Summer of Awesome

Let's run down the list, shall we? Kicking off with "Iron Man" and segueing into "Speed Racer" and "Prince Caspian," I have yet to be disappointed by this summer's showings.

From the new Indiana Jones installation set to hit this weekend to the newStar Wars movie- Is it any wonder I'm excited?

Hollywood seems to have hit its stride. I can't remember a summer that had so much promise in too long. It reminds me of seeing "Independence Day," "Men In Black" and "X-Men" for the first time. Summer blockbusters are a tradition in America, a time for explosions, science fiction and superheroes. The summer movie season has finally arrived for 2008, saving us from a year that has so far been uncharacteristically dull, with the only really stand-out movie so far being "Cloverfield." "Iron Man" has saved us from all that, getting the ball rolling on what promises to be one of the largest money-making summers in years.

The big offerings of this summer seem to have one thing in common: franchises. It is so much easier for Hollywood studios to market a movie if the audience already knows what it is. You don't have to "sell" people the idea of a new Indiana Jones movie; as long as they know it's in theaters, people will line up in droves to see it. Hollywood has known about the power of franchise for a long time, it has finally started committing to making good movies out of the franchises, whether it is a sequel or a movie adaptation of an existing property. "Speed Racer" is a good example-a movie that could have been terrible kiddie-fodder was instead headed by two of the most respected directors in Hollywood and starred big name, well-established actors and the best up-and-coming talent as well.

Money is always the bottom line. And as history has proven, comic books can often be big earners. Take a look: "Iron Man," "X-Men," "Spider-Man" and "Batman" all set box office records. But money is not the only reason Hollywood makes comic adaptations; it's just easier. Adapting a comic book is like having a storyboard already made up for you.

A comic book is easier to sell to a studio than a screenplay, because the screenplay is possibly the most boring form of entertainment known to man. Add some pictures, though, and you've got a nice, easy-to-read pitch that will lead to some big bucks for Tinsel Town. There have been several movies you wouldn't even suspect were comic books. Here are a few: "300," "30 Days of Night," "From Hell," "A History of Violence," "Road to Perdition" and "V for Vendetta."

Let's not discount the new movies, though. "WALL-E" and "Kung-Fu Panda" seem to be great offerings in the family genre. "WALL-E" was the final idea to come out of a Pixar brainstorming session in 1994 that also produced "A Bug's Life," "Monsters Inc." and "Finding Nemo." That alone makes this worth seeing. "Zohan" and Mike Myer's "Love Guru" seem like good comedic fare for an older audience. Adam Sandler usually brings the funny and should in "Zohan," while Mike Myer's first comedy since "Goldmember" appears to have done a good job of maintaining the Austin Powers humor while still bringing something fresh and new to the screen. The "Sex and the City" movie should give women tired of testosterone-fueled blockbusters a reason to go to the theaters, so there is plenty for everyone at the cinema this summer.

I'm excited. I will happily donate plenty of my hard-earned cash to the growing piles the movie studios are raking in, so long as they can produce the quality work I've seen so far this summer. Let the good times-and the good movies roll.