Freeze Frame: “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again,” (PG-13), “The Equalizer 2” (R)

Audiences say they want originality, but do they actually prefer familiarity? If the latter is true, then “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” should catch the fancy of audiences who made the original 2008 Abba musical a box office hit. All of the original cast members are back, joined by a cadre of actors who portray the characters in their earlier years. The flimsy-dual timeline plot doesn’t make sense if you think too hard about it but thinking hard isn’t what this movie is about. Meryl Streep’s role, the best thing about the original, has sadly been reduced to a cameo. But her appearance is still the best thing about this movie. It’s a breezy, cheerful lark with plenty of earworm pop tunes that will invade your brain for days after viewing. “Mama Mia! Here We Go Again” is the cinematic equivalent of a mirror ball; a cheesy, sparkly distraction. Familiarity also abounds in “The Equalizer 2,” Denzel Washington’s first sequel, the follow-up to his 2014 action thriller that was based on the old TV series. Washington plays a former CIA black ops agent who uses his impressive kills to wreak violent revenge on the people who murdered his friend,…