Ah, summer. It's the time for having friends over in the back yard for some lemonade and barbecue, catching a game at the ballpark and meeting up at the local megaplex to catch the latest blockbuster film. 

Given that today is also the last day to cast your votes for the AfterElton Hot 100, we thought we'd provide you with a handy list of summer's box office hunks for inspiration.

Enjoy! 

Robert Downey Jr.
in Iron Man (In theatres now)

As a Marvel comics reader, I was never a big fan of Tony Stark (except for that issue of The Avengers where The Molecule Man destroyed his power armor and Tony spends the issue wearing only a blazer wrapped around his waist), but Robert Downey Jr. has me reconsidering. He certainly makes Tony Stark look good.

Emile Hirsch and Matthew Fox
in Speed Racer (In theatres now)

When I first heard that the Wachowskis were adapting anime classic Speed Racer for the big screen, my first reaction was my standard "remake shrug". I started paying attention, however, when I heard that Hirsh had been cast as the titular character; there's something about his features that make him perfect for playing a classic anime hero. Speed Racer also stars Matthew Fox (who came in at number 46 in our Hot 100 last year) who, sadly, will be covering his face up as Racer X. Still, you can still easily identify him by his strong jaw.

Ben Barnes
in Prince Caspian (Opens May 16)

When I read the Narnia books as a kid, I always imagined Prince Caspian as looking like one of those stiff and stern-faced guys from the Prince Valliant comics I tried to follow every Sunday. Well, the posters for the new Prince Caspian film certainly changed that. Barnes is a new name to most of us, having been in only a few other films, but I suspect we'll be hearing his name a lot, judging from the way I can't help but stop and stare every time I see a Prince Caspian poster.

Shia LaBoeuf and Harrison Ford
in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Opens May 23)

At some point I blinked and that kid from Holes suddenly became a good-looking young man able to pull a film to the top of the box office (too bad one of those films was Transformers). Now he's getting a shot at the Indiana Jones torch by playing the sidekick in the latest Indy film. Shia's not the only hottie in the film, of course, as Harrison Ford has aged well and is still mighty nice to watch.

David Eigenberg, Evan Handler, Jason Lewis and Chris Noth
in Sex and the City: The Movie (Opens May 30)

When Sex and the City was one of the main reasons to have an HBO subscription, the show was a hot topic among gay men who liked to argue whether they were more like Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte or Samantha. When the series ended, all four of the SatC ladies had found a guy they could love for the long term. Since each guy represents a different type, both physically and in personality, that raises a new question: which boyfrind could you see yourself ending up with? Laid back regular guy Steve (Eigenberg)? Career-minded and emotionally guarded Mr. Big (Noth)? Sweet but sometimes schlubby Harry (Handler)? Hunky and supportive Smith (Lewis)?

I haven't seen enough gay chatter about the original stage version of Mamma Mia! to know if this is something to confess in hushed tones or not, but when I finally got to seeing the hit musical I didn't really care for it.

To some degree, my problem was a matter of expectations set too high: I was hoping for a show that would have me looking at songs I've listened to for decades in a new light, as Moulin Rouge did. Instead, it turned out to be ABBA-porn with a plot mostly focused on getting from one familiar song to the next. I wouldn't say I hated Mamma Mia!, but if I'm at a dinner party and the topic of stage musicals come up Mamma Mia! isn't one I'm eager to discuss.

And yet, when I watch the trailer for the Mamma Mia! movie, I can't wait to see it. I've even started plotting arguments that'll convince my partner to see it with me.

I think I can point to four reasons this trailer works:

1. The music is still ABBA

I may have been disappointed in how the songs were presented on stage, but in the right dosage, the energy and verve of an ABBA hit could make "I Married Ameera: The Epic Cinematic Trilogy" look exciting. I remember feeling underwhelmed throughout the first act of Mamma Mia! but then "Voulez Vous" sent me into the intermission in the bubbliest mood. The exuberance of most ABBA's hits is just hard to resist, especially when combined quick cuts of people merrily dancing.

2. Two words: Meryl. Streep.

I can't say the comedic skills of Meryl Streep can make the worst movie watchable (Streep's hilarious performance in She-Devil easily proves that she can't save a doomed effort) but you certainly know that she'll give us a fully realized character. Here she comes off as a character whose life goes beyond coming up with excuses to break out into an ABBA hit. The plot of Mamma Mia! is pretty silly (Brian once hilariously summarized it as Lace: The Musical!), but if anyone can convince audiences to overlook those faults, it's a powerhouse actress like Streep.

3. And the rest.

Streep isn't the only performer that makes the Mamma Mia! movie an exciting prospect. After playing serious on Veronica Mars and Big Love, I'm looking forward to seeing Amanda Seyfried in a lighter role (her Sophie also seems to be a little more fully fleshed than the version I saw on stage, too). And then we also have hotties Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth, with Firth playing Harry, the dad who turns out to be gay. Meanwhile, Christine Baranski can always make me laugh with the way she delivers a one-liner, even in the worst films.

4. History Boys' Dominic Cooper dancing shirtless on the beach

Need I say more?

Well, there's also this.

What do you think? Fans of the stage version and otherwise, anyone looking forward to this one?