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Spring's big movies

EACH DAY brings news of startling gains in artificial intelligence, which in turn inspires movies about these advances. All of which raises the fervent hope that soon, very soon, movie previews will write themselves.

Joss Whedon directs the gang in a story about a Tony Stark (seen here in his "Hulk buster" Iron Man armor) A.I. program gone awry, threatening humanity.
Joss Whedon directs the gang in a story about a Tony Stark (seen here in his "Hulk buster" Iron Man armor) A.I. program gone awry, threatening humanity.Read moreDisney

EACH DAY brings news of startling gains in artificial intelligence, which in turn inspires movies about these advances.

All of which raises the fervent hope that soon, very soon, movie previews will write themselves.

This is nearly true already, since virtually every movie season features an Avenger, a Kevin Hart film and more A.I. sci-fi.

That's certainly true of spring 2015. Here are the highlights of releases scheduled between now and Memorial Day:

GET HARD, March 27. Crooked financier Will Ferrell gets sentenced to jail and hires Kevin Hart to toughen him up, unaware that his new personal prison trainer actually knows nothing about life behind bars. Hollywood's two most bankable comedians, together for the first time.

HOME, March 27. Animated story features Rihanna as the voice of Tip, an Earth girl who helps an alien (Jim Parsons of "The Big Bang Theory") understand life on Earth, as he helps Tip make Earth a better place.

KUMIKO, THE TREASURE HUNTER, April 3. Great reviews came out of Sundance and other festivals for this out-there, visually spectacular yarn about a frustrated Japanese office worker (Rinko Kikuchi) who impulsively travels to North Dakota on the whimsical, perhaps magical belief she'll find hidden riches.

EX MACHINA, April 10. The latest inquiry into artificial intelligence, this one from frequent Danny Boyle screenwriter Alex Garland, here directing his own script about a tech guru (Oscar Isaac) playing mind games with a programming hotshot (Domhnall Gleeson).

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, May 1. Joss Whedon directs the gang in a story about a Tony Stark A.I. program gone awry, threatening humanity. Expanded roles for Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen).

HOT PURSUIT, May 8. Road-movie comedy featuring Reese Witherspoon is a by-the-book story of a police detective who must protect the wacky widow (Sofia Vergara) of a notorious drug lord from mobsters and crooked cops.

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, May 15. Reboot of the iconic action series has Tom Hardy in the lead role and director George Miller picking up where he left off after "Beyond Thunderdome." With Charlize Theron.

TOMORROWLAND, May 22. Brad Bird's big mystery film has been confirmed as a sort of sci-fi tribute to Walt Disney's visionary optimism (not to mention his theme parks). It's built around the story of a jaded genius (George Clooney) who, via strange events, recovers his youthful belief in a brighter future.