The Dark Knight
Scheduled to open on July 18, The Dark Knight is the second, even moodier and more savage installment of the superhero franchise Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan revamped in 2005 with Batman Begins. Most of the familiar faces (and one new Two-Face) are on board, including wry butler Alfred (Michael Caine), stalwart police detective Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), and lawyer-slash-love interest Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, taking over the role from Katie Holmes), as well as a new crusading District Attorney named Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). With the help of Lieutenant Gordon and District Attorney Dent, Batman (Christian Bale) sets out to destroy organized crime in Gotham City for good. The triumvirate initially proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a rising criminal mastermind known as The Joker (Heath Ledger), who thrusts Gotham into anarchy and forces The Dark Knight ever closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante. The Dark Knight has everything fans expect from the series: gizmos like a sleek new ‘’Bat Pod’’ motorcycle, eye-popping stunts (most performed the old-fashioned way, with real stuntmen and real explosions), and the brooding Bale, arguably the best, certainly the most serious actor ever to growl under the cowl. On a sad note, the film features what could possibly be Heath Ledger’s last performance seen on film as the 28-year-old actor died of an accidental prescription-drug overdose last January. Those who have viewed the film say that Ledger’s performance as The Joker is so good it could earn him a posthumous Oscar nomination.
Mamma Mia!
If name recognition counts for anything, Mama Mia! could become the smash hit of the summer. Inspired by the storytelling magic of ABBA’s songs from ‘Dancing Queen’ and ‘S.O.S.’ to ‘Money, Money, Money’ and ‘Take a Chance on Me,’ the mega-musical is currently up and running on stage in 10 countries and by the most recent head count has been seen by over 30 million people. As in the play, the movie version of Mamma Mia! concerns an independent, single mother who owns a small hotel on an idyllic Greek island. Donna Sheridan (Meryl Streep) is about to let go of Sophie (Amanda Seyfried from Mean Girls), the spirited daughter she’s raised alone. For Sophie’s wedding, Donna has invited her two lifelong best girlfriends -- practical and no-nonsense Rosie (Julie Walters) and wealthy, multi-divorcee Tanya (Christine Baranski) -- from her one-time backing band, Donna and The Dynamos. But Sophie has secretly invited three guests of her own. On a quest to find the identity of her father to walk her down the aisle, she brings back three men (Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard) from Donna’s past to the Mediterranean paradise they visited 20 years earlier. Over 24 chaotic hours, new love will bloom and old romances will be rekindled on this lush island full of possibilities. And, with various tweaks, all of the play’s familiar songs are back in the mouths of the same characters. Produced by Tom Hanks’s under the umbrella of Universal and directed by newcomer Phyllida Lloyd, Mamma Mia! opens on July 18.
