It’s Summer Blockbuster season, a time when it’s easy (and perfectly understandable) to get completely mesmerized  and distracted by the over-VFX‘d, over-hyped, and over-budgeted tentpole franchise films.

Don’t get me wrong, I lie awake at night in anticipation of The Dark Night Rises, Amazing Spider-Man, and Skyfall (not out until November), but there are a few other flicks flying under the radar amid the ridiculousness of the 3D trailers in theatres now that I’m loosing just as much (if not more) sleep waiting for.

So in case you get all your movie salivation from Tribute Magazine or the $6 tie-in Coca-Cola cup at your neighbourhood Googleplex, here are a few lesser-hyped flicks that you should get pumped about, even if they’re not based on a comic book franchise.

The Great Gatsby

Say what you want about Baz Lurhmann‘s absolutely flamboyant filmmaking style, I’d argue that both Romeo + Juliet…