what’s the secret of success? Right decisions. How do you make right decisions? Experience. How do you get experience? Wrong decisions

I am coming close to the end of the road. No, not that! It appears that I have watched nearly all of the movies that I own at least once; there are around 20 remaining. A few ideas are simmering in my mind, different ways to change up the reviews here, if I start streaming more. Stay tuned!

Infernal Affairs {无间道} (2002) - "A story between a mole in the police department and an undercover cop. Their objectives are the same: to find out who is the mole, and who is the cop."
Source: I own the Blu-ray
I watched it because: it was the inspiration for the Martin Scorsese movie The Departed, and I have been wanting to see it since I first heard that
IMDB: 8.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 94% Audience: 95%
story: 6/10
visuals: 8/10
costumes, hair & makeup: 7.5/10
acting: 7/10--standout: Tony Leung (Chen Wing Yan) is one of my absolute faves
intangibles: 6/10
overall: 6.9/10--The Departed is a long (150 minutes) movie, and this is pretty short (101). The difference in length is telling: this is less intricately detailed. Consider it the abbreviated version.

The Quiet Man (1952) - "A retired American boxer returns to the village of his birth in Ireland, where he falls for a spirited redhead whose brother is contemptuous of their union."
Source: I was lent the DVD two weekends ago, and told to watch it
I watched it because: I am nothing if not obedient
IMDB: 7.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 90% Audience: 91%
story: 7/10
visuals: 9/10--gorgeous
costumes, hair & makeup: 7/10
acting: 7.5/10--standout: Ward Bond (Father Peter Lonergan)
intangibles: 5/10--I did not really "connect" with this movie as much as I had hoped. My feelings about John Wayne are pretty specific, wars or Westerns!
Academy Award winner:
• Best Director--John Ford
• Best Cinematography, Color
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Picture
• Best Supporting Actor--Victor McLaglen
• Best Writing, Screenplay
• Best Art Director - Set Decoration, Color
• Best Sound Recording
overall: 7.1/10

Nurse Betty (2000) - "Comedy about a widow's post-traumatic obsession with a soap star."
Source: included in my "dark comedies" DVD box set
I watched it because: something light appealed, for the end of the day
IMDB: 6.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 83% Audience: 45%
story: 6/10--crazy! 
visuals: 7.5/10
costumes, hair & makeup: 9/10--there is one scene that really takes the cake
acting: 7/10--standout: everybody knows I am no fan of Renée Zellweger (she does have really big lips, and squinty eyes...) but she is really good in this film 
intangibles: 7.5/10
overall: 7.4/10

Splash (1984) - "A young man is reunited with a mermaid who saved him from drowning as a boy. He falls in love with her, not knowing who or what she is."
Source: I picked up the DVD a while ago
I watched it because: it's one of those movies that everyone is supposed to see
IMDB: 6.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 90% Audience: N/A%
story: 6/10
visuals: 7.5/10
costumes, hair & makeup: 7/10
acting: 6.5/10
intangibles: 7.5/10
Academy Award nominee: Best Writing, Screenplay Written for the Screen
overall: 6.9/10--sweet. I liked it.

Hacksaw Ridge (2016) - "World War II American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss, who served during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people, and becomes the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honor without firing a shot."
Source: I own the Blu-ray
I watched it because: the last war movie that I saw was really good, and I had hopes for this one
IMDB: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 85% Audience: 91%
story: 8.5/10
visuals: 9/10
costumes, hair & makeup: 7/10
acting: 8.5/10--standouts: Vince Vaughn (Sgt. Howell) and Luke Bracey (Smitty Ryker)
intangibles: 7/10--this is a long movie made up of an introduction and a very.long. fight sequence
Academy Award winner:
• Best Film Editing
• Best Sound Mixing
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Picture
• Best Director--Mel Gibson
• Best Actor--Andrew Garfield
• Best Sound Editing
overall: 8/10

Catch Me If You Can (2002) - "A seasoned FBI agent pursues Frank Abagnale Jr. who, before his 19th birthday, successfully forged millions of dollars' worth of checks while posing as a Pan Am pilot, a doctor, and a legal prosecutor."
Source: my dad gave me the DVD
I watched it because: I haven't seen it in a while (the original time was in a post way back here)
IMDB: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 96% Audience: 89%
story: 7/10--strange but true
visuals: 8.5/10--pretty people...
costumes, hair & makeup: 8.5/10
acting: 7.5/10
intangibles: 7/10--it is slick and clever, and there are a zillion fun costume changes, but this movie will never be a favorite of mine
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Supporting Actor--Christopher Walken

• Best Music, Original Score
overall: 7.7/10

[the title quotation is by John Wayne]