Showing posts with label Colin Firth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Colin Firth. Show all posts

Tuesday, 16 June 2026

Disclosure Day (3 Stars)


I saw the trailer for "Disclosure Day" frequently in the cinema, at least ten times during the Stuttgart Nights Festival. The trailer looked curious, to say the least, but I thought to myself, "It's a Spielberg film, and any film directed by Steven Spielberg has to be good".

I was being too optimistic. Today I sat down in the cinema, and despite the high quality production I had a sinking feeling in my chest.

Usually when I write about a new film I've just seen in the cinema I just tell my readers what the premise is. This time I can't do it. The film has a relatively simple premise, but it isn't revealed until late in the film, so it would mean giving spoilers to tell you what the film is about.

The film starts with two young people who have seemingly nothing to do with one another. Daniel Kellner is someone who's stolen secret data from Wardex, the company where he works. Margaret Fairchild is a television weather girl who suddenly becomes able to understand and speak every language, as well as gaining the ability to read minds. For the first hour the action jumps between the two people without telling us their connection. This irritated me, but I knew everything would be explained later.

Then it was explained. But I was still unhappy. Some things still didn't make sense.

Usually I would promise to write a second review with spoilers when I have the film on disc, explaining all the things I didn't like. Not this time. I have no intention of watching the film again, not even on streaming. I wasted two and a half hours of my life today. That's enough.

Steven Spielberg is responsible for some of the best films ever made. "Jaws" and "Jurassic Park" are just two examples. His name is a guarantee for quality. Usually. If "Disclosure Day" is the best he can do now, it's time for him to retire.

Thursday, 2 June 2022

Operation Mincemeat (3 Stars)


Operation Mincemeat was an elaborate scheme carried out by the British intelligence services in 1943. Britain intended to invade Sicily, but it was being defended by German troops. False documents were written detailing British plans to invade Greece, which were planted on the body of a corpse dressed as a fictitious naval officer, Major William Martin. The corpse also carried a love letter and other personal effects to make him look genuine. The body was dumped from a ship off the coast of Spain, where it would be washed to the shore.

At the time Spain was officially neutral, but it was under the influence of Germany. It was expected that the body of a British officer would attract attention from German agents. To intensify this, Britain sent officers to Spain to say that the major's attaché case should be returned as quickly as possible. When the case was returned, there was evidence that the documents had been opened.

The operation was successful. That's not a spoiler, that's history. German troops were withdrawn to fortify Greece's defence. When British troops invaded Sicily they only had to fight smaller German resistance. It's estimated that the deception saved the lives of ten thousands of British soldiers.

Before going to the cinema, I read that "Operation Mincemeat" had received high critical acclaim. I shouldn't believe everything that the critics say. I found the film boring. It's a talkie. The film lasts two hours, and most of the film is spent with the intelligence services discussing the plans and possible setbacks. Very little happens until the last 15 minutes. A subject matter like this would be better presented as a documentary, not as a war drama.

Tuesday, 5 May 2020

St. Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold (4 Stars)


"Girls are far more intelligent than boys".

That must be true. It's in the newspapers.


I had to get that out of the way before I start the review.

This is a sequel to "St. Trinian's", made two years earlier in 2007. Since the first film things have moved on. The new girl, Annabelle Fritton, has become the head girl. The previous head girl, Kelly Jones, has joined MI7, a British spy organisation so secret that not even MI6 knows it exists.


Unfortunately Kelly Jones only appears in a short portion of the film, when Annabelle asks for her help. That's a shame, but I admit that I'm biased. I can never get enough of Gemma Arterton.

The film's biggest fault is that it's even less saucy than the first film. It presents the pure chaos of wild schoolgirls, but there are only the slightest hints of sexuality. Where's Frankie Howerd when we need him? The film's greatest strength is David Tennant. I don't think I've ever seen him in any role where his presence doesn't elevate the quality of an otherwise mediocre film.


This is what Liverpool Station in London looked like before the Coronavirus lockdown. Those were the good old days. I'd be dancing in the middle of them. How many of you can spot Jodie Whittaker in the picture? It's easy if you've seen the film, but almost impossible if you haven't.

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Wednesday, 8 April 2020

St. Trinian's (4 Stars)


The last time I watched this film I only gave it three stars. That was unfair. It's a better film than that. I think I penalised the film because it wasn't what I expected. The original St. Trinian's films, especially the ones made in the 1960's, were saucy, with a lot of sexual innuendo. The 2007 St. Trinian's girls are bad girls, but not in a sexual way, apart from occasional short skirts,. There's only one hint of sexuality in an early scene, when a half naked boy runs out of the school after a party.


In a manner reminiscent of American high school movies, the girls are divided into their tribes: the Chavs, the Emos, the Geeks and the Posh Totties. There aren't any real Mean Girls in the school, even if the Posh Totties look like them. The girls in the school aren't mean to one another, they stand united against the rest of the world. Well, they're mean to the New Girl, Annabelle Fritton, but it's just a test to see if she's worthy of joining the school. After surviving two days of humiliation she's accepted as one of the girls.


Maybe another reason for my low rating last time is the casting of a man, Rupert Everett, as the school's headmistress. I don't like to see men dressing up as women, even less than women dressing up as men, but I can understand the reason. In the original films a man was also cast as the headmistress. I'll try to close my eyes to it.


And one last criticism which I even mentioned in my last review is that Gemma Arteron isn't given a chance to look sexy. She wears a long skirt and looks almost (but not quite) goth. That's a disappointment that I have to get over. This was her first film, and at 21 it was her last chance to appear as a schoolgirl.


The film's glamour is provided by the Posh Totties, Chloe, Chelsea and Peaches. Do they really call girls Peaches? They're not such bad girls. They like to pray.


And they pray more than once in the film.


But I have to admit, if I were their teacher I'd be looking up their skirts in every lesson. I'd try to resist the temptation, but it would be much too hard.


Is it just me, or do the girls look even hotter with glasses?


Take another look. Tell me what you think.


Yes, that's Jodie Whittaker flirting with Stephen Fry. She won't get very far. Doesn't she know he's gay? She needs to try again after she's regenerated as a man.

I'll probably rewatch the sequel to this film in the next few days. Probably. I'm not going to promise, because I break my promises too often. I also want to rewatch the original five St. Trinian's films. It must be at least 40 years since I last saw them. It's time for some 1950's and 1960's nostalgia.

Success Rate:  + 2.2

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Tuesday, 28 January 2020

1917 (5 Stars)


I don't often watch war films. War is a topic that doesn't interest me. On the contrary, it repulses me. I go to the cinema to immerse myself in fantasy worlds. War is something that's too realistic, something that took place in western Europe in the 20th Century and still happens in other parts of the world today. I only make an exception and watch war films if they're made by one of my favourite directors. Films like "Inglourious Basterds". Maybe that's not a real war film, because it tells a fantasy story in the context of a real war.

Normally I would have given "1917" a miss. I decided to see it in the cinema today for two reasons:

1. It's been nominated for the Best Film at the 2020 Academy Awards, and I've been told it has a good chance of winning.

2. I've read that the film has outstanding cinematography.

So I went to the cinema, I watched the film, and I enjoyed it greatly. You already know that from the title of this post. My rating says everything.

The film takes place in France in 1917. I've heard differing claims on whether the story is true, fictional or partially true. It doesn't really matter. Two young soldiers are told to deliver a message to the Devonshire Regiment. The Germans have withdrawn, and the regiment is planning to press their advantage and pursue them. Army intelligence has been received that it's a trap; the Germans have withdrawn to lure the British army into an ambush. If the Devonshire Regiment attacks it's expected that all 1600 men will be slaughtered.

The film is shot in a pseudo-single take, i.e. not a genuine single take like "Victoria", but a film like "Birdman" with a minimal number of long takes that have been carefully edited to give the appearance of a single take. I expect that the director's commentary on the Blu-ray release will tell us exactly how many takes were necessary.

The film shows the two young men running across deserted wastelands, encountering German stragglers and scattered British soldiers. It's a delight to watch. Whether or not "1917" wins the Best Film award, it definitely deserves to win the award for Best Cinematography. Most of all, I enjoyed the passive scenes where the young soldiers were running. The fight scenes were exciting, but less pleasant to me. Slightly less pleasant. I've still given the film my top rating.

The film is successful and will probably remain in the cinema for another few weeks. Please go to see it, even if you're someone like me who doesn't like war films.

Monday, 9 September 2019

Kingsman: The Golden Circle (4½ Stars)


I haven't read the comics on which the Kingsman films are based. Maybe I should. The films are so good. They're like the James Bond films, but so exaggerated that they're almost a parody. They also seem to borrow ideas from the "Man from UNCLE" television series.


A surprise guest star in this film is Elton John, playing himself. In a film with exaggeratedly evil megalomaniacs and over-the-top secret agents, all that's needed to round it off is an excessively extravagant pop star. Was this the first time that Elton John met Taron Egerton, who would go on to play him in "Rocketman"? It's possible. If this was the beginning of their friendship, it must have influenced the development of the musical.


It's a different sort of role for Halle Berry as the American secret service computer expert. She doesn't have any of her usual sex appeal. Instead, she has a nerdy appearance that's very appropriate for her role.


Mark Strong is just Mark Strong. He's good in every role he plays. Whether he's a good guy or a bad guy, he's the quintessential tough guy. Mess with him at your own peril!


They make a good pair, don't they?

I've read that several Kingsman films are planned, not just a third film in the series. There will also be a prequel and a spin-off film. That's good news for everyone who likes crazy action films.

Success Rate:  + 2.0

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Tuesday, 1 January 2019

Mary Poppins Returns (5 Stars)


This was my first cinema visit of 2019. It started the year off with a bang. It's a film that has been a long time in the making. There are eight books in the Mary Poppins series. The first book was adapted into a film in 1964, and this is the second book. At this speed it will be more than 300 years until the series has been completed.

"Mary Poppins Returns" takes place about 20 years after the first film. Michael and Jane Banks were children in the first film, now they're adults. Michael has children of his own, but his wife has died, so his sister Jane is helping him raise the children. They live in the same house where they grew up. At the beginning of the film lawyers come with the information that the house will be repossessed within a week because Michael is three months behind with a loan.

At this point Mary Poppins descends from the sky. She takes her place within the Banks' household as if she had never left. Her priority is the children's well-being. She's aware of the problems with the loan, but she doesn't get involved.

This isn't a film to be enjoyed with your head, it's to be felt with your heart. The visuals are glorious, and there are more animated sequences than in the first film.

Many of the songs from the first film have become classics that have taken their place in British culture, maybe also American culture. People in Britain know the songs by heart. The question I asked myself while sitting in the cinema was whether new classics have been created. It's difficult to decide after only hearing the songs once. My impression of the first half hour was that there was nothing of epic quality, but as the film continued the songs improved. I'm not talking about songs being merely good, I'm talking about songs that will be remembered from generation to generation for the next 50 years and beyond. That's a lot to ask of any songwriter.

The film achieved its highest peaks in the big song and dance musical numbers. There was a Wow effect every time they were in full swing. This is a musical magic that's missing in weaker films like "La La Land". There are more of these scenes than in "Mary Poppins", making "Mary Poppins" a more spectacular film overall.

I love this film. That's all I can say. The rest of 2019's films have a lot to live up to.

Tuesday, 24 July 2018

Mamma Mia: Here we go again (4 Stars)


This is a sequel to "Mamma Mia", which was made in 2008. I have nothing against sequels, but I'm always sceptical of delayed sequels. Usually they're a desperate attempt by film studios to make money when they've run out of new ideas. However, I decided to give it a chance because I love the original so much and all the main members of the original cast have returned for the sequel.

The story takes place a few years after the original film. Sophie's mother Donna has passed away, and since her death Sophie has worked on restoring the hotel, renaming it Hotel Bella Donna. She's planned a big re-opening ceremony, inviting her family and her mother's friends.

The film tells two stories in parallel. In addition to dealing with the ceremony it tells the story of Donna's arrival on the island and the three men in her life. Throughout the film we see two versions of the main characters, as people in their twenties and and in their fifties. Sophie's life mirrors that of her mother, apart from only having one man in her life.

"Mamma Mia: Here we go again" – I really should shorten the name to "Mamma Mia 2" – is a happy feel-good film which most people will enjoy, but it falls short of the original. It tries too hard to be funny. Whereas the humour in the first film was subtle, the sequel relies on slapstick and overt comedy. This humour is effective. There was a lot of laughter in the mainly female cinema audience today. If that's what you're looking for the film is right for you, but I missed the emotional depths that made me cry when I watched the first film.

None of the three actors who play the young versions of Sam, Bill and Harry are competent singers. The only weak singer in the first film was Pierce Brosnan, who unfortunately sings again the second time round.

Most of Abba's big hits were used in the first film. "Mamma Mia 2" repeats a few of these songs, like "Dancing Queen" and "I have a dream", but it relies mostly on lesser known songs. If you're an Abba fan you'll know the songs, but I was never a fan, so I only know the big hits that are played on the radio. The strength of the first film was the familiarity of the songs. That's missing in the second film.

I enjoyed the film today, but I can't imagine that I'll want to watch it again. It's not a bad film, but it's unnecessary. Donna's story doesn't add anything, it just retells what we already knew from her diary in the first film.

I found it interesting that there's an after credits scene. It used to be that after credits scenes were reserved for Marvel films and the Pirates of the Caribbean films, but now they're becoming more popular. Could it be they're just a ploy to keep people in the cinema to listen to the final songs?

Thursday, 19 July 2018

Mamma Mia (5 Stars)


Amanda Seyfried plays Sophie Sheridan, a 20-year-old woman only a few days away from her wedding. She's lived all her life on the small Greek island Kalokairi, where her mother Donna owns a small, unsuccessful hotel. She wants her father to give her away, but there's a problem: her mother has never told her who her father is. He left before she was born. That's all Sophie knows, and it's all her mother wants to tell her.

By chance Sophie finds her mother's diary for the year before her birth. The problem is that she had intimate relationships with three different men within two weeks. Sophie invites all three men to her wedding, sure that she'll recognise her real father when she sees him. All three men accept the invitation, but it's not so easy. All three think she's their daughter when they realise when she was born. All three want to be her father and give her away at the wedding.

Donna, on the other hand, doesn't want to see any of them. She wasn't a slut, however it might seem. There's a saying in England: "Good men are like buses. You wait for ages, then three come at the same time". Sam, Bill and Harry were Donna's three good men, and she's remained single ever since because she's never met anyone else like them.


Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard and Pierce Brosnan play the three potential fathers. They're three very different men, all special in their own way, and any of them would be a father for Sophie to be proud of.

The film is best known for including a selection of Abba's hit songs, but that doesn't distract from the fact that this is a beautiful story. "Mamma Mia" made me cry, and I would have been just as moved without the songs. It's a beautiful film in all respects: the music, the acting and the idyllic Greek scenery.

A sequel has recently been made, ten years after the original film. I'm always sceptical about delayed sequels. Usually they suck. I'm going to see it next week. I'll tell you what I think.

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Monday, 25 September 2017

Kingsman: The Golden Circle (4 Stars)


This is a sequel to the 2015 film "Kingsman". If you liked the first film you'll love this film as well. Don't expect anything different. You get more of the same: ridiculously exaggerated action and a barely credible plot about a megalomaniac who threatens the world's safety.

In this case, it's arguable whether the threat to the world is really a threat. A woman called Poppy Adams has a monopoly of the world's supply of illicit drugs, everything from marijuana to heroin. She's laced the drugs with a deadly poison that affects its victims in four phases.

(1) They get blue marks on their faces.
(2) They can't stop dancing -- Is that a bad thing?
(3) They're paralysed.
(4) After a few days they die.

Most of the Kingsman agents are killed in a deadly attack by Poppy, but the survivors travel to America to team up with Statesman, an American spy organisation, to save the world's drug addicts. I'm sure Donald Trump would have let them die.

The Kingsman films target audiences who want to forget the world outside, put their brain on standby and laugh for two hours. The critics hate it, which is no surprise to anyone, but I love it. Now I can hardly wait for the third film.

Watch out for Elton John parodying himself. He must have a big sense of humour to accept this role.

You're probably wondering why Colin Firth is in the film poster, because he was killed in the first film. That means that the film poster is a spoiler.

Thursday, 27 July 2017

St. Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold (4 Stars)


This is the second film in the rebooted St. Trinian's franchise. It takes place one year after the previous film and begins on the first day of the school year as the girl's arrive at the school. Kelly Jones, the head girl in the previous film, played by Gemma Arterton, has now left the school and joined MI7. It's a British Secret Intelligence agency that specialises in carrying out illegal operations that are in the national interest. The end justifies the means. The organisation is so secret that not even MI6 knows it exists. Kelly returns briefly to help her old school friends.

So who's the new head girl? None other than Annabelle Fritton, who joined the school in the last film. It helps being related to the headmistress.

David Tennant is the dastardly evil bad guy in this film. He does it so well. He plays Sir Piers Pomfrey, the leader of AD1, a secret organisation that is dedicated to resist feminism and keep women subjugated. "Women are for making cakes and babies", as Sir Pomfrey eloquently describes his agenda. The organisation was founded in 1559 as a reaction to Elisabeth becoming the Queen of England, and it has existed ever since. Now his path crosses with St. Trinian's, because he wants to find the gold hidden by Miss Fritton's ancestor, a notorious pirate.


David Tennant wears a purple robe for his role. That's very appropriate.

If a pompous, evil, sexist man wants to suppress womankind, there's only one solution. A gang of schoolgirls have to cut him down to size, and which schoolgirls can fight better than the bad girls of St. Trinian's?

Despite being less of a success with the public, I find this film much better than the last film. Battle of the Sexes films are always enjoyable, because we know from the beginning who will win. What I also like about this film is that it concentrates on the older schoolgirls, the sixth form girls. There are only brief scenes with the younger girls.


And guess who plays the school's oddball receptionist!

Because of its failure at the box office it's unlikely that another sequel will be made. That's a shame. It was fun while it lasted. Maybe there will be another reboot one day, with even sexier schoolgirls.

I'n curious why it was never released in America. Were there too many complaints about sexualising underage schoolgirls in the first film? If you check the bios of the cast you'll see that the fifth and sixth form girls, supposedly aged 15 to 18, were played by actresses in their twenties. The members of the pop group Girls Aloud appear in both films. They look a lot better than they sing.

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Wednesday, 26 July 2017

St. Trinian's (3 Stars)


It's been almost 10 years since I first watched this film. I didn't know what to make of it then, and I don't know what to make of it now.

Four films were made about St. Trinian's Girls School from 1954 to 1966. After a long pause a fifth film was made in 1980. The first five films followed a logical continuity. Now, in 2007, the St. Trinian's franchise has been rebooted. The spirit of the early films has been revived. It's all about naughty girls. The older girls (16 to 18) are sexually provocative, the younger girls (11 to 13) are mischievous, and there's a grey zone in between.

The school is shown through the eyes of Annabelle Fritton, a new girl who arrives in the school at the start of the term. She's the niece of the school's headmistress, but that doesn't give her any advantages. She's shocked by the chaos and lack of discipline in the school, but as she settles in she gives up and becomes like the other girls.

The main plot of the film is that the school is facing bankruptcy. St. Trinian's is £500,000 in debt. Not even the money from the sale of the illegal vodka that the girls make in the cellar is enough to save the school. There's only one solution. They decide to steal a painting from the National Gallery in London and sell it to an art dealer. Bad girls!


I would have expected Kelly Jones, the head girl, to be the sexiest girl in school, since she's played by Gemma Arterton. Somehow she looks too plain, too goth and too pale. She doesn't even wear a short skirt.


This is the most we get to see of her. No, it isn't a short skirt, it's just the way she's sitting.


What sort of girls school lets a man pose naked for the art class? I couldn't do it. I'd be too afraid that I might have an embarrassing "problem".


Here are a few girls, from the youngest to the oldest. Do you see what I mean about Gemma Arterton's skirt being too long?

So why don't I like the film? For me it's too much of a contrast. I like the idea of sexy schoolgirls, but the presence of too many very young girls is a turn off. If it were just about older schoolgirls it would be an erotic fantasy, if it were just about younger schoolgirls I could treat it as a comedy, but mixing the two side by side in the same scenes is disturbing.

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Monday, 13 June 2016

Kingsman (4½ Stars)


I have to admit that after watching a bad film I feel empty inside. Maybe I shouldn't say a film is bad, maybe I should just say it's a film I don't like. Whatever the case is, I felt that my day was ruined after watching "Warcraft". I couldn't go to bed feeling that way, so I looked at my bookcase and picked a film I knew I'd like before going to bed. This is it. "Kingsman". It has everything. James Bond-ish spy action, a megalomaniac villain and a cute little pug. It would be such a shame to shoot him. The pug's name is J.B. No, that doesn't stand for James Bond or even Jason Bourne. It's Jack Bauer. Famous initials.

I'm running out of films to watch at the moment. I'm moving out of my house next month, and I'm packing my DVDs and Blu-rays tidily into boxes. I have to pick my films from the ever decreasing number still on my shelves.

From the middle of next month onwards I'll be in Germany. I don't know how long I'll be there. It could be two months, it could be six months, it could be for the rest of my life. I'll decide when I get there. It will have an effect on my blog. I'll be watching more German films in the future. That's an exciting prospect for me. I love German cinema. Keep reading my blog, and you'll see what's happening by the end of July.

Monday, 9 February 2015

Kingsman (4¼ Stars)


I have to admit that I had my doubts when I went to see this film. Of all the actors who could have been picked to play an action film's super-spy, Colin Firth seemed the least suitable. I needn't have worried. Within five minutes of appearing on the screen he won me over. His cool reserved personality, which I already know from his other films, is perfect for a James Bond parody.

The film is based on the comic book "The Secret Service", published by Marvel Comics' creator-owned subsidiary, Marv. I haven't read it, so I'll restrict myself to the film. It's about a high-tech secret organisation based in London, which considers itself to be a continuation of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table. In the film Harry Hart (Colin Firth) and a new recruit Eggsy Unwin (Taron Egerton) have to battle against the ecological activist Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) who believes that the only way to save the planet is to cull the world's population to a few thousand.

I said it's a James Bond parody, but the film is actually a mash-up of 1960's spy stories. Apart from Bond there are obvious references to "The Avengers" (the TV series) and "The Man from UNCLE". But even if you're too young to have seen them you will enjoy the film.

P. S. How many of you noticed that the picture above is a parody of the poster for the James Bond film "For your eyes only"?

Thursday, 18 September 2014

Before I go to sleep (3½ Stars)


Nicole Kidman, who appears in almost every minute of the film, stars as a 40-year-old woman called Christine Lucas. When she was 26 she was the victim of a violent assault that involved blows to the head. Ever since then she's unable to retain new memories. Every day when she wakes up she has forgotten everything that happened on the previous day, and she thinks that she's 20 years younger. Every day she wakes up next to her husband Ben, who she doesn't recognise, and he has to explain who he is before leaving for work. Every day she receives a phone call from a man, Doctor Nash, who says he is trying to help her retrieve her memory. The doctor instructs her to make a video diary on a camcorder every day. Every morning she has to watch the previous recordings, and every evening she has to record the new things she has learnt during the day. As she struggles to find the truth about her past she doesn't know if she can trust the doctor, her husband or anyone at all.

The similarity with "Memento" is obvious. Rather than dwell on the similarities I'll point out the one major difference. In "Memento" the emphasis of the story is Leonard Shelby trying to find his wife's killer, despite being hampered by his repeated memory loss. In "Before I go to sleep" the emphasis is on Christine Lucas trying to regain her lost memories.

This is a good film with a solid performance by the three main actors, Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth as the husband and Mark Strong as the doctor.

Monday, 17 March 2014

Mamma Mia (5 Stars)


This is the musical that kicked off the recent popularity of jukebox musicals, in which the songs of a particular artist are put together in an order that tells a story. There were other musicals before it that are sometimes referred to as jukebox musicals, but I don't include them. "Buddy" was made in 1989, a biopic of the rock'n'roll musician Buddy Holly, but I don't include it because when making a film about a musician it's normal to use his songs. What makes a musical a jukebox musical for me is that the songs are unrelated to the original artists, with fleeting references at the most. An example of a typical jukebox musical is "Tonight's the night", a 2003 musical using the songs of Rod Stewart.

The musical "Mamma Mia" was written and performed in 1999, using the songs of Abba. In 2008 it was filmed as a big budget production, and I have to admit that it's overpowering. The two main things that make the film succeed are Stellan Skarsgard and Amanda Seyfried. They were already two of my favourite actors, but after seeing them in this film I'm amazed. Not that the other actors are to be overlooked. Meryl Streep, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth are all very good in their own right.

I knew I wanted to see this film again after seeing it at the Birmingham Outdoor Film Festival last July. It was even better being able to sit and watch it in the comfort of my own home. I won't describe the plot again, I already did it last year, I'll just recommend this film to anyone who is still biased against jukebox musicals. It's a real tear jerker, and as my regular readers know I always love a film that makes me cry. Even though I have to make one small criticism: Pierce Brosnan might be a good actor, but he can't sing.

Saturday, 13 July 2013

Mamma Mia (4 Stars)


This was the fifth film shown at the 2013 Outdoor Film Festival at Brindley Place in Birmingham. Today was a special day for me; I actually managed to get a beanbag. It was amazingly comfortable. I didn't have to keep changing positions like I did when I was sitting on my own pillow the last few days.

This is a film I've wanted to see for some time, and I wasn't disappointed. Donna Sheridan is a single mother who runs a restaurant on a small Greek island. Her daughter Sophie is about to get married. Sophie has never known her father, but shortly before the wedding she reads one of her mother's old diaries and finds out that she slept with three men within a short time. Since any of them could be her father, she invites all three to the wedding. All three men gladly accept Sophie as their daughter, so she quickly advances from having no father to having three fathers.

The crowd loved it, both young and old. As you can see from the photos, they expressed their enjoyment by dancing and singing along. Those who felt too warm danced in the water.