It may still technically be spring – on the calendar, certainly not judging by the current weather – but April marks the start of the summer movie season this year, with easily one of the biggest movies of the year coming out at the end of the month. But the rest of April is packed with potential as well, from raunchy R-rated comedies to almost silent screamfests and yet another Dwayne Johnson action blockbuster (a genre I shall from now on refer to as "Rockbusters").

Here’s what you should be looking forward to on the big screen this month:

April 6

"Blockers"

Contrary to his signature catchphrase, you can’t go anywhere without seeing John Cena – including movie theaters this weekend with the release of his new comedy, "Blockers," about three overlording parents trying to stop their teenage daughters from losing their virginity on prom night. And while a movie featuring a dad butt-chugging beer while wearing in a fanny pack doesn’t typically scream "MUST-SEE CINEMA," the buzz around "Blockers" is almost Cena-level strong. An early screening at this year’s South By Southwest festival played like gangbusters, with the early reviews complimenting its fun cast and clever feminist angle on a classic comedy concept – courtesy in part to "Pitch Perfect" screenwriter Kay Cannon, hopping behind the camera for the first time here. Add all of that together, and you’ve got a comedy that’ll probably get lucky at the box office – and hopefully be good for audiences too.

"A Quiet Place"

Jim Halpert: horror mastermind? Unless you’re Dwight Schrute, that sounds ridiculous – until now with "A Quiet Place," the new horror thriller starring, co-written and directed by, yes, John Krasinski. And apparently he’s not just good at giving drolly funny glances at the camera.

Much like "Blockers," "A Quiet Place" – about a family (Krasinski and real-life wife/perpetual movie MVP Emily Blunt) trying to survive some monsters by staying as silent as possible – premiered at SXSW to immense rave reviews, already calling it one of the best horror flicks of the year and just a fun, pure cinematic experience. (Makes sense, considering most of the film is reportedly dialogue-free.) "Don’t Breathe" made bold box office and critical hay on a similar concept a few years ago, but Krasinski’s horror debut seems to take the idea of suspenseful silence to an even bigger, apocalyptic level. Here’s to hopefully a scream-worthy monster thriller – and to hopefully all the teens in your screening politely shutting the hell up for 90 minutes.

"Chappaquiddick"

I always caution about Oscar bait-sounding movies that come out well before awards season. Because while I’d love it if more voters considered films released throughout the year, typically if a political drama comes out now and not, say, in November, it’s because the studio doesn’t think it’s good enough to merit attention.

Maybe "Chappaquiddick," however, could challenge that notion. It certainly sounds challenging, taking on the grim true story of the 1969 Ted Kennedy car accident that killed a young campaign strategist. And the buzz is strong, complimenting the performances and the script’s approach, remembering the tragedy is that a woman died, not that an irresponsible powerful man’s career suffered. Can’t imagine a story like that having resonance during this current #MeToo movement …

"The Miracle Season"

The Brewers are off to a decent start to the season, the Bucks are headed to the playoffs and the Country-Fried Admirals (aka Nashville Predators) are favorites for the Stanley Cup. But if that’s not enough exciting sports for you, there’s also "The Miracle Season," an inspirational sports drama based on the true story of a girls’ high school volleyball team that overcame the sudden death of their star player to make a charge for the championship. And unlike the Bucks in the playoffs, I’ve got a feeling this’ll come with a happy ending. Then again, "The Miracle Season" comes from the director of "Bratz," "3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain" and three direct-to-DVD "Baby Geniuses" sequels, so maybe not.

"Beirut"

Why isn’t Jon Hamm a superstar right now? Minus his bit in "Baby Driver," his post-"Man Men" career has bummed me out quite a bit. ("Keeping Up with the Joneses," anybody?)

But maybe "Beirut" can give him a nudge, a political thriller about a U.S. diplomat sent into a civil war to save a friend he left behind. Sure, it could be another rote based on a true story war drama – just like "7 Days in Entebbe" that came and went just last month – but this thriller comes with a solid supporting cast (including Rosamund Pike, whose post-"Gone Girl" career has been Hamm-esque), sturdy genre journeyman Brad Anderson behind the camera and a script from Tony Gilroy, the whip-sharp screenwriter behind the Jason Bourne franchise (not the bad one from two years ago) and "Michael Clayton." Let’s hope this one hits for Hamm ­­– though he could always fall back on his restaurant concept …

April 13

"Borg vs. McEnroe"

Wimbledon isn’t for another several months, but those desiring some intense racket-to-racket action won’t have to wait thanks to "Borg vs. McEnroe," a sports biopic about the rivalry between tennis greats Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, played by … Shia LaBeouf? Indeed, LaBeouf is back – and while we’ve had a lot of fun over the years poking fun at the former "Transformers" star for his performative plagiarism or wearing a bag over his head or turning himself into an art gallery or throwing a film festival about watching himself … watching himself, the early word is that he’s very good as the famously inflammatory tennis champ. I mean, look at his audition tape!

"Rampage"

Is there nothing The Rock can’t do? Well, even he couldn’t make "Baywatch" good, but he can sing ("Moana"). He can turn "Jumanji" into a billion-dollar blockbuster. He not only evolved the "Fast and the Furious" franchise into a phenomenon, but he proved the "fambly" at its center can be broken. He somehow made good movies with Michael Bay AND Brett Ratner.

But now he faces a new challenge: Can he make the world’s first truly good video game movie?

That’s Dwayne Johnson’s next obstacle in "Rampage," an adaptation of the classic arcade game featuring the action star battling a giant ape, a flying wolf, a gator monster and Negan from "The Walking Dead." Hopefully it’s all as destructively dumb as it sounds – though it does come from the director of "San Andreas," which managed to make "The Rock fights the planet" a bummer.

"Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero"

If I'm being honest, I’d say "Sgt. Stubby" looks more like a bonus short film that comes on the DVD for an actual movie as opposed to a real major release. The animation looks so … empty.

But LOOK AT THAT CUTE LITTLE PUPPER FACE! Who could be mean to that face – especially when it’s the face of an apparently real World War I hero who saved U.S. soldiers from mustard gas attacks and even captured a German soldier. Why am I only hearing about Sgt. Stubby now? How is "Air Infantry Bud" not a thing? Anyways, this low-budget kids flick may not look great, but that story (aka that adorable dog) looks too delightful to put down. Let me rephrase that …  

"Truth or Dare"

Nothing is more terrifying to me than a creepy smile. You could splatter all sorts of blood and guts on a wall or lock me in a haunted house with an evil alien for a 30 straight Friday the 13ths, and I’d be fine. But show me a creepy cracked grin? Dead – with pants and dignity ruined. I couldn’t sleep for a week after Brian DePalma’s "The Black Dahlia," not because of the infamous unsolved brutal murder or Josh Hartnett’s acting but because of a random painting of a crooked smile.

So imagine by horror seeing the trailer for Blumhouse’s latest shocker, "Truth or Dare," about a group of friends plagued by an evil game that forces them to utter unspeakable truths or do deadly challenges unless they want to die – complete with a creepy-ass smile plastered on their face. WHY?!

Blumhouse’s "Get Out" and "Happy Death Day" showed the horror-producing powerhouse knows how to make the most out of an intriguing concept, and the trailers remind me of a mean, lean, more straightforward take on 2014’s delightfully cruel computer-centric "Unfriended." Not that I’ll ever know because there’s no way I’ll make it through all the way through this movie without dying of terror. 

April 20

"I Feel Pretty"

Remember when you couldn’t spend five seconds on the internet without walking into 17 thinkpieces debating whether Amy Schumer was the best or worst thing to happen to feminism, comedy and human race? Boy was that insufferable – though not quite as awful as "Snatched," Amy Schumer’s failed attempt last summer to recapture the magic of three years ago when "Trainwreck" was a hit and the comedian was everything.

Unfortunately I’m not sure her latest try, "I Feel Pretty," will do the trick either – at least from the previews, which tease a comedy that both wants to empower women of all sizes to feel confident while also making fun of its lead for thinking she’s gorgeous. Remember Jack Black’s "Shallow Hal," and how it wanted to be body positive but just ended up making fat jokes? I wish I didn’t – but thanks to "I Feel Pretty," now I do!

"Super Troopers 2"

Not to sound like a pretentious movie snob who’s definitely worn a beret before, but I’ve never been much of a "Super Troopers" fan. Maybe I needed some extra herbal assistance. But perhaps meow is the time for Broken Lizard's bumbling Vermont state troopers, this time taking on a border dispute with Canada. Or maybe it’ll play like a movie that only exists because somebody realized that 4/20 falls on a Friday this year.

"Traffik"

No, not the Steven Soderbergh movie (though that is available for rent on Amazon and still very much worth your time). This "Traffik" is a thriller about a group of friends – led by Paula Patton and Omar Epps – stalked by a bunch of poorly-mannered motorcycle thugs looking to keep their secrets. And I assume those secrets aren’t something genteel like they’re big bronies (though that would make for a VERY entertaining movie).

Bronies or no bronies though, "Traffik" could make for a fun grimy thrill into the polished summer movie season. Then again, I also liked Halle Berry’s "Kidnap" last year, so many you shouldn’t trust me.

"You Were Never Really Here"

There’s no question that you should be excited about "You Were Never Really Here," writer-director Lynne Ramsay’s bloody indie actioner starring Joaquin Phoenix as a PSTD-affected veteran who gets caught in a conspiracy while trying to track down a politician’s missing daughter. (Also, a hammer gets involved – and not for woodworking.) The movie’s already won over critics, winning raves at the Cannes Film Festival – as well as Best Actor and Best Screenplay. So, the only question remaining is: Will the movie be better than this interview with Phoenix, conducted by Will Ferrell?

This Will Ferrell Joaquin Phoenix interview is a work of art- https://t.co/3v2yWMC82v pic.twitter.com/JKjxXManV5 — Ben Schwartz (@rejectedjokes) April 2, 2018

Hard to say.

April 27

"Avengers: Infinity War"

Is it possible that the biggest movie of the year is sneaking up audiences? That sure feels like the case with "Avengers: Infinity War." Even if Disney hadn’t sneakily moved its comic book behemoth up a week out of its typical first week of May slot into late April, people still seem high on "Black Panther" – a focused movie that truly did something different, while an sprawling "Avengers"-like superhero smashup is now the norm.

That being said, it’s still an Avengers movie – and not just any Avengers movie, but the one we’ve been building to for more than a decade, with every single beloved hero piled into a single movie (minus Hawkeye for reasons yet unknown) against Thanos, who will finally get his butt off his throne and actually do some villain-ing this time. Plus, Marvel has yet to make a major misstep – including turning the crazy idea of an Avengers movie into not just a reality, but an all-time great spectacle. Hopefully more isn’t less in "Infinity War."