The month of May starts tomorrow and with it the Summer movie season. The Fast And The Furious franchise has made bundles of cash by trying to jumpstart the season but for me, May 1st is the official start and this year looks to be one of the best. Summer movies are about spectacle and size, franchises and sequels. There is so much to like about the typical popcorn fare that’s released from May to August and one thing I enjoy is the chance to turn off your brain for awhile and just enjoy the experience of a packed theater, loud effects and awesome action. The surprises always come from those smaller films that get lost in the promotional machine for the blockbusters, so here’s a list of the movies I’m most looking forward to this month, some big and some small. I’ll also differentiate between nationwide and limited releases because not all of the movies on my list will be available everywhere…enjoy!

Avengers: Age Of Ultron – May 1 (Nationwide)

Everything kicks off with the biggest and the baddest of them all.  There’s no doubt in my mind that this will win the box office for the year and in a big way.  Advanced reviews have come in with some great, some mixed and some not as good as the first but there’s no doubt Avengers: Age Of Ultron will entertain.  With expectations so high there is a big chance of a letdown but I really can’t see that happening with everyone involved back and ready for action.  A darker movie has been promised which could be concerning but I trust in Joss Whedon to bring more of what made the first so irresistible and just plain fun.  With more action and bigger set pieces we all just better buckle up and enjoy the eventual king of the Summer.

Welcome To Me – May 1 (Limited)

A small, independent comedy with Kristen Wiig about a mentally ill woman who wins lottery…wait is this Summer fare?  Great performances can come from anywhere and Wiig looks to be great in this.  The story sounds really original and with such a strong supporting cast I really expect this to be a perfect alternative to the huge explosions and comic book dialogue that will ensue.  The challenge will be to find an audience willing to pay money at the theaters for a movie with a much more intimate story but quality always finds a way.

Maggie – May 8 (Limited)

I’m putting this one on my list more out of curiosity than anything else.  We all know how in vogue zombies have been, really since Danny Boyle’s breakout hit 28 Days Later and with varying degrees of success.  Everything about Maggie peaks my interest but especially the inclusion of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead role.  This looks like some real emotional stuff and though Arnold may look like an odd choice up front I’m excited to see what he can do and Abigail Breslin always does good work.  The story looks to take a more mature look at a possible zombie virus scenario and it’s emotional effects on those dealing with loved ones, this looks like a hit or miss movie but from the trailer and a few advanced reviews it seems like a sleeper hit that we may be talking about after the Summer.

Mad Max: Fury Road – May 15 (Nationwide)

Ever since this movie was announced I’ve been incredibly excited to check it out.  The original trilogy are some of my favorite movies, especially Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, and just look at the f&%#ing trailer!  This movie looks just insane and I guess my only reservation is hoping there’s enough story to actually make all of that action make sense.  Ultimately I trust in George Miller knowing this world better than anyone alive and also in Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron.  Miller’s insistence on using practical effects as opposed to CGI whenever possible really brings about some incredible looking action sequences.  This is the movie I’m looking forward to more than any others and I’ll be in my seat May 15th waiting for the craziness to begin.

Pitch Perfect 2 – May 15 (Nationwide)

I’m an unashamed, huge fan of the first Pitch Perfect and thought it was hilarious.  A cheesy and fun take on college A cappella groups but really a send up of college comedies in general, mixed with great music and comedic performances.  Rebel Wilson became a sensation and Anna Kendrick continued her perfect acting choices, but man, the sequel looks less than impressive.  I’m optimistic that maybe they’re not showing the best parts in the trailer and that the supporting characters will have more to do.  Expectations could be their worst enemy coming off such a strong first film but I’m still looking forward to the fun and music of the first.

Spy – May 22 (Nationwide)

Paul Feig is back with another comedy entry to the Summer schedule that looks to have all kinds of action and comedy.  Four years ago Feig released Bridesmaids and cemented himself as a comedy director to watch and while The Heat wasn’t as consistently funny, he looks to have a winner with Spy.  The story sounds hilarious and Melissa McCarthy is a perfect choice for the lead role but it’s really the rest of the cast that makes this one standout with Jude Law and Jason Statham looking to show off their comedy chops alongside Allison Janney, Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale.  Sometimes a great Summer comedy can be the breakout of the season and I’ve got my money on this one to do just that.

Tomorrowland – May 22 (Nationwide)

Tomorrowland looks like a throwback to those wonderfully fun adventure movies of the 80’s.  The trailer looks action packed and really, this is all about potential for me.  Brad Bird is one of the best directors making films in my opinion and George Clooney is always great, though here he looks to be taking a somewhat different role in the big Summer blockbuster.  With all of the franchises and sequels that load up a Summer it’s always fun to see an original story being told and Bird is a masterful storyteller.

Aloha – May 29 (Nationwide)

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sold on Aloha initially after hearing the synopsis, but damn if the incredible cast and the trailer hasn’t sold me.  Maybe “Directed by Cameron Crowe” doesn’t hold as much sway as it did after Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous but when you cast Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, John Krasinski, Danny McBride, Alec Baldwin and Bill F-ing Murray…well, now I’m all kinds of interested.  The story looks romantic and sappy but any movie with a cast like this will get my attention and the trailer looks damn good, count me in.

Well there they are, my picks for the movies I’m most looking forward to in the month of May.  I’m so excited for the Summer movie season to be here and really looking forward to these movies and even more!  I’ll be back and give you my picks for the other months as they come up but until then these are my picks, what do you think?  What are some of yours?  Summer is here everybody!