I picked up some take out from Kalamata Greek Grill and opened up a bottle of wine as we spent a kids free evening being entertained by the sing-along edition of Mamma Mia 2 as we imagined visiting the scenic Mediterranean islands of Greece. As a kid, the local Metro Park pool had Abba, Air Supply and Asia songs playing on what seemed like a repeated loop so the same music seemed to always be playing whenever you visited. We went to that pool a lot during my childhood so those songs are ingrained in my head. So have to admit my wife wasn't the only one interested in seeing this movie inspired by and filled with music by Abba. Of course, my wife loves musicals, comedies and romantic stories, especially Love Actually, so MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN on Blu-ray made for a great stay at home date night selection.
Both a prequel and a sequel to 2008's MAMMA MIA! this film tells two stories: present day as Sophie Sheridan prepares for the grand reopening of her mother Donna's Greek isle hotel and it transports viewers back to 1979 when young Donna first arrives on the island. Follow along Donna's fun-filled adventures as she travels carefree around Europe with the young Dynamos, Tanya and Rosie after graduating from Oxford University and witness how she first met Sophie's three possible dads Harry, Bill and Sam. MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN flips back and forth from the present day where Sophie, who is now pregnant herself, is renovating the taverna while reuniting with her mother's old friends and boyfriends on the Greek island of Kalokairi.
This movie provides an energetic trip to an exotic local as well as a chance to travel back in time to when hairstyles were wackier, fashions were bolder and music was funky and groovy. Its upbeat soundtrack of Abba songs will have you singing and dancing to the music. Don't fight it show off your inner Dancing Queen self! Combing the musical performances in the movie with some wine sure makes for a good time!
Bonus features of the Blu-ray have a music focus too. It has a deleted performance of the song "I Wonder" as well as extended scenes of performances in the movie of "The Name of the Game" and "Knowing Me, Knowing You." There is also an enhanced sing along feature to encourage karaoke style singing of songs sung in the movie including Super Trouper, Fernando, Knowing Me, Knowing You, The Name of the Game, Mamma Mia, Angel Eyes, and Dancing Queen among a number of Abba hits.
My wife and I enjoyed our evening in watching MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN. It is rated PG-13 for suggestive sexual content so if you have young children at home it probably is better for mom and dad to watch this film by themselves instead of making it a family movie night. Teens probably will enjoy watching this movie with their parents though it may make you feel old if you grew up in the '70s and '80s to hear your kids referring to the songs in it as "classics." Based upon the fun time we had watching the movie and singing along to the bonus features on the Blu-ray, MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN has earned A Geek Daddy nod of approval.
For more information about the movie, visit uni.pictures/MM2
