And with a global box-office take of $1.18 billion — as of last weekend — it’s safe to say that no other entry has a prayer of duplicating that success between now and late August (although “The Dark Knight Rises” certainly will try hard).

Perhaps that’s just as well. For the first time in many, many years, the season isn’t entirely dominated by sequels and would-be franchises … although you’ll still find plenty of the former, from “Men in Black III,” the fourth “Ice Age” and second “Expendables” entries, to re-boots of “Spider-Man” and Robert Ludlum’s “Bourne” series. After all, it is vacation time, and our brains also need a break.

But — and for a change — more discriminating viewers also will find a solid slate of smarter fare on the menu: a Sundance sci-fi charmer with Frank Langella; engaging comedies starring Jane Fonda and Meryl Streep; a new Woody Allen comedy, this one set in Italy; gritty crime thrillers from directors Oliver Stone and William Friedkin; and a cheerfully warped fantasy from the folks who brought us “Little Miss Sunshine.”

Just remember: These release dates are tentative and subject to change. Smaller indie films, in particular, may not reach the Sacramento Valley until weeks or months later.

June 1

“Piranha 3DD” — Wow, what a way to start the month. Could the summer movie season get more vulgar? Gore-hounds gleefully recall the, ah, anatomical flotsam gobbled up by one of these sharp-toothed nightmares in this film’s predecessor; given the title, I’m sure stars Christopher Lloyd, David Hasselhoff and Danielle Panabaker are in for similar, um, thrills.

“Snow White and the Huntsman” — This year’s first Snow White saga (“Mirror, Mirror”) shattered the dreams of all concerned, and I’m equally dubious about this second effort. Charlize Theron should be a superbly wicked Queen Ravenna, but the notion of sullen Kristen Stewart turning Snow into an action babe is too ludicrous to consider. Nobody. Will. Care.

June 8

“Bel Ami” — Late 19th century Parisian rogue Robert Pattinson charms his way from poverty to wealth and social standing by seducing some of the city’s most influential women: Uma Thurman, Kristin Scott Thomas and Christina Ricci. If nothing else, we must be impressed by a summer movie bearing a script (by Rachel Bennette) adapted from a novel by Guy de Maupassant (!).

“Lola Versus” — Writer/director Daryl Wein’s light-hearted relationship comedy stars fast-rising Sacramento native Greta Gerwig as a young woman who, dumped by her fiancé mere weeks before their wedding, attempts to survive her approaching 30th birthday as a singleton. Co-star Zoe Lister Jones (TV’s “Whitney”) co-wrote the script.

“Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted” — Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith return once again to voice displaced New York zoo critters Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria, still trying to get back to the Big Apple after the globe-trotting adventures in their first two films. This time, they wind up touring Europe while “disguised” as the stars of a traveling circus. What will those pesky penguins make of this?

“Peace, Love and Misunderstanding” — Director Bruce Beresford (“Tender Mercies,” “Driving Miss Daisy”) helms this dramedy about the culture clash that results when uptight Manhattan lawyer Catherine Keener drags her two teenage children (Elisabeth Olson and Nat Wolff) along for a family vacation at her hippie mother’s (Jane Fonda) upstate farmhouse. Expect plenty of pot jokes and tie-dye shirts.

“Prometheus” — A prequel to “Alien”? Director Ridley Scott isn’t saying, but the set-up sure sounds like it. Deep-space explorers Charlize Theron, Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender, seeking clues to the origins of mankind on Earth, wind up on a planet that carries a terrible secret that could eradicate humanity without a trace.

June 15

“Rock of Ages” — Director Adam Shankman’s (“Hairspray” and a few memorable episodes of TV’s “Glee”) time-tripping ode to the late 1980s stars Diego Boneta and Julianne Hough as two wild ’n’ crazy kids with Hollywood fame on their minds, who fall in love amid a raucous Los Angeles music and nightlife scene. The impressive supporting cast includes Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti, Alec Baldwin, Catherine Zeta-Jones and a fearless Tom Cruise, riffing Bon Jovi as hair band icon Stacee Jaxx.

“That’s My Boy” — What would summer be, without a terrible Adam Sandler comedy? The deserves-no-respect star plays an estranged father who shows up, uninvited, on the eve of his son’s wedding: a young man (Andy Samberg) he hasn’t seen for years. Could this be worse than “Jack and Jill”? No takers here…

June 22

“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” — With a title like this, how could it miss? Seth Grahame-Smith adapts his own cheeky 2010 novel, which stars Benjamin Walker as a particularly energetic “Honest Abe” who, upon learning that vampires plan to take over the White House, decides to have a stake in his country’s future.

“Brave” — Pixar’s new animated feature, the first to star a human heroine, features Kelly Macdonald as the voice of Princess Merida, a plucky young woman who defies local custom while matching her archery skills against a particularly dangerous curse. Additional voices are supplied by Emma Thompson, Robbie Coltrane, Julie Walters, Craig Ferguson and Pixar stalwart John Ratzenberger.

“Seeking a Friend for the End of the World” — Writer/director Lorene Scafaria insists that this is a romantic comedy, but it sounds like a major downer: With Earth mere weeks away from being destroyed by a rogue asteroid (truly!), abandoned husband Steve Carell embarks on a road trip to reunite with a high school sweetheart … while reluctantly giving a ride to neighbor Keira Knightley.

“To Rome, with Love” — Woody Allen shifts his focus from France to Italy, in this romantic soufflé about the misadventures of Roman natives and American visitors to the historic titular city. The cast features Jesse Eisenberg, Penélope Cruz, Ellen Page, Alec Baldwin, Greta Gerwig, Robert Benigni, Judy Davis and Allen himself. Does Woody have another “Midnight in Paris” up his sleeve? Fingers crossed…

June 29

“Magic Mike” — Speaking of Tatum, he’s likely to do much better in this comedy from director Steven Soderbergh, playing experienced male stripper Mike Martingano, who takes newbie Alex Pettyfer under his wing. Matthew McConaughey and Joe Manganiello have supporting roles — the latter as “Big Dick Richie” — and hottie Olivia Munn is along for what promises to be plenty of naughty fun.

“Take This Waltz” — Michelle Williams stars in this dramedy from indie writer/director Sarah Polley, as a happily married woman whose marriage to cookbook writer Seth Rogen is threatened by her rising interest in the affable artist (Luke Kirby) who lives across the street.

July 3

“The Amazing Spider-Man” — Toby Maguire’s three-film arc as this character concluded just five years ago, and we’re re-booting the franchise already? Whatever … Andrew Garfield takes over as a younger Peter Parker, bitten by the radioactive spider and smitten by Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy. Waiting in the swamp: Rhys Ifans as mad scientist Curt Connors, who turns all scaly as the Lizard.

July 4

“Katy Perry: Part of Me” — The imagination doth run riot over the notion that this concert documentary will be presented in 3D, which means the whipped cream industry must have made a killing during filming. Directors Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz also promise some “intimate” offstage footage, but we all know better. That said, this extended pop/rock video is bound to be a lot of fun.

July 6

“The Magic of Belle Isle” — Director/co-scripter Rob Reiner helms this tale of a discouraged, wheelchair-bound author (Morgan Freeman) who moves to a small rural town, where he befriends single mom Virginia Madsen and her three children. Will they help him rekindle his passion for writing? Do ducks quack?

“Savages” — Director Oliver Stone goes for the gut again, in this adaptation of Don Winslow’s best-selling 2010 crime novel. Aaron Johnson and Taylor Kitsch star as two independent pot growers who face off against a Mexican drug cartel led by Salma Hayek and Benicio Del Toro, after the baddies kidnap our protagonists’ shared girlfriend (Blake Lively). Enter dirty DEA agent John Travolta, determined to help bring down the cartel.

July 13

“Ice Age: Continental Drift” — Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo and Queen Latifah once again voice prehistoric critters Manny, Diego, Sid and Ellie, with fresh characters supplied by Peter Dinklage and Jennifer Lopez. As global warming casts our heroes adrift on an iceberg, they encounter fresh danger from sea creatures and … pirates?

“Red Lights” — Paranormal investigator/debunker Cillian Murphy sets his sights on spooky Robert De Niro, a supposed psychic whose “powers” definitely seem … unusual. The supporting cast includes Sigourney Weaver, Joely Richardson, Toby Jones and Elizabeth Olsen. The early word: Expect plenty of heart-stopping chills.

“Ted” — “Family Guy” and “American Dad!” creator Seth MacFarlane takes his off-color act to the big screen, with Mark Wahlberg starring as a misfit guy who can’t leave his childhood behind, because the teddy bear he wished to life (voiced by MacFarlane) has become a vulgar, trash-talking nightmare. Can girlfriend Mila Kunis come between them?

July 20

“The Dark Knight Rises” — Director Christopher Nolan concludes his Batman trilogy, moving eight years into the future, with the dark knight (Christian Bale) having “retired” after taking the fall for Two Face’s crimes in the previous film. But when a new terrorist, Bane (Tom Hardy), blows into Gotham City, Batman — and new companion Catwoman (Anne Hathaway) — have no choice but to suit up and meet the challenge.

July 25

“Ruby Sparks” — “Little Miss Sunshine” co-directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris re-unite for this romantic fantasy, which concerns a novelist (Paul Dano) who, struggling with writer’s block, throws his hopes and dreams into a female character created on his keyboard. Imagine his surprise when this idealized young woman (Zoe Kazan, also scripted) actually comes to life!

July 27

“Killer Joe” — Director William Friedkin couldn’t escape an NC-17 rating for this “totally twisted, deep-fried Texas redneck, trailer-park murder story,” which stars Matthew McConaughey as a deranged hit man hired by Emile Hirsch to kill his evil mother for her life insurance money. Rumored to be more twisted than David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet” … and I believe it.

“Little White Lies” — French filmmaker Guillaume Canet’s smash romantic comedy finally reaches our shores, with Oscar winners Marion Cotillard and Jean Dujardin toplining this saga of close friends who take an annual vacation — despite being forced to leave one of their number in the hospital — and find that grief and secrets further threaten the already compromised group dynamic.

“The Watch” — Suburban dads Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill and Richard Ayoade, looking to spice up their humdrum family routine, become would-be vigilantes by forming a neighborhood watch group … and then find themselves defending Earth from an alien invasion. (Following the controversial real-world incident in Florida, this film shed its original title, “Neighborhood Watch.”)

Aug. 3

“The Bourne Legacy” — No, they’re not trying to replace Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne; hard-charging Jeremy Renner stars as CIA operative Aaron Cross, in a thriller “suggested by” Robert Ludlum’s popular novels. Director Tony Gilroy certainly knows the espionage territory, having previously brought us “Michael Clayton” and “Duplicity.” Can he keep this franchise going?

“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days” — This series, on the other hand, shows no signs of slowing. Zachary Gordon returns as eternally put-upon Greg Heffley, the kid who gets no respect in this third film drawn from Jeff Kinney’s delightful books. This time out, Greg and his friends are out of school for the summer … and looking for something to do.

“Total Recall” — Arnold Schwarzenegger’s presence notwithstanding, the original 1990 adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale” was a mess: all style, no substance. Ergo, director Len Wiseman (“Live Free or Die Hard” and two “Underworld” entries) and star Colin Farrell can hardly do worse, in this futuristic saga of a factory worker who suspects that his virtual reality “vacation” may be all too real.

Aug. 10

“The Campaign” — Veteran politician Will Ferrell, angling to represent his small North Carolina congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives, commits a very public gaffe with the election pending, leading two wealthy CEOs to front puppet candidate Zach Galifianakis as a challenger. Supporting players include Dan Aykroyd, John Lithgow and Dylan McDermott.

“Hope Springs” — Thirty years-married Kay and Arnold Soames (Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones), hoping to work on their relationship, attend a weeklong counseling session led by Steve Carell’s Dr. Bernie Feld. Needless to say, they get far more than they bargained for.

Aug. 15

“The Odd Life of Timothy Green” — Novelist-turned-filmmaker Peter Hedges (“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” “Pieces of April” and “Dan in Real Life”) uncorks another bent comedy with this tale of a childless couple (Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton) who bury a box in their back yard, after filling it with all their wishes for an infant. Cue the arrival of young Timothy (Cameron “CJ” Adams), who’s not at all what he seems.

Aug. 17

“The Expendables 2” — Who’d have thought that aging action heroes could make so much money? Sylvester Stallone’s gang re-unites for another testosterone-fueled battle royale that features even more famous fighters: Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme, in addition to returning anti-heroes Jet Li, Jason Statham, Terry Crewes, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Can the movies survive?

“ParaNorman” — Animator Chris Butler, a veteran of “Corpse Bride” and “Coraline,” turns director and joins co-director Sam Fell (“Flushed Away,” “The Tale of Despereaux”) for this warped tale of a misunderstood boy who — using his ability to speak with the dead — takes on ghosts, zombies and nasty grown-ups in order to save his town from a centuries-old curse.

“Sparkle” — Whitney Houston’s final acting job comes in this period musical, set in the 1960s, as three sisters form a girl group and soon become Motown sensations. Alas, fame has a price that threatens to tear apart their close-knit family ties. Jordin Sparks plays the title role, as Sparkle Williams.

Aug. 24

“Premium Rush” — Veteran Hollywood screenwriter David Koepp (“Jurassic Park,” “Panic Room”) also takes the director’s chair for this thriller, which stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a Manhattan bike messenger who picks up an envelope that attracts the attention of dirty cop Michael Shannon. The result? A hell-for-leather chase throughout the entire city.

“Robot and Frank” — Director Jake Schreier’s crowd-pleasing Sundance winner, set in the near future, stars Frank Langella as an elderly former cat burglar who develops a most unusual bond with his new caretaker robot. After all, this new companion would make the perfect partner-in-crime!

— Read more of Derrick Bang’s film criticism at http://derrickbang.blogspot.com. Comment on this review at www.davisenterprise.com

The bear, not fooled by this subterfuge for a second, hauls the contraption out of the water — all this activity caught by a second camera — and casually pries the bits apart. The final act? The bear bats the now exposed, globe-shaped camera cover like a beach ball, before finally crushing it to a sad mechanical death.

Pretty darn funny.

And also quite illuminating: Clearly, polar bears aren’t merely ferocious — when necessary — they’re also ferociously intelligent.

“To the Arctic” is the newest awesome IMAX documentary from the filmmaking team of Greg and Shaun MacGillivray, who previously brought us “The Living Sea,” “Dolphins” and “Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk.” As might be surmised from the titles, MacGillivray films lean toward environmental activism, and this one is no different; “To the Arctic” is an unabashed plea for the world to pay more attention to the implacable effects of global warming.

The cause can be debated from now until doomsday — which, if naysayers continue to rule the argument, may well be the case — but the phenomenon itself is an established, observable fact that has a direct and dire impact on the polar bears, caribou, walruses, seals and birds profiled in this breathtaking film.

As quite clearly depicted in this film, ice platforms — from which polar bears traditionally hunt seals — once extended for miles over the ocean. That’s no longer true; the earlier the ice melts, the more restricted the bears’ territory becomes, giving them limited access and less time to find seals, and farther to swim without rest.

The latter is hardest on cubs, which lack their mothers’ strength and stamina. We watch a mother and cub set out on just such a journey — a possible “journey to nowhere,” as narrator Meryl Streep calmly informs us — and when the mother eventually makes landfall, she’s alone.

Polar bears may have become the most visible symbol of such temperature-enhanced peril, but they’re by no means alone. The receding ice also impacts seal colonies seeking a stable place to bear and raise their young; caribou on their annual migratory trek confront once-manageable rivers that now have become rising torrents, with currents that sweep away the youngest members of the herds.

Fortunately, this film isn’t exclusively doom and gloom. The opening credits are a blast, making the best use of 3D effects that I’ve ever seen, as each on-screen name — rendered in chunks of ice — explodes directly toward the camera, showering the viewer with shards. Even seasoned 3D fans will be inclined to duck.

The opening panorama shot is breathtaking, as we slowly descend to race alongside the leading edge of a polar glacier that extends as far as the eye can see. Massive waterfalls, fed by the melting ice above, pour from the top of the glacier into the ocean. The sense of scale is deceptive; at first, from a distance, the glacier seems a “reasonable” size … but as we pull closer, the mountains of ice keep growing. Simply stunning.

At another point, the IMAX camera is plonked onto a sled being pulled by a team of dogs; the result feels like the best motion-control ride ever designed, as we race at dog’s-eye level across the tundra.

Then, too, watching polar bears swim is far more dramatic from beneath these huge beasts, with their hubcap-size front paws quite efficiently churning the water. Kudos to underwater cameramen Bob Cranston and Howard Hall, who dove just a bit deeper than the bears usually venture, and focused upward. We can’t help feeling nervous, while marveling at this footage, since Streep has just informed us that polar bears are the only mammals that will actively hunt man.

Similar underwater shots of a walrus colony are equally dramatic, particularly when a curious baby swims directly up to the camera and bonks its nose against the lens protector. But nothing compares to the footage obtained amid subfreezing arctic brine, when a diver brings the 400-pound submersible IMAX camera down through a hole bored in the four-foot surface ice.

“This experience, as risky as cave diving,” MacGillivray explains, “has the added danger that beyond 45 minutes, your hands will freeze stiff, your brain will numb to a crawl, and you’d better find the exit … and soon.”

The film’s undisputed stars, though, are the aforementioned mother polar bear and her twin cubs. As recounted by director of photography Brad Ohlund, who introduced the film prior to its Sacramento premiere last week, the filmmaking team spent a month aboard the 130-foot icebreaker MS Havsel. Polar bears are, by nature, wary of any intrusions; footage of their behavior usually is obtained only with long-distance lenses.

But this particular mother seemed unconcerned by the ship’s presence, perhaps — as Ohlund suggested — being smart enough to surmise that the massive vessel might help discourage roving hungry male polar bears, looking to kill and eat the cubs.

Our reward is intimate footage that shows the mother romping with her cubs, nursing them — while reclining, as if seated in an icy chair — and giving them a lesson in seal hunting. The cubs rough-house, explore the ice floes and play in the snow as their mother watches, all the while testing the air for danger.

“To the Arctic” is scored by longtime MacGillivray associate Steve Wood, who has perhaps too strong a fondness for choral enhancements. The soundtrack also includes several songs by Paul McCarthy, each cleverly employed to augment the emotion of a given scene: “Little Willow” frames a caribou mother bonding with her new calf; “Mr. Bellamy” introduces a montage of walrus antics; and the mother polar bear wrestles with her twins as “I’m Carrying” fills the impressive Esquire theater speaker system.

The majesty of the Arctic panorama is amplified by The Beatles’ “Because,” which lends a solemn note to the already inspiring footage.

Yes, “To the Arctic” is propaganda filmmaking, a fact the MacGillivrays certainly don’t conceal. The documentary is a highly visible element of their planned 20-year multi-platform ocean media campaign, designed to open minds and win hearts much the way Jacques Cousteau’s television specials did in the 1960s and ’70s.

The message certainly doesn’t interfere with this film’s many delights, and it’s hard to complain when advocacy cinema is produced with such talent, love and dedication.

— Read more of Derrick Bang’s film criticism at http://derrickbang.blogspot.com. Comment on this review at www.davisenterprise.com

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4.5 stars; rated G, and suitable for all ages

STARRING: Meryl Streep (narrator), polar bears, caribou, seals, walruses and other critters