Today, we can all make jokes about the ex-governor of California, but Arnold Schwarzenegger is undeniably effective in James Cameron’s action-filled 1991 sequel as the bad robot turned good. Here and in True Lies, Cameron directs the stiff Austrian in his best performances. Schwarzenegger’s old-school Terminator is like an MS-DOS machine battling the silvery, morphing Terminator 2 assassin (the sly, blank Robert Patrick). Linda Hamilton kicks ass as the mother determined to protect her son (Edward Furlong–whatever became of that guy?). Maybe she should get into politics. (R) BRIAN MILLER

Jan. 25-28, 9:30 p.m., 2013