it's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark... and we're wearing sunglasses

Four good ones (two terrific) and one pretentious mess. I'm here to cull the herd, so you don't have to! 

The Accused (1988) - "After a young woman suffers a brutal gang rape in a bar one night, a prosecutor assists in bringing the perpetrators to justice, including the ones who encouraged and cheered the attack."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I had heard about it but never seen it, and it made me nervous so it seemed important to follow through
IMDB: 7.1/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 91% Audience: 79%

notable quote: "This isn't my business. I don't care about this."
story: "the film explores the themes of classism, misogyny, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), slut-shaming, victim blaming, and women's empowerment" (from Wikipedia)
visuals: distressingly graphic realism
costumes, hair & makeup: excellent use of costumes, hair and makeup to show the difference in class
acting: Bernie Coulson, as the conflicted witness Ken Joyce, was terrific

intangibles: it's a rough film to watch but very well done
Academy Award winner: Best Actress—Jodie Foster 
overall: recommended

The Blues Brothers (1980) - "Jake Blues, just released from prison, puts together his old band to save the Catholic home where he and his brother Elwood were raised."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: it had been more than a decade since I saw it
IMDB: 7.9/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 73% Audience: 92%

notable quote: "It wasn't a lie—it was just bullshit."
story: the story is not the point
visuals: ohhhhhh Chi-town, how I miss you
costumes, hair & makeup: pretty basic, but nonetheless perfect for the film
acting: John Belushi (Joliet Jake) + Dan Aykroyd (Elwood) = adorable!

intangibles: this is probably a love-it-or-hate-it movie and I love it. It is pointless, goofy, and not quite understandable why it's funny—but it's funny.
overall: recommended (always)

Fort Apache (1948) - "At Fort Apache, an honorable and veteran war captain finds conflict when his regime is placed under the command of a young, glory-hungry lieutenant colonel with no respect for the local Indian tribe."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: it was a John Wayne film that I had not yet seen
IMDB: 7.5/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 100% Audience: 83%

notable quote: "'It's been my impression that presidential appointments were restricted to sons of holders of the Medal of Honor.'

    'That is my impression too, sir. Will that be all, sir?'"
story: Henry Fonda is vainglorious Lt. Col. Owen Thursday, who leads his command into danger against the counsel of his more experienced and compassionate Captain Kirby York, played by Wayne. Complicating matters is the budding romance between Thursday's daughter Philadelphia (Shirley Temple) and 2nd Lt. Michael Shannon O'Rourke (John Agar).
costumes, hair & makeup: nicely done for the time period
acting: Fonda played it very straight, so he was hard to watch - joyless and dour. Wayne was spot-on. Temple and Agar had obvious chemistry, which is not surprising since they were newlyweds when the film was made. 

intangibles: overlong and almost brought down by Fonda's character, the movie is, in the end, worth seeing.
overall: recommended

The Thin Red Line (1998) - "Adaptation of James Jones' autobiographical 1962 novel, focusing on the conflict at Guadalcanal during the second World War."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from a friend's collection
I watched it because:
IMDB: 7.6/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 80% Audience: 80%

notable quote: "'Do you ever feel lonely?'

    'Only around people.'"
story: where to start? Read up on Guadalcanal, watch the film, and then come back to talk with me about it.
visuals: fantastic and surreal
acting: Jim Caviezel (Cpl. Fife), Ben Chaplin (Pvt. Bell), and Elias Koteas (Capt. Staros) made the film for me

intangibles: really, really, really long. It would have been a better movie at 1.5 hours than at 3. There are a lot of stories being told here, and some could have gone untold. Still, it is profoundly moving, sad, and wrenching. 
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Picture

• Best Director—Terrence Malick

• Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published—Malick

• Best Cinematography

• Best Sound

• Best Film Editing

• Best Music, Original Dramatic Score
overall: very highly recommended

8 Slices (2019) - "A new hire joins a small town pizza restaurant just as the business fails and its employees question the 'American Dream'."
Source: streamed on Amazon Prime
I watched it because: it was recommended on Prime and seemed clever
IMDB: 5.6/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: N/A%

notable quote: "There's a thin line between confidence and arrogance."
story: influencer who trades on being a prick and debunker of joy shows up at a small town pizza place in North Carolina and disrupts the staff - and himself.
visuals: was this actually filmed on a phone?
costumes, hair & makeup: grubby enough to have been a documentary
acting: hit or miss. John Abraham (Guillermo), Sarah Jes Austell (Wendy Wittgenstein) and John Patrone, Jr. (Silent Patrone) were the greatest fun for me

intangibles: I didn't hate it. I did want to punch several characters in the mouth throughout the film, and once it was over I wanted to slap the writer/director. It could have been good.
overall: not recommended

[the title quotation is from The Blues Brothers]