The advent of computer generated (CGI) special effects has allowed Hollywood to bring more and more comic book heroes to life, and with the massive success of recent comic conversions such as Batman and Hellboy, it seems unlikely that the trend will stop any time soon.

Combined with its sensational performance at the US box office, “The Dark Knight” has totaled $919 million worldwide and become only the 10th pic to go past $900 million by that measure. It’s the second-best foreign performer this year, trailing only “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” with $466 million.

DreamWorks and Paramount’s holdover comedy “Tropic Thunder” continued to dominate at the Labor Day box office with three-day take of $11.5 million from 3,473 theaters, while 20th Century Fox’s Van Diesel sci-fi actioner “Babylon A.D.” grabbed the No. 2 spot with $9.7 million from 3,390.

The e-mails I receive indicate that reading a movie is perceived as some kind of esoteric exercise. Actually, it’s something anyone can do, including you, and you don’t need to be an expert, because the audience, and the film itself, are your most helpful collaborators.

Twentieth Century Fox’s Vin Diesel sci-fi actioner “Babylon A.D.” and holdover DreamWorks/Paramount comedy “Tropic Thunder” were in a dead heat as the Labor Day weekend got underway at the US domestic box office.

Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens have officially signed on to collaborate on “The Hobbit” and its sequel with director Guillermo del Toro. The trio previously penned the three screenplay adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkein’s “The Lord of the Rings.” The third pic, “The Return of the King,” won an Oscar for adapted screenplay.

Alfred Hitchcock said a movie should play the audience like a piano. “Death Race” played me like a drum. It is an assault on all the senses, including common. Walking out, I had the impression I had just seen the video game and was still waiting for the movie.

According to past reports from those who worked with him, Simon Pegg will be providing much of the comic relief in the new ‘Star Trek’ movie. But in a new interview, the new Scotty makes it clear that we shouldn’t expect ’sly winks, spoofy nudges or exaggerated references’ to the be providing the laughs.

With disruption from two major sporting events and fewer slam-dunk franchise pics, the overseas numbers weren’t expected to duplicate 2007’s stunning performance. But a variety of films that weren’t sure bets — notably “Mamma Mia!,” “Sex and the City,” “What Happens in Vegas” and “Kung Fu Panda” — managed to dazzle outside the U.S.

We take a look at some of the new and exciting programming coming to Foxtel in September, including new to syndication episodes of ‘Stargate Atlantis’, ‘South Park’ and ‘The Office’, as well as newly released movies ‘Becoming Jane’ and ‘The Simpsons Movie’.