virtue is triumphant only in theatrical performances

Two really good ones and a few clunkers!

Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) - "A priest tries to stop a gangster from corrupting a group of street kids."
I watched it because: my dad recommended it.
story: 4/5
visuals: 2.5/5
acting: 3/5--standout: Pat O'Brien (Jerry Connolly) is terrific, a hardass with a heart of gold
intangibles: 3/5--this is a somewhat odd film, which I'm starting to understand to be a theme for James Cagney's movies. Cagney plays an unrepentant thug, and O'Brien his boyhood friend turned priest.
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Actor--James Cagney
• Best Director
• Best Writing, Original Story
overall: 3.125/5

Foul Play (1978) - "A shy San Francisco librarian and a bumbling cop fall in love as they solve a crime involving albinos, dwarves, and the Catholic Church."
I watched it because: I was looking for something light and funny, and this turned out to be perfect.
story: 3.5/5--silly and light
visuals: 4/5--apart from the vomit-inducing car chase across the city, this movie--filmed on location in San Francisco--is beautiful
acting: 4/5--standouts: besides Chevy Chase, who is hilarious (and gorgeous) as Tony Carlson, Dudley Moore (Stanley Tibbets) is overwhelmingly comical and Brian Dennehy (Fergie) is wonderful
intangibles: 4/5--fun and funny
Academy Award nominee: Best Music--Original Song
overall: 3.875/5

Purple Rain (1984) - "A young musician, tormented by an abusive situation at home, must contend with a rival singer, a burgeoning romance, and his own dissatisfied band, as his star begins to rise."
I watched it because: there is an obvious connection, and I was just a little too young to see it at the theater when it first came out. I was curious.
story: 3/5
visuals: 3/5--very dark (visually) but the bar scenes are dramatically arresting. And Prince was really f'ing hot in his prime.
acting: 1.5/5--not an acting movie. Morris Day and Appplonia were particularly terrible.
intangibles: 2.5/5--I was aghast at the glamorization of domestic violence. Though that's not what the movie was about, it certainly was the wrong note that made the song sound bad.
Academy Award winner: Best Music--Original Song Score
overall: 2.5/5

Parenthood (1989) - "The Buckmans are a midwestern family all dealing with their lives: estranged relatives, raising children, pressures of the job, and learning to be a good parent and spouse."
I watched it because: I wanted something funny and not too thinky.
story: 2/5--I should have known.
visuals: 2.5/5
acting: 4/5--standouts: Jason Robards (Frank Buckman), who I'd never seen before, and Joaquin Phoenix (Garry), who was charming and delicate in this difficult early role
intangibles: 3/5--rather more agenda-laden and annoying than I had anticipated, I didn't think this was terribly funny but was left with a lot to think about. So, movie choice fail there.
Academy Award nominee:
Best Supporting Actress--Dianne Wiest
Best Music, Original Song--Randy Newman
overall: 2.875/5

The Naked Gun (1988) - "Incompetent police Detective Frank Drebin must foil an attempt to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II."
I watched it because: I haven't seen it for years (maybe not since it first came out)
story: 1/5--was there a story??
visuals: 2.5/5
acting: 2/5--was there acting?? (I did enjoy OJ getting folded and spindled and mangled over and over again. That was an unexpected treat.)
intangibles: 2/5--terribly, terribly stupid
overall: 1.875/5

The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) - "A debonair, adventuresome bank executive believes he has pulled off the perfect multi-million dollar heist, only to match wits with a sexy insurance investigator who will do anything to get her man."
I watched it because: I've got a vague crush on Steve McQueen, and this has been on my Amazon Prime watchlist forever
story: 4/5
visuals: 3.5/5
acting: 4/5--standouts: McQueen was wonderful, and Faye Dunaway was terrific
intangibles: 3.5/5
Academy Award winner: Best Music--Original Song
Academy Award nominee: Best Music--Original Score
overall: 3.75/5

Sliding Doors (1998) - "A London woman's love life and career both hinge, unknown to her, on whether or not she catches a train. We see it both ways, in parallel."
I watched it because: I wanted something to watch without needing to think too much about it, and this was perfect since I've seen it before and liked it well enough.
story: 3/5--not exactly magical realism, and not exactly a fantasy
visuals: 3/5--pretty people being pretty
acting: 3/5--standouts: Douglas McFerran (Russell) and Zara Turner (Anna) were really good as the long-suffering best friends. Jeanne Tripplehorn was obnoxious in the thankless, drudge role that cemented my dislike for her acting abilities.
intangibles: 3/5
overall: 3/5--a solid "meh"

[the title quotation is by W.S. Gilbert]