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Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.

Deadpool 2
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Zazie Beetz, Karan Soni, and T.J. Miller
Synopsis: When Reynolds first appeared as Deadpool in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," no one could have guessed where it would end up. Even Reynolds. But that performance is a far cry from what the world got in the first solo "Deadpool" outing in 2016. It was a hard-R-rated romp that broke records at the Box Office. It wasn't long until a sequel was announced — this time a big summer movie outing. And since 2018 is the Summer of Brolin (as in Josh Brolin), he is naturally in the second blockbuster of the season. After playing Thanos in "Infinity War," Brolin stars as Cable, the super warrior from the future who comes back in time to save his family. At first, that puts him at odds with Deadpool (Reynolds), who is protecting a snotty kid (Julian Dennison) who has a chip on his shoulder and a firey ability. Cable knows he grows up to be a killer. Deadpool thinks it's not too late to save him. And the plot unfolds from there. But this movie isn't really about plot — or rather it isn't totally about plot. It's about hijinks, big laughs and some incredible pop culture references. And it has that in spades. It also has a fun credit sequence, much like the original. In a world oversaturated by superhero films, this one continues to stand out because of its format and content. And this one works in a similar way. It's bigger, louder, and brasher than the first. And I thought it was enjoyable and what you'd expect from this type of film. Reynolds is perfect in this role, and I thought Brolin was quite good here, too. Beetz adds a lot as a new ally, Domino, and Soni continues to be really funny, too. That being said, I didn't love this one as much as the original. I thought there were times, in an effort to expand the brand, when they went a little far for my taste. It was satisfying and fun, but I didn't love it as much as I expected.
Rating:  R for strong violence and language throughout, sexual references and brief drug material.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Fahrenheit 451
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Michael Shannon, and Sofia Boutella
Synopsis: Based on the famous novel from Ray Bradbury, this new HBO original film is set in the future where a totalitarian regime is in power and has decided the best way to keep order — and power — is to burn books. It keeps ideas — all ideas — in check. In the new world, fireman are there to burn contraband. Captain Beatty (Shannon) leads the crew in Cleveland, and Guy Montag (Jordan) is the best fireman there is. He's great at his job and doesn't ask too many questions, at lease until he meets Clarisse (Boutella). She introduces him to a new world, and gets him to question what he's being asked to do. Naturally, rebellion ensues. The story is a timeless one, and something that's worth considering in our current state. That being said, I wasn't wild about the production here, which was a little dry. Shannon and Jordan are two incredibly intense actors, and that created a lot of intensity in the production. But the whole didn't quite come together. It was OK, but fell short of being compelling.
Rating: TV-14
Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:
May 25 — "Solo: A Star Wars Story"