The Wolfman (2010)

Upon his return to his ancestral homeland, an American man is bitten, and subsequently cursed by, a werewolf.

Nicely produced homage to the original horror classic, concerning atmosphere and the creature's appearance, offers great cinematography and period detail and a star cast, although it's a far cry from the original's impact.

Maltin**1/2: "Sober remake of the 1941 classic isn't bad but insists on expanding the story , to no good end. Del Toro's character is underwritten, while Hopkins (as his father) gets to chew the scenery. Still, Rick Heinrich's production design is handsome, Rick Baker and Dave Elsey's Oscar-winning makeup is effective, and the scare scenes are well staged, so it's not a total loss." 

October Sky (1999)

The true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's wishes.

Halliwell (no star): "Based on the biography of a man who became a NASA engineer, this is a gently nostalgic flag-waver of smalltown Americana in the 50s, amiable but forgettable."

Maltin***1/2: "Sincere, heartwarming drama...Rich performances, well-drawn characters, and an old-fashioned sense of can-do American spirit make this something special." 

Tasteful produced and well-cast movie with a touch of nostalgia; entertaining, but once again an American success story of an individual making his way against social obstacles.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

A rejected military soldier transforms into Captain America after taking a dose of a "Super-Soldier serum", but being Captain America comes at a price as he attempts to take down a war monger and a terrorist organization.

Fairly entertaining comic-book adaptation with some good period detail; thankfully, the original's unflattering patriotism is toned down, and the villain is not the Third Reich itself, but a renegade madman Über-Nazi.

Maltin**1/2: "First half of this period piece is good fun, but story loses its thrust and doesn't even provide an honest ending. Evans is quite good in the title role; visual effects turn him into a puny version of himself for the early scenes."

Jurassic Park III (2001)

A decidedly odd couple with ulterior motives convince Dr. Alan Grant to go to Isla Sorna (the second InGen dinosaur lab.), resulting in an unexpected landing and unexpected new inhabitants on the island.

Moderately entertaining third part of the series, again the dinosaurs steal the show.

On rewatching: I still agree with my initial opinion about the dinosaurs; the movie is streamlined for straight entertainment and delivers, but offers nothing more.

Halliwell (no star): "Hectic chase movie that, jettisoning the slight intellectual content of the first two movies, concentrates on shocks and thrills, which it delivers effectively."

Maltin***: "Entertaining popcorn movie that takes a formula and plays it for all its worth...Full of scares, and lots of fun: proof that a thrill-ride type of movie doesn't have to be dumb...or overlong."