Simultaneous spoof, homage, one-upping, and debasement of James Bond, delivered with gory, self-conscious glee by the inimitable Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class) at his Matthew Vaughniest, working once again from a graphic novel by Mark Millar. Yes, there are British spies who dress nattily and imbibe impeccably, but they work for themselves, not the crown — closer to MiB than MI6. (Also similar to Men in Black is the setup: older master spy (a correct Colin Firth) overseeing the testing and training of a streetwise new recruit (a well-cast Taron Egerton). It all ticks along conventionally enough, with Samuel L. Jackson's lisping supervillain putting his master plan into action while the good guys try to suss him out. Then, after he's got the audience well in hand, Vaughn turns up the crazy (literally) and starts testing the limits. But he never quite severs the heartstrings: even as he serves up global comedic carnage, he puts a baby in peril to sober you up. (2015) — Matthew Lickona