Summer Movies in Black and White (and Latino and Asian and . . . )

When Ted Turner added color to the classic Black and White movies, everyone called him crazy and rightfully so. Still, that hasn’t stopped us from trying the same grand social experiment by adding some much needed color to this summer’s crop of blockbusters. We’re not casting directors (yet) but we’ve got some pretty nifty alternatives for some of the biggest (and smallest) roles hitting the multiplex.

Hancock
Opens: July 2
Starring: Will Smith, Jason Bateman, Charlize Theron

The Story: Smith plays Hancock, an alcoholic superhero with zero people skills, who tries to clean up his act thanks to a publicist (Bateman).

Gut Check: We love that Will is playing a drunk and ornery hero, but most of all we love that he’s bringing a different kind of humor, not just his usual “Bad Boy” schtick. We’re pretty sure he never says “Aw HELL no” in this one.

Color Correction: Yeah, we’re not mad at a movie with a Black superman – drunk or not. But what we’re curious about is what they’re NOT showing in the trailers. Turns out Hancock has the hots for Bateman’s wife, played by Charlize Theron. Historically, interracial relationships with big Black stars have been fairly taboo, but where there’s a Will . . . . NOTE TO PRODUCERS: If you want to soothe things a bit, cast the multiracial Jessica Alba and absolutely no one will complain.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Opens: July 11
Starring: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Luke Goss, Thomas Kretschmann, Doug Jones

The Story: It will probably make more sense when you watch it, but it has something to do with a broken truce, hell on earth and an “unstoppable” army of creatures. Naturally, Hellboy will be there to clean it up.

Gut Check: We found that the first “Hellboy” was a slow-burn that we enjoyed the more times we watched it. We’re hoping this one will burn a little brighter, a little faster.

Color Correction: Everyone here is mostly red or green with gills and horns so . . . we’re sort of at a loss for words. But we’re sure Samuel Jackson hasn’t reached his 50 movies/per year quota yet so surely there’s a part for him, too.

The Dark Knight
Opens: July 18
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman,

The Story: Batman teams with Commisioner Gordon and hot shot District Attorney Harvey Dent to take on the mob and a puzzling new nemesis called the Joker, an insane and disfigured villain who doesn’t play by any rules.

Gut Check: With the film’s title taken from an iconic graphic novel and early buzz on Ledger’s role as Batman’s most-loved foe, fans are positively salivating for this one. Count us in.

Color Correction: First Billy Dee Williams, then Tommy Lee Jones and now Aaron Eckhart steps into the role of Dent (who will soon become Bat villain Two-Face). While we love Eckhart, why not keep the multicultural casting train rolling by casting Daniel Dae Kim from “Lost” as the doomed district attorney. Just no flashbacks, please. 

X-Files: I Want to Believe
Opens July 25
Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson
The Story: The truth may be out there, but its being very carefully hidden. Best we can dig up is that Scully and Mulder are brought out of retirement to investigate some missing women.
Gut Check: Last we looked, “X-Files” went off the air six years ago, which was about three years too late. Still, there seems to be a pocket of nerds – we mean, fans—who are still hankering for their fix of aliens and government conspiracies. We’ll file this under “cautiously optimistic.”
Color Correction: Remember the actor who played Scully and Mulder’s boss, Skinner? No? Good. Than may we suggest Bill Duke. With his eternal sour-puss and deep, rumbling voice, Duke would be the perfect beaurocratic foil to the all the alien-chasing antics.
Tropic Thunder
Opens: August 15
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Brandon T. Jackson

The Story: A group of inept actors are unwittingly thrown into a real war while filming a Vietnam war movie.

Gut Check: The premise seems funny, even if we saw this when it was called “The Three Amigos,” but all the headlines have been about Robert Downey Jr.’s character who dyes his skin brown to play an African American role. Early reactions are positive, so we’re pretty sure we’re not getting “Soul Man II.”

Color Correction: I suppose if we had to pick a White man to play a Black man, Robert Downey Jr. is a good choice. However, give the role to George Clooney and you’ve guaranteed that half the Black female population would show up in droves – twice.

Babylon A.D.
Opens: August 29
Starring: Vin Diesel, Gérard Depardieu, Michelle Yeoh, Charlotte Rampling

The Story: Set in the future, this film follows a mercenary transporting a woman who’s been genetically manipulated to be a human viral bomb.

Gut Check: “Chronicles of Riddick” was a bit overblown and undercooked, so forgive us if we get a little nervous when it comes to Diesel and sci-fi epics. Still, the premise is intriguing so we’re willing to give the Vin-Man another crack at being our futuristic jack-of-all-trades. 

Color Correction: With a notable bi-racial man in the lead, a Malaysian leading-lady and a French co-star, we’d say “Babylon” doesn’t need any of our help.