we're not even *friends*

Two wins, two losses. It happens this way sometimes. The good ones are different from my usual, intriguing, and wonderful.

The Unforgiven (1960) - "The neighbors of a frontier family turn on them when it is suspected that their adopted daughter was stolen from the local Kiowa tribe."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I've seen the Clint Eastwood film by the same name and was curious to know if this was based on the same story
IMDB: 6.7/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 60% Audience: 59%

notable quote: "'There's a nice bed in my room if you'll marry me.'

    'I might be drunk, but I'm not that drunk.'"
story: groundbreaking! Racial intolerance, adoption, courting rituals, psychology of music, urban v. rural life, mental health...
visuals: strange and beautiful
acting: Burt Lancaster (Ben Zachary) is marvelous, nuanced in his performance of the smart, tough guy. Lillian Gish (Matthilda Zachary) is also notable here.

intangibles: not at all what I expected, it turned out to be fascinating and riveting in a different way
overall: recommended

My Mother and other Strangers (2016) - "In 1943, the Coyne family and their neighbours struggle to maintain a normal life after a U.S. Army Air Force base is set up in the middle of their rural parish."
Source: streamed on Amazon Prime
I watched it because: it kept popping up in my recommendations
IMDB: 7.4/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: N/A% Audience: 67%

notable quote: ".... me, a man who does not entirely fill your... inner space."
story: it's about the war, poverty, social class, religion, marriage, friendship, drinking, and parenting.
visuals: unbelievably gorgeous. I would give up a lot to be able to visit the area where it was filmed, because I absolutely fell in love with the scenery.
costumes, hair & makeup: just right for the time and place
acting: I was drawn to Aaron Staton (Captain Ron Dreyfuss) and Gavin Drea (Barney Quinn). Both roles show great emotional range in minimal screen time.

intangibles: except for the uneven ending, this is a superior series. (And I am picky about war films, World War II in particular!)
overall: recommended

A Beautiful Mind (2001) - "After John Nash, a brilliant but asocial mathematician, accepts secret work in cryptography, his life takes a turn for the nightmarish."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: the intellectual nature of the film drew me

AFI: 100 Years ... 100 Cheers (2006) #93
IMDB: 8.2/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 74% Audience: 93%

notable quote: "...I was born with two helpings of brain but only half a helping of heart. ... The truth is that I, I don't like people much, and they don't much like me."
story: schizophrenic mathematician accomplishes masterly things while suffering debilitating difficulties
visuals: all nature of academic settings make this appeal 
costumes, hair & makeup: goes too far to fix the film in time

intangibles: I expected to be blown away by my adoration for it, but it was tedious and overlong. Worthy story, but a dull movie.
Academy Award winner:
• Best Picture

• Best Supporting Actress—Jennifer Connelly (Alicia Nash)

• Best Director—Ron Howard

• Best Writing, Screenplay based on material previously produced or published
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Actor—Russell Crowe (John Nash)

• Best Film Editing

• Best Makeup

• Best Music, Original Score
overall: not recommended

A Lawless Street (1955) - "Marshal Calem Ware (Randolph Scott) must face unpleasant facts about his past when he attempts to run a criminal gang out of town."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I hadn't seen any of Scott's work
IMDB: 6.4/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: N/A% Audience: 48%

notable quote: "Funny how a man softens to another man once he's killed him."
story: world-weary Marshal focuses all his energy on mowing down a band of bad guys, potentially missing out on reuniting with the love of his life
visuals: typical Western
costumes, hair & makeup: bordering on the spaghetti style of the genre
acting: Scott is as cardboard as they come, and I'm discovering that Angela Lansbury is perhaps my least favorite "classic" actress ever

intangibles: God.. Awful.
overall: not recommended

[the title quotation is from The Unforgiven]