Deadpool 2

Silly sequel manages the impossible, resurrecting and raising the ridiculousness of the former film without stepping over the coke-line that the former had nearly fully snorted. Invincible franchise flick pratfalls into a series of alarmingly serious moments and yet never lets the irreverent tone drown in the pool of death.

The Expendables 2

Both the action and the self-referential jokes work better than discardable predecessor.  Additions of Van Damme and Norris infuse film with jolts of life and camp.  Li drops out too soon, but Willis and Schwarzenegger bring exactly the right kind of fun.  Biggest failure is from makeup department; why try?

Bridesmaids

Female reboot of tired Apatow formula ends up supergood thanks to remarkable ensemble cast. McCarthy steals the show and countless puppies from army of SNL vets, while well-cast brit roommates fall by the wayside. Byrne burns bridges while unknown male star builds career. Starts with a bang as Hamm porks.

The Expendables

Excess celebrity (quantity and individual size) and absence of story constitute amusing but unsubstantial spectacle. In-jokes provide occasional amusement as does speculation about which seen broke Stallone’s neck. Perhaps crowning moment is Planet Hollywood reunion, which serves up dialogue on par with its food. With eighty percent fluff, impressively well-titled.

Terminator Salvation

McG tries to reboot Terminator franchise with gritty Batman Begins treatment. His attempt is hampered by the absence of (real) Schwarzenegger, a decent plot, or any semblance of loyalty to original films. Bale and Yelchin inhabit their characters well enough, but Worthington’s strong heart can’t make up his weak character.

Gamer

Neveldine and Taylor crank out this poorly plotted ‘Running Man’ ripoff overflowing with glitchy editing and arbitrary breast shots. Butler is decent but Sedgwick is weak, even compared to Lohman, Luda, and Leguizamo. Michael C. Hall is film’s saving grace, but still, Leonidas vs. Dexter & Terry Crews? Game Over.