Mama Mia!

Since 1956, long before those who thought up American Idol were even born, began what's called the Eurovision Song Contest, a continent-wide musical competition held every year to this day. In the early 70's a group from Sweden won...this group later becam known as ABBA.

I went and saw the movie adaptation of the musical Mama Mia! tonight. I had heard great things about the musical before. My parents had gone to see it on stage. I can honestly say no movie has made me feel so good as this one has.

I don't know if it was the movie, the great music, the fun company, or all of the above, but I had a smile on my face the entire time. You can't go into it expecting anything serious. It is a musical, and so it has many musical elements in it (like back up singers popping out of nowhere). You have to be okay with seeing some nearly over the top rediculousness, but that is what's so funny about it. You can tell they had such a blast making that movie. Most of the cast grew up loving these very songs, what a dream come true to be involved! Every time a musical this fun comes out, I can't help but be envious of those involved in making it, wishing I could somehow someday experience the same thing.

But who would have known? A group from halfway around the world, in a land I've only seen in pictures in a time long before I was born would have such an effect on my life today? I have no problems seeing why those of my parents generation would fall instantly in love with something like this. But seriously, who could have known that in a country far away from anything ABBA began, more than 30 years later, someone like myself in my own generation would be enjoying the same songs, singing along as if they were today's popular music. I guess in a way this movie makes it today's popular music. The only word I can think of is "timeless"...when Dancing Queen comes on at a church dance full of my peers, everyone knows the words!

Hopefully nobody sees me as less of a manly man for my little movie review here, but if you really know me you'll know how I appreciate music...there will always be a special place in my heart for song and dance numbers!