Posted on

Movie review: New “Mamma Mia” exceptionally fun to watch

Image result for mamma mia poster“Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” — the  sequel to the 2008 musical “Mamma Mia!” —  is a must-see. Not only for fans of the classic soundtrack and performances from the original, but also for fans of movies in general. The new movie is perfect for a little cheering up. It didn’t fail to put a smile on my face.

Although at times musicals feel cheesy, “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” nailed every quality a good musical should have. The songs carry the narrative of the film forward and convey the emotions being felt by the characters.

Lily James plays young Donna Sheridan in the sequel. She delivers an exceptional performance. The transition from spoken lines to music is hard to pull off for a lot of actors, but James surpasses expectations.

Amanda Seyfried, returning from the original as Sophie, sticks to the classic ABBA songs from the original, implementing the slow and fast parts of a song in such a way that the viewer feels the emotions of the character. The original movie is known for being an upbeat, overall fun film to watch. Now 10 years later, the new one can best be described as a song-filled rollercoaster of emotions.

 

 

 

Posted on

Kite festival keeps them coming back

Berkeley’s two-day kite festival showcases huge kites flying over Cesar Chavez Park at the city’s marina. (Photo by Lynne Perri)

BERKELEY, Calif. — On your way to the festival, you observe the plethora of cars, buses, bikes and countless other modes of transportation snaking their way down toward the marina. People visiting with their families, friends and others pour in and out of the festival..

This is free Berkeley Kite Festival, now in its 31st year, which serves as a communal gathering point featuring food, families and dogs.

Alongside the long row of vendors at Cesar Chavez Park stand the booths for the Berkeley Police Department, where officers are directing traffic, passing out stickers and fielding questions.

Maggie Burciha, a San Francisco native, attended the festival for the first time last year and she was back again on opening day in 2018. She said came because of  “just how family-friendly it is.” She has two young boys “and we really enjoy kites,” she said. 

Although the kite festival showcases kites of all sizes and colors both for fun and for competition, there are also dozens of vendors — selling soaps, trinkets, T-shirts and other clothing (and kites) — and activities for younger children, including a playground full of inflatables, a petting zoo and pony rides.

 “We like the vendors,” Burciha said.

Like Burciha, Sandra Braddock arrived with her family in the afternoon. “This is great,” she said.  You get to see a lot of different people here, and different kites, too.”  

Her son was flying a kite and her daughter was sitting next to her with a blanket wrapped around her while Braddock talked about what a wonderful time they had last year.

“It’s windy,” she said, “but perfect for kites.”