What to expect at the movies in May '09

Who knows, maybe the swine flu will soon cause the U.S. to shut down a bunch of theaters and the studios to delay releases, but for now, the movie schedule for May remains unchanged. Here's a quick look at what to expect at the movies this coming month.

Of course, May kicks off with the anticipated release of Gavin Hood's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," which I admit I'm looking forward to quite a lot. I always enjoyed watching Hugh Jackman kick ass in this role, and the latest trailers and spots for "Wolverine" really deliver the goods.

Also opening this weekend is Mark Waters' latest comedy "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past," which I hope will combine first-class entertainment with edgy humor. I'm not so sure that will happen, but I've really enjoyed Waters' work so far. Then there's "Battle for Terra," a 3D animated adventure that doesn't look bad but fell victim to a weak marketing campaign. Thinking about it, this could as well be the new "Delgo."

The following week, moviegoers will certainly go check out J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" reboot. I admit I was never really a fan of the whole franchise, but the trailers, spots and early positive reviews definitely made me want to see this one. And yes, I will walk into "Trek" with pretty high expectations. Also opening May 8 is "Next Dair Air," an action comedy with Donald Daison, Mike Eppes and Mos Def.

Considering I really hated Ron Howard's "The Da Vinci Code" and couldn't help but fall asleep when I attended the film's world premiere at Cannes a couple of years ago, I'm not really looking forward to "Angels & Demons," due in theaters May 15. Sure, the trailers at least suggest a more intriguing story and more action, but previews, as we all know, can easily fool you.

The following week will be another big week, with "Terminator Salvation" leading the new releases. This is clearly the film I'm excited about most, primarily because the trailer looks awesome, the film promises plenty of hardcore action, and even the cast (led by Christian Bale) seems stellar.

Another big sequel opening the same weekend is Ben Stiller's "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian." I wasn't really impressed by the first one and therefore can't get all crazy about this follow-up, but with a bit of luck it will at least keep me entertained. The third release that week is "Dance Flick," a film I'd rather not waste too much time on.

May 2009 will end in style, offering moviegoers a horror flick and an animated feature. Sam Raimi returns to the big screen with "Drag Me to Hell," a film described as the return to real horror. I'm eager to find out whether the film is as good as I want it to be.

And finally, Pixar returns with "Up," the story of an old man taking the trip of a lifetime. Pixar hasn't let me down recently, so I expect another entertaining and heartfelt adventure. Plus, you'll be able to see the flick in 3D. By the way, "Up" has been selected as the opening film at the Cannes Film Festival.

Although the list of new films is not that large, May should be an interesting blockbuster month. "Terminator Salvation," as I said, is the big one I am looking forward to most, but I admit I'm also very excited about "Wolverine," "Star Trek," "Up" and "Drag Me to Hell." If only all these films could satisfy me to the fullest extent... yes, that would be a great comeback for 2009.

See you at the movies!