Mamma Mia 2 is an Absurdist Masterpiece

it makes me feel like I am full of helium
PATREON: www.patreon.com/mediaprocessing
Vulture article by Rachel Handler: www.vulture.com/2022/04/an-or...
Bill Smith’s Dr. Phil video: • Dr Phil with no dialog...
0:00 introduction
1:27 1) the first scene
3:22 2) the entire conceit of the film
5:38 3) the graduation scene
9:05 4) setup and payoff
10:43 5) amanda and dominic's nightmare realm
14:19 6) why does this sequel exist?
15:59 7) everyone is having so! much! fun! shooting! this! movie!
17:09 8) musical numbers start like jumpscares
17:34 9) waterloo & diegesis
23:30 10) horse in the basement
25:52 11) they just redo songs that were in the first movie
26:56 12) dancing queen
32:36 13) the big payoff
34:37 14) Cher descending stairs
37:48 15) OH MY GOD IT'S MERYL STREEP
38:45 16) dance party!
39:32 conclusion

[@sophiapainted2232]

the experience of watching this movie in a cinema for the first time is an unparalleled experience, like there was a collective gasp when they revealed meryl streep was dead and one lady audibly said NO

[@tegan8523]

I'm laughing thinking about this happening

[@notthatkindofsam]

I may have been that woman 😂 I definitely had that reaction.

[@DawnDavidson]

@@notthatkindofsamme too!!

[@mcmann2243]

You didn’t mention that modern-day Bill and Harry are introduced by participating in bondage

[@fanni_sophia]

I watched it on streaming at home and yelled NO at my laptop.

[@talllankyguy]

Please for the love of god do not take this lightly, this is one of the most entertaining video essays i've seen in recent memory

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

I absolutely know you to be a man of great video essay taste, so I do not take that compliment lightly. Thank you so so much dude

[@TheNormExperience]

@@mediaprocessingchannel I mean, I’m an absolute nobody, but I cannot agree more. I was smiling the entire time I watched this video!

[@AoifeOConnor1996]

I have to agree! Genuinely made me laugh out loud, and extremely insightful

[@MS-gq6pg]

Absolutely true! So so enjoyable!

[@ev6553]

Oh. My. God. I cannot emphasize enough how much I agree with this comment. Out loud, By myself, I am laughing. Unreal.

[@LeBlondeJames]

Saw Mamma Mia 2 in the theater (nearest to the hottest retirement town in the West Coast), and when Cher made her grand reveal, it was genuinely the Avengers Endgame equivalent for old people. They woke up, leapt out of their chairs and started screaming, putting every inch of youth those old hearts had left into celebrating and expressing their excitement for Cher. One of my favorite movie theater moments, above and beyond any hammer lifting, any Fast or Furious, and for sure any Expendables antics.

[@AK-jt9gx]

Yo any chance this was Sequim, WA or Port Townsend, WA? Because I would laugh my butt off

[@nscott2000]

This was endgame for old people and gay teenaged tumblr users. My friends and I were shrieking with tears in our eyes when we saw her heel hit the floor, we were cringe but we were deliriously happy.

[@jadegrace1312]

That's awesome

[@ImJustHereToHaveAGoodTime]

I still have yet to forgive Meryl Streep for sitting out what to me was a pretty mediocre movie and then showing up in the last five minutes to ruin my life and give me an emotional reaction that I’m still discussing with my therapist

[@strawberey9933]

.... what ???

[@hectortrujillo4311]

Lmfao same, I was SOBBING

[@octodaddy1602]

I find it so paradoxically bizarre that this movie prioritizes having a good time over every other aspect of itself, and yet it opens with the biggest downer in cinematic history and then proceeds to CONSTANTLY remind you about it for two hours straight

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

HAHAHAHAHA TRULY

[@alexjames7144]

This is absolutely how all cinema should be structured, the vibe is paramount and nothing, not conventional techniques, reality or sense should get in the way of the vibe.

[@PanicLedisko]

Right?? It made me cry the whole fucking time, reminding me and my mom who went because she loved the first one and went with my dad to see it, that he passed away like Sophia's mother passed away, and then the parts where sophia's mom got to have such a great time living her life back in the 70s it made me cry because I know damn well we couldn't get away with the shit that she went through.. yknow like safely.

[@MM-ux7kp]

shiiiiiiiiit when you put it like that..... 🤔

[@angeliqueriou4067]

​@@PanicLediskoliterally this movie made me so emotional as well cause I saw the first one when it came out in cinema with my mum and it was such a beautiful and strong memory of my time with her ❤

[@ylrahc9284]

I also love that Cher is only three years older than Meryl Streep even though she plays her mother. And that that somehow just works and does not bother the mamma mia universe one bit

[@sheyannev2757]

I bet Cher won't talk about it like Adele Dazeem is still upset about playing Rachel's mom on Glee dispite only being 7 years older

[@mothmanlol6263]

@@sheyannev2757Lea Michelle and Idina Menzel have a 17 year age gap though which would make sense canonically considering she was a young mum who gave her up for adoption

[@heehoopeanut420]

​@sheyannev2757 Okay but it's because female actors constantly get type cast as "too old" and "motherly" WELL before their male counter parts get relegated to the father/older man supporting character. I think she was more upset about the whole culture around it than her own specific casting, which to be far is way far fetched.

[@TomWDW1]

@@sheyannev2757 I wouldn't talk about it either. Can you imagine being cast because you look like Lea Michele? Yikes. What a slap to the face. lol.

[@graced1446]

@@sheyannev2757 i had to google Adele Dazeem because I was so confused and i now have genuine tears in my eyes over the clip.. thank you

[@matthewlebo1841]

It’s a romcom without a clear romantic direction or leads. It has nothing to say, and it says that the most fun way possible. It has no right to make me cry like that. Goddamn, I love this movie.

[@CommanderLexa8541]

The Super Trouper scene will never fail to make me feel like I'm hanging out with my aunts at a party, it truly captures what joy feels like

[@artykumar]

Both Mamma Mia films are about the love between a mother and daughter tbf. Love interests aren't even secondary (the friends are secondary), they're tertiary.

[@Sharieflove]

The horse thing made me laugh so hard but it also made me a bit mad because like.... that horse is not in distress. Face relaxed, ears forward, looking at its trainer rearing up going "ARE YOU SEEING ME? AM I DOING GOOD?" It's doing so good and I'm so proud of it.

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

really into this Horse Analysis !! I'm glad the horse was feeling satisfied with its work

[@chelseacounsell]

Omg I relate to this comment so much except whenever a DOG is on screen

[@nineteenfortyeight6762]

You're kind to horses. Come live in my house rent- free forever!

[@justk4929]

My only critique of MMHWGA is that all of the boys looked way too modern and normal. The original showed Donna remembering them as super 70’s mustached guys. They looked so tame it took me a minute each time to realise they were the three love interests. 10/10 video essay

[@19Rena96]

I'm actually glad about that because they look more handsome that way lol

[@sian2337]

It could be because in the first film that’s just how she remembered them (ie. a bit over the top with the 70s styling. But in this movie it’s a prequel and that’s how they really looked.

[@BelgianBisous]

yes! I would have loved it had they embraced the full over the top 70s look. If everyone looked crazily 70s it wouldn't have been weird as a watcher, just fun!

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

this is a solid take haha, the prequel scenes are very "modern with 70s stylings"

[@TehMomo_]

I WISH THEY GAVE US PUNK HARRY.

[@Braxiatel_Collection]

You don’t know how much I wish Cher had just played herself. She basically already did but like how insane and brilliant would it have been if the whole time Donna’s mother was actual Cher the whole time

[@alexjames7144]

Omg I've always said this and choose to believe when watching the film that she's just Cher. They're so close to it as well, like they should have just committed 100% to the bit and had them call her Cher. I'd love to see Cher's confusion when none of the locals know who she is and the rest of the cast including Rosie and Tanya are like "did you know? I didn't know? Her mother was Cher this WHOLE TIME? I thought Donna was POOR!" Just the comedy of Cher As Herself

[@rosieosho]

It's not the same but she is called SHERidan which raises the question of to what extent that was planned

[@crazylips123]

It wouldnt make sense i think, cher had her first kid in the 70s, and donna was a full adult by then, so unless we made cher much older in the story it would be weird

[@alexjames7144]

@@crazylips123 It's mamma Mia, I think we could suspend our disbelief for Cher's age. She has been here since the dawn of time afterall

[@kathybramley5609]

Yes but no but - Mermaids is a whole other film and Cher already did the Jewish-Catholic Mother-Daughter thing!? 'Catholic guilt!' Julie Walter's screamed.

[@emmahobbs4552]

I would like to also add to this bizarreness that I met a guy who plays a baker in the background for this film and the literal only reason he plays a baker is bc he was the baker in the live action Beauty and the beast. They have a whole shot of him carrying bread entirely for that reason.

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

omg this is important lore. thank u for adding this to the conversation

[@deathmaiden]

woahhhh. he’s baker type cast! already!

[@serenaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

Agreed, this is an incredible video essay, but you didn't mention the truly insane throwaway bits where Stellan Skarsgard plays Bill's brother in a fatsuit *pretending* to be Bill to accept some award for him, or the ageless/immortal dockworker who flirts with Harry? This movie terrifies and delights me, its narrative choices and visual aesthetics have burrowed in my head and laid eggs

[@maurac44]

THANK YOU I THOUGHT IMAGINED THAT PART BECAUSE WTF WAS THAT??

[@chelseacounsell]

Omg I want to love this comment

[@bbmom728]

Or Sam getting winded going up the stairs😅😅

[@emma-xt5iy]

My favorite part was that donna’s friends have had the same haircut for 30(?) years

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

HAHAHA

[@3dnygma]

I saw this while on vacation at the Croatian island Vis where they filmed the "Greek" outdoor scenes for this one. it was insane. they aired this movie at an outdoor cinema and they audience was half locals, half tourists. the experience of watching the locals cheer at the most random moments because one of their houses was shown truly added to the madness (mood tho)

[@zandikhetwayo7444]

I love this so much

[@carat_light]

im croatian and mamma mia is one of my favorite movies ever so this made me very happy

[@jasminem812]

I love Croatia and I love this comment

[@na3rial]

It's like the old generation/theater kid equivalent of the fast and furious franchise. You don't question anything because nothing actually makes sense. You just enjoy the ride, the visuals, the energy, and the actors (and songs)

[@annakurtz4991]

literally came here for this comment haha that was exactly my thinking!! stage musicals tend to have these kinds of vibes yknow?

[@elizabethb4168]

Y'know, someone had to pitch the horse scene. Someone in the writers room sat everyone down and was like, "so there's a horse in the basement, and it's scared, and Donna is gonna calm it down, and then an old Greek lady is gonna let her live in her house rent free forever cuz she's nice to the horse, and that horse's name? That horse's name is Hector" And everyone agreed that that scene needed to be in the script, that it was a very normal scene for their movie to have.

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

you understand. you get it!

[@elizabethb4168]

@@mediaprocessingchannel it's almost like the movie was written using MadLibs, and half the blank spaces asked for ABBA songs instead of verbs or adjectives.

[@siriusblackleach3489]

My headcannon is that someone in the writers is a total nerd and named the horse Hector after the character in the Illiad, (where we get the Trojan horse) I have not evidence to support this, but Im gonna keep on believing it.

[@miatorres9321]

This is a 10/10 movie and a 10/10 video

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

THANK YOU MIA

[@tracymcardle1236]

Love this film its wonderful❤

[@leahblank7339]

are you the mama

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

@@leahblank7339 hi my name is Mama, Mama Mia

[@madinp1177]

I was in disbelief from the start of the film by the choice to make Donna a valedictorian at Oxford. We don't have valedictorians in the UK?!?!?!? You couldn't do the tiniest bit of research??

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

HAHAHAHAHAHA I DID NOT KNOW THIS

[@madinp1177]

@Media Processing It's true!! I also feel like it just doesn't fit Donna's character Not saying that she's dumb or anything, but one must surely have to be pretty bloody bookish to be valedictorian at OXFORD, no??? Do we ever see her engage in any intellectual pursuits in the first movie? I don't feel like we do?? So many unanswered questions

[@katiehusband1505]

Mate this was my one main takeaway!

[@katashworth41]

I’m pretty sure Ol Parker is British and Richard Curtis definitely is. They would know that (and I saw this the day after sitting through a graduation, even not knowing about the scene I was praying for someone to burst into song as it was so dull. And the full h7mid hell of a British summer).

[@alexk7937]

hahahahahahaha why is this so funny omg

[@peterkorman77]

I watched this movie in a theater full of EXTREMELY receptive wine moms, and it was genuinely one of the most intensely surreal experiences of my life. I'll never forget it.

[@deathmaiden]

I saw the first movie for the first time last night and KNEW moms went wild for this shit when it came out, but i was a teenager and didn’t care/rolled my eyes at the time. Now i literally wish i could travel through time to experience seeing both of these in theaters, to be near and amongst the receptive wine moms!! I feel like it would fill me with life force energy. Ugh.

[@cryptidrecording]

I never saw the original Mama Mia, so my grandmother taking me to this was like entering a strange metaphysical music montage with like the most bland plot doing the most outlandish and insane movement to speak those normal boring plot beats. It floored me. I adored it. I’ve been thinking of Waterloo for over 5 years. It’s crazy how good it HIT.

[@Rio.Punk.T]

Hadn't watched the first one before watching number 2 in theaters, on a first date, with a theater nerd who is now my husband. I'm so glad someone else experienced my level of confusion and delight 😂

[@joselocalau123]

waterloo is the best musical number in this movie HANDS DOWN. Absolutely iconic

[@halane4790]

I unapologetically love these movies. They do indeed prioritize joy and you know, sometimes that’s all I need: pure unadulterated joy. I am also fond of “old actors having fun destination movies”. The actors always deliver, even if they are mostly relaxing and the script doesn’t give them much, and the pure delight they take in just working shines through.

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

OLD ACTORS HAVING FUN DESTINATION MOVIES!!!!!!!

[@maddieb.4282]

I need suggestions of other movies in this genre! Under the Tuscan sun?

[@halane4790]

@@maddieb.4282 marigold hotel!

[@carlableiker3752]

@@maddieb.4282 Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for sure!

[@AwkwardPen]

Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel spring immediately to mind lol

[@lewisjwr]

Also insane that during When I Kissed The Teacher, the teacher, played by Celia Imrie (who isn’t Scottish), sings her lines in a thick Scottish accent for absolutely no reason

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

I almost mentioned her accent on that verse but didn't know how to tie it in! I did NOT KNOW she is NOT SCOTTISH

[@TacticusPrime]

Professor McGonagall reference?

[@AnnaGiuliaFiction]

These movies are the feeling you get when you're almost drunk, but not too drunk. When you're still in the "I can have another drink" phase, but you ASBOLUTELY shouldn't have another drink because it will make you spiral in either sadness or the worst hangover of your life. It's that moment when you feel both invincible, and joyious, and you don't have a care in the world, so "what the hell, I CAN DANCE" and you absolutely cannot, but you have so much fun doing it anyway. And maybe there's some drunken karaoke involved and you absolutely suck at it, but it's still the best feeling in the world. You're making a fool of yourself and having the time of your life at the same time.

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

incredible take. bravo. u understand the vibes

[@amandacrandell7551]

They made amanda and dom seem like they were rooms away while being literal countries away but couldn’t make Cher and Andy who are actually supposed to be close feel universes away. That’s some real talent

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

BAHAHAHA

[@MsDouggieFresh]

I love this film. it’s so messy. my favorite thing is how it clearly says donna graduated in 1979- and if we assume she also got pregnant in 79 and gave birth in 1980, and sophie is 20 in MM1, that means it’s 2000. which puts the sequel in 2005, except they also all have like modern iphones and laptops

[@cowboyfunkk]

ahahahaah thats so funny what

[@cinemaocd1752]

Exactly! It should technically be a period film. Maybe Colin Firth has an "absolutely no more period films" advisory out to his agent or something....

[@willmorton8006]

Also, Cher is only 3 years older than Meryl Streep

[@manedrain]

​@@willmorton8006this is what bothers me the most lol and that in the first movie she hinted at her mom being dead and a hardcore Catholic!

[@dianamarcekova9615]

​@@manedrainAnd then we learn she's alive and a singer who cares about her reputation.

[@acsaudiodramas]

The crazy, creepy, wild thing is: when the first movie came out, I watched it in theater with my parents. When the sequel came out, I didn't read a single review and went into the movie with my dad. It was really creepy that the mom was dead, because my mom was dead too. You can imagine how I felt during the scene when the daughter basically sings a duet with the ghost of the mom.

[@melodiewilliams]

Hugs to you and your dad. Grief is hard.

[@chelseacounsell]

Oh my god I’m so sorry. You must’ve lost your mind during that scene :(

[@acciesfan8]

I took my mum to see it around the 2nd anniversary of her mum's death to cheer her up because she was struggling with grief, so as you can imagine that was awkward

[@na3rial]

I loved the credits with the younger and older selves. It's simultaneously fourth wall breaking and emphasizing the core of each of the characters. It's both the actors having the time of their lives and the characters having the time of their lives

[@Bananabeans10]

i absolutely loved when the actors sang with their younger counterparts because it was just so enjoyable and fun

[@twickymitch1]

This is already an excellent video, but the nightmare-core Mamma Mia song cue when you’re about to explain something under the surface made me laugh every single time

[@RstyRngBabe2161]

18 minutes in and I scrolled back to find this comment b/c I caught myself giggling at that song cue. Yaaaas

[@artyb27]

Same here! And so glad to now have a description for it. "Nightmare-core", love that.

[@gregorybolton4]

If you liked the movie why are you cutting it apart,must be the woke generation!

[@ventiarchon4481]

Can someone please tell me what that version of the song is called?

[@victoriamariadantasrodrigues]

The Waterloo explanation absolutely sent meeeee!

[@kristinlinnae372]

You perfectly explained the constantly underlying bewilderment and ecstasy I feel every time I watch this movie. Why do the younger selves need to have the exact same hair as the older versions as if personal style doesn’t change after decades? Why does everything feel a little like a fever dream? I don’t need it to make sense. It’s a fucking delight to watch.

[@leilabourouina7162]

Mlpppl

[@Cheyruz]

The dancing queen scene with the dancing people on the boats getting closer with each shot but also not really kinda reminds me of the scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail where the one knight is running up from a distance and each time the shot changes from him to the guards he's charging at and back to him he's the same distance away as he was before

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

I literally had a conversation with a friend about this scene the other day!! Big Agree

[@carmendebeer7777]

My guy, I have never been so happy to click on a video from a creator I had no prior knowledge of. I smiled for 40 straight minutes, only pausing to genuinely giggle every now and then. Thank you for making this.

[@jordanbone79]

I was so hyped for Cher since seeing the marketing and yet her sudden jump-scare appearance (her jump-Cher) still made my jaw drop

[@doctorwholover1012]

The phrase "jump-Cher" is going to live rent-free in my mind forever now, thanks 🤣

[@daisyprayers]

The Cher reveal sent me into hysterics when I first saw this movie. I had no idea she was going to be in it and even though there is nobody else she could possibly be I thought I was losing my mind until the credits confirmed that it was, in fact, Cher. I don’t think any other movie has ever affected me quite so viscerally. (Also this is a fantastic and hilarious video, well done!)

[@naomis2774]

I watched this movie in a small theatre with about 30 people in it, everyone BUSTED UP when she came out it was one of the funniest moments of my life.

[@alexjames7144]

Honestly the biggest question I had leaving this film is why tf they don't just randomly put Cher in everything. The way me and my best friend sat the whole time at the back of the theatre whispering "when tf is Cher coming in?" And then the helicopter comes in and we just KNOW that they DID THAT

[@zetjet9901]

This musical simultaneously feels like it takes place in the world of Mamma Mia (2008) and the world of The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals

[@peytonp8512]

mamma mia at the starlight theater!

[@mistermeowmeows]

It feels like when you and your friends were up too late and over tired at a sleepover, and you got this manic giggly energy. Like all it took was a fart sound, and you could literally die from laughing. Brava.

[@hawk977]

This has got to be one of the funniest film reviews I have ever watched. When I watched this movie in theaters, it gave me such a strange feeling I couldn't name, but thanks to this video, I now understand how it made me feel.

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

OMG THANK YOU, YOU UNDERSTAND watching this in theaters was one of the single strangest film experiences I've ever had and I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt that way

[@Dancerdancer123100]

Watching in theatres was fun cause I went to a matinee showing and it was me and a bunch of retired women there to listen to Abba and see Colin Firth get tied to a chair

[@melodiewilliams]

These two movies have been the soundtrack to all my work during and since COVID. Seeing this really helped explain why and how I loved them.

[@UbeBop]

as someone who watched both mamma mias back-to-back, i feel incredibly vindicated that someone finally recognized 2 as the Kafkaesque masterpiece it is

[@sidney4357]

this video essay is INSANE. the hard cut from 'maybe it wasnt a dream after all :)...' to '10. HORSE IN THE BASEMENT.' almost made me actually piss myself. hilarious man, keep up the good work. between you and Wendigoon i've got my 'hilarious video essays' fix for the last month.

[@rattyeely]

The unsettling remix of the Mama Mia riff that plays whenever you're talking about something especially unhinged really adds so much to this video

[@Jamie-KB]

I'll be honest even though I do like the second Mamma Mia film more than the first one, never have I realized why. And yes despite the fact that the plot is like a bit of an afterthought and that it doesn't even follow on some concepts laid down on the first one, it kind of just let's you vibe. You can put it on, suspend your disbelief and have a good time. It's just kind of very ridiculous and I love that about this movie

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

Ok love this take! If you take MM2 on a pure vibes level, it's immaculate. It's as much if not more fun per second than the first one

[@Bluey306]

ohhhh, that’s interesting. the first movie is my favourite movie of all time, which also means i _want_ to and have to pay attention watching it because all the little details about the movie (not just the songs) makes it the thing that i love. it’s a relatively grounded film filled with awesome music and a charming cast having the greatest time of their lives. whereas, you’re right, mm2 is just all about vibes, and i am *so* here for that.

[@Alonepistachio]

Thats a good point, personally I’ve always had issues with movies or tv shows that is style over substance but some really do their best despite not having much of a plot

[@mariealba4158]

I really like dissecting movies but with this one I just don't care about anything. It makes me intensly happy, more than any other movie ever did, and that's more than enough for me

[@sarahpitney8179]

It's a bit like they prioritized the audience over the critics!

[@dushdjtoedushdjtoe3298]

The most unbelievable part of this disco fever dream is the fact that a horse on a Greek island seemingly understood English (when spoken by a beautiful man)

[@mistermeowmeows]

I think that surreal joy feeling is like non-toxic theatre-kid energy. The movie feels like you went into a dream that was based on a memory of theatre camp experience.

[@98Clank98]

i think we also need to quickly shoutout the fact that Meryl's cameo in the ending dance scene has her alone on a roof above the crowd as if she's joining in from heaven. and then Rosie and Tanya rise up from behind the roof to sing with her, and i remember screaming 'WAIT DID THEY DIE???' at the screen

[@Devyno]

See, what you missed is actually that the Grecian island that the movies take place on is an old mine that they had to close because of the hallucinogenic gas deposits they found

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

WHAT

[@konijnie97]

Absolutely that feeling distance and 'are they even shooting together?' during Fernando is on purpose. They hadn't seen each other in DECADES, so they have to traves not only the room (garden, plaza whatever), but also all that time of not seeing each other and longing. Their history, both together and apart, to finally come together again

[@ghostsoffishandcrows7341]

OH YOU'RE A GENIUS

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

WAIT I LOVE THIS TAKE HAHAHA. But see you too have fallen into the film's trap. Is it incompetent filmmaking, or secretly an extremely deep masterpiece? You have now fallen under its spell!! hahahahahahaha

[@reaverkai]

I was thinking the same thing! and we saw nothing of their relationship so it's like a speedrun immersion into the character's feelings/experience. It just adds a little more subtext to the lyrics and backstory... The anxiety, the desperation for it to be more fast paced, the _goddamnit meet already ffs_ !!

[@alexjames7144]

This was my take too, they're so stunned to randomly see such a blast from the past that all they can see is each other, there's nobody else in the room. And they don't even seem real, are they a figment of your imagination? Is this really happening? Omg I think they're real. They decided to use film making in the most bizarre and rogueish way possible to force us to feel the same vibes as the characters. And we're stuck between some strange limbo of feeling both like the two lovers and the confused people around them. The scene is masterful and I refuse to believe it could be by accident, it'd be like if you tripped and dropped a jigsaw that magically falls perfectly into place

[@starrykev]

the meryl streep reveal was a straight up jumpscare

[@amennoodles]

this movie is supposed to be fun and light hearted but it managed to make me cry THE ENTIRE TIME. From the moment we find out Donna is dead it was over for me and everytime I'd just collected myself they brought it up again and I was crying again

[@marianasouto5120]

Yes, me too!! I was so sad. During the movie I couldn’t recover from that news. But when they showed her life in the past, it was kind of a melancholic, beautiful feeling and I felt I connected with young Donna so much. Like I was looking into the life of a really close friend. But in the present they would randomly mention her or show her picture I would collapse. Then during dancing queen and Fernando I started feeling good and upbeat and they take us to the church scene😭 which was one of the most beautiful moments on cinema for me, I cried a lot but somehow that scene made me calmer and accepting of her death. It was so beautiful. This movie is crazy ahahah

[@Danniphant]

-As for the "One of Us" scene, I feel like the 'phoned in' and flat performances were meant to show how they feel lost and depressed without each other. -As far as them having fun with the acting, it's a known fact that for both movies the cast were drunk like 90 percent of the time they were filming -It's important to note how heavily Benny and Bjorn were involved in the creation of both the stage show and both movies.

[@jito7377]

Please tell me more about the drunk cast.

[@bouncingbuttons7441]

this video i think manages to emulate the exact energy of the film it's discussing so well. i was so thoroughly engaged that i literally kept muttering "is he going to mention bertolt brecht? is he going to mention bertolt brecht?" during the duet transition analysis and proceeded to actually cheer out loud when he did.

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

absolutely obsessed that the Brecht drop actually ended up being a PAYOFF for keen viewers familiar with the lad and were wondering if it was coming hahahaha

[@bouncingbuttons7441]

@@mediaprocessingchannel it was PERFECTION itself this is now one of my favorite video essays on this website

[@DaysWeSpend]

This is my favorite move of all time. We went to Vis, Croatia last summer. It's where they filmed this movie (since the Greek island got too built up). We reenacted the "Apollonia!!!!!" scene on the dock. As I was running down the dock, an older Croatian man stopped me and asked if I was doing the "Mamma Mia" movie. I said "of course! It's my favorite!" Then, he proceeded to tell us how he was IN THAT SCENE!!! He even showed us the video on his phone and told us about getting pushed in the water. Also, about how they used many locals in the scenes and categorized them as dancers, town people, etc. The HIGHLIGHT of our trip to Vis.

[@user-cm6mo6xq5f]

This movie holds the answer to true contentment. It embraces the absurdity of existence and laughs in the face of it. It doesn't seek answers to questions that needn't be asked.

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

you understand!!!!

[@the_only_living_ghost]

I can’t believe you didn’t even talk about the strange surrealness of the fact that the three younger girls resembled, and nailed their older counterparts perfectly.. I think they actually went back in time and had them play them younger

[@btshails]

Genuinely cannot fathom the low view count on this video as it’s quite literally the most fun I’ve had watching a video essay in some time. Your style, delivery, framing, humor, and just overall perspective exude joy just like the movie you’re covering. Honestly amazing. And I never comment but I just had to in this case. Seriously well done!

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

that means so much 🥲 thank you so much for watching and enjoying it! Planning on making more, it's a fun process!

[@meddlesome-]

I love how ridiculously over-the-top your script is. When you devolve into existential analysis my brain begins to melt. You are literally a meta layer of the movie. It all meshes together in my brain.

[@stormvexed]

The real treasure was the horse we found in the basement all along.

[@DollfaceLizkah]

The reason this movie is so enjoyable to me is because pretty much ALL of the cast couldn't wait to make it. I remember reading random interviews that had nothing to do with the movie series, where the actors would bring up the movie authentically. They truly loved the first one and they truly love this one too. That's why that love radiates. I remember leaving the theater feeling that way too. The only thing missing is Meryl of course, well besides the ending. However i have to say the ending is truly beautiful. I couldnt stop crying at the thought of her watching her daughter have a daughter. But your review is really good too lol.

[@peachstitchknits]

Honestly I had no memory of the original mamma mia being that bizarre and after a rewatch realised some of the shot choices are insane. The comically intense zooms when we meet Sophie’s Dads had me on the floor.

[@catewatson3269]

I saw this on a big screen under the stars on a cruise in the middle of the ocean, children jumping out of their deck chairs to dance, people singing along and waiters delivering popcorn, hot dogs, fruity cocktails etc. If you wanted the prioritising of joy notched up to the max, believe me this was perfect.

[@misstjassa]

This is a great video essay! It explained a lot of what I was felt during the movie. We saw it two days ago in the open air cinema on Vis island where the movie was shot (they play it every Wednesday). The scene with Cher and Fernando made me laugh so much, it somehow passed my brain, I went straight to laughter and I didn't understand what the hell was going on! And it's a gift that keeps on giving! As Fernando is actually not a love song at all but a song about 2 veterans remembering a battle! So me and my boyfriend looked up if there was a war in Mexico in 1959, and there actually was a minor conflict between Mexican fishermen and Guatemala! Now we imagine what role Cher and Fernando played in that conflict. It's a lot of fun!

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

WOAH ok I did not know that about Fernando!!

[@ginster458]

the magic of this movie is that it instantly upset me with throwing out continuity by saying Donna's mom was living in Vegas and being a party girl when in the first movie she was portrayed as conservative and kicking Donna out for getting pregnant only to then FLIP it and still make me mad at the lack of continuity but having me be upset that Donna's mom wasn't Cher in the first one already

[@kimberlyterasaki4843]

There was so much wild stuff in this movie that you didn’t even mention how the marketing implied that the whole plot was going to be about Sophie’s anxiety over being a mother only to not reveal that in the movie until the VERY END?! Like most modern movies only use footage from the first act and a bit from the climax to market themselves but this film spoiled almost every piece of its plot while also having a dozen plot twists

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

omg I'm obsessed I did not know this either. I may need to make a follow-up with things I left out or didn't learn til after making it

[@iroc]

@@mediaprocessingchannel the people demand it!!!

[@ashtaylor4107]

They do briefly hint to the pregnancy in the "one of us" scene, but it's so subtle, it might as well not be there. lol I love how the film was such a surreal experience that I think most people completely forgot what was advertised in the trailers within the first 10 minutes.

[@ashtaylor4107]

@@mediaprocessingchannel Yes please!

[@lolipop13n]

​@@ashtaylor4107 i remember that i saw trailer and one od teasers before going to cinema and i was very dissapointed. All about plot was revealed in this videos.

[@annaniedzwiecka364]

It was so refreshing to see this honestly. My whole family thinks its just a normal movie and i was just so confused after leaving the cinema Also as a mamma mia fan i can tell it was really weird experience plotwise? In the first movie through the old diary of Donna that Sophie found we establish a solid timeline of where and when did she meet every one of them, but nothing adds up in this movie so it felt really weird if u have the first one burned in your memory. To add to this we get the photos and memory versions of all of them in the first movie, all with long hair flower power etc but suddenly we go back in time and they r just regular guys dressed like its 2018?

[@mystery1317]

As someone who studied theatre in college, the Brecht and Beckett references took me OUT 🤣 But you make a good point about it being disorienting but in a positive/joyful way, as opposed to the previously mentioned artists. I remember watching this in the cinema with my mom and sisters and being like “I have no idea what’s going on, but I’m having a GREAT time” 😂

[@lulua6203]

It kind of reminds me of the Britney/Brittany episode of Glee. Like, at this point Glee was still storytelling conventionally in a way that made sense. For the Britney episode, they just decided "Fuck plot, we're doing Britney... absurdly." Like the Waterloo scene is the same energy as Santana requesting to go under anaesthesia by John Stamos the dentist in order for her and Brittany to have a joint Britney Spears fantasy to Me Against the Music.

[@lulua6203]

It's like the beginning of Brittana being canon, and also now they do joint fantasies with each other but also like they only exist together in fantasy because Santana is still checking out and making comments about Carl the Dentist in front of everyone and like idk if it was on purpose but like it kind of makes sense. And if anyone was going to have a joint hallucination, you know it would be Britt and San

[@karlarosas1424]

I totally forgot about that, oh god.

[@DawnDavidson]

Such a great episode! I loved Glee. Well, before Finn died, which sucked. (RIP) The show just lost its heart then, rather literally.

[@qweraws6829]

i thought a 40 min video essay about mama mia 2 was overkill but now I just want MORE

[@RstyRngBabe2161]

I know I don't need to watch it all, I have not watched either film. But here I am hiding in the kids bathroom at 2am. 😁

[@qweraws6829]

@@RstyRngBabe2161 why are you hiding there bae

[@floatingdaisy3256]

20:55: This reminds me of Willy Decker’s direction of Verdi’s *La Traviata* for the Met. At the end of Act I, Violetta is going back and forth with her conflicting emotions about Alfredo (“Ah, fors’e lui”) while Alfredo’s own voice can be heard singing offstage. Although the stage directions have Alfredo singing on the street outside her window (if I remember correctly), Decker’s weird, sterile staging make it feel as though Alfredo’s voice were merely a memory in Violetta’s mind. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Alfredo just appears onstage, still singing his same song. That moment always seems to me to mock the line between imagination and reality.

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

this is such a music/theatre nerd comment int he best way, deeply appreciate this

[@angelicarose2364]

i am on my period and depressed but this video turned my mood around and transported me to a level of contentment i have not experienced in several months, thank you for making this

[@skyethorne4568]

literally me right now

[@defunkdafied]

Also me right now 🤣

[@Wyndsaurus23]

The reason the dancing queen scene was so weird for you to experience was because you experienced it wrong by just sitting there and watching it, you were supposed to get up and start dancing and singing along, therefore not caring about the repetitive and pointless montage while dancing queen (the best ABBA song ever) plays and you twirl and prance in the movie theater.

[@waytoomanybees]

I also love how it just throws away the already paper-thin plot of the original movie in places, like the whole conceit was that all three guys went to the island and slept with her, but in the second movie Harry doesn't even go to the island with her iirc (or if he does it's definitely not where they sleep together) and honestly I've always admired it for putting fun above any sort of storytelling

[@Ocarina654]

I am SO glad that this title and thumbnail grabbed my attention because this video was absolutely wonderful. The absurdity at play in the film, your infectious joy at reveling in it, and the absolute unpredictability of what would happen next are all just A++ tier stuff. Loved the video. Def gonna be checking out your others.

[@ItsLoHere]

The vibe of this analysis reminds me of some of my college courses where we discussed the absurdity of Victorian novels and I’m here for it.

[@MorningOnMars]

The way his eye twitched after he said "this movie exudes joy" makes me feel like he was forced into this analysis at gunpoint. This video made me laugh out loud like seven times.

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

HAHAHA that's one of my favorite takes. I tried to fight the movie and it won. It forced me to make this

[@MorningOnMars]

@@mediaprocessingchannel I have not seen Mamma Mia 2, but I might now.

[@annapolly14]

its absolutely absurd that donna went to oxford?! its literally one of the hardest schools to get into in the world, and she seemingly doesnt care about her degree even though its from oxford and could get her any job she wanted?! wild

[@stellarsteph7]

I don't know if this will make sense, but the surreal-emotional-rollercoaster-yet-blissful-exuberance is exactly what ABBA feels like to me. Like this movie is a perfect representation of the band that it comes from, even more so than the first film. Amazing essay and I genuinely doubt the creators were aiming for this kind of effect but it makes this sequel that much more entertaining lol

[@edenglass3098]

3 months later, but this is an amazing video essay!! Your editing and script somehow carries the same manic energy as the film you're analysing! And I love it!!! Also you explained film techniques and does with more clarity than any highschool teacher ever did! Definitely using this for reference if I ever need to remember how to tell effective stories through film. Or create a manic fever dream!!!

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

thank you!!! I'm so glad the film technique explanations landed for you, that's wonderful to hear!!

[@edenglass3098]

No problem! And yeah, I'm a big film analysiser/enjoyer (by which I mean I love movies and analysing them has become kinda automatic as part of consuming any created work) but never heard of the question answer way of thinking about it. In a way it makes a lot of sense, but of course there's a whole lot more to it than that. I also remember watching this movie soon after it came out. It definitely felt strange, but I wasn't quite sure why. I probably wrote it off as jukebox musicals as a whole being disjointed and feeling contrived, which is of course true and why they generally don't work, but in this case there was clearly so so much more absurdity at play. Musicals overall are my favourite artform, so it was interesting to consider the diegetic vs metaphorical way of treating songs. I am both disappointed and glad that I actually learnt a thing or two from your silly video. Can't tell you how many times I laughed out loud while watching! I was disappointed to see that you haven't done more videos, but I'll definitely check them out when you do. Maybe more about movie musicals *hint hint nudge nudge please do*...

[@xuar1]

Every single time that sped up somber mamma mia instrumental played in the back I just knew the video was about to ascend another level of hilarious and deep well thought analysis. Loved to see you slowly losing your mind. Awesome movie essay man, keep up the amazing work!

[@ivemadeahugemistake712]

it straight up took me like 3 plays of the song to realize it was a mamma mia remix so I think that made me appreciate the choice more. it’s actually genius

[@nicolefrei8723]

Ive always wanted nothing more than to live in the mamma mia world, and now i feel like i kind of know why

[@katn3555]

“This movie exudes joy. And it’s so, so strange.” Thank you so much for conveying all the reasons I unabashedly love this movie to pieces and back, but didn’t necessarily have the words to quite explain why. Never mind the fact that you can show me FIVE SECONDS of My Love, My Life and I’m already crying.

[@Tama9o9o]

"Chekhov's Cher" is such an amazing line. it made me so happy for no reason

[@omgweirdozz]

I appreciate that you just analysed here we go again as a movie. But I NEED someone to analyse it as a sequal! Because the writers did not have the first movie in mind AT ALL. Donna's mom is dead in the first movie. And she meets the guys on different terms and in a different order (if I remember correctly). Like please, it's been driving me insane for 4 years 😂

[@sammagowen1448]

Thank you I feel exactly the same! And my friends and family just tell me to chill and it's just a movie... But they could have got it chronologically correct

[@liamross340]

and even the directorial style feels so different. like it feels like a fan made sequel which i think adds to the disturbing dreamlike quality discussed in this video

[@greetjeb6572]

I never knew how to explain to anyone the profoundly weird mixture of light-headed joy and actual unsettlement I felt and the millions of questions when watching this movie until now. This is amazing and I couldn't believe how fast the time flew by!!

[@Jessie-fg1xj]

love how you did set up/payoff with the set up/payoff. you really set up the set up and paid off the pay off. genius bro.

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

I love to set up the setup and pay off the payoff! Thanks for noticing haha

[@noornasser8233]

this video essay killed me, the way you deal with the absurdity of this film is actually insane i love it

[@BlackNarutoLOL]

Thank you so much for this essay. It was gorgeous. I always considered this movie to be better than the first, because the creators clearly just said 'Fuck it, let's give them what they want' and gave up on making any plot for the thing. It's like the first one, but they took out all the thing that made it into a functional movie to simply put more Mamma Mia into it and I love it.

[@jito7377]

That's what I want: More Mamma Mia in my Mamma Mia!

[@screamingeternally6594]

"i hope this is what happens when i die" evokes the most absurdly hilarious of images. a blessing from our lord and saviour meryl streep

[@James.Stark.Ben.Edition]

i have seen this video 15 times in the last 3 days, it is one of the single greatest video essays on the platform and it is edited to *_PERFECTION_* and i love every little beat in here, it all breathes and moves flawlessly and with maximum comedic effect, i love it so fucking much. thank you so much for this.

[@James.Stark.Ben.Edition]

your little pause after "epic theater" always cracks me up.

[@a.morphous66]

The reveal that Meryl Streep being dead was ENTIRELY AN ARTISTIC DECISION was the moment this movie earned my admiration for being quite possibly the boldest sequel-prequel ever told

[@NymphaeumVA]

i love how you discussed the absurdity of the movie and it took you fixing your lamp to realize you had not one, not two, but three lamps, one is a different color and closer with a cover on top, and based on how the other two lamps are placed you are likely sitting on a dresser/table, all for seemingly no reason. brilliant, your subtle references to the strangeness of your own setup are fantastic and keep the viewer on their toes. and you randomly obtain a cup of tea. i hope you can keep this up in future videos, if you're inclined. video was also just overall very entertaining! also a really fun video, gonna be honest i did not notice most of the strangeness when i watched it, but i did watch it lying in a loft in a friends cabin, looking down at the tv in the room below at a 45 degree angle after swimming across a river so. makes enough sense. very specific but it'd be cool if you took a look at dead poets society. definitely different vibe, but the way it goes from lively and fun to dread in the last 30 minutes to sudden BAGPIPES in the credits and the odd framing of deleted scenes interests me

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

You're the first person to point out those details!! I am indeed sitting on my desk lol Really glad you enjoyed it! Woah you have such a specific and memorable sense-memory of the first time you saw this movie! ooooooh I loved Dead Poets Society in high school, that'd be an interesting rewatch! Thx for the suggestion!

[@lotsanew]

I did not expect Brechtian metatheatrical theory to come up in a Mamma Mia! 2 video essay but this is genuinely the best thing I've watched in months. Funny, educational and overall : just great.

[@fivebyfivewhat]

I saw this alone when my husband was out of town for a work trip and never have I ricocheted so quickly between wanting to leave and sobbing hard multiple times in one movie. The couple next to me were giving me sideways glances the whole time...

[@sophieeeeee]

I cannot emphasize enough how exactly you nailed the experience of watching this movie. The full spiral I went down when we find out Donna is dead in the beginning and the HORSE!! divine editing! the use of the music overlapping, the largest chef’s kiss I could give. This one is for sure going into the regular watch list.

[@katieward5712]

I went to see this with my sister and mother a few days after it came out. When we walked out of it at the end, she genuinely didn’t know that Lily James was playing Young Donna. My sister and I had to explain it to her in order for the movie to make sense. So that just… says all you have to know about how much sense it makes.

[@allurajane4979]

I thought that young Donna and Sophie were the same person

[@TravisD.Barrett]

This video is chaotic in all the right ways. Please make more.

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

HAHA YES. I aspire to bring more chaos to your feed!! Thanks for watching!!

[@zarofara]

I was wondering why this felt so familiar, and realised MM2 was reminding me of 90s/00s Bollywood movies. In the movie 'Duplicate' starring shah rukh khan and juhi chawla, there is a scene toward the end: a shootout, where the protagonist and the villain are both covered in flour, one of them gets shot and dies bleeding out on the ground, the camera zooms into the blood pooling out underneath his body body before cutting to a red wedding dress and a cutesy dance number and the credits. Haven't enjoyed a video essay in so long. Subscribed! ❤

[@restlessbohemian26]

You're commentary is the kind of conversation I like to have after having watched a film. I didn't intend to watch this entire video but it was captivating. Good show.

[@joethehatter]

I honestly can’t tell if you’re being deadly serious or completely taking the piss in this video 😂 Loved it though!

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

hehe I'm both serious and joking 👀 nah I do really like this movie tho tbh

[@jvgreendarmok]

@@mediaprocessingchannel I've never seen Mamma Mia 2 besides the clips included in this video, but it looks like "both serious and joking" is the best way to engage with it.

[@headoverheels88]

I think the answer is, "Yes." 😂

[@Aaaaaaaabbbb0114]

This was SUCH a satisfying watch!! Every time I do my nails at home I put a silly romcom on in the background to half-watch while I’m focusing. Usually I can just listen along and then glance up at the screen every 5ish minutes while still following along with what’s going on, but this one was a WHOLE different kettle of fish. I had to pause and rewind so many times that it ended up taking me over 4 hours to finish, because I was CONVINCED I must have missed something big every 5 minutes, because nothing was making sense. I felt so dazed and lost and disoriented, I ended up having to take a nap afterwards to try and sleep off the mental fog I was experiencing. It was only after my 2nd watch that I realised I had missed nothing, the mental fog is just part of the ambience, it’s a necessary and intentional side effect of the MMHWGA experience. 12/10 highly recommend.

[@carmenherediarequena9477]

The confusion is a feature not a bug. It gets you in the suspension of disbelief thing. Great movie, no plot just vibes.

[@mitochondria558]

This is my favorite movie review of all time. I'm so glad you broke down all the upsetting and wonderful things about this movie, I saw it five times in the theater and I really needed answers.

[@maqy01]

I absolutely adore your weird versions of the actual songs to unsettle us, but I have to find the urgent mamma mia song start you use as a EAS alarm for us

[@mediaprocessingchannel]

here u go! www.patreon.com/posts/anxiety-inducing-86856879