El Mariachi (Mexico - 1992)

When its over, I'd forgotten how entertaining this simple little film was.  This was director, Robert Rodriguez's, first feature film and it costed him $7,000 to make.  That's impressive, even for its time.  It's an example of what creativity, simplicity, and passion put together can create.  It didn't have all the fancy stunts and FX of A-listed films, but it had what mattered - a story. The film's about two men dressed in black, two guitar suitcases, and a case of mistaken identity.  The result?  Death, blood, and revenge. 

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

Red Riding Hood (2011)

When it's over, Red Riding Hood felt like a low budgeted cross between Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow and M. Night Shyamalan's The Village.  After years of accepting animals as sacrifice, the werewolf begins to attack humans, forcing the villagers to seek help from famed werewolf killer, Father Solomon, played by Gary Oldman, whose arrival causes unintended consequences.  The film had the potential for greatness, but with poor directing by Catherine Hardwicke and a weak script, it failed to keep me interested or care for the characters.  Even Oldman's strong acting abilities couldn't save his peers from drowning in their own flat, emotionless performances.  This is suppose to be a horror\supernatural film, but nothing about it seemed scary, and not one scene showed the transformation of man to wolf or vice-versa.  What was Hardwicke thinking????

My rating: 2 out of 5

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)

When it's over, Jake Gyllenhaal is still a wonderful actor, just not convincing enough to play Dastan, the young prince who must save the world by preventing a magic dagger that reverses time from falling into evil hands.  Dastan is aided, off and on, by princess Tamina, played by Gemma Arterton.  There's tons of action and loads of stunts that mimic the video game the character of Dastan is based on.  Plus, enough one liners and cliches to make one roll their eyes to exhaustion.  Still, after two viewings of this film, I would have to admit, it was entertaining.  I actually liked it more the second time around.  The setting and costumes were a delight and I suppose, having Gyllenhaal flex his pecs here and there didn't hurt either.

My rating: 3 out of 5

I Am Number Four (2011)

When it's over, I think the producers tried to cram too much into a 109 minute film.  I Am Number Four is based on the young adult novel of the same name and is definitely worth reading before watching.  The story follows a teenager named John, who is an alien with extraordinary powers.  He is next in line to be killed and must find a way to stay alive from the evil clutches of the Magadorians, another alien species set on destroying Earth.  The film does have its fair share of special effects, but wasn't enough to make up for poor performances and a loosely constructed script.  Science fiction stories require more backstory than other genres, and this film failed to inform the viewer of the "why" and of the "how."  We need to know why things were happening and how things got that way.  The book did this in dreams and flashbacks, perhaps the film should have followed.  Maybe a stronger script would have generated better performances.  Still the only person that truly shined was Number 6, played by Aussie gal Theresa Palmer, who really knew how to kick some alien butt.

My rating: 2.5 out of 5

The Wolfman (2010)

When it's over, The Wolfman was a gothic slasher horror film.  If you like the whole genre of werewolves, then it's definitely a film to watch.  Yes, it's scarier, gorier, and has better special effects than its predecessors, but I was expecting that with an "R" rating and any rating less would be pointless to watch.  Benicio Del Toro plays Lawrence, who has returned to England to solve the murder of his brother.  Upon his return, he is reunited with his estranged father, John, played by Anthony Hopkins.  In his quest to find out the truth of his brother's murder, Lawrence is bitten by a werewolf and ultimately shares the fate of the werewolf's curse.  There's a bit of plot and a bit of love story, but nothing substantial for it to fall in the ranks of such films as Underworld and An American Werewolf in London.

My rating: 3 out of 5