Sequels are all the rage right now in Hollywood. Studios are constantly looking for properties to expand into franchises, and after securing a popular first entry, the next step is the shaky second part. This is the make or break moment for the franchise – a chance to correct any shortcomings in the first one and deliver more of what people loved, while still expanding the world enough to give them a feeling of something new.

“John Wick: Chapter Two” is currently blasting through cineplexes with headshots and pencil deaths galore, proving that it’s still possible to make second entries that rival the first installment. And while there is certainly a slew of Part Twos in cinema history – some bad (“2 Fast 2 Furious,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge”) and some passable (“Halloween II,” both versions) – the good ones also define themselves as being excellent movies in their own right that explore familiar characters in unexpected and novel ways.

Below are the 10 best second installments in cinema history. (And for those looking for the best threequels in cinema history, simply visit this entry as well).

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Every Tuesday, I review the newest Blu-ray releases and let you know whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping, along with a breakdown of the included extras. If you see something you like, click on the cover art to purchase the Blu-ray from Amazon, and be sure to share each week’s column on social media with your friends.

WHAT: After a mission to retrieve a biological weapon in Nigeria results in collateral damage, the United Nations proposes a law to regulate the Avengers, which creates a rift among the team’s members. So when his old friend Bucky (Sebastian Stan) is framed for a terrorist attack, Captain America (Chris Evans) goes rogue in order to protect him, leaving Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) no other choice but to hunt them both down.

WHY: “Civil War” has been jokingly referred to as “Avengers 2.5,” and for good reason, because while the movie may be a Captain America sequel in name, it’s a continuation of several different story threads from “Winter Soldier,” “Age of Ultron” and more. Though the film feels a bit crowded at times with all of the various characters and cameos (including the introduction of Black Panther and Spider-Man), they never overshadow the central conflict. Unlike “Batman v Superman,” “Civil War” actually gives its characters a reason for fighting, and that goes a long way in legitimizing the ideological and physical clash between its opposing heroes. The movie isn’t perfect – Daniel Brühl’s villainous Zemo is underserved, and the filmmakers ignore a key argument in favor of the anti-registration side – but it does such a good job of balancing the emotionally-charged narrative with some excellent action sequences and fan service that those flaws seem trivial in comparison. “Civil War” is perhaps Marvel’s darkest and most mature film to date, but it still knows how to have fun, and that’s paramount to its success.

EXTRAS: In addition to an audio commentary by directors Anthony and Joe Russo, there’s a two-part making-of featurette, a look at Captain America and Iron Man’s respective journeys across the MCU, deleted scenes, a gag reel and an exclusive sneak peek at “Doctor Strange.”

FINAL VERDICT: BUY

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Motherhood is unquestionably the hardest job in the world. Even putting aside the crap hours and wages, the physical and emotional turmoil of pregnancy and birth is daunting enough, let alone raising a child and instilling in him proper virtues and morals to avoid raising a psychopath. Parenting eats up time, energy and resources like a ravenous Pac-Man devouring all in its path, but it also gives back immensely satisfying rewards. And rest assured, if anyone threatens a cub, it’s the mama bear that rears up and tears that intruder to shreds. So while every mom in cinema (and around the world) is a badass in their own right, there are some who have answered the call above and beyond their duty to protect (or avenge) their child. This is a list of those sweat- and blood-drenched mothers who personify to extremes the rigors of being a mom and raising a child.

Sarah Connor, “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”

Imagine having a baby with a time traveler, who is then killed by a psychotic robot, and then have the baby taken away from you after you are sent to a mental institution when no one believes any of this time traveling robot nonsense. It would be a bit of a strain on anyone’s mental state. Yet the one thing that shines through all of the psychological wear and tear is Sarah Connor’s (Linda Hamilton) devotion to her son, John. She has to team up with the fuel for her nightmares to take on an even deadlier robot, but is willing to do so all for the sake of protecting her son. While people think that Arnold’s T-800 is a relentless killing machine, clearly they haven’t seen anything yet when John Connor is put in jeopardy.

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