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The arrival of “The Avengers” on May 4th signals the beginning of our summer at the movies. We can expect expensive blockbusters and big sequels but Oscar-ready movies also pop up once in a while such as last summer’s “The Tree of Life.” So which movies should you see this summer? Here’s your quick guide:

MAY

May 4: “The Avengers” – A who’s who of Marvel Super Heroes are assembled for your viewing pleasure. Writer/director Joss Whedon (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) brings Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) together for one of the most anticipated movies in the world.

May 4: “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” – John Madden (“Shakespeare in Love”) directs this ensemble piece about a group of British retirees traveling to India to take up residents at a newly restored hotel. Exquisite!

May 11: “Dark Shadows” – A quirky and campy big-screen adaptation of the popular 1960s gothic soap opera. No one can do quirky and campy better than the acting-directing team of Johnny Depp and Tim Burton.

May 11: “The Dictator” – All hail Sacha Baron Cohen as a dictator who is allergic to democracy. Larry Charles, who previously collaborated with Cohen in “Borat” and “Bruno,” directs this comedy co-starring Megan Fox, Sir Ben Kingsley, Anna Faris, and John C. Reily. I can’t wait!

May 18: “Battleship” – Liam Neeson, Taylor Kitsch, and yes, Rihanna star in this film based on a Hasbro game. So it’s safe to say that this will be like “Transformers” on water.

May 18: “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” – Based on the popular books by Heidi Murkoff, five interconnected couples and their experiences in having a baby are featured in this comedy starring Jennifer Lopez and Cameron Diaz. So what can we expect from this movie? A lot of cute moments can be had.

May 25: “Men in Black 3” – Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones return to their roles for the threequel of the popular franchise. This one’s a time traveling adventure set in the 1960s. But the big question – what the heck is Lady Gaga doing in the movie? Is she going to fittingly play an alien?

JUNE

June 1: “Snow White and the Huntsman” – The second of the 2012 Snow White movies and it’s decidedly darker than the campy “Mirror Mirror.” Kristen Stewart plays Snow White to Charlize Theron’s Queen Ravenna while Chris Hemsworth stars as The Huntsman. This one will definitely not feature the cute Grumpy or any of his fellow dwarfs.

June 8: “Bel Ami” – Not to be outdone by his “Twilight” co-star, Robert Pattinson headlines this erotic drama featuring Christina Ricci, Uma Thurman, and Kristin Scott Thomas.

June 8: “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted” – Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, and Jada Pinkett Smith return to their roles for the third film of the beloved franchise. This time, they travel through Europe.

June 8: “Prometheus” – An “Alien” prequel directed by Ridley Scott starring Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce, and Patrick Wilson. I’m so there!

June 15: “Rock of Ages” – Tom Cruise stars as an aging rocker in this big-screen adaptation of the Broadway musical from “Hairspray” director Adam Shankman. The script is co-written by Justin Theroux who penned “Tropic Thunder.” We all remember Cruise in that movie and I’m sure he will give a memorable performance as rock god Stacee Jaxx in “Rock of Ages.”

June 15: “That’s My Boy” – Adam Sandler, fresh from sweeping the Razzies, is back as a father who must learn to reconnect with his son. The only reason I’m watching this movie is because of Andy Samberg who plays Sandler’s boy.

June 22: “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” – I love the book by Seth Grahame-Smith and adore director Timur Bekmambetov (“Wanted”). The title pretty much reveals the plot of the film starring Benjamin Walker as the beloved 16th President of the United States who moonlights as a vampire slayer.

June 22: “Brave” – Pixar’s first female-centric film tells the tale of Princess Merida (Kelly McDonald) and her great bravery and archery skills. From here on out, Merida will join the “Princess” brand of Disney which makes me kind of sad.

June 22: “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World” – Steve Carell and Keira Knightley star in this romantic drama about, you guessed it, the end of the world. This is the first directing gig of Lorene Scafaria, who wrote the excellent “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist,” so my expectations are high.

June 22: “To Rome with Love” – Woody Allen leaves Paris for Rome in his latest comedy starring Jesse Eisenberg, Penelope Cruz, Alec Baldwin, and Ellen Page.

June 29: “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” – I hated the first film of the franchise but the addition of Bruce Willis to the sequel makes it almost worthwhile!

June 29: “Magic Mike” – Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, and Alex Pettyfer take it all off in this male stripper drama from acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh.