Ah, summer. A season of overblown budgets and extravagant productions. For movie goers everywhere, this three and a half month stretch is what they have waited for all year. So as always, the prediction for this summer is: Hollywood makes oodles of money. Over these next few months, this column will be examining the phenomena of counter programming and how well it stacks up to the popcorn flick of the week.

May 2 - Iron Man versus Made Of Honor

May 9 - Speed Racer versus What Happens in Vegas

May 16 - The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian versus Nothing

May 22 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull versus Nothing

May 30 - Sex in the City versus The Strangers versus Stuck

June 6 - You Don’t Mess With The Zohan versus Kung Fu Panda

June 20 - Get Smart versus The Love Guru

June 27 - Wall-E versus Wanted