Summer 2012 started off with a bang thanks to Joss Whedon's critically-acclaimed box-office blockbuster "The Avengers," then quickly turned sour as disappointment after disappointment ("Dark Shadows," "The Dictator," "Battleship," "Prometheus," "Rock of Ages," et al.) followed on its heels. With the exceptions of Pixar's "Brave" and (arguably) "Snow White and the Huntsman," the season's most anticipated releases have largely failed to satisfy critics and audiences, leaving the films coming out in the latter half of the summer to do all the heavy lifting. But while anticipated flicks like "The Amazing Spider-Man," "The Watch" and "The Bourne Legacy" hold at least a modicum of promise at this point, the only (seemingly-)sure thing remains Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises." If this one falls short of our expectations - an eventuality that seems practically impossible at this point, I'll admit - well, there's always next summer.

- Chris Eggertsen