After nearly three decades of whizzing across the videogame landscape, the spiny speedster streaks onto the big screen in this engaging mix of live action and animation. Having breached the barrier into our universe-specifically, small-town Montana-Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) gets the help of a sympathetic cop (James Marsden) in outrunning the pursuing feds and their hired gun, crackpot scientist Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey). Tika Sumpter, Adam Pally, Neal McDonough also star. 100 min. Widescreen; Soundtrack English. Two-disc set.

Christopher Nolan steps back into the director's chair for this sequel to Batman Begins, which finds the titular superhero coming face to face with his greatest nemesis - the dreaded Joker. Christian Bale returns to the role of Batman, Maggie Gyllenhaal takes over the role of Rachel Dawes (played by Katie Holmes in Batman Begins), and Brokeback Mountain star Heath Ledger dons the ghoulishly gleeful Joker makeup previously worn by Jack Nicholson and Cesar Romero. Just as it begins to appear as if Batman, Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman), and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) are making headway in their tireless battle against the criminal element, a maniacal, wisecracking fiend plunges the streets of Gotham City into complete chaos.