When a movie like "Grindhouse" is pretty much the best-reviewed film in theaters, you know things are tough. So I'm happy to announce that summer movies are starting to find their way into local theaters.
This means bigger budgets, bigger spectacle, and of course, bigger hype. Still, even the most jaded film snobs have to be glad to switch out "Perfect Stranger" for "Spider-Man 3." At the very least, the production values and "wow" factor will be higher.
Here are some May releases:

"Spider-Man 3" (May 4) -- See Trailer - The third installment of our favorite web slinger finds Spidey now facing two villains, played by Thomas Haden Church ("Sideways") and Topher Grace, formerly of "That 70s Show." The trailers show a new side to Spider-Man though, as he faces his dark side (in the form of a black costume). I think it looks pretty darn cool.

"Georgia Rule" (May 11) -- See Trailer - Much of the publicity surrounding this female-centric story revolved around star Lindsay Lohan's partying that almost led her to be fired from the film, which also stars Jane Fonda and Felicity Huffman. Lohan plays a wild, rebellious teen (wow, what a stretch!) who is sent by her mother (Huffman) to stay with her grandmother (Fonda). All three women learn about each other, tears are shed and the value of family is learned. With Garry Marshall ("Beaches," "Pretty Woman") directing, you can bet this tearjerker won't be subtle.

"Delta Farce" (May 11) -- See Trailer - Since people are still dying daily in Iraq, doesn't it seem a bit early for an Iraq comedy starring Larry the Cable Guy? Come to think of it, is there ever really a good time for any movie starring Larry the Cable Guy? In any case, Larry, Bill Engvall and DJ Qualls are three beer drinking, gun-loving American guys who accidentally find themselves mistaken for Army soldiers on a plane headed for Iraq. Instead, they are dropped in Mexico, but since they are complete idiots, they still think they are in Iraq. And Americans wonder why other countries hate us.

"Shrek the Third" (May 18) -- See Trailer - Everyone's favorite green ogre is back, and now Shrek (Mike Myers) is being considered as the heir to the land of Far, Far Away when his father-in-law falls ill. Shrek recruits Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss (Antonio Banderas) to install Artie (Justin Timberlake, who is inescapable these days) as the new king. Meanwhile, Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) and some girlfriends are kicking Prince Charming's butt. If you've got a kid, you probably already have tickets.

 "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" (May 25) -- If you've seen the first two "Pirates" movies, you're no doubt planning to go to the third, and yes, final installment. And by final, I mean "Final Unless This One Makes a Bazillion Dollars and Johnny Depp Signs On For Another, In Which Case It Will Be Not So Final."