As one of the last great film series yet to be released on Blu-ray, Paramount’s five-disc box set finally puts an end to the wait with an awesome collection that features digitally remastered versions of the first three movies, as well as a copy of the red-headed stepchild of the franchise, “The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” which will at least be welcomed by completionists and George Lucas apologists alike. Enough has been written about the Indiana Jones films over the years that it would be silly to gush about them all over again – and if you’ve seen them yourself, then you already know how great they are – but there is something that warrants mentioning, and that’s just how incredible these movies look in high definition. “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” which received a frame-by-frame restoration in addition to the color-correcting process performed on “The Temple of Doom” and “The Last Crusade,” looks especially brilliant, with its 20-plus years miraculously erased to the point that it’s almost like a brand new film. Though it would have been nice if fans were given the option between the original trilogy and a set collecting all four movies (that’s how bad “Crystal Skull” is compared to the others), it’s hard to complain too much when the studio has done such an amazing job giving the series the tender loving care that it so richly deserves.

Blu-ray Highlight: A lot of good bonus material has been brought over from previous releases, but the all-new making-of featurette “On Set with Raiders of the Lost Ark” is the undisputed gem of the set. Compiled from vintage footage of the production, the featurette offers an intimate look at filming certain scenes and the decision-making process behind those sequences. That footage is also supplemented by outtakes, deleted scenes and alternate takes, giving audiences a peek at what could have been.

Leave it to Joss Whedon to take the horror genre and turn it on its head. The guy has been defying convention for years – from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” to “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog” – and if there was any genre in need of a shake-up, it’s horror. Directed by Drew Goddard and co-written with Whedon, “The Cabin in the Woods” is an entertaining and remarkably original genre hybrid film that, although it may appear to be a typical slasher flick at first sight, has more than a few tricks up its sleeves. Fueled by a great script inspired by horror classics like “Evil Dead” and boasting a wicked sense of humor, the movie is a fun twist on a tired formula. The cast of victims is also much better than your average slasher film, although it’s Richard Jenkins and Bradley Cooper as the pair of mission control guys pulling the strings that really steals the show. It does go a bit off the rails in the final act (though anyone familiar with Whedon’s work won’t be too surprised), but for a movie this ambitious, sometimes it takes that kind of risk to yield such a refreshing reward.

Blu-ray Highlight: In addition to a really fun and informative audio commentary by Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon, there’s an excellent making-of featurette called “We Are Not Who We Are” that includes a look at shooting the climactic elevator sequence and a hilarious tour of the control room with actors Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford.

I don’t think that anyone expected a small British drama like “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” to become one of the year’s biggest success stories, but people clearly undervalue the power of older moviegoers, because they helped turn the modest indie (which only cost $10 million) into a box office smash netting more than $130 million worldwide. And when you think about it, it’s not that surprising. There aren’t many films made for adults these days, let alone one that features some of the best British talent in the business, so when a good movie does come along, audiences are going to flock to theaters to see it. There’s also not a single weak link in the all-star cast (including youngster Dev Patel), and though the film could have easily come across as being too schmaltzy in the hands of another director, John Madden strikes the right balance between comedy and sentimentality. Of course, when you’re dealing with actors as great as this, it makes your job a whole lot easier.

Blu-ray Highlight: Though I’m not entirely surprised that the Blu-ray doesn’t contain a single decent special feature, it still feels like a missed opportunity on the part of Fox.

It may not be an official Broken Lizard movie in theory, but that won’t stop some people from comparing “The Babymakers” to the comedy troupe’s other films, mainly because it was directed by Jay Chandrasekhar and features him and fellow member Kevin Heffernan in supporting roles. But while it definitely shares their brand of goofball humor, the movie feels like a cheap imitation without the other Lizards in tow. Fortunately, it still has its share of funny moments thanks to Paul Schneider, who delivers a wonderfully dry performance in the lead role. Much like fellow “Parks and Rec” alumnus Adam Scott, Schneider has been on the verge of a big breakout for years, and “The Babymakers” proves that he’s a more than capable comic lead. Olivia Munn is better than usual, but not as great as she is on HBO’s “The Newsroom,” while the rest of the cast fails to do much with a script that goes for the easy joke far too often. And that’s a shame, because with a sharper script and better execution, “The Babymakers” could have been the perfect Broken Lizard vehicle.

Blu-ray Highlight: Millennium Entertainment may have had good intentions when compiling the bonus material for the film’s Blu-ray release, but the included extras are so awful and amateurish that the studio would have been better off not bothering at all.

I remember a simpler time when May was still considered part of spring, but these days, the studios are so eager to beat the competition to the punch with the first big blockbuster of the season that it’s now widely accepted as the start of summer. That’s all fine and well, but by extending the season by an additional month, it also increases the chance of disappointment, which is looking pretty likely based on the May release schedule, despite the fact that a certain superhero film will be kicking off the festivities.

Who: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Cobie Smulders and Samuel L. Jackson
What: Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. brings together a team of super humans to form The Avengers in order to save the Earth from Loki and his invading army.
When: May 4th
Why: The idea of an Avengers movie may not sound like much of a gamble today as it did four years ago when Marvel first announced its ambitious master plan, but it’s a risk that certainly seems to have paid off. Anyone that considers themselves a fan of comics or the recent Marvel solo films has undoubtedly placed this movie at the top of their must-see list. After all, the prospect of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and the rest of the Avengers sharing the screen is simply too awesome to ignore, and the decision to bring back Loki as the main villain (hands down the most interesting of the Marvel film baddies) only makes things that much more exciting. Sure, Joss Whedon has never taken on a project of this scale before, but as a self-professed geek with a great track record of managing ensemble casts, there’s no one more qualified for the job than him.

Who: Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Maggie Smith and Dev Patel
What: British retirees travel to India to take up residence in what they believe is a newly restored hotel, only to find that it’s less luxurious than its advertisements.
When: May 4th
Why: It’s hard to imagine a better piece of counterprogramming to “The Avengers” than this John Madden dramedy, because although studios have typically put a chick flick up against a surefire blockbuster to lure female moviegoers in the past, “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” is a film that both sexes can enjoy. And the best part is that it actually looks pretty good, although that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise considering the cast includes four of the most respected British actors working today. While the movie could have easily come across as being too schmaltzy in the hands of another director, Madden appears to have struck the right balance between comedy and sentimentality.

Who: Johnny Depp, Eva Green, Michelle Pfeiffer and Helena Bonham Carter
What: An imprisoned vampire is set free and returns to his ancestral home, where his dysfunctional descendants are in need of his protection.
When: May 11th
Why: I’ve never seen the late ‘60s TV show that serves as the inspiration for this big screen adaptation, but based solely on the early reaction to the trailer, it’s not exactly what anyone was expecting. Though it may seem strange that director Tim Burton and star Johnny Depp, both of whom claim they were massive fans of the gothic drama as kids, would re-imagine it as a comedy, their version seems to be less about damaging the show’s memory and more about embracing its campiness. While they admittedly might have taken it a little too far (cue Alice Cooper cameo), the cast is simply too good for “Dark Shadows” to be a complete disaster. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.

Who: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris, John C. Reilly and Ben Kingsley
What: The tale of an oppressive, democracy-hating dictator whose misadventures in America lead to a series of outrageous culture clashes.
When: May 16th
Why: Though Sacha Baron Cohen’s larger-than-life characters have always been a bit hit-and-miss (you never know if you’re going to get a “Borat” or a “Bruno”), I’m at least a little curious about his latest collaboration with director Larry Charles because it’s a scripted comedy as opposed to the more free-form mockumentaries they’ve made in the past. And with the recent deaths of Muammar Gaddafi and Kim Jong-il, the movie’s release couldn’t be any more timely. Whether or not it’s actually funny remains to be seen, but with a cast that includes Anna Faris and John C. Reilly, and a script co-written by “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Seinfeld” scribe Alex Berg, it’s brimming with potential.

Who: Taylor Kitsch, Brooklyn Decker, Rihanna, Liam Neeson and Alexander Skarsgard
What: A fleet of naval ships must face off against alien intruders with destructive goals.
When: May 18th
Why: As if adapting toy lines and theme park rides wasn’t bad enough, Hollywood must be getting pretty desperate for ideas if they’ve moved on to board games. Though the very suggestion of a film based on “Battleship” had most people awaiting the punch line when it was first announced, it’s clear that Peter Berg’s big screen adaptation doesn’t have much in common with Hasbro’s strategy game apart from battleships and its marketable name. In fact, you almost have to commend Berg and writers Erich and Jon Hoeber for crafting it into an alien invasion film, because it was the most sensible direction to take with the material. But while the chances that the movie is actually any good are slim, it’ll make a boatload of cash, and that’s all Universal really cares about.

Who: Will Smith, Josh Brolin, Alice Eve, Jemaine Clement and Tommy Lee Jones
What: Agent J travels back in time to the 1960s to stop an alien from assassinating Agent K and changing history.
When: May 25th
Why: After the catastrophe that was “Men in Black II,” I never thought I’d have to suffer through another one of these movies again. Unfortunately, director Barry Sonnenfeld and star Will Smith felt otherwise, because they’ve finally managed to complete their trilogy after a decade-long break. But for as dreadful as the first sequel was, this installment doesn’t look like much of an improvement, so much so that earlier reports of script problems don’t sound as unfounded as the filmmakers would lead you to believe. Though I’m sure general interest is a little higher than mine, there’s not much to get excited about beyond Josh Brolin’s eerily good impression of Tommy Lee Jones.

Who: Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, Bruce Willis, Bill Murray and Tilda Swinton
What: When two 12-year-olds fall in love and run away together into the wilderness, various authorities team up to track them down.
When: May 25th
Why: I’ve always been a fan of Wes Anderson’s work (save for “The Life Aquatic”), but my expectations for this film are surprisingly low. Though many of the cornerstones of a typical Anderson production are on display (great cast, quirky characters and a folk/rock soundtrack), he’s done the precocious kid thing before, and the main story sounds a bit like Richard Ayoade’s “Submarine.” With that said, however, Anderson has a pretty great track record. I still think Bruce Willis looks terribly out of place here, but it’s nice to see the director working with some new faces, particularly Edward Norton and Frances McDormand, who are exactly the type of actors you’d expect to see in one of his movies.

Who: Jonathan Sadowski, Devin Kelley, Jesse McCartney and Olivia Dudley
What: Six tourists visit the abandoned city of Pripyat, former home to the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, only to discover they’re not alone.
When: May 25th
Why: I honestly can’t think of a single good reason why anyone should go see this film unless you’re a diehard horror junkie. Though Oren Peli’s name might attract some fans of the “Paranormal Activity” series, he’s only credited as a producer here, which means that he likely had very little to do with the movie apart from conceiving the original idea. Based on the trailer, I don’t even know if the threat is supposed to be supernatural or merely some crazy Ukrainian guy that just wants to punish those who’ve turned the Chernobyl tragedy into a tourist attraction, but it doesn’t really matter, because I think we all know how it’s going to end: very badly, for both the film’s victims and its audience.