geode

I had been hoping that this sequel would give Pierce Brosnan a chance to sing again. I was not disappointed, he does a nice rendition of part of "SOS"...a decade ago I was the only one I knew to defend Pierce's singing in the first movie, but his version of the same song is much better ten years later.

It is rare that a sequel lives up to an original movie, and even rarer that a sequel is actually better. This is superior in just about every way. Yes, I guess now that the term "prequel" is in common use, this movie is both a "sequel" and a "prequel" at the same time.

The director seems to have taken a leaf out of the philosophy of the principal character, Donna, and "thrown caution to the wind" allowing the whole thing to romp with exuberance that borders on becoming silly or a parody, but he keeps a firm hand guiding it so it never crosses that line. Instead it stays frothy, bubbly and fun. The "over the top" approach can be richly entertaining if it is defty held in control. Think of Johnny Depp in "Pirates of the Caribbean" or John Wayne in "True Grit" ...this works here.

Not only is the direction vastly superior to the first movie, so is the editing. This shows up splendidly in song sequences, with "One of Us" as a duet early in the film being a stunning standout. This is one of the lesser known gems in the ABBA song catalog.

It is better scripted than the original, with the songs integrated better with the plot. It seemed far less forced. OK, the "Waterloo" scene is a definite stretch, but once again the over the top approach to the number is enjoyable and entertaining. Having Richard Curtis onboard must have helped quite a bit, he is a master with comedic material that still has bite.

I knew that Meryl Streep was billed in the cast as well as Cher, and Cher appeared in the trailer, but as the movie neared its end neither had appeared. It was worth the wait. Cher does an excellent cover of "Fernando" with Andy Garcia, and Meryl a poignant duet with Amanda Seyfried, mother and daughter reaching the end of plot arcs that have paralled each other. Meryl's performance in the first movie was the only one she ever rendered with which I was disappointed, but she nails it here. I think the director of the first movie is at least partly responsible for the results on screen that didn't impress me. Phyllida Lloyd may have done a fine job with the stage production, but I didn't think she understood film very well.

Lily James has the largest part, and has a pleasing voice. If I have any critical comment about her it might be that she is a little too pretty to play the younger version of Meryl Streep's character Donna.

There is a beautifully large production number of "Super Trooper" under the credits at the end and there is a funny post-credits scene that virtually everyone in the audience saw, which is unusual. It takes skill to hold an audience to that point, especially these days.

This is what a musical is supposed to be like, something to lift the spirits.

About the only negative for me was not giving Christine Baranski a solo. I thought her scene with one in the first film was the best in that movie. I also would have let Pierce finish his song, he was doing just fine with it.

I have not yet read a word about this in reviews. I know people that tend to adore the first movie, and it will be interesting to hear what they think about it in a comparison. I can't be this wrong. There must be critics that also think this is an improvement on the first movie. But I have to admit that although I had expected to like the original, I was very disppointed in it as it did not meet expectations. This sequel exceeded them.

I recommend this one for those who like musicals. For those that do not like musicals this will probably not be your cup of tea and will seem mindlessly silly.

If you see it keep an eye out for Benny and Björn, the two male members of ABBA. They both have very quick cameos.

As with many other movies that are remade because the original worked so well, this remake fails to meet expectations. If I had encountered this Korean version first I most likely would have liked it better, but since this was not the case it was impossible to not do a comparison in my mind as I watched it and found it quite wanting. The Japanese version is superior in every regard, acting, direction, cinematography, and the writing.

Although several minutes longer than the original, this version has a simplified story line and really doesn't develop any secondary characters much except a new one, an over-the-top comic uncle. Actually, although there were a few comic moments in the original they came about naturally and were at times subtle. This was especially the case in the comparison of the accounts of the leading characters when they encountered each other at school. In this new one the comedy is anything but subtle and is at times essentially slapstick. The young Woo-jin character is made so much a clumsy nerd that in some scenes he belongs more in a Three Stooges comedy. In the original his social awkwardness stems more from his coping with illness. His illness is central to the plot, but with the exception of a moment or two in this new version, the illness seems barely present at all leaving motivations that drive decisions illogical and not natural.

The secondary characters such as the wise doctor, a caring co-worker, a baker, and the teacher at school all added considerable richness in the Japanese film that is sorely lacking in this one.

I am tempted to say that the director is inept, but I think perhaps it is more fair to say that his approach in this movie is awkward and lacking in style. He doesn't manage to introduce much depth to the story or characters so ultimately his version is far less touching than the original. A key scene at the end of the rainy season is now barely there, but was an emotional highlight in the Japanese film.

The characters are far more believable in the first film, the remake failing to come close in comparison. I think the actors, director, and screenwriter share blame for this. In particular I found Ye-jin Son's performance flat and not conveying the emotional core necessary to make her character's choices make sense and carry impact. I am tempted to think she was only cast because of her being cute and having a stunning figure.

The Japanese film took advantage of interesting location shooting, in a field of sunflowers and at a local festival. The cultural touches added richness and provided a nice backdrop to the scenes, adding visual interest as well. The Korean version is shot in a "matter of fact" style they could be in virtually any number of places.

In conclusion the original is far better nuanced, making it far more believable, involving, and touching. In watching this new one I found a tear or two coming to my eyes, but realized these were coming due to remembering the same scene in the original film, not the one I was watching.

For those who have not seen either movie I would suggest seeking out the Japanese version first. For those who liked the Korean version I strongly recommend watching the first version as it most likely will deliver what was liked in this one, but in an even greater measure.

I hadn't really planned to see this show today, but a dental appointment was timed such that I ate lunch in a mall here in Bangkok and wandered by the multiplex upstairs after eating. The second showing of the day was to start in ten minutes, so I bought a ticket. There had been advance-booking for the last couple of weeks, with a chart showing the available seats for each show. A week ago the showings had two or three seats booked at best for any show. For the showing I attended there were twenty-five people in a five hundred seat house. I looked at a poster on my way in and realized this was the first day of release, so this was a disappointing turnout.

I don't know what material was available from the tapes of rehearsals, but the film as a whole is often a bit of a patch-work quilt, sometimes feeling somewhat like the pieces are a bit mismatched. In some numbers there are frequent cuts back and forth from at least three different occasions, as shown by Michael wearing different wardrobe. Also adding to this effect is the fact that some shots were captured in high-definition, others in standard video which are inter-cut for the same songs. The audio on the other hand is pretty seamless and of high quality throughout. Sometimes a song sequence is interrupted to show a behind the scenes conference on how to proceed. Many songs are not included in their entirety, apparently to allow for such background material to be included instead. Much of the show seemed like an extended "making of" extra to a main event.

Again, I do not know what material was available, but if most songs were recorded in their entirety, I think I would have preferred to see an attempt to show what the final concert would have been like, without so many interruptions. If I had directed it, I would have done a few minutes of the behind the show material first and then attempt a concert experience. For instance, there is a sequence done in B&W with MJ interacting in a crime movie facing a menacing Humphrey Bogart after watching Rita Hayworth sing. But this segment is interrupted multiple times with color shots done on stage, some with the associated song, some not. I was disappointed not to be able to see the way the B&W segment would have played in concert. I am guessing it would have been in one continuous piece.

As it is, I can see where the concert would have been a real treat. I worked as a stage hand for a Jackson Five concert over thirty-seven years ago, and it was well done but far less elaborate. Michael's voice and dancing still appeared to be in top form to me despite all the intervening years, and the set design and lighting was elaborate and effective. Perhaps the show was edited as it is to allow us to see him as a perfectionist at work, but someone who had rapport with his cast and crew. His interaction with the cute blonde lady guitarist is a high-light. He comes across as a normal, down to earth person, albeit one that is incredibly talented.

I felt a little sad at times while watching this show because he seemed so vital and fit that it is still hard to accept that he is gone. Perhaps he really could have played fifty play-dates in London without faltering. Considering how vigorous the numbers are, this would have been another great achievement for him.