Oh, school year, you have come and gone again. At the end of every semester, I feel an emptiness that accompanies the calm after the storm we call "exams." Luckily, though, the longest break of the school year coincides with the most exciting movie months of the year. To fill the welcome void of workless nights, there are always a few things that we exitedly anticipate: In my case, the top five movies that I can't wait to stand in line and see. The genres are eclectic, but I seriously hope that, unlike many of the films on my equivalent list last semester, they do not disappoint.
MacGruber

Take one part action hero, one part secret agent and one part total buffoon, and what do you get? MacGruber. For those who are unfamiliar with MacGruber, he is a ridiculous MacGyver-like character who is the result of Will Forte's hilarious and ridiculous imagination. I have been curious since this project was first announced how the filmmakers would turn the always- hilarious 15-second Saturday Night Live regular sketch into a film. After seeing the trailers online and in theaters, the transition looks flawless and, more importantly, hilarious.

With an incredible cast featuring the aforementioned Will Forte as well as Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillippe, Maya Rudolph and Val Kilmer as the evil villain Dieter Von Cunth (a name that already begs some laughter) and with direction by SNL writer and one third of the comedy trio The Lonely Island Jorma Taccone, this film is one that I hope delivers some gut-busting laughter. If early feedback is any indication, certainly does so. Released last Friday, you can get in on the laughs right away.


Toy Story 3

Disney and Pixar, you have done it again. Ever since I was five years old, I, along with millions of people around the world, fell in love with the loveable talking toys that we wished we could bring into our homes. The joys of youth that could be loved and appreciated by everyone from toddlers to seniors were captured in Toy Story, and the last 15 years have brought many other consistently incredible films by the powerhouse animation duo. Now, older and (hopefully) wiser, I still cannot contain my excitement to be reunited with Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Mr. Potato Head, Slinky and a whole bunch of familiar and brand-new characters in the newest installment of the Toy Story series voiced by its stellar all-star cast. In this film, Andy is sent off to college, and all of his toys-including the mistakenly included Woody-have been sent to a day care. With a new location come new experiences, tons of new toys and lots of new drama as the toys try to band together to break free and reunite with their longtime owner. Though trilogy films have tended to be overblown cash grabs (ahem, Spiderman 3, ahem), Disney and Pixar have never let me down in either animation or story, and I expect many laughs, tears, smiles and jeers during the 86-minute ride.

Toy Story 3 will be in theaters June 18.


Inception

"Your mind is the scene of the crime." For months, this was all I knew of the upcoming blockbuster Inception. Well, that and the fact that blockbuster director Christopher Nolan took part in it, and it has an all-star cast including the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Michael Caine, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cillian Murphy and more. While this alone would have been enough to get me into the theater, as more details slowly leaked out, my excitement has just grown more and more.

Apparently, the film is a tale of the subconscious, set in a world in which technology exists that can enter dreams and thoughts can be the most important or most dangerous things in the world. While cryptic, the action, adventure and mystique of the trailer along with the sheer talent of Nolan's writing and direction indicate Inception should not only hold off fans until Batman 3 comes out, but will most likely become the most talked-about film of the summer. What a follow-up to The Dark Knight-I see no way this film can disappoint!

Inception will be in theaters July 16.



Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

I kept hearing buzz about this film for a long time through many websites and entertainment magazines I normally read. But the things I heard and read didn't seem all that exciting. Based on a comic series by Bryan O'Malley, the movie is about a man named Scott Pilgrim who has to defeat his new girlfriend's "seven evil ex-boyfriends" to win over her heart.

So how did it make it to my top five movies of the summer? For starters, the trailer is nothing less than awesome. It combines action, humor, a comic-style fight sequence and some crazy special effects that make this film look like nothing I had imagined. Second, Edgar Wright, director of the hilariously clever films Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, directed it. Third, the cast is a mix of big names and up-and-coming actors and actresses. Michael Cera, as Scott Pilgrim, seems to have finally been able to break out of his "awkward indie star" mold, and has a supporting cast that includes Mary Elizabeth Winsted, Chris Evans, Brandon Routh, Jason Schwartzman and up-and-coming Toronto native Emily Kassie among many, many more. While not knowing that much about the film itself, having Jason Reitman categorizing the film as a "gamechanger" certainly helps sway me into getting very excited.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World jumps off the panel and into theaters on Aug. 13.



The Expendables

Sly Stallone, you've done it again. At 63 years old, Sylvester Stallone has managed to not only write and direct but also costar in the most kickass-looking movie of the summer, if not of the year. About a team of mercenaries headed to South America to uphold democracy and overthrow a dictator, the film looks to be so much more than a tale of American values. With many seasoned action veterans like Jet Li, Jason Statham, Eric Roberts, Steve Austin, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Danny Trejo, Randy Couture and even Arnold Schwarzenegger, the amount of action and testosterone pumping through this film's veins is endless. If you are looking for a one-stop mindless blowout great time, The Expendables is for you.

The Expendables explodes into theaters on Aug. 13.