Mamma Mia - Out on DVD!

Having never seen the Broadway show, I was not sure what the storyline was for Mamma Mia. I knew it involved a girl trying to figure out which out of three of her Mother's past loves might be her father. She invites them all to her wedding (unbeknownst to her mom) and hilarity ensues. I decided to just watch it in the theater with an open mind.

I am a fan of Abba's music, love musicals, and like most of the actors in this movie rendition ,so I had a feeling I would like the film of Mamma Mia as a whole as well. And I definitely did. It really is an infectious, feel-good movie, even if the storyline is a bit far fetched. For the duration of the film you are transported to a world where you let your inhibitions go and just want to sing. I happened to be sitting next to two women in the theater who were so happy at the end of this movie that they asked me if I enjoyed it as much as they did. It was nice to see people around you bonding and in a great mood for a change.

The movie was filmed in beautiful Greece so the scenery is gorgeous. Meryl Streep is fabulous as always and she sings quite well too! Amanda Seyfried was great as her daughter in the film and the only singing that was a bit off came from Pierce Brosnan. It was obvious he was cast for his looks alone which is too bad. But everyone else in the cast tries to help you ignore his cringe worthy singing moments and they do quite a good job.

In this strange and uncertain economic time, it is nice to be able to see a film that will take your mind away from it all. I find Mamma Mia to be the perfect movie to do just that. It will most likely make you want to sing and dance along with the characters. Anyway, I look forward to adding it to my DVD collection so I can see it again whenever the mood strikes.

Review: Australia

Even clocking in at approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes, Australia is definitely a must see. It is epic story telling at its best and every scene is breathtaking - as I would expect any scene of a Baz Luhrmann project to be. Having been a huge fan of his work, I was still unsure of what to expect when I sat down to watch Australia. I just knew I had more than enough faith in the director and the stars, so I went in ready to watch the story unfold. I was not disappointed.

I thought the performances of Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman were fantastic. The story is a mix of everything: romance, action, good vs. evil, history, times of war, and the way of life in the Outback of Australia. In my opinion, they just don't make movies like this any more. I was constantly engaged throughout the film and never noticed the time going by. It felt as if I was transported to Australia for the almost three hours and am ready to go see it with my own eyes some day. I don't like to give away plot lines, so I will just say that this is a movie that will take you on a journey to a wondrous place and you will experience storytelling that is not found in most of the movies released nowadays.

The message throughout the film of "just because it is, doesn't mean it should be" stands true. Just because this movie has not received the box office numbers and awards recognition it deserves, that doesn't mean it should be the case. I definitely recommend that you go see Australia while you can on the big screen.

The Dark Knight Arrives on DVD!

The box office phenomenon of 2008, The Dark Knight, arrives on DVD this week. Based on the amount of money it made in theaters, it is sure to be a huge success in DVD sales as well. For me it is bittersweet since this film features the last completed performance by Heath Ledger. I thought his portrayal of the Joker was beyond brilliant and in my mind he created one of the most terrifying villains ever on screen. The battle between good and evil throughout the film is that much more intense because you believe that the Joker is capable of doing absolutely anything and without any remorse. This film as a whole addresses every person's potential to do the right thing amidst so many others in society who choose not to. And of course doing the right thing for the greater good is not always an easy choice. It truly is an excellent film with the right cast and action sequences to really pull it off. Add it to your queue or go get your copy on DVD today!

UPDATE: Watching the Dark Knight for a second time on DVD was a different experience without the being-scared-of-the-what-happens-next factor as I had felt the first time when I saw it in theaters. This second time around, it was even more inspiring and brilliant. It reminds you that even amongst the chaos of the world and everyone doing wrong around you, doing the right thing still prevails over all. I loved it all the more for that message. I now know the benefit of seeing this movie more than once in theaters (like so many did) would have been worth it. In any case, I am glad I bought it on DVD without a doubt. It was one of the best movies of 2008 for certain!

Twilight - The Movie and The Books

Even though I am not in the intended young adult demographic, I am still a huge fan of the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. I was just as eager as the many other fanatics to get my hands on Breaking Dawn on August 2nd this past summer and once I finished reading it, my Twilight addiction was only calmed by the fact that a movie of the first book would be released this fall.

As a whole, the Twilight series is just a pleasure to read. I found them to be a quick and addictive reading experience. Once I reread Twilight to prepare myself for the movie, I immediately reached for my copy of New Moon (the second book in the series) just so I didn't have to leave the characters and their story. As someone long out of high school, Twilight especially, feels like you are experiencing first love all over again. There is nothing complicated with the writing style, in fact it is quite simple, but the characters and story have won me over anyway - even the second time around. Each book in the series goes in different directions, introducing new characters and their subsequent drama. Breaking Dawn somehow ties everything together as a proper end to the series. So even if you are unsure of giving the series a chance or are a bit turned off by all the movie hype, I still recommend reading the books - ideally before seeing the film.

With great anticipation, I ended up seeing the movie with my Mom, who had not had a chance to read the book yet. I spend the 2 hours in a state of shock. It seemed way overdone at parts while way underdone with regards to the special effects. It also bugged me that some plot elements were left out or changed. The relationship between Edward and Bella felt rushed and I was constantly worried about how someone who had not read the book would interpret everything. I came out of this viewing disappointed and my mom was certain that if she had read the book more details would piece it together better. I loved Robert Pattinson as Edward and Kristen Stewart was a good Bella. The makeup on some of the characters was a bit unrealistic too. Carlisle's entrance was the most laughable one and there was no need for it to be. Anyway, one thing my Mom and I both agreed on was that the music was fantastic. I had already purchased the soundtrack prior to seeing the movie but I found myself unable to stop listening after seeing where every song fit in to the way they did the movie. It is a great soundtrack and I also enjoy the score.

So my first time watching Twilight on the big screen left a little to be desired but I didn't give up. Somehow I still had the urge to give it another chance. I wanted to see it again, knowing now what to expect. That way I could see it and re-immerse myself into the story and not be worrying about my mom while I watched. I would not be surprised by anything the second time around. Happily I discovered that the second viewing of the film was very enjoyable. Even my Mom liked it a lot better. She has just started reading the book so it will be interesting to see what she thinks of it after.

Twilight made enough money during its first weekend to green light them making a film of the next book, New Moon. This is great on one end of the spectrum, as I can't get enough of the series. However, I am quite concerned about the special effects as they only increase in the second book. I hope they will invest enough money in New Moon to do it justice. I wish they had for Twilight as it definitely deserved it and the success of the books would have automatically guaranteed the success of the investment. Until it gets released, I will just hope for the best.

So the truth remains that the books are better than the movie. But the movie is an enjoyable experience once you accept the low budget and changes made to the original story. I am still a huge fan of the series. I you go see the movie, I hope you enjoy it. If you were disappointed the first time you saw it, the second viewing is better once your expectations are prepared.