DIRECTOR'S CUT: Movie Family Therapy: MAMMA MIA

I want to watch Pierce Brosnan sing . . . I just don't want to *hear* him sing

Sean Astin is a beautiful real-life example of a situation like this where everyone tells the truth (or tries to). His mother, Patty Duke, had had overlapping relationships with Michael Tell and Desi Arnaz Jr when she got pregnant; she thought Arnaz was the father, although later on it turned out it was Tell, but she was open with both of them and with her son about the situation. Then she married John Astin, who adopted Sean, and, after their divorce, Mike Pearce. All four men were father figures for Sean, who is close to all of them and has said that he has four dads and can pick up the phone and call any of them whenever he wants. It's so beautifully, un-traditionally wholesome.

A few weeks on, and because of this episode, I'm now somewhat obsessed with this movie. Before you reacted to the movie I had never seen it. Now I've seen several times already.

I watched this epidsode and was inspired to tell a friend something I was dreading to tell her. And what I learned was that sometimes there is a reason you dread telling them. I too impusilvely just told her because I thought it was probably all in my head. I should have anticipated more the emotional impact it could have an her. Because me telling her started a full fledged fight. So the truth can hurt.

While I'm thinking about you guys critiquing cheesy-arse movies...I know I'm one person so I can't expect much, but...I would dearly love you guys to do deep dives on the Christopher Reeve line of Super movies. ALL of them, but most especially I would love one on Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. It's a cheesy, campy, BAD movie and I know it is, but I'm also the original Superman fangirl and that movie came out shortly after I turned 10. I don't quite know how or when my love of Reeve-Supes began but his portrayal of the Big Blue Boy Scout is where my love of the character originated. I didn't expect there to BE a fourth Superman movie and then suddenly there was, and I was such a hardcore fangirl that it was the first time I felt like a movie had been made specifically FOR me. I remember the moment when I first saw the trailer and all but exploded with fangirl excitement that my parents had never seen before. Anyway, I would dearly love to see a critique of all the Supes films/that Supes film in particular. Either a deep dive into the filmmaking from Alan, or any hero/villain/relationship/couples therapy take from Jono (or both, yay!). It would be amazing if there was a way as a Patron to, I dunno, bribe y'all into it...

Hey, Alan! Another thing that struck me immediately when I watched this movie the first time, is how BLUE it is! Can you comment on that? I've seen plenty of movies where the color scheme is part of the narrative, as it were. But pretty much always in terms of darkness and shadow...movies like any film in any of the Batman franchises, for example. Mamma Mia is the only one I can think of that just decided "make it blue" and leaned HARD into it.

I love this movie so much. It's stupid and dumb and the plot is borked and the whole thing is just so glorious. The very first thing about it that I noticed, which always seemed GLARINGLY obvious to me but which too many of my friends apparently didn't pay attention to, was how completely screwball the timeline is. The technology in the film pretty clearly dates it to the present day (circa 2008 when it was released). They also explicitly give Sophie a canon age of 20. For those keeping track, that puts her birth at 1988. Yet her mother, "aunts" and her fathers all date THEMSELVES to the time "of the flower power". More to the point, The movie (and its sequel) all very clearly indicate that these characters were around the same age and quite young during the shenanigans around Sophie's...conception. The second movie solidly indicates that Donna would have been about 21 that summer, if we presume the typical age of a college graduate - and we have no reason not to. Even if we fudge a bit and have her turning 22 that summer, she's no older than 22 when Sophie is born. Which would put her at 42 at the time of the first movie - and which in turn dates her birth to about 1966. If you're still keeping track, that means that Donna would have been 6 years old in 1972 (a reasonable date for the end of the Flower Power era). Going further, even back when I first saw this movie after its release, I was weirded out by Donna and her friends talking about themselves as if they were senior citizens well into retirement age. I remember my parents and their friends when they were in their early 40s, and I'm 47 now, and know how I and my friends behave. But Donna and her peers all talk as if they have one foot in the grave rather than quite literally just entering into early middle age with decades of life and vigor ahead of them. Anyway, this movie is dumb as hell and I love every second of it. The film's absolute, total disregard for a coherent chronology is one of my favorite things about it. The story is just FUN enough for the sheer DUMB of it all to add to its charm rather than ruin it.

I want them to do a video on ugly dolls so bad

Could you do My Big Fat Greek Wedding

What a fun episode and analysis of this movie. I agree, it's not a great movie, but the singing and dancing is fun! It's one of those movies that can lift my spirits when I'm feeling down.

I love “2008 Barbenheimer” - mostly because it and 2023 Barbenheimer both feature Cillian Murphy (2023 more so, obviously).

When do we get a video on the Room? I feel like Jono is owed some vengeance after the Twilight movies.

It's not really a surprise that Meryl Streep is fantastic.

(I thought I had posted this already, but apparently not?) If you guys are doing modern musicals, you could definitely make an interesting episode out of Repo! The Genetic Opera. It has Anthony Stewart Head (who played Rupert Mannion in Ted Lasso), and he is an *excellent* singer. It's a very dark movie, but you could get a lot of content out of looking at parenting styles. That is, hiding your child away vs. spoiling your children. Also, you get to see Paris Hilton's face fall off, if that's your thing.

When they were talking about the story not making sense all I could think of was it reminds me of Shakespearean style where no-one communicates. If they spent 5 minutes talking none of the mess would have happened (looking at you Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing).

I was expecting y’all to intercut the clip of Ted Lasso talking about how not being honest takes away the chance to gain trust.

This is hilarious. I do love this crappy film haha.

You should see some of the behind the scenes stuff. Meryl Streep pretty much demanded a role in this movie (but of course someone of her calibre can do that)

Meryl Streep can do no wrong!

The Greek Chorus is fantastic! I see you Alan! Side note: I also have to get some Skar in my Gaard

Next up, "Three Men and a Baby"? ;)

My mom grew up loving all sorts of music genres and that love was passed onto my brother and I . Long before Mamma Mia was turned into a Broadway Musical and then later the film , ABBA was one of the many car ride childhood staples! I love that this is your episode this week! Huzzah<3

I remember when I was young and this came out in theaters. It was really hard for me to sit through as a kid but now as an adult I love all the wackiness and the mother daughter relationship and its my comfort movie. Really loved that you guys did a reaction on it

Yaaay! Thanks for the new episode guys! Until next time

Idk why, I just wanted to mention that my DVD for mamma Mia is sitting right next to my Moonstruck DVD.

Eurovision is a great Pierce/musical combo.

Noooo, LET JONO SING!

Hey, I found out my mom lied about who my dad was until I found my birth certificate at age 10. Then at 28 I found out that was a lie too. My bio dad didn’t know I existed but we found each other on my 54th birthday 🥳 We have an amazing relationship! I also have a great stepmom and sister.

Dang it!!! 🤣🤣🤣

Take a chance on me 🎶

Again… 🤣🤣🤣

Pierce Brosnan was meant for being a dashing spy, and trying to stop tiny mountain towns from being devoured by volcanoes. Not singing.

Hahaha Oh ABBA…. 😁

I absolutely love that Bill was so afraid when he thought Sophie was only his and then so relieved and excited when he said “I’ll take a third!”

🤣🤣🤣

Offspring: now available with a Greek Timeshare package!

Adoptive dads are awesome. ❤️

My version of Jono's accountability kink is a communication kink. The miscommunication trope bothers the ever loving hell out of me, but I do love the moment where all communication finally happens. In real life? I need someone who I don't need to drag communication and truth out of haha.

This part always gets me :,)

The last girl he Loved, Actually 🤭

I love Colin Firth

Lol

Jer-RY! Jer-RY! Jer-RY!

The priest’s confused face 😂

Karaoke FTW! 🎶🎵

Jono can sing!?!

Alan and I gave the exact response at the same time. Everything is the correct answer.

Ever since I watched this movie for the first time, I have wanted that music box that plays Slipping Through My Fingers.

I’ve never seen this. I hate musicals. But I will watch this for the team.

And Mrs. Doubtfire. Run by fruiting.

GANDALF

Thank God for the caveat about Louisville. I don’t live there, but I am from Kentucky, and I was about to go all Mama Bear about my home state in the comment section while sitting in my cubicle at work.

Character growth, Alan! So proud haha.

Kentucky represent!!

Whenever someone asks if I wish my mom had lied to me about my bio father, this is the exact reason why my answer is no. The identity piece is important.

Less than halfway through and already getting completely g’d up for the breakdown of Mamma Mia 2 that is hopefully coming sometime soon.

That scene in the musical is glow in the dark and insane. It’s actually played down in the movie. It is my favorite part.

I wouldn't mind a little Scar in my guard...LOL

Alan omgg 🤣

LMAO. SKAR UP THAT GUARD. Jono runs away 🤣🤣🤣.

Oh Alan, those puns…

Lmfao!!!

I do like the “grow back down” line. 😊

It’s a guilty pleasure

Yes I love this movie!

The Greek chorus is my favorite joke

I love Christine so much 😂 she’s such a vibe.

Anyone wanting to listen to more about Jono talking about his dishonesty, check out his Mended Light, channel, too. It's fascinating to listen to him be open about it.

With your powers combined, you guys makes great dads haha.

UwU That's what she does

She’s making manipulation look very lovable and cute. Charisma is fascinating.

The movie was adapted from the musical…which is why it’s so big!

Oof, my brain definitely did not go there 😬

LMAO. I love when they let their inner selves slip more hahaha.

So bad it's good! Pierce Brosnan really seems to love to sing and I regret my previous negative thoughts

Omg! We did do early DarkMomma 😂

Beautiful

BIGGER!

The edit with Simon is perfect. xD

There's the Pierce hate lmao

This is bad. I love it! 😂

Honestly this movie is terrible in the best way. The stage version is amazing, but this is so much fun.

It’s a crap movie. Yep. Lol but the music… yep. :)

YES. Yes, Alan. Join us on enjoying this hahaha.

I need a "pitch, please" Jono shirt

PITCH PLEASE. Pitch Perfect, when? Haha.

Let's goooo

Having watched a few of Mended Light episodes on lying, I'm looking forward to this!

I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve seen this movie and the second one

I lie to avoid conflict and/or B.S.😑

💃

I was watching this movie last night. Hah

Bad!!! Who said it’s bad?!

I’ve had SOS on repeat for the last week so this is fitting.

Christine Baranski 4Lyfe. 👌👌👌

"Less than stellar singing," it's ok, you can say Pierce Brosnan

*roy kent voice* fuck yeah, mamma mia!

Mentally preparing myself to now have the music stuck in my head for the rest of the day 🤣

Weeeee I'm early

I’m gonna go ahead and guess that the movie is fun to a large part because of ABBA ✨ but I’m swedish so… not the most neutral viewer 😂

Aaaah, yes. All the ABBA. I'm anticipating much karaoke 🤣.