cinema at 21.10 last Saturday in an attempt to avoid kids that will have been dragged along with parents and ditto old biddies that won't have seen a film without Judi Dench since the last Mamma Mia! Very well behaved and no singing so that time of day might be a tactic that I would suggest.
No singing (that I could hear) at the 2.20pm showing and no nuisance kids either. Two young women next to me did keep checking their phones, even though before it started a young woman came to the front of the screen and asked everyone to please turn their phones off. That was more distracting for me and as an old biddy I did sing along and also had a little weep, both very, very quietly (honest).
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Post by d'James on Jul 26, 2018 22:12:48 GMT
Just back from the only English showing of it. I really enjoyed it. I think I preferred it to the first as I really liked Lily James’s voice and wasn’t a fan or Meryl’s in the first - although she sounded lovely in this one. Even Pierce sounded better. I thought they cast the younger men well in terms of acting but they looked nothing like each other. The younger women were great all round. One song lacked a bit of oomph for me: Knowing Me, Knowing You. Not enough Cher but she was fab. Didn’t like: Meryl appearing upside down in the font. Didn’t have the impact I think it could have had. As I said though she sounded beautiful on that song, which I didn’t expect after the first film. I liked the instrumental music that played just after the Finale, sadly it doesn’t seem to be available for download. |
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Post by theatreian on Jul 27, 2018 8:18:28 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2018 9:15:40 GMT
It’s heavily rumoured that all four members of ABBA will appear on the unannounced song. |
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