Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, the sequel(/prequel) to Mama Mia! the world has waited a decade for opened to widespread, universal acclaim* this weekend. Below, four Splinter editors unpack the film’s socialist imagery and its place in the Donald Trump era of filmmaking.
The following has been edited and condensed for clarity and contains spoilers.
aleks [1:33 PM] @here
MAMMA MIA CHAT TIME
Katherine Krueger [1:33 PM] i thought we said 2
aleks [1:33 PM] i said 1:30
Katherine Krueger [1:34 PM] hm
mamma chat
im gonna switch from pod to abba to get in the mood
Jack Mirkinson [1:34 PM] hmm good idea
Katherine Krueger [1:35 PM] AUDIO ONLY COME ON
Caitlin Schneider [1:35 PM] what was everyones favorite musical number
Katherine Krueger [1:35 PM] oh man
where to start
aleks [1:35 PM] Mamma Mia
Jack Mirkinson [1:35 PM] fernando!!!
Katherine Krueger [1:35 PM] def top 3
that song with sky SUCKED
aleks [1:35 PM] waterloo
Jack Mirkinson [1:35 PM] sky is the worst of course it did
Caitlin Schneider [1:35 PM] why sky
Jack Mirkinson [1:36 PM] fernando and waterloo were the best ones
Caitlin Schneider [1:36 PM] is what i thought throughout the movie
Katherine Krueger [1:36 PM] my general take: GTFO with that lame ass love interest
waterloo is perfect
Jack Mirkinson [1:36 PM] but the movie is so wise and like
barely spends any time on sky
they have that one song and then he’s in it for 5 minutes afterwards
aleks [1:36 PM] Mamma Mia!!!
Caitlin Schneider [1:36 PM] true and technically he’s the one who brings cher……….
Katherine Krueger [1:37 PM] aleks giving us a lot to think about as always
Jack Mirkinson [1:37 PM] when cher says “fernando???”
chills
Katherine Krueger [1:37 PM] they needed to give him SOMETHING to do
still i was not invested
Jack Mirkinson [1:37 PM] caitlin did your audience applaud for cher
Katherine Krueger [1:37 PM] amanda could’ve gotten with fernando
Caitlin Schneider [1:37 PM] my audience GASPED
Jack Mirkinson [1:37 PM] amazing
Caitlin Schneider [1:37 PM] we were not prepared
Katherine Krueger [1:37 PM] beautiful
we saw it with a lot of writerly olds
who surprisingly also loved it
Caitlin Schneider [1:38 PM] this movie was so good that no one in my theater cared that someone was just filming the whole thing on their iphone
aleks [1:38 PM] Mamma Mia!!!!!!!
Jack Mirkinson [1:38 PM] no our whole audience was hooked from second 1
Katherine Krueger [1:38 PM] despite one woman asking me before the screening began if i was 12 years old
Jack Mirkinson [1:38 PM] ^^^can confirm
Caitlin Schneider [1:38 PM] what
Katherine Krueger [1:38 PM] literally the rudest thing
Jack Mirkinson [1:38 PM] she was very “chatty”
Katherine Krueger [1:38 PM] i think work was mentioned
and she was like “how do you work? you’re like 12 years old!”
did not respond positively
Jack Mirkinson [1:38 PM] i mean accurate but
not nice to mention it
Katherine Krueger [1:39 PM] uh WOW IT’S LITERALLY NOT
Jack Mirkinson [1:39 PM] it’s called being polite
Caitlin Schneider [1:39 PM] remember when the “only 17” line hit during dancing queen
Katherine Krueger [1:39 PM] “where’s your mom”
Jack Mirkinson [1:39 PM] also have to say loved super trouper at the end
Caitlin Schneider [1:39 PM] great moment
Jack Mirkinson [1:39 PM] even though it bent all rules of time and space
aleks [1:39 PM] Mamma Mia!!!!!!!!
Katherine Krueger [1:39 PM] as salty nyt noted that’s the only time there were black and brown people
when they were boat dancing
my take?? A GREAT SCENE
HOW’D THEY DO THAT
Jack Mirkinson [1:40 PM] dancing queen scene really good
Caitlin Schneider [1:40 PM] i have to admit i did think about being white a lot during this movie
Katherine Krueger [1:40 PM] the boats must not have ACTUALLY been cruising right
Jack Mirkinson [1:40 PM] LOL
Katherine Krueger [1:40 PM] LOL
Jack Mirkinson [1:40 PM] caitlin say more
aleks [1:40 PM] Mamma Mia???????
Caitlin Schneider [1:40 PM] mamma mia extremely white
Jack Mirkinson [1:40 PM] yeah it’s quite white
Caitlin Schneider [1:40 PM] this stopped us all in our tracks
sorry
Jack Mirkinson [1:41 PM] mamma mia!
Katherine Krueger [1:41 PM] you know who else was NOT cruising? colin firth
aleks [1:41 PM] Mam....ma....MIA?
Caitlin Schneider [1:41 PM] Mamma Mia!!!!!
Katherine Krueger [1:41 PM] get it
Jack Mirkinson [1:41 PM] hmmm
Katherine Krueger [1:41 PM] bc he had no love interest
homophobic???
aleks [1:41 PM] mamma mia
Katherine Krueger [1:41 PM] (no)
Jack Mirkinson [1:41 PM] yeah that was rude to colin firth
where is his good gay part
Katherine Krueger [1:41 PM] his young was the weirdest actor though
Caitlin Schneider [1:42 PM] AGREE
Jack Mirkinson [1:42 PM] (a single man does not count)
Katherine Krueger [1:42 PM] not a sexual being
aleks [1:42 PM] MaHM Mia?
Katherine Krueger [1:42 PM] i really did not want that to be played out at all
Jack Mirkinson [1:42 PM] it is kind of weird that we are literally waiting around for her to have sex with each of these three men
aleks [1:42 PM](Mamma Mia i liked the actor who played young colin firth bc he was in a fleabag, a show i love Mamma Mia)
Katherine Krueger [1:42 PM] lotta typing, not a lotta words appearing
yes............
i also love fleabag
and hated him there too
Jack Mirkinson [1:43 PM] he is also in bbc parody show w1a
Katherine Krueger [1:43 PM] nowhere near as much as Sky though, i cannot understate this
Caitlin Schneider [1:43 PM] wow did not remember he was from fleabag
Jack Mirkinson [1:43 PM] dominic cooper has aged horribly
Katherine Krueger [1:43 PM] i did!!!!
Jack Mirkinson [1:43 PM] the guy at the dock would NOT be kind to him
Caitlin Schneider [1:43 PM] “Time has been most cruel to you, sir.”
aleks [1:43 PM] mamma mia
Jack Mirkinson [1:43 PM] dock guy was very good
Katherine Krueger [1:44 PM] anyway aleks said this is the most important film of the trump era
agree or agree
Jack Mirkinson [1:44 PM] no it’s true
Katherine Krueger [1:44 PM] i liked that onion review!!!
obviously the movie is not Good
Jack Mirkinson [1:44 PM] i am kind of gobsmacked about how profoundly i reacted to this movie
Katherine Krueger [1:44 PM] but it’s great and perfect
SAME
I’M STILL THINKING ABOOUT IT
aleks [1:44 PM] mamma mia
Caitlin Schneider [1:44 PM] i think the movie might be Good
Katherine Krueger [1:44 PM] so much joy in a little 2 hr film
it’s no schindler’s list
Jack Mirkinson [1:44 PM] it’s the exact kind of movie that is a FAVORITE movie even though it might not be a BEST movie
Katherine Krueger [1:45 PM] it knows its limitations!
Jack Mirkinson [1:45 PM] also it is better than the original
Katherine Krueger [1:45 PM] like if you’re the kind of person shitting on a movie like MAMMA MIA
i dont want to know you
Jack Mirkinson [1:45 PM] just like magic mike xxl was better than magic mike
Katherine Krueger [1:45 PM] ok
wait
Jack Mirkinson [1:45 PM] mamma mia here we go again is better than mamma mia
Katherine Krueger [1:45 PM] they’re just DIFFERENT
i do think they used up many of the best songs in the first
Jack Mirkinson [1:45 PM] well yes
Katherine Krueger [1:46 PM] so the fact that this one was better is a FEAT
Caitlin Schneider [1:46 PM] “Be still my beating vagina”
Jack Mirkinson [1:46 PM] iconic line
Katherine Krueger [1:46 PM] my queen
did you see the video of her being told she has big dick energy
Jack Mirkinson [1:46 PM] yes incredible
(btw magic mike xxl IS better than magic mike and for the same reason mamma mia 2 is better than mamma mia)
Caitlin Schneider [1:46 PM] im still thinking about the woman who plays young christine baranski
Jack Mirkinson [1:46 PM] (they dispense with plot and just focus on making us happy)
Katherine Krueger [1:47 PM] jack dont do this to me
BUT XXL reminded me that going to the cinema COULD BE FUN
Jack Mirkinson [1:47 PM] mamma mia 1 is full of meryl streep Having Challenges
Katherine Krueger [1:47 PM] rather than just uh.....intellectually stimulating
Jack Mirkinson [1:47 PM] mamma mia 2 just wants to give us joy
Katherine Krueger [1:47 PM] messed up about that horse tho
why was he there alone???
i have questions about the vacant greek farmhouse
Caitlin Schneider [1:46 PM] im still thinking about the woman who plays young christine baranski
yes
yeah how long had that horse been there
Katherine Krueger [1:48 PM] but again: this doesn’t matter!!!
this film is not concerned with such things and therefore neither am i
aleks [1:48 PM] Ma :clap: mma :clap: MI :clap: A :clap:
Jack Mirkinson [1:48 PM] young christine baranski.....that’s some talented mr ripley shit
Katherine Krueger [1:48 PM] i liked lily whatsherface
Caitlin Schneider [1:48 PM] she’s incredible!!!!!!!!!
Jack Mirkinson [1:48 PM] christine better watch out....young christine WILL kill her and take her place
Katherine Krueger [1:48 PM] good voice!
i was hoping the goat would reappear
Caitlin Schneider [1:48 PM] fhdfhdsifhsifdsiods
Katherine Krueger [1:48 PM] like during the birth scene
Caitlin Schneider [1:48 PM] the goat scene
killed me
Katherine Krueger [1:48 PM] friendly goat
Jack Mirkinson [1:49 PM] LOL
Katherine Krueger [1:49 PM] devil moon
Jack Mirkinson [1:49 PM] goat scene is so good
Caitlin Schneider [1:49 PM] had flashbacks to The Witch
Katherine Krueger [1:49 PM] EXACTLY
Jack Mirkinson [1:49 PM] still did not see the witch
Katherine Krueger [1:49 PM] also that breakup was the fastest in history
Caitlin Schneider [1:49 PM] oh
the goat is the devil
Jack Mirkinson [1:49 PM] cool
Katherine Krueger [1:49 PM] he packed his shit and was on a boat in FIVE MINUTES
it’s an Art film see it jack
Caitlin Schneider [1:49 PM] young pierce was confusing
the accents were all very confusing
Katherine Krueger [1:49 PM] which was the hottest
Young
what’s our power ranking
aleks [1:50 PM] Mamma Mia
Katherine Krueger [1:50 PM].........lol
Jack Mirkinson [1:50 PM] mamma mia is the hottest?
Katherine Krueger [1:50 PM] [whispers to date] that’s mamma mia
aleks [1:50 PM] Mamma Mia!
Katherine Krueger [1:50 PM] i liked young stellen
scandy
Jack Mirkinson [1:50 PM] young stellan/young pierce/young colin
that’s the order
Caitlin Schneider [1:51 PM] i like 2018 being the year that Andy Garcia was like “my new career trajectory is: im hot”
Katherine Krueger [1:51 PM] agree
correct
aleks [1:51 PM] :face_with_open_mouth_vomiting: :face_with_open_mouth_vomiting: :face_with_open_mouth_vomiting:
Katherine Krueger [1:51 PM] YES
TO BE FAIR
ANDY GARCIA OWNED THE MOVIE (sexiness wise)
even though he only had like 12 lines
aleks [1:51 PM] mamma mia
Jack Mirkinson [1:51 PM] can we pls go back to fernando scene
Katherine Krueger [1:51 PM] that beard should’ve been credited
Caitlin Schneider [1:51 PM] book club 2.0
Katherine Krueger [1:51 PM] cher had 3 outfit changes at the party????
Caitlin Schneider [1:51 PM] lol
Katherine Krueger [1:51 PM] this did not escape me
but was not remarked upon
and multiple wigs i am sure
Caitlin Schneider [1:52 PM] i fully thought she filmed alone until she and andy embraced
Katherine Krueger [1:52 PM] star treatment compared to how the movie treated meryl
VERY poorly
Caitlin Schneider [1:52 PM] yeah wtf!!!!!!!!!!!
Jack Mirkinson [1:52 PM] she signed off on it though
Katherine Krueger [1:52 PM] why was the ghostly singing visage necessary?????
and the blood milk maid hair
Caitlin Schneider [1:52 PM] horrible and rude
aleks [1:52 PM] Mamma Mia
Jack Mirkinson [1:52 PM] they were like “meryl has to die” and meryl was like “cool”
Katherine Krueger [1:52 PM] just let her be dead
bc she’s meryl streep!!!!!
Caitlin Schneider [1:53 PM] loved all the photos around the house of her on the same day
Jack Mirkinson [1:53 PM] she has to be ghost so she can be in the movie and make you cry!
Katherine Krueger [1:53 PM] LOL caitlin yes
two young hot shots with an older one in the middle
i loved that set piece
again rude!!!!
the film is so earnest and obvious and yet
here we all are
Jack Mirkinson [1:54 PM] in the first movie it’s implied that all three guys like spent a significant amount of time with meryl
but in #2 they each knew her for like 15 hours
Katherine Krueger [1:54 PM] yes!!!
aleks [1:54 PM] Mamma Mia......
Katherine Krueger [1:54 PM] these were like one night stands
not that im inclined to slut shame our young Free Spirit
Caitlin Schneider [1:54 PM] also why do the men love each other
Katherine Krueger [1:54 PM] “my destiny is in greece or whatever, idk”
Jack Mirkinson [1:54 PM] bc they love sophie
Katherine Krueger [1:54 PM] they’ve made peace
Jack Mirkinson [1:55 PM] they love being 1/3 of a dad to an adult woman
the easiest gig
Katherine Krueger [1:55 PM] i was just like.........do paternity tests not exist in this universe or
aleks [1:55 PM] Mamma Mia
Caitlin Schneider [1:55 PM] omg just remembered stellan skarsgard in the fat suit
Jack Mirkinson [1:55 PM] no the whole point is that they don’t WANT to do a paternity test
Katherine Krueger [1:55 PM] VERY RUDE ALSO
Jack Mirkinson [1:55 PM] LOL the fat suit is incredible
Caitlin Schneider [1:55 PM] a truly incredible moment
Jack Mirkinson [1:55 PM] and when they are doing titanic on the boat????
Katherine Krueger [1:55 PM] problematic????
ok that was excellent
Caitlin Schneider [1:55 PM] dancing queen was when the movie really got started
Katherine Krueger [1:56 PM] i would watch a buddy movie about just those two
let’s talk about the socialist implications
this movie? pro-peasant
Jack Mirkinson [1:57 PM] mamma mia 2? modern masterpiece
Caitlin Schneider [1:57 PM] jack can you refresh us on the woman with the sticks
Katherine Krueger [1:57 PM] stick woman
Jack Mirkinson [1:57 PM] so the woman with the sticks is in the first one
and she throws her sticks down during dancing queen and dances away
bc she is so into the song
Katherine Krueger [1:57 PM] looking haggard as ever i am sure
Caitlin Schneider [1:57 PM] wow hmmmmm
Katherine Krueger [1:57 PM] but she doesnt dance in this one???
messed up
Caitlin Schneider [1:57 PM] very different fate this time around
Jack Mirkinson [1:57 PM] well in the intervening period greece has been through a severe economic crisis
so
Katherine Krueger [1:58 PM] we’re all just carrying sticks up a hill, if you think about it
Jack Mirkinson [1:58 PM] probably too worn down to dance
Caitlin Schneider [1:58 PM] this one was also filmed in croatia apparently
Jack Mirkinson [1:58 PM] yes
aleks [1:58 PM] mamma mia
Katherine Krueger [1:58 PM] thanks
Jack Mirkinson [1:58 PM] katherine the arrangement between lily james and the old woman was v socialist
she gets to live rent free for contributing her music and general presence
Katherine Krueger [1:59 PM] yes
Jack Mirkinson [1:59 PM] such a utopia
Katherine Krueger [1:59 PM] from each according to their etc etc
“do you have any skills at all”
Jack Mirkinson [1:59 PM] and then the woman helps her give birth??? and yells at young pierce???
mvp
Katherine Krueger [1:59 PM] “oh i can sing if i’m happy or sad enough”
living rent free in a farmhouse
Caitlin Schneider [1:59 PM] but where does the wealth end up
Jack Mirkinson [1:59 PM] with one horse and no stairs
Katherine Krueger [1:59 PM] im gonna run away to greece
aleks [2:00 PM] Mamma Mia
Katherine Krueger [2:00 PM] WITH THE RICH PEOPLE, CAITLIN
WHO DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE PARTY
WHO WILL BE THERE FOR YOU WHEN TIMES GET TOUGH? YOUR FELLOW WORKERS
Jack Mirkinson [2:00 PM] and cher
Katherine Krueger [2:00 PM] lol
aleks [2:00 PM] [END CHAT]
*Among Mamma Mia! fans