“Duke Nukem Forever”

After 15 years, Duke Nukem came out of the shadows, and he was worse for wear. The notoriously delayed title finally hit shelves in June, doubtlessly resulting in some people being called on some rather unsavory bets. What might have been a good, possibly even great game in 1998 was postponed again and again due to 3D Realms’ management’s insatiable appetite for new technology.

After over a decade of working on the game, 3D Realms ultimately disbanded, and the final stage of development shifted to Gearbox Software. The product available for purchase today is a bizarre hodgepodge of ideas combining the run-and-gun style of late 1990’s shooters and more recent fare like “Halo” and “Call of Duty.” With its dated visuals and its cringe-inducing chauvinist humor, “Duke Nukem Forever” is a purchase best avoided. Instead, read Wired’s colossal article on “How Success Killed Duke Nukem”—chances are it’ll be more entertaining.

“Catherine”

Atlus has made a name for itself as a publisher of niche Japanese titles, and “Catherine,” the latest game from the creators of the “Persona” series, is a perfect fit for the publisher’s rather exotic portfolio. The game centers around a guy named Vincent, who struggles with commitment issues with his girlfriend, Katherine. Our hero begins having nightmares in which he and other sheep-men must climb up crumbling towers while being chased by sexually-themed abominations. Remember Sid’s twisted toys from the first “Toy Story”? Think those, but with breasts. Things take a turn for the worse when Vincent falls for the titular Catherine, a blonde temptress who appears to be connected to his nightmares.

The resulting game is split into two corresponding halves: One is a puzzle game that can be described as a darker version of “Q*bert”, and the other is a social simulator similar to the developers’ previous “Persona” games. Though “Catherine” has been well-received by critics, whether or not you’ll enjoy it likely depends on your stance on anime, as well as your fondness for puzzle games. However, those who are open-minded enough to take “Catherine” out on a date will be treating themselves to one of the most unique games of the year.

“Deus Ex: Human Revolution”

Courtesy of Square Enix

The newest game in the series, “Human Revolution,” is the true successor to the original game’s formula. In keeping with tradition, nearly every objective can be completed in several different ways. Want to sneak your way into a police station? Hack your way in? Run in with guns blazing? It’s up to you. Personally, I prefer creating a haphazard stack of dumpsters to reach a fire escape ladder five floors above me, sneaking in through a side door and throwing a vending machine at the first person I see. It might not be the efficient option, but it just wouldn’t be “Deus Ex” without hilariously dimwitted solutions to simple problems.

The phrase that sums up the series’ brand of game play is that they just don’t make them like they used to. And yet, out of nowhere, Eidos Montreal has managed to make a true “Deus Ex” title that lives up to the heritage of the original. “Human Revolution” is the studio’s fantastic example that shows what games can be, if they would just reach a little further.

Courtesy of HBO

“True Blood” airs HBO at 8 p.m. “True Blood” wraps up its fourth season on September 11.

Best Stupid ABC Reality Show: ABC summer schedules are known for their crazy reality TV, and this year was one of the best. There was “Expedition Impossible,” an “Amazing Race” clone that sometimes seemed more like “Survivor.” “Wipeout” returned in full form. In “Take The Money and Run,” two contestants had 48 hours to successfully hide a suitcase filled with $100,000 from local police. But “101 Ways to Leave a Game Show” wins this award. After answering a question incorrectly on this quiz show, contestants would be kicked off the show in a horrific way: tied to a bi-plane wing, exploded from a cannon, driven away on the top of a speeding 18-wheeler, etc. Fun times.

Best Show Whose Name Really Doesn’t Describe It: “Awkward,” MTV’s new high school dramedy, is anything but. It focuses on a normal, though fairly unpopular, high school girl named Jenna Hamilton. In the pilot, she gets into an accident that leaves her with the upper left part of her body in a cast. Okay, maybe that’s where the show gets its name.

TV Show That Will Make You Believe Reality TV Love Could Be Real: The gorgeous forests of Costa Rica provide the backdrop for “Love in the Wild” on NBC, perhaps the most boring TV show this summer. Single men and women matched up and participated in challenges together in the hopes of finding love, and a surprising number showed a real earnestness in their relationships for viewers long jaded by “The Bachelor.” Stupidest challenge of the season involved walking to a tree and walking back. No joke. The producers tried to manufacture some drama into the show by throwing unexpected twists and turns during elimination nights to no avail. Love overcomes all.

Best Role Model for Wash. U. Pre-Laws: “Suits” is a perfect fit for USA, a network long known for quirky characters. Mike Ross is on the run from cops after being set-up during a drug deal. He happens to run into an interview room being used by a top New York law firm. Mike’s photographic memory impresses hotshot lawyer Harvey Specter, who sees potential and a little bit of himself in the young Mike Ross and agrees to take him on, even though Mike has never attended law school. For a procedural law show, the show is incredibly character-driven. Watch it for the witty bromance and romance.

Best Creator of Craziness: The “Big Brother” house. Locking 14 semi-strangers in a house for three months with no contact with the outside world would be bad enough, but forcing them to vote each other off makes everyone even more paranoid. This season’s twist focused on bringing back three “dynamic duos” from seasons past. The veterans dominated the beginning of the season, but this changed when season-12 contestant Brendan got voted out. As a result, his fiancé, Rachel, had a breakdown so intense that it would only be understandable had he died. Sort of sad, but great TV.

Best Singing Competition: Sure, “The Voice” was fun, but it ended too early in summer to count as summer TV. Instead, this award goes to “Platinum Hit,” Bravo’s songwriter answer to “Top Chef.” The show never found an audience, but the contestants produced great songs, always in less than twelve hours. Not bad.

Best Amnesic Vampire: Okay, so the competition might be a little lacking in this category, but this award goes to Eric Northman from “True Blood.” His relationship with Sookie has certainly changed this season, but it has been quite fun to watch.

Best Lead-Up to the Fall TV Season: “The Nine Lives of Chloe King” on ABC Family is typical summer fare—easy-watching television to hold viewers over until more meaty sustenance in fall. Chloe King turns 16 and finds out that she is actually part of an ancient secret race of cat people, the Mai. Apparently, werewolves and vampires are being overused on TV. Chloe is the “Uniter,” someone who is going to save the world? That means as much to you as to me because we never find out why or how the Uniter is important. The show was pretty lackluster until the season finale, which actually rocked. Too bad it might not get another season. Stick with “The Vampire Diaries” in the fall.

Best Show in Our State: This award goes to “Truck Stop, Missouri,” a new Travel Channel docu-series about the Midway Truck Stop, located halfway between St. Louis and Kansas City on I-70. The truck stop is its own community, consisting of twelve businesses and many crazy customers. It’s a surprisingly good show about a place you’d never actually consider living in.

Ben Glass | Warner Bros.

Steve Carell as Cal and Julianne Moore as Emily in Warner Bros. Pictures’ comedy “Crazy, Stupid, Love.” a Warner Bros.

Crazy, Stupid, Love
4/5
“Crazy, Stupid, Love” was one of the strongest films this summer, thanks to a brilliant script by Pixar scribe Dan Fogelman. The film centers on Steve Carell’s Cal, whose life fell apart when his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) asked for a divorce. Cal turns his life around when Jacob (Ryan Gosling) starts to tutor him on how to pull himself back together (and have sex with lots of women). Carrell and Gosling shine in their roles, as does Emma Stone as a law student. The narrative comes together with a clever twist that most wouldn’t see coming, and Fogelman lets his comedy shine through with lots of heart. – Andie Hutner

Captain America: The First Avenger
3/5
This revamp of the popular Marvel series had audiences jumping out of their seats, and for good reason. While “Captain America” fails to drift off the well-beaten path of previous superhero blockbusters, it’s entertaining. Rather than being bleakly historical, Joe Simon and Jack Kirby’s comic-ized 1940s come across as whimsical and engaging on the silver screen. And, while the filmmakers use the original costume as just that, a theatrical costume, the new design is far better suited to today’s tastes. “Captain” won’t surprise, but it will delight—a summer movie that will leave you cheering. – Molly Sevcik

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
4/5
Many of us have low standards for Harry Potter movies. Everyone has read the books, and the directors tend to take that as license to do whatever they want in the movies without paying much attention to plot coherency or character development. But “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” was uniquely well suited to the silver screen. There were really only two plot arcs to get through: the mission to retrieve the golden cup from Gringotts, and the climactic Battle of Hogwarts. These were both intensely visual experiences, giving us a tour-de-force of blind dragons, rooms full of rapidly multiplying gold, stone knights leaping from the battlements to defend the castle, giant gouts of fiendfyre and bad guys bursting into ash. The epic special effects did sometimes overshadow the quiet, emotional moments, but this was the last Harry Potter movie there will ever be; audiences mostly didn’t need help getting emotional. Love it or hate it, Harry Potter has been a defining feature of our generation, and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” marked the end of an era. – Nora Long

Horrible Bosses
3/5
Seth Gordon’s “Horrible Bosses” proves that an R-rated movie doesn’t always have to be about well-placed nudity scenes and quirky drug references to make an impression (though this film does both). Sometimes all it needs are clever plot twists, witty dialogue and brilliant casting. “Bosses” won’t have you questioning society’s stone-carved expectations or discussing moral validity. That was never its purpose. The film does just what all the previews promised (a rare feat for a raunchy comedy)—it leaves the audience falling off its seat, laughing their heads off and wondering, “Did that really just happen?” – Molly Sevcik

Midnight in Paris
4.5/5
Woody Allen returns to form in the delightful “Midnight in Paris.” Owen Wilson stars as Gil Pender, a frustrated writer struggling through the initial drafts of his first novel. For inspiration, Gil travels to Paris with his fiancé, Inez (Rachel McAdams) and her disapproving parents (Mimi Kennedy and Kurt Fuller). Accidental time travel transports Gil to his favorite period of history: the 1920s in Paris. Gil has the chance to carouse with some of his idols—the Fitzgeralds, Hemingway, Picasso, Matisse, Eliot and Stein. The film explores nostalgia as Gil struggles to choose between his romanticized heroes and the present. Though “Midnight in Paris” features cameos by Marion Cotillard, Adrian Brody as a hilarious Salvador Dali, Carla Bruni and more, the film’s real stars are the script and the cinematography. Allen includes uproarious lines like, “You always take the side of the help! That’s why Daddy says you’re a Communist!” Cinematographer Darius Khondji captures an exquisite Paris as perfect as Gil’s vision. Woody Allen practically invented the romantic comedy, and “Midnight in Paris” is one of his best. – Davis Sargeant

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
2/5
In general, there’s a reason why movie franchises stick to trilogies. “Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl” came out in 2003, which means they’ve been making “Pirates” movies for eight years now. At some point, people get tired of the decaying quality of sequels and lose interest. More often than not, that’s around movie number 3. “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” had the added disadvantage of losing two iconic cast members, as Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley’s story is unequivocally over. Still, Johnny Depp does an admirable job keeping the film moving. Captain Jack Sparrow is in full form in his quest for the fountain of youth, whipping out catchphrases and dry humor at breakneck speed. Newcomer Penelope Cruz, as ex-nun cum pirate wench Angelica Malon, did a much better job than Keira Knightley ever could in seducing pirates into doing what she wanted. And the side love story between young, naïve missionary Philip and mermaid temptress Syrena is beautifully dark. The difference between the fourth film and the third is obvious: where “Pirates 3” dragged on into strange, confusing and unnecessarily complicated plotlines, “Pirates 4” sticks with what’s best about the “Pirates” franchise: a lot of swashbuckling, a splash of sex appeal and a ridiculous amount of love for Johnny Depp. – Nora Long

Super 8
4.5/5
J.J. Abrams’ latest movie, “Super 8,” is a childhood space-alien movie reminiscent of “E.T.” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” It doesn’t come close to those classics. But just because a director tries to update a genre doesn’t mean that he has to fail. “Super 8” is great. The children in the lead roles give organic and realistic performances, and Elle Fanning showed glimpses of what a great actress she will inevitably become. It isn’t a movie about aliens; it is a movie about innocence, the freedom of childhood and becoming an adult…and it happens to have a space alien driving the plot. It is emotional and gut-wrenching, and even if it wasn’t the 21st century’s “E.T.”, Abrams’ film brings you back to the beginnings of sci-fi in a way that no other director can. – Daniel Deibler

X-Men: First Class
2/5
Imagine a hybrid of superheroes, “Mad Men,” “Inglourious Basterds” and “Juno.” Then imagine incredibly tacky dialogue, a number of miscast award-winning actors, and Powerpoint-style transitions. That’s “X-Men: First Class.” There are a few good performances courtesy of young rising stars Nicholas Hoult and Jennifer Lawrence, but then January Jones pops up with her Michelle Bachmann-stare, and Kevin Bacon tries to speak Russian. It’s at best unintentionally funny and at worst actually offensive – for example, the film cuts to the only black character (who is also the first to die) after someone uses the word enslavement. I wish I had skipped this “Class.” – Georgie Morvis

‘Platinum Hit’

Williams & Hirakawa | Bravo

Platinum Hit: (l-r) Karen, Blessing, Amber, Scotty, Johnny, Jackie, Nevin, Melissa, Jes, Nick, Brian. Sonyae, Jewel, Kara Dioguardi

‘Nine Lives of Chloe King’

This ABC Family hour-long show is about a teenager who dies and is reborn with catlike abilities that help her save the world from dangerous assassins, or something like that. Anyway, the preview shows her growing claws out of her fingernails and using them to climb stuff. Apparently, she’s a descendant of an ancient race and is the only one who can save humans from these evil killing people. Cool. (ABC Family, June 14, 8 p.m.)

‘101 Ways to Leave a Game Show’

ABC always comes up with the most absurd summer reality shows, and “101 Ways” is no different. It starts off like most regular TV quiz shows. Like on “The Weakest Link,” one contestant is eliminated in each round, and there is a $50,000 prize. However, the show’s unique twist comes after a contestant is eliminated. Each eliminated contestant will be forced off the show in an extraordinary fashion—attached to a biplane’s wing, thrown off a semi truck that just happens to be moving, launched through a cannon. Owww. Let’s hope the winner is not the only survivor of this crazy show. (ABC, June 16, 8 p.m.)

‘Falling Skies’

TNT’s new “Falling Skies,” based on a graphic novel of the same name, focuses on a universe six months after an alien apocalypse. It stars Noah Wyle of “ER” as a Boston college professor who’s so smart that he uses his knowledge of military history to try to fight the aliens. The characters just want their lives back, and the show will be about their struggle to survive while dealing with alien occupation. It sounds reminiscent of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” with aliens instead of zombies, but that show is fascinating, so maybe this one will be too. (TNT, June 19, 8 p.m.)

‘Expedition Impossible’

Mark Burnett’s newest game show seems like a combination of his hit “Survivor,” and travel elimination show “The Amazing Race,” but way more awesome. It gives teams of three the opportunity to pretend that they are Indiana Jones and solve puzzles while adventuring through rivers, mountains, and deserts. The press releases leave a lot to be desired, so I can’t really say more, but I can imagine teams breaking down in the lush Amazon or high up on Everest hating each other more than we could even imagine. What could be better? (ABC, June 21, 9 p.m.)

‘Necessary Roughness’

What’s the best thing to do when you find yourself, a middle-aged divorcée from Long Island, now with two kids to raise alone? Become a therapist for a professional football team, of course. USA’s new scripted series, based on a true story, focuses on Danielle Santino who goes to work for the New York Hawks instead of falling into a mid-life crisis. Danielle becomes a hit with the team and, of course, takes advantage of her new single life along the way. (USA, June 29, 9 p.m.)

The National
‘High Violet’
May 10
I’ve spent the past three months with The National’s soft and dark crooning in my headphones on essentially a daily basis, from the persistent drum beats of “Conversation 16” to the soothing melody of “Runaway.” But the most impressive display here is Matt Beringer’s lyrics, which manage to veer from the neuroses and paranoia of “Say you stay at home alone with the flu/find out from friends that wasn’t true” to the very next track’s serenity of “Go out at night with your headphones on, again/walk through the Manhattan valleys of the dead,” from “Anyone’s Ghost.” With track names like “Terrible Love” and “Sorrow,” it’s safe to assume the album would be anything but light listening, but although “High Violet” is mournful, it’s never whiny.  And although it’s calm, it’s never boring—even after listening to it all summer.
–Adam Segal

Drake
‘Thank Me Later’
June 15
More than a year after the wildly popular mixtape “So Far Gone,” up-and-coming hip-hop superstar Drake released his first official album, “Thank Me Later,” earlier this summer. Due to the singer’s previous chart-toppers like “Best I Ever Had” and “Successful,” expectations for Drake soared to incredible heights, beyond what we’ve seen in the rap community in quite some time. Unfortunately, we set the bar too high. While “Thank Me Later” is a quality album, it fails to transcend into greatness. The album certainly has some excellent tracks, such as the Kanye-produced “Show Me a Good Time,” a soulful duet with The-Dream in “Shut It Down” and an insane verse by Drake in “Miss Me.” Drizzy is the best young lyricist and rhymer in the game and on his way to further stardom, but “Thank Me Later” is only a small step forward.
–Billy Chapman

Sleigh Bells
‘Treats’
May 11
A noise pop band that describes their songs as “sonic assault” may sound as though they don’t appeal to a wide fan base. While these descriptions are certainly accurate, Sleigh Bells began attracting online buzz last year when they released a few rough cuts of songs. On “Treats,” they’ve cleaned up a bit of the distortion and presented a fully polished album. The result is hypnotizing, danceable and insanely catchy. The duo, composed of Derek Miller and Allison Krauss, combine Miller’s frenetic, vigorously distorted electric guitar with Krauss’ ethereal vocals to loud, dizzying effect. Songs such as “Tell ‘Em,” “Infinity Guitars,” “Rachel” (where Krauss’ constant, repetitive breaths are used as the primary percussion) and “Rill Rill,” arguably the most accessible and conventionally catchy song on the album that still manages to retain their distinct sound, will be stuck in your head—and on your iPod—for weeks.
–Hannah Schwartz

Tokyo Police Club
‘Champ’
June 8
“Champ” is a rare summer album for all moods. In 12 songs, they capture the exuberance of a new day, the contented calm of evening and the melancholy of summer’s end. Upbeat tunes like “Favorite Color” and the chirrupy electro-pop of “Bambi” are perfect for steering wheel drumming while the serenely dejected “Hands Reversed” should have been the last song on everyone’s end-of-summer mixes. On only their second studio release, TPC have imbued their songs with this push-and-pull of emotion that paints a clear picture of nostalgia and carefree living. “Champ” also carries the distinction of being an album with vastly different songs that create a cohesive album. No two songs sound the same, though they touch on similar themes, and they avoid the pitfall of having that one-song-in-the-middle-that-everyone-skips. You’ll have two or three favorites the first time you listen, but with repeated spins each track will find a place in your heart and in your Top 25 Most Played.
–Cici Coquillette

The Black Keys
‘Brothers’
May 18
Sweaty blues hot as the Delta in late July once again prevail on the newest offering from spring 2009 W.I.L.D. headliners The Black Keys. “Brothers” is more sober and, well, bluesy than the duo’s previous releases, both lyrically and musically. But don’t mistake solemnity for dullness—if TBK are going to write about a scorned lover, they’re going to color it with violent revenge and call it “Ten Cent Pistol,” an album stand-out. And while “Brothers” has more medium-tempo songs than its predecessors, there are enough faster blues shuffles to keep the listener interested. Former producer Danger Mouse (of Gnarls Barkley) only took a guest-producer’s role on this record, but his fingerprints are everywhere and indicative of the careful production that went into this music. Auerbach and Carney’s real hero, though, is the many incarnations of the Single Man—left by his lover, alone in the world but for his faithful blues brother.
–Steve Hardy

“The three of us just sort of did something different this summer,” said senior co-captain David Klein, one of three to play on the team. “It wasn’t just about working out on our own, working with the ball, running and lifting, it was like, ‘Five days a week we’re playing with good competition and we’re going to get fit that way and we’re going to get really good at soccer that way.’”

Klein, junior Michael Chamberlin and senior Cody Costakis practiced and played with the Lions, the St. Louis based Premier Development League (PDL) soccer team, for its 2010 season.

“The chance to play against other people and to practice, not just by yourself…and to get used to the speed of the game with a group of players who are playing at a high level makes you a better player,” Chamberlin said. “It really is a hard experience to replace.”

The league, which is designed to provide professional-level competition and experience for college footballers during the offseason, is the top level of men’s amateur soccer in the United States. The PDL draws in many Division I athletes, as well as international players and veteran soccer players.

“You always want players to find places to play in the summer,” Bears head coach Joe Clarke said. “It’s not that easy to do, but any time they can, it’s an advantage. Playing in the PDL, it’s a good level. If you want to be come a good player, the more difficult the environment that you play in, the better, so it was a great situation for all three of them.”

Though the three didn’t get any in-game playing time and were officially left off of the Lions’ roster, just practicing with the team daily was a huge benefit, according to Chamberlin.

“Just having that competition every day and being able to go out and train extensively every day makes you a better player,” Chamberlin said.

This past March, Clarke urged Klein and Chamberlin to try out for the team. Clarke, a friend and former teammate of Lions’ coach Tony Glavin, “put in a good word” and later helped Costakis join the Lions.

“[Glavin] was more than willing to listen to me when I told him that I had some guys that were going to come out and try out for the team and asked him to take a look at them,” Clarke said. “Of course, they’re all really hard working players and [Glavin] wants kids that work hard, so he was more than willing to have them as a part of his group.”

Though Klein has been injured and is limited in practicing lately, he, Chamberlin and Costakis have been able to build a strong chemistry while practicing and playing together daily.

“It was definitely good for us, to, all three, be playing together over the summer,” Chamberlin said. “The more you play with a person, the more you’re able to predict what they’re going to do and the more you’ll develop a chemistry with them.”

The Lions finished this past season with a 5-7-4 record, fifth in the Heartland Division, missing the playoffs. But it remains to be seen whether the team’s impact on Klein, Costakis and Chamberlin will help bring the Bears success and a playoff appearance of their own.

“I think that the three of us are positioned to play the best soccer we’ve ever played this year because we played so much this summer and at a pretty high level,” Klein said. “That was sort of my goal. This is my last year, I want to be the best soccer player I’ve ever been and on the best team I’ve ever been on, and I think that by [playing with the Lions], we positioned ourselves to do that.”

‘Sex and the City 2’
Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda are back with another installment in the successful “Sex and the City” series. After the first film made the transfer to television, its success warranted a sequel. Are Big and Carrie going to stay together? Is Samantha going to find love? Why is Miley Cyrus in this movie? All of these questions and more will be answered this summer. More fashion, sex, city, comedy and drama are no doubt in store for the four girls as they navigate love and life.

‘The Karate Kid’
Things aren’t as simple as they were in the ’80s. Hollywood doesn’t do “remakes” anymore. They make “homages” and “reboots,” and this movie is definitely one of those last two. That means that Jackie Chan plays Mr. Miyagi—er, Mr. Han—and teaches Dre Parker karate—I mean, kung-fu. Things are different now, big whoop. Will Smith’s son, Jaden, isn’t as adorable as he was in “The Pursuit of Happyness,” but he looks just as endearing. However, the trailer is a little serious for Cadenza’s tastes. Hopefully director Harold Zwart can inject some fun into the final product.

‘Eclipse’
The third installment in the massive “Twilight” phenomenon, “Eclipse,” will be released this summer, featuring sudden stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner. This time around, the vampires and werewolves will have to band together to fight off an army of evil vampires who are trying to kill Bella. Even within this shaky alliance, vampire Edward and werewolf Jacob will duke it out to win Bella’s heart. The romance will have teenage girls swooning and screeching to the box office all summer (and Taylor’s countless shirtless scenes probably won’t hurt either).

‘The A-Team’
They’re back! But it’s been 24 years since the show ended, so why now? There’s a question of relevancy, but there’s also a counter-argument, because everyone knows about the A-Team (if not directly, then tangentially through hummed theme songs or conversations after 1-800-COLLECT commercials). For better or for worse, the show has been implanted into our social conscious, and the movie will surely capitalize on that. Sure, there’s the fear that it could end up being the next “G.I. Joe,” but remember, it could just as easily be the next “Star Trek,” too.

‘Eat Pray Love’
Based on the best-selling book, “Eat Pray Love” follows a recent divorcée, Elizabeth Gilbert (played by Julia Roberts), as she decides that she needs to change her life. After her divorce, Elizabeth decides to travel the world, living for months in Italy, India and Bali, trying to find what her life was missing. As if Roberts and exotic locations aren’t enough, “Eat Pray Love” is directed by “Glee” creator Ryan Murphy and produced by Brad Pitt.

‘Inception’
Following his successful turn in “Shutter Island,” Leonardo DiCaprio will be starring in yet another sci-fi thriller, “Inception.” Directed by Christopher Nolan (who directed “The Dark Knight”), “Inception” follows an agent who can give people drugs in order to venture into their minds, steal their secrets and sell them to the highest bidder. While this certainly seems like an ingenious business scheme, there is no question that things will take a turn for the worst, as the mind is not something you would want to mess with. Trippy and thrilling, “Inception” will have you on the edge of your seat.

‘Step Up 3D’
The successful and entertaining dance series, “Step Up,” is going to release its third film, and this one will be in 3-D! “Step Up 3D” will be released this summer and will star “Moose” from “Step Up 2: The Streets” and Camille Gage from the original “Step Up” (she played Channing Tatum’s sister). Speaking of Tatum, the actor, who launched the series, will also appear in the third film. With hip-hop and dancing galore, “Step Up 3D” will for sure be one of my favorite movies this summer.

‘Iron Man 2’
After battling for sobriety, Robert Downey Jr. began his comeback with a splash in 2008’s “Iron Man.” What hasn’t yet been said about his fantastic turn as Tony Stark? His witticisms were perfect for the role, bringing a sense of comedic timing to a funny flick. And no, “Iron Man” wasn’t “funny for a superhero movie”; it was genuinely funny, clever and any number of superlatives. Gwyneth Paltrow’s game of push-and-pull with Downey could fill a rom-com on its own. Mickey Rourke and Scarlett Johansson will fit into the sequel nicely, but let’s not kid ourselves. The new movie is, and always has been, about Robert Downey Jr. His renaissance continues.

‘Salt’
It’s unclear if Angelina Jolie’s character, the bad-ass Evelyn Salt, is working for us, the Americans, or our star-crossed enemies, the Russians. Of course, car crashes, gun fights and explosions are all but guaranteed in this thrill ride, but if director Phillip Noyce knows what’s good for him, he’ll raid Paul Greengrass’ (director of the last two “Bourne” movies) diary for tips on getting an action movie to marry a thoughtful story. We’ll see how Greengrass’ vision pans out when the movie is released in late July. Until then, we must ask ourselves, “Who is Salt?”

‘Robin Hood’
Russell Crowe. Ridley Scott. Put them in the same sentence, and “Gladiator” fans tend to sweat and roar in excitement. But what should we expect from this new exploration into the legendary figure of Robin Hood? There hasn’t been a serious movie on the well-meaning thief, his merry men or his tights in years. It’s not likely that Crowe’s Hood will have many cheery companions anyway. Think “Kingdom of Heaven,” and expect something epic with a deep message. Under the right guidance, this could be a very good thing.

‘The Bachelorette’
ABC, premiering 5/24, Mondays at 8 p.m.
This season stars Ali Fedotowsky, a contestant from “The Bachelor’s” last season, who quit her quest for Jake Pavelka’s heart in order to keep her job at Google. So somehow, going on “The Bachelorette” will be a good career move. Oh, well. This move is just about as logical as the show itself, which pits 25 guys against each other in the quest for Ali’s heart. This show promises romance, travel and suspense as to who will end up engaged by the season’s end. Plus, there will be a glimpse of pre-erupted-volcano Iceland, which will probably be the most exciting thing after all.

Joe Viles | Fox

‘Persons Unknown’
NBC, premiering 6/7, Mondays at 10 p.m.
This is a new mystery drama about people who have to “solve the puzzles of their lives.” Yes, that phrase was in the press release. I don’t actually know what it’s about, but that line alone was enough to sell me. Plus, it stars Alan Ruck, better known as Cameron from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” But hopefully in this new show, he won’t spend most of his time freaking out about his dad’s car…

‘True Blood’
HBO, premiering 6/13, Sundays
After capitalizing on the vampire phenomenon two years ago, “True Blood” is returning to HBO this summer for more sexy, violent vampire drama. The series chronicles Sookie Stackhouse as she dates a “reformed” vampire who tries his hardest to resist feeding on humans. By herself, she isn’t completely powerless, as she is able to resist many of the vampires’ powers and read others’ minds. When the new season returns, we are guaranteed to learn just what happened to Sookie, who mysteriously disappeared just as her vampire boyfriend Bill Compton was proposing to her.

‘The Real L Word’
Showtime, premiering 6/20, Sundays
After successfully running the series “The L Word”—a show about a group of lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and their friends in Los Angeles—Showtime is returning with “The Real L Word.” This reality show will follow a group of lesbians in LA as they live their lives. Without a doubt, the reality show will be just as dramatic and engrossing as its fictional counterpart.

‘Entourage’
HBO, premiering 6/27, Sundays
“Entourage’s” seventh season opens with Vince back from Rome, now shooting an apocalyptic movie, hopefully one that’s more “The Day After Tomorrow” and less “2012” (or maybe that’s just us?). Anyway, fans will get to deal with Eric and Sloan’s engagement, as well as lots of goodness from Drama and Turtle. Also, Lloyd’s now an agent, which is pretty much reason enough to watch the show, right? Hopefully! Tune in on June 27 to see.

‘Haven’
Syfy, premiering 7/9, Fridays at 10 p.m.
This new show from Syfy brings an FBI agent (an attractive female, of course) to a small Maine town to solve a murder. Of course, that plot is way too simplistic, so this FBI agent learns that this town is a haven for people with supernatural abilities. Sounds interesting. I’m wondering if it will be more about the residents or the agent. I’m hoping it’s the residents, because I lost a lot of supernatural friends when “Heroes” decided to suck. Also, I met the actress playing the FBI agent a couple of summers ago (Emily Rose of “Jericho” and “John From Cincinatti”), and she was just mean.

Courtesy Of AMC

‘The League’
FX, will air late summer, details TBA
Pete and his friends have problems. One friend’s wife leaves him, and the wives who stay are withholding sex; they can’t get jobs, and even the one with a great job gets no respect; and their kids drive them nuts. For these early-30s lost boys, the last refuge from the real world is their fantasy football league. Fantasy fans will immediately identify with the league’s hyper-aggression, backstabbing and genuine line-up paranoia (although maybe not with kidnapping a child guru for draft advice or trying to get a good-luck testicular exam from another league member’s doctor girlfriend), but fantasy football is only the backdrop for this delightfully twisted little comedy. After all, dressing up your stoner brother as an annoying Tickle-Me-Elmo-esque doll with a knife to scare your child into never wanting to play with it again (SPOILER ALERT: it goes horribly, criminally wrong) is comedy we can all appreciate.

‘The Big C’
Showtime, premiering 8/16, Mondays at 10:30 p.m.
This show is billed as a dark comedy, and it stars Laura Linney. From that, it seems pretty promising. And then you find out why it’s a dark comedy—Laura Linney stars as a wife, mother and teacher who, oh yeah, also has terminal cancer. That seems…really funny? I’m interested at least to see how tactful this show is, or if it is just really disturbing. I cannot decide which would excite me more.

It’s official. The dog days of summer are right around the corner. The weather outside is beautiful, the skies are a perfect, clear blue and students swarm outside onto open fields with their book bags and homework, though not much work really gets done. Even allergies can’t keep us away from the gorgeous outdoors. It seems that all anyone wants to do is break out his or her summer wardrobes and soak up some sun. As a girl, I especially would like nothing better than to gracefully drift around campus in a breezy sundress, donning flip-flops and basking up the warm weather. Unfortunately however, I haven’t been able to do much of this yet.

There are two major impediments to my enjoyment of the spot of good weather St. Louis has been having. As any science student knows, one is NOT allowed to wear summer-friendly clothes inside the lab. God forbid a Chem 152 student wear anything less than full shoulder, leg, and foot covering attire, because Professor Mao is ready to pounce on the poor soul at this time of year. Even the seemingly less strict biology lab courses are adamant about leaving summer outside the lab doors. But Professor Cruz? It really only taunts us when you play Hawaiian music during lab, yet make us wear pants and shoes that enclose our feet. Your efforts toward ambiance are sincerely appreciated, however.

Even on the three days I don’t have lab, I’ve been gravitating toward winter-appropriate wear because most of my classrooms are absolutely freezing cold. After three hours sitting in LabSci 300, I usually feel like a slab of ice. For this reason, I am well on my way to becoming known as the girl who carries a sweatshirt with her everywhere she goes. I simply can’t get any work done if my teeth are chattering as I am trying to study in the library.

There are now only three and a half weeks between the student body and summer vacation. This means fewer than three and a half weeks until the end of labs and frigid lecture halls. This spring semester has flown by in a blur, and now it’s time for that last end-of-term push as classes wind down and exams roll around the corner. It will certainly be tough to sit in the library and imagine that we are wasting the lovely weather outside, but the thought that’s been motivating me thus far is that the reward at the end of the road will be far sweeter after having worked hard through the end-of-semester crunch. In the meantime, I plan on making my friends and myself a paper chain counting down the days left in the semester. Every day means one less paper link in my chain, and every link gone brings us one day closer to summer and carefree (at least for a while) enjoyment of the beautiful summer weather.