I love summer. Not the heat, just the movies. While others bemoan the erosion of art coming to fruition in the big budget, summer blockbuster, I can’t help but enter this season with the excitement of a child who found a tub of margarine.

Alas, that pesky margarine can make you sick if you’re not careful, just as easily as summer films can fail to do anything more than prove Hollywood knows how to waste money (remember “Green Lantern” or “Battlefield Earth”). But somehow, I maintain renewed hope, and why not, it always starts with a Marvel superhero film come the first week of May. So get ready, and know that if you can’t stand the heat, get into an air-conditioned theatre each weekend.

The Shoe-Ins

I’m calling it: science fiction will reign this summer. It’s no surprise Disney attached J.J. Abrams to 2015’s “Star Wars: Episode VII”, so prepare for greatness with “Star Trek Into Darkness” (May 15). I have no idea what the storyline is (evil fugitive, etc.), but “Sherlock’s” beloved lead, Benedict Cumberbatch, is the villain, fighting against the amazing cast, including Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg and Karl Urban.

And now for a couple out-of-the-blue predictions. “Fast & Furious 6” (May 24) might be one of the most successful films of the summer. “Fast 5” was wildly entertaining, and this new plotline provides a touch of intrigue, returning long-thought-dead Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) to the fold. It stars The Rock, Vin Diesel and even Jason Statham. Bring on the mindless fun.

And for the big win, Joss Whedon decides to follow up his worldwide success, “The Avengers”, with a modern-day adaptation of Billy Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” (June 7). Besides the nerdy value of its cast (many from the “Whedonverse”), Whedon is a proven storyteller regardless of genre.

Sure, Pixar has been quite uneven post-“Toy Story 3”, with bland contributions like “Cars 2” and “Brave”, but there’s little chance “Monster University” (June 21), a prequel to the delightful “Monsters, Inc.”, will fail us. As for “Despicable Me 2” (July 3), if it’s half as cute as its predecessor — who can resist the charm of those Twinkie-shaped minions — then we’re in for another heartfelt adventure.

Guillermo del Toro’s “Pacific Rim” (July 12) might look like Transformers-meets-Godzilla, but the genius filmmaker behind “Pan’s Labyrinth” and the “Hellboys” hasn’t directed a poor film yet.

“District 9” director, Neill Blomkamp, presents his sophomore film debut, “Elysium” (Aug. 9), which depicts a slum-like world and a paradise — Elysium — orbiting above. After a special procedure attaches a robotic exoskeleton, Max (Matt Damon) attempts to take down the utopia.

The Super

Henry Cavill stars as Superman in “Man of Steel”, which is one of the films that look incredibly promising. (photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)

How could “Iron Man 3” (May 3) tank? It has a quite a bit of ground to make up for with a less than super “Iron Man 2”. But Robert Downey, Jr. we trust, and Ben Kingsley as the film’s villain, The Mandarin, doesn’t hurt either.

And then there’s the ever-doomed Superman back on the big screen. Early previews are incredibly promising, with Henry Cavill looking the part on par with Christopher Reeves. Let’s just hope the corny Man of Steel from “Superman II-IV” stays in the ‘80s and lets this “Man of Steel” (June 14) fly.

Hugh Jackman is Wolverine, and he returns in his second standalone film. But don’t worry, director James Mangold (“Walk the Line”) might just be able to remind us why we love “The Wolverine” (July 26).

Early news of Gore Verbinski’s (director of “Pirates of the Caribbean”) “The Lone Ranger” (July 5) are less than promising, but hopefully Verbinski learned some tricks since the later “Pirate” films. And while I should come down harsher on a film like “R.I.P.D.” — supernatural cop thriller about the world’s best law enforcers recruited posthumously into the “Rest in Peace Division” to protect the world of the living against the dead, starring Ryan Reynolds and a “True Grit-esque” Jeff Bridges — it just looks fun. Like “Hellboy” fun.

And how can I resist the charm and Helen Mirren, John Malkovich and action king Bruce Willis reprising their roles in “RED 2”? Oh yeah, Anthony Hopkins is on board too.

Not sure what to think of the “300” sequel (or is it prequel?), “300: Rise of an Empire” (Aug. 2).

The Skeptical

While I want to believe in Baz Luhrmann (the man behind “Moulin Rouge”) and await “The Great Gatsby” (May 10) with giddy anticipation — after all, Jay-Z executive produced, playing some part in the soundtrack — I still remember “Australia”, that bland homage to his home country that felt more like a screeching emo song than memorable ballad. Hopefully Luhrmann’s hallucination-inducing style returns to bring to life one of the greatest novels in American literature.

Sure, “World War Z” (June 21) looks like a solid zombie flick with a unique take on the undead, but Paramount delayed this one by almost a year, which is never a good sign. After “The Last Airbender”, M. Night Shyamalan should’ve been booted from Hollywood for good, but alas he returns with “After Earth” (May 31). I hate to admit it, but it looks promising. Will Smith as Col. Cypher and his son, Jaden Smith as Kitai Raige stranded on Earth more than 1,000 years after humanity’s exodus … go on. If only someone else directed it, then we’d have a guarantee of effective craftsmanship rather than the echoing thought, “Is Shyamalan a talented filmmaker or has he been dead his entire career?”

As for “The Hangover Part III”, they’re finally switching up the plotline, so let’s hope “Part II” becomes but a distant memory lost during a bender. And then there’s “This is the End”, starring Seth Rogen, James Franco, Danny McBride, Emma Watson, Jason Segel, Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Jay Brachial and Craig Robinson … as themselves. I want to be excited, but it might just be too much talent in too small a pool.  While I have reason to doubt “Bridesmaids’s” director Paul Feig’s next flick, “The Heat” — joining Sandra Bullock with comedy powerhouse Melissa McCarthy — I have my doubts, just because most comedies tend to hurt me so.

The Trash

Everything else might be decent, but most likely “The Lone Ranger” will tank, followed by such uninspired fair as “Grown Ups 2”, “Smurfs 2” and Pixar’s “Cars’” spinoff, “Planes”.