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The summer movie spectacular
Look for some good comedy, romance flicks
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It’s mid-May and we’re already two releases into summer: “Wolverine” (yawn) and “Star Trek” (neat-o!). From now until September, the movie forecast calls for enormous explosions, spectacular special effects and mediocre writing. Surprisingly, there’s also some comedy and romance for those who don’t eat testosterone for breakfast. Here are the summer movies on our radar.

BLOCKBUSTERS

‘Angels & Demons’ (Friday)
Set-Up: “Da Vinci Code” prequel. Ron Howard directs again, and Tom Hanks is joined by Ewan McGregor, Stellan Skarsgard and Ayelet Zurer.
Scoop: Expect no surprises here. “Da Vinci Code” fans should enjoy it.

‘Terminator Salvation’ (5/22)
Grown-up John Connor (Christian Bale) tries to stop Skynet’s attempt to destroy humanity.
Bale seems to be the only reason to get excited. And I am!

‘Up’ (5/29)
78-year-old Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) ties thousands of balloons to his house in an attempt to fly to South America.
“Monsters, Inc.” director Pete Docter and “Finding Nemo” writer Bob Peterson co-direct Pixar’s 2009 entry. I’m sold.

‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’ (6/24)
Transformers return to Earth to fight Shia LeBeouf, Megan Fox, and Optimus Prime.
Huge budget = huge box office, part 2?

‘Public Enemies’ (7/1)
FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) hunts down John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) in 1930s.
Michael Mann directs the best cast of summer: Depp, Bale, Billy Crudup, Channing Tatum, Marion Cotillard & more.

‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ (7/15)
“Order of the Phoenix” director David Yates and the whole cast are back. What more do you need to know?
I’ll be the geek in front of you in line.

‘G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra’ (8/7)
The main “brain” behind “The Mummy” series attempts to start a new franchise.
The trailer is crammed with bad CGI and human eye candy. Proceed with caution.

 

COMEDY

‘Year One’ (6/19)
Harold Ramis directs Jack Black and Michael Cera in a comedic road trip through a historically inaccurate ancient world. Sophisticated? No. Funny? Probably.

‘Whatever Works’ (6/19)
Woody Allen is becoming a summer staple! Here, Larry Charles falls in love with Evan Rachel Wood. A tad oogie, but it is Woody.

‘Funny People’ (7/31)
Judd Apatow directs Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, and Sarah Silverman in a comedy-drama. Could Judd be growing up?

 

FAMILY FARE

‘Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian’ (5/22)
Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, and Amy Adams headline an absurdly large cast in what’s sure to be a predictable but fun movie.

‘Land of the Lost’ (6/5)
Will Ferrell and Danny McBride fight dinosaurs in a revival of Sid & Marty Kroft’s campy TV series.

‘Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs’ (7/1)
Manny (Ray Romano), Ellie (Queen Latifah), and Diego (Denis Leary) save Sid (John Leguizamo), find dinosaurs, and meet a one-eyed weasel named Buck (Simon Pegg).

 

LITTLE FILMS THAT MIGHT

‘The Brothers Bloom’ (Friday)
Rian Johnson’s follow-up to “Brick.” Watch the trailer and I dare you to resist.

‘Away We Go’ (6/5)
Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski play loser expectant parents searching for a place to nest. Allison Janney, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Catherine O’Hara co-star.

‘My Life in Ruins’ (6/5)
Nia Vardalos plays a travel guide who, this time, actually goes to Greece to find love.

‘Moon’ (6/12)
Sam Rockwell in a great old school Sci Fi film.

‘My Sister’s Keeper’ (6/26)
Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, and Jason Patric in Nick Cassavetes’ drama adapted from Jodi Picoult’s novel. Not a dry eye in the house.

Jeff Marker is a media studies professor at Gainesville State College.