Mamma Mia! The Movie is a great musical featuring Meryl Streep, the greatest actress of our time, and 20 ABBA songs, the greatest music of our time. It all blends together well.

"Meryl Streep, the greatest actress of our time".

That is debatable. I am a fan but I wouldn't agree with the above statement.

I have mixed feelings about your claim that Mamma Mia isn't a musical. First of all, you are technically incorrect. While I agree that there are undoubtedly more interesting, relevant, and intelligent musicals out there, just because you didn't like MM doesn't mean that it doesn't qualify as a respectable show. Yes, the plot is hugely weak. Yes, the songs were all written by ABBA (dont know how to do the backwards B ) but there are a lot of people out there who go to musicals to have fun, not to have some intellectual epiphany (although I am not one of those people). I mean, I see your point, but you can't say that it's not a legit musical just becuase you didn't like it. I hated Tommy, and I think it has almost no real plot, but I don't prance around saying that it doesn't deserve to be classified as a musical because i can recognize that other people enjoy it very much.

I wasn't saying Mamma Mia is not a musical at all. I was saying it is not a "proper" or for lack of a better word - traditional musical. It is known as a compilation musical, which I am not a fan of but yes of course it is - a type of musical. Critics will argue that compilation musicals cannot be called pure "proper" musicals because of the reasons I described before. There are both sides to this argument really. And of course it has nothing to do with whethe I like the show or not, I don't like Rent at all but it is very clearly - a musical.

Official definition of a musical: Theatrical production that is characteristically sentimental and amusing in nature, having a simple but distinctive plot and offering music, dancing, and dialogue.

I think it's as much a musical as Across the Universe is.

it totally is a musical

ABBA music is the greatest pop music ever written. Mamma Mia! is mainly a vehicle for bringing ABBA masterpieces to a new generation. The book is well-written and does an excellent job of blending the songs with the plot and the characters.

To me, if a musical could cut the songs and it would still work is a sign of a weak show. That would indicate that the songs are not well integrated and are just window dressing. That's what bothered me about "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" and "All Shook Up". The songs seemed to be unnecessary rendundancies and stalled the plot for an entertainment interlude. And in "Singing in the Rain" all the songs seemed pointless to the plot. I don't like songs added to fulfill a need for a song at some point when dialog would suffice. Songs are best to relate feelings and emotions where words are not enough.

Isn't a musical considered to be as such as long as they have singing numbers in them. If that is the case then Mamma Mia is most definitely a musical. You cannot discount something just because you do not like the writing or the end result. Opinion does not make it either a musical or not a musical.

I agree that Mamma Mia! isn't a "proper" musical.

Look at John Gay's "The Beggar's Opera." Took popular tunes and made a show out of them.

Benny and Bjorn said there will be no sequel to Mamma Mia! So I have no clue what it would be about.