Batman, Hellboy, Mulder bring blockbusters

Blockbuster season isn’t over yet. In fact, Batman is poised to challenge Indiana Jones for that coveted spot as the highest grossing film of the summer. And the Caped Crusader is not alone. Hellboy, Agent Mulder, and even Yoda return to theaters for the hot months of July and August. But the real star to look out for this summer is Will Smith, who’s back on the big screen, this time playing the most unorthodox superhero around.

“The Dark Knight”

Warner Bros.

Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman
Director: Christopher Nolan
Story: Batman (Bale) sets out to rid Gotham City of crime for good with help from Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Eckhart). But a rising criminal mastermind known as the Joker (Ledger) proves to be Batman’s toughest adversary yet.
One to watch? Yes. Ledger’s death has cast a strange light on this film. Entertainment Weekly wrote about the possibility of a posthumous Oscar nomination for his performance — a nomination which would otherwise be unheard of for a role in a comic-book film. Nolan told SciFi.com that the Joker has “this commitment to anarchy. This commitment to chaos. So he’s not just a bank robber or an ordinary criminal who is out for material gain. His chief motivation would be that of an anarchist.” As for the film’s other villain, Aaron Eckhart described him thusly to the L.A. Times. “Basically, when you look at Two Face, you should get sick to your stomach.” But Eckhart added that he doesn’t really view his character as a bad guy, saying, “The difference between Batman and Two Face is how far they are willing to go and how they make their point.”
Web site:  http://thedarkknight.warnerbros.com/
Release date: July 18

“Star Wars: The Clone Wars”

Video   ‘The Clone Wars’ Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi take on Palpatine, Count Dooku and General Grievous in this animated adventure.

Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Grey DeLisle, Anthony Daniels, Matt Lanter, Tom Kane, Corey Burton, Ian Abercrombie, Ashley Eckstein, Matthew Wood
Director: David Filoni
Story: During the period of the Clone Wars, Anakin Skywalker (Lanter) and Obi-Wan Kenobi set out to investigate the kidnapping of Jabba the Hutt’s son. Yoda (Kane) sends Ahsoka Tano (Eckstein) along as Anakin’s padawan learner. Anakin eventually must face off with the evil Count Dooku (Burton).
One to watch? No. This film will be the kick-off to the new Cartoon Network series. So why not just save your $10 and wait for that? George Lucas told Entertainment Weekly, “You know, (the “Clone Wars” movie) was almost an afterthought — we were doing the TV series and looked at some of the episodes on the big screen and said, ‘This is so beautiful, why don’t we just go and use the crew and make a feature?’”
Web site: http://starwars.com/
Release date: Aug. 15

“Hancock”

Video   ‘Hancock’ A superhero (Will Smith) falls out of public favor and falls for the wife (Charlize Theron) of the public relations specialist (Jason Bateman) who’s trying to fix his image.

Starring: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, Eddie Marsan
Director: Peter Berg
Story: Hancock (Smith) is the most reluctant superhero around. He drinks and then flies under the influence, and his heart just isn’t in saving people. The public isn’t too fond of him and his wanton destruction of public property either. But public-relations specialist Ray Embrey (Bateman) is determined to revamp his image.
One to watch? Yes. Only an actor as innately likable as Smith could pull off the role of an unlikable character that you still root for. “He's an alcoholic superhero. He can fly, but he’s flying drunk. So he kind of bangs into buildings and things like that,” Smith told MovieWeb. He went on to say that the character was inspired by the Greek gods, who had regular human-sized problems. “He don't want to wear no damn suit,” Smith said. Smith praised director Berg’s (“The Kingdom”) unrehearsed way of working. “There's a really free-form improvisation feel to the way we shot this film.” Smith should conquer July 4 with this flick.
Web site:  http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/hancock/
Release date: July 2

“Hellboy II: The Golden Army”

Video   ‘Hellboy II: The Golden Army’ When the mythical world rebels against the human race, it’s up to Hellboy to set things right. Buena Vista Pictures

Starring: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, Luke Goss, Seth MacFarlane
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Story: When an ancient truce between humans and the invisible realm of the fantastic is broken, a ruthless elf prince (Goss) awakens an army of evil creatures. It’s up to Hellboy’s Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense to travel between the surface world and the magical one to defeat the prince. Blair co-stars as Hellboy’s pyrokinetic girlfriend, Liz Sherman, while Seth McFarlane and James Dodd play the protoplasmic mystic Johann Krauss (McFarlane does the voice).
One to watch? Yes. A funny thing happened on the way from “Hellboy” to “Hellboy II”: Director del Toro (“Pan’s Labyrinth”) became a sought-after, high-profile auteur who is now helming Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit.”  Del Toro told Entertainment Weekly that he’s not toning down the weirdness of the story. “This one is, if anything, more idiosyncratic than the first one,” he said. Co-star Blair told Superherohype.com, “(Del Toro) has more confidence. I mean, this is the most demanding set I’ve ever been on, and that’s because Guillermo has the vision and he’s so specific. Each time he wants to tell a better story than the last and keep going and he has a lot — I imagine — to live up to in a lot of people’s eyes.”
Web site:  http://www.hellboymovie.com/
Release date:  July 11

“The X-Files: I Want to Believe”

20th Century Fox

Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Xzibit, Amanda Peet, Billy Connolly
Director: Chris Carter
Story: Agents Mulder (Duchovny) and Scully (Anderson) are back — this time in a standalone story (no Mulder’s sister, no bees) that reportedly involves a priest (Connolly) who has visions of a group of women who’ve vanished.
One to watch? Here’s hoping. The big question: Does anyone out there still care? It’s been six years since the series ended, and a decade since the last film. Director Carter told Entertainment Weekly that the movie is “true to the stories we’ve told, and to that final episode. But just like here in the real world, time has passed.” And co-writer Frank Spotnitz told UGO.com, “The hardcore fans are important to us. … We wanted to honor their devotion to the show and be true to the characters.”
Web site:  http://www.xfiles.com/
Release date:  July 25

Documentaries Documentaries may seem like they're the opposite end of the spectrum from blockbusters, but there are some pretty smart offerings this summer. So if you're ready for a movie that’s more than just a popcorn flick, try one of these: — “American Teen” (July 25) This film follows five high-school students — a jock, a geek, a princess, a heartthrob and an artsy outcast — through their final year of high school in Warsaw, Ind. — “Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson” (July 4) Alex Gibney directs this look at journalist Hunter S. Thompson, which includes commentary from Rolling Stone publisher Jann Werner, George McGovern and Jimmy Carter. The film is narrated by Johnny Depp. — “Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired” (July 11) This movie tells the story of the “Rosemary’s Baby” director, who fled the country after his public conviction for unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. — “Man on a Wire” (Aug. 15) This film tells the story of tightrope walker Philippe Petit’s illegal high-wire walk between the twin towers of New York City’s World Trade Center in 1974. — “Lou Reed’s New York” (July 17) Julian Schnabel (“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”) directs this look at Lou Reed’s 2006 concert performance of his 1973 concept album, “Berlin.”

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