What about 'Everyone says I love you'. That's a nice musical, too.

Looks awful from this trailer.

PS did anyone else notice how the girl's boobs bounce about 8 times in like... one second (it's at the final 5 seconds of the trailer). Wow.

You didn't mention Rent, one of the best of the recent musicals in my opinion.

So... I find it kind of hard to believe that all those stars just happen to be able to sing. Should be interesting to see how it turns out.

I don't agree. Ireally like the trailer of Mamma Mia! The music is great, also the acting. I'm sure this movie wil be a big hit next year!

it looks great, and take in account that this is a teaser, the full trailer will be even better

can't wait for this!

I'm going to have to side with the 'looks terrible.'

Of course, all those other musicals were pretty inventive. Moulin Rouge had a groovy soundtrack, Chicago was edgy with gorgeous sets and costumes, Dreamgirls had breakout, surprising performances, etc. Mama Mia! just looks hokey.

I personally think that Mamma Mia is dumb on Broadway, so I don't think a transfer to the big screen will help that. I'd loved to be proved wrong, but I doubt I will be.

Amazing how so many people assume trailers to be indicative of the movie. It is JUST a trailer with a few seconds here and there of a 90 minute plus movie. At least there are songs in the trailer unlike previous musical trailers that barely showed the movie to be a musical.
OK Mamma Mia may not be popular because it is a musical, the songs are by ABBA, and the songs weren't written specifically for a particular plot (stage or screen). But the fact that it has been SO popular and in the eyes of producers a well oiled money making machine ... who could blame them for wanting even more and more of our money!
It may surprise many that Streep & Baranski started their acting careers on stage and in musicals. As for the other actors they must have some talent in singing but were most likely cast because they will draw a wider audience. Again MONEY is all that matters.

Peter, having seen the show countless times I can tell you that what you're seeing in the trailer is probably about as deep or interesting as the movie. There is no genius behind this movie just plain silly ABBA fun. The only reason to be SUPER excited is to hear Meyrl Streep belting to the rafters.

"Amazing how so many people assume trailers to be indicative of the movie."

This is why trailers exist. If you have a shitty trailer, people are going to assume you have a shitty movie and not see it. I'd never see this movie unless something miraculous happens and it gets stellar reviews as something more than hockey ABBA schlock.

Cant wait, love the music,,, it is a light harted fun movie,, lighten up people ,,,

Honestly, I was embarrassed when I sat through this. Not only does the music annoy me, but the whole idea just doesn't sit well. It really all boils down to opinion though.

As people who saw the stage show more twelve times, we can't wait to see the movie. Although the trailer does state the main plot, it doesn't give the whole story the justice it deserves. The trailer's just a trailer to entice you to watch, even if you don't think so. Don't be turned away by it.

I just want to know from the people who have posted, do you know that the ones who wrote the stage show are the two men from Abba? And do the ones who are basically flat out bagging it just from a sample, did you even go to see the stage show? And if you did, did you try to just enjoy it for what it was without analyzing it? This is meant to be a fun and happy movie, and for those of you that are assuming that it should be something more, just give it a chance and judge afterwards. People miss alot, and most information is lost through word of mouth, you may never understand thr whole nature and fun of it if you don't bare witness to it yourself. Just losen up, take a break, and try to chill out with this. It's meant to be a funny movie, not something that you have to study ever angle of and judge.

I've always been a big fan of ABBA, as well as musical theatre. So I was thrilled when I scored front row mezzanine seats to MAMMA MIA on Broadway at the Wintergarden theatre. That is, until I actually saw the show.

Don't get me wrong. I love all kinds of plays & musicals, from dramatic and dark, like SWEENEY TODD, to light, silly and fluffy, like THE PRODUCERS, but I can honestly say that MAMMA MIA the musical was a piece of ca-ca. It pretty much sucked from beginning to end. The reason?-- the book (story), which is really no more than a pitiful narrative device to shove together (read; capitalize on) ABBA's music via a stupid, predictable and sophomoric plot. Girl on an island trying to find her real father. All three candidates just happen to be there at the same time. Who will it be? It felt like an extended episode of THE LOVE BOAT. In my opinion, the one scene, and I mean the ONLY scene that worked at all was the very last one, when the show turned into more of a live concert with the cast wearing the same kitchy, over-the-top fashions ABBA actually performed in. I personally would have dumped the whole stupid, awkward, pasted-on book, taken the ABBA songs and started over, maybe rethinking the show as more of an extravagant "ABBA Live in Concert" event.

When I heard Meryl Streep, whom I idolize, was going to be involved in the movie version , I was more than a little surprised. In fact, I remember saying to a number of people, "Wow, she must have had them rework the script big time, cause I can't imagine her agreeing to be in it as is." Now I see from the trailer that MAMMA MIA has NOT been reworked. It's the same innane piece of crap I saw on Broadway. This may be the very FIRST movie of Meryl Streep's that I don't see. I spent almost 100 bucks to sit through this crappola once. Believe me, that was MORE than enough.

Sometimes it's just nice to have a fun movie to see that isn't very deep. Just a nice story to lose yourself in. From the trailer, that's what it looks like. I would like to point out however that this movie is shot in such a way to give it a real fantasy feel. It also has a lot of throw back to early musical film making and acting. ABBA outsells many of the modern artists in record sales to this day and can't help but think if people aren't ABBA fans, then they wont "get it." My guess is that people who loved Muriel's Wedding will love this movie. Those that aren't fans of light hearted, feel good types of entertainment wont.

I just saw the sneak preview on Tuesday and I loved it, my mother loved it, my sister loved it! The movie was really well done- beautifully filmed, funny and uplifting. Meryl Streep was hilarious!
I would recommend it to anyone that wants to have a good time at the movies. Overall it's everything a great musical should be- saccharine and over the top- don't take it seriously :)

I was pleasantly surprised. Meryl Streep was very very good. It was not the best movie but it was fun and the music was awsome. Bronson looked good but oh my he really cannot sing. Im not quite sure why they picked him for a musical. Go and see it dont expect a great movie but expect to be entertained. I really enjoyed the time her daughter asked her to walk her down the aisle. The actress playing Miss Streep friend short spiky hair is really good and very funny.

I just caught the trailer, and that with no sound.
This is not Asley Lilley in this movie. This is not even her website!
This is somebody standing in front of the cameras, acting like Ashley Lilley , saying ¨I am Ashley Lilley, portraying Ali¨. I will defend her!
The real ashley Lilley is a flat dwarf.

man, just go and watch it. it's so much fun. seriously. half the theatre stayed until the very end of the lyrics, sitting there and enjoying the music. btw, meryl is very good, as always. & yeah, pierce brosnan can't sing, so prepare yourselves. & kathy, that person is julie walters & she's amaizing!

Just been to see Mamma Mia. I've seen some poor films over the years but nothing quite as bad has this one

Just seen the movie.

I was laughing at some scenes so much I had tears running down my cheeks. The music is great. Excellent performance by Meryl Streep and Julie Waters.

This is a great feel good movie - left the theatre still humming the tunes.

Highly recommended

Hi. I decided to make it my mission when a very astute editor friend of mine said that Mama Mia! didn't have great reviews. The musical has been beloved by millions and watched the world over for I nearly a decade. It's ENORMOUSLY popular! It's a very feminist story - a universal theme of what REALLY MATTERS IN THIS LIFE! I remember when I saw it in 99 in London I was weary because of ABBA. I ended up loving ABBA and loving the whole audience enthralled involvement with it - who could not - people cheered and cried. It really moved me. When I saw it in Westwood, LA with an audience of non-dancer yet seriously critical minds - I was happy to note that all who came out were as moved in the movie version as I was - 9 years later - and those who did see the musical said that the movie was even better. So my point is - I think the reviewers of this should tread carefully on a subject that has such a huge cult worldwide audience. I think it stinks when reviewers steer people away from what is so obviously a good thing that so many millions have loved and loved! I know many theatre goers who cite MM as one of their all-time favs! The reason has to do with the ENERGY of the STORY and it is about LAUGHING at LIFE and FUN! This movie version was magical, and I am an intelligent smart woman. When Streep sang 'The Winner Takes It All' - I cried JUST like I did in the musical - and JUST like the educated women sitting next to me did! I sometimes wonder if 'critics' sit in movie in a critical, removed frame of mind? And I also think it's totally unfair of critics to review a movie that you do not understand the success of the musical - WHY it speaks to so many.... Very disappointing. I would like to see reviewers for once hold back - if it's not your genre' - then leave it alone! It ruins it for those who are interested in 'understanding' the perspective of the piece of work...

I think Jewels' comments are fair and well stated. People frequently enjoy and are moved by different kinds of film making, theatre, musicals, etc. A piece that speaks to one person may give another hairballs ("CATS" anyone? :)

And It's quite possible that my opinion of MAMMA MIA the stage musical (I don't plan on seeing the move) is outside the mainstream experience. I have two degrees in theatre and work professionally as a commercial advertising and screen writer. The more you know about something, artistic or otherwise, the harder it is to look past its flaws. It's a bit like asking a gourmet chef to sit down and eat a Big Mac without judging it - "Just enjoy it!" I personally found MAMMA MIA to be an uninspired, poorly crafted piece of dreck. The ABBA songs give it a certain energy to be sure (and I personally love ABBA's music). But the musical's storyline (book) in no way matches that energy. In fact, it pulls it down.

The play simply has no VISION. Vision isn't some high brow intellectual abstraction, it just means the piece has a clear direction and style that unifies all the elements (music, dialogue, set, costumes, lighting, etc) into a whole. Take "THE PRODUCERS" for example (the stage play, not the weak film version). It was a light, fluffy, beyond-silly comedy. But it held together from beginning to end and was extremely effective because the creators took the time to painstakingly CRAFT it. MAMMA MIA on the other hand is no more than a mish-mash of elements thrown into the same pot and stirred a bit. It may INDEED move people, make them laugh, clap their hands and dance in the aisles. But then, so can a theme park show.

Where I disagree with Jewels is on the roll of critics. A critics job is NOT to tell the public whether or not they're going to personally identify with and enjoy a movie or play. Critics are there to help the public understand and appreciate a piece based on its relative merits in relation to the body of work proceeding it. They do this by giving total focus to the piece, not by "lightening up, letting go and having fun without judging it too much."

Two operative words come to mind here – ART and ENTERTAINMENT. Critics ask whether or not a piece is well-crafted, thought provoking, original, maybe even groundbreaking. They ask whether or not the piece might be remembered and revered years, even decades later. In short, they ask whether the movie, play or musical is ART. That doesn't mean the piece has to be serious. Art can be heavy, light, comedic, emotional, irreverent, etc., or any combination. Some people go to movies and plays to experience ART. Some only for ENTERTAINMENT. The greatest pieces can be both art AND entertainment – WIZARD OF OZ, GODFATHER, CHICAGO, WALL-E. MAMMA MIA certainly isn't art. And for me it's not even great entertainment.

But maybe that's just me.

Kent, You sound brilliant. I agree with most of what you state. What I don't agree with is that it's not art and the story doesn't work. It surprisingly DID work for me - and I feel I am a good judge of art. From a 'critical' point of view, these things need to be looked at. But often I think that 'critics' are just that - and not actually appreciating genre's for genre's. Mama Mia! has had great reviews in London. I've been in the UK for 9 years and just returned to the US. I was very surprised at how much I loved MM as I said - and I feel the story IS moving - and endearing. Like Grease. It is a particular 'feel' and to me that must be 'crafted' - many people have said to me it's surprising how much the songs 'worked' with the storyline. OK that's all for now.