The summer movie season is all about mega-blockbusters and highly anticipated sequels that have the potential to inevitably disappoint fans of the movie’s previous installments. Here are 10 must-see summer films, many of which transcend the notion of what a summer release should be.

10. ‘Salt’
What makes Angelina Jolie’s new spy thriller so promising is the level of talent behind the camera. In its production department, the picture boasts big names including acclaimed Australian filmmaker Phillip Noyce and Academy Award-winning writer Brian Helgeland (‘L.A. Confidential’). Robert Elswit (‘There Will Be Blood’), one of the best cinematographers in the business, shot the film.

9. ‘Great Directors’
Angela Ismailos’ documentary features many of the world’s most respected and artistically accomplished filmmakers, from Bernardo Bertolucci and David Lynch to emerging icons Todd Haynes and Richard Linklater. Even the most casual filmgoer will get a kick out of the philosophy and ideals expressed in Ismailos’ work.

8. ‘Looking for Eric’
Filmmaker Ken Loach, one of the 10 directors featured in ‘Great Directors,’ garnered considerable acclaim for ‘Looking for Eric’ when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last May. The uplifting portrayal of a postman who comes into contact with a famous soccer player, ‘Looking for Eric’ has earned Loach some of his best reviews in his 48-year career.

7. ‘The Other Guys’
Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg are cops stuck in menial desk jobs, so when they get the chance to finally pack some heat, they wreak hilarious havoc in the name of the law. If the film is anywhere near as funny as ‘Anchorman,’ which was also directed by Adam McKay, ‘The Other Guys’ will be the must-see comedy of the season.

6. ‘Get Low’
Robert Duvall steps into a leading role for the first time in years to play a Tennessean hermit throwing his own funeral. As the date of his funeral approaches, long-debated mysteries concerning his character are slowly revealed. Bill Murray co-stars in the film, a gothic Western that looks to be a surefire awards contender.

5. ‘Toy Story 3’
The third installment of Pixar’s ‘Toy Story’ looks fantastic and is sure to deservedly shatter some box-office records. However, audiences have been spoiled by the blazingly original string of near-masterworks Pixar released in the 11 years since ‘Toy Story 2.’ Is another follow-up really necessary?

4. ‘Iron Man 2’
Reviews thus far have been borderline mediocre, with most critics agreeing that it falls short of expectations. Robert Downey Jr., one of the most likable and exciting actors in the industry, remains intact, though. While ‘Iron Man’ set the bar extremely high, it’s hard to imagine this sequel leaving any patron unsatisfied.

3. ‘Winter’s Bone’
Debra Granik won the Dramatic Directing Award at Sundance for her debut feature, ‘Down to the Bone.’ Released six years after her directorial debut (‘Snake Feed’), ‘Winter’s Bone,’ which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, tells the story of a teenager forced to track her father through the Ozark Mountains. If critics and audiences receive it with equal warmth, Granik will surely be recognized as one of the most exciting faces of independent cinema.

2. ‘Inception’
Warner Bros. was so pleased with the box-office performance of ‘The Dark Knight’ that the studio gave director Christopher Nolan $200 million to make whatever he wanted. Nolan took this rare opportunity to make ‘Inception,’ a sci-fi thriller so complex that nobody can coherently explain the plot synopsis. Leonardo DiCaprio leads an all-star cast in what could be the most extravagant art film ever made.

1. ‘The Expendables’
Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Steve Austin, Bruce Willis, Randy Couture, Mickey Rourke and Arnold Schwarzenegger — yes, Arnold Schwarzenegger — star in Stallone’s tale of mercenaries attempting to overthrow a South American dictator. It might just be the greatest summer movie ever conceived.

smlittma@syr.edu

Published on April 28, 2010 at 12:00 pm