I can no longer think what I want to think. My thoughts have been replaced by moving images

This week's workout movies. One big hit, one not bad, and two...meh.

Road House: Patrick Swayze as a bar 'cooler' in Missouri (?) who fights the bad guys and gets the girl
story: 2.5/5
acting: 2/5--standout: Sam Elliott (Wade Garrett)
visuals: 3/5
intangibles: 3/5--Patrick Swayze doing Tai Chi, and Jeff Healey
overall: 2.625/5 Would watch again if there was nothing else on, and I was in a hotel room out of town, waiting for time to pass before going to a wedding. Or something like that.

Lip Service (a.k.a. Out of Sync): a modern-day, Canadian Singin' in the Rain,
with some of the worst acting I've ever experienced--and no lie the worst singing ever committed to film. (And the same song over. And. Over.)
story: 2/5
acting: 1/5--see 'Intangibles'
visuals: 2/5
intangibles: 1/5--Peter Outerbridge's acting is the only thing that makes this film worth watching.
overall: 1.5/5 Please God just no.

Black Book (a.k.a. Zwartboek): the Resistance in Holland during the Second World War, and a German officer whose allegiance is tested by conscience
story: 5/5
acting: 5/5--standouts: Carice van Houten (Rachel Stein/Ellis de Vries) and Sebastian Koch (Ludwig Müntze)
visuals: 5/5
intangibles: 5/5--it's a story about WWII that hasn't already been told a thousand times. There are musical numbers that add to, rather than detracting from, the dramatic content. The lead actors are gorgeous but realistic and engaging. I love this film.
overall: 5/5 Will definitely watch again! A very, very fine movie.

Penny Serenade: Cary Grant as a severely whiny, arrogant newspaper editor, Irene Dunne as his
backbone-free wife, and their profusely ill-fated attempts to become parents
story: 2/5
acting: 2/5--standout: Edgar Buchanan (Applejack)
visuals: 3/5
intangibles: 2/5 --there are moments of sweetness despite the overwhelmingly ham-fisted acting and patently obvious ending
overall: 2.25/5 Won't watch again. I was actively squirming to have it over with.

[the title quotation is by Georges Duhamel, from Scènes de la vie future]