SUMMER SPLASH II : Our Picks for the Best of the Summer : MOVIES

This list of summer hunches comes with a huge disclaimer that we have seen none of the movies, so this is based on past reputation, intuition or, heaven help us, publicity.

“Mo’ Better Blues”: The newest work from the fertile brain of Spike Lee and because the cast includes Denzel Washington, Lee, Ruben Blades and Giancarlo Esposito.

“Wild at Heart”: the newest (since his cliff-hanger “Twin Peaks”) written and directed by David Lynch, with a cast that includes Willem Dafoe, Laura Dern and Nicolas Cage. Winner of the Golden Palm at Cannes.

“The Two Jakes”: Well, you know why, it’s the sequel to “Chinatown,” with a screenplay by Robert Towne, Jack Nicholson as director, etc.

“Mr. and Mrs. Bridge” because it’s from the exceptional books of Evan Connell, in the hands of director James Ivory and with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.

“Dick Tracy”: Sure, I’m interested, like everyone else in the world. Astonish us; we’d love it.

“Total Recall”: not so much because of Arnold Schwarzenegger, but because Paul Verhoeven can be an interesting director and a trip to Mars can be a nice summer diversion.

“Presumed Innocent” is from director Alan Pakula with an all-interest cast: Harrison Ford, Bonnie Bedelia, Brian Dennehy, Raul Julia, Greta Scacchi and Paul Winfield.

“Die Hard II”: Even though Renny Harlin is a fresh director on the project, they’ve been smart enough to keep both Bruce Willis and Bonnie Bedelia from the first film.

The only summer film I’ll have to watch through laced fingers is “Arachnophobia.” Well, you have your phobias, spiders are mine.

And the sole movie already seen, the dazzlingly inventive Italian comedy, “The Icicle Thief,” a movie of infinite charm and delight, due here in late July.

SUMMER MOVIES --For a complete guide to this summer’s movies, see the special edition of today’s Los Angeles Times Magazine.