Mamma Mia!

Who:  Amber, Jonathan and friends
What:  Mamma Mia!
Where:  Leu Gardens, Orlando FL
Why:  It was outdoor movie date night!

I've always been curious about this movie, but I know Jonathan would never want to see it. Thankfully, his work friends were all going to a local garden to watch their monthly "date night" outdoor movie - and it was Mamma Mia!

20-year-old Sophie lives with her mother Donna (Meryl Streep) in Greece Donna runs a a cute and rundown hotel. Sophie is about to get married and wants her father to give her away. The problem, she has no clue who her father is. After reading her mother's diary, she discovers that she "got busy" with 3 guys the same month 20 years ago. One of them must be her father!

So, what does any bonehead 20 year old do - invite all 3 of them to the wedding. The moment she sees "her dad", she'll just know ... right?

Wrong! All 3 guys are pretty cool, and she has no idea. The 3 guys finally figure out what is going on, and they all 3 assume they are her father. Donna is mortified all 3 of these guys are staying at her hotel.

Hilarity ensues, Sophie's fiance is getting jittery, but the wedding goes off with out a hitch. Not! Come on, this is the movies remember?

The entire time I was dying to find out which guy is Sophie's dad is! It was such a suspenseful movie! Is it cutie Pierce Brosnen (sp?). Some crazy hippy guy with eye tattoos on his knees and butt (yes, we see some old man butt). Or the business suit guy who just might be gay.

Did I mention that every 10 minutes, somebody would break out into singing an ABBA song? It was pretty clever how all these random songs fit together to make a movie musical.

If you like cheese ball weddings and cheese ball music, then I recommend this movie. It was fun, cheesy and the location was gorgeous!

Take the Lead

Who:  Amber
What:  Take the Lead
Where:  @ home off cable
Why:  I like dancing movies!

Based on a true story, this movie is all about a ballroom dance teacher, Pierre (Antonio Banderas) and a group of good-for-nothing teenagers.

One night Pierre sees to see a boy destroying a principal's car. The following day (for some odd reason) Pierre goes to the school to speak to the principal. He doesn't tell her that he knows what happened to her car, but he overhears that nobody is available to 'teach' detention and volunteers. The director has little confidence in this idea, but figures "what the heck!"

The kids, who (of course) prefer hip-hop to any ballroom dance music are against learning dance. Then Pierre brings in a hot, sexy, tango dancer and they are hooked! Pierre convinced them to even sign up for a dance competition.

As a former teacher, it's a little hard to believe that a bunch of kids would flock to a prim and proper teacher trying to teach the foxtrot. And why does detention seem to last all day? And why is one of the math teachers so against Pierre teaching dance? These kids were kicked out of your math class for a reason - enjoy a classroom full of kids who want to learn! I know when there is a trouble maker in your class, it just consumes you!

The ending of this movie was great. It wasn't about who wins or loses the dance competition, it was all about learning about yourself, trying hard, and making a better life for yourself. Kudos to ballroom dancing!

Step Up

Who:  Amber
What:  Step Up
Where:  @ home on cable
Why:  I love hip hop!

I saw Step Up 2 on an airplane, so I figured it was about time I saw Step Up (1).  Plus, I love watching hip hop dancing.  I'm amazed at how fast they move, and the crazy acrobatics they can do with their bodies (like holding themselves up on one arm).

This movie has been made 100 times:  troubled attractive teen who can hip hop dance meets a 'rich' teen who can also dance.  They dance together, and learn lessons from one an other.

This time, troubled rich kid is Tyler.  He and his friends break into an art school, and find an auditorium with tons of cool props.  They do a little nuts playing around with the props, and end up breaking about half of them.  A rent-a-cop catches them, and Tyler gets hauled off to court.  Shocker of all shockers, Tyler must work off his debt by being a janitor at this art school from 2-5:30pm every night.

This is where Tyler sees Nora.  She's such a cutie!  Not your typical "hot movie chick", she's kind-of short, she has crazy redd-ish hair and a pushed up nose.  I just love seeing normal girls in movies.  It makes normal girls like me feel good!

Nora is a senior, working on her senior dance routine every evening.  Her dance partner hurts his ankle ... and nobody is available to set in ... or is there.  Tyler to the rescue!

At first he's awkward because he's never really danced a routine before, and Nora is annoyed with him.  Plus the other kids in the school are hesitant.

Yadda, yadda, yadda ... you all know the ending!

There is a side story about Nora's family and Tyler's foster family.  There are 2 other great side stories about other kids in school, and Tyler's ghetto friends.  Everybody learns some lessons, and lives happily ever after (well, kind-of).

This movie was so much more than dancing (but it also had some great dancing).  I highly recommend it!

One bummer was Tyler's foster sister - Allyson Stoner.  She's the little girl from the Missy Elliot video, the sporty girl in "Cheaper by the Dozen", and she was a Disney movie watcher kid for a while.  Anyway, in this movie she's about 12, and I know she can bust a move (she was a hip hop little tyke in the Missy Elliot Video "Work It").  I was dying for Tyler to go home, practice his dancing, and she works it along with him.  Alas, they didn't focus on Tyler's home life very much, so she never got a chance to dance.

Madagascar Escape 2 Africa

Who:  Amber & Jonathan
What:  Madagascar Escape 2 Africa
Where:  AMC at Pleasure Island
Why:  It looked cute

I like to move it, move it!  You like to move it, move it.  We like to move it, move it.  You like to ... MOVE IT!

Most sequels (especially animated sequels) are so overdone and a little ridiculous, but this movie was pretty good!  I don't remember the first one much, but I'd say it's just as good at the first.

At the beginning of the movie, they give you a quick recap of the 1st movie, in case you forgot how they got from the NYC zoo to Madagascar (thank you - I didn't remember that at all).  Then the movie jumps right to the 4 animals boarding an airplane (one they obviously found in the middle of the jungle) and are planning to fly back to NYC.  Good thing the penguins know how to fly (irony!).

Of course the beat up plane doesn't make it very far.  The animals have crash landed in Africa.  They all have a sense of deja vu ... wait a minute ... the 4 animals were originally from Africa!  Ironically the plane has crashed where Alex the lion used to live.  And his parents still live there!

There's a back story about the penguins and some monkeys trying to fix the plane.  There's a back story about a group of people from NYC on a safari trip.  More back story about all the animals finding their nitch with all the wild animals.  Etc, etc ...

All in all, this was a great movie!  I highly recommend it.

Mary Poppins

Who: Amber & Jonathan
What: Mary Poppins
Where: @ home on DVD
Why: Jonathan picked it out

I've seen Mary Poppins about 100 times (it used to be my favorite Disney movie - recently beat out by Bedknobs and Broomsticks), but I realized something. Mary Poppins is kind-of a jerk!

I mean, the kids are sad and ask her a question, and all she can answer with is "spit spot". And "Practically Perfect in every way"? She's kind-of full of herself!

Regardless, she still rules! And I could watch 2 straight hours of Dick Van Dyke doing his "Step In Time" song. And Mr. Banks (David Tomlinson - also from Bedknobs and Broomsticks) rules! I was very sad when he died a couple years ago.

If you haven't seen this movie (for shame!), or if you haven't seen it in a couple years, it's worth your 2 hours. If nothing else, just watch "Feed the Birds" and "Step in Time".

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Who: Alina
What: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Where: At home on Fuse
Why: One of my favorite movies as a kid

If you like dance movies this a good one. It's about a talented military brat, Janie, who always wanted to go to Chicago because her favorite show, Dance TV, was there. Dance TV is looking for a new couple to be regulars on the show so she auditions, against her father's wishes, and gets picked to be one of the finalist. They pair her up with her complete opposite, Jeff, and they automatically clash. Of course, they get close and challenge the obstacles that are in their way. Janie has a really strict father causing her to sneak out for rehersals. A rival's rich father threatens to fire Jeff's dad if he doesn't throw the competition and others typical stuff. It's a feel good movie so its totally predictable, totally cheesy, totally 80's, and totally fun!

You'll recognize some familiar faces such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Helen Hunt, and a preteen Shannon Doherty. SJP's Janie is a far cry from Carrie Bradshaw but endearing none the less. Hunt is funny as her outrageous best friend. I don't know what is up with the guys in this movie since they seemed to have vanished the last couple of years but they were great too. The rest of the cast is good.

You won't find any hip-hop, electric boogaloo stuff here. This is straight up dancing with a sprinkling of gymnastics thrown in! Todays dance films are impressive with their dancing but it's too much rump shaking and dependant on stunts. The dancing here is great, technical, and old school. The choreography is awesome and it was a nice change of pace to see dancers actually perform routines in a tradtional style rather than hip hop. As a dancer in my younger years I was totally enthralled with this movie.

It's great rainy day movie! It's a great filler movie since there is absolutely nothing on TV now that it's Summer. You'll come away with a smile. At the very least get a chuckle out of the 80's styles we all know and love!

Step Up 2 The Streets

Who: Amber
What: Step Up 2 The Streets
Where: airplane from Houston to Honolulu
Why: I love street/break dancing!

I had 4 movie options to watch on my flight, and I chose this one first. I love break dancing and dance music! I've never seen Step Up 1, but I assumed I could follow the plot easily. Actually, I doubt the movies have anything to do with each other.

Honestly, I was disappointed in this movie. I've seen MUCH better dancing on the TV show So You Think You Can Dance. I think I only said, "wow (check out that move)!" twice. The main girl was an ok dancer, but I really wasn't overly impressed. In face, the best break dancer was her nerdy school friend, and we only see him bust a move once!

The story was lame (girl has 1 more chance to stay in her town before her guardien kicks her out, joints a private dancing school, get's kicked out of her street "crew", forms a new school "crew" to challenge them to a dance off, school expells everybody for street dancing ... everybody learns a lesson in the end and everybody wins), but you don't watch dancing movies for the plot, you watch them for the dancing!!! Overall, I was kind-of bummed.