My top three favorite movies, in no particular order, are as follows: "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," "13 Going On 30," and "Mama Mia!" I'm not sure why early 00s chick flicks have captured my heart in such an all-encompassing way, but if you offer to watch any of these three movies with me, you know I'll be there with some popcorn and tons of commentary. However, while the sequel to "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" was less than stellar (sorry, Nia Vardalos; I still love you!), and "13 Going On 30" is a one-and-done sort of film (much to my dismay), the recently released "Mama Mia 2: Here We Go Again" was, in my personal opinion, just as good as the first.
When it was first announced that the sequel to the ever-famous "Mama Mia" was going to come out this summer, I was skeptical: how could they ever top the first movie? How could anyone ever beat the perfection that is Meryl Streep?! However, I went into this new movie with open eyes, hoping to be pleasantly surprised. And, reader, I was! While this movie technically has a weaker plot than the first movie (SPOILERS, BEWARE: the storyline jumps back and forth between Sophie re-opening the island hotel she grew up after the death of her mother, Donna, and the long-past escapades of Donna when she first arrived in Greece), the nostalgia factor of the film made up for it. We got to see a little of all of our favorite characters, including all three of Sophie's dads, Sophie's husband, Sky, and my personal favorite characters, Donna's best friends Tanya and Rosie. The entire plot is set against the backdrop of a remote Grecian island, with small forays to Sweden, Japan, and France for added plot points.
Is this movie going to win any Oscar awards? No! Is it going to delight audiences all around the world? Yes. This movie is fun and heartwarming and has made me re-think my entire summer wardrobe (I need more flowing skirts! More platform boots! More bell-bottoms!) I give it a hearty two thumbs up and am--for once--happy with the way a sequel turned out.
