Here are Cinephile Corner’s 10 recommendations for movies like Deadpool & Wolverine:
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Remember feeling overwhelmed and fulfilled leaving a Marvel movie? Neither did I, until I saw James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – an emotional gut punch and a perfect swan song to this set of weirdos. The first must-see Marvel film in a while.
Logan
James Mangold’s spaghetti western approach to Logan fits like a glove, and the smaller, more contained approach to setting and plot allows the film to really center on Wolverine’s chaotic and mangled past. Includes gruff performances by Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania serves as a critical turning point in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The movie simultaneously introduces Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror and tries to steer the inconsistent MCU back on track. It may not entirely succeed, but Paul Rudd‘s latest movie has a few glimmering pieces.
Bullet Train
Despite Brad Pitt‘s best efforts, Bullet Train comes off as a movie with wonderful action and miserable storytelling. David Leitch tries to inject his usual tricks, but they don’t make up for heartless narratives and cheap jokes.
Thunderbolts*
Thunderbolts* may not feature the most iconic names in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it finds unexpected strength in its emotional core and character-driven storytelling. Directed by Jake Schreier, making his MCU debut after co-directing the acclaimed series Beef, Thunderbolts* brings together a group of misfit characters from previous MCU movies and television series like Black Widow, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Ant-Man and the Wasp to form a surprisingly effective and introspective superhero team-up.
Borderlands
Maybe this was a doomed project from the start. Video game adaptations are notoriously difficult to pull off, and the idea of a Borderlands movie led by Cate Blanchett and Kevin Hart always felt like an odd fit. Their acting styles, combined with Eli Roth’s directorial approach, were never going to align into something cohesive. The result is exactly what I feared—a loud, obnoxious, and utterly forgettable misfire that does little justice to its source material.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Chris Pine leads a team of ragtag thieves on a journey throughout an expansive world. Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a movie that contains a mighty cast and includes many moving parts – all of which excel in harmony.
Read our full review of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Captain America: Brave New World
The MCU has had missteps before, but they were rarely this sloppy. With The Marvels also suffering from poor execution, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Marvel Studios is stretching itself too thin, churning out rushed, compromised projects that dilute the franchise’s once-dominant hold on pop culture. Captain America: Brave New World isn’t just another disappointing MCU entry—it’s a glaring warning sign that the franchise is losing its grip.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
Rise of the Beasts is better than nearly any Transformers film, or perhaps it’s just better at not being a noticeably abysmal movie. To blubber a plot synopsis of any of the Transformers movies seems like a task done only by the deranged. They draw you so far into the weeds that it’s hard to keep your bearings while you watch them (Who’s the villain this time? How’s that different from the last?). But regardless, they keep chugging along.
The Flash
The Flash doesn’t do the skeleton of the DCEU any favors. A cartoonish and goopy visual mess, the movie shows the worst of this expanded universe – cobbled together crossovers and derivative stakes.
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