After five less-than-inspiring months at a theater near you, summer movie season is (gasp!) finally kicking into full gear.
    
And while some cinematic trends remain the same (superheroes, sequels), there are also a few surprises that should keep things exciting, whether you’re a fan of more family-oriented fare, the occasional Indie flick or the big blockbuster that’s best enjoyed with a big ol’ bucket of buttered popcorn.
    
Now with no further yammering on from yours truly, here’s what’ll be competing for your cinematic love this summer...

Feeling Animated?
Summer just isn’t summer without Pixar bringing something to the party, right? While it’s definitely going to be difficult to top last year’s crowd-pleasing Toy Story 3, Cars 2 is already getting great buzz for humor, heart, and yes, some seriously stellar animation. (June 24)

The always-lovable Winnie the Pooh and his pals Piglet, Tigger and Eeyore haven’t been given the big-screen treatment in a while, so Winnie the Pooh should be a fun option for families. This time around, A.A. Milne’s famed tale gets an adventurous new spin when Winnie, on a quest for honey, naturally, misinterprets a note left by Christopher Robin and finds all kinds of trouble to get himself (and his furry friends) into. (July 15)

They’re BAAACK! Yes, those little blue pop culture icons from the '80s are back on the big screen – in 3-D, no less – with The Smurfs. With everyone from Hank Azaria to Neil Patrick Harris to pop star Katy Perry along for the ride, apparently, being blue is in fashion yet again. (July 29)

How About Some Silly Shenanigans for the Kids – or the Young At Heart?
Based on the popular book by the same name, Judy Moody is determined to have the most thrilling summer of her life in Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer. And with a crazy aunt like Opal (Heather Graham) coming to visit, well, that shouldn’t be too much of a problem. (June 10)

Putting his wackadoodle sense of humor to perfect use, Jim Carrey learns that penguins are ultimately way cooler than he is in Mr. Popper’s Penguins. (June 17)

After making some major bank at playing a common sense-challenged mall cop, Kevin James plays a guy so clueless about matters of the heart that he’s forced to enlist the help of zoo animals to win over his lady in Zookeeper. (July 8)

With yet another zany case to solve, the Spy Kids prove yet again that they’re smarter than their adult counterparts in Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World. (August 19)

Embrace Your Inner Superhero By Tagging Along With...
Find out how the X-Men became the X-Men in X-Men: First Class, starring James McAvoy and Winter’s Bone’s Jennifer Lawrence. (June 3)

Thanks to mystical green ring, Ryan Reynolds suits up and uses his new powers for good in Green Lantern (June 17).

Fighting for the cause of the land of the free and the home of the brave, a man deemed unfit for the military becomes Captain America in Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22).

While technically not a superhero, Harry Potter has been that – and more – to thousands and thousands of loyal readers. Now see him at the rest of the Hogwarts crew in the film’s final installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (July 15).

And a Little Comedy, Drama and Sci-Fi for Adults, Too...
A small town turns strange after a mysterious train crash in J.J. Abrams’ highly anticipated flick, Super 8 (June 10).

After starring in the ultra-serious political drama Charlie Wilson’s War, Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts return to the genre they know best – comedy – in Larry Crowne, a story of what happens when Larry (Hanks) heads back to the classroom and falls in love with this college professor (Roberts) (July 1).

Practically everyone who read the best-selling novel, The Help, loved the story of three women who struck up a unlikely friendship. But will those same readers feel the same about the big-screen adaptation? Well, I’m guessing actresses Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Sissy Spacek, Allison Janney and Bryce Dallas Howard hope so (August 12).

The script has been kept under lock and key, but what we do know is that Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig and Olivia Wilde are starring in a buzzed-about movie involving the unconventional pairing of Cowboys & Aliens (July 29).

Apparently, audiences aren’t sick of robots yet. Cue Transformers: Dark of the Moon (June 29).

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About the Writer

After graduating with a B.S. in Journalism from North Central University in 1998, Christa Banister moved from Minneapolis to Nashville, Tenn. and eventually started working at CCM Magazine/Salem Publishing in various editorial capacities as an editor, columnist and website guru for five and a half years. After that, she launched her own Dallas-based freelance writing company and writes for numerous clients including Salem Publishing, Crosswalk.com (she reviews movies for them each week), Christian Single, Christianity Today, Threads Media, Songs4Worship.com, PassAlong.com and also helped kickstart the first Christian music blog for MTV. In addition, she also writes bios for professional recording artists and authors and penned her first two novels, Around the World in 80 Dates and Blessed Are the Meddlers for NavPress.