when you're old you're crazy *not* to do it

Period melodrama, indie smash, costume drama, cops/buddies, war biopic, and animated animals. Four wins and two losses. Not a bad set here!

Peyton Place (1957) - "A peaceful New England town hides secrets and scandals."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: it's a classic nearly to the point of cliché and I wanted to see whether it has stood up to time
IMDB: 7.2/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 65% Audience: 72%

notable quote: "A person doesn't always get what she deserves. Remember it. If there's anything in life you want, go and get it. Don't wait for anybody to give it to you."
story: it's a slice of small town life—the harsh side
visuals: a little dark
costumes, hair & makeup: perfect. Great matches between the characters and their clothes and makeup.
acting: wonderful from top to bottom. Lana Turner (Constance MacKenzie) was phenomenal, as was Russ Tamblyn (Norman Page).

intangibles: fantastic film. Wonderful.
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Picture

• Best Actress--Turner
• Best Supporting Actor--Arthur Kennedy (Lucas Cross)

• Best Supporting Actor--Tamblyn

• Best Supporting Actress--Hope Lange (Selena Cross)

• Best Supporting Actress--Diane Varsi (Allison MacKenzie)

• Best Director--Mark Robson

• Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium

• Best Cinematography

overall: very highly recommended

Little Miss Sunshine (2006) - "A family determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant take a cross-country trip in their VW bus."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I saw it when it first came out on DVD - it was Christmas 2006, I think? - under awkward circumstances, and wanted to try it again
IMDB: 7.8/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 91% Audience: 91%

notable quote: "Fuck a lot of women, kid. I have no reason to lie to you. Not just one, a lot of women."
story: unusual, occasionally side-splittingly funny, and sneaky sad
visuals: pretty weird people being pretty, and weird, in strange situations
costumes, hair & makeup: terrific
acting: there is no one in this movie that I like a lot, and no one that I would seek out, but the ensemble absolutely works and I can't imagine it with anyone else instead

intangibles: it was definitely a good thing to see it again, as the first time was all about laughing my ass off along with the others in the room, and this time my responses were more genuine
Academy Award winner:
• Best Supporting Actor--Alan Arkin (Grandpa Edwin Hoover)

• Best Writing, Original Screenplay
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Picture

• Best Supporting Actress--Abigail Breslin
overall: recommended

The Age of Innocence (1993) - "A tale of nineteenth century New York high society in which a young lawyer falls in love with a woman separated from her husband, while he is engaged to the woman's cousin."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: there are loads of movies based on "classic literature" that I have not seen (this was based on the novel written by Edith Wharton) and I'm trying to catch up with what I missed with no lit classes
IMDB: 7.2/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 84% Audience: 75%

notable quote: "You gave me my first glimpse of a real life. Then you asked me to go on with the false one."
story: sheltered girl marries guy who's in love with her (slightly skanky) cousin. Manners of the time require a lot of yapping rather than making any of this clear to anyone before it's too late.
visuals: beautiful
costumes, hair & makeup: painful, exquisite dress and godawful hair
acting: Not a fan of Daniel Day-Lewis, who seems preternaturally serious in every movie I've seen. (It doesn't help that he reminds me a lot of someone I used to know and would rather not think about.) Also - Michelle Pfeiffer is not a good actress.

intangibles: Martin Scorsese directed this mess! What in the world.
Academy Award winner:
• Best Costume Design
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Supporting Actress--Winona Ryder (May Welland)

• Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Published

• Best Art Direction--Set Decoration

• Best Music, Original Score
overall: not recommended

16 Blocks (2006) - "An aging alcoholic cop is assigned the task of escorting a witness from police custody to a courthouse 16 blocks away. There are, however, chaotic forces at work that prevent them from making it in one piece."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: Bruce Willis is almost always worth watching, and I was curious to see what Mos Def would do as an actor
IMDB: 6.6/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 56% Audience: 57%

notable quote: "You're a sunny little shit, I'll give you that much."
story: not like the usual cop movies
visuals: very good cinematography
costumes, hair & makeup: it was fun to see the transformation of these characters from start to finish
acting: Willis (Jack Mosley) and Yasiin Bey (i.e. Mos Def) (Eddie Bunker) were both great for their parts, especially Willis, who showed more range than he sometimes can.

intangibles: I had not heard of this one before (I don't think?) but it's definitely worth seeing
overall: recommended

MacArthur (1977) - "Biopic of General Douglas MacArthur covering his war exploits during WW2 and the Korean War."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: it was supposed to be in the same vein as Patton, which I liked a lot, and Gregory Peck has been really great in some movies that I enjoyed a great deal
IMDB: 6.6/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 50% Audience: 59%

notable quote: "Not my idea of how to win a war."
story: it's a biography of the life of one of the most profoundly important generals in history. How could that not be fascinating? Here's an idea: make it heavy on the background details and pompous prosing, and very light on action.
visuals: not much to show in the story as told
costumes, hair & makeup: uniforms
acting: not great

intangibles: did not love
overall: not recommended

Kung Fu Panda (2008) - "The Dragon Warrior has to clash against the savage Tai Lung as China's fate hangs in the balance. However, the Dragon Warrior mantle is supposedly mistaken to be bestowed upon an obese panda who is a novice in martial arts."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: there are heaps of animated films out there in the world that I have never seen because I was too cinematic-snobby or "busy" or whatever, and lots of them are worth a watch
IMDB: 7.5/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 87% Audience: 83%

notable quote: "Quit, don't quit.... Noodles, don't noodles.... You are too concerned about what was and what will be." 
story: slobby panda that resembles Jack Black dreams of becoming a kung fu master while working in his family noodle stand. Circumstances conspire to make that possible. Hijinks ensue.
visuals: very good
acting: DUSTIN HOFFMAN (Shifu the red panda)?! So good!

intangibles: it was different, kind of sweet, funny at times. Not enough to see the sequels, though.
Academy Award nominee: Best Animated Feature Film 
overall: recommended

[the title quotation is from Little Miss Sunshine]