Summer is quickly approaching, meaning big comedies and even bigger action. May gives us a sampling of what’s to come this summer season with Thor and later this month, The Hangover Part II. In addition, Boston’s LGBT community hosts its annual film festival, the ICA focuses on rising stars in the animation world, and the Coolidge Corner Theater celebrates Film Preservation.

By Sarah Sanders.

Boston LGBT Film Festival. Screenings at the Museum of Fine Arts and the Brattle Theater, May 5–15.
Screening for its 27th consecutive year, Boston’s LGBT Film Festival aims at expanding awareness and celebrating the artistic efforts of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and allied communities with a focus on international, as well as US-made films. Just over 120 short and feature length films will be screened this year from countries as varied as Chile, Switzerland, Poland, France, Germany, Norway, Philippines, Nigeria, China, India, and Israel.

Thor experiences a pensive moment in Kenneth Branagh's film version of the Marvel Comic hero.

Thor. Wide release, May 6.
Returning to the director’s chair after four years, Shakespearean-trained actor Kenneth Branagh helms what is sure to be a behemoth of a comic book franchise for Paramount. Cast out of Asgard by his father Odin, Thor takes refuge on Earth, where he fights to protect humans from other worldly attacks. Supposedly, Branagh views the God of Thunder’s tale as very similar to that of Henry V, and if his handling of this film goes the way of the Oscar-nominated Henry V, then the franchise will do very well. If not, then there’s always a brawny Chris Hemsworth wooing Natalie Portman to consider.

New England Animators. Presented by the Institute of Contemporary Art, May 7–8.
This special showcase of established and emerging New England talent will bring together a diverse group of stories told through the art of animation. The screening explores the use of animation as a distinct way of communicating personal and cultural experiences. The program includes 23 short films, with introductions by filmmaker Joel Frenzer on May 7 and RISD professor Amy Kravitz on May 8.

Coolidge Award. At the Coolidge Corner Theater, May 10–11.
In its eighth year, the Coolidge Award celebrates Film Preservation and the efforts being made to protect film history with a premiere screening of the documentary, These Amazing Shadows on May 10. The film delves into the significance of the National Film Registry as an arbiter of the American cultural experience and its reflection of our values and aspirations. The event includes panel discussions on the state of film restoration and the presentation of the Coolidge Award, followed by a screening of All About Eve on May 11.

Last Night. At the Coolidge Corner Theater, May 13.
Married couple Joanna (Keira Knightley) and Michael (Sam Worthington) find themselves parted for an evening and faced with straying from their marriage. On a business trip, Michael tries to ward off the allure of his colleague Laura (Eva Mendes), while Joanna has a chance encounter with her former flame, Alex (Guillaume Canet). First-time director Massy Tadjedin, who also penned the script, brings to life this meditation on the complications of marriage and temptation.

Keira Knightley experiences temptation in LAST NIGHT

Global Lens Film Series. At the Museum of Fine Arts, May 18–29.
This nine-day film series focuses on critically acclaimed and award-winning, international narrative features from Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, China, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, India, Iran, and Uruguay. Films include The Light Thief, from Kyrgyzstan, about village electrician Mr. Light who hatches a plan to bring wind-electricity and jobs to his poor valley community; Street Days, from Georgia, about a middle-aged, unemployed heroin addict who kidnaps the son of his wealthy friend; and Soul of Sand, from India, about a runaway girl and her lover who take shelter in an abandoned mine with a married couple, putting the foursome in danger from the assassin on her trail.

The Hangover, Part II. May 27, wide release.
The Wolfpack is back for a second installment of the hugely successful comedy franchise. This time around, Phil, Stu, and Alan (plus a capuchin monkey) are lost in Bangkok trying to fill in the blanks of the greatest night of their lives they’ve completely forgotten. You would think they had learned their lesson about roofies by now. The epitome of man-boy humor, The Hangover Part II looks to be as ridiculous and balls out funny as the first. Fully expect Zach Galifinakis to up his awkward, fat-man humor to the extreme.