Beat the summer movie hype. (Now Playing).(advice for filmgoers)

Like the blazing summer sun, the media and marketing blitz surrounding Hollywood's hottest season can be searing.

Event movies are trumpeted as the biggest thing to come along in the history of the planet--then quickly forgotten in favor of the next weekend's biggest thing to come along in the history of the planet. (Pearl Harbor, where have you gone?)

Amidst all this hot air, it's hard for regular filmgoers--who used to be able to enjoy a summer movie for the movie's sake--not to get burned. As protection, here are some tips that can serve as cinematic sunscreen.

Focus on the films

Consider what accompanies the average blockbuster-to-be these days: Endless magazine covers, countless TV commercials, Web-based promotional campaigns, fast-food tie-ins, and Top 40 music from the soundtrack are just a few of the elements in a studio's omnipresent marketing campaign. Like Los Angeles' smog, the promotion of a major summer film hangs in the air so heavily we can hardly breathe.

From the studio's perspective, a movie's only worth is its ability to lure you into the theaters. So slick trailers, big-name stars, and a catchy title are more valuable than the actual film. Publicists act as carnival barkers--they'll shout until they're hoarse just to get you into the tent, even though what you see turns out to be Austin Powers in Goldmember.

All of this hoopla happens before we even get to see the movie, which is treated as an afterthought. Last summer, Americans lived and breathed Men in Black 2 for months before it arrived. No wonder I was sick of the picture before I even saw a single frame.