The Men of April

April is typically a quiet month at movie theaters, a time of relative calm before the storm of summer blockbusters blows in.

This year, however, the April showers are upon us and it’s raining men. Hallelujah!

Some of Hollywood’s hunkiest stars are making their way to theaters this month, with enough of the good stuff to should keep us titillated before the Spider-Men and Jedi masters burst onto the scene.

We’d like to recognize those individuals–Ben, Val, Matt, Tommy, Eddie and The Rock–and thank them personally for making April movie watching that much more fun.

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His April movie: Changing Lanes

Ben. Oh, Ben.

With his soulful eyes, crooked smile and whole-hearted attempts to clean up his party-boy reputation, we’ve had a soft-spot for this adorable actor for a while. Some of his films have failed miserably at the box office (Forces of Nature, Reindeer Games), but a few have been good (Armageddon, Good Will Hunting). Even ex-girlfriend Gwyneth Paltrow couldn’t resist doing a movie with him, although in hindsight, she might wish she’d tried harder to resist (Bounce was a box office bomb).

Then there was last year’s Pearl Harbor, his biggest film to date. It wasn’t a great film, but it put Affleck’s face everywhere–and what a face it is.

Now our April man can be seen in the tense drama, Changing Lanes, starring opposite Samuel L. Jackson and playing out one of the worst road-rage nightmares imaginable. Somehow he still manages to look great while he’s doing it.

What’s up next? April isn’t the only month to see Affleck. He’s got a big summer movie as well, taking on the role of Tom Clancy’s literary hero Jack Ryan in The Sum of All Fears, due to be released Memorial Day weekend.

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His April movie: Frailty

This Texas hottie has slowly but surely been making his way back into the limelight. After his big splash in the 1996 A Time to Kill, where the sultry and oh-so-sensitive Matty managed to melt just about every woman’s heart, the actor decided he wanted to downplay his good looks and make less glamorous movies, such as Contact (1997) and The Newton Boys (1998).

Pity.

Now, it looks like he’s coming to his senses and choosing his movies well. Last year, he starred with J.Lo in The Wedding Planner as the cute pediatrician who simply couldn’t get married to his fiancée once he met Lopez. This month, he is scaring the bejeezus out of us in Frailty, a film about a family of serial killers. Yeah, creepy. But he takes his shirt off. God bless you, Matt.

What’s up next? Following Affleck’s lead, McConaughey gets to battle fire-breathing dragons (with his shirt off?) in his own summer blockbuster, Reign of Fire, due in theaters July 12. Let’s just hope he doesn’t get burned.

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His April movie: The Sweetest Thing

You may not know this blonde-haired, green-eyed hunk very well now, but watch out for Tom–he’s going to continue charming his way into our hearts.

Though he started out with supporting roles in films such as Face/Off (1997) and The Thin Red Line (1998), we got our first big eyeful watching Jane battle really smart killer sharks in the 1999 Deep Blue Sea, where the wet suits fit extremely well. Jane got even sexier playing the affable Mickey Mantle in last year’s Emmy-winning HBO film *61.

This April he gets to sweet-talk Cameron Diaz in the romantic comedy The Sweetest Thing, playing the Mr. Right she chases across country. We’re right there with ya, Cameron.

What’s up next? He’s currently shooting Lawrence Kasdan‘s big screen adaptation of Stephen King‘s Dreamcatcher about four friends who come together to battle evil in the woods.

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His April movie: The Salton Sea

Gorgeous, intelligent, incredibly sexy–and completely out of his mind–Val has a way of getting under your skin.

Never one to follow the norm, Kilmer’s taste in movies has run the gamut from balls-out comedy to action to deadly serious drama. He has flown jets (and taken his shirt off) in Top Gun (1986), played the Lizard King in The Doors (1991), got us all worked up in Heat (1995) and played a real saint in The Saint (1997).

As versatile as he is, it’s the consistent gleam of insanity in his eyes that keeps us riveted to his every move. You never know what he’s going to do–and gosh darn it, that’s exciting. This month he stars in the offbeat film The Salton Sea, playing an elaborately tattooed man who goes undercover to avenge his wife’s murder.

What’s up next? Kilmer will be starring in Mindhunters, a film about trainees in the FBI’s psychological profiling program who have to put their newly acquired skills to the test when they realize there is a killer in their midst. Hmm, sounds right up Val’s alley.

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His April movie: The Scorpion King

Who would have thunk a pro wrestler could finally make good as a leading man?

Leave it to The Rock to take his superstar status in the pro-wrestling arena and put it up on the big screen. Not only does The Rock (whose real name is Dwayne Johnson) have a body like Adonis and smoldering dark looks, he’s got the smarts to know how to sell himself on camera. Move over, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

This April hunk will be reprising his role as the Scorpion King from last year’s smash hit The Mummy Returns in The Scorpion King, a film all about the burly Egyptian warrior and his adventures. Let’s he doesn’t kill the magic for us when he actually has some lines to speak.

What’s up next? The Rock will go back to doing what he does the best–being a formidable opponent in the World Wrestling Federation’s Wrestlemania.

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His April movie: Life or Something Like It

Edward Burns has been connected with some high-profile women, including actress Heather Graham, but hasn’t managed to make it down the aisle quite yet (can you say commitment problems?). In fact, he recently broke off his engagement to model Christy Turlington, and he’s a free man once again.

It’s just that reluctant romantic, which he displayed so well in his films The Brothers McMullen (1995) and She’s The One (1996), that we love so much-along with his frat-boy good looks and his sexy voice. Oh yeah, and the fact that he could even make fatigues look good in Saving Private Ryan (1998).

In April, he falls for the lovely Angelina Jolie in Life or Something Like It, a story about a shallow reporter who changes her life when a psychic tells her that her life will end in a few days. Unless, of course, Burns can stop it from happening. We bet he can.

What’s up next? Burns is gearing up to star with Dustin Hoffman and Rachel Weisz in Confidence, which starts production this month.