Hey, you! Hulk and Batman fans! I doubt you need to refresh your memory as to why you should see The Incredible Hulk and The Dark Knight this summer, but for those of you who aren’t really comic book fans, here are ten reasons why you should cough up the fourteen bucks or so to see both of these summer flicks.

The Incredible Hulk: Get Ready to Unleash the Beast

1. Edward Norton

When I first heard Edward Norton was going to portray the Hulk in the new movie … well, I won’t lie. I laughed. Norton is the last person I ever thought would play that role. I mean, he’s so scrawny.

But then I saw the trailer, and I realized (or more like remembered) why they picked him: Norton’s an amazing actor. Remember Fight Club? Or American History X? Those are just some of the films he’s been in, and as an actor, he blows me away. If there’s any reason to see this movie, it’s Edward Norton. And that’s why this is listed as the top reason to see The Incredible Hulk on June 13.

2. Iron Man Cameo

Iron Man was a huge hit, and I haven’t met one person who didn’t enjoy and rave about it. So with how hot Robert Downey Jr. is as Iron Man right now, you might as well go see Hulk to soak up some more of the hype. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of the people in the theaters come June 13 are also fans of Downey Jr., Iron Man, and/or the movie.

3. It Looks Really, Really Cool

I mean, you’ve seen the trailer, right?

The film looks like it’s going to be a nice blend between plot and special effects, unlike many comic book movie failures such as X-men 3: The Last Stand. The cast list is promising, as well (Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt). All in all, this could be very good.

4. Liv Tyler

Face it, she’s eyecandy for men, and Norton’s not too bad himself for us girls. Plus, she’s a pretty good actress. I certainly liked her in movies like The Lord of the Rings trilogy—and who can forget Armageddon? Plus, she and Norton look like they’d be good together as a couple in the movie.

5. Norton’s Contribution Is High

Norton’s reportedly rewritten films he’s acted in before, and The Incredible Hulk is no different. He wrote a new screenplay of the movie after Zak Penn, and his draft made a strong impression on the director and the studio. Not to mention he apparently rewrote scenes on a daily basis, tweaking them to perfection.

With Norton’s talent as an actor topped with his passion and dedication to the movie, good omens are plenty. Let’s just hope it turns out that way.

Fun trivia: “It took the VFX artists over a year to construct a shot where Dr. Banner’s gamma-irradiated blood falls through three factory stories into a bottle.” Whoa. Talk about painstaking work.

The Dark Knight: Welcome to a World without Rules

6. How Could You Not?

The Dark Knight was destined to be a big hit. Batman Begins was loved by fans, and all the viral marketing involved with the film has been stirring up excitement for practically a year. But after Heath Ledger suddenly died of an accidental drug overdose, the movie found itself swarmed by even more attention. It’s a shame to say this, but it’s the truth: If TDK wasn’t already going to be a blockbuster hit, it is now. It’s Ledger’s last finished work, and the controversy over his demise and role in the movie (which adds an even darker undertone) has been gaining too much momentum for people—who might not have been planning to see it at all—to pass up the chance to watch it on the big screen.

7. The Cast

Just look at this awesome cast list. You’ve got Christian Bale (very nice eyecandy if I may say so myself, not to mention an unbelievably talented actor who’s done some great movies) as Bruce Wayne. Michael Caine as Alfred—and seriously, who doesn’t like Caine? Aaron Eckhart (The Black Dahlia, Thank You For Smoking) is portraying Harvey Dent, the District Attorney of Gotham who descends into insanity as the infamous villain, Two-Face. The also talented Maggie Gyllenhaal is resurrecting the role of Bruce’s love interest, Rachel Dawes, from Batman Begins, as Scientology-zombified Katie Holmes was unable to take on the role again. The super cool Gary Oldman is again Jim Gordon, now lieutenant—a part he seems born to play; there’s a good chance based on what’s been seen so far that he will have a much bigger role than last time. Morgan Freeman is Lucius Fox, and William Fichtner (Prison Break, Invasion, Armageddon) is making a short cameo in the beginning of the film as the manager of a mob-owned bank.

And of course, the recently deceased Heath Ledger as the Joker, and those who’ve seen him in the role are saying he’s brilliant. It really does look like he’s going to deliver an outstanding performance and take on the character. I’m definitely looking forward to it (as if you couldn’t notice)!

8. Also Looks Really, Really Cool

The new trailer is even better than the first, as I’ve recently mentioned.

Kick ass is more like it. And even more so than The Incredible Hulk, this movie’s plot is thick, and the special effects are, wait, what? Minimized? The great Christopher Nolan decided to shoot in Chicago rain or shine (literally) in order to give the film a more genuine and grittier feel. So the weather is natural and even more powerful, which has a similar effect on film.

9. Two Words: Cillian Murphy

I loved Dr. Jonathan Crane, aka Scarecrow, in Batman Begins. Some of the most classic scenes from the movie were done by Cillian Murphy, and virtually every scene with him in it was enjoyable. From the part with Falcone where he suddenly asks, “Would you like to see my mask?” to the scene where he gets a taste of his own fear toxin and deliriously mutters to Batman, “Dr. Crane isn’t here right now … but if you’d like to make an appointment …” Crane was priceless. So when I heard he’d be making a cameo in The Dark Knight, you can imagine my excitement. Don’t believe me? Click the image above, a shot taken from the trailer right before Batman crashed down on the white van.

10. Christopher Nolan Is Directing

Christopher Nolan’s a very cool director. Besides Batman Begins, which brought a lot of prestige back into the Batman films, he’s directed films like The Prestige, Memento, and Insomnia, and written screenplays for the first two to boot.

What’s great about Nolan—besides his technique in The Dark Knight to roll with nature’s punches—is that he really understands the characters; when you have great writing and great actors, things fall into place beautifully. And don’t forget, besides the Caped Crusader, the Joker and Harvey Dent are in this movie, too—which will feature the origin of Two-Face. There’s some leaked concept art out there of Two-Face (no spoilers here, and trust me, you’ll kick yourself if you peak), and the rumors are correct in that Nolan’s plans for the character are big indeed. A taste for the theatrical, eh, Nolan?

Fun trivia: “For the film’s opening sequence, a 200-foot fireball was filmed at the Battersea Power Station in London. The fireball created calls from panic-stricken local residents, who assumed a terrorist attack was on the out-of-use Station.” Convinced now? This movie’s gonna rock.

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