It's been creeping up on me -- 'The Expendables 3' is not only the best in the series, it's going to be just plain good. Every camera set up, everything the actors do that could have been tailored by a director -- it's all solid, and the reason is Patrick Hughes.

The guy has everything under control, knows what he wants, and you can see it in every frame. That I didn't realize this before is probably due to denial. How can a movie like this be good, right? How can it be more than utilitarian action? Alas, there's so much crap out there, we get programmed. However, crappy and utilitarian this is not. 'The Expendables 3' is going to work.

Here's the new trailer/featurette, and below that is a short film by Hughes from a few years ago, 'Signs'. It has some issues, but fewer than a lot of feature films.

Hughes has the remake of 'The Raid' up next.