That's the ticket!

The summer movie season is just getting started, and we've already got a hangover.

"The Hangover Part II" is one of this week's new releases, bringing back Zach Galifianakis, a Wilkesboro native, Ken Jeong, a doctor-turned-actor from Greensboro, and much of the rest of the cast from the 2009 smash hit. It's just one of umpteen zillion movies (give or take) that will be vying for your dollars this summer. We've got superheroes (a lot of them), cute animals (many of them interacting with comedy stars), sequels, prequels, remakes, movies based on toys, you name it.

Here's a week-by-week rundown of highlights, low points and sidetracks. Bear in mind, as always, that these are mostly big movies. There are also some smaller titles in limited release, which may or may not open here. And don't forget those pirates and their Caribbean frolics, which started last week.

This weekend

"The Hangover Part II": The scene-stealing local guys, Zach and Ken, are back, and so is the plot of the original, apparently. And no, having a character say "I can't believe this is happening to us again!" doesn't mean you can just rehash old material. (See review, page 7).

"Kung Fu Panda II": The wacky kung fu critters are back, this time joined by Danny McBride, a UNC School of the Arts alumnus.

June 3

"X-Men: First Class": It's prequel time for the mutant heroes in this story of the adventures of young Charles Xavier and Eric Lensherr, before they became Professor X and Magneto, in a story set during the Kennedy administration. Since the original starting lineup of the X-Men has been used in the contemporary X-films already, the producers have cast a wide net, pulling more obscure characters from throughout the comic book's history to form this 1960s team.

June 10

"Super 8": Director J.J. Abrams adapts the style of Steven Spielberg, who produced this movie about kids and mysterious events. Judging from the trailer, Abrams is doing a pretty darned good impersonation, too; this looks like a cross between "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "The Goonies" and "E.T."

"Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer": Whatever it is, I hate this title. But it's not meant for me; this comedy follows a third-grader on a summer adventure, accompanied by her cool aunt (Heather Graham … OK, maybe it's meant for me a little) and her little brother, named Stink.

June 17

"Green Lantern": Ryan Reynolds plays the DC comics superhero, a major player in comic books but not a household name like Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman. The movie is more cosmic than most superhero films, since the Green Lantern Corps is an intergalactic police force with members from different worlds.

"Mr. Popper's Penguins": Jim Carrey stars in this comedy about a businessman who has to take care of six adorable penguins.

June 24

"Cars 2": Pixar's talking cars are back in another adventure, with Lightning McQueen, Mater and the rest of the gang participating in an international road race.

"Bad Teacher": Cameron Diaz plays a raunchy, bawdy teacher who sets her sights on a handsome new fellow teacher (Justin Timberlake). Jason Segel also stars.

"A Better Life": A rarity among summer movies, this drama looks at an illegal immigrant trying to build a life for his family in Los Angeles.

July 1

"Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon": First it's a prequel, then it's a sequel. The third in the series of films about giant robots opens with the revelation that the Apollo 11 moon landing was just an excuse to check out an alien crash site on the lunar surface. Then it's back to modern day so Shia LaBeouf can try to act like an action hero some more.

"Larry Crowne": Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts star in this film about a recently-unemployed guy who enrolls in a community college and falls for his teacher.

"Monte Carlo": Selena Gomez, Andie McDowell and Leighton Meester star in this comedy about a vacationing girl who is mistaken for an heiress.

July 8

"Zookeeper": Kevin James + talking animals = wackiness. This is a story about a zookeeper and the animals who try to help him woo the girl of his dreams.

"Horrible Bosses": Insert your own joke about your employer here, but do it quietly. Charlie Day, the scene-stealer from "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," joins forces with two Jasons (Bateman and Sudeikis) in this comedy.

July 15

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2": A teen troublemaker doesn't know how to show the proper respect for Lord Voldemort.

"Winnie the Pooh": The whimsical forest pals come together to rescue Christopher Robin after they mistakenly believe he has been abducted. Judging from the trailer, the producers have captured the gentle tone and animation style of the original.

July 22

"Captain America: The First Avenger": Chris Evans jumps from the Human Torch in the "Fantastic Four" movies to the patriotic Avenger in this superhero film, which is set during World War II. Hugo Weaving co-stars as his arch-nemesis, the gruesome Red Skull. Like "Thor" and last year's "Iron Man 2," the movie is largely a setup for another movie, the superhero team-up film "The Avengers," which is now in production.

"Friends With Benefits": Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake star in yet another comedy about two friends trying to have a sexual relationship without letting romance get into the mix.

July 29

"Cowboys & Aliens": This mix of sci-fi and Westerns is based on a graphic novel. Daniel Craig plays a man who is the key to stopping extraterrestrial invaders in a Wild West town, and Harrison Ford and Clancy Brown co-star.

"Crazy, Stupid, Love": Steve Carell stars in this comedy-drama about a man who turns to a womanizer for advice after his wife (Julianne Moore) cheats on him … but he still has feelings for her.

"The Smurfs": From producer Jordan Kerner, the dean of the School of Filmmaking at UNCSA, comes this film based on the popular toys that, in turn, spawned a hit 1980s Saturday morning cartoon. You see, kids, back in the 1980s, you had to wait until Saturday morning to see cartoons. There weren't whole channels devoted to them.

Aug. 5

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes": Prequel time again. James Franco plays a scientist trying to find a cure for Alzheimer's. But the experimental medicine triggers an unexpected result in primates used for the tests. If you've seen the previous "Planet of the Apes" movies, you know this isn't good news for humans.

"The Change-Up": The screenwriters from the first "Hangover" and the director of "Wedding Crashers" join forces for this body-swapping comedy with Ryan Reynolds as a swinging bachelor and Jason Bateman as his uptight, married pal. When they trade minds, wackiness ensues.

Aug. 12

"30 Minutes or Less": UNCSA's Danny McBride co-stars in this dark comedy about robbers forcing a pizza delivery boy (Jesse Eisenberg) to commit a crime for them.

"The Help": Emma Stone, who is also in "Crazy, Stupid, Love" and "Friends With Benefits," stars in this drama about a young white writer in 1962 Mississippi who confronts racism.

"Final Destination 5": Just how final could this destination be, really? It's like "The Never-Ending Story 2." How could that even exist?

Aug. 19

"One Day": In this romantic comedy-drama, Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess play a star-crossed couple who met on July 15. The film revisits them every year on that day as their lives go in different directions.

"Fright Night": David Tennant of "Doctor Who" takes over the Roddy McDowall role in this remake of the 1980s horror-comedy about a boy who, thinking his neighbor is a vampire, recruits a spooky celebrity to help fight the forces of evil.

"Conan the Barbarian": Jason Momoa takes over Arnold Schwarzenegger's iconic role as a muscle-bound hero in ancient times. The always-reliable Ron Perlman co-stars.

"Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World": Robert Rodriguez returns to his kid-friendly, gee-whiz action series.

Aug. 26:

"Our Idiot Brother": Paul Rudd stars as a slacker who mooches off his three sisters in this comedy.

"Don't Be Afraid of the Dark": If you moved into a new home with creatures that lurked in the shadows, why wouldn't you be afraid of the dark?

"Colombiana": Zoe Saldana co-stars with Michael Vartan and Callum Blue in this story from producer/writer Luc Besson. It's about a woman who has been trained from childhood to be an assassin. And she's out for revenge, so look out.

"Apollo 18": Remember how the third "Transformers" movie showed alien invaders on the moon? This movie does too, but in a lower-budget style akin to "The Blair Witch Project."

Aug. 31

"The Debt": Helen Mirren stars in this thriller about an ex-government agent.

Sept. 2

"Shark Night 3D": They're sharks, and they're in 3D. And they've been engineered to survive in fresh water, so keeping away from the ocean isn't good enough. What more do you need to know?