Six for Summer: Top picks for the hot movie season

 The summer movie season is upon us.

I know, I know... you're saying, "Hey, it's only mid-April! How can you call this the time for summer flicks?" The truth is the summer season has moved up earlier and earlier. And it ends sooner, too. The biggest movies are usually done by the Fourth of July.

The first Friday in May had been the official kickoff for many years. Then the "Fast and the Furious" franchise made April the new hot thing by racking up massive box office in that month. Last week saw "The Jungle Book" debut to huge numbers, and "Batman v Superman" a couple of weeks before that.

Since I'm not doing a full summer movie preview this year, I thought I'd at least pick the films I'm personally most looking forward to in mid-2016. Let's call it "Six for Summer."

Captain America: Civil War

(May 6) Some people are complaining about the spate of super hero movies taking over cinemas. But audiences certainly don't seem to be tiring of them, based on the grosses of the last few films. And neither am I. The trailers have been a big hit and hype is out of this world.

Don't be surprised if "Captain America: Civil War" contends for the prize of top-grossing film of the year.

In this go-round based on a huge multi-comic mashup, the super hero world squares off against each other in a fight over accepting government control -- including their secret identities. Captain America is the leader of the freedom movement, while Iron Man heads up the opposition.

There's a particular excitement for this film since Marvel is finally going to integrate its box office champion, Spider-Man, into the mix.

X-Men: Apocalypse

(May 27) Speaking of super-heroes, the "other" big comics film franchise -- which has existed in a parallel cinematic universe due to ownership rights -- is up at bat again after having "retconned" everything in the last movie. Jennifer Lawrence returns as Mystique, Michael Fassbender as Magneto, James McAvoy as Charles Xavier, etc. Sophie Turner of "Game of Thrones" takes over the pivotal role of psychic Jean Grey.

It's essentially a next-generation tale, with Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen and the old gang turning over their characters to younger actors.

Here Oscar Isaac plays Apocalypse, a super-powerful bad guy who intends to make the entire race extinct with the help of his four horsemen. By the way, this will be the first X-flick without Wolverine. Despite remaining the most popular character, two attempts at solo movies didn't cut it.

Finding Dory

(June 17) Many people feel "Finding Nemo" represented the apex of Disney/Pixar animation, so anticipation for the long-rumored sequel is deeper than the deep blue sea.

In this plot the blue tang with short-term memory loss -- unforgettably voiced by Ellen DeGeneres -- goes on a quest to find her long-lost family. Albert Brooks is back as worrywart clown fish Marlin, and new voice talents include Idris Elba, Diane Keaton, Bill Hader, Michael Sheen and Eugene Levy.

What I liked about "Nemo," "Up," "Wall-E" and other top Pixar films is they blended a child-like sense of wonder at the world with some very grown-up ideas and morals. Not to mention groundbreaking CGI.

The BFG

(July 1) Director Stephen Spielberg returns to the themes of his early career, reteaming with "E.T." screenwriter Melissa Mathison in this adaptation of the Roald Dahl novel. There's not a lot of visibility for this movie right now, but I expect that to change as the trailer starts getting some play in theaters in May and June.

A young girl encounters a "big friendly giant" and finds he's not the terrible child-eating beast they're made out to be. In fact, he's something of an outcast himself because if his more humane dietary choices.

Also, despite being the size of a building, he's actually a pipsqueak among his people. The part was originally supposed to be played by Robin Williams, but alas things did not work out.

This one could be pure magic.

Ghostbusters

(July 15) There's a huge backlash against this remake because some guys are apparently offended by the idea of a group of girls replacing Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson.

I don't know what to say other than: "Dudes, get over yourselves."

Melissa McCarthy headlines, and she's currently the most consistently bankable star in Hollywood right now. Add in Kristen Wiig, who deliberately chose smaller and more dramatic projects after her "Bridesmaids" breakout. Lesser-known stars Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones seem like good fits.

In a cheeky post-feminist nod, hunky Chris Hemsworth plays their receptionist.

Forget the naysayers and chat room trolls. They have the tools, they have the talent.

Suicide Squad

(August 5) -- D.C. Comics' second foray into building their own franchise starts with the counter-intuitive notion of making the villains the main characters. Here the government rounds up super-powered bad guys and give them a shot at getting out of prison in exchange for doing their dirty work.

The most talked about aspect, of course, is Oscar winner Jared Leto being cast as the Joker. After Heath Ledger gave the character his own iconic stamp before his early death, some are wondering if it's possible -- or even appropriate -- to reboot the character with another performer. I see: Let's see what he does with it.

Will Smith plays Deadshot, Margot Robbie is Harley Quinn and Cara Delevingne plays the Enchantress.

And ol' Batman himself -- well, the new Batman, Ben Affleck -- turns up for a cameo.

Summer movie preview 2011

Welcome to the Summer of Movies 2011, an extravaganza of sequels and C-list super-heroes. It's hard to get too pumped about this year's offerings, since they bear such a startling resemblance to 2010, '09, '08, etc.

To wit: There will be a "Harry Potter" movie -- the last one (really), which lends it a bit of urgency. But still, after eight flicks in the past decade, only hardcore Harryites are still besides themselves with anticipation.

There will be a super-hero movie or three. But having already burned through those few supes who are true cultural icons -- to the point that both Superman and Spider-Man are getting rebooted -- ticket-buyers who didn't spend the entirety of their teen years inside a comic book store will scratch their heads trying to figure out just who the heck Green Lantern, Thor and Captain America are, beyond "that guy with the shield."

Sequels to previous summer blockbusters will dutifully arrive, whether live action -- "The Hangover Part II," "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" -- or animated -- "Kung Fu Panda 2," "Cars 2."

And maybe, just maybe, a few genuinely audacious, risk-taking films with a heart and a story to tell will fall into our laps in between the explosions and robots from outer space. Top candidates include "The Beaver," "The Tree of Life," "The Help," "Crazy, Stupid, Love" and "Larry Crowne."

Here's our rundown of the summer, with those boasting the most heated hype marked with a *.

*Thor (May 6) -- Chris Hemsworth plays the Norse god of thunder, banished to Earth by his wrathful father Odin (Anthony Hopkins). Stripped of (most of) his power, Thor is vulnerable to the plots of his killer kid brother, Loki. Next summer, Thor will join Iron Man and Captain America in the launch of The Avengers, a wannabe mega-franchise.

The Beaver (May 6) -- Yes, we're all supposed to hate Mel Gibson, I know. But this off-kilter dramedy directed by Jodie Foster shows promise. Gibson plays a burnt-out corporate honcho who finds he can only truly express himself using a beaver hand puppet. Wacky, daring ... perhaps wonderful?

Bridesmaids (May 13) -- This comedy about good girls turning bad for a bachelorette party looks suspiciously like a gender-flip of "The Hangover," except for one thing: Kristen Wiig, star of "Saturday Night Live" and perpetual sidekick in the movies, finally gets a lead role.

*Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (May 20) -- Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley jumped ship from the Disney franchise to make room for more of Johnny Depp slurring his dialogue as Captain Jack Sparrow as he searches for the Fountain of Youth. Penelope Cruz is a new addition as a female swashbuckler and former Sparrow flame, as is Ian McShane as Blackbeard.

Midnight in Paris (May 20) -- After decades stuck in the Big Apple, Woody Allen suddenly can't seem to stop himself from going international. His 42nd feature film stars Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams as a couple who find their lives growing discombobulated during a visit to the City of Love.

Priest (May 20) -- An unlikely action movie star, Brit Paul Bettany plays an even unlikelier badass: A super-soldier who wields a cross and a daggers while hunting blood-suckers in a post-apocalyptic dystopia.

*The Hangover Part II (May 26) -- The surprise comedy hit of 2009, which also managed to be quite clever in its mixture of raunch and adept storytelling, sees the boys taking their act on the road to Bangkok. Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis are all back for another set of misadventures, but despite rumors Bill Clinton will not appear to feel their pain.

Kung Fu Panda 2 (May 26) -- Here's a setup: an evil peacock, Lord Shen (voiced by Gary Oldman) is threatening to eradicate kung fu, right after dopey fuzz-butt Po (Jack Black) became the unlikely Dragon Warrior. It's just an excuse for another round of family-friendly mayhem and gastrointestinal humor.

The Tree of Life (May 27) -- There are few filmmakers who deserve to be called an auteur, but Terrence Malick -- "Badlands," "The Thin Red Line" -- is among them. Brad Pitt stars as a 1950s father whose offspring struggle to make sense of their lives decades down the road (Sean Penn plays one of the adult sons). Malick spent three years editing this film, so let's hope it's worth the wait.

Beginners (June 3) -- Writer/director Mike Mills draws on his own life for this sweet tale about how a relationship changes when a father comes out of the closet to his son at the age of 75. Starring Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer.

X-Men: First Class (June 3) -- This Cold War-era prequel to the "X-Men" franchise about mutant super-heroes explores the relationship of Professor X (James McAvoy) and Magneto before they became mortal enemies.

*Super 8 (June 10) -- A group of kids are shooting an 8 mm movie in the 1970s heartland when a train derails, nearly killing them and setting off a chain of events that hearkens back to an era of innocence, before summer movies were cynical and exploitative. Director J.J. Abrams has more or less admitted he's channeling early Steven Spielberg, so let's see if he can ride this two-wheeler over the moon.

Green Lantern (June 17) -- Diehard Generation X fans are quivering with delight at the prospect of a big-picture version of a regular schmo (Ryan Reynolds) who receives the gift of a magic ring, and a not-so-voluntary invitation to join an intergalactic force of do-gooders. But seriously, how many people under age 30 have even heard of him?

Mr. Popper's Penguins (June 17) -- Jim Carrey returns to the animal roots of his breakout role, "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective," for this adaptation of the beloved children's novel about a workaholic whose perspective is changed by six penguins who come to visit.

Bad Teacher (June 24) -- Hollywood sweetheart Cameron Diaz plays against type as a horrible teacher who's suddenly inspired to impart real lessons to her seventh graders to win the heart of a dreamy new substitute played by Justin Timberlake. With Jason Segal.

*Cars 2 (June 24) -- Could this finally be the film where animation powerhouse Pixar stumbles? Somehow, I doubt it. Race car hotshot Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and tow truck bumpkin Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) take their show on the road to Europe, where international intrigue threatens the World Grand Prix.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (July 1) -- The heroic shape-shifting robots are back for a third go-round with Shia LaBeouf returning as ... oh, heck. As if anyone could actually understand the plots of the first two "Transformers" flicks. Here's a synopsis: Metal-crunching CGI action interrupted by snappy one-liners.

Larry Crowne (July 1) -- Tom Hanks directs, co-wrote and stars in this comedy/drama as a middle-aged downsize-ee who goes back to school and finds himself smitten with his college professor, played by Julia Roberts in full beaming-smile mode.

*Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2 (July 15) -- The fantasy saga of a boy wizard battling the dark lord Voldemort comes to a (hopefully) smashing finale. Never mind that even those who haven't read the books already know how it ends. This is the summer's 800-pound troll ... er, gorilla.

*Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22) -- Early buzz was worrisome, and some people (OK, me) still aren't happy about the casting of Chris Evans, who's an acting lightweight despite his new muscles. But the long-awaited trailer turned doubts into desire to see the saga of a 98-pound wimp transformed into a super-soldier. Set during World War II, expect a more grounded (i.e., no lasers or space ships) super-hero flick.

Friends with Benefits (July 22) -- Justin Timberlake stars ... hey, this guy's everywhere lately! ... anyway, he and Mila Kunis play hipster buds who decide to add sex to the relationship but remain platonic friends outside the bedroom. Which, in the history of the world, has worked exactly never times.

*Cowboys &Aliens (July 29) -- Yes, the title sounds like a bad joke. But director Jon Favreau ("Elf," "Iron Man") knows how to make fun movies. The idea of smashing up genres is popular these days, and pairing James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in a Western oater-meets-sci-fi extravaganza just feels right.

The Smurfs (July 29) -- The indigo animated cuties from the '80s get the "Garfield" treatment, with live action humans -- notably Neil Patrick Harris -- slumming with CG Smurfs.

Crazy, Stupid, Love (July 29) -- Hopes are high for this romantic comedy starring Emma Stone, Julianne Moore, Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling as a pair of fledgling couples who tutor each other in the ways of love.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Aug. 5) -- James Franco stars in this prequel to the 1970s flicks with Charlton Heston -- before they "blew it up." No humans in chimp costumes here, but CGI with Andy Serkis, the same actor who played Gollum in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

The Change-Up (Aug. 5) -- Another body switcheroo comedy? We thought that genre finally had a stake driven through its hackneyed heart. But Jason Bateman stars as a married guy who envies the playboy lifestyle of pal Ryan Reynolds, and gets to sample it first-hand. And the trailer's actually funny.

The Help (Aug. 12) -- Based on the best-selling (and controversial) novel, this drama examines the relationships between African-American maids in 1960s Mississippi and the well-heeled white families who employed them. What a cast: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Sissy Spacek, Bryce Dallas Howard, Cicely Tyson. This generation's "Steel Magnolias"?

30 Minutes or Less (Aug. 12) -- Jesse Eisenberg and Aziz Ansari play a pair of losers blackmailed into a robbing a bank really, really soon. From the "Zombieland" director.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (Aug. 12) -- Mexican director Guillermo del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth") remakes a TV movie that scared him to death as a child. With Katie Holmes as a woman who moves into a mansion with goblin squatters.

Conan the Barbarian (Aug. 19) -- Hey, Arnold's still around. And the original Conan novels by Robert E. Howard actually took the character into his late 60s. So why do a reboot with a no-name actor (Jason Momoa) as the Cimmerian killing machine?

Fright Night (Aug. 19) -- A remake of the 1980s cult classic about a teen battling the new vampire neighbor, played by Colin Farrell in a clever bit of casting.

Our Idiot Brother (Aug. 26) -- Paul Rudd stars as a gentle-hearted hippie doofus forced to move back in with his family after some trouble with the law. Despite the set-up, it's a little more high-minded than your average stoner comedy.

The Debt (Aug. 31) -- This drama (delayed from a 2010 release) examines three Israeli agents struggling to come to terms with their actions 30 years earlier. With Sam Worthington and Helen Mirren.

World's greatest summer movie preview!

In looking over the list of this year's summer movie offerings, one thing is clear: Originality was not high on the list of priorities.

If you take away all the sequels, remakes or flicks based on a TV show/comic strip/video game, you're left with ... not a whole lot.

Summer blockbusters tend to be safe choices that are designed to have a built-in audience. So taking risks is not common this time of year. But really, was the world crying out for a film version of the "Marmaduke" comic strip? Or the "Prince of Persia" video game?

Here's my rundown of the summer, helpfully divided into those I think are promising, those I think will be at least tolerable, and those I'm painting a black circle around on the calendar. (Somehow, I just know I'm going to be otherwise occupied on the day of the "Piranha 3-D" screening.)

THE GOOD

Splice (June 4) -- This horror/thriller looks promising. It's about two wayward scientists who combine human DNA with other creatures, with horrific results.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice (July 16) -- Yes, this is exactly what it looks like: A live-action version of the famous broom sequence from "Fantasia" starring Mickey Mouse. With the same crew from "National Treasure" -- Nic Cage, Jerry Bruckheimer and Jon Turtletaub. I know you think I'm crazy right now for putting this in the "good" column. But watch the trailer; it actually looks like fun.

Toy Story 3 (June 18) -- Say this for the Pixar folks: They're not hasty. It took them 11 years to make another installment in the franchise that launched computer-generated animation. This time around Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie and the gang are shipped off to a daycare center. Given the pedigree, I've got high hopes.

Jonah Hex (June 18) -- Josh Brolin plays a scarred, cursed bounty hunter who's after the man who slew his family. Megan Fox, back in the sexy sidekick role where she belongs, plays a prostitute. With John Malkovich chewing the tumbleweeds as the villain, and the combo of Western and horror genres, this one looks like a keeper.

Despicable Me (July) -- Screw the super-heroes, the super-villains are the most fun! That's the idea behind this animated romp about the world's number-two villain (Steve Carell) who thinks he should be number one. Sound original? That's because it is! Not based on anything other than the filmmakers' creative minds. Imagine that.

Inception (July 16) -- Director Christopher Nolan teams up with Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page in a mind-bending drama about a world in which the human mind and technology are intertwined. The trailer looks freaky-deaky.

Rosencratz and Guildenstern Are Undead (June 11) -- I actually don't know anything about this film; I'm recommending it strictly based on the title.

Dinner for Schmucks (July 23) -- Ditto. Any chance to sneak profanity in a foreign language into pop culture is a positive thing in my book. As for the plot: It's like that River Phoenix movie "Dogfight," but funny and with guys.

Eat Pray Love (Aug. 13) -- Julia Roberts plays a woman with a midlife crisis who dumps her marriage and career to travel the world seeking serenity. Could be this summer's "Julie & Julia."

THE BAD

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (May 28) -- Let's start with the fact that Jake Gyllenhall and Gemma Arterton are decidedly not Perian. In fact, they're about as far away from Arabian as you can get. They're anti-Persian. Other than that, this looks like a normal summer actioner with lots of computer-generated destruction. Problem is, the track record of movies based on video games starts at dreadful, and then goes downhill.

Grown Ups (June 25) -- I've always liked Chris Rock. I think he's one of the edgiest, most original comic talents of the last quarter-century. But have you noticed that whenever his career needs a little boost, he runs back to fellow "Saturday Night Live" alum Adam Sandler to co-star in one of his boneheaded flicks? He's back again in this story of summer camp chums from the '70s reuniting as fortysomething losers. With Kevin James, David Spade and Rob Schneider ... yep, they've got the whole awful crew assembled.

The Expendables (Aug. 13) -- Sylvester Stallone continues to roll the stone up the hill for the comeback only he and his agent want to see. He wrote, directed and stars in this adventure about a group of mercenaries hired to overthrow an evil dictator. With Jet Li, Bruce Willis, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Marmaduke (June 4) -- A family comedy based on a comic strip that is only read by people under the age of 6 or over 60. Watch the trailer: CGI pooches doing line dancing. My soul actually shriveled a little when I saw it.

The Other Guys (Aug. 6) -- Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson are the baddest, hippest cops on the beat -- but they're not the heroes of this story. Will Farrell and Mark Wahlberg play wannabe detectives toiling in their shadow. Farrell's really been dogging it lately, and Marky Mark is not exactly the first name that comes to mind when you think comedic timing.

Killers (June 4) -- Ashton Kutcher stops Tweeting long enough to crank out another movie that reminds us why he doesn't deserve to be a star. He plays a super-spy who hooks up with unsuspecting normal girl Katherine Heigl.

Shrek Forever After (May 21) -- It may seem harsh putting the jolly green ogre here, but the third movie really, really sucked. Seeing as how the careers of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz have all tanked lately, this fourth entree feels like it's just here for the green -- the papery kind.

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore; Piranha 3-D; Step Up 3D; Predators; Nanny McPhee 2 -- Do I really need to say anything? OK, two words: Colossally unnecessary.

THE MEH

Iron Man 2 (May 7) -- I've already seen it as I'm writing this, so you'll have to read the review to see why it ended up in the "meh" lineup. Tony Stark gets a competitor and a partner, each in their own super-suit.

Sex and the City 2 (May 27) -- The first one was actually quite good, but I can't say I'm psyched up for another two hours of fashion fetish, bitchy dialogue and romance gone awry.

Twilight: Eclipse (June 30) -- The vampires and the werewolves team up to fight some bad vampires.

The Last Airbender (July 2) -- M. Night Shyamalan tackles the summer blockbuster in this adaptation of a popular TV cartoon show.

MacGruber (May 21) -- A mildly amusing 10-minute television comedy sketch parody of a somewhat entertaining '80s TV show gets stretched out into a feature-length comedy.

Get Him to the Greek (June 4) -- A quasi-sequel to "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," which forgot to include Sarah Marshall and all the other characters except for Russell Brand's twit Brit rock 'n' roller. Jonah Hill is back, but playing an entirely new character.

The A-Team (June 11) -- Probably will be fun, but also is totally unnecessary. Does it really have anything to add to the cheesy legacy of the TV show other than CG explosions? Plus, to put it in mathematical terms,T=BA, and anything not T≠BA.

The Karate Kid (June 11) -- The ol' wimp-learns-martial-arts-to-fend-off-bullies-with-the-help-of-stern-teacher genre. They tried it with a "kid" who was pushing 30 by the end of his run, then they went to a teen girl (Hilary Swank). Now they're trying it with a preteen, Jaden Smith. With Jackie Chan in the Miyagi role.

Knight and Day (June 25) -- Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise reunite for the long-awaited "Vanilla Sky" sequel! I'm kidding, I'm kidding ... Cruise plays a super-agent who runs into a normal girl, upending her world. Sounds a bit familiar, doesn't it? It's basically "Killers," aged 12-15 years.

Salt (July 23) -- Angeline Jolie tackles a role originally written as a male character, a CIA veteran who is accused of being an undercover assassin sent to kill the president.

The Switch (Aug. 20) -- Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston are best friends. When she decides to use artificial insemination to have a child by herself, he swaps out the donor sperm for his own.

Letters to Juliet (May 14) -- A young girl travels the globe to find an old woman's long-lost love, and finds one of her own along the way. With Amanda Seyfried and Vanessa Redgrave.

Just Wright (May 14) -- Physical therapist Queen Latifah is assigned to help a fallen NBA star (Common) and they fall in love.

Babies (May 7) -- A documentary. About babies. With no dialogue.

Robin Hood (May 14) -- Russell Crowe stars in the umpteenth version of Robin Hood -- no green tights, though. Directed by Ridley Scott, so it could be awesome. But really, did we need another Robin Hood?

Catch the Captain!

I'll be taking to the airwaves again this weekend, appearing on John Strauss' show on WIBC this Sunday to talk about summer movies. We'll explore some of the wannabe blockbusters out there waiting for us, and discuss the buzz -- good or bad -- surrounding the notables.

My spot will be a little after 11 a.m. on WIBC, that's 93.1 on your FM dial.

Tune in!