I haven't seen enough gay chatter about the original stage version of Mamma Mia! to know if this is something to confess in hushed tones or not, but when I finally got to seeing the hit musical I didn't really care for it.

To some degree, my problem was a matter of expectations set too high: I was hoping for a show that would have me looking at songs I've listened to for decades in a new light, as Moulin Rouge did. Instead, it turned out to be ABBA-porn with a plot mostly focused on getting from one familiar song to the next. I wouldn't say I hated Mamma Mia!, but if I'm at a dinner party and the topic of stage musicals come up Mamma Mia! isn't one I'm eager to discuss.

And yet, when I watch the trailer for the Mamma Mia! movie, I can't wait to see it. I've even started plotting arguments that'll convince my partner to see it with me.

I think I can point to four reasons this trailer works:

1. The music is still ABBA

I may have been disappointed in how the songs were presented on stage, but in the right dosage, the energy and verve of an ABBA hit could make "I Married Ameera: The Epic Cinematic Trilogy" look exciting. I remember feeling underwhelmed throughout the first act of Mamma Mia! but then "Voulez Vous" sent me into the intermission in the bubbliest mood. The exuberance of most ABBA's hits is just hard to resist, especially when combined quick cuts of people merrily dancing.

2. Two words: Meryl. Streep.

I can't say the comedic skills of Meryl Streep can make the worst movie watchable (Streep's hilarious performance in She-Devil easily proves that she can't save a doomed effort) but you certainly know that she'll give us a fully realized character. Here she comes off as a character whose life goes beyond coming up with excuses to break out into an ABBA hit. The plot of Mamma Mia! is pretty silly (Brian once hilariously summarized it as Lace: The Musical!), but if anyone can convince audiences to overlook those faults, it's a powerhouse actress like Streep.

3. And the rest.

Streep isn't the only performer that makes the Mamma Mia! movie an exciting prospect. After playing serious on Veronica Mars and Big Love, I'm looking forward to seeing Amanda Seyfried in a lighter role (her Sophie also seems to be a little more fully fleshed than the version I saw on stage, too). And then we also have hotties Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth, with Firth playing Harry, the dad who turns out to be gay. Meanwhile, Christine Baranski can always make me laugh with the way she delivers a one-liner, even in the worst films.

4. History Boys' Dominic Cooper dancing shirtless on the beach

Need I say more?

Well, there's also this.

What do you think? Fans of the stage version and otherwise, anyone looking forward to this one?