Although it is still quite dark and dismal outside - and it seems as if everyone in the office is fighting off the plague, I still cannot help but feel a tinge of excitement for summer.  Every year, winter always seems to be more and more endless.  Although this winter felt milder than many, I'm still getting a case of spring - or actually, summer - fever.

In addition to barbecues, trips to the beach, and relaxing for hours at outdoor cafes, a central focus of my anticipation is the summer movie season.  So, here are the top 5 movies that I am looking forward to hitting the air-conditioned cinemas for this summer:

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

 The best thing about Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest was - SPOILER ALERT! - the reveal of Captain Barbossa.  Although that movie felt bloated and a bit (I hate to say it) boring, that moment alone left me excited for the third installment, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.  With Chow Yun Fat and an appearance by Keith Richards, I hope that the third installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy can redeem the mistakes of the second.  The trailer looks promising.

(I just hope we get to see more of Commodore Norrington looking all rugged and scruffy...)

Spiderman 3

Spiderman 3 is another highly anticipated third installment in a popular trilogy.  How will Peter Parker balance his relationship with Mary Jane with his responsibilities as Spiderman?  Will Topher Grace be able to pull off a believable Venom? (Doesn't Topher Grace sort of seem like the poor man's Tobey Maguire?)

The Spiderman movies are always a fun mixture of action, comedy, and angst.  I'm totally psyched about this popcorn flick.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

 This one is a personal top pick of mine.  Each installment of the Harry Potter movies has gotten progressively better.  Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban had a lovely artistic vision, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was both exciting and heartbreaking.  The actors - especially Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe - have done fine jobs of growing into their characters. 

That said, I have extremely high expectations for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  Dolores Umbridge has always been one of the most terrifying villains to me throughout this series; I suppose we can all relate to having that one horrid teacher who seems to take immeasurable pleasure in the pain of others.   

The Bourne Ultimatum

So I guess I like sequels.  Jason Bourne tries to avoid being killed while simultaneously discovering the mysteries of his past.

Mostly, Matt Damon is really cute, especially in secret agent mode.

Evan Almighty

Evan Almighty breaks the mold of the big, epic action adventures that I anticipate, but it has one thing the other movies don't - Steve Carell.  Steve Carell is, in my humble opinion, the funniest man working in Hollywood today.  I would pay money to watch him just sit silently in a folding chair onscreen because I know that he would find a way to make it hilarious.