by Grant Grieshaber Columnist Published May 29th, 2009

Summertime is blockbuster season at the movies. Each year, major Hollywood studios, including Warner Bros., Paramount, Universal, 20th Century Fox, and Columbia, fight over coveted slots in a competitive summer lineup, hoping to release their films to the largest audiences possible. Most will not become next year’s Oscar contenders, but these popcorn flicks are guaranteed to resonate throughout American pop culture, while entertaining moviegoers during the dog days of summer. 

Thanks to the escalating price tags of many summer blockbusters, the competition for box office bank becomes steeper every year. Last summer, The Dark Knight set the opening weekend box office record with an astonishing $158,411,483 grossed in the United States alone. Undoubtedly, studio executives will be looking to surpass those earnings this summer. 

And despite a struggling economy, Hollywood may be collecting larger profits than usual. Earlier this year, ticket sales were up $1.66 billion in comparison to last year, prompting film blogger Jeremy Kay to predict that 2009 will boast Hollywood’s biggest earnings to date. Paul Dergarabedian, a box office analyst at Hollywood.com, attributes this surge to the transporting magic of the movies. “Movies offer a way to go not only outside of your house, but to a whole different world — and that’s very appealing right now,” he said.

In an effort to heighten audience escapism, Hollywood has scheduled an action-packed summer lineup sure to induce an adrenaline rush or two. Less adventurous moviegoers will be pleased to learn that a number of comedies will illuminate the big screen as well. The following preview showcases the most anticipated summer movies and helps guide viewers through theatres after school lets out.

This is also the summer of sequels, and Hollywood will be welcoming two well-established franchises back into theatres. The first is Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, coming out June 24. Directed by Michael Bay, the next installment of the Transformers saga pits protagonist Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) and his “Autobot” allies against the evil “Decepticon” army in an epic battle stretching as far as the Egyptian pyramids. If Internet buzz is correct, a new machine known only as “The Fallen” will serve as the film’s main villain. According to visual effects supervisor Sam Farrar, a total of 60 individual robots have been designed for screen time in the sequel. Fans will be happy to hear Paramount Pictures has already announced the production of the third Transformers installment, likely to hit theatres in 2012.

The second standout summer sequel is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, in theatres July 15. Directed by David Yates, the latest Harry Potter film depicts the adolescent wizard’s sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The school has become increasingly unsafe due to the resurgence of Lord Voldemort. Harry suspects his nemesis Draco Malfoy of aiding the dark lord, and consults with headmaster Albus Dumbledore to learn the harsh secrets of Voldemort’s past. Meanwhile, teenage romance leads to jealousy as Harry falls for Ginny Weasley, while Hermione harbors feelings for Ron, who is dating fellow Gryffindor classmate Lavender Brown.

Unlike the sci-fi/fantasy action dominating summer movies thus far, Michael Mann’s Public Enemies, opening July 1, tackles real-life organized crime in the 1930′s Midwestern United States. The film recounts the rise and fall of the invincible Depression-era gangster John Dillinger (Johnny Depp), whose notorious bank heists and jail breaks earn him celebrity status by the American public. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover sees matters differently and targets Dillinger as “Public Enemy Number One.” Top agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) is assigned the important task of apprehending Dillinger and his gang, a job none before him could complete.

For those looking for a solid laugh or two, Year One might be your best bet. Arriving in theatres June 19, Year One is a prehistoric comedy starring Jack Black and Michael Cera as two tribesman who journey throughout the ancient biblical world after being banished from their village. The movie is directed by Harold Ramis, whose comic mind is behind such classics as Animal House, Caddyshack, and Groundhog Day. Although a comedy, Ramis explains the movie’s biblical setting allows for an elaborate social commentary on today’s religious beliefs. “It seemed like a way to talk about fundamentalism, about people’s belief that it’s God behind some of their worst actions,” Ramis said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

Fans of Judd Apatow will be happy to know that the writer/director is helming a new summer project, but it’s darker than you might expect. Hitting theatres July 31, Funny People stars Adam Sandler as George Simmons, a very successful standup comedian and actor. Opposite Sandler, Seth Rogan stars as Ira Wright, a stumbling comic looking to find his niche. When George discovers he is fatally ill, he hires Ira to become his personal assistant in return for comedy coaching lessons. The two form a close and meaningful friendship but soon after, George’s illness miraculously dissipates and his near-death experience inspires him to reconsider his true values.

Well there you have it folks, the 2009 summer movie preview. If any of these movies look particularly enticing, don’t hesitate to catch them in theatres this summer. Happy movie-going!

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