Beware a singing Brosnan, terra cotta monsters
By Bob Bloom
(Lafayette, Ind.) Journal & Courier
An ABBA-solutely fun musical, an action-packed sequel and a harrowing look at the war in Iraq have come to DVD.
The lowdown: This adaptation of the hit Broadway musical based on the songs of ABBA is bouncy, joyous and fun.
The only drawback is the singing of the male leads, especially Pierce Brosnan. You may want to turn down the sound when he opens his mouth.
That did not keep audiences from the film. Released on July 18, "Mamma Mia!," which was produced on a budget of $52 million, earned $143.7 million domestically and a whopping $425.4 million in foreign markets.
Don't miss: Hours of extras, including a sing-along feature for all the musical numbers, a making-of featurette, a behind-the-scenes look at the preparations for the singing and dancing, deleted scenes, outtakes, a music video and a downloadable digital copy of the movie.
Rated: PG-13, sex-related comments
The lowdown: In fact, the movie does not feature a mummy. Rather, it is a terra cotta evil emperor, played by Jet Li.
But because Brendan Fraser's Rick O'Connell is back, they had to tie it in somehow. The movie speeds along. It is all mindless fun.
The movie was released Aug. 1. Its special-effects heavy budget was $145 million. In the U.S. it earned $102.2 million and it added another $289.8 million in overseas revenues.
Don't miss: A lot of extras, including a making-of featurette, a behind-the-scenes on the special effects, a look at the casting and a downloadable digital copy of the film.
Rated: PG-13, adventure action, violence, fantasy images
The lowdown: A brutal and gritty look at the first days of the war in Iraq as seen through the eyes of a group of young Marines.
This three-disc set contains the entire series, plus bonus features.
The set features a splendid digital transfer; the sound effects may make you take cover.
Don't miss: Roundtable discussions with a group of Marines as well as author Evan Wright, a look at the making of the miniseries, actor Eric Ladin's video diaries, commentaries and deleted dialogues.
Rated: TV-MA, graphic violence, vile language
Bob Bloom reviews movies and DVDs for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette, Ind. He can be reached at bloomjc@yahoo.com.
