Mamma Mia!

I can't imagine any of that bunch getting up and dancing in their seats.

...looks as if picture was taken on flight passing through turbulence.

Jeez time flies. Which one is Meryl streep?

I bet the empress had a more enjoyable chat with Meryl Streep than she does with all the Imperial House Agency staff every day.

She is now in the over-acted movie "Doubt"

not one of meryl's better movies

I love the guy in the background looking directly into the camera. "Why are they taking a picture of me?"

That is old peoples' movie and seemingly the audience represents very old.

Can she even speak English???

tmarie she was educated by a private tutor, has studied abroad and speaks english extremely well.

yeah Harvard educated! She is a smart cookie.

Smart cookie but yet... doesn't seem to pass that along to her fellow countrymen/women.

Looks like empress is enjoying the chat, and meryl is enjoying the photo op.

yeah Harvard educated!

That doesn't mean smart, it means rich. Super rich.

Don't bother with the movie. It's a waste of time.

Wonder if Michiko told Meryl she bought the DVD from Amazon last November?

tmarie she was educated by a private tutor, has studied abroad and speaks english extremely well.

nice to know Streep was given a good education!

"Psst...Meryl..."A dingo took my bay-bee!!!"" hehhehheh...."

Personally, I think it is great that the Empress has studied abroad and speaks English. This country would be much more competitive internationally if more of its citizens were like her.

It would indeed be - shame she doesn't pass along her experiences to younger Japanese. She could be a roll model but... isn't.

I think Meryl Streep is too old to play the role of Donna, Sophie's Mother. I've watched Mamma Mia musicals in San Francisco, and 'Donna' was a much younger woman.....:)

What the heck is wrong with you people? Seldom have I read such negative, unkind and downright rude comments written about Empress Michiko, Meryl Streep and those other people in the picture. Also about the movie Mamma Mia. Well, a few home truths for you.

You also will be old one day - and I wonder if you will stand the test of time the way the folks in the picture have. What will you look like at the age of 60? Methinks not as good as Meryl Streep, for starters.

Empress Michiko is a wonderful lady, a real lady, who speaks English fluently and also speaks Irish fluently. I also believe her to be a secret Christian Believer, bullied by the dinosaur IHA staff almost daily for the fact that she reads the Bible. You can find evidence for this in the Japanese media - if you care to take the trouble to study Japanese and read the magazines for yourself.

Meryl Streep is one of the best actresses Hollywood ever produced. She is also an extremely nice human being, with a heart. She deserves all the accolades and Oscars she can get. I also think she should get an Oscar for her performance in the movie Mamma Mia.

Mamma Mia, the movie, based on the wonderful music of Abba, and so much better than most of the trash, cRap "music" that is around these days, and especially the "music" emanating from the USA, is a world wide smash hit at the Box Office. It is definately NOT an "old folks" movie. It is a movie full of the joy of life - something that most of you seem to know little of. Meryl Streep is excellent in it. She sings, and dances at the age of 59 probably a darn sight better than most of you moaning, whinging jinnies. Its a simply fantastic movie, with lots of fun and brilliant performances. A joy to see, again and again. It will still be loved and treasured by millions of people long after you people are in Old Folks` Homes, living out your days with your sour grapes.

That's "Meryl Streep.....?"

Doesn't look like her at all....

I enjoyed the movie myself because I like ABBA's music. Their songs were all we danced to at clubs in Australia in the 1970s.

I wonder how much bureaucracy and red tape had to happen for Meryl Streep to sit beside the empress for two hours.

Realist: Let’s be practical. The story is about a mother and daughter aged 20. It’s really a big joke having a 59 year old grandma for the mother’s role……and as for Meryl Streep looks young..hmm..I don’t think so. I felt kimochi warui watching her dancing and pretending to be young…My mother is 59 she herself agreed with me.

"Don't bother with the movie. It's a waste of time."

"It's a simply fantastic movie"

Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks?

Where's Seiko and Sayaka?

""Psst...Meryl..."A dingo took my bay-bee!!!"" hehhehheh....""

The above comment was deleted as being 'off-topic'. I have reposted it becuase it definitely is on topic, and I shall explain why.

Anyone with any knowledge of Ms Streep's work would know that this a famous line spoken by the actor in the role of Lindy Chamberlain in the movie A Cry in the Dark (1988) (AKA Evil Angels). The Empress quoting this line to Ms Streep is an indication that the Empress is familiar with Ms Streep's acting career, and her uncanny knack with accents. Others' comments regarding the age, appearance and language skills of those in the picture ate apparently on-topic, but a cultural, cinematic reference seems to have gone over the heads of at least someone at Japan Today.

Tsk, and once again, tsk!

Moderator: "A Cry in the Dark" is definitely not relevant. Why don't you post a comment about "Mamma Mia?"

They have shown this movie already last years on flights between Japan and Europe. However after taking a short look I decided to look at other movies.

That's what I've read also ... The Empress reads the Bible. Back on topic, nuts. I also agree she's probably a lovely woman doing her best with the wild card life threw her with a marriage into the IHA. Much of what happens in life is a crap shoot after all. She had a strong interest in the deceased Italian actor Marcello Mastrioani and asked to meet him either when she was in Europe or he was here I forget. Marcello declined which I thought was a bit rude. But it does show that she has sophisticated tastes and probably has fluency in a European language as well.

What a dreadful movie. Meryl and her cast act silly for a minute, everyone runs around, and then there's a musical number. Repeat the cycle until 90 minutes of your life is wasted. If you're on an airplane, drink heavily.

Meryl, cut back on the caloric intake!!

What the heck is wrong with you people? Seldom have I read such negative, unkind and downright rude comments written about Empress Michiko, Meryl Streep and those other people in the picture

This apparently is the way the 'you people' are trying to prove themselves and not having anything intelligent to contribute. There are millions who do this on a daily basis as they have no other outlet for their frustrations and lack of social feelings. Just let them, ignore them. I am pleased to see the Empress is enjoying herself. She is a fantastic woman who could share a lot of what she knows with the nation if she wasn't locked out by a stifling court protocol.

So that is two smart,foreign educated women who have fallen into the hands of the IHA. How can they be described as "smart" in that case? I'm a freaken dummy but I'm smart enough to know that ANY royal family would be dreadful to be married into.

When one has the money, living in the Palace, nothing else to do, one certainly could have a private tutor for any sort of education. I think that applies to Michiko. She seems to be so knowlegeable and able to talk about every topic on earth. Someone I know of, a Premium Imperial winner told me so too....:)

Need I remind some of the posters, this is a news website that also promotes discussion, comments and criticism of articles and persons herein. Open criticism (of anybody - Empress and Meryl included) is one of the foundations of free speech -- you can choose to ignore the comments you don't like or debate them.

Moderator: We will remind the posters, not you. Please stay on topic.

Need I remind posters that this is a website that tries to sell stuff, most of it nobody really wants. Discussion and comment is of no real concern to moderators, rather is the hook to get posters and readers to buy. Nothing more, nothing less.

The movie is garbage the musical is great. This movie is terrible. Abba music is terrible. I am not into the disco music. Sorry, that's too 70's for me. Merryl Streep is a good actress. It's very sad she had to take the money for this movie because old female acting parts in Hollywood are not popular to make / create. The movie is garbage the musical was nice. Why did they make it into a musical ?? For money !!! Pierce Brosnan is in the movie too. It's a very sad world when good actors and actresses have to settle for garbage movies. You can blame Hollywood for this motion picture. They BAR creative people and Hollywood is just a big monopoly.

Mamma Mia is a bad movie.

To: realist sorry but music changes with the time. Abba music is played out. Sorry !!!! Abba was great in the 1970's but times has changed. Sorry !! I feel sick everytime I see a Mamma mia preview or whatever. I feel dissy now talking about it !!!!

Why did they drag the poor Empress to such an awful movie?

memyselfI

I don't agree with you about ABBA's music. I recently bought the best hits CD and really enjoyed hearing it again after many years. I think many people like ABBA music deep down but think that if they admit it, they'll be made fun of by others. Good music doesn't change with time. I enjoy listening to the Beatles just as much today as I did way back whenever. I doubt much of today's music will be listened to 30 or 40 years from now.

In any case, the bottom line is: why make fun of music and movies that give others pleasure? If someone likes ABBA, then so what? It is really demeaning, when you like a movie, music, book or whatever, only to be told by someone else that it's no good, as if that person was some sort of arbiter of good taste.

If you were to post what you think is good music, there would be just as many people who would think your taste was garbage.

And Altria, I'd bet my bank account that the empress thoroughly enjoyed the film.

Her face is so flat. My goodness, ask the plastic surgeon to do it again.

The movie is ok for what it is. As for this photo, I'm glad I watched it with my mates! Glad I wasn't among that bunch.

The warped logic on this thread is astounding. Meryl Streep is 59, and a grandmother, therefore she has no right to play a younger role? Bunkum! Meryl Streep plays a woman with a 20 year old daughter. Are you trying to tell me it is not possible for a 39 year old woman to give birth to a child? Oh, please! Have a titter of wit. Loads of women in their 40s still give birth. It was kimochi warui to watch Meryl Streep having gun and dancing, at the age of 59? Havent you heard that 60 is the new 40? She dances and sings with passion and enthusiasm - just look at the movie and see it. She is amazing, as she is in all her movies. I hope I can still do that when I reach her age.

ABBA`s music is terrible? They have sold more CDs than the Beatles, and over 30 million people world wide have filled theaters to see the musical show Mamma Mia. The movie also has been a wroldwide Box Office hit, raking in millions of dollars, pounds, Euro, and soon, yen. I know of lots of places, including Tokyo, where their music is played, danced to, and enjoyed - even today, by young people in their teens and twenties. Dont give us such nonsense.

memyself Music changes with time? Really? Dont you mean that music tastes change with time? For some people, maybe - but most music is timeless. Handel`s Messiah is as popular todday as it was in 1742. Thats almost 300 years. The music of ABBA is still popural today because it is GREAT music. In 50 years from now, how many people will recall or even listen to the so-called "music" of today? I refer to Rap, or Crap, music, for example, which to my musically trained ears is not music at all. The music of Elvis Presley and the Beatles is still around, and still as popular as ever, too. No - good music, like the music of ABBA - will always be with us. Mamma Mia is a great movie - and it will be a roaring success here in Japan, too.

Meryl Streep plays a woman with a 20 year old daughter. Are you trying to tell me it is not possible for a 39 year old woman to give birth to a child? Oh, please! Have a titter of wit.

Meryl Streep's youngest daughter just turned 18. She was unable to attend the Academy Awards in 1991 owing to her impending birth.

Actually, she's still 17:

Meryl Streep has 4 children; Henry Gummer (aka Harry Gummer) (b. 1979), Mary Willa Gummer (aka Mamie Gummer) (b. 1983), Grace Jane Gummer (b. 1986), and Louisa Jacobson Gummer (b. 12 June, 1991).

Oh no - not Mama Mia. I hope this doesn't hurt the relations between our two countries.

A lot of nastiness coming from anonymous posters who don't have to worry about having their looks judged and found wanting.

Meryl Streep is a woman of great talent and accomplishment who has aged gracefully. I don't begrudge her plastic surgery, unlike most who go under the knife purely for reasons of personal vanity, looking good goes with her profession. (To her credit, she appears to have held off until The Devil Wears Prada.) There's no female actress over 40 who's enjoyed such a prolific career and so greatly enriched American cinema.

Meryl Streep is a woman of great talent and accomplishment who has aged gracefully. I don't begrudge her plastic surgery, unlike most who go under the knife purely for…

Surgery, whatever. I begrudge her the fact that she couldn't sing her way into a Britney Spears high school talent show. She's a great actress who should stick to acting. The vocal performances in the movie were so inept I couldn't watch it to the end. It would've been fine, except that the film was nothing but flimsily strung-together vocal numbers. I was particularly disappointed because she has such a good ear for accents, yet she can't carry a tune. If you're going to put yourself out there and get kudos when you excel, you should be willing to take your lumps when you fall on your face. Looking forward to your next non-vocal film Meryll.

The vocal performances in the movie were so inept I couldn't watch it to the end.

Your comment reminds me of a friend who, while high in the sky over the Rockies, was watching a movie that was so bad he hoped the plane would crash into a mountain to put him out of his misery!

I haven't seen Momma Mia so I can't comment. I did see Meryl Streep a few years ago in A Prairie Home Companion in which she sang a few duets with Lily Tomlin. I remember enjoying it.

No probs with Ms. Streep, Her Imperial Highness, or any of the others in this photo.....but "Mamma Mia" is a wretched movie and horrible story....

I just love both of these women. Great role models, very poised in the public eye, and real contributors. 'Nuff said!

The Empress is beautiful.

i thought mama mia was a fun movie to watch.