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Summer at the cinema: Must-see movies

Britton Perelman, Staff Writer

One of the best things about college is not having to do any summer homework, and the movie theater is the perfect place to spend all that extra time. With plenty of movies in every genre hitting theaters this summer, there's bound to be something at the box office for everyone.

The summer movie season, typically chalk full of blockbuster superheroes and explosion-filled actions, kicked off last weekend with the release of "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Jamie Foxx. It's a sequel to the 2012 hit and a remake of the 2004 version. If, like me, Spider-Man isn't exactly your favorite superhero, "X-Men: Days of Future Past," will hit theaters May 23.

And, though this summer offers at least eight superhero or action movies, including sequels from the "Transformers" and "Planet of the Apes" franchises, Disney will be offering its own brand of thrill when "Maleficent" hits theaters May 30. With Angelina Jolie in the lead role, Disney reinvents the classic tale of "Sleeping Beauty" and delves into the story behind one of its most intriguing villains.

Or, if you loved the 2012 summer hit "Ted," you won't want to miss Seth MacFarlane's newest comedic venture, "A Million Ways to Die in the West," which also comes out May 30. MacFarlane stars alongside a packed cast that includes Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried and Neil Patrick Harris. It looks both ridiculous and absolutely hilarious. Other comedies coming to theaters this summer include the sequel "22 Jump Street" June 13 and "They Came Together," a quirky rom-com starring Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler.

If you need a break from hard-core studying for finals, check out "Neighbors" on May 9. It stars Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne as new parents who are in for a surprise when they move in next to a frat house run by Zac Efron.

Fans of a certain youth adult novel by John Green will want to check out "The Fault in Our Stars" June 6. Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort are the cancer-ridden star crossed teenagers who fall in love after meeting at a support group. I'd be sure to pack the tissues for this one if I were you.

Personally, I always look forward to seeing the indie films from summer festivals like Sundance, Tribeca and Toronto.

The late Philip Seymour Hoffman's final two movies "God's Pocket" and "A Most Wanted Man" will be released May 9 and July 25, respectively. Both are dramatic thrillers that have garnered praise for Hoffman's last roles.

Out May 9, Jesse Eisenberg stars in "The Double," a comedy/drama/thriller about a man who comes face-to-face with his exact double. It's intriguing and looks just as dark as it does funny. "Third Person," another drama I'm looking forward to seeing, stars Liam Neeson, Mila Kunis, James Franco and Olivia Wilde. Slated for a June 20 release, it weaves three love stories together in a way that looks much like "The Words" from two years ago.

Finally, perhaps the most anticipated indie film of the season will hit theaters on July 11, after being in the works for 12 years. Director/writer Richard Linklater wrote a story about a young boy, and continually hired the same actors for the 12 years he spent filming. The result is a moving portrait about what it means to grow up, featuring the actual coming of age of the main actor Ellar Coltrane.

Whether you're seeing a box office smashing action or a heartfelt indie, I hope you spend some of your summer at the movies.

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