I liked movie theaters, the darkness and intimacy, and I liked the deep, sad summer nights

This set includes some feel-good movies and a very big surprise hit. This is why it pays to just watch whatever crosses your path, you know? Faith, fate, and chance.

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."
Source: I own the DVD (my dad gave it to me)
I watched it because: it was the next title on my list that I had not seen
IMDB: 7.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 91% Audience: 88%
story: 7/10--based on a true story
visuals: 6.5/10
costumes, hair & makeup: 6/10
acting: 6/10--standout: Chris Owen (Quentin Wilson)
intangibles: 7.5/10
overall: 6.6/10--this is a feel-good, positive movie

Clear and Present Danger (1994) - "CIA Analyst Jack Ryan is drawn into an illegal war fought by the US government against a Colombian drug cartel."
Source: I own the Jack Ryan DVD box set. This is #3 in the series.
I watched it because: the other two that I watched today were pretty "thinky"; something more ... active.
IMDB: 6.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 79% Audience: 74%
story: 5/10--how does this 50-something submarine expert, Ph.D., research analyst, nerd bird keep ending up in the most action-packed, ridiculously complicated, dangerous, hair-raising situations? Does the CIA not have people for that?! Hanging off a helicopter my assssss are you kidding me?
visuals: 7.5/10
costumes, hair & makeup: 6.5/10--for all the flying-around-the-jungle jazz, this is some pretty low-grade work in costuming and makeup.
acting: 6/10--standouts: Willem Defoe (Clark) is deliciously sinister. Also, Joaquim de Almeida (Felix Cortez), who plays a great is-he-or-isn't-he bad guy, and happens to look incredibly like someone I used to work with, and also kind of like Don Henley or Phil Hartman)
intangibles: 4.5/10--see "Story," above
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Sound
• Best Effects, Sound effects editing
overall: 5.9/10

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) - "Film noir parody with a detective uncovering a sinister plot. Characters from real noirs [films noir?] appear as scenes from various films are intercut."
Source: I own it as part of a Steve Martin box set.
I watched it because: so much intensity lately! Needed a break from all the life or death Drama With A Capital D.
IMDB: 6.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 79% Audience: 72%
story: 5/10
visuals: 8/10
costumes, hair & makeup: given the conceit of the movie - the intercuts from other films - this is impossible to rate
acting: 5/10--not an "acting" movie
intangibles: 7/10--B&W is striking, in a sea of oversaturated color films, and the Jessica Rabbit-style inventiveness of the cuts makes this fun to watch
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Sound
• Best Effects, Sound effects editing
overall: 6.25/10

In America (2002) - "A family of Irish immigrants adjust to life on the mean streets of Hell's Kitchen while also grieving the death of a child."
Source: I got the DVD several years ago, after seeing Samantha Morton in Tom Jones.
I watched it because: it was next on the list
IMDB: 7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 89% Audience: 91%
story: 8/10
visuals: 7.5/10
costumes, hair & makeup: 7/10
acting: 9.5/10--standout: Djimon Hounsou is magnificent in the role of Mateo. I was afraid, mesmerized, enchanted, and utterly broken. Paddy Considine (Johnny), too, was a wonder.
intangibles: 10/10--there is something about this film. To be honest, reading the cover description had me believing I would not like it, and as it started to roll I was thinking that I would probably dump it midway. That could not have been further from what happened. There were big laughs, gasps, and a few moments of such hard crying that I had to stop the DVD so I did not miss anything while I mopped myself up. It is sensitive, painful, brilliant, sweet, and so real. Very highly recommended.
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Actress--Morton
• Best Supporting Actor--Hounsou
• Best Writing, original screenplay
overall: 8.4/10

[the title quotation is by Haruki Murakami, from Dance Dance Dance]