and I wasn't looking at your ass... Maybe a little bit, but it was strictly in a professional way

Costume drama, a couple of Westerns, a classic domestic comedy, and an adventure thriller. Four out of five ain't bad!

Vanity Fair {ITV} (2018) - "Executive Producer and writer Gwyneth Hughes' adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray's literary classic is set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, and follows Becky Sharp (Olivia Cooke) as she attempts to claw her way out of poverty and scale the heights of English society. Her story of 'villainy, crime, merriment, lovemaking, jilting, laughing, cheating, fighting, and dancing,' takes her all the way to the court of King George IV, via the Battle of Waterloo, breaking hearts and losing fortunes as she goes."
Source: streamed on Amazon Prime
I watched it because: costume dramas have been a thing for me lately, and improving my understanding of the classics is always a goal
IMDB: 7.3/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 89% Audience: 91%

notable quote: "Your soul is shallow."
story: this is a well-regarded adaptation of Thackeray's novel. I've seen a number of movie-length versions; this is a 7-part mini-series (roughly 320 minutes total). With greater length comes richer detail. 
visuals: sumptuous, well lit, and lovely. Even the harsh parts are easy to watch. 
costumes, hair & makeup: as one might expect in a costume drama, I was drooling over the dresses
acting: Tom Bateman (Maj. Rawdon Crowley) was the star of the show for me, a fascinating combination of brashness and beauty. And Johnny Flynn, as the dedicated Capt. William Dobbin, showed dignity and class.

intangibles: this is an odd story, with a strong and quite unsympathetic antihero. I liked it a lot - but it left an icky taste in my mouth nonetheless.
overall: recommended

Hondo (1953) - "Army dispatch rider Hondo Lane discovers a woman and her young son living in the midst of warring Apaches and becomes their protector."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: this is one of John Wayne's best-loved films, and the acting introduction to Geraldine Page
IMDB: 7.1/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 86% Audience: 74%

notable quote: "I know a lot of pretty people I wouldn't trust with a busted nickel-plated watch. But some others, somethin' comes outa the inside of 'em and you know you can trust 'em."
story: there are some twisty bits at the beginning, but it all works itself out
visuals: majestic and sweeping. A lighter shoot than many Westerns.
costumes, hair & makeup: variations, and some liberties taken
acting: Wayne (Hondo Lane) at his peak, and Page (Angie Howe)–in her first film role—was nominated for the Oscar and should have won. They are both marvelous.

intangibles: terrific. One of the all-time best.
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Supporting Actress--Page

• Best Writing, Motion Picture Story--Louis L'Amour
overall: very highly recommended

Sitting Pretty (1948) - "A family that hires a live-in babysitter is surprised when he turns out to be a man who's a quirky genius."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I saw it quite a while ago and liked it
IMDB: 7.5/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: N/A% Audience: 77%

notable quote: "...if more people just sat and thought, the world might not be in the stinking mess that it is."
story: the much-funnier version of the Mr. Belvedere television series
acting: Robert Young (Harry King) and Maureen O'Hara (Tacey King) make a wonderful team, snappy and believable along the lines of Nick & Nora

intangibles: this is a charming, light-hearted film
Academy Award nominee: Best Actor--Clifton Webb
overall: recommended

Tribute to a Bad Man (1956) - "With no law within 200 miles, horse rancher Jeremy Rodack runs his spread with an iron hand and deals with rustlers even more ruthlessly."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: James Cagney in a Western sounded interesting
IMDB: 6.6/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: N/A% Audience: 43%

notable quote: "Fats, you got a dirty mind. That's why you'll never amount to nothin'."
story: bad guy behaving badly
acting: Irene Papas (Jocasta Constantine) played an engaging, if stereotypical, heroine

intangibles: awful. Rodack is a truly reprehensible person, killing people willy-nilly, with no remorse. He has a sort of eleventh-hour realization that it might not be the best idea in the world but doesn't seem to truly get it (and of course can't bring back all the people who have died for his ego pouffing). In the end, he even gets the girl. Don't bother with it.
overall: not at all recommended

Basic (2003) - "A D.E.A. Agent investigates the disappearance of a legendary Army Ranger Drill Sergeant and several of his cadets during a training exercise gone severely awry."
Source: streamed on Amazon Prime
I watched it because: I seem to be on a mission to watch every John Travolta movie ever made
IMDB: 6.5/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 21% Audience: 63%

notable quote: "Am I scratching your surface yet?"
story: relies heavily on an extremely vast array of coincidences
visuals: lots of heavy rain - and I like rain
acting: Travolta (Tom Hardy) and Connie Nielsen (Capt. Jules Osborne)

intangibles: this was panned by critics and not too well loved by the public, but I thought it was entertaining. I would see it again.
overall: recommended

[the title quotation is from Basic]