By Jackson Santy ’13
THE ROUNDUP

As summer approaches, students are counting down the days until that final bell rings and they rush to soak up some sun.

With summer break comes summer blockbusters, and this summer is jam packed with a remarkable lineup of movie releases.

The following films should not be skipped.

The Hangover Part 2 May 26

There have been few film sequels that are better than the original and this quite possibly will be one of them.

In the follow-up to the memorable hit comedy, Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha) travel to Thailand for Stu’s wedding.

What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens in Bangkok can’t even be imagined. There is no doubt that director Todd Phillips will hit yet another home run.

X-Men: First Class June 3

Whether or not audiences followed the comics as a kid, this movie is guaranteed to be the most epic of the summer.

The movie is not related to the story line of the last three films, but rather is a prequel telling the origins of Professor Xavier and Magneto and the formation of the original X-Men.

The film features a cast of very talented actors and actresses, including James McAvoy (“Wanted”), Jennifer Lawrence (“Winter’s Bone”), Kevin Bacon, Rose Byrne (“Get Him to the Greek”) and the ever-so-enticing January Jones (“Mad Men”).

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 2 July 15

One of the most anticipated movie releases this summer and possibly the year.

The final chapter of the saga will be sure to bring mass crowds and leave its avid followers in tears.

I have been waiting in agony since November to see the epic finale and will surely be camping out in line to get my ticket. If there’s one movie to see this summer, this is it.

Cowboys and Aliens July 29

In my opinion, the movie could be a hit or miss situation.

It will either be an extremely awesome guy’s-night-out-flick or an utter disappointment like last year’s “Jonah Hex.”

The film seems suspicious of tricking me like “Jonah Hex,” by using two all-star actors and adding Megan Fox into the mix, whereas “Cowboys and Aliens” features Daniel Craig (James Bond) and Harrison Ford while adding Olivia Wilde.

My suggestion, see it if you’re just looking for a good time-waster and don’t get your hopes up.

Bridesmaids May 13

Featuring two Saturday Night Live stars (Maya Rudolph & Kristin Wiig) the film is practically a female version of “The Hangover.”

However, it’s a much more character-focused and has a lot less slapstick comedy.

Wiig takes double duty, not only playing the star of “Bridesmaids,” but as co-writer on the film’s script as well.

My prediction is that the film will be a hit and will have audiences quoting it throughout the summer.