In an earlier column, I admitted to not watching enough movies to make an informed decision on the Oscar picks. But, not this time around. I am making a real push towards embracing the cinema this spring and summer so I can be better prepared come Oscar time.

The first thing I needed to do was start mapping out my movie attack. That’s where a little website called comingsoon.net comes in. I can go to this website and see what movies will be released by month with a brief plot summary to let me know if I actually care to see the film. The site also gives information about the genre and other vital statistics on the movie.

So far, with the site’s help, I have read about a few films that I am likely to go see:

Documentary: The movie “Food, Inc., ” to be released in limited locations June 12, is a look into our nation’s food industry. As documentaries tend to do, the film will attempt to expose the deceptions of our government’s regulatory agencies.

I’m all for exposing deception. I just don’t want my intense love of food corrupted in the process. So, I’m going to find it and watch it. And let it never be said that I am not a supporter of the arts. I’m willing to risk my most precious trait in watching this movie, my tremendous appetite.

Comedy: Being the cheerleader for foolishness that I am, my most anticipated releases this summer will be in the genre of comedy. A movie called “The Hangover” is set to be released on June 5 with stars such Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development) and Heather Graham (most memorable for her part as “Rollergirl” in Boogie Nights).

This strikes me as one of those guy comedies about some friends who go to Vegas for a bachelor party and things go terribly wrong. And as cliché as the very concept is, that never seems to make the movies any less funny to me. Call me simple, but give me some stupid guy humor with lots of slapstick, and I’m a happy camper.

Drama: I’m getting some strong feelings about a drama that’s already in theaters. “The Soloist,” though I haven’t seen it yet, may just have some muscle in the Oscar race this year. It’s just a feeling, but put Jamie Foxx in any kind of role where he gets to display his musical talents — such as his performance in Ray — and the film has a shot. And I just plain old like Robert Downey, Jr. Troubles with the law or no, I’ve enjoyed him on screen since he played that jerk Ian in the 1985 comedy Weird Science. (Yes I have seen and memorized a lot of movies.)

So there you have it. These are some of the many movies I intend to see in my quest to be a better film freak. I hope to see you at the theaters this summer. I’ll be the big bald guy hogging up the concession stand line. Sorry in advance.