'Knight, Mamma

So, The Dark Knight finally hits theaters today.

I don't usually pose "am I the only one who thinks..." questions around these parts, but I guess I'm a little too curious about this to let it slide: Does anyone else think that doing product tie-ins for this movie was a really bad idea?

I actually side with Warner Brothers on their belief that changing the promotion for The Dark Knight -- the movie itself -- was unnecessary and would've been against the wishes of Heath Ledger. It made sense to keep advertising the film the same way they would have had he not died back in January.

But come on -- Dominos Pizza ads featuring silly little quips about the Joker? That was stupid to begin with, given the very dark tone of the movie, particularly the psychotic, murderous nature of the Joker character; it'd be like doing McRib commercials mentioning Hannbal Lecter or maybe a Viagra ad with Frank Costello from The Departed. But Ledger died -- and they're turning his final full performance, the one that may very well get him a posthumous Oscar nod, into a punchline to sell pizza?

I get that it's a superhero movie above all, but for once can the greed-hounds at the studio show a little class, subtlety and restraint?

Speaking of subtlety, Mamma Mia also prances into theaters today.

I got dragged to see the Broadway version of this a couple of years back; I can honestly say that it left my ears bleeding and my brain running out of my nose. As I watched it, I kept silently questioning whether I'd been hit by a car on the way to the theater and there was my hell: trapped in a theater, watching awful acting and listening to fucking Abba for all eternity.

On the plus side, at least the women who were either unable or unwilling to pay for that second seat on the plane (the one needed to provide extra room for their extra fat asses) and couldn't make it to New York to see this monstrosity can now giddily dance down the aisles of their local theater. Best of all, they'll be just a few steps away from a concession stand.

Take a chance on this.