Scrooged - 1988

“Irreverent” comedy based on the classic “A Christmas Carol.” Although all the basic elements of the story are there, this is definitely a different version of the classic tale. The acting is over the top by both Murray as well as some of the supporting cast but its not too surprising for this type of film. As only a so-so fan of Murray, he was just a little TOO cynical at the beginning and TOO gooey at the end to bring across the comic aspect of this film for me, so not a lot of laughs here. The changes to the “ghosts” were lots of fun, however, and definitely added some comic elements. Enjoyed the creativity in the updated story! Though not a personal favorite, this is a great movie if you like (a) irreverent comedies (b) you’re fond of Bill Murray and (c) you like “A Christmas Carol” in ALL its numerous forms so don’t be afraid to give it a try. (If you’re a Dickens purist, skip this one!) For me, possibly 2 1/2 stars.

Mamma Mia! - 2008

Disappointing! Wanting to have her father give her away, Sophie (Seyfried) hopes to discover who he is by inviting the three men her mother (Meryl Streep) was involved with to her wedding. I went into this totally expecting to enjoy this film but it was not to be. Love the music itself but the singing – moan! I’ve heard better singing at high school productions. Some numbers were Ok but by recent Hollywood musical standards, it was surprising they had settled so low! Grimacing at Pierce Brosnan’s renditions, it was actually embarrassing and painful to both watch and listen to him sing. It was hard to believe they couldn’t have found at least one handsome older actor who could actually sing. Perhaps they thought the music itself would carry it off. The casting was also a little off. I personally am a big fan of Meryl Streep and consider her to be a beautiful woman but there is no way that she passed for her early 40’s which was obviously the age suggested. Nor did Christine Baranski and Julie Walters come across as her 40ish friends. Performances were over-the-top which you sometimes expect from a musical, but in this case only succeeded in making this film feel frantic and rushed. The story was far from uplifting, as some have suggested. Instead I found myself feeling sorry that Sophie had to resort to such measures to try and discover her father’s identity. Definitely not one I would watch again. The movie as a whole rates only 2 stars but the music itself would add another star.  **