just because I go out to the cinema ... it doesn't mean we are dating

Strange combination. Take it for what it's worth.

Varsity Blues (1999) - "A back-up quarterback is chosen to lead a Texas football team to victory after the star quarterback is injured."
I watched it because: it's one of those movies that everybody's heard about but I'd never seen.
story: 3/5--don't expect any brilliance here
acting: 3/5--standout: James Van Der Beek (Jonathon Moxon) shows some depth, and looks so uncannily like my "secret high school boyfriend" that I was quite distracted at times. Ron Lester (Billy Bob) took a cartoon role and turned it into something more complicated and thought-provoking (and his personal story--which I read about after seeing the movie) makes the performance all the more poignant).
intangibles: 3/5--hit or miss throughout. Fun to watch but also irritating at times (Amy Smart is a very dull actress), the bad guy was pleasingly revolting and the good guys realistically nuanced enough not to be caricatures. The dirty teacher scenes were funny but gratuitous.
overall: 3/5


The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) - "Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stock-broker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government."
I watched it because: I'm on that Scorsese kick referenced in the last post--he directed.
story: 4/5--it's unbelievable, but true
visuals: 5/5--gorgeously and very oddly shot
acting: 3.5/5--standouts: Leonardo DiCaprio (Jordan Belfort) and Kyle Chandler (Agent Patrick Denham) were outrageously good. Jonah Hill is distracting, and not in a good way. Margot Robbie is not on my list of favorites, either.
intangibles: 5/5--so weird, so decadent, so in-your-face ironic. This is a love-it-or-hate-it movie. Maybe because of what I'm doing these days, I loved it.
Academy Award nominee: (Best Picture; Best Director—Martin Scorsese; Best Leading Actor—Leonardo DiCaprio; Best Supporting Actor—Jonah Hill; Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay)
overall: 4.375/5

Dances with Wolves (1990) - "Lieutenant John Dunbar, assigned to a remote western Civil War outpost, befriends wolves and Indians, making him an intolerable aberration in the military."
I watched it because: I'm on a Kevin Costner kick
story: 4/5**
visuals: 3.5/5
acting: 4/5--standout: Kevin Costner (Lt. John Dunbar) and Rodney A. Grant (Wind in His Hair)
intangibles: 3.5/5
Academy Award winner: (Best Picture; Best Director—Kevin Costner; Best Writing—Michael Blake; Best Cinematography; Best Sound; Best Film Editing; Best Music, Original Score; Best Leading Actor—Kevin Costner; Best Supporting Actor—Graham Greene)
Academy Award nominee: (Best Supporting Actress—Mary McDonnell; Best Art Direction: Set Direction; Best Costume Design)
overall: 3.75/5
**NOTE: I make no apologies for this movie, or for watching it. If you don't like it, or don't approve, I respect your opinion but do not share it, and thank you to keep it to yourself.

The Birds (1963) - "A wealthy San Francisco socialite pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people."
I watched it because: I've seen it a few times and liked it.
story: 2.5/5 (ridiculous, really)
visuals: 4/5--considering the technology that was available when it was made, this movie is pretty amazing
acting: 3/5--standout: Suzanne Pleshette (Annie Hayworth) is really good
intangibles: 4/5--birds are freaky anyway, but the way all those species were working in concert...shudder
Academy Award nominee: Best Special Effects—Special Visual Effects
overall: 3.375/5

The Stool Pigeon (2010) - "Policeman Don Lee often works with informants but numerous too-close calls and failed missions cause him to see the world as one betrayal after another - then he meets Guy [i.e. Ghost, Jr.], and is given a new chance to change his views."
I watched it because:
story: 4/5--quite similar to The Departed, although narrower in scope
visuals: 5/5--beautifully filmed. This is a gorgeous movie, enthralling to watch.
acting: 4/5--standouts: Nick Cheung (Don Lee), Nicholas Tse (Ghost Jr.) and Philip Keung (Tai Ping)
intangibles: 3.5/5--this appears on the surface to be a typical Hong Kong action film, but it is far deeper and more interesting than that. Cheung's Lee is a man tormented by conscience, and Tse's Ghost is a complex storm all within himself. Very highly recommended.
overall: 4.125/5

Olympus has Fallen (2013) - "Disgraced Secret Service agent (and former presidential guard) Mike Banning finds himself trapped inside the White House in the wake of a terrorist attack; using his inside knowledge, Banning works with national security to rescue the President from his kidnappers."
I watched it because: Morgan Freeman is always a winner, and Gerard Butler's native accent is so heavy that I wanted to see how he pulled off an entire film as "a real American."
story: 4/5--chilling as heck
visuals: 3/5--they did a good job, if that can be said? It sure drags the patriotism out of a person, whether reluctantly or not.
acting: 3.5/5
intangibles: 4/5
overall: 3.625/5

Taken (2008) - "A retired CIA agent travels across Europe and relies on his old skills to save his estranged daughter, who has been kidnapped while on a trip to Paris."
I watched it because: I've only seen a couple of Liam Neeson movies. Also, I really like Luc Besson, who wrote. (He wrote and directed Léon: The Professional, one of my very favorite films.)
story: 3.5/5
visuals: 4/5
acting: 4/5--standout: Neeson's Bryan Mills is a reluctant hero, my favorite kind.
intangibles: 3.5/5--I didn't love the story of the movie, but I liked the movie anyway. Neeson is very dear and it is a treat to watch him, no matter what he's doing.
overall: 3.75/5

Beaches (1988) - "A privileged rich debutante and a cynical struggling entertainer share a turbulent, but strong childhood friendship over the years."
I watched it because: having seen it at the theater when it first came out, I was curious to see how it had held up over time. Kind of amazing for a movie that spans so many years, it doesn't show its age very much at all.
story: 3/5--the "privilege" and the "cynical" referenced in the description are hard to get over.
visuals: 3/5
acting: 3/5--standout: John Heard (John Pierce) and Marcie Leeds as the young Hillary Whitney
intangibles: 3/5--this movie sticks in my mind. It bothers me, in some way. I don't know if it's a creative thing, or an emotional thing, whatever it is I hope it goes away soon.
Academy Award nominee: Best Art Direction—Set Direction
overall: 3/5

Striptease (1996) - "A stripper and single mother gets dragged into a dangerous situation after a congressman takes a fancy to her."
I watched it because: I wanted something that I didn't have to think about at all.
story: 1/5--SO dumb
visuals: 2.5/5
acting: 2/5--standout: Ving Rhames (Shad)
intangibles: 2/5--make no mistake, this is an enormously stupid movie. The idea that any of this could happen even in a parallel universe... it's ridiculous. The strippers are all impossibly good looking, energetic, and kindhearted. The bad guys are all telegraphing their badness for miles. The good guys have a little more depth, but even they are pathetic dupes to this utterly unbelievable woman.
overall: 2/5

North to Alaska (1960) - "During the Alaska gold rush, prospector George sends partner Sam to Seattle to bring his fiancée but when it turns out that she married another man, Sam returns with a pretty substitute, the hostess of the Henhouse dance hall."
I watched it because: I love John Wayne. The scene of him pole-climbing is awesome.
story: 3/5--the first half of the movie is light, fun and clever. Most of the second half drags really hard. The ending is wonderful.
visuals: 4/5--filmed primarily in California with some on location in the Yukon in Canada, this is a stunning movie to watch
acting: 4/5--standouts: Stewart Granger (George Pratt) and Kathleen Freeman (Lena Nordquist)
intangibles: 3/5
overall: 3.5/5

[the title quotation is by Leonardo DiCaprio]