G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)

When terrorists steal a new super weapon the services of a multi national spec ops organization is called upon. Okay I have to admit I wasn't expecting much from this one, especially after talking myself into seeing Masters of the Universe (1987) (IMDb gives it 5 stars.. o.O I will never live it down). However with the awesomeness that was Transformers (2007) I decided to give this a go and am glad I did. This is a very entertaining veggie watch movie with just enough back story to keep the plot all plump and succulent. There is nothing heavy here, just a whole lot of fun.. cool FX.. action.. and one hell of a built in sequel. If you are in the mood for just something just north of mindless fun this wouldn't be a bad choice.

Beowulf & Grendel (2005)

A warrior of renown sets off to aid a foreign king against a terrible monster. This is a much more 'realistic' telling of the story of Beowulf than the highly stylized and top heavy Beowulf (2007) that would claim the spotlight 2 years later. If you have to pick one of the two and want a solid story told in a 'historic' manner, then this is the one I would go with. Gerard Butler portrays Beowulf in a manner that is mighty and honorable as well as thoughtful and humble. Compare to The 13th Warrior (1999). Fans of the genre should not be disappointed. Recommended.

Immortal (Ad Vitam) (2004)

In the year 2095 a Pyramid appears floating over New York City. For seven days Horus is free to roam before his sentence is carried out. This is a tasty little gem of a sci-fi story in the style of the late 1970's and early 80's Heavy Metal magazine. Partially animated, the story is one of competing interests by powerful forces (the idea, the corporation, the politician, the alien, and the god). Live action FX are on the weak side, but the animation is top shelf. Its a lot to wrap your brain around in a relatively short period of time, they don't connect all the dots but its not overly complex. This isn't going to appeal to everyone, in fact I imagine the interest will be rather narrow. If the name Allgood means something to you, you may want to give this a watch. Hard core sci-fi fans and seekers are encouraged to see this one.

The Way Back (2010)

Based on actual if somewhat unbelievable events, a group of men escape from a Siberian gulag and walk 4000 miles overland to India. While listed as a drama the character development is fairly light and straight forward with roles being clearly defined early on and each staying in character throughout. While showcasing the incredible, and in places icky, hardships this band endured the real magic for me was the amazing scenery. Once free of the gulag viewers are treated to about an hour of some of the most stunning on location wide shots of landscape both beautiful and harsh. Its like taking a vacation on your couch. If you need a break from loud flashes and mythical creatures this one has your name on it. Despite the harsh story, viewing is easy and fairly light. Recommended.