The Dark Knight ****

Cast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine, Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy, Eric Roberts
Director: Christopher Nolan
Running Length: 2:30
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Batman (Bale) has become Gotham City’s hero, meting out justice to criminals. Some citizens question whether he is a hero or a menace, and some copycat “Batmen” are popping up pretending to be the Caped Crusader. Over all, Batman is gradually stopping the mob of criminals in the city. The new D.A. Harvery Deny (Eckhart) is taking them on in court, and Lieutenant Gordon (Oldman) is cracking down as well. An understanding of sorts is formed between the three, and then a lunatic enters the mix. The Joker (Ledger) has sights on Gotham to usher in a wave of chaos. All he wants is Batman to remove his mask, and when that does not happen, he unleashes a whirlwind upon Gotham City of unimaginable proportions. Now, Batman must decide how far he can go to take down The Joker, without crossing the line.

“The Dark Knight” is a worthy successor to “Batman Begins”, that mostly exceeds its predecessor in all areas. Bale once again embodies Bruce Wayne/Batman, a man driven to make morally questionable decisions to defeat a psychopathic enemy. Ledger steals all the scenes he is in, giving a more twisted performance than Jack Nicholson did so many years ago. It is a shame that we will never see another appearance of this Joker, but Heath Ledger’s final completed performance is spectacular. Eckhart is perfect as Harvey Dent, a man also pushed to the edge and then over. The greatest asset to this film though, is not in front of the camera, but behind it. Christopher Nolan has crafted yet another great film. His direction and writing (with his brother) are what make this film as great as it is. He is one of the most gifted filmmaker around today, and brings a “comic book movie” to a whole new level. This is great filmmaking, and I highly recommend seeing it.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army ***

Cast: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, John Alexander, James Donn, Luke Gross, Anna Walton, Jeffrey Tambor, John Hurt
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Running Length: 1:50
MPAA Classification: PG-13

The government has a bunch of freaks working for it in New Jersey. They consist of Hellboy (Pearlman), a large devil-like being who is a wise-guy; Liz (Blair), Hellboy’s girlfriend who has the ability to create flames around her; Abe Sapien (Jones), an amphibian; and Johann Kraus (Dunn), a gas creature stuffed into a human shaped suit. They need to stop Prince Nuada (Gross), who wishes to control the Golden Army, indestructible warriors who he can use to wage war against humanity. Nuada’s twin sister Nuala (Walton) is opposed to him, and steals a piece of the controlling crown and flees to Hellboy and his friends for protection. She might not be a safe as she thinks, as Nuada seeks her out with a vengeance.

“Hellboy II’, like its predecessor, is a strange superhero/fantasy hybrid. That and its quirky characters make this a different moviegoing experience, and raise it above a standard. Also the direction by Guillermo del Toro is top notch. He has fantasy films down pat, and is able to bring all the mythical creatures to life with ease. The acting is good too. All the principals make the characters their own, much like they did in the first film. They all seem to be enjoying themselves, and that translates well to the characters in the film. Story-wise, there are some big plot holes, but the journey is fun enough to make you not think about them. “Hellboy II” is well worth seeing, and I am sure we will be seeing more of Hellboy and friends in the years to come.

Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D **

Cast: Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem
Director: Eric Brevig
Running Length: 1:32
MPAA Classification: PG

Professor Trevor Anderson (Fraser) believes that the tale told by Jules Verne in “Journey to the Center of the Earth” is a true story. When the opportunity arises, he, his nephew Sean (Hutcherson), and guide Hannah (Briem) set out on the path in Iceland set forth in the book. Misfortune sends them down a tunnel to the center of the Earth, where the find a world of man-eating plants and dinosaurs. Soon, the rising heat of the underworld necessitates that they find an escape route before being burned up. Along the way, Trevor and Sean, who aren’t close, develop a bond, and Trevor and Hannah feel sparks begin to fly.

“Journey” is the first live-action film to use the new 3-D technology that has been used for animated films. In fact, the movie is just an excuse to show off what can be accomplished in 3-D now. The story is thin and the acting is not strong. But, the film sure does look nice. The 3-D is crisp and clear. If this is a movie you want to see, be sure to see the 3-D version, and not the 2-D version. Young kids will most like be the most entertained here.

Hancock ***
Cast: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, Jae Head, Eddie Marsan
Director: Peter Berg
Running Length: 1:32
MPAA Classification: PG-13

John Hancock (Smith) is a superhero that just does not care about anything. He is a drunk bum. Sure, he saves the day sometimes, but at a staggering cost to the city. The D.A. wants him in prison, but no prison will hold him. He is the focus of lawsuits, but he doesn’t have the money to pay for any damages. One day, he saves Ray Embrey (Bateman) from getting hit by a train. Ray, who is in the public relations business, decides to help Hancock improve his image. His plan involves some time in prison, rehab, and a superhero costume. Hancock is reluctant at first, but soon gives in. Hancock is on the way to turning his life around, when he is blindsided by a revelation that will cause him to question his abilities and the kind of person he really is.

“Hancock” is an interesting idea for a superhero movie. After seeing all those heroes that are saviors of the world, Hancock is one that just doesn’t give a damn. Will Smith has the charisma to be that superhero, and make the jerk actually likeable. This is another movie that is saved by Smith’s charm. Without him, this movie would probably not work. The story itself is really two stories sandwiched together. Director Peter Berg would have been better off focusing more on the first half of the film and doing away with the second half which explores Hancock’s origins. The second half has been completely ignored in all advertisements for the film, and at least provided a bit of a surprise. The surprise would have been greater without all the pointed looks in the first half between Hancock and another character, but you take what you can get here. “Hancock” is an entertaining film for the most part that could have been more. Still it is worth seeing.

WALL•E ****
Cast: (voices) Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, Sigourney Weaver, Fred Willard
Director: Andew Stanton
Running Length: 1:37
MPAA Classification: G

700 years into the future, Earth is uninhabited. Humans have left its wasteland and now live among the stars. Left behind to clean up the mess are WALL•Es (Waste Allocation Load Lifters-Earth class). After all this time only one WALL•E (Burtt) remains. He goes about his insurrmountable job, collecting and compacting trash. One day, things change. A spaceship arrives and a robot named EVE (Knight) emerges. She is on a mission of her own, but soon becomes friends (of a sort) with WALL•E. When the time comes for her to leave, WALL•E hitches a ride, and is off on a new adventure that may just save the human race.

Pixar has done it again. WALL•E is an amazing film that introduces one of the most loveable characters in recent memory. The animators humanize the robots through their actions, making the audience care for them. There is very little dialogue in the film, especially in the first half, and the high quality animation drives the story successfully. There is an ecological message to be found here, but it isn’ forced. There is enough humor and action to entertain the whole family. WALL•E is probably the best family film of the summer, and I highly recommend seeing it.

Get Smart ***
Cast: Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin, Terrence Stamp, James Caan, Ken Davatian, Dalip Singh
Director: Peter Segal
Running Length: 1:50
MPAA Classification: PG-13

CONTROL is an American intelligence agency led by Te Chief (Arkin). Maxwell Smart (Carell) is their best analyst, but is not a field man. When arch-enemy KAOS attacks CONTROL headquarters and takes out the majority of the field agents, Max is elevated and given the designation “Agent 86.” He is partnered with Agent 99 (Hathaway) to stop whatever scheme KAOS is up to.

Steve Carell is the perfect choice for Maxwell Smart. He does not try to imitate Don Adams, and yet is reminiscent of him. Don Adams would be proud. Hathaway, Arkin, and Johnson are also good in their respective roles. There are plenty of laughs, and a surprising amount of action to be found too. One does not picture Carell as an action star, but with “Get Smart”, he is. Faithful to the television show, long time fans will not be disappointed. This is one TV to movie upgrade that works. I recommend this film for a good laugh.

Kung Fu Panda ***
Cast (voices): Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Seth Rogen, Randall Duk Kim
Director: Mark Osborne, John Stevenson
Running Length: 1:30
MPAA Classification: PG

Po the panda (Black) wants to be a martial arts expert. Unfortunately for him, he is working for his father (Hong) making noodle soup. One day, at the nearby temple, Master Oogway (Kim) has a vision that the evil Tia Lung (McShane) will escape from prison and wreak havoc. Now Oogway must determine who will be the Dragon Warrior, and defeat Tia Lung. The five contenders are: Monkey (Chan), Tigress (Jolie), Viper (Liu), Crand (Cross), and Mantis (Rogen), all apprentices of Master Shifu (Hoffman). Somehow, all of them are overlooked and Po is chosen. Now, Po must find it within himself to save the village, as Tia Lung has just escaped.

“Kung Fu Panda” is an entertaining, action packed film. The voice talents are all well chosen, especially Jack Black as the titular panda. The humor works, and adults and children will enjoy this film. The animation, while good, is about what one has come to expect in animated films. The animation bar is high, and “Kung Fu Panda” makes it over, but does not blow it away. “Kung Fu Panda” is a good family movie, and I recommend it.

The Happening **1/2
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, Ashlyn Sanchez, Betty Buckley
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Running Length: 1:30
MPAA Classification: R

In New York City, people begin committing suicide and acting disoriented. They kill themselves with whatever is available. Some jab themselves with knitting needles, some jump off buildings. Soon, the phenomenon is spreading throughout the northeast, hitting Philadelphia and Boston. At first, it is believed to be a terrorist attack, but soon the people come to believe it is something more elusive. Four individuals, Elliot (Wahlberg), his wife Alma (Deschanel), his friend Julian (Leguizamo), and Julian’s daughter Jess (Sanchez), fled the city just as the outbreak started, and find themselves momentarily safe in eastern Pennsylvania. There, they try to figure out what is happening, and how they will deal with it when it reaches them.

“The Happening” is a somewhat successful thriller. The success lies in the genuine creepiness that pervades the film. The methodical suicides that are shown in R rated detail are disturbing. They are shocking and powerful. The problem here is that the story has nowhere to go. Any explanation is going to feel like a letdown (and it is). The best film I can compare “The Happening” to is “The Birds”. Creepy, but ultimately unsatisfying. Wahlberg and Deschanel are adequate in their roles, but Buckley steals the show when she is on screen. Shyamalan has produced a film that is better than his last effort, “Lady in the Water”, but he needs a real hit to stop his downward slide. Recommended for DVD viewing only.