Walking on Sunshine

[prettyxcool]

Thank you so much to ritamistry who took me to the premiere at Vue Leicester Square.

It was really low key with pink carpet, and no Alex Zane!!

We were able to hang around the pink carpet with the photographers taking photos of the stars - Leona Lewis, Emma Thompson and her family (daughter and Greg Wise who was in the film). Collabro (BGT 2014 Winners) and Ashleigh with Pudsey were also there. Stalked Gemma Aterton (her sister is in the film) at the entrance to the VIP Lounge for a photo shoot! After the film we saw Katy Brand, Annabel Scholey, Giulio Berruti (he is a bit of a dish! And he waved to me, swoon, gasp!), all rushing off to the after party!

The film was ever so cheesy, tongue in cheek, heartwarming, sunny, predictable, but I loved it! All the catchy songs from the 80s were there. Gonna see it again! 8/10

[ritamistry]

Thank you for coming PXC, I really enjoyed it. The songs, story was really cheesy but at the same time really good. If you love 80's music you are in for a treat.

The main Italian actor looked like a male model, he could easily promote a big fashion house. The best part was that all of the actors could sing. Go and see it, I would watch it again as well.

Loved the goody bag, don't think I have ever got a nicer goody bag before.

[elski]

Loved the goody bag, don't think I have ever got a nicer goody bag before.

ooh what was in it?

[ClareBarr]

Just got to cinema, apparently the lady who takes the SFF tickets is not here yet & film in the screen not due to end til 6.25?!

[Beate]

OMG. CRINGE. How bad was that?

After missing Jersey Boys on Monday I really wanted to see this as I usually love musicals (and so does OH), even though I wasn't feeling too well tonight. I LOVE Mamma Mia. And this one tries very hard to be the next Mamma Mia. Yet it fails miserably. Oh dear God, where do I start? To be honest, I was suffering from the first cringeworthy cheesy second when the male beefcake and the pale English girl were lying in the sand together and love signs popped up everywhere, plus Leona Lewis sang in the background. What is she doing in this? She can't act to save her life!

Then the story jumps three years and the pale girl is back in picturesque Italy to meet up with her sister and a fat friend who writes erotic fiction. As you do. They squeal a lot. Her sister has news. She met someone. She wants to marry him. Shock horror, it's the beefcake from 3 years back who swore undying love to pale girl. That's as far as I got, plus an unfunny pun about men being like fireworks and at least 4 terribly sung songs with absolutely atrocious choreography. In Mamma Mia, some of the singing (I am looking at you, Pierce Brosnan!) was also terrible. But you really felt that the cast was having fun, everything was sung and danced with such energy and enthusiam and it made you feel good. Not to mention that the songs were better. There is none of that in here. Everything feels forced and done under duress. The acting is terrible. The plot is slight and predictable. Let's see, how could this go on? The beefcake realises he is still in love with blondie, the dark sister (peas in a pod?) goes back to that Doug guy and we might even find one for the erotic fiction-writer (there was a chubby blond one hanging out with Leona Lewis, what about him?)

Am I right?

No score as left after 25 minutes. My headache wasn't getting all that much better with the singing.

Now let's see what the rest of tonight's FMUKers make of this. Will I finally agree with LCN or will he declare this the best musical ever?

Watch this space.

P.S. To the father talking to his daughter all the time, well done, teach her cinema etiquette. NOT.

[asamaic]

Saw you walking out, Beate. You were not the last!

Made it to the bitter end. I fail to understand why Leona Lewis didn't get to do more singing - I mean, isn't that what she was famous for?

I felt the vocals were better than in Mamma Mia, but they are both awful films. As soon as Taylor sings Holiday, the tone is set for the cringe to follow.

You didn't miss much, Beate. i didn't like Jersey Boys that much, but it was better. I suppose because it had more of a plot.

For Beate's sake:

Spoiler

Show

The sister did not get back with Doug and Katy Bleeding Brand did not get off with Chubby Blonde. It was implied there was a thing, though.

[sharkgirl]

My friend and I absolutely loved this film. it was just the job for both of us, it also made up for the awful film "Chef" that I endured on Tuesday. I loved the sunshine, the scenery, the beach and the Italian hunks were fab to look at. We both agreed that the songs all had really relevant lyrics (unlike Mamma Mia) plus we knew all the words and were still singing as we got to the car park, how annoying are we? An out and out girl film, no thinking required, great stuff :)

[funthing29]

I made a last minute decision to duck out of work early and race across town to catch this in Islington. I wish I hadn't bothered.

This doesn't even come remotely close to being described as "cheesy, silly or fun." It is just bad in every way.

What was the point of casting Leona Lewis - the only person who could sing, because the rest of the cast certainly couldn't - and then not showcase her vocals? Predictable plot was expected but even this was below expectations and so unoriginal. No one could act, barely anyone could sing, all attempts at humour were completely unfunny, romance was insipid and the characters were incredibly dull. My main impression is of a pathetic imitation of Mamma Mia.

2/10.

[jcolombi]

Beate and Funthing have it spot on, not much more needs to be said. Very poor film 2/10

[Diane65]

I went with 3 friends (we were all in the same class at school) and we just loved it especially as it was our era. It was so cheesy exactly as prettyxcool says but I do like a bit of cheese 8/10
The male lead actor was unbelievably handsome