The summer movie season is usually when the box office begins to sizzle. Movie studios tend to celebrate the new year by releasing most of their material that won’t sell any other time, so when summer comes, it’s time to break out the blockbusters. Although every week is a battle for the audience’s buck at the box office, here is a sample of what may be some of the best films to help people beat the heat.

“Poseidon;” May 12:

Wolfgang Peterson directs this remake of the 1972 classic “The Poseidon Adventure.” As a glamorous ocean liner cruises along the open water, a massive tidal wave flips the ship upside-down in its wake.

The handful of people that survive the disaster have to make their way from the top of the ship – now the bottom – to the bottom – now the top – in order to be rescued. Starring Josh Lucas, Emmy Rossum, Kurt Russell and Richard Dreyfuss, the movie will be banking on these notable actors to recreate the 1972 characters.

With updated special effects, this disaster film will be more dynamic than its predecessor.

“The Da Vinci Code;” May 19:

Dan Brown’s wildly popular New York Times bestseller hits the big screen early in the summer season. Although the movie is surrounded by carryover controversy from the book, this will probably boost its sales at the box office even more. Ron Howard directs Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon and Audrey Tautou of “Amelie” fame as Sophie Neveu in this adaptation. After a murder in the Louvre, Langdon and Neveu are lead on a mystery through art, iconography and architecture of some of the most famous places in Europe. As they try to unravel the code against a secret society’s opposition, they discover a mystery that shakes the foundations of Christianity.

“X-Men: The Last Stand;” May 26:

As the final installment of the “X-Men” movie franchise, “X-Men: The Last Stand” once again pits mutants against humans in this modern-take-on-old tolerance. Patrick Stewart leads the X-Men – as the aging Professor Charles Xavier – against Ian McKellen’s Magneto and the malevolent Brotherhood. Loaded with more classic characters and more old favorites, “X3” sounds very exciting.

“Cars;” June 9:

John Lasseter, director of “Toy Story,” “Toy Story 2” and “A Bug’s Life,” once again releases a computer-animated feature, although he’s doing it without Pixar this time. Owen Wilson voices Lightning McQueen – a reference to Steve McQueen, perhaps – a cocky race car that finds himself in the rural desert town of Radiator Springs after crashing on his way to a big race. He’s sentenced to community service for destroying town property. Although he’s eager to get back to the fast life, he has to learn to get along with the local cars and understand a different lifestyle. Paul Newman, George Carlin and Bonnie Hunt, among others, also provide voices.

“A Prairie Home Companion;” June 9:

Garrison Keillor’s popular radio series also leaps onto the movie screen this summer. Robert Altman, best known for his irony and sarcasm, shows what happens behind the scenes of a radio show in this film. Meryl Streep plays a country music diva and Lily Tomlin, Lindsay Lohan, John C. Reilly and Woody Harrelson join in her antics. Although it’s early in the year for awards buzz, Tomlin is already receiving praise for her performance. Lohan is also being applauded for an acting job that may help her turn around her tween image, although she is starring in “Just My Luck” this summer, as well.

“The Break-Up;” June 2:

Rumored sweethearts Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn team up for this romantic comedy that is sure to receive a boost from the heated Aniston-Pitt-Vaughn-Jolie love tangle. Peyton Reed directs this film about a couple who lets each other’s little annoyances finally get to them. After Brooke, played by Aniston, and Gary, played by Vaughn, call off their relationship, they engage in a mental struggle for their property and personal sanity. However, as they fight against each other, they realize they might really be working hard to revive the relationship.

“The Lake House;” June 16:

Sandra Bullock in another romantic movie with Keanu Reeves as her leading man? Normally this idea wouldn’t be too appealing, but “The Lake House” does have one thing pulling for it: its script. David Auburn, who wrote the award-winning play “Proof,” also penned this screenplay. Reeves plays Alex Burnham, an architect who communicates with Kate Forster, a lonely doctor played by Bullock, through the mailbox at the lake house they share. The only problem is they live at the lake house two years apart from each other. Burnham and Forster have to work against time for their romance to survive.

“The Devil Wears Prada;” June 30:

Director David Frankel brings alive this adaptation from Lauren Weisberger’s best-selling book. Anne Hathaway, of “The Princess Diaries” and “Brokeback Mountain,” plays Andrea, a young, up-and-coming woman who lands a job working at one of New York City’s most popular magazines. Meryl Streep stars in her second big release of the summer as Andrea’s editor, Miranda Priestly. Controversy is rising, as the book is supposedly based on Anna Wintour, a “Vogue” employee who isn’t thrilled about the movie. Although the movie will probably indulge mainly in the concept of juicy gossip, it shows a battle between good and evil in New York’s cutthroat world.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest;” July 7:

Who knew a movie very loosely based on an old Disney ride would have received such popularity? However, the first “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie did, and now the characters continue their adventures in this sequel. Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley all reprise their roles, with director Gore Verbinski once again at the helm. Captain Jack Sparrow, played by Depp, finds out he’s indebted in blood to Davy Jones, the famed sea ghost, which he must repay to avoid becoming one of his phantom crew. His problem throws a wrench in the wedding plans of Will Turner, played by Bloom, and Elizabeth Swann, played by Knightley, who have to come to his aid.

“Lady in the Water;” July 21:

M. Night Shyamalan returns to the director’s seat this summer with “Lady in the Water.” His last release, “The Village,” didn’t fare well with critics and audiences, but this movie will shift genres, as “Lady in the Water” is based off a children’s story Shyamalan wrote. Paul Giamatti plays Cleveland Heep, an apartment superintendent, who rescues a young woman, played by Bryce Dallas Howard from a pool he keeps. He discovers she’s actually a storybook character attempting to return to her world. Eventually he falls in love with her and has to protect her from the deadly creatures that exist in the fictional world, in which – it turns out – they all live.

“Little Miss Sunshine;” July 28:

Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris direct what will hopefully be a quirky and entertaining independent fare. Toni Collette plays Sheryl, whose young daughter, played by Sally Kirkwood, finds out she’s been selected as a contestant in a beauty contest after the real winner can’t make it to the competition. Determined to make it to the California competition, her dysfunctional family has to road trip in their RV from New Mexico. Steve Carell, Alan Arkin and Greg Kinnear also star in this dark comedy that made its popular debut at Sundance before being picked up by Fox Searchlight.