Infectious ABBA tunes carry 'Mama Mia'
"Mama Mia! The Movie" (two-disc special edition) - This sugary slice of romance and female bonding works for two reasons: Meryl Streep and ABBA. Streep plays Donna, the owner of a struggling hotel in Greece who is preparing for the wedding of her daughter, Sophie. Donna doesn't know that Sophie has invited three men from Donna's past to the wedding, believing that one of the three must be her father. When the men show up at the hotel and surprise Donna, the usual wackiness and romantic longing ensue.
Let's be honest: Most of "Mama Mia" is goofy, clichéd or both. But who goes to see the film version of a hit Broadway musical for a nuanced story? It's the music that matters, and when the cast belts out still-irresistible ABBA songs like "Dancing Queen" and "Take a Chance on Me," I couldn't stop smiling. Then there's Streep. Is there anything she can't do? She provides the best vocal performance of anyone in the cast and gives the material dramatic heft it probably doesn't deserve. The extras on this stuffed two-disc special edition DVD aren't great, but they do provide some additional insight into the making of a contemporary musical. On board are a director's commentary, a flashy making-of featurette, a brief look at the legacy of ABBA and a few deleted musical numbers. (PG-13; Universal, $34.98)
"Burn After Reading" - Leave it to Joel and Ethan Coen to craft a comedy that combines CIA intrigue with the world of physical fitness. Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand play a pair of clueless health club fitness instructors who come upon a disc that they believe contains national security information belonging to ex-CIA man Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich). When they attempt to get money from Cox in exchange for the disc, they unwittingly set off a series of comedic and occasionally bloody events. "Burn After Reading," the Coens' follow-up to their Oscar-winning triumph "No Country for Old Men," ranks as one of their lesser efforts, but it's a treat nonetheless for fans of the Coens' unique brand of pitch-black humor. The DVD comes with a few brief behind-the-scenes featurettes. Note: This DVD will be available on Sunday, Dec. 21. (R; Universal, $29.98)
"American Teen" - Remember how bad high school was back in your day? It hasn't gotten any better. The new documentary "American Teen" might not break much new ground, but it's a compelling and fascinating snapshot of high school life today. Filmmaker Nanette Burstein filmed five students at a small-town Indiana high school throughout their senior year, examining the highs and lows that each experiences on the road toward adulthood. The students all fit into classic teen archetypes - the blond princess, the star athlete, the introverted geek, etc. - and their dramas occasionally feel plucked out of a John Hughes film. But Burstein captures many priceless moments of unvarnished cruelty, heartbreak and triumph - the kind of moments that only real life can provide. The DVD is a disappointment, however, supplementing the film with brief and fairly unenlightening bonus features. Note: This DVD will be available on Sunday, Dec. 21, and it will be on sale exclusively at Target. (PG-13; Paramount, $29.99)