Some things last.

Major spoiler alert. If you haven't seen it, don't read it. Consider yourself warned!

Personal documentary, British costume drama, magical realism, classy suspense, and World War II spying in India. There's a couple of good ones here!

Little White Lie (2014) - "A film about denial, race, family secrets and a search for identity."
Source: streamed on Amazon Prime
I watched it because:  it popped up in my recommendations and sounded interesting - if somewhat implausible
IMDB: 7.2/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 80% Audience: 80%

story: young woman, about to get married, decides to start digging into her past, quite against the wishes of her parents. It soon becomes clear why they are against the slaking of her curiosity—they have never acknowledged that, far from the uniformly Jewish background that she'd claimed, she was actually half black.
visuals: perhaps ironically, the visuals are well done. Well enough that ... seriously ... it is difficult to understand how anyone could see this girl and not see what she claims to have missed, for her entire life up to then.
acting: some of the 'cast' are comfortable before the camera and others are clearly extremely awkward. It's not an easy movie to watch.

intangibles: every family has secrets, lies, and dysfunctions. Part of becoming and being an adult is learning to deal with that and move on. This film is a blame game.
overall: not recommended

Sense and Sensibility (1981) - "Two sisters of opposing temperaments find love and some heartbreak in Jane Austen's 18th century classic."
Source: streamed on Amazon Prime
I watched it because: I've seen several other adaptations of this story and am open to what the BBC had to offer
IMDB: 6.8/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes:  N/A%

notable quote: "'...where are your feelings?!'

'I govern them'"
story: family falls on hard times. Both sisters fall in love, have their hearts broken, end up manipulated, do some manipulating of their own, and in the end all is sorted out to the benefit of those who behaved most honorably. Seems about right.
acting: all of these actors were...wan. Did they not like the story, or the job? Were they actually directed to behave so unenthusiastically? It's hard to tell. 

intangibles: I do like the story itself but this adaptation is a bit tiresome. 
overall: recommended with reservations

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) - "Tells the story of Benjamin Button, a man who starts aging backwards with consequences."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I like Brad Pitt and wanted to find out what all the fuss with this film was about

IMDB: 7.8/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 72% Audience: 80%

notable quote: "Loving you is worth everything to me."
story: it's a clever idea for a movie that I think would have been smoother and better in a book
visuals: either you buy it or you can't
costumes, hair & makeup: either you buy it or you can't
acting: though it's not the best I've ever seen by any of the actors involved, it's pretty good by each of them

intangibles: I really wanted to ADORE it
Academy Award winner:
• Best Art Direction

• Best Makeup

• Best Visual Effects
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Picture

• Best Actor--Pitt

• Best Supporting Actress--Taraji P. Henson

• Best Director

• Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay

• Best Cinematography

• Best Film Editing

• Best Costume Design

• Best Music, Original Score

• Best Sound Mixing

overall: recommended

Suspicion (1941) - "A shy young heiress marries a charming gentleman, and soon begins to suspect he is planning to murder her."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I'd seen it quite a while before and couldn't recollect the story
IMDB: 7.4/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 97% Audience: 78%

notable quote: "Well, well. You're the first woman I've ever met who said yes when she meant yes."
story: a little wild & crazy even for Hitchcock. Is it a cautionary tale about the dangers of suspicion, or is it a suspense film?
visuals: dramatic black & white
costumes, hair & makeup: nicely done
acting: Joan Fontaine (Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth) is very good here

intangibles: I didn't love it, but it's definitely worth seeing
Academy Award winner: Best Actress--Fontaine
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Picture

• Best Music, Score
overall: recommended

The Sea Wolves (1980) - "During World War II, the British must attack a German ship, but it's safe in neutral Goa. As a result, they send civilians: former soldiers who are about sixty years old."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: it's a film about neutrality in the Second World War!! (Though not exactly European.)
IMDB: 6.3/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: N/A% Audience: 40%

notable quote: "...he was going to kill me—and you. Things like that tend to make me impulsive."
visuals: well shot and lit
acting: David Niven (Col. W.H. Grice) is wonderful

intangibles: this is a bizarro movie. Gregory Peck plays a complete asshole, Roger Moore is a Captain Kirk-level slimy slut, and there are some double and even triple crosses. 
overall: not recommended

[the title quotation is from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button]