Strange, isn’t it? Last year the only summer flick on my mind – the one I looked forward most to seeing – was a big blockbuster, The Mummy Returns, but the best one of all turned out to be Memento, a small independent feature I hardly knew existed at the beginning of the season. It just goes to show you the unpredictability of the movies. Although this summer is packed more than ever with blockbusters, sequels upon sequels, potential sleeper hits, and smaller releases that might enjoy a success similar to Memento, I’m most psyched-up about seeing the following ten summer movies (listed in order of preference):

1. Signs (August 2). M. Night Shyamalan's family drama Wide Awake seemed a bit on the dull side to me. His next film, The Sixth Sense, embodied atmosphere and realistic characters, but I thought it included some boring stretches. Then along came his Unbreakable, a breathtaking suspense drama. This August, Shyamalan's Signs shows its own signs of emerging as his best film to date. Tantalizing trailers hint at a story that could be gold in this popular filmmaker’s hands. When farmer Mel Gibson finds himself part of the worldwide phenomenon involving sudden appearances of crop circles, what will his investigation uncover? What do these strange symbols mean? Why is this happening to him? (And, yikes, what is that thing under the sink in the trailers? )

2. Insomnia (May 24). This movie sounds like quite the atmospheric chiller. Al Pacino plays a sleep-deprived detective working on a murder case in a remote town. Robin Williams, who continues his withdrawal from sugary-sweet Patch Adams-type roles, appears here as a psycho who may have perpetrated the heinous crime. Okay, so I'm a bit biased in placing this one so high on my list. It’s directed by Christopher Nolan, who also helmed my last year’s favorite Memento. I’m hoping for more of the same suspense magic.

3. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (May 16). After all those months of mulling and consideration . . . the title isn't all that bad. Hey, it could have been Jar-Jar Returns instead. If advanced buzz is any indication, Attack of the Clones could be the finest entry into George Lucas' sci-fi saga since The Empire Strikes Back. We have the following to look forward to: Anakin Skywalker (now played by Hayden Christensen) drifting towards the Dark Side and falling in love with Amidala (Natalie Portman); R2-D2 cruising along on those little rocket boosters; warriors battling in the great Clone Wars; and, best of all, Samuel L. Jackson finally wielding his Jedi weapon. "Shaft" with a lightsaber...oh, the possibilities!

4. Spider-Man (May 3). I'm cheating on this one. I originally wrote this article on May 2nd, a day before I saw Spider-Man. Looking back, I probably shouldn’t have placed it so high on my list. Still, Spider-Man is everything I dreamed the Marvel Comics adaptation would be. Awesome special effects and fine performances (Tobey Maguire – a great Peter Parker, Willem Dafoe – an appropriately slimy Green Goblin, Kirsten Dunst – a ravishing, cute-as-a-button Mary Jane), all directed with flair by the versatile Sam Raimi.

5. Lilo & Stitch (June 21). Lilo & Stitch represents a giant step for Disney in leaving behind the kind of animated musical the studio depended on for so long as its big summer grosser. In Lilo and Stitch, a toon with attitude, a troublesome alien named Stitch finds itself the pet of a Hawaiian tyke named Lilo. With hilarious teaser trailers, a soundtrack laced with Elvis songs, and what may become the single most memorable animated character of the year, Disney should have no trouble convincing kids to flock to this one.

6. Reign of Fire (July 12). Whaddya know? It isn't aliens, devastating plagues, or foolish wasting of vital resources that will bring about the Apocalypse. It's dragons. Big, nasty, scaly, fire-breathing dragons. And when they start messing around with Earth, Christian Bale and Matthew McConaughey rise up to fight their fiery foes. This could go either way, people. Reign of Fire could stake its claim as a rough and tough action flick . . . or be more like Battlefield: Earth meets Dragonheart. It's tough to call, but I’m betting on the former.

7. Minority Report (June 21). What happens when you mix one part Steven Spielberg, one part Tom Cruise, and one part Philip K. Dick? Fortunately, it's not Impostor: Part II, but rather the long-awaited Minority Report, a sci-fi actioner that takes a look into a future where crimes are prevented before they are even committed. But a "precrime" officer (Cruise) questions the system when he's fingered for a murder he's not yet committed. The trailers look intriguing, and the cast and crew alone merit a look. I’m eager to see how Spielberg manages his second sci-fi stab in a row after leaving some audiences disappointed with last summer's A.I. Artificial Intelligence.

8. Road to Perdition (July 12). Welcome back, Mr. Hanks. We missed you last year. Riding high off the success of Cast Away, Tom Hanks found time to film Road to Perdition with director Sam Mendes, whose last film was the Oscar-winner American Beauty. Playing a mob hit-man out to avenge his own wife's murder, Hanks should have no trouble stirring up some business again.

9. Eight Legged Freaks (July 19). Fierce, giant spiders terrorize David Arquette. It doesn't get any more simple or sweet-sounding than that.

10. The Tuxedo (August 16). What list of summer’s most eagerly-awaited movies would be complete without the latest Jackie Chan romp? In The Tuxedo, Chan plays a cabbie who takes over a secret agent's operations. His most important tool? A tuxedo that not only looks snappy, but also gives him newfound superpowers. With so many special effects involved, Chan’s martial arts talents may not be on display as much as usual, but that's ok. He’s as hilarious doing comedy as he is awesome performing martial arts stunts.

Naturally, there are many other movies I’m looking forward to, but these are at the top of my list. Happy summer viewing!

(Complete article posted on Adam Hakari's website).