Mamma Mia

The other day I found myself saying, "You know where I really want to visit? Greece." Why? Because of that lovable hot mess Mamma Mia! and the upcoming Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. Both are set (or, partially set, in Pants's case) on beautiful Greek islands with many sumptuous shots of white sands and sparkling azure oceans. It's like the ultimate product placement: I want to go where that movie is. Now.

Now Baz Luhrmann is fully embracing this idea of movie-as-travel-ad, and will help create a tourism ad campaign to go along with the release of his film Australia.

I've already shared a few movies that have inspired me to travel, so now it's your turn. Which movies have made you antsy to get out and see the world?

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In its second week in theaters, The Dark Knight continued to trample both the competition and box office records. According to Variety, it brought in $75.6 million from the 4,300 theaters screening it. This means that the Batman sequel brought in $300 million in less than 10 days, and grossed more than any other film has in its second weekend, a record previously held by Shrek 2.

Batman's competition mostly came from Step Brothers. The R-rated comedy took in $30 million which secured it the no. 2 spot. It seems that much of America did not have Will Ferrell fatigue after all.

Mamma Mia! grabbed the third spot with $17.2 million, bringing its total to $62.7 million.

The rest of the top five included The X-Files: I Want to Believe, which brought in $10.2 million, a very small number for what was expected to be a Summer blockbuster. To put that into perspective, the first X-Files film earned just over $30 million its first weekend during June of 1998. Journey to the Center of the Earth took fifth place, earning $9.4 million.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.

Many thought that breaking Spider-Man 3's record for the biggest opening weekend ever would be difficult, even for The Dark Knight. But the much-hyped and critically adored sequel to Batman Begins shattered many records over the weekend — including Spidey's.

Earning an estimated $155.4 million, Bruce Wayne and gang smashed box office records for the biggest single-day gross in history and the biggest opening weekend for an IMAX release.

According to Variety, Mamma Mia! also broke records by "narrowly beating Hairspray to become the top opener for a musical," earning $27.5 million over the weekend.

That is a lot of money that people spent at the movies this weekend. What did you see? And how many times?

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros.

If there were a family get-together with all the slick, recent Broadway-to-film productions, like Hairspray and Dreamgirls, Mamma Mia! would be the drunk older aunt whose clothing doesn't really match and who says all the wrong things but you love her and her kooky, off-kilter self anyway. The movie is, like that aunt, all over the place: Only a third of the cast can actually sing, the plot is thin, and the characters are — with the exception of a few moments — as one-dimensional as it gets. Oh, and there are hardly three minutes between one ABBA cover and the next.

In place of the large-scale choreographed dance productions of other musicals, Mamma Mia! chooses to go heavy on stuff like arms waving in the air, frolicking through streets, and bed bouncing. It has all the girlish exuberance of a slumber party, the sweaty debauchery of a bachelorette party, and the spectacle of a big fat Greek wedding. The movie — and all the actors in it — so unabashedly embrace a spirit of innocence and joy that it's hard to imagine a more perfect form of escapism.

To see why, despite filming in a stunning sun-drenched location, the cast is the real reason this summer movie shimmers, read more

The most musical movie hitting the theaters this Friday, Mamma Mia, premiered in NYC last night. The stars were all out and full of smiles including Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried who play the mother daughter pair at the center of the film. It's hard to say who looked more dapper, Pierce Brosnan or Colin Firth, handsome in suits before watching themselves sing and dance on the big screen. From what I hear, this movie is loads of fun! Check back tomorrow to see Buzz's review and until then, in case you missed it PopUK got to meet and interview all the stars!

To see more from the blue carpet including Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Jane Seymour, Kathy Lee Gifford and others just read more

Tuesdays are big in entertainment-ville: Not only do all the new DVD releases hit Netflix, but new music also pours into stores, including iTunes. So I take a spin through each week's iTunes music releases and pick out some albums and tracks worthy of a download. Here are today's selections:

Psychedelic Beck: The buzz around Beck's new album, Modern Guilt, is really, really good, and he's just the sort of artist to give voice (and music) to some of the most troubling and complex issues of our time. At first listen, I get the feeling that the state of the world has Beck sincerely concerned — and, in his view, the future ain't so bright. Tracks like "Chemtrails" and "Youthless" are heavy, but I can't stop listening. It's all very trippy and retro, and I'll probably end up downloading the whole thing.

Get the party started: Yay! Even though Abba's greatest hits are available to us at any time, I'm excited to check out the movie soundtrack for Mamma Mia! and hear all the stars sing. Definitely give a listen to Meryl Streep singing the title track, "Mamma Mia." Also, Amanda Seyfried sounds amazing on songs like "I Have a Dream." I just cannot wait for July 18!

Two more picks up next so read more

Mamma Mia! invaded London last night for the world premiere of the movie musical. Meryl Streep proved she's still got it in her fiery red dress and Loubs, even catching the attention of handsome Piece Brosnan while producer Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson smiled big for the cameras. Amanda Seyfried lit up the night in her little green number, though she sounds even more excited about her Vanity Fair cover than her new film. Pop UK had a chance to see the super fun movie and interview the stars — check back later this week for all their awesome coverage!

To see more photos including Colin Firth, Christine Baranski, and lots more, just read more