Baghead
Opening June 27, 2008
Mumblecore breaks into the mainstream with a genre film about Murray Langston? Perhaps not. The latest offering from scruffy-kid favourites, writer/director team Jay and Mark Duplass (The Puffy Chair), distorts the typical zeitgeist paradigm by infusing it with an inherently comedic conceit and classic horror/thriller traits. A cabal of young-ish friends heads to the woods, ostensibly to write a film; though, a villain with a bag over his head (not Murray Langston) impedes the creative process by stalking them in typical sylvan killer fashion. Like other Mumblecore films, this one should feature awkward post-graduate existential questioning, self-reflexiveness (i.e. indie film aspirations), and cautious forays into romantic entanglement. Movement grand dame, the beautifully epicene Greta Gerwig (Hannah Takes the Stairs, LOL, and Nights and Weekends), stars alongside a roster of unknowns and her Haydée Politoff-invoking charisma alone is worth the theatre tariff. Incidentally, does anyone else have "The Bagheads" by CB4 stuck in their head? -S.T.



Hancock
Opening July 2, 2008
With an envy-tinged scientific mutant, a metal-clad playboy billionaire, and a big-eared nocturnal altruist, this summer’s celluloid fare is rife with superhero representation. Add to that trend Hancock, an alcoholic LA hobo with superhuman strength, the ability to fly, and a penchant for destructive acts of heroism. With Will Smith (aka the biggest movie star in the world) as the title character/anti-hero, Jason Bateman as the PR guy/sidekick, and Charlize Theron as the female lead, this one will do mammoth business. With Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, The Kingdom, Dex from Aspen Extreme) at the helm, action scenes should have a marked clarity. Furthermore, the script’s sly circumvention of the tights and selflessness fad is particularly refreshing.



Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Opening July 11, 2008
Paradoxically, if you have a really big hand you'll always feel like more of a boy than a man, no matter where you're from. It explains why Hellboy is so jacked. Back for a second dose of paranormal ass-kicking, Ron Perlman returns as the titular red anti-hero, along with Selma Blair, Doug Jones (and David Hyde Pierce), and George Bluth himself, Jeffery Tambor. Also returning is lately in-demand director, the fabulously imaginative Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth and the forthcoming Hobbit films). The original film surprised with its circumvention of typical superhero tropes and you can expect this one to do the same. As a bonus, The Family Guy guru, Seth MacFarlane, has a voice role. –S.T.



The Wackness
Opening July 11, 2008
Disregard the horrible name and intentionally quirky premise in which a drug dealer (Josh Peck) trades marijuana for therapy then falls for the therapist's daughter. Ben Kingsley, Mary Kate Olsen (Weeds), will-be starlet, Olivia Thrilby (Juno) and the Wu's best actor (sorry, Rza, it was close), Method Man (Garden State) star in this Jonathan Levine film. It will either be strangely cool or painfully, um, trite (I know, you wanted me to write "wack" but I'm above that). Incidentally, I have verb-noun confusion. -S.T.